12 Things I HATE about Living in Spain

[@perrolutxo]

There is nothing more Spanish than complaining about Spain. You are one of us, James

[@TechSucht]

Seems to be an international thing, I always say the same about Germany. 😀

[@grace81617]

😂😂

[@joelcoll4034]

​​@@joe743kay but he is complain about Spain not about New Zeland so it still applies

[@joelcoll4034]

@@joe743 it was a joke...

[@perrolutxo]

@@youssef24231 Hey Youssef! I was trying to make a joke, not a point :)

[@therealgoldomenso3864]

I am a Spaniard living in USA, and I also can't vote since I am a resident, not a citizen. Not being able to vote unless you are a citizen of that country is pretty standard, not just exclusively an issue with Spain.

[@RoylandLara]

Is called constitution , and I love every time I see an immigrant trying to change the constitution😂stupids

[@GreatWaterCircus]

He is English he always complains... that is the first problem.

[@sazonao]

One of the foundations of the nation is no taxation without representation. I'm thinking, you pay tax, you vote.

[@therealgoldomenso3864]

@@sazonao I think it makes sense that foreigners don't get to vote. Imagine if any person in the world could vote for any country in the world. That could get pretty messy.

[@ChefGoreb]

@@GreatWaterCircus I don't think it works that way. I have never met a Kiwi who referred to themselve as "English". The only people who are proud to be English are those from England. Same as an Argentinian would not say he's Spanish, just because they share a language^^

[@valm.5243]

I'm black and I would try Conguitos when I visit Spain ...the chocolate and the white chocolate ones. How do they taste? It doesn't offend me. I feel secure in my blackness that I don't care about ignorant, racist people. We are all humans and all of us have red blood. Color differences are only skin deep. We all just have to be happy with the way God made all of us unique and celebrate that! It seems like the Spanish laissez-faire attitude about race is the way to be. I think we are too touchy about race in the English-speaking world, especially in the US.

[@hwanjung8230]

Generally, white liberals are the ones who get most offended or triggered

[@pedroteran5885]

It's a chocolate-coated peanut.

[@bookinsights1092]

There should be no blacks in Europe. Go back.

[@Jenjen2021]

They taste delicious and Spaniards are not racist. You'll love Spain and you'll love conguitos

[@Sarie977]

Exactly! Just as was banning Uncle Ben´s and Aunt Jemaima´s images...

[@elpepinazo7801]

James. For US citizens when yo take Spanish citizenship, they ask you to sign a document where you say you renounce your citizenship. You sign a document of alligeance to the king and to obey Spanish law. As far as the US, renouncing citizenship must be done by going to a US embassy and signing papers stating that you desire to renounce your citizenship and a couple of other procedural steps. Unless you do this, you are still a US citizen. So the US is happy, Spain is happy and hopefully you will be happy enjoying dual citizenship.

[@Twotwofourfivesix]

That’s good advice but I think he’s from New Zealand though

[@ivesthefirst]

As a Brazilian I had to jump in and comment. Spam calls are so constant here that we usually don't answer the phone if we don't know who is calling.

[@gauchoparaguayo]

You haven't been to the USA!

[@terribreed7637]

@@gauchoparaguayo True! I never answer the phone. And thankfully my carrier has the feature to identify probably spam calls which are 99% of calls.

[@GabrielAlvarez-y5v]

In Mexico is the same, but add kidnappers and scammers to the mix 😂

[@wockforwork]

Same in Russia ahahah. So we have lot of services that tag calls like spam or scam

[@dusuarez]

As a Brazilian, Spain is exactly the same. I got spam calls a few days after getting my number. Interesting, Brazilian bureaucracy is getting better in the last decades, while in Spain it's a nightmare.

[@Almblanco]

The thing about Baltasar's black face in Spain is that it is a tradition carried over from a time when there weren't many black people in Spain. Now, evidently, there are plenty of Africans who can fill the role (and be much more convincing). My point is that I don't think Baltasar's blackface is racism as such. It is simply characterization. This is a clear example of anglosaxon sensitivities being applied to other nations where the context is vastly different and thus the same conclusions cannot be reached. The reason blackface is such a big deal in the US is that country has a much more recent history of very holstile racism against blacks and minstrel shows were common to mock this race. The same cannot be said for Spain. All that said, if it was up to me, I'd always pick a real black man to play Baltasar, my primordial reason being that it needs to be as convincing as possible for the children attending the parade (and let's be honest, the black make up is not very convincing...)

[@jameshashim8869]

Spain benefited in the slave trade. A lot of money was made and brought to Spain to build the country. So, don't go about saying there were not lots black people in Spain. Spain is generally a racist country!

[@Almblanco]

@@jameshashim8869 nah, not really

[@CaenFilms]

buddy. do the world a favor and look up anti-black imagery.

[@enibeni2071]

Like I often say to many englishspeakers online: "your country isn't the center of the world". The level of entitlement of certain english speakers is outragerous. Many USA's people and England's people love indentitarian ideologies, identitarian beliefs....They see racism on everything, everything is racist, everything is an insult to black people....Give me a break! To combat racism with racism is wrong. To combat xenophobia with xenophobia is wrong. CULTURAL SHOCK exist and it's important when discussing cultural issues. People need to educate themselves before accusing others. Every ethnicity has different expression and reasons. To apply the mindset of your country to the rest of countries is wrong (and it can even be considered racistz xenophobic, suoremacist and imperialist). 1-USA's people and England's people consider black skin and red lips are racist...however, it's considered a beautiful traditional art in some latin countries (Cuba, Brazil etc). USA's people and England's people need to consider the fact that the british empire didn't get along with Portugal and Spain. Historical bigotry is dangerous. 2- Spanish people have DNA of Europe, North Africa and Middle East. The white race is the combination of Europe, North Africa and Middle East. Arabs was already in Spain in 700 and Cleopatra had greek ancestry. Some spanish people have natural brown skin. Black people aren't the only people on Earth who have brown skin. 3-It isn't black face. It's cosplay (costume + play). These men don't have natural white hair. These men don't have natural orange hair. It's a cosplay. Why do people only complain about characters that have brown skin or are black? To put a bad connotation on everything that a race (in this case, white race) do is racist. Racism is discrimination based on race. Everybody deserves to be judge by who she/he is. Say no to racism. 4- Spain, Brazil and many other countries appreciate brown skin. Tan products are very common in Spain. They aren't trying to change their race.

[@the_specialista6319]

You couldn't have said it better. It's so weird that Anglo-Saxon culture is sooooo sensitive towards this kind of things when they're the most racist.

[@MarshalWalker1968]

I'm from the United States and have been living in Spain for 4 years. Your number 12 made me laugh. I've made up a Spanish word for that long period of goodbyes after you're done having drinks or a meal with friends. I call it the "sobrecalle"...jajajaja. I always point out to them...especially if it's in the dead of Summer or Winter when it's blazing hot or freezing cold, that we could still be in a temperature controlled environment enjoying another drink. Instead, we are usually on the street a few meters from where we were sitting inside talking for another 45 minutes to an hour. I love Spain! I love the sobremesa! I don't care for the sobrecalle.

[@marcgarrigosmane166]

We just don't want to say goodbye

[@bkm2797]

Curious Marshall, have you tried leaving an hour earlier, it would be a bit frustrating if this happened everytime.

[@caroleloomis1430]

Love it!

[@Cantetinza17]

I'm just that person to be like, "Well I gotta go bye". My GodMother still lives in Spain, so I'm familiar with the goodbyes. I just say, "Nice seeing you I have an early day bye". And I'm gone. ☺️

[@CoastHobbit9340]

​@@marcgarrigosmane166 I always listen out for the 'reset timer' phrase and try to muzzle the person about to say it - it never works! At some point in the attempt to say bye and leave, someone will utter the phrase 'pues nada' ('well, nothing' !?) and at least another hour is added to the ritual. (As a lifelong procrastinator I can't really complain about that one!)

[@kevinbyrne4538]

In the USA there was a brand of pancake mix which was called "Aunt Jemima". The box featured a small illustration of a black woman wearing a bandana on her head. People complained about an illustration that suggested a domestic servant; so the manufacturer changed the illustration to a younger black woman with neat hair and a pearl earring. No one complained -- except the company's "diversity" officer. So the illustration was removed and the brand's name was changed to "Pearl River Milling Co." Very catchy, right? Sales have declined and a large factory has closed -- costing 500 jobs.

[@robertkennedy8735]

I grew up on Aunt Jemima. When I went to the store to buy it I didn’t even recognize the box so I bought another brand. When I figured out what they did I said screw that I’m sticking with the new brand. I think we are too sensitive in the US and everything is offensive. I can see why someone from the US would be offended by conguitos but when I saw them in the store in Spain I just thought, oh this is a cute little character. If we try to view things from the other person perspective we will find that many times there aren’t bad intentions. Perhaps a lack of awareness, but not bad intentions. In the words of Rodney King can we all just get along.

[@jimsanderson4180]

I stopped buying Aunt Jemima because it tastes bad. It used to be good but the greedy owners cut corners to boost their bottom line.

[@rhyljones5051]

You are like a kiwi version of me! I've been living in Catalunya for 12 years, am married to a Spanish national and have a 9 year old son. We share very similar gripes about Spain despite absolutely loving it as a place to live and raise a family. I especially resonated with the long Spanish goodbye. My wife is the absolute queen at this, sometimes even insisting that I get up and put on my coat as we need to get home as it's school tomorrow...then proceeding to start a new conversation which will inevitably last for another 20 minutes by which time I am sweating in my coat and wishing I had just stayed sat down and grabbed another beer!

[@olgaolszewska1545]

😆😆😆

[@PedroCarvalho-lb7qx]

This also happens in Portugal hehe

[@dr.codina]

This was so funny! I absolutely agree that the long good-byes are true, despite this, I still do it here in the U.S., maybe it's in our DNA

[@josemariaserrano181]

My political family sez hold my beer. On Christmas it took 30 full minutes JUST TO SERVE DESSERT. Goodbyes of less than an hour are considered terribly impolite.

[@RichardCork-v7v]

You are hilarious! Por. Dios que me vuelva loca! Toda la verdad

[@Nadine-xv1kr]

I love long goodbyes. I am a french expat living in the US and when you leave a party here, you barely say goodbye, and it always gives me such a sad feeling. From having fun, drinking and eating with a bunch of people, you just leave all that, all of a sudden, like a thief. I can't wait to move to Spain for the long good byes 🙂

[@gato-grande]

SAN MARTIN DE LOS ANDES ARGENTINA

[@beniaminocogoi5806]

Italian in the UK, totally agree!

[@MissGabriela829]

Am from.Costa Rica, moved to the states when I was 11.. (am 46) my poor American Husband hates the long goodbyes lol. 6 yrs married and I finally dont have to remind him to say goodbye to people. the whole wave to the world as you walk out irks me. go and physically say Good bye.

[@freekingfreaking246]

Well that's rich because the quick goodbye or literally just leaving without saying goodbye is precisely associated with french culture in Brazil. We call it "the french exit" when you leave a place discreetly without saying goodbye to people. I think in English people say the "the Irish goodbye" or something

[@Nadine-xv1kr]

@@freekingfreaking246 That is rich, considering how much Brazilians know about the French culture. 🙂

[@seat9k]

I'm watching this video now and the part about racism struck me particularly. I moved here with my two teenaged boys, both black, almost 6 years ago. One of the biggest reasons we moved was because of safety and racism concerns in the US for black teenagers, particularly boys. We have no regrets.

[@hejla4524]

That racism section was pathetic. Spain for the time being ignores this type of idiocy, but no doubt in time will bow to the wishes of these Woke snowflakes.

[@wwbuirkle]

LOL By far the most dangerous thing for young black men in the US is other black men not even close.

[@davidprietogomez7254]

This is because casual ignorant racisim. Same people doing black face will be the first to defend you against any racist treat, even if it means defending you against police. This is because people dont see the insensitive casual racism as racist. They come from a cultural prespective when this only means tradition. Kids love the guy doing blackface because represents a good black african king and have good perception of the black man, as a honest good hearthed man that cares for Jesus...often is the favourite of spanish kids. The blackface issue...well the term in itself is not known for most people. Think about this: A white guy dresses up as a black man and does blackface to teach children black men are good and help Jesus, and we are all diverse. Strange and cringe, but this is the reality of it. It comes from a time there were not black men in Spain at all.

[@hejla4524]

@@davidprietogomez7254 The black King is the children's favorite for all the right reasons.

[@wwbuirkle]

LMFAO the biggest threat for young black men are other black men it's not even close and the data on police brutality doesn't support your BS.Funny you moved to a country that's 90% WHITE!

[@thenumberguan]

As a Spaniard I hate "torrefacto" coffee. I am not able to have a coffee in a Spanish bar without adding two sachets of sugar and half a liter of milk. Everything changed since I discovered Italian coffee. There are many Italian restaurants in Spain where you can have a good coffee, most of them use a brand of Italian coffee called Lavazza (it is usually indicated on the door) and so I already know that it is a good place to have coffee.

[@mariallopis8014]

Not all coffee is torrefacto, there's natural toast. Best coffee, best knowledge and so serious about coffee? Sorry Italians.... Melbourne (Australia).

[@orsonjose5960]

El cafe que se toma en restaurantes italianos es agua sucia, demasiado suave para mi. Nunca me han puesto un café torrefacto en un bar o restaurante a no ser que lo pidas.

[@JuanRodriguez-yw5gt]

Painting a white man from Baltasar is common in small towns, but it is because it is not always easy to find black people who want to participate, because in the towns there are already few people per se, and even fewer black immigrants, plus many of they tend to practice another religion and are not interested in participating in Christian celebrations. As a Spaniard, I think that the problem today is the media, which tends to exaggerate the news or distort it to generate controversy and sell more newspapers.

[@voice.of.reason]

Sound like the New Zealander who made this video is a left leaning fan of the communist socialist party in NZ, Lucinda Ardern etc.

