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Final Report

Chris Layne

COMM 300 International Sojourning

Host Country Report

Let the following questions guide you as you prepare your report.

What is the name of your host country? Spain

In what region is it located? Spain is on the Continent of Europe.

Which countries border it?

France and Andorra to the North, Portugal to the West, Morocco and Gibraltar to the South

Which countries are close to it culturally? Portugal

What is the capital and most important cities? Madrid is the Capital. Barcelona, Seville, Pamplona and Valencia, which is a historical port city.

What are the 10 most important historical moments for your country?

1339 Treaty of Madrid signed

1493 colonization of the Americas begins

1554 English Queen Mary 1st of England marries Prince Phillip of Spain

1761 Seven Years war between Spain and Britain

1778 Spain supported US in Revolutionary war with UK

1936-1939 Spanish Civil war

1976 Spanish transition to Democracy

1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona

2004 Madrid train bombings

2010 Spain wins soccer FIFA World Cup

What languages are spoken there?

Spanish or Castillan(only official status) 99% . Aranese, co-official in Catalonia. It is spoken mainly in the Pyrenean comarca of the Aran Valley (Val d'Aran), in north-western Catalonia. It is a variety of Gascon, which in turn is a variety of the Occitan language.

Basque, co-official in the Basque Country and northern Navarre (see Basque-speaking zone). Basque is the only non-Romance language (as well as non-Indo-European) with an official status in mainland Spain.

Catalan, co-official in Catalonia and in the Balearic Islands (sometimes referred to as Balearic). It is recognised—but not official—in Aragon in the area of La Franja.

Valencian (variety of Catalan), co-official in the Valencian Community. Not all areas of the Valencian Community, however, are historically Valencian-speaking, particularly the western side. It is also spoken without official recognition in the municipality of Carche, Murcia.

Galician, co-official in Galicia and recognised, but not official, in the adjacent western parts of the Principality of Asturias (as Galician-Asturian) and Castile and León.

How would you describe the political system? How recent or ancient is that system?

Spain's current government is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy that is based on the Spanish Constitution, which was approved in 1978 and establishes a government with three branches: Executive, legislative, and judicial. The head of state is King Felipe VI, a hereditary monarch. But the actual leader of the government is the president, or prime minister, who is the head of the executive branch of government.

He is nominated by the king but must be approved by the legislative branch of government.

What are the dominant religions in your country? In what proportion?

Catholic Christianity is the largest religion in Spain, but practical secularization is strong. About 3% of Spaniards consider religion as one of their three most important values, even lower than the 5% European average. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 abolished Catholicism as the official state religion, while recognizing the role it plays in Spanish society. As a result, there is no official religion and religious freedom is protected.

According to the Spanish Center for Sociological Research, 67.5% of Spaniards self-identify as Catholic Christians, 2.9% as followers of other faiths (including Islam, Protestant Christianity, Buddhism etc.), and 26.8% identify as atheists or non-believers as of September 2018. Most Spaniards do not participate regularly in religious worship. This same study shows that of the Spaniards who identify themselves as religious, 61.0% barely ever attend mass, 16.0% attend mass a few times a year, 7.0% few times per month, 13.3% almost every Sunday, and 1.9% multiple times per week

What is the relationship between religion and politics?

The Catholic Church has a radio network (Cadena COPE) and a TV channel (13tv). Though not belonging to the church, right wing papers like ABC and La Razón seem to be very influenced by its doctrines. The church also has all the pulpits in each of the churches of this country; and some of its members have been so politically blunt as to ask its parishioners to vote for a certain political party: see here and here. Not surprisingly, because this party has strong ties to the Catholic Church: see here for one example.

So I would say that religion does influence Spanish politics, even if only through the opinions pushed from these media outlets.

