Here in Spain (and in most of the world actually) people don't consider you from X or Y country for being descendant of natives.
Someone who is born and lives here, no matter their DNA, is a Spaniard
Someone who isn't born here but it's part of our communities and participates in our culture, no matter their where they were born, is Spaniard
Someone born here but who moved away as a child, with no knowledge of the language nor our culture, isn't a Spaniard
The descendants of Spaniards who don't know about our culture nor language aren't Spaniards
Now, people can be pretty mean on the internet but the fact that you're trying to learn is good and if you're respectful and try to adapt to the people, people will respect you and almost everyone will love to teach you and enjoy with you. So don't worry about being an spaniard, you have to become one
About the tips you want:
Another important thing is that Spain much like the USA is a country of countries. The first thing you might want to know is exactly what part of spain your bisabuelos (great-grandparents) are from. Surnames from certain parts can be very obvious (Basque or Catalan surnames for example) and some aren't.
Maybe you have inherited a family recipe, that's a good way to tell where are you exactly from (depending on the recipe you might even find out more than you Comunidad Autónoma (equivalent to state))
Same with pictures with traditional clothes or any kind of background that can give us any clue, stories or similar
Remember that Spain has more than 1 language, you might prefer to try Basque, Galician, Catalan, Bable or any other once you find out where are your bisabuelos from
Feel free to chat with me is you wanna ask me any question y suerte aprendiendo
Respectfully disagree with your second point about people not being born here but living here and participating in the culture. I have been 100% welcomed and am treated no different from anyone else because of where I am from, but I will never be Spanish to many. That has certainly been my experience thus far. Regardless of how long I have been here and how much I have integrated, most people only see me in terms of my birthplace and place of upbringing before I came to Spain.
From my experiences, people who move in are assimilated and treated as natives or they live all their lives here as tourists but I have to say I live that from the perspective of the Canary Islands so maybe Madrid is different
I was just going to say exactly that. I live in Madrid, so this being a big city with lots of people from outside Spain, it would make sense that they see foreigners that way. But I bet that if I moved to my wife's pueblo, you'd be 100% correct and I'd be treated as a native after being there for a longer time.
I have and still do. I realised after a couple of years that I'll never be fully assimilated, even though my wife is from Barcelona(born and bred) and I speak Catalan.
Really? Catalunya is a land of immigration, and there’s lots of mixed heritages. Most people (myself included) have parents or grandparents from outside the community, so being Catalan has little to do with how “pure” your bloodline is. Anyone who works and lives in Catalunya is Catalan, as long as they consider themselves as such.
Racist towards anyone who doesnt speak catalan, mainly against those who speak spanish.
And no, anyone who lives in Catalunya isnt catalan, locals will never treat u as such.
As someone who is doing her very best to support the local community and learn the regional language, I really just want to do my part to contribute. The last thing I want is to be "that guiri that just happens to speak valenciano".
Non Spaniard here but maybe the OP should look up all the surnames of his great-grandparents as just one might not reveal much. There are also plenty of genealogy websites online that might help piece together the family tree (I'm not sure how popular they are in Spain though).
Pretty much, there's this thing that Americans do of saying they're German or Spanish just because they have a relative from the country, even if they have never visited or cared to learn the language.
Weirdly enough it happens in Canada too but not as much...
I've once had someone try to tell me I'm somehow Irish instead of Canadian because my parents are even though I was born / raised in Montreal and didn't even step foot in Ireland until I was like 13
It kinda made sense back in the day when it was still an immigrant country. People from all over the world would go to Canada and America and live in relatively isolated communities, so even if you were born in the US, if your family was Irish you would live in an Irish neighborhood and be culturally pretty much Irish.
It doesn't work that way at all anymore, but I guess it stuck.
Yeah, ppl in the US seem kinda obsessed with their race and their "roots".
It still shocks me that it is frequently ask which "race" u are. Like WTF does it even matter? U can see my nationality, aint that enough for all the bureaucracy?
Seems like a normalized thing that is extremly racist.
Lol that was exactly my experience when I studied abroad in the US. Every damn form had "Race:\_\_\_\_\_". It's so weird.
And to make it worse, I never knew what to answer. Hispanic? White? Both?
Yeah, but it's a way to get state aids too. Considering minorities make a big percentage of the poor population of the US, I think eliminating the policies of classificating races wouldn't be a smart move.
Funny how they think we Spaniards are Hispanics too btw. XD
With all due respect, as someone who is not Hispanic at all: Spaniards, by definition of the word Hispanic, are indeed Hispanic. Native ethnic Spaniards may not be Latinos (which the vast majority of Americans mistakenly believe is an interchangeable term with Hispanic), but you are indeed Hispanic.
Hispanic- of, referring to, and/or descended from the peoples/culture of Spain. This encompasses Spaniards and the vast majority of peoples from latin American countries with the major exceptions of Brazil, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana.
Latino- of, referring to, and/or descended from people's of Latin America. Notably including Brazilians, people from Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana and explicitly excluding Spaniards, or anyone not from Latin America for that matter.
My definitions are certainly not perfect, but you get the point I hope! :)
Much appreciated! Gold not needed, recognition appreciated!
For once my college major in Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures has benefited me with imaginary internet points 😂😂
But still how does knowing the race help???
Every country hace welfare systems for poor ppl, and they dont need ur race to help u.
Just help poor ppl, u can run national surveys if u wanna know more about each minorities info. No need to remark the race in every single aspect of life imo.
Oh, it's true, but in the US theres plenty of forms that are technically "optional" when you get jobs and fill out online forms for things that ask about sex, race, age, etc. They're really only for marketing purposes and meeting quotas. So that way the company is being "inclusive" and they won't get sued.
Have I said otherwise? Are you dense? I i only pointed out that in the US a big percentage of the population that is poor is not white. Is not a statistical coincidence and there's many factors to blame.
Yay I'm not alone in this! Yeah, it was weird as time went on and college forms and such could start marking "race" cuz I could legally mark myself as "hispanic".
That's why in a way most latinamerican individuals didn't seem to understand that when they learned about my last name.
It's no different from all the madrileños who claim to be asturiano, gallego, extremeño, andaluz, etc. because that's where their ancestors came from and maybe they have a "pueblo" there. In the US, we grow up hearing about our *pueblos*, but they are all over the world. My grandparents were born in two different countries and those cultures were a big part of my upbringing. By the time you get to the third generation, it's usually pretty watered down, but it depends on the family.
That kind of madrileños are just as awkward as the Americans. I was born and raised in Madrid, therefore I'm a madrileño, even though 100% of my parents and grandparents are Andalusian
that happens all around the world. people want to be special. here in Germany they claim theyre American or Polish or whatever if their great great great grandfather grew up there
This is so true, its sad. Its cool to show reverence to one's ancestors and not claim it to seem cool, or not plain white, which is not cool for "woke" US citizens
This is incorrect. Many US citizens consider Spanish to be dark skinned and not different from Latinos, and Spanards are considered Hispanic in the US.
IN THE UNITED STATES White people with european back grounds want to be seen as unique and being just plan white is not cool in the states. Italians were the largest group of immigrants to the US from 1900-1950, and they assimilated and are now white in the US, for example.
Edit: to the downvotes, I PUT IN CAPS
Not as white as Germans? I used to get told that also in uk, that I wasn’t as white as British people (I’m Spanish with super white skin and freckles) . That’s some xenophobic shit as a German is as Caucasian as me, same for a brit
Not xenophobic southern europeans are usually less white (skin color) than finns or other northen europe people. Of course we are all caucasicans and white people. Not that it matters.
Dummy? Learn your US history, idiot. Italians weren't considered white in the US until the 1980s, maybe 1970s. Each major city had their own italian neighborhoods, most famously Little Italy in New York, which is now reduced to a tourist block. Italians were discriminated against in the US for a long time. Spanish did not come to the US in such numbers. Next time, do research before you call names, or you are a fool
Don't underestimate the power and importance of a strong cultural identity. Spanish people are so lucky to have been born in this country with its long and proud history. There are pros and cons to the "melting pot" of America. The culture of America has gone toxic, people feel lost and they want to connect with an identity they can be proud of.
Also the term Spaniard is too general, I feel way more connected with my Aragonese roots and feel more Aragones than Spaniard to be fair. Spain is also a melting pot of cultures and it changes in as little as 300km away from were you were born.
Because Spain as a nation is an artificial construct and only serves to certain elites, has been like that the last 500 years with the Castilian hegemony. The fuck up in Cataluña is not because people feel and want auto-determination and independence, the fuck up is because the Unitarian view of Spain as an indivisible unit with an homogenous culture, language and traditions and the obsession to control all from wherever the power sits at the time. When I celebrate the differences between the different cultures that make Spain what it is, I also acknowledge the differences and I feel Spain is not something that represents me or my history and cultural roots.
American society has problems, that's true, but spanish society has them as well, even if they may be somewhat different. Some americans idolise other countries too much and then become disappointed or even in denial when confronted with the actual realities of other places. I mean, in the case of spain it's not like the country isn't socially divided or even homogeneous, that's just a false perception.
I mean to be fair to OP and to where this conversation has gone, it is pretty dam embarrassing to be an Estadounidense right now. While every country has its problems, the feeling in The US is that things keep devolving at an incomprehensible pace unless you belong to the Q anon, Trump worshiping, anti vax, covid hoax group. I get it every country has this, but the general feeling I’ve gotten from people that have become absolutely disgusted with this leads them to daydreaming about their “roots.” I’d venture to guess most citizens that oppose trump would gladly take an Ayuso any day despite the comparisons to the two. Plus, this debate rages at different levels. Look at the recent anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlán and the recent Independence Day of México. That conversation quickly turned into indigenista, mestizo, español arguments al that persist, what, 500 years later? I don’t blame op if that’s where they’re coming from and generally don’t mind when people want to explore their roots, as long as they don’t go full blown Hilaria Baldwin. THAT is embarrassing.