[@enriquecsmccourt]

@farialfigar Es una tradiccion de un personaje semificticio no representa una raza, son como las geisas japonesas que se pintan de blanco sin quererr parecer occidentales

[@kami-neko]

And coming from an anglosaxon from New Zealand, where they commited genocide of local population, hahaha, it is hilarious. We are proud of mestizaje. This guy should not make us culprit of his own insecurities and traumas with race.

[@enriquecsmccourt]

@@kami-neko Relax, whites in New Zealand are already only 60% and lose 10% of their population every 5 years to other ethnicities, in a few decades an Anglo-Saxon on these islands will be like a Venusian on Mars. In the United Kingdom itself, they are a minority in London and the major cities. That is racism/genocide to be a minority in your own country of origin and not the skincare of a fictional character.

[@isakmetalcc3524]

Tal cual. Mi preferido era el rey Baltasar y se notaba a leguas la pintura, pero ya me dirás tú, de donde íbamos a sacar a un negro para la cabalgata en un pueblo de España en los años 90'. Los niños ni nos fijábamos o no le dábamos importancia, solo queríamos nuestros juguetes xDD. Hoy en día llaman racismo a lo que era normal hace un par de décadas. Progreso lo llaman algunos...

[@johnnaismith2452]

Hi James, I’m 60+ and lived the first third of my life in the UK, the second third in Spain before returning to Scotland for latest 20 years and I can’t wait to return to my beloved Spain for my ‘golden’ years. With all it’s idiosyncrasies Spain is still one of the friendliest and best countries to live in. Love the videos and your enthusiasm.

[@beckynelson6786]

I agree.It's my "Happy place".

[@davidjoseph5942]

@@beckynelson6786 Probably not if you happen to be a black person?

[@mitchconnerandsometimesjlotoo]

Scotland basically all my life, I want to live in Spain but yikes I have to learn Spanish.

[@mitchconnerandsometimesjlotoo]

​@@davidjoseph5942 get a life.

[@ManuelGrau]

@@davidjoseph5942 I have 2 black friends from Cuba living in Alicante, Spain, for more than 20 years. They never suffered any racism at all.

[@AndreaAdessi-mw8vc]

As an Italian I find that your description matches at 98% with Italy too (most of all southern Italy). Maybe the little difference is in coffee and in pillows. Speaking of the origins of our proximity, I initially thought of the Roman empire and our common Latin origins but I realised that Southern Italy has been a Spanish domination until 1861, so it's Italy that has followed and imited spanish society and not viceversa. Interesting!

[@realsociedad3858]

Italian food is much better than Spanish

[@zocoraful]

@@realsociedad3858 A juzgar por tu comentario es evidente que en tu casa comes mierd@

[@pablomartin6415]

Southern Italy under Spanish domination until 1861? That's simply not true at all.

[@AndreaAdessi-mw8vc]

@pablomartin6415 You have to notice that the Royal House of the Regno delle Due Sicilie (the latter name of the State that was in southern Italy) still was a part of the spanish Royal family. When I talk about a spanish domination, I mean in terms of costume and uses in the upper class of the society with, in some way, ends to be what is considered elegant, sophisticated. I'm Italian and I still think that part of Italian people are still similar, by they way of living, with spanish people.

[@albertomarset]

As a matter or fact, Southern Italy belonged to the Spanish empire for longer that They've been Italian.

[@isan.2748]

I'm Spanish and live in Madrid. I love my country and I absolutely adored this video. Made me laugh and relate so much. Thank you for the respect! By the way, anyone that tells you that you have no right to complain or that you should go back to your country, I'm willing to bet have never lived abroad. I lived in Germany for five years, loved my experience snd the country and its people and still complained about certain things. You make amazing videos filled with love for Spain and you have absolutely earned your right to complain about certain things! I've seen a few comments of people disagreeing with some of your points in a very respectful way and I'm all up for that, but I will never agree with people that are completely dismissive and tell you you have no right to speak your mind. Props to you, props to the Spanish people in the comments that find the humour in this video, and props to the people that can disagree with certain points in a respectful and understanding way!

[@xcoder1122]

In Germany, SPAM phone calls without prior consent of the called person, are illegal. If a company would do that, they had to pay a high penalty fee and the authorities will even shutdown entire call centers. If you receive SPAM calls without prior consent, you can report those online. If are called, you can ask the caller when and how you gave contact them permission and they have to answer that to you and if they cannot, again, that's illegal and you report them as well.

[@varsoo1]

How do you enforce that against international calls? That's impossible. You seem to be talking about an entirely different thing. From my own perspective as a person living in the UK, the overwhelming majority of spam phone calls come from India/Pakistan and Nigeria/Ghana. Nothing the British government can hope to do. I suppose the only reason you're different is because nobody outside of Germany speaks German. But I am 100% sure people in Portugal get them from Brazilians, and people in Spain get them from Latin Americans, and people in France/Belgium get them from Francafrique.

[@xcoder1122]

@@varsoo1First of all, I was referring to the video content and the Spanish phone spam comes from Spanish companies (or international companies available in Spain) that want to sell Spanish people contacts, so nothing about that is out of reach for Spanisch authorities. Have you even watched the video? Second, German law enforcement will contact law enforcements of other countries for cooperation, e.g. multiple Indian call centers were closed that way, because call center spam is illegal by Indian law as well but of course this law cannot get enforced, if nobody reports those call centers to Indian authorities. And I can understand, that you as a private person cannot file a criminal complaint with Indian authorities against Indian call centers, but your local authorities can do that, because nowadays nothing works without international cooperation in various areas. Something like human trafficking, illegal pornography or money laundering would have long been completely impossible to combat if police authorities did not regularly work together worldwide. And third, of course your authorities can block the number block registered by a certain call center, so calls from that block won't even make into your country anymore. You may think "But those people just fake their caller ID" but that just means that you lack technical understanding how the phone network works. The number that is displayed to you on the phone is a text string that can be arbitrarily chosen. It doesn't even have to be a numeric value. The caller ID can be "Your Uncle" or "The Police" or basically whatever you want it to be and your phone will just display that in its display. But that is not how routing works through the phone network. The caller ID is like DNS name but routing works on the base of routing destinations that are more like IP addresses. On your phone, you can only block by caller ID but authorities can block by phone network ID and this ID cannot be faked, it is set by the phone company, not by the caller.

[@natanielcostard]

@@varsoo1 I don't know about the UK situation, but Latin Americans call Latin Americans, Brazilians call Brazilians and nobody calls Germans. That's just facts.

[@sayuas4293]

The problem is spam calls from India

[@xcoder1122]

​@@sayuas4293And why would people in Spain get more spam calls from India than people elsewhere in Europe? Think about it. This video clearly says that those spam calls are a prom typical to Spain. Also those calls are about switching to a different phone provider, so how would Indian spammer sell Spanish phone contracts for Spanish phone companies? Have you even watched the video and listened to what the guy says about this issue and about the spam calls?

[@finnkuudere3516]

My "Long Spanish Goodbye" turned into a marriage. I'm Irish American and I married a Castellana in college (Colorado St Uni). At first I didn't realize she was really attracted to me. I actually thought, "D@mn she is going to be a fine wife for someone." Either way we were set up on a first date on her request by a mutual friend. It was a dance and by the end of the date I was feeling overwhelmed because she is so gregarious and affectionate and assertive. I really am a very mellow laid back stoic guy - very Colorado. Any way by the end of the first date I was starting to suspect that I had signed on for more than I realized. There was already a second date arranged the following night and at the end of that I agreed to meet her at lunch after class the day after tomorrow which in turn became a standard lunch date with periodic evening dates. I could go on and it is a comedic story with bags being left at my apartment and keys being exchanged but this is a you tube comment so I'll get to the point. We were married that year and on her dayplanner she actually has a count of the days we've been apart after 23 years. 36 days in total after 23+ years. I love her. I love her with all my heart but she will never ever say "goodbye." When Spaniards say "I Love you," they mean "I love you forever and for all eternity and we will never be apart until the end of space time or reality folds in on itself."

[@davidrm110]

I would pay for your love story to be made a movie❤

[@finnkuudere3516]

@@davidrm110 What a nice thing to say. Thank you. I wonder about everyone’s love story. My father ended up marrying the boss’ secretary and her mother and father met at a political rally at the Univ Valladolid.

[@Llam-Amex2663]

Really? Tell me in a few years.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

I was set up via a marriage agency and asked to choose four girls from their list. The girl I went on a first date with happened to be a TV news presenter. After the rstaurant closed early, we adjourned to a bar which was almost deserted (there was a soccer match on.) By the time we parted we had even agreed on the wedding date. That was back in 1989. We'ere still togteher!

[@finnkuudere3516]

@@alejandrayalanbowman367 That is fast. As I implied in my comment I think she had marital intentions on day 1 but I needed to be convinced. "Bowman" doesn't sound Spanish so I assume your wife is Spanish. That is my case. I think you'll agree that the Spanish people are masters of family and love. Amazing wonderful people. I'm very happy you're still together!

[@agffans5725]

New Zealand is actually named after the Dutch province of Zeeland, not to forget that the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen, is located on an island by the name of Zealand (Sjælland in Danish), which makes it all rather confusing, and could be the reason why they may think New Zealand is an island in Northern Europe.

[@TheGerogero]

No, they clearly have in mind the province Zeeland and James, lacking empathy and quick to ridicule, attributes a hyperbolic position to them.

[@xxiicarus]

Nah, we just don't know where New Zealand is

[@GHJ322]

Hahaha, so they would know about all the stuff you mentioned but wouldn't know about the country New Zealand?

[@jurgenkoks9142]

@@GHJ322 actually I think most european know Zeeland more than New Zealand xD, doesnt help that he does actually look a bit like a dutch person too :D

[@dancre]

Nueva zeLANDA suena como HoLANDA . Creo que esa debe ser la confusion xd

[@daisy8297]

I went to a post office in rural France and when I asked to buy stamps to send postcards in Australia she kept correcting me and saying Austria. That woman had NO idea where Australian was.

[@lickeymo]

😂😂😂 we sent postcards from St Michel France post successfully to Australia 🇦🇺

[@davidpardocossio8995]

Sounds strange, as the French for Austria (Autriche) and Australia (Australie) are quite different...

[@daisy8297]

@@davidpardocossio8995 I don’t think there was a confusion with the name, I am a native French speaker and repeated it a few times. Her face was totally blank. I actually thought she was having me on, so laughed and said “You know, the large island in the Pacific?” She thought for a few seconds, and then asked me if it was anywhere near New Caledonia! Considering how good the French education system is, I was (and still am) totally gobsmacked 🥴

[@Deviolines]

De acuerdo en todo salvo en lo de los espárragos (están realmente cojonudos) y la cuestión del racismo. Creo que hay, más o menos como en toda Europa, pero yo no habría elegido esos casos anecdóticos, sino más bien cierto aire de superioridad que los españoles tienen a veces con comunidades como la hispanoamericana. Respecto al blackface, ese es un concepto importado de los norteamericanos, porque allí se utilizaba para realizar números cómicos donde se burlaban de los norteamericanos negros. En España Baltasar es el Rey Mago más querido, no hay intención de burla sino todo lo contrario, siempre ha sido el rey mago que todos querían ser. Es como si acusáramos de edadismo a Melchor por ser un joven disfrazado de viejo. En realidad hoy en día ya no es como antes porque hay muchas personas negras que pueden disfrazarse de Baltasar, pero antiguamente en España ver a alguien no blanco era realmente una rareza. Lo que quiero decir es que hay que tener en cuenta la intencionalidad con que se recrea la Cabalgata, que en ningún caso es burlesca sino conmemorativa y no verlo con perspectiva anglosajona. Es como si acusaran a la Semana Santa de racista porque los penitentes van disfrazados del KKK. Algo parecido ocurre con las fiestas de moros y cristianos, y temo que llegara un momento en que se nos impondrá la forma anglosajona de percibirlo, que esta distorsionada por su propia historia,en vez de intentar entender la intención y el sentido de la celebración.

[@erichamilton3373]

Recuerda que la cultura anglofona heredó una buena porción de puritanismo. Eso está muy fuerte en mucha gente de estas últimas generaciones. Tiene que ver con ser una persona correcta santona etc...

[@zz_top1127]

Absolutamente de acuerdo con este comentario.

[@alex-bohorquez-jimenez]

Creo que tus observaciones sobre el racismo son una proyección. Si existe el término "hispanic" como lo utilizan en USA es precisamente por la ausencia de racismo que permitió la mezcla de españoles con los indios y los negros. La visión anglosajona es muy puritana y esconde un racismo subyacente que se pretende enmascarar y crea fenómenos como la aproximación woke a esta realidad, que tus comentarios me recordaron.

[@JoseDanielFSX]

Si hay algún tipo de racismo o "xenofobia" en España es el que ocurre entre las propias naciones que conforman el Estado. Siendo canario la glotofobia y exotización que se sufre por parte de los peninsulares es tremenda, por no hablar de las políticas neocoloniales. Es imposible ir a la península y que no se rían de ti, incluso sin maldad o sin intención. Creo que ocurre, sobretodo, al norte del paralelo 40, o como dicen mis amigos andaluces "de Despeñaperros pa'rriba" y la causa principal es la poca exposición a variedades lingüísticas diferentes a la propia que existe en esas latitudes del Estado. Un ejemplo ilustrativo: lo que para ellos es "muyayo" no es mas que un sonido "ch" característico de las variedades canarias y caribeñas que son incapaces de diferenciar del sonido "y" al que sí están acostumbrados y que los hablantes de dialectos como el canario si saben diferenciar. Quedan muchas mentes colonialistas que siguen pensando que hablar una variedad lingüística distinta a la propia es ser analfabeto.