What social classes exist in your country? Spain has a high-class middle-class and lower-class much like we do. The upper 20% of the higher class has 7 times the wealth of the lower 20%. They have differed throughout the country’s history. How is social class defined? Social class in Spain is mainly defined by wealth, much like the rest of the modern societies. How open or closed is the class system? Just like most places, there is resistance from the upper class to rub elbows with the lower class. On the other hand, it is pretty open for the middle classes to dip into the lower classes. The economy is partly to blame,

In general, what are the gender roles in your country? Being that the Spanish Language is primarily gender based, it is not a surprise that the culture is described as biased. Gender roles in Spain have changed drastically within a short period of time. From the 1930's to the 1970's, Spain had strict rules concerning women in the work force and even marriage. Wives were prohibited from working, owning property, or traveling without their husband's permission. Women were required to participate in a 6-month long class to prepare to be mothers. All marriages in Spain had to be sanctioned by the Catholic Church, and annulment is the only option out of a marriage (Spain). I think that the gender roles in these years were strict and seemed just a bit unwarranted. Forcing all women to attend a class to be mothers is not only time consuming, but also a bit excessive. If a woman decides to have a baby, then they are well aware of the changes that need to be made when preparing for it.

The creation of the constitution in 1978 and the civil code of 1981 gave women more rights. Although they were then allowed to work, they were still expected to be housewives and full-time mothers as well. This has led to more marriages later in life so that women are able to have a career as well as a family (Spain). It would be extremely difficult to balance house work as well as a full time job. Although this is a step forward in women's rights, it doesn't seem to be an effective approach. They basically still have to choose between work and a family. This explains why so many young adults are pushing off marriage to be able to pursue a career.

There has also been a shift in the perceptions of gratification. These days it is more common for young people to make decisions based on what they want now, instead of looking ahead to what might be better for their future (Spain). There has been an increase in unemployment, and without government aid, it is necessary for women to work as well as their husbands. With the lack of child care services, it is difficult for both parents to work, especially the mothers, since it is seen as their responsibility. Since many women are choosing to work instead of staying home the fertility rate has fallen significantly (Spanish Families).

Since women now have to choose between a career and motherhood, children are now seen as a hardship or burden. This can affect the views of children, from positive to more negative (Spanish Families). This is sad and also concerning. Women don't deserve to be backed into a corner and forced to think of child rearing as a burden. They should be able to have a career without having to give up on the prospects of having a family as well

How rigid are those roles?

Today more equality in the younger generations with household chores work, raising children and other things. Fathers are also granted more paternity leave than before, and mothers of newborn could take up to three months of maternity leave free of obligations to work, if they so desired

What are the most important newspapers,

The sport focused national daily newspaper, Marca, had the greatest readership with around 1.7 million readers. Marca is published in tabloid format and owned by Spanish publishing group Unidad Editorial, which is part of Italian multimedia publishing conglomerate RCS MediaGroup. Madrid-based daily newspaper El País and Diario AS, another sport-based paper, came second and third in the ranking of the most read Spanish newspapers.

television stations, Monthly viewing shares in August 2018 (Top 10 individual channels):[3]

Position

Channel

Group

Share of total viewing (%)

Antena 3

Atresmedia ��Televisión

12.1%

Telecinco

Mediaset España Comunicación

11,9%

La 1

Televisión Española

10.0%

La Sexta

Atresmedia Televisión

6.1%

Cuatro

Mediaset España Comunicación

5.7%

FDF

Mediaset España Comunicación

3.1%

La 2

Televisión Española

2.9%

Neox

Atresmedia Televisión

2.6%

Nova

Atresmedia Televisión

2.5%

Divinity

Mediaset España Comunicación

2.2%

radio stations?

The following groups operate commercial radio networks broadcasting across Spain:

Prisa Radio[edit]

Cadena SER - Generalist radio station featuring mostly news, talk and sports.

Los 40 - Contemporary hit radio station.

Cadena Dial - Spanish adult-contemporary radio station.

Los 40 Classic - Oldies music station dedicated to the hits from mostly the 80's and 90's.

Máxima FM - Electronic dance music station dedicated to a wide variety of its sub-genres.

Radiolé - Music station dedicated to copla, rumba, flamenco and sevillanas.