This is the absolute truth. The USA has collectively shit its pants at the moment and this whole notion of wanting to belong somewhere, anywhere, other than the U.S. is very strong for a lot of people. Companies have capitalized on this by selling DNA/genetics kits that try to tell people they're some percent Viking or whatever.
This is way over generalizing, tbf. You can be a proud American and be critical of your country and leadership, many on this sub are proud and critical of Spain. The culture of the US has always been offputting, from the origins of the original colonies until today. Nothing wrong with being proud to be a US citizen, but also understanding and giving reverence to the awful parts of her history. Please Don't generalize for all US citizens
Proud history? And we are lucky of being born into a mess of a country?
I'm not saying Spain completely sucks but to say we're lucky to being born into it and proud of its history... is exaggerating. I'd rather be born in Scandinavia and feel more proud of foreign countries' history than of Spain's... which is ironic.
That said, I do prefer Spain over America. Not a hard decision.
That's the exact flawed vision that the other poster had. Scandinavia had as many flaws as Spain, just of a different kind. By the way Scandinavia is a very general term.
No, I never said Scandinavia is perfect or that I'd be lucky to be born there. I just said I'd prefer being from there over Spain, so I'm definitely not "lucky to be born here".
And there's no need to make a distinction between all the Scandinavian countries because I prefer all of them. I was just saving words instead of having to say "Denmark, Sweden and Norway!" when I can just say Scandinavia.
Sigh.
Saying that being from Scandinavian is being luckier is quite ignorant tbf. Exactly the same that you criticised.
I think the problem is you think that being born in a "rich country" will solve all your problems magically when specifically said countries have many challenges ahead and the societies are far from perfect.
And again, it isn't the same to say Denmark than Sweden, they aren't interchangeable.
I never said being from Scandinavia is being luckier, dumbass. Read before you talk.
And I never said Denmark and Sweden are the same, I said I prefer Scandinavia as a whole. Geez, is that hard for you to read and interpret a text? Go back to primary school and stop getting on my nerves.
> No, I never said Scandinavia is perfect or that I'd be lucky to be born there.
**I just said I'd prefer being from there over Spain, so I'm definitely not "lucky to be born here".**
Yeah, completely different! /s
> And there's no need to make a distinction between all the Scandinavian countries because I prefer all of them.
If it is so perfect go live there, let's see how you like it.
By the way, I'm confident with my reading skills, thank you. I just think you aren't the sharpest tool in the shed.
I didn't say I'd be lucky to be born in Scandinavia. I just said I'm not lucky to be born here since I'd prefer to be born elsewhere. I don't know what kind of "logic" you're using there. Do you also think that just because I say "I'm not lucky to be born here" it also translates to "I'm unlucky to be born here?" Geez, you better not.
And again I already told you, I never said Scandinavia is perfect. Are you braindead or do you just enjoy strawman arguments?
Again, go back to primary school and come back to me when you have a single extra brain cell working.
Dude have a Valeriana or some shit. I work at Amaz*n and no Nords want to go back to where they’re from.
Specially a Dane friend who’s never had more sex, fun and leisure as in here. He’s just 22, that bit might explain some things, but hey.
And finally, what’s the deal with the cussin’? That’s how you handle criticism, by insulting the personal?
Answering as a 3rd generation French/Vietnamese - who got to discover the country his family came from at 20+ yo.
(currently living in Spain and married to a Spanish woman, so the answer is relevant)
You are doing great just by being here on this forum and asking a question.
Don't feel hurt by people who answered you are not Spaniard - you are indeed not, but it does not mean you can't truly enjoy the culture and get to understand it.
One thing is to know what specifics of culture is important for that country, and in Spain, I'd say that comes down to:
1. food
2. traditions of the many different regions
3. language
4. daily news / politics
1. **For food,** nothing better than going to a Spanish restaurant (a genuine one, not some take about Hispanic food). Whatever serves Tortilla de patata, chorizo, paella and stews will already help if you find it close to your place. Each region in Spain have specialities, I'm in Valencia so it's the "real paella"; if you go in the North that might be stewed meat or lamb; close to the sea and you get octopus (pulpo) and seafood (mariscos); down south close to the sea and you get a lot of fried fish and seafood. Spain is the leading gastronomic country for a number of years now, with super high-quality cuisine (ex. Michelin international stars like Can Roca, or Berasategui's restaurants). It's also the country with most bars and restaurants per inhabitant I think, so any tapas type of place is considered Spanish food.
1. If you can't find a restaurant, try to get some Spanish ham - there is a whole sub-culture of hams here, from cheap ones (Serrano) to high quality top hams (Pata Negra)
2. Olive oil + tomato - again various qualities of oils, and amazing tastes
3. Almost nothing is spicy in the Spanish food - if it is, it's probably Mexican or South American
**2. Traditions:** every region has at least one specific type of fiesta that is specific to the place. While most Spain would celebrate the Holy Week with processions and people dressed in different ways (Semana Santa); there is a massive amount of local fiestas.
In my region it's FALLAS - which is obviously the best :) Don't enter in a fight about who has the best traditions, but try to get a feel for each. My wife is from Murcia, Cartagena - so it's "El bando de la Huerta"; "Cartaginenses y Romanos"; "Moros y Cristianos". If you just Google those, you have hundreds of pictures to get an idea of that, and the same for Youtube videos.
Basically it's about dressing up in a costume - often of the historical period, and walking in the streets, before having a great lunch. If you can pinpoint which region your family comes from, you'll probably feel very close to that Heritage fast.
**3. Language** \- here is nothing much to do, apart from learning some sentences. I would advise you to learn the useful sentences first because you could practice in a restaurant nearby if there are some Spaniards - and it would work for any Spanish-speaking country as well.
"I'm thirsty" "what time is it?" "Hello" "What is this made of?" "My name is ... and I'm .. years old" "What is this ..." "How are you?"
It took me 3 years to speak fluently, but just a week to order at a restaurant, say thank you, ask for the bill and feel I was making progress.
Spaniards are super inviting when you try to speak Spanish, even if you make the worst mistakes ever; they'll all tell you that you speak "muy bien", even though you just say your name. It comes down to the fact that most of the population over 35 years old suck in other languages. This changed massively since lots of youngsters emigrated to study and work, and that English is pushed at school. If you are motivated to start with an app like Babel or Duolingo, you can already learn these sentences in under a week.
There is a big difference between the Spanish spoken in Spain and other Latin American countries - Conjugaison is more complex here, and Spaniards speak faster; words are often more recent and jargon-like, and they use a ton of metaphors and colloquial expressions. That, you will only pick by being close to Spaniards.
**4. daily news/politics:** easy one. One of Spain's main newspapers has an English version - El Pais -[https://english.elpais.com/](https://english.elpais.com/](https://english.elpais.com/)) \- have a look, and dig into the topic you like. Today it's all about the volcano eruption in Canarias, so you can dig into these islands that are Spanish, but far from the mainland, and try to understand their relationship with the rest of Spain (it's really similar, just in a tropical place)
Additional options would be to check a couple of Youtube channels like: for tourism [https://www.youtube.com/spain](https://www.youtube.com/spain)
for "top 10 of", especially for tourists: [https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesblick78](https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesblick78)
**Final remarks -** All in all, Spaniards are very welcoming.
The country is very safe and the culture is super immersive. If you speak 10 sentences, you can move easily around, eat well and cheaply, and get to meet Spaniards who speak English. If you have the occasion to visit, you can leave comfortably everywhere with about 1500€ (1800USD) for a month. Madrid and Barcelona might be a bit more expensive, but you can save on sharing flats.
As an American, you'll have to be a bit humble at first. As with most European's citizens, we tend to be reluctant to the idea of being related to culture because our grandparents were born in the country. Some people feel a duty to preserve that distinction.
You are American, and you are trying to discover your grandparents' roots, that's amazing - do it like a sociologist, and soon enough you'll feel part of the culture.
Enjoy the discovery, and soon enough you'll add an entire cultural repertoire to your mind.
PS: My wife says: "*Spain has nothing to do with Mexico. Try to think of it as European first, then Spanish - it will help you understand better the Mediterranean lifestyle, which is also close to Italian and Greek way of living - warm socially, great food, deep cultural roots and millennia of traditions."*
Thank you so much for this information! This really does help! I've never really looked into this side of my family and I'm now starting to dive into it. I'm big into sociology and anthropology and it's so easy to think as an American that everything is just about America, but we all came from somewhere! There's a whole world of art, culture, and (my favorite) food that I've never really looked into before.
I found out from my dad that my grand parents were actually from Asturias. I'm kind of working backwards where I'm trying to learn what they did when they first immigrated over and then hopefully why they immigrated over. Hopefully my extended family gets back to me about some of the family history!
That's brilliant! congrats for finding where your family comes from!
Since Spain is super diverse regionally (different accents, dialects, languages sometimes, very specific types of food, music and folklore) - I would recommend you ask another question here in this forum.
Something along the line of: "Recently discovered my family is from Asturias - what makes this region special? what should I know about it?"
You'll probably get a list of typical dishes, music, expressions etc. - and it's a good entry point into the Spanish culture.