[@pomelotree2]

Correcto, muy cierto lo que dices…el racismo existe entre “las propias naciones que conforman el estado” pero también se extiende hacia hacia personas de otras naciones del mundo. Lo que se dice de Baltazar, con su cara pintada de negro, lo puedo ver como tradición o hecho sin mala intención…pero decir que no hay racismo en España, cuando lo experimente personalmente (hice 3 meses de turismo) en la region de Cataluña y lo en innumerables ocasiones con tratos vergonzosos a los “sudacas” y otros extranjeros, es extremo…es agresivo y sin filtro alguno…

[@eliergomezmenendez2487]

Number 12 happens to Cubans too, probably to most Latin American countries. I live in the US but I was born and raise in Cuba, and recently visited Spain, and it felt like I belonged there, like I was born there, there are so many cultural/behavioral similarities that you feel at home, with the good and also bad things. Loved your video.

[@ManuelGrau]

Of course you belong there, Cubans are our brothers!!

[@evaklum8974]

MONTAÑAS LAGOS FIORDOS NIEVE GLACIARES BOSQUES CHILE ARGENTINA LA ESCANDINAVIA DEL HEMISFERIO SUR AURORA AUSTRAL

[@evaklum8974]

​@@ManuelGrau MONTAÑAS LAGOS FIORDOS NIEVE GLACIARES BOSQUES CHILE ARGENTINA LA ESCANDINAVIA DEL HEMISFERIO SUR AURORA AUSTRAL

[@Lxz3]

España y Cuba son hermanas. Hace poco más de 100 años éramos el mismo país y mucha de nuestra gente iba de acá para allá. Los cubanos siguen siendo españoles en esencia, la mayoría tienen un padre, una abuela o bisabuelos españoles y como tú dices, tenemos muchas cosas en común. Me encantaría visitar Cuba algún día, cuando salgan de esta situación que espero sea pronto. Un saludo desde España ❤🇨🇺

[@ismaelalfonso4303]

Viva Cuba y España

[@SeanSandberg-j3q]

I ADORE SPAIN. I love the northwestern A Coruna, Galicia, the Astorias, Pais Vasco, Rioja, Catalonia, Andorra, Andalucia, Madrid, and every part in between. The best and most diverse people who are from the same country. I love the geography, the Med, the Atlantic, the north sea, the mountains, the beaches. I love the food, the wines, the Flamenco, the art, the essence of Spain, it's customs, it's culture. Everything that is Spain.

[@onzo9212]

Me encanta que hagas a Andorra española😂😂😂

[@SeanSandberg-j3q]

@@onzo9212 Si, yo tambien. Yo se la historia y razon algunos espanoles vaya Andorra-es para occultar del dictador. Yo se que Andorra es su propio pais. Visito alla para comprar y... Mais, para mi, es iqual como los gentes piensan en Galicia, Pais Vasco, Asturias, Andalucia, Castilla y Leon. Ellos sienten independiente de Espana-pero todos son Espanoles. Perdona me si te ofendes y perdona mi Castillano. No esta perfecto. Yo sabe que eres Andorran primero pero en mis ojas eres Espanoles tambien. Es como tenemos 50 estados pero todos somos Americanos. ?Me entiendes?

[@DianeJardimStratton72]

Andorra is NOT Spain 😉

[@SeanSandberg-j3q]

@@DianeJardimStratton72 Thank you, I know! I have had to show my passport four times going in and out while shopping there when I lived in Spain for four years. I know the history of when the Spanish fled to Andorra la Vella from Franco. How they are the mountain people who thrive due to no taxes and incredible shopping outlets. For this American, I listed Andorra with my favorite parts of Spain because, although I need a passport to visit, puedo habla Castillano cuando alla. Considering my love for Spain, I listed it as part of my favorite places I visited in Spain. All my love to the Andorrans. I believe Andorra is more well known because of the many references to it in the many websites I have commented on. I LOVE SPAIN AND I LOVE ANDORRA. And man is she cold in the winter. God bless Andorra which is not Spain!

[@ciguenas3164]

thank you.

[@kasiakarewicz1210]

I am Polish, living in Spain 10 years now, and of course we have mentality differences and some shocks me, some still irritates, and I am sure that Spaniards feel the same in Poland or other part of the world. We are used to some standards, is even some kind of melancholy, and we compare others, is normal. But I will not agree that Spanish are resists, sure everywhere we have some shameful percentage, but not general. In deed, if you look on the street you will see a multicultural country, with all shapes, colours and religions. About Christmas parade, you comment Three Kings, Tres Magos Reyes, whose story is taken from the Bible, there were Three Kings coming from different part of the world to welcome and bow before Jesus. For underline, that they are from different parts of the world, they have different colour of the skin. I agree with banks, bureaucracy, all administration... let's say it gentle... they have a lot to improve!

[@peperomero9638]

That goodbye problem is just called having a Spanish wife my friend.... It comes to my mind the countless hours I have spent waiting for my mother or wife to say goodbye to a friend, family member, neighbor, or even someone they don't like. My grandpa (may he rest in peace) used to have a saying that read "La representación de la eternidad son dos mujeres despidiendose" - "The representation of an eternity is two women saying goodbye to each other." It does sound like your wife has taken you to parties or dinners and after agreeing to leave has had you waiting for hours while she "said goodbye." It only gets worse with age, believe me. Cheers!

[@erichamilton3373]

It's like the Long goodbyes in the Upper Midwest of the US. The inching to the door continued conversation on the doorstep etc...

[@desireepetitdemurat8660]

Seguramente es heredado de España, en México tenemos exactamente el mismo problema, es desesperante e irse pronto puede ser considerado poco amable.

[@estebanfuertes1993]

Igual en Puerto Rico

[@PanchoChiekrie]

My mum has done this forever . I'm British raised, and it drives up the f-ing wall. "Shall we leave soon?" .... 45 minutes later. 😢

[@annedonnellan6876]

Bye,bye,bye😂

[@MYTravelBF]

After living in Spain over 3.5 years, including in Madrid, Granada and Logroño, a few of these are definitely on my list too! The one difference is that I never really noticed the long Spanish goodbye because it's very similar to the long goodbye where people continue to linger in Wisconsin in the US. Great video as always, James!

[@youngspiritsinging]

That is very interesting about Wisconsin!

[@spainrevealed]

Wow -- that's fascinating!

[@joelcoll4034]

I'm from Spain and I definitely notice the looong goodbyes. It's a problem if you have an appointment but the group you are leaving with keeps talking

[@damonfeidias]

@@spainrevealed Try Greek food

[@Marie.socialite]

A ver! Todavía no os habéis enterado que el despedirse tiene dos razones distintas *una por que es el via crucis una penitencia, Jesús bebió en la última cena y luego tuvo que cargar con la cruz y cada parada de despedida es una de las paradas que hizo con la cruz, estamos haciendo lo mismo. Es la representación de aquello. * otra es por qué según vamos despidiendonos hacemos tiempo para que se pase el positivo del alcohol y si conduces y te para la guardia civil no te multe. Me cachis!, que hay que explicároslo todo. 😂😂 broma un saludo

[@gaguayod]

The phenomenon of 'torrefacto' was created during the Spanish Civil War in 1936 - 1939 when the devastated country had a great shortage of coffee. The practice of adding sugar at the final stage of the roasting process was meant to increase the weight of the roasted beans in up to 20%

[@pianomeetups]

That's what I knew! Also it requires less amount of coffee to get the same darkness and bitterness

[@JamieZarrr]

Is Torrefacto sweet, having sugar in its composition?

[@pianomeetups]

@@JamieZarrr just the opposite.... because is not a cover but it is burnt so it adds an even more bitter flavor to the roasted beans. So it requires less amount of powder to get a dark, thick coffee

[@JamieZarrr]

@@pianomeetups thanks. Do you like torrefacto coffee?

[@rollosinternet1853]

The international boycott kept inventions like this alive. Need and hunger for the normal population while the system and the elite is never affected. Horrible.

[@mr.bamboocha]

Been living here for 15 years and it is one of the LEAST RACIST countries! The conguito thing is like 50 years old. And Balthasar is a BLACK bible character. So wtf is racist about it??

[@AnfieldKilroy]

Spain is a racist country.

[@sergiobejaranoolivera1396]

Fr. If there's no black men who's willing to be Baltazar that year, they're obviously going to have a white person painted black. Wouldn't it be more racist to have a white person not painted in black to represent a black character?

[@Bapp-88]

well for starters, check the bilbe because it does not say baltasar is black anywhere. Actually probably they should all be black / dark skin given where the bible happens.... second, the issue he is describing is having white people performing as black people with painted faces instead of just hiring actual black people so you did not get it

[@alexstafford8593]

I don't understand what's racist about this, in our tradition Baltasar is black. You don't hire someone to play the role, you do it because of tradition and the children. So if it has to be a white guy painting himself, so be it. Anyway, when I was young there were no black people available!

[@SheenaBrekke]

Totally agree! I've spent 2 month here and experience is the same

[@dion1970dion]

I am Dutch... and we have a province called Zeeland. A quick search tells me "In 1642 Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to discover New Zealand, calling it Staten Land. In 1645, Dutch cartographers renamed the land Nova Zeelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland".... by the way we love your channel: we are fond of many places in Spain but especially Donostia San Sebastian: we've visited this fantastic town almost every year for the past 3 years in a row, and your channel has been a great help.. Eskerikasko for that (and indeed, some Basque words open doors)! The pintxos places that you pointed out, we visited them all and they are fantastic! By the way ... Salamanca must be our second love.... and also interesting: Canfranc...and... so many great places in Andalusia... Ronda... and... I can go on and on and on. By the way: in the Netherlands and Belgium we have the fresh asparagus. I agree with you on the canned ones, not my cup of tea, but if you're ever in the south of the Netherlands or Flanders/Belgium: give the fresh ones a try, the way they are prepared here. Completely different!! White gold we call them.... Agur!

[@joesoy9185]

Yes, The Dutch export a lot of their white asparagus to Germany where the Germans devour loads of it in season. It is usually boiled in water with a touch of added sugar and served with melted butter and slices of boiled ham.

[@arnodobler1096]

​@@joesoy9185 The best white asparagus comes from southern Germany

[@Souliban]

You should to read recent studies about the first Europeans in New Zealand. From New Zealand researcher. It was found a tree originally from New Zealand with more than 500 years in Galicia, Spain.....

[@W3c16B]

I live in Denmark, on an island called Zeeland, almost close to Austria, that some people mix up with Australia 😂

[@rogerfairhurst8705]

@@arnodobler1096 Don't say that to anyone living in the Rheinland!

[@xsambuka]

As a Spaniard myself, I can't help but feeling pushed away every day more and more by tourists or expats living in my city. I understand that what you're trying to do is celebrate your love for Spain and how beautiful our culture and traditions are and that's not such a big deal as you're not doing anything wrong at all, although I do feel slightly disappointed about the current situation in my country. It is really heartbreaking seeing everybody around me (family members, friends, etc) trying to make a living and just praying everyday hoping to afford a house while there are foreigners coming here and buying their summer houses because it's so much cheaper than in their homecountries. I am not trying to say that you are the problem and I don't want people to feel that way, although it is extremely frustrating to see foreigners taking advantage of their economical position and buying houses here for other people to rent and benefit from it. The real-estate situation is extremely difficult nowadays for Spaniards, we can't afford living in Malaga and yet there's a huge percentage of properties owned by foreigners in la Costa del Sol, living the dream.. I am sorry if this comment sounds aggressive, but I think that our situation here is giving a bit "elephant in the room" vibes as no one seems to give a f* about it, honestly.

[@ashmaybe9634]

This is a problem in the UK too. People buying second homes and turning all accommodation into air b'n'b leaving nowhere for the locals to live.

[@anastrawberry8047]

Hola, está pasando en todos los sitios chulos del mundo: Costa Rica, Hawai,… llegan los de fuera con su moneda fuerte, compran las casas,… y suben los precios, tanto que los locales ya no pueden vivir allí. Desgraciadamente, está ocurriendo en las costas de España y en las grandes ciudades.

[@nublet-bz5qo]

i understand how you feel, we have this problem here in Canada also. In fact, we destroyed the country over this problem: to keep housing unaffordable we are importing a million indians per year because old people can't handle a reduction in their home equity or rental prices. Now everything is expensive and old people can't sell their homes to downsize into something affordable because nothing is affordable anymore, smaller condos are super expensive too. This is a universal problem, every country wants to attract immigrants/expats to buy housing/real-estate. I will not lie to you, if i have an opportunity to move to spain/italy I would do so tomorrow, because Canada has been completely destroyed.

[@paloma_a]

Hay colonias de rusos, alemanes e ingleses en España. España es el huerto de Alemania, ese fue el acuerdo de la UE. España sacrificó muchísimas vacas para poder entrar en la UE sin hacer competencia a Francia. Los políticos actuales siguen vendiéndonos y esto ya no es UE, es NOM. Presionar a agricultores para vender sus cultivos poner placas solares, joden el cielo y tenemos sequías y nuestro tesoro, que es el aceite de oliva, está por las nubes, hasta los alimentos están muy altos. La clase política nos está vendiendo. Dicen incluso que tener un huerto en casa es malo para el "camio climático". Verde y con asas... El mundo está cambiando, nos están presionando, exprimiendo la sangre, y ¿hacia dónde? Tenemos que prepararnos, la especulación no es el camino, vamos a tener que trabajar duro. El turismo es la nube de los restos que quedan de la feliz vida que fue la eclosión de una clase media y la posiblidad de una sociedad y un nivel de vida que podía ser y que no quieren. Estoy hablando del fin de la clase media y del estado de bienestar. El turismo es un caramelo, una atracción... muchos ya no se lo pueden permitir. Una distracción de lo que de verdad importa. Salir adelante en esta sociedad cada vez más difícil y tratar de que no se nos destruya el país y los tesoros que tenemos.

[@MontanezMonti]

You are 100% correct. We are experiencing the same (although in a somewhat minor way) situation here in the USA, so I understand your concern. I don't know what the answer is, but your government should intervene and pass laws protecting their people.

