Transcription:
Emily: everyone thought I was a thief.
Ana: what!?
Emily: how embarrassing!
Emily: I’m Emily
Ana: hello, I’m Ana. Today we’re going to talk about “culture shock” when we moved to Spain.
Emily: we’re going to speak in easy English, and you can read the subtitles in Spanish and English below, to practice your listening.
Ana: I’m from Canada
Emily: I’m from the USA.
Ana: and our first culture shock was the attitudes towards alcohol.
Emily: yes, in America, the USA, the attitudes towards alcohol are really strict. You have to be 21 to drink alcohol. Here, you only have to be 18. But, I always see young people, 16 years old, drinking outside in little groups. Also, I sometimes go to a “menú del día” with friends, and I see people on business lunches, in their workday just drinking a bottle of wine with their co-worker.
Ana: yeah, or some beer. So, it’s stricter in the USA?
Emily: definitely. When i lived in Virginia, there was an organization called the “ABC” and their job was to see if underaged people were buying alcohol. There was a group of 20 years old girls, still not old enough to drink. They went to a grocery store and walked out, and the ABC pulled guns on them, to arrest them! As they thought they had bought alcohol, underage.
Ana: with guns?
Emily: yes! With guns!
Ana: that’s so extreme!
Emily: and they didn’t even buy alcohol. They had bought some sparkling water.
Ana: another thing I found super strange, was their greeting; two kisses on the cheek.
Emily: hmmm. Don’t they greet each other with kisses in Canada?
Ana: no! So, in Canada we just say hello verbally and in a business environment perhaps you’ll do a handshake. But there are no kisses. What about in the US?
Emily: in the USA, only with my family do I give them a kiss on the cheek. A real kiss. And with friends I always give hugs. And started doing that here too because I like hugs. I like them better.
Ana: awww. How do they react?
Emily: uhm, they’re like “oh!” And they were a little bit surprised. But then I went to France, and in France they also give the two kisses, I thought “ok, I will do this.” I had a massage, and after the massage I, the masseuse, the female person who does the massage, I gave her two kisses on the cheek, and she told me I was weird.
Emily: our next point is: How late people are living their lives. Here, I see people eating dinner really late and (like at 10 or 9 o’clock at night) and in the US I always eat dinner at 7 at the latest, with my family.
I see families with their children at the playground at night, in summer.
Ana: that’s so true.
Emily: and they’re like really little kids. In the US, at 8 or 9, little kids are in bed, even in the summer.
Ana: Yes, in Canada as well.
Ana: another culture shock was how you hang out with friends!
Emily: how is that different?
Ana: so, I’ve noticed that here is more about your quality time with friends. So, maybe you would go have a picnic at the beach, or maybe you would go to someone’s house or you would go out to eat, that’s fine. But, generally, in comparison to Canada or to some other countries, you don’t spend as much.
Emily: in the USA, when I spent a weekend with friends, we would go out to eat and spend $40 a person and then have drinks and spend $30 more a person. It was a big event. And here people do nights with friends that are more ‘low key’, they do things like go to a bar, and buy a sandwich, and you spend like 10 euros a person for the night.
Ana: yeah, they focus more on spending time with friends and not so much on the activities that you would do.
Emily: our next one is number 5; how there is a better work life balance, so people have more time with their families. I notice that here people have a month off for august, and they have a month off for Christmas time. One of the reasons I moved here was because I wanted to have more time to explore and to live my life more in a European way. In the USA we only would get two weeks off for vacations, and some national holidays throughout the year, but people would just go on a trip for a week, but that makes it impossible to go anywhere to see another country if you can only take a week off.
ANA: That’s true, and it’s very different here in Spain.
EMILY: Number 6 is a traumatic experience that happened to me. I was shopping at Lidl…
ANA: It’s a grocery store here in Europe.
EMILY: …and I went to get a grocery cart, and I saw an elderly man pushing in the cart, in the line of carts. And in the US to help them I would say “Let me take that cart, because you don’t have to push it all the way in when I need it.” It makes sense. So, when I say to the man “oh, I need the cart, let me take it.” He gave me this look like this (mimics gesture) “No! NO!” and he pushed it in and I was like “ok…”
ANA: Chill!
EMILY: And then he went to his adult daughter and he said “that girl was trying to steal my euro!” and I didn’t know how to defend myself in Spanish so well so I just kind of went “aghhh” and he looked at me like “hisssss”. So, I learnt pretty quickly that you have to put a euro in the slot to get a shopping cart.
I think Spain is safer than the USA, to me, because there are no mass shootings, there’s not many guns, but… there is a problem with one thing.
ANA: Yes, pickpocketing, yeah… So, I think it isn’t just in Spain, it’s in all big cities. This happens in Paris; this happens in Toronto. But, when you are traveling here, because there are so many tourists, there is a tendency for being pickpocketed.