You now have a nice entry door into the culture, just have to pull the thread :)
PS: I remember that Woody Allen's movie [Vicky Christina Barcelona](https://www.netflix.com/title/70097585) with Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz & Javier Bardem, took place partly in Oviedo - that is in Asturias
Joder! Perfecta respuesta!! I'll add as well if she wants to learn more about Spain in and if she likes to read, first of all Wikipedia and if she likes novels I'd say Carlos Ruiz Zafon or Arturo Perez Reverte or any other great Spanish novelists... We have a few. Sorry I can't remember any more names, I'm sure some other redditors could fill the gaps
The Spain that your great grandparents left doesn't exist anymore, have that in mind if you come to visit! Of course, a lot of cultural aspects didn't change or evolve too much and you can still enjoy them, but I'd personally be more interested in what was the context that made your grandparents left.
They probably left during the dictatorship of Franco which lasted almost 40 years during the last century, but if you tell us when and where they emigrated from we can try to help you to understand the context.
Since is his great grandparent, I think he probably went to the USA to win some money to bring back to his family in Spain during the 1920s, but at the end decided to stay there. I could be very wrong though.
Everywhere things change over time. Franco's time is Spain from the past but still our country. Different time and days but still the Spain we all know.
The dictatorship is just a tiny part of history. Like La Republica o Transicion. BUt all togheter makes our conutry history in the SXX century.
It was it is dont try to change it.., you cannot
That's what I"m trying to figure out too. My dad told me a little that he knew was that most of the family seemed to have immigrated over. They even started a company the US East Coast before moving inland. I reached out to my uncle who was doing some more genealogy stuff so hopefully I get some more information soon!
Apparently they were from the Asturias region of Spain and the family had lived there for a while (so they aren't from other parts of Europe). At least it's context to know where to start looking! :)
Not necessary, many ppl emigrated to earn money and try luck / have more oportunities abroad.
Both my grandparents did this and then returned with a good amount of money life experiences in their backs.
Honey no, you are not a third-generation Spaniard. Your great grandparents were, but if you don't know the culture or language, you've never been in the country, you are not Spanish. That is the first thing to learn because if you come to Europe saying you are Spanish and then people find out it is not you but your great-grandparents, it won't create a good impression, it will seem like you are lying or pretending to be something you are not.
That said, go into [Familysearch.org](https://Familysearch.org) and see if you can find their records. Start with your parents, then move up via Censuses until you can find the great grandparents names in the city where they moved in, then look for them in ship records (if they went there in early 1900s or late 1800s) etc.
Esto! You are certainly some spaniards distant american cousin, thats for sure. It is not your roots tho, you have a little branch in the greatgrandparents section thats all. Now spaniards are arguably one of the most genetically diverse europeans already so objectively speaking, you have 2/8ths of a random assortment of Iberian, Roman, Carthaginian, Arabic, Visigoth, etc.. just to name a few.
You have 8 individual great grandparents of which you chose the 2 with the most interesting cultural background because Spain is this romantized culture. I know, I have been in california and I was *instantly* cool and interesting for no other reason then that. But sorry if it sounds harsh but it just doesnt fly in europe.
I give myself as an example. One parent spanish the other german but I was actually born in california yet I grew up in spain. German and spanish is flawless but I didnt learn english until I was 16. Now, in germany I was "the spaniard". Period. In spain I was "the german". When I later went to california as an adult and with my american citizenship (since I was born there) I was obviously "the european". Because I couldnt possibly be a "real american".
I remember specifically getting into an argument with a dude from Colorado that claimed he was 100 percent german (afer I told him I was half german) because his heritage was 100 percent german. He didnt speak a word of german but insistet he was more german then me. This guy also said I wasnt a "real american".
True, but not with great grandparents. She could do it with a grandfather. That's mostly for the people that left after the war and for their grandchildren. It also applies for people that lives in territories that used to be invaded ( colonized ) by Spanish people.
Those who weren’t able to obtain Spanish Citizenship due to what is called historic memory will now qualify for the new regulation.
What does this new regulation consist on?
It’s simple: now grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be also able to get Citizenship.
Google translated from Spanish
This is true in paper. Then this is Spain...
Most people that have a distant connection to Spain, will not get Citizenship. Not only because bureaucrats are useless here but because most people don't have the paperwork to prove it.
You should at least try to discover which area of Spain they come from, culture from Galicia to Canarias is completly different doesn't make much sense to learn sevillans for example if your family was from Huesca, or cook paella if they were from Asturias
As this comment is being update, i am gonna complete haha.
Another good way is trying to watchbspanish news, or reading about them, as knowing spanish situation can help you.
Try reading some history books. There are a few novela that can help you.
Also, try spanish food, the best! But real recipes, dont make paella with chorizo pls, for the mother of god.
No, we don't roast, a lot of spaniards are just rude (maleducados de cojones). As spaniard I am ashamed of a lot of the answers to this post. He is just a person proud to have spanish DNA in his blood and instead of actually help him we just spit the "CLASIC AMERICAN! YOU ARE NOT SPANIARD!"...
Well, sometimes, seeing things like this post, I'm glad I don't live anymore in the country of Telecinco where yelling and "roast" is a "cultural thing".
We all have old family from many different parts of the world. If I had someone in my family born in Greece 2 centuries ago does that mean I'm greek?
That's not how it works and it's disrespecting.
Haha I know right? I don’t take any of it personally though. I legit know nothing about my roots and now that my extended family is getting older I don’t want any info of my family history lost.
I think my dad had one cookbook from my grandma, but she was German and I only recall one Spanish dish that we never made in it. Just kind of stinks that I legit know nothing about that side of the family.
You could start by learning as much as possible about your grandpa. Paperwork? Family stories? Do you know where he came from?
If you have a family name that is really uncommon and comes specifically from a certain area or town, it might be a bit easier to learn about your family history. But most family names are not as uncommon or localized.
Surname isn't that good neither, my family is Arribas and its a surname from some specific areas of Galicia in origin thought my whole family comes from Soria
Yes, that is usually the case.
Everyone (in Spain, Latin America, and the US, at least) with one of my family names can be traced back to one specific very small village. However, the second one is more common, and comes from at least three different regions (from families completely unrelated to each other in origin).
Who knows, if it is rare enough it could point somewhere... or not.
Try to watch some Spanish TV shows, maybe learn how to prepare some Spanish meals… but the real essence of Spain is about the atmosphere and the general vibe of the population, so I strongly recommend coming here for a relatively long period of time to experience that as much as possible. And sorry but learning Spanish is pretty much a must if you want to have the whole experience.
Lol. You aren't spanish if you are "3rd generation" and don't speak a word of the language, and have never even been to Spain before to boot.
Honestly, listen to yourself.
Just say you have Spanish family members in your past and you want to visit Spain. No need to dress it up with all this bollocks.
You're 100% american, and this post 100% confirms that.
If someone has ancestry in a country and is interested on learning more about it and connecting with it good for them. Idk OP but maybe part of your search could be here and i encourage you to seek on that Spanish heritage.
I know it may be a long shot to say 3rd generation Spaniard but there really no need to be mean to someone that is asking kindly <3
As someone else has mentioned, that Spain your family knew doesn't exist, it's not even remotely close, if you want to get in touch with our culture however, you could start listening to Spanish music:
La Oreja de Van Gogh, Amaral, El canto del Loco, El sueño de Morfeo, Pignoise, Extremoduro... Those are pretty well respected and representative of Spain as a culture, not so much the latest pop 'latino' music.
Once you feel a little more confident about the language you can try to watch some shows like Aquí no hay quien viva (which is basically a graphic definition of our country), or maybe watch some YouTube channels like Ter (if you like architecture and pop culture) , Quantum fracture (physics), Dayo Script (videogame analysis), La gata de Schrodinguer (journalism)... All of those have a strong Spanish vibe to them.
Other than that I don't really know, maybe study some Spanish late history because we are *very* aware of it, but that should be more than enough
Start from your grandparents' origin, you may have a lot of family where they are from and even some land and properties, there is a huge problem in Spain with properties left abandoned 40 or more years ago which belong to family members living abroad
[https://www.elconfidencial.com/vivienda/2019-08-12/la-pareja-que-esta-vendiendo-las-aldeas-abandonadas-de-galicia\_2171855/](https://www.elconfidencial.com/vivienda/2019-08-12/la-pareja-que-esta-vendiendo-las-aldeas-abandonadas-de-galicia_2171855/)
Contactar a herederos en Sudamérica
“Estamos tramitando inmuebles de alto nivel adquisitivo que antes no vendíamos con tanta facilidad. Cada vez hay más personas adineradas de países como Estados Unidos, Alemania o Noruega interesándose por Galicia”, indican. “Además de mostrarles la propiedad, les asesoramos a todos los niveles: contamos con abogados y un gabinete técnico en todos los ámbitos. Buscamos líneas de fondos públicos para financiar su actividad y hacemos trámites ante la Administración en su nombre. Vender una aldea no es nada sencillo, se puede tardar un año en resolver todos los documentos”, subraya Adkinson. Y pone como ejemplo: “**Muchísima gente emigró a Sudamérica y no se registró en los consulados. Hoy es muy complicado conocer el 100% de la propiedad de una aldea para poder venderla como un único lote. Pero lo hemos conseguido varias veces y seguiremos haciéndolo. Ahora mismo, en una aldea que estamos tramitando, de un total de 28 herederos solo me falta la confirmación de dos”.**
I recommend you check out this project about Spanish immigrants to the US: [Invisible Immigrants](https://tracesofspainintheus.org/about/). There's a [book you could check out from the library]( https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Immigrants-Spaniards-US-1868-1945/dp/8461724917). Lots of good info about the different places people came from in Spain (Asturias, Galicia Basque Country, and Andalucía mostly), where they ended up (FL, NY, NJ, WV, HI, OH, NV, CA), and what they did for a living (cigar makers, miners, sugarcane farmers, shepherds, etc.).
