Cultura: Relaciones personales

Personal relationships in Spanish-speaking countries are a bit different from what you may have encountered. In most Spanish-speaking countries, people are not very protective of their personal space. You can see it in the way they greet each other (with kisses or hugs) and in the way they interact in their day-to-day activities.  People tend to stand close while talking to others, look in the eyes, and sometimes see casual touching.

Culturally, families are the center of most Spanish-speaking countries. Most families have a day during the week, typically on Sundays,  when the whole family (grandparents, cousins, brothers, etc) meet for lunch. Visits to grandparents or other family members are very common.

A lot of family time revolves around food and shopping. One of the most common places people get together is during the open markets. The biggest one in Madrid, Spain is called El Rastro. Families will go to the open market and buy trinkets, fruits or vegetables, sometimes meat…. Then families will go have un aperitivo before going home for lunch together.

Most family members commute from work to their homes to have lunch together and then go back to work after a short siesta. Lunchtime is a very important moment in the day to get together with the immediate family.

Friends also play an important role in personal relationships. Street food like tacos is a great place to meet. This usually happens during the evening or night. Dinner is typically a small portion, so street tacos are great for a nice dinner with friends.