Radio Popular[edit]

Cadena COPE - Generalist radio station featuring mostly news, talk and sports with a religious appeal.

Cadena 100 - Adult-contemporary radio station. Comparable to BBC Radio 2.

MegaStar FM - Youth-focused hybrid pop/dance music station that includes limited recurrent rotation. Comparable to Radio Disney.

Rock FM - Classic rock music station.

Atresmedia Radio[edit]

Onda Cero - Generalist radio station featuring news, talk and sports.

Europa FM - Contemporary hit radio station dedicated to pop-rock hits since the 2000's.

Melodía FM - Oldies music station dedicated to the hits from the 70's, 80's and 90's.

Kiss Media[edit]

Kiss FM - Oldies music station dedicated to the hits mostly from the 80's and 90's, sometimes from the 70's and 2000's, and sporadically from today.

Hit FM - Youth-focused mostly-current contemporary hit radio station.

Unidad Editorial[edit]

Radio Marca - Sports radio station. Comparable to ESPN Deportes Radio.

Libertad Digital[edit]

esRadio

Intereconomía Corporación[edit]

Radio Inter

Radio Intereconomía

Is there a viable film industry? The art of motion-picture making within the Kingdom of Spain or by Spanish filmmakers abroad is collectively known as Spanish Cinema.

In recent years, Spanish cinema has achieved high marks of recognition. In the long history of Spanish cinema, the great filmmaker Luis Buñuel was the first to achieve universal recognition, followed by Pedro Almodóvar in the 1980s. Spanish cinema has also seen international success over the years with films by directors like Segundo de Chomón, Florián Rey, Luis García Berlanga, Juan Antonio Bardem, Carlos Saura, Julio Médem and Alejandro Amenábar. Woody Allen, upon receiving the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award in 2002 in Oviedo remarked: "when I left New York, the most exciting film in the city at the time was Spanish, Pedro Almodóvar's one. I hope that Europeans will continue to lead the way in film making because at the moment not much is coming from the United States."

Non-directors, like the cinematographer Néstor Almendros, the art director Gil Parrondo, the screenwriter Rafael Azcona, the actresses Maribel Verdú and, especially, Penélope Cruz and the actors Fernando Rey, Francisco Rabal, Antonio Banderas, Javier Bardem and Fernando Fernán Gómez, have obtained significant recognition outside Spain.

Only a small portion of box office sales in Spain are generated by domestic films. The Spanish government has therefore implemented measures aimed at supporting local film production and movie theaters, which include the assurance of funding from the main national television stations. The trend is being reversed with productions such as the €30 million film Alatriste (starring Viggo Mortensen), the Academy Award-winning Spanish film Pan's Labyrinth (starring Maribel Verdú), Volver (starring Penélope Cruz and Carmen Maura), and Los Borgia (starring Paz Vega), all of them sold-out blockbusters in Spain.

Another aspect of Spanish cinema mostly unknown to the general public is the appearance of English-language Spanish films such as Agora (directed by Alejandro Amenábar and starring Rachel Weisz), Ché (directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Benicio del Toro), The Machinist (starring Christian Bale), The Others (starring Nicole Kidman), Miloš Forman’s Goya's Ghosts (starring Javier Bardem and Natalie Portman), and The Impossible (starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts). All of these films were produced by Spanish firms.

What is the dominant cuisine of your country?

Spain has a diverse culinary menu, depending on what part of the country we are in. Although the typical dishes of Castilla -La Mancha are heavy stews and soups, like the cocido madrileno, pisto manchego is one of the most well-known regional dishes, popular all over Spain and with many variations. Of Arab origin, the traditional pisto is made simply with red and green peppers, tomatoes and squash, although it is common to add onion, ham or eggs. Sopa de Ajo or garlic soup is another Manchego dish that is now popular everywhere in Spain and is made of garlic, broth, oil, paprika and dry bread.

What is the relationship between food and the broader culture?