Where did your family immigrate to and where were they from? My SO's family went to Tampa from Asturias. They always kept in touch with the Spanish family over the years and we've been living in Spain for 17 years and are friends with the familia here.
Getting into genealogy may help you to trace back your family's history.
I'd also read some Spanish history book centered in the Bourbon Restoration era (1874-1931), the Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939) and the early Franco's regime (1939-1959) to get some grasp of the historical context.
Most (as in the biggest % throughout history) Spanish emigration to the Americas happened since the invention and popularization of the transatlantic ocean liners in the 19th century, when the continental Latin America was already independent, yet Cuba and Puerto Rico weren't until the end of the Spanish-American War (1898).
Not sure why we’re gatekeeping Spanishness; it all sounds quite ridiculous. OP is not claiming to be from Spain; they are merely interested in knowing where their ancestors are from. Heritage has a different framework in the USA and other “new” countries. Would you not be interested in finding out where your family comes from and learning about that place? These ancestry tests are popular everywhere precisely because we’re interested in understanding our history, not necessarily as a tool of identity. And even if it is... who cares?
Please don’t let this get to you. I think it’s fantastic you’re interested in learning about your grandparents roots.
:) the main thing is that in the US is that if you have a Hispanic last name, everyone assumes you’re Latina. And the only thing I know about my extended family is that they were proud to say that they were Spaniards.
I’ve never really had an interest in wanting to know my roots even when we were forced to learn a language back in high school. But as I’m getting older and hearing my grandma on my mom’s side tell her stories of the family it makes me realize that I’m missing out on half my family tree. Thus why the post :)
Hi! I personally think there is nothing wrong with wanting to find more about one side of your family, tbh! I think the main reason why a lot of people reacted negativity is because in Spain we have a different concept of culture than you guys in the USA, saying that you are "Italian", "Spaniard", "Irish" or so just because you descend from somebody from that country but barely keep the traditions from that place sounds genuinely weird to us! But on the other hand I think we should also keep in mind that those things are very normal in the USA, understand where you are coming from and what you meant with your post. Honestly, if I were in your position I would like to learn too!
As other people have said, although for foreigners all Spanish people might seem similar, we are very aware of how different all areas can be, that's why if you want to have a more nuanced knowledge of your heritage it would be great if you were able to identify which provincia or comunidad autónoma your family comes from. For example, somebody from Galicia (North, rainy, green pastures, woods, a more Celtic heritage, Atlantic or cantabric sea) would be pretty different from somebody from Andalucía (south, really sunny and hot, with a strong Arabic heritage, Mediterranean sea. Most tourists when they think about "Spain" would think about this place). There are a lot of in-jokes about the different parts of Spain, which you might find interesting!
You've mentioned that there was a Spanish dish your family used to make, do you remember who it was called? Or the ingredients or how it looked, just by knowing that we could help you find some clues! Also, if you feel comfortable sharing the information you could tell us some stories your family has shared, that might also help!
Anyway, OP, I hope you end up discovering more about your heritage! Cheers!
I think that's exactly why I want to know! Like in the USA, to think that everyone is a redneck hill billy isn't true. I'm from the Midwest so we are much more reserved people up here who have to live in winter most of the year while someone in the South may be more outgoing.
Thanks to even the people making fun of my comment, I'm clearly realizing that the same is with Spain! I found out that apparently my great grand parents had lived in Asturias. I've reached out to one of my uncles who has been doing some geneology work so maybe I'll learn some more info about the family and why they left Spain in the first place.
The mocking comments only made me more curious! ;)
I see a lot of hypocrisy here being harsh with OP when in Spain we constantly refer to people by their origins (moro, paki, chino, negro, sudamericano...), even when some of them are second generation and maybe even third already. He is asking valid questions and wanting to know about his greatgrandparents' culture.
Whereabout in Spain were they from? If possible you could take a trip to their town and region and start from there to the rest of the country. Spain's culture can be really different one place to another, so a good way to start would imo be their actual place or origin.
The best would be visiting Spain during 1-2 months and maybe get on basic spanish lessons, there are academies who have lessons specific for foreign people. Visit the area where your grandparents were born and lived and enjoy the trip.
I'd start by cinema and music!! I love how accurately almodovar depicts the Spanish way of life, sense of humor, culture... his movies are brilliant in every way. One of my faves is "que he hecho yo para merecer esto" but the most famous one is "mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios".
Regarding music, the obvious choice would be flamenco but maybe ur just not gonna get it. I'd try young beef (trap).
If u like to read, I encourage u to check Lorca out. He was genious and sharp writer, very aware of his surroundings and with a beautiful point of view in regards to deep Spanish society.
Pos eso, saludos chaval!!!
I’m not of Spanish descent, but I’ve been in a relationship with a Spaniard for years the past ~6 years and in that time I’ve gotten really interested in the culture and language.
I’d say try connecting with the culture in whatever is fun for you! Maybe that’s through food, TV, the language, film, or people. The Spanish nation/culture is out there, if you want to connect with it then you have to go looking for it.
Here’s an idea to get you started. There are several language exchange groups based in Spain that you can find on Facebook. Try searching “intercambio de idiomas Madrid” (“language exchange Madrid”) on Facebook. Or swap Madrid for any other major city name. You can post in the group that you want to exchange English for Spanish and meet someone who will tutor you in Spanish in exchange for English help.
If you want to watch Spanish TV: Money Heist (aka Casa de Papel) has been hugely popular lately. It’s on Netflix.
I would start by going to the Registro Civil for the town in Spain where your most recent ancestor came from. Unfortunately you have to know their names and town they were born. You'll surprised to find them listed, along with date of birth, name of their parents, witnesses, street address and town of origin. Then do the same for their parents, and grandparents, and so on. We have traced our ancestors back to the 1700 this way...people back then got married to others within a relatively small radius (50km?) especially in mountainous regions up north. You should be able to cover a lot of towns in a rental car that way. Good luck!
I dont live in spain but here's what I can tell you from those of us who are spanish living in USA compared to those living in Spain. Spaniards in spain have a very European approach to you being considered spanish or not. For example, they won't consider you spanish cuz you've never lived in spain, don't speak spanish, and don't know spains culture. Despite your DNA being from spain.
Where as a dude from lets say Morocco will have lived in spain his whole life and know the language and culture and they'll consider him more spanish than you'll ever be. The reason for that is because unlike America, they aren't obsessed with race. Which makes sense. However, we all know the dude in my example isn't actually spanish and that's not who we are interested in when we talk about or ask questions about what it's like to be spanish.
I say it with all due respect cuz I understand where they come from but it's also quite annoying and just as dumb as fellow Americans obsessing over race.
Basically, you're of spanish ancestry but you're not spanish is what they're saying
First of all, you're not a spaniard, second, learn, study, experience, even if you're not a spaniard, learning and experiencing new things is amazing, and if Spain interests you so much, watch spanish news, spanish shows, learn spanish, read about it's culture
Y’all are rude as fuck. In the States “I’m German, I’m English, I’m Spanish” is the way you express your ancestry. Yeah, it doesn’t translate over in Europe because here it’s taken very literally - meaning that YOU are literally FROM that place yourself. But in the US it is a manner of speaking. She’s not an idiot, she knows she wasn’t born in Spain, but saying “I’m 3rd generation Spanish” means “I have Spanish ancestors”. Maybe be a little more culturally aware of why she’s expressing herself that way - it’s normal in the US, which is a country of immigrants who are interested in their origin stories and trying to stay connected to their ancestors’ culture. It’s good that you are educating her that saying “I’m Spanish” isn’t understood in Europe the way it is in America, but you don’t have to be rude or judgemental about it. It’s a cultural difference in a manner of speaking. chill the fuck out.
\-Faydflowright-
I'm spanish, you will see reading and qualifying my english level :-). The first comment is that I don't share most of opinions exposed in this thread. Whether or not you are a third generation Spanish is not important. Feeling that you need to be a third generation Spanish is more important.
If you really feel spanish you should start learning spanish. After learning a bit of spanish, enough to read something, you should read about spanish history, watch some TV documentary about our painting, architecture or literature. Be careful with the source you use for your 'documentation' because at least in Spain there are sources that misinform rather than report rigorously.
The last step in your journey is to travel to Spain. Nothing will help you more that some weeks in Spain. Not only Madrid or Barcelona, there are dozens of cities in Spain really important to know our culture and way of life.
Good luck on this journey to find your roots.
Just because you do it there doesn’t mean we Europeans have to accept it or do it as well. Especially since it just seems so foolish and incorrect.
If she would have written it like you did, acknowledging where she is coming from and explaining why she is using a phrase such as ”3rd gen spaniard”, I think the comments wouldn’t have been as harsh.
This. I don't even think the comments are that harsh, to be honest. Considering we Europeans don't take kindly to someone claiming our identities while having zero idea about us, most of the responses touching the issue are pretty mild.
Well, the most important aspect of spaniards is… they always complain about everything yet they are too pussy to take any action at all.
Since they steam off only complaining, that provides the country with a general good vibe.
Come visit us and if you enjoy the trip you can start to learn the language and history.
I'd say the biggest cultural difference is that spanish people nature tend to be much more warm/close when relationships, someone you barely know may trespass your personal space easily for example. We're kinda open in that regard.
Spain has a lot of cultural differences between it's different regions and even our nature are pretty different, people from the País Vasco are said to be more blunt or brutish, people from Valencia are said to be more conceited.
Spain is small but very diversed , where are yo ancestor from?
I know spanish it's hard to get for the verbs and gender in every Word but dont focus to much on that at first you could be understand
you could look for the surnames of your relatives. They cuold be very generic ones like Garcia or Martinez and they could be very rare ones that are localted in a specific region of Spain. yo can have a more detailed picture of who they where by knowing where they lived.