[@tadesubaru1383]

As a Spaniard. I feel you with the god damn spam calls. I'm a student and they ruin my expecience in class. Last time they called and I was in class, I picked up the phone and told them I worked at another, rival enterprise, just so they'd shut up. Even recommended them another, better offer. They hang up and haven't called me since.

[@leal21]

Existe algo llamado la lista Robinson donde si pones tu número o tu casa es ilegal que te llegue publicidad, te apuntas y a lo mejor te llaman dos veces más como máximo. Les dices que estás en la lista y te cuelgan pidiéndote perdón.

[@mandarinmanuela8005]

Si fuera un latino ; peruano boliviano , hondureño , mexicano , ni te pasarías por acá pero como es Blanco y habla inglés 😅

[@pepeperezperez6654]

Los latinos fueron los habitantes de la región del antiguo LACIO en lo que hoy es Italia. Tú eres HISPANOAMERICANO no latino. Qué bien habla inglés este tio, por cierto.@@mandarinmanuela8005

[@CruzSanchezRipa]

​@@eternallaurum Eso hago yo. Luego compruebo si es spam, y entonces devuelvo, o no, 21:56 la llamada. El problema está cuandl esperas llamadas de gente cuyo número desconoces.

[@charliebrmg]

I am Spanish, living in Madrid, and I want to comment on some of the things you discussed: 1. If the “touristification” in Madrid seems “destructive” to you, you’d better keep away from Barcelona. That place has become “free real estate” for toursim, and LOTS of locals have been forced to leave, just to allow for more and more AirBnB flats. That problem is a serious one. 2. There is a big issue in Spain with people from other countries voting inside our borders. Mainly because of illegal immigration. My opinion: if you have been living in Spain this long, have a stable job, and comply with our laws, you “should” be allowed to vote. Not that the politicians would like it… At least you can vote in local and regional elections, better that than nothing… 3. Phone scams are all over the place. And the “Robinson List”? It’s just another phone scam. Companies don’t check that list. They even obtain numbers on ways that are illegal. And they’ll never get caught. 4. Spain has too many bureaucracy. Part of that is because, in the past, a new government used to fire all public employees (or “funcionarios”, as we call them) from the former governent. Therefore, to avoid that issue from happening in the future, they passed a law that protected public employees from being fired, essentially giving them a job (and a paycheck) for life. That only created further problems, as some of them only go to work by the end of the month, to get their paycheck. Also, the administration in Spain is like a national tier list: at the top, you have the State institutions: the parliament (Congress and Senate), the central government, the Crown, the judiciary, etc etc… But, below that, you have regional governments, regional parliaments, provinces, municipal councils… all of them being literal DUPLICATES of State institutions. Even to me, as a Spanish, it makes no sense. Also, as a Web Developer, I can totally understand your frustration with the public administration’s IT systems. I also suffer from it.

[@PLKSSB]

La lista Robinson funciona. Si te siguen llamando son estafas casi seguro. Y si es una empresa de verdad, entonces es tu día de suerte, porque puedes denunciarlas y sacar una buena pasta por ello.

[@charliebrmg]

Ojalá pudiera compartir tu opinión.

[@ChrissieSM]

Talking about the long goodbye, there was a film called "L'ange exterminateur (El ángel exterminador) by the brilliant film director, Luis Buñuel. It is about a gathering in a house where strange things happen and also the people cannot leave, but there is no physical restraint. As they are reaching the door, they turn back for one reason or another. I saw the film when I was 12, but it made a huge impression on me, Luis Buñuel is a genius.

[@davidanthonystone5165]

Love the films of Luis Bunuel

[@diane9247]

Sounds like an introvert's nightmare.

[@pedroteran5885]

If this may make anybody interested in the film, events follow an unexplained surreal logic which is like the coating of a bitter pill. The core of the movie is the thesis that high class people see themselves as culturally and morally superior to the masses, but if they had to endure a phase of hardship, isolated from the sources of their luxury and social power, all that would soon be proven to be only a slight varnish hiding the same ruthless, rude, animal ways they find despicable in others. It's worth a watch.

[@princesa_fugitiva]

Downloading. Thanks!

[@mwiebe2663]

Looks like an interesting film. The original isn’t in French, it’s a Spanish language film, El Angel Exterminador.

[@keapfundheller8130]

Spain: We have an awful lot of bureaucracy. Germany: Hold my beer.

[@natanielcostard]

I deal with both German and Spanish bureaucracies. NOTHING compares to the hermeticism of the Spanish one. I'm a native Spanish speaker and most of the time I have no idea what they're trying to say. It's very unnerving.

[@keapfundheller8130]

@@natanielcostard As I don't have the comparison, I can't say anything about it. It's just, that we Germans are known for our bureaucracy. 🙂😁

[@gato-grande]

@@keapfundheller8130 ACONCAGUA ARGENTINA

[@VicodinElmo]

> Italy has entered the chat

[@christos1917]

Greece: Im joke to you?

[@tanyabillings7348]

I have lived here for over 30 years and I agree with some of your complaints but I found it really surprising you did not mention the acustic level at which everything takes place. Conversations in restaurants, in the street, in a class, in a meeting. The whole country is shouting all the time and everywhere and me too now after so many years. My family hushes me when I go back for a visit.

[@dany8470]

We Live in a city no in ein cementery

[@susansala1416]

😂😂

[@javiergarciapedraz2829]

I am Spanish and I go for holidays to Portugal or France to avoid noises. I can't stand Spanish more than two people because this means shouting all the time. I hope you are not from the states because there is even worst.

[@PendulumEnergetics]

So true

[@markdonovan1540]

Absolutely, people are very loud. Mind you, I can be too, so I fit in 😂

[@dudeonbike800]

OMG, I'm SO GLAD I watched your video! Thank you!* A friend gave us some espresso from South America and is smells HORRIBLE. Once I ran it through the burr grinder, it smelled EVEN WORSE! I was convinced it had been contaminated with chemicals or something. Wouldn't go NEAR it! But it looks like perhaps it wasn't "spoiled," but rather roasted according to this tradition or custom. Even so, I'm still not going to use it. Pretty happy with my 1/3 light roast mixed with French dark roast to produce a really nice espresso for my morning latte. Been making my own espresso for almost 40 years now, but this is the first I've ever heard about this. *Funny coincidence is that my kid is living in Spain this year. But they haven't told me about this coffee to avoid!!! Oh and my kid is having the best time over there. Gracias!!!

[@MVK123]

10 years ago when I was applying for my NIE it was a nightmare. I had a job and was ready to start paying my way in tax, but that wasn't enough to get them to make the process easy. The NIE people told me I needed the medical card first, the medical card people told me I needed the NIE first, the NIE people then told me I needed a tax number first, the tax office told me I needed something else first. Then I learned a trick, I would say "but they told me to come here" and it was like a magical phrase, suddenly they could help me. Go figure 🤷🏼‍♀️ The worst thing you didnt mention is the cita previa 😅 At least since the pandemic, many services that moved online have stayed there and it makes it a little easier 😊

[@luluyy1906]

True!!!!

[@kleinstadtcharme]

I experienced the same 10 years ago. I had a job offer but for the contract I needed a NIE. For getting a NIE I needed a signed job contract. It was a “círculo vicioso” 😂

[@evaklum8974]

​@@kleinstadtcharme BARILOCHE USHUAIA A R G E N T I N A

[@albertoardevolabreu4685]

Como español que he tenido que ayudar a gestionar NIEs para otras personas, estoy de acuerdo contigo. En general, esa frase que has dicho "me dijeron que viniera aquí" ayuda mucho. Otra cosa que ayuda mucho es presentar siempre algo, aunque no sea exactamente el papel que piden... Y cuando sepas que te falta algún papel, presentar más cosas de las que te piden para aturdir al funcionario. Y cuando te digan que no, seguir yendo y presentando cosas cada dos días hasta que se cansen de ti.

[@CruzSanchezRipa]

The Cita previa is a real nightmare.

[@CarenElizabeth]

I've lived in Spain for 2 months now and I already relate to things on here like bureaucracy, banks, the spam phone calls, being mistaken for being Dutch and more. I purposely try to say perfectly IRLANDA but they still think I said HOLANDA haha. In all seriousness though I love living here, it's the best decision I have made. At the end of the day no country is perfect so really when you choose to live somewhere (or stay in the country you grew up in) you're just accepting what nonsense you wanna deal with daily and we chose to deal with Spain, the good and the bad

[@TheClunkingFist]

Lol. That reminds me that when we were in Thailand, we were asked if we wanted our spices Thai hot or Swiss hot.

[@atverde]

I often get exactly the same...but it doesn't matter because you are "inglesa" anyway!

[@virgismar]

As a Spaniard in Australia I get told all the time that I should like burritos because I'm Spanish

[@rosep964]

Good point. It’s bad and good in every country. They important thing is to be happy what ever we are.

[@glennshoemake4200]

For Beauacracy wait until you need to use a notary here, the Spanish take this to the complete next level. When my dad died I needed to get a paper signed and notarized saying that I agreed not to contest his will. In the US my local bank always did the notary free of charge. When i asked the notary how much it would be, i got the usual Spanish answer, it depends. When they found out it was for an inheritance for an estate and it was in the US and it needed to be translatedm the price went through the roof. Since it was needed for International Law it had to get a special seal from the University of Notaries and when i finally got it back a simple paper turned into a huge folder full of ribbons and wax seals that to me appeared to look like something Columbus had when he sailed on behalf of the Queen of Spain. I never heard but I'm sure the Missouri estate judge was highly impressed.

[@carlosginer9671]

You really made me laugh !!!!

[@FannyPlusvi]

🤣🤣🤣 But here in Portugal is even worse but without the ribbons. I have lived in Italy, France, Portugal and Spain. The bureacracy in Portugal is a nightmare. Spain for me is the least bureaucratric of this four countries. So consider yourself lucky.

[@azzteke]

What is Beauacracy meant to be?

[@mariadelmargarciaherrero7434]

No se cuando formalizaste esa herencia, pero en la administración española hace siglos que no se utilizan las cintas, lacres y timbres. Y también tenemos firmas y certificados electrónicos 🙄

[@anonimoanonimo3026]

@@mariadelmargarciaherrero7434 y aún así, lo convertimos en una pesadilla en lugar de hacerlo más fácil y barato. Con el lacre, al menos se acerca un poco más a lo que cobran.

[@luciavillar3301]

Hi! About the racism in Spain i just wanted to say that we see things like the conguitos or the black wise king thing as not important or not racist at all. There is not that many black people in spain compared to other countries so maybe if a village opens a volunteer list for people to dress up in the parade is likely that no black person takes part in it. If that happens somebody has to paint its skin black, just like the other kings have to wear wigs of a color is not theirs. I believe no black people are having their life’s negatively affected by a random guy putting makeup on his face. It might be an ugly gesture for some people, but it’s not racism. Great video btw!❤

[@notafantbh]

I'm a Spanish that lived in the Netherlands for a decade and a half and going from their modern and efficient bureaucracy to the nightmarish hellscape of Spain's was really really hard.

[@YonaMcCrum]

Why are you going back to Spain then? Is there any way to fix the bureaucracy? Have you tried to write to moncloa?

[@notafantbh]

@@YonaMcCrum The Netherlands is pretty harsh when it comes to people with disabilities, specially in the educational front. Spain is way more inclusive and socially protective. At the same time Spain is very self centered and, even when the solutions to our problems are right next to us, like our dutch neighbors, we just don't seem to be willing to make the effort to modernize and improve. I hope this changes some day.

[@Neville60001]

@@notafantbh, how are people who are disabled treated?

[@notafantbh]

@@Neville60001 they're very segregationist. If your son or daughter is not perfectly neurotypical they will not want them to follow the regular school system and they all go directly to special education, no integration with other kids without disabilities. I think integration, specially on those first formative years, is hugely important for kids with disabilities but also for neurotypical kids who will result in a more empathic and open minded population. I'm not opposed to special education schools in certain cases or if it's optional but I think it's cruel to not even give a chance to these kids.

[@Neville60001]

@@notafantbh, that sounds like what I went through growing up here in Toronto in the '70's as a black boy on the spectrum. That does _not_ sound like what I've always heard (and thought) the Netherlands to be.

[@Drzahman]

I am spanish living in an anglo country. I could not disagree more on the racism and the torrefacto. Regarding the racism, Spain does not have the historical racism stigma of northern european/anglos, (slavery comes to mind) this translates to an innocence/naivety towards skin colour hard to understand from those coming from abroad. Its a mind bender, but think about it, Spain is a mediterranean country, threfore people never fell neatly within the black vs white labels. As a consequence I think that skin tonality was always considered less of a deal, a tan being rather admired. Regarding torrefacto, Spain happens to be one of 2 or 3 countries in the world were cheap espresso is a given anywhere. Were I live, people spend fortunes in Starbucks and call it coffee. Torrefacto comes usually as MEZCLA 80/100 not that big of a deal, and I actually love it.

[@londonEnglishVideos]

Yep, coffee is constantly good in Spain (although I'd rate Portugal higher) at a reasonable price. If it doesn't meet James' requirements, there are specialist coffee places dotted around Madrid. Certainly a lot better place to get coffee than say England. Of course James is from New Zealand (home of the flat white) so maybe he's used to a higher standard. Agree with his aversion to white asparagus though. Seems to be found across Europe, but in Britain we prefer the fresh green stuff.

[@MarioRodriguezMolina]

Gracias

[@iknownothing-49]

Loving your hate, James

[@Sayitlikitiz101]

Yet Spaniards lose their sh*t if anyone says they look more "Mediterranean" (Aka North-African) than European. So yes, racism is a thing in Spain. Absolutely a thing! That "innocence/naivety" notion is just wishful escapism.

[@Drzahman]

@@iknownothing-49 just an opinion.

[@notonlysunandbeach2567]

As a Spaniard, I find it interesting hearing foreigners complaining about the same things as I do 🤣 I fully agree with what you said about spanish bureaucracy, it's a hell of a nightmare. I got to know german bureaucracy, which is way more efficient and faster!!