EMILY: Yes, and the laws here are different than in the USA. You are not going to go to jail unless you steal 400 euros or more.
EMILY: And, point number 9; the weather! The weather in Spain is hot, there’s beaches, the sun is always shining. It’s the place to go in winter, right?
ANA: In winter? Hahaha, wrong!!
EMILY: What!?
ANA: So, actually winter is cold here. It’s very cold. And the architecture does not help.
EMILY: Hmm, yeah, I knew that. Because I’ve lived here for four and a half years and every winter, I’m like “why is it so cold?” Outside, it feels so warm in the sun. But when you’re inside there are no heaters, usually. So, you’re really cold vs when I lived in the USA, I lived in Virginia, and there was snow in Virginia in the winter. And it was really cold, but when I was at home in my house, I was comfortable.
ANA: Yeah, so, I’m from Toronto, and it would be cold outside, but you would always have your winter coat on, and you would be fine.
EMILY: And I’ve saved the best for the last, and it’s dating.
ANA: Dating!
EMILY: This game is called American men vs Spanish men. Okay? And let’s see who wins.
ANA: All right.
EMILY: Culture.
ANA: Yes, so, I feel like Spanish men, usually know more languages or have traveled a lot, they are more cultured in a way, in general. How do you feel?
EMILY: I feel the same way, in America, most men are only into American football, sports, they think you shouldn’t drink wine if you’re a guy, and they think that… they don’t see a point in learning other languages, and their idea of travel is going to the same beach they go to with their families. And that … They’re not very interesting sometimes, or open minded. So, one point for the Spanish men.
ANA: OK. Number 2, first dates with a Spanish man.
EMILY: Uhmm… OK. I prefer American men because in Spain everything is really casual and you don’t know if it’s even a first date or if it’s just a “hang out”, “just friends”. So, I like it that it’s more formal in the USA, and the man usually makes more of an effort and will probably pay for the date.
ANA: Yeah, I’ve noticed that in other countries the man likes to pay for the first date. However, I feel that it’s nice for women to also pay.
EMILY: Yeah, I do that sometimes.
ANA: Me, too.
EMILY: So, I think we are tied! Spanish men to American men for dating.
ANA: Yeah, but what do you guys think? What do you prefer, Spanish men or American? Or Canadian?
EMILY: MMM…
ANA: HAHAHA, THAT’S FOR ANOTHER VIDEO.
EMILY: Thanks for watching my video, like it and share it, and also make sure to go to my website pensareningles.com. You can find more of my videos, my courses, my books, bilingual articles in Spanish and English, and more! Thank you so much!
ANA: See you next time.
BOTH: Bye!
NOTES ON VOCABULARY:
1-How embarrassing:
This is a phrase you’ll hear teenage girls use for when something is very embarrassing.
2-That’s so extreme!
This is the equivalent to “que fuerte” perhaps. You could also say in this situation, “How crazy!”
3-Hang out-
Pasar tiempo con amigos. We use this for when we talk about the act of seeing/visiting/spending time with friends.
4-A big event-You could also say, “A big deal” for this one.
5-Low key-
When something is casual, doesn’t cost too much money. Something that doesn’t take a lot of energy, planning, etc.
6-Work-life balance-This is a term that people use a lot to describe their quality of life as it relates to their job or their country. In the USA, people don’t have a good work-life balance, because they don’t spend as much time learning languages or traveling. They are too busy working to afford the insanely expensive universities and health care.
7-Cart: In America we say “cart” in England they say “trolley.”
8-It makes sense- Tiene sentido. We say it ‘makes’ sense and not ‘has’.
9-Chill- The equivalent of tranqui in Spanish. Use it cautiously if it is in a business/formal setting, but with friends or if a stranger accuses you of trying to steal their euro, use it then!
10-Slot- the word we use for any opening. It could be for the hole where you put a letter into a mailbox. It could also be where you put your vote in the box when you vote during an election.
11-Pickpocketing-what carteristas do.
12-Because, I’ve lived here for 4. 5 years- Here I use the present perfect.
13-I feel like- Maybe, it’s because I’m a female, but I do tend to start a lot of phrases for my opinion with “I feel like” it’s not a phrase that sounds very strong when airing an opinion and doesn’t seem argumentative. However in a business environment where you need to sound very confident, you should simply state the opinion.
14-Hang out- A type of date where it’s very casual. It could simply be watching a movie together or walking in the park.
15-Make more of an effort- Mostar más esfuerzo. This means the person would wear nice clothes and possibly plan out a date.
16-Pay for the date- invitar a alguién. If you want to pay for someone on a date, you should say, “My treat,” or “I’ve got it.”
17-Tied- In USA we say tied, but in England they say ‘draw’
EMILY: Todos pensaron que era una ladrona
ANA: ¿¡Qué!?