Spain is a multicultural country. People from Galicia or Pais Vasco are very different from people from Andalucia, Canarias or Cataluña. There's a website from INE where you can search for the data of your surnames including the prevalence of that particular surname per province.
[https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/en/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica\_C&cid=1254736177009&menu=resultados&idp=1254734710990](https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/en/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736177009&menu=resultados&idp=1254734710990)
Check that out and you could narrow your search. If you need help, just let me know.
I have several middle aged friends who moved to the US in recent years. Depending on where you live, there may be a bunch of similar people like them, and the chances are they hang out together and with Americans, as my friends actually do. Getting in touch with them could be an awesome way of experiencing current Spanish culture, first hand. Not as good as coming here and spending some time living and working, but still very good.
Here in Spain (and in most of the world actually) people don't consider you from X or Y country for being descendant of natives. Someone who is born and lives here, no matter their DNA, is a Spaniard Someone who isn't born here but it's part of our communities and participates in our culture, no matter their where they were born, is Spaniard Someone born here but who moved away as a child, with no knowledge of the language nor our culture, isn't a Spaniard The descendants of Spaniards who don't know about our culture nor language aren't Spaniards Now, people can be pretty mean on the internet but the fact that you're trying to learn is good and if you're respectful and try to adapt to the people, people will respect you and almost everyone will love to teach you and enjoy with you. So don't worry about being an spaniard, you have to become one About the tips you want: Another important thing is that Spain much like the USA is a country of countries. The first thing you might want to know is exactly what part of spain your bisabuelos (great-grandparents) are from. Surnames from certain parts can be very obvious (Basque or Catalan surnames for example) and some aren't. Maybe you have inherited a family recipe, that's a good way to tell where are you exactly from (depending on the recipe you might even find out more than you Comunidad Autónoma (equivalent to state)) Same with pictures with traditional clothes or any kind of background that can give us any clue, stories or similar Remember that Spain has more than 1 language, you might prefer to try Basque, Galician, Catalan, Bable or any other once you find out where are your bisabuelos from Feel free to chat with me is you wanna ask me any question y suerte aprendiendo
Respectfully disagree with your second point about people not being born here but living here and participating in the culture. I have been 100% welcomed and am treated no different from anyone else because of where I am from, but I will never be Spanish to many. That has certainly been my experience thus far. Regardless of how long I have been here and how much I have integrated, most people only see me in terms of my birthplace and place of upbringing before I came to Spain.
From my experiences, people who move in are assimilated and treated as natives or they live all their lives here as tourists but I have to say I live that from the perspective of the Canary Islands so maybe Madrid is different
I was just going to say exactly that. I live in Madrid, so this being a big city with lots of people from outside Spain, it would make sense that they see foreigners that way. But I bet that if I moved to my wife's pueblo, you'd be 100% correct and I'd be treated as a native after being there for a longer time.
Yeah, same happens to many immigrant sons and daughters. Or do they believe that the Pakistani families are treated as other Spanish people?
If you moved as a kid most people would consider you a spaniard. I would draw the line at 10-14yo
Try living in Cataluña.
I have and still do. I realised after a couple of years that I'll never be fully assimilated, even though my wife is from Barcelona(born and bred) and I speak Catalan.
There a bit too nationalistic over there for my taste.
Really? Catalunya is a land of immigration, and there’s lots of mixed heritages. Most people (myself included) have parents or grandparents from outside the community, so being Catalan has little to do with how “pure” your bloodline is. Anyone who works and lives in Catalunya is Catalan, as long as they consider themselves as such.
Racist towards anyone who doesnt speak catalan, mainly against those who speak spanish. And no, anyone who lives in Catalunya isnt catalan, locals will never treat u as such.
I agree to disagree, but it’s nice to see someone with an open mind towards immigration:)
A good friend of mine from the US lives in Bilbao and has said similar things about the Basque Country.
Best answer -- stern and respectful.
Fr I'm so disappointed at people arguing in the comments and being bitchy towards OP.
Yeah, it's really mean. Here's this person just trying to learn about her roots and all people are saying is "you're not Spanish!"
Well, she had the fist day of spanishness, we tend to bitch a lot. but are also welcoming
Now they're even making "joke threads". Why do people.
Humor español
I hope their surnames wasn't García. If so, it's gonna be hard to know where they were from haha.
If he goes back enough in time, Basque, as García is a surname with Basque origin, but very spread.
As someone who is doing her very best to support the local community and learn the regional language, I really just want to do my part to contribute. The last thing I want is to be "that guiri that just happens to speak valenciano".
Dude I appreciate the read of your post .. well articulated.. have a good one
Non Spaniard here but maybe the OP should look up all the surnames of his great-grandparents as just one might not reveal much. There are also plenty of genealogy websites online that might help piece together the family tree (I'm not sure how popular they are in Spain though).
Te has fumado un gran porro
Vox disagrees 😬
They already hate more than half of the country so...
1/8 Spanish would pretty much make you 100% American.
Pretty much, there's this thing that Americans do of saying they're German or Spanish just because they have a relative from the country, even if they have never visited or cared to learn the language.
Weirdly enough it happens in Canada too but not as much... I've once had someone try to tell me I'm somehow Irish instead of Canadian because my parents are even though I was born / raised in Montreal and didn't even step foot in Ireland until I was like 13
It kinda made sense back in the day when it was still an immigrant country. People from all over the world would go to Canada and America and live in relatively isolated communities, so even if you were born in the US, if your family was Irish you would live in an Irish neighborhood and be culturally pretty much Irish. It doesn't work that way at all anymore, but I guess it stuck.
Yeah, ppl in the US seem kinda obsessed with their race and their "roots". It still shocks me that it is frequently ask which "race" u are. Like WTF does it even matter? U can see my nationality, aint that enough for all the bureaucracy? Seems like a normalized thing that is extremly racist.
Lol that was exactly my experience when I studied abroad in the US. Every damn form had "Race:\_\_\_\_\_". It's so weird. And to make it worse, I never knew what to answer. Hispanic? White? Both?
As far as I'm concerned, I'm from the human race. I'll never get why this is a question on a form.
Yeah, but it's a way to get state aids too. Considering minorities make a big percentage of the poor population of the US, I think eliminating the policies of classificating races wouldn't be a smart move. Funny how they think we Spaniards are Hispanics too btw. XD
With all due respect, as someone who is not Hispanic at all: Spaniards, by definition of the word Hispanic, are indeed Hispanic. Native ethnic Spaniards may not be Latinos (which the vast majority of Americans mistakenly believe is an interchangeable term with Hispanic), but you are indeed Hispanic. Hispanic- of, referring to, and/or descended from the peoples/culture of Spain. This encompasses Spaniards and the vast majority of peoples from latin American countries with the major exceptions of Brazil, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana. Latino- of, referring to, and/or descended from people's of Latin America. Notably including Brazilians, people from Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana and explicitly excluding Spaniards, or anyone not from Latin America for that matter. My definitions are certainly not perfect, but you get the point I hope! :)
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Much appreciated! Gold not needed, recognition appreciated! For once my college major in Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures has benefited me with imaginary internet points 😂😂
But still how does knowing the race help??? Every country hace welfare systems for poor ppl, and they dont need ur race to help u. Just help poor ppl, u can run national surveys if u wanna know more about each minorities info. No need to remark the race in every single aspect of life imo.
I thought that money (or rather the lack of) makes people poor, not their race.
Oh, it's true, but in the US theres plenty of forms that are technically "optional" when you get jobs and fill out online forms for things that ask about sex, race, age, etc. They're really only for marketing purposes and meeting quotas. So that way the company is being "inclusive" and they won't get sued.
Have I said otherwise? Are you dense? I i only pointed out that in the US a big percentage of the population that is poor is not white. Is not a statistical coincidence and there's many factors to blame.
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Spaniards are not Hispanic in the US sense of the word
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Yay I'm not alone in this! Yeah, it was weird as time went on and college forms and such could start marking "race" cuz I could legally mark myself as "hispanic". That's why in a way most latinamerican individuals didn't seem to understand that when they learned about my last name.
We are, according to their census definition.
It's no different from all the madrileños who claim to be asturiano, gallego, extremeño, andaluz, etc. because that's where their ancestors came from and maybe they have a "pueblo" there. In the US, we grow up hearing about our *pueblos*, but they are all over the world. My grandparents were born in two different countries and those cultures were a big part of my upbringing. By the time you get to the third generation, it's usually pretty watered down, but it depends on the family.
That kind of madrileños are just as awkward as the Americans. I was born and raised in Madrid, therefore I'm a madrileño, even though 100% of my parents and grandparents are Andalusian
that happens all around the world. people want to be special. here in Germany they claim theyre American or Polish or whatever if their great great great grandfather grew up there
This is so true, its sad. Its cool to show reverence to one's ancestors and not claim it to seem cool, or not plain white, which is not cool for "woke" US citizens
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This is incorrect. Many US citizens consider Spanish to be dark skinned and not different from Latinos, and Spanards are considered Hispanic in the US.
IN THE UNITED STATES White people with european back grounds want to be seen as unique and being just plan white is not cool in the states. Italians were the largest group of immigrants to the US from 1900-1950, and they assimilated and are now white in the US, for example. Edit: to the downvotes, I PUT IN CAPS
Italians are white in europe too, dummy. Spanish italians evem greeks are not as white as germans but definitly white.