[@rivoluzionrmolotov1086]

Non siete diversi da brasiliani portoghesi colombiani ecuadoreni siete la fottuta copia sputata SIETE L UNICO PAESE AD AVERE SIA UOMINI SIA DONNE “SIA STUPIDI/E” CHE BRUTTE CESSE RARE ALLO STESSO TEMPO,E TE LO STA DICENDO UNO CHE HA VERAMENTE POCHISSIME PRETESE ESTETICHE questa vostra convizione che l europa vi osservi ammirata è totalmente la vostra favola della buonanotte dato che superate addirittura l italia con la crisi economica

[@ninaelsbethgustavsen2131]

In Germany the rule is ; "Ordnung muß sein". My favourite ; "Aber schnell" ! 😠 Love from Norway 😄🇳🇴

[@lagritsalammas]

And German bureaucracy is whack, still! Estonia has one of the most streamlined and simple bureaucratic systems in the world, and that is by design. Also most of it is digital. But The Netherlands is also pretty neat.

[@evaklum8974]

​@@ninaelsbethgustavsen2131 CHILE ARGENTINA THE SCANDINAVIA OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE AURORA AUSTRAL

[@Pomoscorzo]

Germans would disagree.

[@itzelbp]

you can´t hold people to the same standard from one country to another because of cultural differences. The spanish don´t see of live blackface the way someone from the U.S. does because it does not come from the same place or have the same meaning. it started out of wanting to represent a character without having any black people around to use. And the same with conguitos. Intention does matter. I don´t call that racism. Racism is when you degrade and look down upon. That is not what is happening here. I have lived in Spain for 13 years. And can tell you that they are more racist to people from central america then they are to black people. I am a white latin american and I have been present in many uncomfortable conversations.

[@mikaela353]

I'm from Spain living in England and here the spam calls have increased also. It made me laugh when you talked about the long goodbyes because this is so true. When I talk to my mum on the phone, I have to hang up because otherwise she will continue talking and talking haha, don't like it either. Customer service is terrible, but not only in Spain.

[@alaskaen3177]

Muy de acuerdo en muchas cosas, incluido lo de los conguitos. Ahora bien, totalmente en desacuerdo con lo de Baltasar. El blackface solo tiene sentido en la cultura anglosajona. Aquí carece de sentido porque disfrazarse es común, y eso incluye hacerlo de cualquier raza, no se hace con el fin d denigrar nada. Y en el caso concreto de Baltasar, hasta hace unos años no había gente de raza negra más allá de los jugadores de Basket. La gente desea convertirse en un rey mago, y el que tiene como favorito a Baltasar, querrá disfrazarse para parecerse lo más posible, del mismo modo que se puede disfrazar de Melchor sin ser rubio. Hay racismo como en todas partes, pero este en concreto no es el caso

[@marlenemurias269]

Exacto, porque se supone que Baltasar era negro. Santa Claus es un anciano con panza y con una gran barba larga y blanca.... y aquí donde vivo, muchos se disfrazan de Santa Claus observando esas características.... nadie se ofende por eso ni le llama racismo.

[@enibeni2071]

La gente tiene la fea costumbres de juzgar etnias ajenas en base a la vision de su propia etnia. Es un gran error, hay que entender la mentalidad, la intención, el simbolismo, la necesidad...que existe detrás de cada expresión cultural. Lo de los conquitos no necesariamente es racismo: 1- En algunos paises latinos (Cuba, Brasil etc) representar a la raza negra de piel oscura y labios rojos es considerado un arte tradicional (estatuas, muñecas, decoraciones etc). 2-¿Por qué si se representa a un blanco está bien pero si se representa a un negro está mal? ¿No puede un blanco/europeo reprdentar a alguien de otras razas/continente? En otros continentes hacen eso, ¿por qué solo cuando lo hacen los blancos/europeos la gente lo llama racismo? 3- Tanto en España como en otros paises la gente alaba a las personas de piel oscura comparándolas con chocolate (o sea, algo que la gente ama) ...nadie se queja, nadie lo llama racismo, todo el mundo sabe que es una metáfora en sentido positiva, nadie se ofende.

[@enibeni2071]

​@@marlenemurias269 Hay gente que se queja también de una celebración europea que celebra a San Nicolás (era un hombre que daba regalos a los niños pobres) porque la gente pinta la cara de negro. Los extranjeros juzgan en base a lo que conocen (o sea, en base su propia etnia, aquello que escandaliza a su propia etnia, aquello que agrada a su propia etnia etc)....Es un error muy grande, sus mentes no "ven mas allá". Los extranjeros no saben que ellos pintan la cara de negro porque están representando a los niños blancos pobres que trabajaban limpiando chimeneas (o sea, niños blancos pobres que trabajaban en condiciones duras y que tenía problemas de salud derivados de limpiar chimeneas). Los ciudadanos representan ese momento en que San Nicolás da regalos a los niños pobres que trabajan limpiando chimeneas.

[@mariamontserratgomezgarrid668]

Apropiación de cultura es algo que muchas personas anglosajonas creen que es algo censurable. No en nuestra cultura, qué yo sepa

[@maddieb2763]

@@enibeni2071 totalmente de acuerdo.

[@mellamanlu]

I am Spanish, I come from Madrid and I loved this video. I found it so funny. Please, don’t go home, stay and keep the good work 🙌🏼

[@ciaran8025]

Thanks for this video James. Question? I am 44yr old Australian (Irish/ EU Citizen) I am an ocean yacht Racer and winter Skiier. I am interested to get your thoughts on where may be the best place to look to live in Spain? I am thinking either buying a catamaran to live on or a small house/apartment on the coast where it is warm and not far from an Airport. Any recommendations of areas to live?

[@katella]

Mallorca?

[@dingdongdickweed6288]

Wherever those orcas that sink ships don't live...

[@Kipperlab]

Probably mallorca or Castellón if you want to visit the rest of the country but I would say to first visit to check and remember what James says about turistification. It´s fucking up our country seriously.

[@pinalimon]

​@@katella Please, not Mallorca

[@kaunas88]

As a foreigner living long term in Spain I find most of the complaints to be generally very minor annoyances, especially concerning asparagus and the coffee, or annoyances that exist in most other countries, especially in Europe and the Mediterranean countries such as: inconsistent service, bureaucracy, short opening hours, tension between workers and owners, only citizens can vote, losing unique family run businesses, nepotism, etc. Actually I have found local businesses to often have worse service than the big companies. The Spanish are not racist.

[@Lyrielonwind]

Only citizens can vote...is there any country where non citizens are allowed to vote?

[@albertomunoyerro5562]

It's important to remember thet service is different. I know people from United states that toll me that service is very bad, tha wait and nobody goes to speak to them or bring them the cost of the food. In spain you have to call them,so they are not rude is just different

[@ash9x9]

@kunas88: agree, Spanish are Not racist. He's just cooking it up here tho..

[@sinsinsinat5377]

That black face celebration is common in Denmark.

[@belstar1128]

13:32 sorry but its actually you who are unwilling to change your mind you see someone painting themselves black and automatically think minstrel shows from America 100 years ago while its clearly not the same thing

[@ritzcracker]

This was great! I loved my time in Spain and long to return. Nothing in this video makes me think less of that country. Some travel KZbinrs are relentlessly sunny about the countries they visit, and I end up not trusting their assessments. (In fact, one managed to get an official invitation to visit North Korea. He gave a glowing review! I'm not kidding.) Somehow, by being honest, you make me want to go back to Spain even more. I feel like I have a greater understanding of the culture every time you post a video. By the way, when I was in Cordoba in 2019, I wrote to you for restaurant recommendations. You got back to me right away, and I'll always appreciate it. Thanks.

[@javierverdugo3734]

I am astonishing of how well you speak Spanish, and your accent. Really nice job sir. You are welcome to complain for anything, which is at the end something very Spanish to do. You are one of us!

[@lifecycleproject]

Great fun video from an unquestionable position of love for Spain. In Italy we share the 'long goodbye' where after a 3 hour dinner, people stand in the street, whatever the weather, saying goodbye for at least another 30 minutes !

[@oxter11]

You mean screaming goodbye. Spaniards don't actually speak, they start by shouting and escalate from there. In the case of the long goodbye, the half hour of screaming and clapping is particularly prominent when they are a large group standing directly under someone's window at 2am.

[@CarolaClavo]

@@oxter11 I have this all the time in Palma old Town! Except that people 'shouting' for some reason are mainly from Sweden, Germany, England, The Netherlands or any other northern country and very rarely, Spain. Spanish shout mostly during the day when having their tapas in the near corner bar.

[@CruzSanchezRipa]

​@@CarolaClavo And at night. There is a "bingo" in the street I live in, which closes at 4 a.m., and you can hear those goodbyes and excanges with taxi drivers very clearly. Most of us are NOISY, and many badly mannered.

[@oxter11]

@CarolaClavo I'm sure you do! Living in the center of the place where northern EU goes to party and get sunburnt attracts a certain crowd in a certain mood. I'm not in any tourism hotspot, just surrounded by locals who love noise

[@donaldbetancourt7154]

The confusion doubt New Zealand being way up north might be because there is a part of the Netherlands called Zeeland.

[@byronofrothdale]

I doubt they know where Zealand is. 😅They were "confused" about NZ actually is.

[@DDiez-ed2bt]

Pablo, I think instead of understanding Nueva Zelanda the people may hear "Holanda." It can sound the same to a spaniard that may not hear James properly. Just a thought😊

[@beatrizramosrobles6992]

Very well explained! Bravo! Unless he only meets people with very low studies about geography......

[@rgdssd]

@@DDiez-ed2bt I think in general Spaniards are not very good with geography. I’m from California but speak Spanish well because I’m from the border with Mexico. When I lived in Spain even though I told them I was from California they would ask me what life was like in South America, this included my young 22 year old roommate who was in college 🤣 It happened often too- I had to keep correcting them and telling them I have no idea what life is like in South America, it’s far away and a different continent. 🤣

[@vaazig]

​@@beatrizramosrobles6992 the geography level isn't great. I grew up in Sweden, to Spanish parents, and every time I met somebody and they asked where I live they confused Suecia with Suiza.

[@beatrizmartinezferrer1201]

Soy española y por lo menos donde yo vivo, un pequeño pueblo de La Rioja, gente negra no había prácticamente hasta hace unos 30 años. Tengo 25 años y mi madre siempre me a dicho que la primera vez que vio un negro tenía más de 30 años. Por lo que aquí el rol re Baltasar sierra lo han hecho pintandose de netro porque no había negros y ya se ha quedado como tradición. Hace dos años nuestro Melchor era un hombre negro maquillado de un tono de piel lanca y con barba falsa y nuestro Baltasar era una persona muy morena maquillada para parecer negro, por lo que contaron los organizadores después fue que habían elevido sus roles según el rey mago favorito del hijo. No veo cual es el problema, también hay muchos Baltasares representados por gente negra

[@florianbirnbaum6584]

El problema es que quieren exportar a todo el mundo su concepto de racismo para quedar ellos como los buenos de la película y que no se les relacione con el racismo "científico", que era de rubios de ojos azules. Como allí se pintaban la cara de negro para ridiculizar a los negros (blackface) quieren considerarlo racista en todas partes. Cuando resulta que franceses y, sobre todo ingleses y holandeses, han sido los más negreros y racistas. Que pregunten en el Congo Belga por las hazañas de su rey Leopoldo. Aquí esa ideología racista no triunfó nunca porque los 8 siglos de dominio musulmán, ser descendientes de los cartagineses (que eran judíos politeístas), el supuesto origen norteafricano de los íberos y la gran población gitana, hacían imposible que se nos pudiera considerar arios puros. Lo mismo que el mestizaje abierto con las tribus americanas (impensable para los germánicos). En resumen: ganas de distraer de su racismo histórico para repartir culpas a los demás. No esperes lógica porque es sólo activismo encubierto. Seguro que ni se lo ha planteado de modo crítico.

[@icfrac8481]

solomente es ''woke'' problemas, lo senta para me espanol ;)

[@DonnieDarkovich]

El problema es que es un eco de caricaturas racistas llamadas genéricamente "Black Face" que eran usadas como propaganda de supremacía blanca en diferentes épocas y diferentes ubicaciones. Asimismo, es eco de otros fenómenos como la apropiación cultural en los cuales encarnar características relacionadas con las poblaciones africanas son vistas como aceptables por gente blanca mientras las personas negras que las viven son castigadas por ello, como peinados de procedencia africana, vestimentas o formas de hablar o hacer música. La idea de raza es un constructo europeo con el cual se excusaba la invasión y saqueo de países con poblaciones no blancas, historia de la cual España ha sido partícipe. El hecho que señalas en que tus padres o abuelos nunca han visto o que tú no sientes empatía por la gente negra que pide se descontinúen estas "tradiciones" solo indica que la historia que conoces y tu opinión del mundo están basadas en una educación euro centrista en la que no te has puesto ni ha pensar ni dos veces en la experiencia de personas que no se parecen a ti.

[@dsansil]

que no veas es problema dice mucho de como de extendido es el racismo casual en España. La gente a la que le afecta el racismo te está diciendo cual es el problema y sigues con lo de "no lo veo así".

[@florianbirnbaum6584]

@@dsansil El racismo es cuando una compañera de clase se inventó que yo le había dicho que "todas las ecuatorianas eran unas h*j*s de p*ta". Hay mucho resentido con ganas de joder por odio a lo "blanco" y hacen que no se pueden tomar en serio los casos de racismo reales. Cosa muy distinta del victimismo por color de piel. Lo mismo que obligar a traer gente que te odia por tu color de piel mientras se queja de que le hacen lo mismo. No convencéis ya. Si quieres que se te crea, graba esas supuestas agresiones. Y por cierto, con esa actitud de "hay que creerme porque yo lo digo" sólo fomentas el racismo. Igual es lo que quieres para que te den cosas gratis. La no-discriminación supone tratar a cada persona como individuo, no a favorecer a unos por un rasgo físico mientras se putea a otros. Un test de psicopatía es lo que habría que hacerte.

