Observations
A few interesting cultural observations I've forgotten to mention:
When my familia eats at the dinner table, they have an extra tablecloth that they put over their normal one, and then you can like cut bread and spill stuff and get crumbs all over the top one. Then you just take it off when the meal's done.
The toilets have buttons on the top of the tank, not levers.
The doors all open the opposite from how we're used to. Push to go in, pull to leave.
There are very few children because the birth rate is really low. Whereas the normal rate to keep a population in equilibrium (the replacement rate) is like 2.01 (1 child to replace each parent, plus .01 to account for infant mortality), here in Spain it's like 1.1 children for every adult. Social security problems ahoy. (Compounded by the fact that Spain has a really high life expectancy)
The average age for children to move out of their parents' home is about 28-30. Most people live in the same house until they get married. There's a much larger emphasis on family life here.
posted by Russ at 5:03 AM
4 Comments:
Interesting about families in Spain. Are most people religious?
Is the divorce rate lower than here? I can't imagine too many young adults in the US wanting to live at home until 28-30, but maybe space is an issue in Spain.
7:10 AM
Most people are not very religious here, from what I've heard, but Spain has a strong Catholic heritage. Everybody gets married in churches, but that's because the churches here are some of the most beautiful structures in the world.
I don't know about the divorce rate. Space is an issue, but it also has to do with the cost of pisos here.. which means floors and refers to multi-room apartments. There aren't a lot of one-bedroom apartments; everybody seems to buy a piso and keep it for their entire lives. So you can't afford one right out of high school, plus, there's just not the same pressure to get out of the house like there is in the US.
7:24 AM
this is all real interesting. i miss you rusty
-helyn
8:11 AM
I have enrolled in a flamenco class. I love your bolg
Uncle Dan
3:36 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home