The midday meal or la comida, as it is called in Spain, is the largest meal of the day. It is definitely a big meal and typically includes multiple courses and wine. Since Spanish lunches are always large, and courses come one at a time, it is important to pace yourself. Like Italians, Spaniards believe in taking their time and enjoying their meals. That is why you can expect lunch to last an hour and a half or longer. Traditionally, Spaniards have a two- to three-hour break from work or school in order to enjoy lunch. They also take a short nap or siesta. Essentially, the entire country closes up shop from about 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The siesta is a tradition that goes back centuries from the days when most people worked in agriculture and air conditioning did not exist. It is easy to understand why folks needed fuel from a large meal as well as a rest from the hot Spanish sun before returning to work. Everyone in Spain enjoyed this afternoon break from school kids to shop workers and government officials. Most Spaniards still enjoy a break and large meal, but life in Spain is changing. In larger cities like Madrid and Barcelona, many people spend over an hour commuting to and from work, making it impossible to go home for a meal and siesta. Because of this, Spanish government employees in Madrid now work a standard eight-hour day with a one-hour lunch break. Many large supermarket and retail chains in large cities do not close for lunch anymore, either. Most small shops still close to enjoy their meal and a break before re-opening in the late afternoon.

How do friends greet each other in your country?

Relatives and Friends - In general, friends and relatives greet each other with a kiss or a hug. When a male greets a female or a female greets another female here is what happens. They will gently touch both arms and move together until they are about six inches apart. Then they cock their heads, put their cheeks together, and make a light kissing sound.

How do you greet strangers?

Personal pride and individualism are highly valued, as are character and breeding. Modesty is valued over assertiveness. Flaunting superiority, intelligence and ability is not appreciated. People strive to project affluence and social position. Personal appearance, image and human relationships are very important. Shake hands with everyone present--men, women and children--at a business or social meeting. Shake hands again when leaving.

Men may embrace each other when meeting (friends and family only).

Women may kiss each other on the cheek and embrace.

What is the currency used in your country? The Euro

How new or traditional is that currency?

The Euro is new as of 2002. The peseta was introduced in 1868, at a time when Spain was considering joining the Latin Monetary Union (LMU). It replaced the old Spanish peso currency. Spain eventually decided not to formally join the LMU, although it did achieve alignment with the bloc. The Spanish Law of June 26, 1864 decreed that in preparation for joining the Latin Monetary Union the peseta became a subdivision of the peso. The peseta replaced the escudo. The political turbulence of the early twentieth century (especially during the years after the World War I) caused the monetary union to break up, although it was not until 1927 that it officially ended. In 1959, Spain became part of the Bretton Woods System pesetas. In 1967, the peseta followed the devaluation of the British pound. The peseta was replaced by the euro in 2002, following the establishment of the euro in 1999.

Try to discover where to place the culture you plan to visit (in general) on the following dimensions:

High – Low Context Communication

Most of my day to day interactions plan to be in a high context communication. I do speak Spanish so hopefully it is in good enough standing that I don’t have to draw a picture, because I suck at drawing…. lol but I can write Spanish as well, so it isn’t out of the question for either.

Synchronic or Synchronistic Time Orientation

I want to believe that most of the country is pretty liberal in the ways time is looked upon, For instance it can be “normal” to be 30 minutes late to an event, with no one batting an eye. My military training always gets me somewhere 15 minutes early or I am late. So I am sure I will probably be waiting alot in Spain, but that’s ok; I will in my dream country!

Affective Communication or Neutral Communication

I am pretty easy going and outgoing, hopefully that will take a long way when trying to communicate. I do understand that not everyone is like me and there have been time where my approach has been rejected and that’s ok too. I realize I am a little aggressive sometimes, but not in a mean way, I just don’t have many filters or walls to hind behind.,

What kinds of nonverbal communication is important for you to consider?

All of the ways of communication listed are important. Spanish people are known for close personal space invasion when talking, so hopefully I will conform somehow to not let that be an issue for me, I think any type of communication is important in a foreign place. I can only imagine being lost and feeling completely isolated because of not being able to find someone to speak your native language!

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