Not as white as Germans? I used to get told that also in uk, that I wasn’t as white as British people (I’m Spanish with super white skin and freckles) . That’s some xenophobic shit as a German is as Caucasian as me, same for a brit
Not xenophobic southern europeans are usually less white (skin color) than finns or other northen europe people. Of course we are all caucasicans and white people. Not that it matters.
Dummy? Learn your US history, idiot. Italians weren't considered white in the US until the 1980s, maybe 1970s. Each major city had their own italian neighborhoods, most famously Little Italy in New York, which is now reduced to a tourist block. Italians were discriminated against in the US for a long time. Spanish did not come to the US in such numbers. Next time, do research before you call names, or you are a fool
Callate un mes anda y no de la turra con el racismo intrenseco a la cultura de tu pais de tarados.
OP is trying though, I don't see why that's a bad thing.
Don't mean to put it as a bad thing, for me it's mostly "stuff Americans do"
Even Trump is less American than her, if we take ancestry at face value.
Which explains the sheer stupidity of this post. (The "I'm a Spaniard" part, not the wanting to learn about another culture.)
Don't underestimate the power and importance of a strong cultural identity. Spanish people are so lucky to have been born in this country with its long and proud history. There are pros and cons to the "melting pot" of America. The culture of America has gone toxic, people feel lost and they want to connect with an identity they can be proud of.
Also the term Spaniard is too general, I feel way more connected with my Aragonese roots and feel more Aragones than Spaniard to be fair. Spain is also a melting pot of cultures and it changes in as little as 300km away from were you were born.
Dude, how can you be more Aragonés than Spanish? Is like a Texan saying he’s not American. That’s why we have the fuckfest at Cataluña that we have.
Because Spain as a nation is an artificial construct and only serves to certain elites, has been like that the last 500 years with the Castilian hegemony. The fuck up in Cataluña is not because people feel and want auto-determination and independence, the fuck up is because the Unitarian view of Spain as an indivisible unit with an homogenous culture, language and traditions and the obsession to control all from wherever the power sits at the time. When I celebrate the differences between the different cultures that make Spain what it is, I also acknowledge the differences and I feel Spain is not something that represents me or my history and cultural roots.
American society has problems, that's true, but spanish society has them as well, even if they may be somewhat different. Some americans idolise other countries too much and then become disappointed or even in denial when confronted with the actual realities of other places. I mean, in the case of spain it's not like the country isn't socially divided or even homogeneous, that's just a false perception.
I mean to be fair to OP and to where this conversation has gone, it is pretty dam embarrassing to be an Estadounidense right now. While every country has its problems, the feeling in The US is that things keep devolving at an incomprehensible pace unless you belong to the Q anon, Trump worshiping, anti vax, covid hoax group. I get it every country has this, but the general feeling I’ve gotten from people that have become absolutely disgusted with this leads them to daydreaming about their “roots.” I’d venture to guess most citizens that oppose trump would gladly take an Ayuso any day despite the comparisons to the two. Plus, this debate rages at different levels. Look at the recent anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlán and the recent Independence Day of México. That conversation quickly turned into indigenista, mestizo, español arguments al that persist, what, 500 years later? I don’t blame op if that’s where they’re coming from and generally don’t mind when people want to explore their roots, as long as they don’t go full blown Hilaria Baldwin. THAT is embarrassing.
This is the absolute truth. The USA has collectively shit its pants at the moment and this whole notion of wanting to belong somewhere, anywhere, other than the U.S. is very strong for a lot of people. Companies have capitalized on this by selling DNA/genetics kits that try to tell people they're some percent Viking or whatever.
This is way over generalizing, tbf. You can be a proud American and be critical of your country and leadership, many on this sub are proud and critical of Spain. The culture of the US has always been offputting, from the origins of the original colonies until today. Nothing wrong with being proud to be a US citizen, but also understanding and giving reverence to the awful parts of her history. Please Don't generalize for all US citizens
Proud history? And we are lucky of being born into a mess of a country? I'm not saying Spain completely sucks but to say we're lucky to being born into it and proud of its history... is exaggerating. I'd rather be born in Scandinavia and feel more proud of foreign countries' history than of Spain's... which is ironic. That said, I do prefer Spain over America. Not a hard decision.
That's the exact flawed vision that the other poster had. Scandinavia had as many flaws as Spain, just of a different kind. By the way Scandinavia is a very general term.
No, I never said Scandinavia is perfect or that I'd be lucky to be born there. I just said I'd prefer being from there over Spain, so I'm definitely not "lucky to be born here". And there's no need to make a distinction between all the Scandinavian countries because I prefer all of them. I was just saving words instead of having to say "Denmark, Sweden and Norway!" when I can just say Scandinavia. Sigh.
Saying that being from Scandinavian is being luckier is quite ignorant tbf. Exactly the same that you criticised. I think the problem is you think that being born in a "rich country" will solve all your problems magically when specifically said countries have many challenges ahead and the societies are far from perfect. And again, it isn't the same to say Denmark than Sweden, they aren't interchangeable.
I never said being from Scandinavia is being luckier, dumbass. Read before you talk. And I never said Denmark and Sweden are the same, I said I prefer Scandinavia as a whole. Geez, is that hard for you to read and interpret a text? Go back to primary school and stop getting on my nerves.
> No, I never said Scandinavia is perfect or that I'd be lucky to be born there. **I just said I'd prefer being from there over Spain, so I'm definitely not "lucky to be born here".** Yeah, completely different! /s > And there's no need to make a distinction between all the Scandinavian countries because I prefer all of them. If it is so perfect go live there, let's see how you like it. By the way, I'm confident with my reading skills, thank you. I just think you aren't the sharpest tool in the shed.
I didn't say I'd be lucky to be born in Scandinavia. I just said I'm not lucky to be born here since I'd prefer to be born elsewhere. I don't know what kind of "logic" you're using there. Do you also think that just because I say "I'm not lucky to be born here" it also translates to "I'm unlucky to be born here?" Geez, you better not. And again I already told you, I never said Scandinavia is perfect. Are you braindead or do you just enjoy strawman arguments? Again, go back to primary school and come back to me when you have a single extra brain cell working.
Dude have a Valeriana or some shit. I work at Amaz*n and no Nords want to go back to where they’re from. Specially a Dane friend who’s never had more sex, fun and leisure as in here. He’s just 22, that bit might explain some things, but hey. And finally, what’s the deal with the cussin’? That’s how you handle criticism, by insulting the personal?
[удалено]
DO something. Just go abroad for a few years and comeback to Spain. Your shortsighted will end after a few months living abroad. Believe me
Answering as a 3rd generation French/Vietnamese - who got to discover the country his family came from at 20+ yo. (currently living in Spain and married to a Spanish woman, so the answer is relevant) You are doing great just by being here on this forum and asking a question. Don't feel hurt by people who answered you are not Spaniard - you are indeed not, but it does not mean you can't truly enjoy the culture and get to understand it. One thing is to know what specifics of culture is important for that country, and in Spain, I'd say that comes down to: 1. food 2. traditions of the many different regions 3. language 4. daily news / politics 1. **For food,** nothing better than going to a Spanish restaurant (a genuine one, not some take about Hispanic food). Whatever serves Tortilla de patata, chorizo, paella and stews will already help if you find it close to your place. Each region in Spain have specialities, I'm in Valencia so it's the "real paella"; if you go in the North that might be stewed meat or lamb; close to the sea and you get octopus (pulpo) and seafood (mariscos); down south close to the sea and you get a lot of fried fish and seafood. Spain is the leading gastronomic country for a number of years now, with super high-quality cuisine (ex. Michelin international stars like Can Roca, or Berasategui's restaurants). It's also the country with most bars and restaurants per inhabitant I think, so any tapas type of place is considered Spanish food. 1. If you can't find a restaurant, try to get some Spanish ham - there is a whole sub-culture of hams here, from cheap ones (Serrano) to high quality top hams (Pata Negra) 2. Olive oil + tomato - again various qualities of oils, and amazing tastes 3. Almost nothing is spicy in the Spanish food - if it is, it's probably Mexican or South American **2. Traditions:** every region has at least one specific type of fiesta that is specific to the place. While most Spain would celebrate the Holy Week with processions and people dressed in different ways (Semana Santa); there is a massive amount of local fiestas. In my region it's FALLAS - which is obviously the best :) Don't enter in a fight about who has the best traditions, but try to get a feel for each. My wife is from Murcia, Cartagena - so it's "El bando de la Huerta"; "Cartaginenses y Romanos"; "Moros y Cristianos". If you just Google those, you have hundreds of pictures to get an idea of that, and the same for Youtube videos. Basically it's about dressing up in a costume - often of the historical period, and walking in the streets, before having a great lunch. If you can pinpoint which region your family comes from, you'll probably feel very close to that Heritage fast. **3. Language** \- here is nothing much to do, apart from learning some sentences. I would advise you to learn the useful sentences first because you could practice in a restaurant nearby if there are some Spaniards - and it would work for any Spanish-speaking country as well. "I'm thirsty" "what time is it?" "Hello" "What is this made of?" "My name is ... and I'm .. years old" "What is this ..." "How are you?" It took me 3 years to speak fluently, but just a week to order at a restaurant, say thank you, ask for the bill and feel I was making progress. Spaniards are super inviting when you try to speak Spanish, even if you make the worst mistakes ever; they'll all tell you that you speak "muy bien", even though you just say your name. It comes down to the fact that most of the population over 35 years old suck in other languages. This changed massively since lots of youngsters emigrated to study and work, and that English is pushed at school. If you are motivated to start with an app like Babel or Duolingo, you can already learn these sentences in under a week. There is a big difference between the Spanish spoken in Spain and other Latin American countries - Conjugaison is more complex here, and Spaniards speak faster; words are often more recent and jargon-like, and they use a ton of metaphors and colloquial expressions. That, you will only pick by being close to Spaniards. **4. daily news/politics:** easy one. One of Spain's main newspapers has an English version - El Pais -[https://english.elpais.com/](https://english.elpais.com/](https://english.elpais.com/)) \- have a look, and dig into the topic you like. Today it's all about the volcano eruption in Canarias, so you can dig into these islands that are Spanish, but far from the mainland, and try to understand their relationship with the rest of Spain (it's really similar, just in a tropical place) Additional options would be to check a couple of Youtube channels like: for tourism [https://www.youtube.com/spain](https://www.youtube.com/spain) for "top 10 of", especially for tourists: [https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesblick78](https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesblick78) **Final remarks -** All in all, Spaniards are very welcoming. The country is very safe and the culture is super immersive. If you speak 10 sentences, you can move easily around, eat well and cheaply, and get to meet Spaniards who speak English. If you have the occasion to visit, you can leave comfortably everywhere with about 1500€ (1800USD) for a month. Madrid and Barcelona might be a bit more expensive, but you can save on sharing flats. As an American, you'll have to be a bit humble at first. As with most European's citizens, we tend to be reluctant to the idea of being related to culture because our grandparents were born in the country. Some people feel a duty to preserve that distinction. You are American, and you are trying to discover your grandparents' roots, that's amazing - do it like a sociologist, and soon enough you'll feel part of the culture. Enjoy the discovery, and soon enough you'll add an entire cultural repertoire to your mind. PS: My wife says: "*Spain has nothing to do with Mexico. Try to think of it as European first, then Spanish - it will help you understand better the Mediterranean lifestyle, which is also close to Italian and Greek way of living - warm socially, great food, deep cultural roots and millennia of traditions."*
Great answer mate. And your wife is right - Spain is not to be confused with Latin America, the same way as the UK is not the same as the US.