EMILY: ¡Qué vergüenza!
EMILY: Soy Emily
ANA: Hola, soy Ana. Hoy vamos a hablar sobre el choque cultura al mudarse a España.
EMILY: Vamos a hablar en un inglés fácil. Podrás leer los subtítulos en español o inglés, aquí abajo, para practicar la comprensión auditiva.
ANA: Soy de Canadá.
EMILY: Yo soy de Estados Unidos.
ANA: Nuestro primer choque cultural se dio con la actitud hacia el alcohol.
EMILY: Sí, en Estados Unidos, la actitud hacia el alcohol es muy estricta. Tienes que tener 21 años para beber alcohol. Aquí con 18 años ya puedes. Pero, siempre veo gente más de joven, de 16 años, bebiendo en la calle en pequeños grupos.
También, cuando salgo a comer el “menú del día” con algún amigo/a, veo gente en almuerzos de trabajo, durante la jornada laboral, compartiendo una botella de vino con su compañero de trabajo.
ANA: Sí, o alguna cerveza. Es más estricto en Estados Unidos.
EMILY: Definitivamente. Cuando vivía en Virginia, había una organización llamada la “ABC” y su trabajo era controlar si había menores de edad comprando alcohol. Un grupo de veinteañeras, aun no lo suficientemente grandes como para beber. Fueron a un supermercado, y al salir los de la ABC les apuntaron con armas y las arrestaron. Pensaron que habían comprado alcohol, siendo aun menores.
ANA: ¿Con armas?
EMILY: ¡Sí! ¡Con armas!
ANA: ¡Eso es extremo!
EMILY: Y ni siquiera habían comprado alcohol. Habían comprado agua gaseosa en latas.
ANA: Otra cosa que me resulta muy extraña es la manera en que se saludan aquí: dos besos en las mejillas.
EMILY: ¿No se saludan con besos en Canadá?
ANA: ¡No! En Canadá no saludamos con un “hola”, verbalmente, y en el ambiente laboral a lo mejor haya algún apretón de manos. Pero no hay nada de besos. ¿Cómo es en USA?
EMILY: En Estados Unidos, solo a mi familia saludo con dos besos en las mejillas. A mis amigos siempre saludo con abrazos. Empecé a hacer eso aquí también, porque me gustan más los abrazos.
ANA: Awww, ¿cómo reaccionan?
EMILY: Jumm, siempre se quedan sorprendidos “¡oh!”. Pero cuando fui a Francia, allí también saludan con dos besos, entonces pensé “Ok, voy a hacer esto.” Un día a que me hicieran un masaje, y al terminar me despedí de la masajista con dos besos. Y le pareció muy raro y me dijo que era muy extraña.
EMILY: Nuestro siguiente punto: Lo tarde que la gente hace las cosas aquí. Aquí, veo que la gente cena muy tarde, entre las 9 o 10 de la noche. En Estados Unidos, con mi familia, siempre cenamos a las 7 a más tardar.
También veo a familias en el parque con sus hijos, bien entrada la noche durante el verano.
ANA: Sí, eso es muy cierto.
EMILY: Además, son niños muy pequeños. En E.U., a las 8 o 9 de la noche, los niños ya están en la cama, incluso en verano.
ANA: Sí, también en Canadá.
ANA: ¡Otro choque cultural fue la manera en la que se pasa tiempo con los amigos!
EMILY: ¿Cómo se diferencia?
ANA: Pues, noté que aquí se trata más del tiempo de calidad que compartes con los amigos. Por lo tanto, es normal tener un picnic en la playa, o tal vez ir a la casa de alguien a pasar el tiempo ahí, o nada salir a comer, lo cual está bien. Pero, generalmente, comparando con Canadá u otro país, no se gasta tanto aquí.
EMILY: En E.U., cuando pasaba algún fin de semana con amigos, salíamos a comer y gastábamos s unos 40$ por persona., luego íbamos a por unos tragos y era otros 30$ más por persona. Era todo un evento. Aquí las salidas entre amigos son más bajadas de tono, hacen cosas como ir a un bar, comerse un sándwich y en total gasta 10 euros cada persona y punto.
ANA: Sí, se enfocan más en pasar el tiempo juntos y no tanto en qué van a hacer.
EMILY: Nuestro siguiente tema es cómo la vida laboral está mejor equilibrada para que la gente pueda tener más tiempo con sus familias. He notado que aquí la gente tiene el mes entero de agosto, libre, y tienen un mes libre para las fiestas de Navidad. Una de las razones por las cuáles me mudé aquí fue para tener más tiempo para explorar y vivir una vida un poco más europea. En E.U solo tenemos una semana libre para las vacaciones, y algunos feriados nacionales a lo largo del año, pero resulta imposible viajar a otro país si solo tienes una semana de tiempo.
