Read about the Spanish civil war* and the subsequent dictatorship by Francisco Franco. Spain is a combination of different nations, each one with its own culture and language. During the (fascist) dictatorship, they were all forced into cultural repression (i.e. only one language accepted), which created resentment that lingers on still today. Coupled with a very orthodox and puritan Catholic society (forced that way due to the dictatorship), which then was followed by a radical, bombastic "coming out of the closet" (particularly in Madrid, late 70s) as soon as Franco died, makes them a complex society, and make them a bit different than the rest of europe (Spain was rather isolated from the rest of the EU during the Franco years).
* probably the most terrible war of the last 100 years. Estimate: 500,000 dead.
Since you're doing what is presumably a business meeting, my advice for doing business with a purebred Madrilenian, is to keep in mind that, while people from Madrid pride themselves in being straight talkers who do not beat around the bush, I don't think the average Madrilenian likes to reveal his/her true, deepest feelings. People from other parts of Spain, for example Basque people, can be just the opposite.
There have been nationwide polls in Spain about the stereotypes that spaniards have against each other, that seem to support these traits.
Also, the "straight talking", "straight to the point" way of people from Madrid might make them seem rude, which is not the case; quite the opposite, they want to socialize.
Excuse me Flavio81
After reading this two posts, I realised that there is something quite worse than knowing nothing about, and it is knowing things wrong.
Estimado Flavio, no tengo idea de donde sacas ese concepto tan erroneo sobre Espana y su gente. Y ademas creo que se desvia un buen trecho de lo solicitado en el Post de Origen, sobre la ciudad de Madrid.
Me produce tristeza que alguien tenga esa imagen mental de mi pais! Y me encantaria que la mirada de cualquier fotografo viese no solo Espana sino cualquier otro paus de un modo menos simple y mas abierto. He viajado por cuatro de los cinco continentes y no significando esto nada en mi pasaporte como persona, tan solo me convierte en viajero, sin embargo de ningun pais viajado se me ocurriria un resumen o unos comentarios semejantes.
Confio que cualquier visitante, Polyglot en este caso, aunque lleve en la mochila una idea previa asi elaborada por ti, saque otra mejor conclusion que tu. Lo siento por tus opiniones y disculpa mi sinceridad.
Un afectuoso saludo
****
Oops! Translation for those interested:
Dear Flavio, I have no idea where you get such a misconception about Spain and its people. And I also think that it diverts a good part of what was requested in the Original Post, which is about the city of Madrid.
It makes me sad that someone has that mental image of my country! And I would love that any other look of any photographer to see Spain or any other country in a less simple and more open minded way. I have traveled on four of the five continents and this does not mean anything in my passport as a person, it only makes me a traveler, however from no country visited would I come up with a summary or similar comments.
I trust that any visitor, Polyglot in this case, even if he carries in his backpack a previous idea thus elaborated, finally obtain another better conclusion than you. I am sorry for your opinions and I apologize for my sincerity.
Warm regards!
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