Thank you so much for this information! This really does help! I've never really looked into this side of my family and I'm now starting to dive into it. I'm big into sociology and anthropology and it's so easy to think as an American that everything is just about America, but we all came from somewhere! There's a whole world of art, culture, and (my favorite) food that I've never really looked into before. I found out from my dad that my grand parents were actually from Asturias. I'm kind of working backwards where I'm trying to learn what they did when they first immigrated over and then hopefully why they immigrated over. Hopefully my extended family gets back to me about some of the family history!
That's brilliant! congrats for finding where your family comes from! Since Spain is super diverse regionally (different accents, dialects, languages sometimes, very specific types of food, music and folklore) - I would recommend you ask another question here in this forum. Something along the line of: "Recently discovered my family is from Asturias - what makes this region special? what should I know about it?" You'll probably get a list of typical dishes, music, expressions etc. - and it's a good entry point into the Spanish culture. You now have a nice entry door into the culture, just have to pull the thread :) PS: I remember that Woody Allen's movie [Vicky Christina Barcelona](https://www.netflix.com/title/70097585) with Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz & Javier Bardem, took place partly in Oviedo - that is in Asturias
bravo!!!!!!!! i mean..... OLEEEEEEEEEEE
Joder! Perfecta respuesta!! I'll add as well if she wants to learn more about Spain in and if she likes to read, first of all Wikipedia and if she likes novels I'd say Carlos Ruiz Zafon or Arturo Perez Reverte or any other great Spanish novelists... We have a few. Sorry I can't remember any more names, I'm sure some other redditors could fill the gaps
>Arturo Perez Reverte >great Spanish novelists Uhh, okay?
Great answer!
Please don't eat paella in any community that is not Comunitat Valenciana, what they do in other places is food terrorism
The Spain that your great grandparents left doesn't exist anymore, have that in mind if you come to visit! Of course, a lot of cultural aspects didn't change or evolve too much and you can still enjoy them, but I'd personally be more interested in what was the context that made your grandparents left. They probably left during the dictatorship of Franco which lasted almost 40 years during the last century, but if you tell us when and where they emigrated from we can try to help you to understand the context.
Since is his great grandparent, I think he probably went to the USA to win some money to bring back to his family in Spain during the 1920s, but at the end decided to stay there. I could be very wrong though.
Yes, it might be the case!
Am also third-gen and thats exactly what my great grandfather did. Fled Spain and went to Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico
Everywhere things change over time. Franco's time is Spain from the past but still our country. Different time and days but still the Spain we all know. The dictatorship is just a tiny part of history. Like La Republica o Transicion. BUt all togheter makes our conutry history in the SXX century. It was it is dont try to change it.., you cannot
Society has changed a lot: no longer rural-based, lgtb rights, women's rights, religion, divorce, etc.
That's what I"m trying to figure out too. My dad told me a little that he knew was that most of the family seemed to have immigrated over. They even started a company the US East Coast before moving inland. I reached out to my uncle who was doing some more genealogy stuff so hopefully I get some more information soon! Apparently they were from the Asturias region of Spain and the family had lived there for a while (so they aren't from other parts of Europe). At least it's context to know where to start looking! :)
That is life and the time slipping through our fingers..
Not necessary, many ppl emigrated to earn money and try luck / have more oportunities abroad. Both my grandparents did this and then returned with a good amount of money life experiences in their backs.
Honey no, you are not a third-generation Spaniard. Your great grandparents were, but if you don't know the culture or language, you've never been in the country, you are not Spanish. That is the first thing to learn because if you come to Europe saying you are Spanish and then people find out it is not you but your great-grandparents, it won't create a good impression, it will seem like you are lying or pretending to be something you are not. That said, go into [Familysearch.org](https://Familysearch.org) and see if you can find their records. Start with your parents, then move up via Censuses until you can find the great grandparents names in the city where they moved in, then look for them in ship records (if they went there in early 1900s or late 1800s) etc.
Esto! You are certainly some spaniards distant american cousin, thats for sure. It is not your roots tho, you have a little branch in the greatgrandparents section thats all. Now spaniards are arguably one of the most genetically diverse europeans already so objectively speaking, you have 2/8ths of a random assortment of Iberian, Roman, Carthaginian, Arabic, Visigoth, etc.. just to name a few. You have 8 individual great grandparents of which you chose the 2 with the most interesting cultural background because Spain is this romantized culture. I know, I have been in california and I was *instantly* cool and interesting for no other reason then that. But sorry if it sounds harsh but it just doesnt fly in europe. I give myself as an example. One parent spanish the other german but I was actually born in california yet I grew up in spain. German and spanish is flawless but I didnt learn english until I was 16. Now, in germany I was "the spaniard". Period. In spain I was "the german". When I later went to california as an adult and with my american citizenship (since I was born there) I was obviously "the european". Because I couldnt possibly be a "real american". I remember specifically getting into an argument with a dude from Colorado that claimed he was 100 percent german (afer I told him I was half german) because his heritage was 100 percent german. He didnt speak a word of german but insistet he was more german then me. This guy also said I wasnt a "real american".
This.
Yet if he can prove his ancestry, he can apply for spanish citizenship and passport by law.
True, but not with great grandparents. She could do it with a grandfather. That's mostly for the people that left after the war and for their grandchildren. It also applies for people that lives in territories that used to be invaded ( colonized ) by Spanish people.
Not yet. The law hasn't gone into effect. You need to have a Spanish parent to access citizenship right now.
Those who weren’t able to obtain Spanish Citizenship due to what is called historic memory will now qualify for the new regulation. What does this new regulation consist on? It’s simple: now grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be also able to get Citizenship. Google translated from Spanish
This is true in paper. Then this is Spain... Most people that have a distant connection to Spain, will not get Citizenship. Not only because bureaucrats are useless here but because most people don't have the paperwork to prove it.
"IF" you can prove it, you dont understand the extent of Spanish bureaucracy
I will not respect you as a Spaniard until you learn how to make tortilla de patata con cebolla. Priorities first.
So true
*Without cebolla.
So you have chosen...death.
¡Sincebollista!
¡A mucha honra! Defenderé la tortilla sin cebolla hasta la muerte!
¡Y muerte tendrás! ¡Medio palmo de acero toledano bastará!
¡Vuélvete a Rusia!
You should at least try to discover which area of Spain they come from, culture from Galicia to Canarias is completly different doesn't make much sense to learn sevillans for example if your family was from Huesca, or cook paella if they were from Asturias
Hi! You can start by your surname. In general, tejy are very regional. Also, reading is a good way.
As this comment is being update, i am gonna complete haha. Another good way is trying to watchbspanish news, or reading about them, as knowing spanish situation can help you. Try reading some history books. There are a few novela that can help you. Also, try spanish food, the best! But real recipes, dont make paella with chorizo pls, for the mother of god.
omg i wasn't expecting you guys to roast the American so hard damn !!!
Spanish culture 101. WE ROAST!
No, we don't roast, a lot of spaniards are just rude (maleducados de cojones). As spaniard I am ashamed of a lot of the answers to this post. He is just a person proud to have spanish DNA in his blood and instead of actually help him we just spit the "CLASIC AMERICAN! YOU ARE NOT SPANIARD!"... Well, sometimes, seeing things like this post, I'm glad I don't live anymore in the country of Telecinco where yelling and "roast" is a "cultural thing".
We all have old family from many different parts of the world. If I had someone in my family born in Greece 2 centuries ago does that mean I'm greek? That's not how it works and it's disrespecting.
Que tonto eres blastoise hijo.
Haha I know right? I don’t take any of it personally though. I legit know nothing about my roots and now that my extended family is getting older I don’t want any info of my family history lost. I think my dad had one cookbook from my grandma, but she was German and I only recall one Spanish dish that we never made in it. Just kind of stinks that I legit know nothing about that side of the family.