[@enriquerocco1140]

Mi Esposa y Yo fuimos a España Madrid,Toledo, Segovia , el valle de los caidos, catedral de toledo la Juderia, alcazar ,el acuaducto de segobia , el monumento del escorial ,el palacio real ,plaza mayor ,cibeles ,museo del prado, Parque del Retiro , la puerta de Alcala etc etc etc etc etc y un largo ect etc .. Quedamos ultra mega super enamorados de Madrid y de España pensamos volver una y mil veces ..la comida su gente,la cultura el futbol, restaurantes , Vinos,tapas,toros,flamenco,paso doble ,museos,caminar por las calles ,gente feliz y contenta de todas las culturas,idiomas y colores caminando ,gozando felices por sus calles muy seguras , Excelentes restautantes,y comida Etc etc.....gracias por este video Queremos vivir el resto de nuestros años en Madrid España. Saludos desde CHILE 🇨🇱 AMERICA

[@nicolasmartinez7169]

Great video. As a foreigner in Spain, this is spot on !! However, just to be fair to Spanish hairdressers, Zeeland is a province in Holland 😉

[@iSTOR]

About the long goodbye my recomendation is (once again being politely and lovely and respectful with the person that are still in your house) you must start doing what you need to do: example: get your child pijamas, or if you need to go somewhere start to take your coat... do not complete the action, but start to do something of your next task... make anything that tells "i'm in a bit of hurry" but trying not to expel your guests XD.

[@paloma_a]

Sometimes it's better to say something more directly. From "please go" to "now it's time for me to do this and this, let's continue next time, I enjoyed today very much, thank you."

[@conchita1975]

My late father in law used to say to my mother in law: "honey, we should go to bed as this people surely want to go back to their home". First time I was shocked but it really works. LOL.

[@richdakiwi]

or just say you're leaving 1 hour before you really want to

[@iSTOR]

@@richdakiwi yup, I made it a lot of times. However that requires planification and strong will, but sometimes a part of you want more and another not... and if children or its scheduling is involved XDDD cool pacience then!

[@MrMalcovic]

The trouble with nepotism is that quite often the friend or relative that's hired is actually unsuitable for the job or straight up incompetent. Some other employee will end up doing their job for them, but can't speak up about it as it's their boss's friend.

[@pablom.p.3986]

That is a big trouble and it is related to some of the other mentioned problems

[@CruzSanchezRipa]

Given the fact that the growth of the economy and the creation of job posts has never been a main goal in any of our governments, it's more than normal and obvious the nepotism has absolute priority, given the Spanish mentality regarding the protection of our familiy members.

[@jacoboritter9245]

Hi, I am from Spain, from Madrid, but I have been living abroad since 2000. I liked your video. I do hate the same things you, most of them. Well I miss long pillows😂😂😂 What you call "change", I call it "gentrificación" and it is a pity that you cannot vote against it. It is very wise not to renounce to your passport. Things may get much worse if there is a government change soon. What you call "distrust", namely exploitation, between employees and employers is something I don't miss either. I got used to be stolen a fraction of my wages by every single employer. And don't even think about going to court for those amounts of money. It is not worth it the effort because it will cost you so much time and money to sort the problem... Very good, empathic and intelligent video. Te deseo lo mejor. Que seas muy feliz en España🙂Good luck, mate

[@soyAdri__]

I loved this video! I am Mexican and it surprises me a lot how similar some things are between Spain and my country 😄

[@Fadogar911]

me encanta leer esto... pq tambien lo pense... sobretodo los temas culturales, como la despedida larga :D los hispanos tenemos que darnos cuenta de que somos un pueblo grande, con muchisimas cosas buenisimas en comun... juntos somos mas poderosos en el mundo que cada uno de los 21 paises solo :)

[@Mavritivs_CF]

@@Fadogar911 Así es, los hispanos somos un mismo pueblo, antes éramos españoles de un lado y otro del mundo, ahora por cuestión de nacionalismos y de identidades somos simplemente hispanos, pero seguimos siendo hermanos, un pueblo de pueblos con mucho más en común que cualquier diferencia normal regional que pueda haber, y a diferencia de los países anglosajones, un pueblos donde lo que nos hermana es la cultura y no la raza, cosa que algunos pretenden muy moderna, pero que en el caso hispano ha sido así desde hace muchos siglos atrás.

[@NicolasMcLoughlin007]

Si viviera en México y en España, hubiera encontrado muchas diferencias. Un pobre en México es pobre. Literal.

[@RazuEazu]

Pues que te sorprendas a estas alturas..... ¡ya te vale!

[@solaccursio]

I am italian, and I found a lot of similarities too.... maybe it's the latin heritage....

[@frondoso1709]

I'm not from Spain, so I have no idea about how racist the country is (although I imagine it must be a similar situation to mine, Argentina), but I think it's very telling how the strongest examples you found are about some people painting themselves black and a caricature from a product. Regardless of if those examples are really racist or not, it doesn't sound like a particularly unsafe country for people of colour :/

[@Darknight73457]

Anglosaxon's have a big hypersensibility with this issue. That's all.

[@Sinar-P]

This racism is an issue but its your perspective of an issue only you fail to see the whole picture. I have experienced racism in New Zealand, England, Wales and daily in Spain. Im white and people in all these countries are racist towards me for different reasons. I am born and bred in Africa. I lived most of my life there however Im not allowed to say that. Here in Spain especially they refuse to accept it and force the issue to find an ancestor of mine which is European so they can claim Im not African. Im sorry but its time people let go off colour completely. Positive discrimination is not the answer. The answer is to simply accept people as being people no matter what colour there skin or where they were born.

[@At3nT]

I don't see that as racism, and to me that hypersensitivity diminishes what real racism looks like...

[@milyrouge]

I'm a Swede living in Spain, but married to a Spanish-Moroccan. The examples that were shared here are the ones that are shocking to people from Northern European/Anglo-Saxon cultures, but the racism that North Africans, black people, South Americans and Asian people get in Spain, irrespective of how well integrated they are, is quite remarkable, and that's not something that most white people really get to see as clearly. I love so many things about this place and have lived here for 11 years now, but this is one of the things which truly makes me sad. The difference in treatment between me and my highly educated, erudite and funny partner is shocking.

[@Azog150]

Those are the small instances that feed into bigger instances. Here in Barcelona, for example, most of the black people you see are either pushing around shopping trolleys full of scrap metal, or else selling stuff on the street (parellas to sit on and knock off clothes) as their few sources of income. They are constantly being moved on by the police. The most recently elected mayor of Barcelona, under popular demand, has made it one of his "priorities" to get rid of the street sellers. As if that is one of Barcelona's big pressing problems....

[@cloromancaballa]

ver lo que no le gusta de mi pais a alguien nacido fuera (ya no se puede decir extranjero en este caso ) al contrario de lo que otros puedan pensar me parece enriquecedor

[@rolflin]

yo creo que bajando a ese detalle no hay pais que no tenga peculiaridades que a simple vista pasan asi desapercibidas y luego resulta que son las que conforman su caracter XD

[@chriscoughlan5221]

seeing what someone born abroad does not like about my country (you can no longer say foreigner in this case) contrary to what others may think seems enriching to me

[@jgappy5643]

Se pasa viviendo y ganando su salario en España pero se queja de la cultura Española. Quese vaya devuelta a su paraiso si se siente tan traumatizado. Y lo del racismo, venga que no somos anglo sajones. Somos españoles con nuestra propia cultura. Que vaya con su woke a otro sitio.

[@vaazig]

​@@jgappy5643 me da que te has declarado cómo racista. Nadie que no es racista usa woke.

[@puppibanana]

@@jgappy5643 excusatio non petita, accusatio manifesta.

[@Jota-we2is]

Me gustan tus vídeos y los veo habitualmente. Ofreces una perspectiva sobre España que es muy útil a los españoles siempre atentos a la imagen que podamos dar fuera. Suelo estar de acuerdo con tus apreciaciones, incluida tu opinión sobre los espárragos con mahonesa. Lo que considero equivocado es hablar de racismo por dos detalles que no tienen nada que ver con ese concepto. El privilegio de aparecer en una cabalgata está vedado a colectivos o cofradías de larga tradición. En estas cofradías no es fácil entrar, ni siquiera para los propios españoles como ocurre por ejemplo en las procesiones de semana santa. En el momento en que las personas de raza negra consigan permear el “núcleo duro” de la sociedad, empezarán a mostrarse mucho más presentes. Es cierto que los poderes públicos (ayuntamientos) deberían tener un mayor cuidado con la imagen que proyectan. Sin embargo, creo que este problema se va resolviendo poco a poco por puro sentido común. Ciertamente, en España, puedes encontrar algunos signos de racismo, sin embargo, considero que España es uno de los países menos racistas del mundo entre otras cosas porque somos una gran mezcla de razas.

[@garysmith9985]

I found this hilarious. As I have lived in Indonesia for the same time, I hear the exact same complaints from expats here. My only comment about the "racism" issue is this: why do you, as a foreigner, want to change the cultural heritage of your adopted country? It's an oxymoron to complain about "change" but you want some things to change.

[@anti-emo4721]

It's a superiority complex they have! Going around the world feeling entitled to tell everyone how to live! Also, calling themselves "expats" because being immigrant is "low status" for them.

[@TedEhioghae]

Tell that to Muslims in Spain.

[@joshcamerino6773]

James I really appreciate you filming with more spanish and interactions with locals! It’s adding a whole new level of immersion and authenticity to your videos!

[@davidmmm]

Camera, lens and locations in this video are really good. It totally pays off the extra effort. 👏

[@xavierjene1848]

I did not liked it. You cannot ask only one person and then saying this is the representative answer.

[@laubc8808]

La gentrificación es lo más triste que le está pasando a toda España. Es un país tan increible, Madrid es una ciudad tan alucinante... pero se están perdieron entre cadenas de restaurantes y cosas para turistas. Genial video. Me suscribo!!! Yo llevo más de 10 años fuera de Madrid y de España y ojalá volver pronto! Desde luego, no hay mejor lugar! p.D: Esa plaza de Quintanaaaa! viva

[@puppibanana]

Buf, pues ya ni te cuento Barcelona... Lo han convertido en un parque de atracciones gigante, una pena.

[@TonysPlace83]

@Gerardo Anderes si, y la derecha logrando cada vez más adeptos, y volviendo al bipartidismo. Mi pais es una broma sí.

[@notquitehim]

Pasa en todo el mundo lamentablemente yo soy de Latinoamerica e incluso aquí está dándose una gentrificación fuerte, curiosamente no en las ciudades principales sino más bien en los pueblos más rurales, sobretodo en las playas. Porque claro hay mucha gente del extranjero quiere venir a disfrutar de las playas tropicales, pero los precios se han inflado tanto que los antiguos locales ya no pueden pagar un piso y al ser zonas rurales no tienen mucha opciones de donde mas ir ya que no hay otros pueblos cerca. Espero todos los países logremos encontrar una solución para disminuir la gentrificación

[@laubc8808]

@@notquitehim totalmente. Yo llevo 10 años en CDMX y desde la pandemia, con la llegada de gringos que trabajan remoto los precios se han disparado y es ya muy difícil acceder a la vivienda, los barrios se han gentrificado muchísimo. Es muy triste, la verdad.

[@ballsxan]

Los nativos simplemente están equivocados en este tema. Se creen que están haciendo al país más acogedor a los extranjeros, y lo que hacen es cargarse todas sus características distintivas convirtiéndolo en una mala copia. También ayuda el complejo de inferioridad según el cual todo lo de fuera es una maravilla.

[@emilyandrade1732]

Sometimes it's hard being an introvert in Spain, but I've learned how to just go with the long goodbye or saying hello everywhere or needing to talk louder. ❤

[@mangstadt1]

I've been living in Spain since I was nine, over 50 years and counting, and the one thing that really gets to me is when Spaniards correct my pronunciation in English. Whatever they hear from the broadcaster on the radio or on TV is sacred, even if they're slaughhtering surnames by the dozen. And then there are these fancy Italian cars that in Italy and in the rest of the civilised world go by the name of Lamborghini, con gui de guitarra, but not in Spain. Here they are referred to as *Lamborgenie (or *Lamboiryini), con gi de Girona. And if I go through the trouble of explaining how it's pronounced in Italian, four people of every five tell me, Pues yo voy a seguir diciendo *Lamboryini.

[@toilandtrouble5383]

For example Rod Stewart is Rod Estee-goo-ar, Richard Gere is Richard Ge (as is get) re (as the musical note re),. Trump is Tramp, puenting is bungee jumping from a bridge (puente) they think it's English by adding the ing ending. The same happens with balconing meaning jumping from a balcony to a pool. Running is ranning. Don't try to correct a Spaniard's odd pronunciation, especially men, because they don't accept it graciously.

[@mangstadt1]

@@toilandtrouble5383 It's just as bad the other way around. Yesterday i watched the ending of an XFL game on TV, with commentaries in English. They slaughtered the names of two players, Luis Pérez and Santos Ramírez. And they also tend to slaughter Italian surnames, such as in Jimmy Garoppolo, The stress should be on Ga-ro-ppó-lo, on the second to last syllable, not the way Americans (and even the player himself) say it. And the "r" in Italian and Spanish sounds trhe same in that word,

[@kdkhgdldfl]

Jellow, jow do you like living in eSpain?

[@mosquitotigre7078]

Joder, Lamborguini, como espaguetis, no veo el problema

[@PiedraDeErin]

​@@toilandtrouble5383 Running is "footing" in Spain. "Hacer footing" is "correr". So, we have a beautiful Spanish word to describe the action of run, and use that weird word 🙄

[@dloljoas]

Those things you said about racism are simply not racism, there is nothing racist per se, the context and the intention with what those things done is what defines if it is racism and the ones you said are not. There is nothing wrong with painting your face black trying to inpersonate a black person, in fact is the only way to represent the king Baltasar since there is close to zero spanish black people. There is nothing wrong with a chocolate snack called conguitos since is the only purpose of that is to make it more attractive to kids as any other brand does with their products. Please do not try to impose those stupid ideas form the anglo saxon world in which context does not matter beacuse it is the most important thing in any situation.