ANA: Es verdad, es muy distinto aquí en España.
EMILY: La siguiente es una historia traumática que me sucedió. Estoy de compras en Lidl…
ANA: Es un supermercado en Europa.
EMILY…y fui a tomar un carrito para las compras. Vi que un señor mayor estaba empujando uno para devolverlo a la hilera. Para ayudarlo, en E.U. hubiera dicho “déjame tomar el carro, no tienes que empujarlo hasta al fondo, ya que yo lo necesito.” Tiene sentido. Pero cuando le digo al hombre “necesito el carro, déjame tomarlo” … me da una mirada (mímica del gesto) “¡No! ¡NO!” y empuja el carrito hasta el final, yo quedé perpleja “ok…”
ANA: “Relájese, señor.”
EMILY: Se acercó a su hija adulta y le dijo “aquella chica quiso robar mi euro!”. Yo no sabía cómo defender en Español, por lo que solo me quedé así : “aaaaghh”, él me miró en plan “iiiiiiks”. Entonces aprendí muy pronto que debes colocar un euro en la ranura para poder usar el carrito de supermercado.
Emily: Creo que España es más segura que E.U., al menos para mí, porque no hay tiroteos de masas, casi no hay armas, pero… si hay problema con una cosa.
ANA: Sí, los carteristas. Pero creo que esto no sucede solo en España. Pasa en todas las grandes ciudades, en Paris, en Toronto, etc… Pero, cuando vienes aquí, al haber tantos turistas, hay una tendencia muy grande a ser robado por un carterista.
EMILY: Sí, y las leyes aquí son diferentes a las de EU. No vas a la cárcel a menos que robes 400 euros o más.
EMILY: ¡Seguimos con el clima! El clima en España es caluroso, hay playas, siempre está soleado. Es el lugar al que ir en invierno, ¿verdad?
ANA: ¿En invierno? Jajaja. ¡Nooo!
EMILY: ¿¡QUÉ!?
ANA: En realidad es muy frío aquí durante el invierno. Muy muy frío. Y la arquitectura tampoco ayuda mucho.
EMILY: Hmm, sí, lo sabía. Debido a que viví aquí durante cuatro años y medio y cada invierno, me pregunto “¿por qué hace tanto frío?” Afuera, se está muy bien bajo el sol. Pero cuando estás dentro, normalmente, no hay calefacción. Entonces, tienes mucho frío a diferencia de cuando vivía en los EE. UU., en Virginia invierno. Había nieve y hacía mucho frío, pero cuando estaba en mi casa, estaba a gusto.
ANA: Sí, soy de Toronto, y por más que hiciera frío afuera, con tu abrigo de invierno estarías bien.
EMILY: Y guardé lo mejor para el final, ¡las citas!
ANA: ¡Citas!
EMILY: Este juego se llama hombres estadounidenses vs hombres españoles. ¿Bueno? Y veamos quién gana.
ANA: De acuerdo.
EMILY: Cultura.
ANA: Bien, pues, creo que los hombres españoles, por lo general, saben más idiomas, han viajado más. En pocas palabras, suelen ser más cultos. ¿Qué opinas?
EMILY: Siento lo mismo, en Estados Unidos, a la mayoría de los hombres solo les gusta el fútbol americano, los deportes, piensan que no deberías beber vino si eres un chico, y piensan que … no tienen sentido aprender otros idiomas, y su idea de viajar es ir a la misma playa a la que van con sus familias. No son muy interesantes a veces, o de mente abierta. Entonces, un punto para los hombres españoles.
ANA: OK. Número 2; primeras citas con un español.
EMILY: Uhmm … OK. Prefiero a los hombres estadounidenses porque en España todo es muy informal y no se sabe si es una primera cita o si es solo un encuentro casual de amigos. Entonces, me gusta que sea más formal en los EE. UU., Y el hombre generalmente hace un mayor esfuerzo y posiblemente pague la cita.
ANA: Sí, he notado que en otros países al hombre le gusta pagar por la primera cita. Sin embargo, siento que es bueno que las mujeres también paguen.
EMILY: Sí, a veces hago eso.
ANA: Yo también.
EMILY: Entonces, ¡creo que es un empate! Hombres españoles y hombres estadounidenses para salir.
ANA: Sí, pero ¿qué piensan ustedes? ¿Qué prefieres, hombres españoles o estadounidenses? ¿O canadiense?
EMILY: Mmm …
ANA: Jajaja, eso es para otro video.
EMILY: Gracias por ver mi video, dale me gusta y compártelo, y también asegúrate de visitar mi sitio web pensareningles.com. ¡Puedes encontrar más de mis videos, mis cursos, mis libros, artículos bilingües en español e inglés, y más! ¡Muchas gracias!
ANA: Hasta la próxima.
AMBAS: ¡Adiós!
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