The other day Dwight and I spent some hours visiting the Prado. It was kind of a celebration of our time (5 years) here in Madrid that is coming to an end. It was so enriching! Visiting the expositions of several painters I realized how little I know of history and art.
That brings me to the point I would like to make, not as an expert, but as someone who is hoping to be better equipped to serve in Spain. This is a cultural aspect of living in Spain.
These are some questions one should always ask himself:
What are the people talking about today? Politics, social events, sports, etc
What is going on in Spain in general? Spain celebrates 400th Anniversary of Don Quixote, Madrid 2012, etc
What can be potential conversation topics among the people you know? Music, art, culture, food, etc
Spanish people, naturally, are very proud of their heritage. It is so important for us to also learn to appreciate what is important to them. Visiting the Prado the other day I realized once more how rich is their history and culture. There is so much for us to learn!
This will be a constant effort, but one should start from their first day in Spain. I, personally recommend a visit to the Prado, among other museums. These are some things I recommend you become familiar with:
1) History
2) Art (famous writers, painters, classical music, etc)
3) Music (folk, popular singers, etc)
4) Food (what is typical, what is your region specialties, what they produce, etc)
As I said, this is the very basic that can be also quite a bit to learn! You will find that people “te miraran con otros ojos” when they see your genuine interest in the various aspects of their life. And this also, is a labor of love!