[@anastauro9743]

I’m a Spaniard living in the UK and I am in exactly the same situation as regards voting - I can’t vote here, and Brexit happened without me being able to have a say!

[@barbrohultgren9096]

I was born in Austria and have lived in Sweden for a while now (see above). In October, I finally became Swedish citizen and can finally vote at national elections. I think it is the same everywhere!

[@TechToWatch]

This is confusing. Why should a non UK citizen have a vote regarding Brexit? I lived in Germany for some years. I didn't have a vote for anything other than the most local elections. Does Spain invite the many foreign nationals there to vote in national elections?

[@malcolmrose3361]

@@TechToWatch Because it is taxation without representation. A "resident alien" (to use the American term) pays taxes, can run a business, be subject to all the laws of the land - and yet has no input into anything more than local issues, and has no say in how the laws that govern his/her life are enacted, no matter how long they live in the country.

[@Jenny-vm3yu]

I’m British and I’m sorry the UK hasn’t given you the right to vote. I’m my view, Brexit was a colossal mistake. A lot of the suffering we are now experiencing is a direct result of Brexit, most political leaders will never admit this. At least I’m getting an Irish passport. Back to the original point, if someone pays taxes, then they should have the right to vote, in my opinion. There are some British people who didn’t understand anything about Brexit, have never worked and were still able to vote.

[@FatLeonard84]

Of course you can't vote for something like Brexit unless you are are citizen, that was kind of the whole point of it😂

[@denisecavalcante8870]

Good to know the coffee is bitter. I am from Brazil and really like good coffee, Funny note on this is that I gave up sugar in my coffee after visiting NZ. Funny, But true. I liked I've been watching your videos because I am planning a trip to Spain this year, and you are definitely my go-to reference. Will buy your guide if the trip is really confirmed. why I like your comments? I like the sincerity that comes through your voice. It sounds really, not a fake tone to advertise something. Love to see your food videos and wonder how can you be so thin eating all that... Thanks for your work, and my regards to Yolly and the baby!!!

[@hsavietto]

Notes from someone living in Spain for a little over 4 years, originally from Brazil and who also lived in Portugal for a few years: 1 - Espárragos: I actually like them! 2 - Voting for permanent residents: I'm on the fence about this one, but because I never had this problem, when I moved to Spain I already had my Spanish citizenship. 3 - Torrefacto: I couldn't agree more, this should not exist! 5 - Spam calls: I get them all the time too, but there's a trick I learned from my time working with telecom: the calls are machine generated and only connected to an operator when it hears something from the called person, so before saying anything when getting a call from an unknown, silent number, wait for 2 or 3 seconds and the caller machine will drop the call by itself. 8 - Being "Dutch": the original Zealand is in the Netherlands (you can't have a New Zealand without an Old Zealand, right?). And the Flanders (part if the Zealand) was part of the Spanish empire for some time, so Spaniards have more familiarity with this region when hear "Zelanda". 11 - Bureaucracy: it's bad in Spain, but it's even worse in Portugal and Brazil, so for me, the Spanish bureaucracy is an improvement. But my wife decided to naturalize just to not have to deal with Extranjería, which is the worst of them all (fortunately she was able to retain her original citizenship, since it's allowed for Iberian-American countries). 12 - The long goodbye: that's the same in Brazil, so I found this comfortably familiar! The ones I didn't mention are even worse in the other places I lived, so for me it's an improvement.

[@Alejojojo6]

Bureaucracy is a PAIN in the ass in every single country. But because Spain is in Southern Europe, there is this cliché attached to it. My worst experiences dealing with bureaucracy have been in the Anglosphere, specifically in the USA. I took about 2 months to take my social security number I needed to work and several stupid appointments... Awful. Its true that the websites of public organisms are a nightmare. But thats true everywhere I have been to be honest xD

[@ektaner]

I do not agree. Netherlands were soooo easy and Czech Republic quite easy too. Spain was (and still is) my worst nightmare.

[@kdkhgdldfl]

This is just a great example of the impossibility to receive critics and fall straight into a 'tu quoque'. In this case not a single southern European cliche about bureaucracy but the bare truth

[@jmcr1963]

@@kdkhgdldfl Spaniards don't go around in Anglosaxon sphere countries criticizing, patronizing, and complaining and looking over the shoulder. I don't think a foreigner has any right to have a say about the country where he is living even paying taxes. That is called "respect". In Rome, do as Romans do.

[@Alejojojo6]

@@ektaner Where are you in Spain cause I live in Spain and that is not my experience AT ALL

[@Alejojojo6]

@@kdkhgdldfl Nah it's a cliché. I have lived in Spain and abroad and I have not notice any mayor difference. But if you go to a Southern European country with a cliché in mind, such cliché would come true cause your attention is already there. I have fought with Bureacracy in the USA, in Japan and in Switzerland the same as I have in Spain, no more no less. I live in the basque country, maybe it's different in other regions.

[@Miss_ESL]

I'm similar to you in that I'm in my 40's, have lived in Spain for a decade, am married to a Spaniard, and we own a house and business together. I don't know how much travelling you did prior to settling in Spain, but I did quite a lot and most of the things you list here are pretty much the same in every country I've lived in. I don't think you should be allowed to vote unless you're a citizen (I am). If you choose not to take citizenship (you could as easily as I did), you can't really complain about not being allowed to vote as a citizen. I have no intention of returning to the UK so giving up my citizenship was barely a thought to me, I don't know if you intend to go back to NZ, though. Every major city in every country is "touristy" now. It's just what happens when counties want to encourage tourists. Banks are awful everywhere, but here I agree the operating hours and dour employees could win gold if being a dour bank employee were an Olympic sport. Mistrust between employees and employers is a thing in EVERY country. I think the same is true for nepotism. Red tape in Spain is ludicrous and I say that as somebody who lived in China. It's the thing on your list I most agree with... that and the racism. I have lost count how many times I have had to lecture kids about making generic Asian "eyes" and voices in my class, although I use it as a teaching opportunity. If you want a long goodbye (or hello) try living in the south of Italy. They make goodbyes in Spain seem positively rushed. I couldn't agree more about the white asparagus. It is an abomination unto Nuggan.

[@JamieZarrr]

It's so funny when someone hates asparagus. They live in a world where their taste and smell is horrible, and react accordingly to that belief. Also, the asparagus haters must think that there must be something wrong with the people who love asparagus. Not at all, they're just so yummy and you're uncapable of realising that, but we love you all the same... 😂

[@juanantonio3487]

I don't think you should be allowed to vote unless you are from the national ethnicity.

[@evaristogalindez1954]

he is part of a society and he should be involved in descions around him. Its sounds natural and make totally sense in my opinion. Where is the difference now if he has a "little book" that says this and that for him and the people around him? Its more populism and nationalism with the poor argument that voting is only for the ones with that little booklet. No human is owner of a land. Humans who decide to live somewhere else and follow rules of community should be integrated and not reverse.@@juanantonio3487

[@miguelangelgomez9934]

Thanks James. Only twelve is very generous of you. But it is very interesting to know how a foreigner lovingly hates approximately the same aspects that we natives suffer (almost) with resignation. For almost all of these vices we have developed antidotes that make them more bearable. For example, never accept asparagus with industrial mayonnaise, only with olive oil, fresh eggs, a little lemon and freshly made at home. Regarding goodbyes, there is a joke in Spain about visitors who take a long time to leave home and it is when the hosts say "let's go to bed because these gentlemen will want to go home." With or without the right to vote, you are truly one of us.

[@lucas_rivelles]

Como un brasileño viviendo en España, te digo que me sorprendió mucho que aquí recibo menos spams que quando vivía en mi país 😂 ahora ya sé por qué. No sabía que somos el líder mundial en este ranking. Gracias por el vídeo, está genial

[@negrobello3011]

Hola, yo también vivo en España, soy peruano, pues a mí me pasa todo lo contrario que a tí: en España recibo más spam telefónico que en Perú.

[@OHHnoYOUdidntMAN]

I would like to live in Brasil 😃

[@spirishabroad]

Hey James! Having to be a citizen of the place to vote in national elections is very common in Europe overall. I have the same issue in the UK for example, as a non British, non Irish and non commonwealth. Pointing this out because it’s not something g exclusive to Spain 🙃

[@billsinclair9571]

Well, I'm British and I can't vote in UK elections.

[@ismaelito777]

@@billsinclair9571 I completely agree, that is actually the same case everywhere in the world that I know, the US, Mexico, Germany, etc, no country will allow you to vote unless you get the citizenship...

[@Ordo1980]

And I think it is a good practice. The birds in my garden cannot vote for what should I do in the garden, even if they are here for years. You have to be part of the "owners" of the land not just living there.

[@Jenjen2021]

It's the rule in most of the world

[@billsinclair9571]

@@Jenjen2021 No, it's not. My partner is a U.S. citizen and votes in U.S. elections

[@sandraellis9560]

Loved this video, still LOVE Spain! Bureaucracy: we are US citizens, visited Spain to help our young adult daughter who lives there with illness. We needed to overstay our 90 day Schengen limit and tried to get the visa extension. Such bureaucracy! There is info online, and the very nice policeman at the National Police Station was very helpful, but it was very much trial & error. We did get the visa, our daughter recovered and we are back home, looking forward to visiting Spain again!

[@JuanPab521]

Es un honor ser Baltasar, es él más querido de los niños. Aquí los niños son los que mandan. Y como es mago puede ser cualquier cosa. LO puedes ver en la tele y a la vez pasar por delante de tu casa. Los mayores somos unos tontos. Por cierto en España yo el primer negro que vi fue cuando tenía 13 años además de Baltasar pero ese no cuenta porque es mago.

[@josejotafernandez9913]

No entiendo porque dice que hacer de Baltasar es algo r---ista, a mi me parece que siempre se ha hecho con respeto y amor

[@Herr_Artago]

Very disappointing your comment about racism. Conguitos changed their logo a few years back and got rid of the lips to represent their product (chocolate balls filled with peanuts) with no references to black people whatsoever. Second, black face is an issue in Anglo-Saxon countries where in the past black people were represented by white actors on makeup and portrayed as ignorant, lazy, untrustworthy and dumb. In Spain it wasn't like that, we hardly had black people and there was nothing wrong with using makeup when representing a black person, like Baltasar, there was no derogatory meaning, nor intent to make them look bad. If you want Spanish people to import black face bans, you should ecplain why and be open to debate instead of calling us racists. If you ask to black people who lived or live in Spain, they'll probably tell you they find Spanish people not racist at all and for Spaniards race isn't an issue, especially if you compare Spain with countries like the US or the UK.

[@alexistyrakis430]

He picked very bad examples, but Spain is worldwide known for its racism, not only towards blacks. The anglos went beyond, you are right. You didn't bring black people to Spain, but don't forget the colonies! Regards

[@davidsastre8724]

@@alexistyrakis430 Actually conguitos is really good example. If they aren't people, why bother saying that they have white conguitos. Also it's so spanish to feel not guilty saying that others have done, instead everyone has done it.

[@alexistyrakis430]

@@davidsastre8724 Well if you believe that representing a black man on the Conguitos is racist, I understand. I personally don't think it is :)

[@Victhor]

@@alexistyrakis430 You mean the colonies where marriage between spaniards and natives was encouraged in order to stablish a bond between races? and where natives had the same consideration as native spanish with the same rights? I know this was not always respected, but even Columbus and Cortes were taken to trial and died without honors for taking slaves and abusing natives. Spain is not racist, we just were never sensitive to racism because we never had a racist government or laws, it was fine to make jokes with race and nobody cared, the same as thin and fat people make jokes with each other. UK and US in the other hand had really deep problems with racism and that is why they are so sensitive to that in the present.

[@alexistyrakis430]

@@Victhor Your post is funnier than I expected. Seriously, if that is what they teach you, it is really embarrassing. And comparing all the time with the racism in the US or UK doesnt make you better. You really need to step foot in Latin America, where the consequences of colonialism and racism are still current.

[@bealazar3273]

As a Romanian and finding our culture similar with Spain I am not offended by this video. You cannot understand the culture sometimes, you have to be born into it, the one with long goodbye, we have it too. Very accurate presentation👏. Also, in order to have your input on the politics scene/ voting one should become a citizen.

[@paulneedham9885]

If you are paying tax then you should have the right to say how it is spent i.e to vote. Not just Spain but anywhere.

[@user-pf5xq3lq8i]

No. You can't make political decisions based on 1 day in the country. That is not acceptable anywhere in the planet. Clown.

[@hoosomio]

Rumanos ?? Similar cultura ? ...no creo

[@mariarosahidalgo6845]

​@@hoosomio¿conoces Rumanía?

[@hoosomio]

@@mariarosahidalgo6845 conozco suficiente como para saber que hablan diferente tienen una historia diferente y clima y costumbres diferentes

[@eurotop40]

I have Southern European background and I just think that Spain is a great country where I always feel at home!

[@anyaroz8619]

I completely disagree about the Baltazar celebration. There is nothing racist about it in my opinion. The race is an issue in America and other countries where historically black people were forcefully brought from African continent and used and abused as slaves. Because in US black people are still mistreated and in many cases are discriminated upon - in America any black face is off limits - rightfully so! But in Europe blacks were never looked down at. They weren't discriminated as a group, so Europeans have nothing to be sorry about and also they love Baltazar and admire this character as a wiseman coming from a far away land, from a completely different culture. So, no, I disagree - dressing up as Baltazar or painting the face to celebrate this saint (Baltazar is a saint and is worshiped in Europe as a saint) has nothing to do with racism.

[@grondhero]

🤦‍♂ *You never read a history book after leaving school, did you?* The Spanish, just like other major European countries, bought *_millions_* of African slaves in Africa. Instead of shipping them to Spain, they shipped them to South America. Stop trying to blame everything on the US. If you had an inkling of knowledge, you'd know that the US brought over some of the _least_ amount of slaves.

[@v1shengel]

Black people in Europe have definitely been mistreated and subject to discrimination. Remember the Europeans were the ones responsible for the transatlantic slave trade to begin with. Racism has been, and still is, a huge problem in Europe. Admitting this is an important first step in fighting it.

[@rs120]

Ironically, a few on the list is actualy what I love about Spain lol The long Spanish Goodbye is what I am definitely used to as an Armenian.. Nepotism is such an icon of a family oriented society such as Spain and Italy that many individualistic me-me societies are not used to such as the United States, UK and Austalia.. Some on the list are global issues such as not being able to vote as a permanent resident, touristification, bureaucracy and lack of customer service.. Spain holds a very very VERY special place in my heart for personal reasons and many great childhood memories as a lived in Madrid for one year. Te amo Espana... Great channel..

[@HyjKlm]

Gracias😍

[@Impartial.Observer]

Como me he reído con tu video. I was born in Cuba to Galician grandparents - and most of my family is from and lives in Spain. I came to Spain when I was six and emigrated to the US at the age of twelve, where I lived until 2021. I now live in Asturias. Bueno, me parece muy bien que expongas tus "dislikes" sobre España - ya has puesto muchos "likes" y quedamos de acuerdo que no todo es perfecto en cualquier país, y que... your likes of Spain surpass those dislikes. 🤗 I feel this needs to be cleared up para que no se nos ofenda tanto la gente. 😜I agree with you about the "esparragos blancos," 🤢 the bureaucracy, and the different rules and policies - it is my personal experience that the answer you get from said bureaucrats depends on who is behind the desk and on the day of the week... Perhaps even the time of day. The banks in Spain are awful, and they hold ridiculous business hours - maybe they are awful everywhere but at least they are open for business for a longer period of time each day. Also, I wouldn't say I like seeing places that become overly touristy and when the "mom and pop" shops give way to chain stores - but you know how hard it is to be an "autonomo" in Spain. I do love the hour-long goodbyes (Cubans do that too), but I don't think my kids do. To those who may feel offended by your honest comments, I say this, you pay taxes in Spain, and you have a business in Spain and a family here... therefore, you may not have the right to vote, but you have certainly earned the right to gripe and voice your OPINION! Again, great video... thank you for the entertainment. Un saludín desde Asturias.

[@fernandopinto5464]

Yo soy aquel negrito del África tropical y canto la canción, la canción del colacao

[@davesdream]

... Tenemos una edad ya... 😅😉

[@CruzSanchezRipa]

Ya te digo..😂😂

[@artymarinakis2433]

James first of all you're videos are amazing! My partner is from Spain, we live in the UK and we are considering moving to Spain (Madrid) after he's had a good job opportunity. For myself being half Greek and half English (and having lived up to my early 20s in Greece) I can't stress how many of your videos I've watched and it amazes me that even though I've been living in the UK for the past 10 years, listening to you speak about Spain is pretty much 85% if not 90% the same as Greece! 😂 P.s. I love those pillows! 🤣

[@matthewvidal1413]

Your last one cracked me up! Our family is from Cuba and Spain. My grandmother always says, " la despedida es más larga que la visita."

[@melisab.e7008]

Hello. I am a new follower and I am spanish. I think you do a very good job showing your perpective about Spain. Different points of view must be something every country should feel open to listen to. That is the best way we all understand each other and make progress as humans. Not everybody from another country is capable to understand the culture of the one they visit and that is something that happens a lot with Spain. The most of the tourists have always visited my country as a holyday purpose, you know, the sun, the fiesta and the playa. But Spain is much more than that and I am glad people nowdays visit it and stay. It is shocking for many of them some aspects of this culture, but I think it is due to a bad publicity from long ago. I lived in London in the 80's and I met some people who thought I danced flamenco and all that stuff. By the way I love Conguitos and I respect people from Africa. They are part of my family as I have nieces whose father is from Africa. What I don't like from the spanish people (some of them) it is that they speak loud and they like to be in the bares until late with the consequent noise and inconvenience that this causes. Keep going 👍

[@MR-or6yv]

There are things to love--and hate--about every country. Dissent is healthy. Being able to voice dissatisfaction is healthy. Being blind to imperfections is not. I spent this last summer living in Spain and I have my own list: LOVES: 1. the sense of history in just walking around, 2. fantastic cuisine (if a little "pork focused!"), 3. really great quality plastic bags at the grocery store, 4. yummy beverages that I really miss 5. incredible art/architecture/dance/music, etc, 6. the way the cities comes to life late at night (one of my favorite things). 7. The care given to the elderly. Each day I saw many people strolling with their elders in a way that was quite touching and lovely. They elderly and the young occupy the same spaces, and I love that. Spain is punishing for those who are not able-bodied (which bothers me a lot), but people help their elderly loved ones to navigate it as best they can. My hates? 1. Stupid business hours. There were places I passed EVERY DAY and never once saw open. I would pass at 9 or 10 am and they were closed and I would pass at 4 and 5 and they were closed... 2. Lights that turn off when you are halfway up the stairs in public buildings 3. Inadequate air conditioning. (I thought I was going to DIE.) 4. Lack of ethnic diversity in grocery store options (Hard to cook anything other than Spanish cuisine, and hard to adapt to when one is used to finding anything one wants back home). 5. Lack of courtesy/helpfulness. Compared to home, people do not seem to go out of their way to help others. They will watch you struggle, but no one offers to help. It was a really glaring social difference. 6. And YES!!! Those canned or jarred vegetables. Horrifying. I shuddered at the sight of them. Oh, and the general lack of fresh dairy products. Shelf-stable milk is just... wrong. 7. Ok. The casual racism, yes. Also, I was stunned to see how they monetize the Jewish history of certain cities (by selling trinkets with Jewish symbols, etc.), while seemingly oblivious to the horrific reasons that there are no Jewish people there anymore. But that said, I cherished my time there and yearn to go back. Loving someone (or some place) doesn't mean you can't see the flaws. You see the flaws, and choose to love anyway.

[@florianbirnbaum6584]

No horrific anything. They were expelled for helping muslims to invade the peninsula (as they were treated better in muslim countries). Even the muslims were given a last chance if they truly converted to Christianity. They didn't want, so they had to leave. And as all the pirate attacks after that showed, they were absolutely right doing so. Even the US had to fight Berber pirates. You'll run to defend indigenous communities while claiming that some people can't have control over their OWN land.

[@MR-or6yv]

@@florianbirnbaum6584 Where did you get your history, from an editorial in The Daily Stormer?

[@florianbirnbaum6584]

@@MR-or6yv From real history books, and you? You Anglos need to talk about racism continuously so we don't talk about how you've been the biggest slave traders. That's why you try to promote Critical Race Theory everywhere. It's no secret that Spaniards have Phoenician ancestry too (cousins of the Jews), so we couldn't be that racist even if we wanted. There's no difference between "the chosen people by the only God" and the "chosen people by genetics deserving a bigger Lebensraum". If they can't be criticized, their enemies are right. You need to be expelled to your former colonies as a payment for interfering with other countries' polítics.

[@MR-or6yv]

Absurd. At every level.

[@florianbirnbaum6584]

@@MR-or6yv Yes, a big argument. Now you can use also others like: "so obvious that there's nothing to discuss" or "You're crazy/brainwashed". I don't see Einstein proving his Relativity Theory with arguments like that. If the peninsula was invaded that quick (the Romans needed 200 years and Napoleon troops were invited to cross to Portugal) was thanks to inside help. With the Jews promoting pacifism and convincing kings to destroy their walls. Christianity doesn't recognize Judaism but Islam does. That's why they moved to Morocco and the Ottoman Empire after their expulsion. Not even Muslims were hated on racial basis as it proves the dictionary and grammar of Andalusian Arabic published by Pedro de Alcalá to make them Christians (he says it clearly in his introduction). If they truly converted, they didn't have to leave. British and French people are just scared to be made pay what they did in Africa. You still have things like Gibraltar or the Falklands when you should have nothing. And you still keep your cultural colonialism with things like Critical Race Theory. What a coincidence that most thinkers of Marxist sociology come from French universities while hard left never wins the polls there. As if they were exporting it to the world: Derrida, Foucault, Bourdieu and now also Paul Preciado.

[@mpineda9909]

Spot on about racism in Spain, and even worse, we say we aren't racist! 😅. Also agree about the banks in Spain. They are one of the worst in the world! ...and the thieving in commissions and other charges is incredible! In fact, apart from the espárragos, I agree with you in all points

[@j.j.3759]

The "go home" comments are universal. I get them whenever I criticize something about Germany. I'm well past trying to say things nicely in the hopes of not getting the comments, because it doesn't work. If anything, I now look forward to the unhinged comments. It's never a normal person making them, and it's comedy gold once you can get over feeling bad.

[@juanar4305]

4:18 In Argentina we inherited the tradition of roasted coffee with sugar, but it is worse. From time immemorial here coffee was adulterated with some legume of similar geometric appearance to coffee and mixed (coffee and legume) roasted with sugar. The legume is used in larger proportions when there is an economic crisis and in smaller proportions when times are better. You can also buy pure coffee but it is more expensive. In any case, we are used to this infamous mixture.

[@natanielcostard]

A mi me costaba mucho encontrar café sin azúcar en Buenos Aires!!! En el los supermercados más típicos solo tienen esta mezcla infame :)

[@tadeuszmarin5704]

¿Por un casual te refieres a la achicoria? En la posguerra española era muy típica. Sabe horrenda.

[@dingdongdickweed6288]

A small price to pay for living in a country with such excellent pizza, though.

[@marlara34]

Le voy a explicar un poco lo de el Rey Baltasar... casi nadie quiere aparecer en las cabalgatas, por ejemplo en mi ciudad, nadie cobra, son voluntarios participar.. cual es el problema? Bueno que la mayoría de personas negras en mi ciudad son musulmanes y no quieren participar, no solo eso, el único que dijo que sí, quería cobrar por hacerlo. Es que todo tiene algo detrás...

[@jakometal1]

Creo que puedes votar las municipales siendo extranjero, pero evidentemente no se puede dejar votar a los millones de extranjeros que viven aquí, peor no se puede dejar que se metan en nuestros asuntos de estado. Imagina dejar votar a un millón de marroquíes, destruirían nuestra patria

[@Cervando]

As someone born in the UK of Spanish parents and now living in Spain, I have to agree with your points. But, by far and away the most annoying is the bureaucracy, such as the hoops I had to jump through post Brexit to get residency. The dual nationality hurdle also rang a bell. I had HUGE issues renewing my long elapsed Spanish passport, as I had been using my British one whilst living in the UK. The officials kept asking for documentation that doesn't exist, and refused to call themselves to verify it didn't. In the end I was forced to move back to the UK, just to renew my SPANISH passport, as the Spanish Consulate there understood my predicament and were as frustrated as I was that my local Spanish office wouldn't renew it, despite the one in the UK writing to them to explain their error in declaring I had lost my Spanish nationality by not renewing my passport sooner. One thing that wasn't mentioned is the graffiti. It really annoys me that there is so little respect for private homes in old parts of cities. I love Barcelona, but the graffiti everywhere you go in older areas, such as El Born, is really depressing.

[@idemserra]

Totalmente de acuerdo. Espero que un cambio de gobierno municipal mejore el aspecto de Barcelona

[@rumidude]

As I have traveled Europe for the past ten years, I saw a HUGE uptick in graffiti everywhere I have been. Dublin was particularly bad and depressing as it also seemed to coincide with an increase in street trash. Rome, London, Edinburgh, Naples, and even Florence. I don't know what the answer is but it is an ugly problem indeed.

[@Frank-wo3qm]

yeah bureaucracy is killer, dealing with it now...what a nightmare.

[@albertomartin7576]

Si, a veces nos influyen algunas tonterías del mundo anglo, los grafitis es una de ellas.

[@konzi1]

I lived in 7 different countries, none of them Spain, but through your stories I got reminders of India, Philippines and UK in some aspects. I'll tell you how I significantly reduced spam calls. Every time they called me I did one of three: pretend I don't speak English, make fun of them by saying something stupid, or be very rude including bad words. You know what happened? They stopped calling me. It's like they all made a note next to may phone number "weirdo, don't call!" 😁

[@alain6930]

When i get a spam call, i tell them that i want to speak to them, but i have got something on the stove, would they mind waiting for me a minute. I never come back to the phone.

[@anacasanova7350]

Los Conguitos es una marca comercial española antigua de unos dulces. Punto.

[@anacasanova7350]

Compara la burocracia y el nepotismo, con Italia 😁😆😅 verás lo que es bueno, sobre todo en el sur de Italia.

[@bkm2797]

Alain, I like it!

[@mariscal012]

Only the xenophobic and twisted idiosycrasy of an Anglo-Saxon can associate conguitos with racism. In Spain we practice it with non-integrated gypsies, mostly. Eye/straw, etc... Regarding the right to vote of hisoanophiles, it is by the principle of reciprocity. May God give you many children and a long life for your mother-in-law.

[@Ron-uq2hg]

As a senior citizen Kiwi living in Canada i have to tell you one thing about New Zealand in the 1950s. The banks opened about 11.00 am and closed at 3.00 pm. It may have been in the late 50s they stayed open until 5.00pm. I don’t remember. I have lived in 6 countries and visited over 50 in my lifetime. I married a Spanish speaking American girl in 1974. For some reason neither of us had any interest in visiting Spain until we caught a transatlantic cruise from Barcelona and we decided to spend a month in Spain before the cruise. Boy did we get a shock. The food, people, sights and did I mention the food and people. Been back 3 times since. Lucky you.

[@suegoulding1341]

My husband and I have lived in Spain for nearly 9yrs, we REALLY like you, you are fair and you made us smile regarding the banks especially! also other topics.