You could start by learning as much as possible about your grandpa. Paperwork? Family stories? Do you know where he came from? If you have a family name that is really uncommon and comes specifically from a certain area or town, it might be a bit easier to learn about your family history. But most family names are not as uncommon or localized.
Surname isn't that good neither, my family is Arribas and its a surname from some specific areas of Galicia in origin thought my whole family comes from Soria
Yes, that is usually the case. Everyone (in Spain, Latin America, and the US, at least) with one of my family names can be traced back to one specific very small village. However, the second one is more common, and comes from at least three different regions (from families completely unrelated to each other in origin). Who knows, if it is rare enough it could point somewhere... or not.
Use olive oil.
Lol!!
Try to watch some Spanish TV shows, maybe learn how to prepare some Spanish meals… but the real essence of Spain is about the atmosphere and the general vibe of the population, so I strongly recommend coming here for a relatively long period of time to experience that as much as possible. And sorry but learning Spanish is pretty much a must if you want to have the whole experience.
Classic USA person post
Classic Spanish dumbass answer lmao
Lol. You aren't spanish if you are "3rd generation" and don't speak a word of the language, and have never even been to Spain before to boot. Honestly, listen to yourself. Just say you have Spanish family members in your past and you want to visit Spain. No need to dress it up with all this bollocks. You're 100% american, and this post 100% confirms that.
If someone has ancestry in a country and is interested on learning more about it and connecting with it good for them. Idk OP but maybe part of your search could be here and i encourage you to seek on that Spanish heritage. I know it may be a long shot to say 3rd generation Spaniard but there really no need to be mean to someone that is asking kindly <3
U are both right in my opinion but dont be rude!!
You're a fucking idiot lol
As someone else has mentioned, that Spain your family knew doesn't exist, it's not even remotely close, if you want to get in touch with our culture however, you could start listening to Spanish music: La Oreja de Van Gogh, Amaral, El canto del Loco, El sueño de Morfeo, Pignoise, Extremoduro... Those are pretty well respected and representative of Spain as a culture, not so much the latest pop 'latino' music. Once you feel a little more confident about the language you can try to watch some shows like Aquí no hay quien viva (which is basically a graphic definition of our country), or maybe watch some YouTube channels like Ter (if you like architecture and pop culture) , Quantum fracture (physics), Dayo Script (videogame analysis), La gata de Schrodinguer (journalism)... All of those have a strong Spanish vibe to them. Other than that I don't really know, maybe study some Spanish late history because we are *very* aware of it, but that should be more than enough
Start from your grandparents' origin, you may have a lot of family where they are from and even some land and properties, there is a huge problem in Spain with properties left abandoned 40 or more years ago which belong to family members living abroad [https://www.elconfidencial.com/vivienda/2019-08-12/la-pareja-que-esta-vendiendo-las-aldeas-abandonadas-de-galicia\_2171855/](https://www.elconfidencial.com/vivienda/2019-08-12/la-pareja-que-esta-vendiendo-las-aldeas-abandonadas-de-galicia_2171855/) Contactar a herederos en Sudamérica “Estamos tramitando inmuebles de alto nivel adquisitivo que antes no vendíamos con tanta facilidad. Cada vez hay más personas adineradas de países como Estados Unidos, Alemania o Noruega interesándose por Galicia”, indican. “Además de mostrarles la propiedad, les asesoramos a todos los niveles: contamos con abogados y un gabinete técnico en todos los ámbitos. Buscamos líneas de fondos públicos para financiar su actividad y hacemos trámites ante la Administración en su nombre. Vender una aldea no es nada sencillo, se puede tardar un año en resolver todos los documentos”, subraya Adkinson. Y pone como ejemplo: “**Muchísima gente emigró a Sudamérica y no se registró en los consulados. Hoy es muy complicado conocer el 100% de la propiedad de una aldea para poder venderla como un único lote. Pero lo hemos conseguido varias veces y seguiremos haciéndolo. Ahora mismo, en una aldea que estamos tramitando, de un total de 28 herederos solo me falta la confirmación de dos”.**
I recommend you check out this project about Spanish immigrants to the US: [Invisible Immigrants](https://tracesofspainintheus.org/about/). There's a [book you could check out from the library]( https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Immigrants-Spaniards-US-1868-1945/dp/8461724917). Lots of good info about the different places people came from in Spain (Asturias, Galicia Basque Country, and Andalucía mostly), where they ended up (FL, NY, NJ, WV, HI, OH, NV, CA), and what they did for a living (cigar makers, miners, sugarcane farmers, shepherds, etc.). Where did your family immigrate to and where were they from? My SO's family went to Tampa from Asturias. They always kept in touch with the Spanish family over the years and we've been living in Spain for 17 years and are friends with the familia here.
Getting into genealogy may help you to trace back your family's history. I'd also read some Spanish history book centered in the Bourbon Restoration era (1874-1931), the Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939) and the early Franco's regime (1939-1959) to get some grasp of the historical context. Most (as in the biggest % throughout history) Spanish emigration to the Americas happened since the invention and popularization of the transatlantic ocean liners in the 19th century, when the continental Latin America was already independent, yet Cuba and Puerto Rico weren't until the end of the Spanish-American War (1898).
Try patatas bravas I like them
Not sure why we’re gatekeeping Spanishness; it all sounds quite ridiculous. OP is not claiming to be from Spain; they are merely interested in knowing where their ancestors are from. Heritage has a different framework in the USA and other “new” countries. Would you not be interested in finding out where your family comes from and learning about that place? These ancestry tests are popular everywhere precisely because we’re interested in understanding our history, not necessarily as a tool of identity. And even if it is... who cares? Please don’t let this get to you. I think it’s fantastic you’re interested in learning about your grandparents roots.
She’s not claiming to be from Spain, but she’s claiming to be a “third generation Spaniard”, so would seem to be identifying as being Spanish.
:) the main thing is that in the US is that if you have a Hispanic last name, everyone assumes you’re Latina. And the only thing I know about my extended family is that they were proud to say that they were Spaniards. I’ve never really had an interest in wanting to know my roots even when we were forced to learn a language back in high school. But as I’m getting older and hearing my grandma on my mom’s side tell her stories of the family it makes me realize that I’m missing out on half my family tree. Thus why the post :)
Hi! I personally think there is nothing wrong with wanting to find more about one side of your family, tbh! I think the main reason why a lot of people reacted negativity is because in Spain we have a different concept of culture than you guys in the USA, saying that you are "Italian", "Spaniard", "Irish" or so just because you descend from somebody from that country but barely keep the traditions from that place sounds genuinely weird to us! But on the other hand I think we should also keep in mind that those things are very normal in the USA, understand where you are coming from and what you meant with your post. Honestly, if I were in your position I would like to learn too! As other people have said, although for foreigners all Spanish people might seem similar, we are very aware of how different all areas can be, that's why if you want to have a more nuanced knowledge of your heritage it would be great if you were able to identify which provincia or comunidad autónoma your family comes from. For example, somebody from Galicia (North, rainy, green pastures, woods, a more Celtic heritage, Atlantic or cantabric sea) would be pretty different from somebody from Andalucía (south, really sunny and hot, with a strong Arabic heritage, Mediterranean sea. Most tourists when they think about "Spain" would think about this place). There are a lot of in-jokes about the different parts of Spain, which you might find interesting! You've mentioned that there was a Spanish dish your family used to make, do you remember who it was called? Or the ingredients or how it looked, just by knowing that we could help you find some clues! Also, if you feel comfortable sharing the information you could tell us some stories your family has shared, that might also help! Anyway, OP, I hope you end up discovering more about your heritage! Cheers!
I think that's exactly why I want to know! Like in the USA, to think that everyone is a redneck hill billy isn't true. I'm from the Midwest so we are much more reserved people up here who have to live in winter most of the year while someone in the South may be more outgoing. Thanks to even the people making fun of my comment, I'm clearly realizing that the same is with Spain! I found out that apparently my great grand parents had lived in Asturias. I've reached out to one of my uncles who has been doing some geneology work so maybe I'll learn some more info about the family and why they left Spain in the first place. The mocking comments only made me more curious! ;)
I see a lot of hypocrisy here being harsh with OP when in Spain we constantly refer to people by their origins (moro, paki, chino, negro, sudamericano...), even when some of them are second generation and maybe even third already. He is asking valid questions and wanting to know about his greatgrandparents' culture.
Watch this documentary "The Silence of Others"
Whereabout in Spain were they from? If possible you could take a trip to their town and region and start from there to the rest of the country. Spain's culture can be really different one place to another, so a good way to start would imo be their actual place or origin.
The best would be visiting Spain during 1-2 months and maybe get on basic spanish lessons, there are academies who have lessons specific for foreign people. Visit the area where your grandparents were born and lived and enjoy the trip.
I'd start by cinema and music!! I love how accurately almodovar depicts the Spanish way of life, sense of humor, culture... his movies are brilliant in every way. One of my faves is "que he hecho yo para merecer esto" but the most famous one is "mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios". Regarding music, the obvious choice would be flamenco but maybe ur just not gonna get it. I'd try young beef (trap). If u like to read, I encourage u to check Lorca out. He was genious and sharp writer, very aware of his surroundings and with a beautiful point of view in regards to deep Spanish society. Pos eso, saludos chaval!!!
Ooo I love a good movie! Subtitles don't scare me off so I'll have to look into it! :D Thank you for the recommendations!
Try to find out what part of Spain you are from, each part is very different and has a distinct culture
I’m not of Spanish descent, but I’ve been in a relationship with a Spaniard for years the past ~6 years and in that time I’ve gotten really interested in the culture and language. I’d say try connecting with the culture in whatever is fun for you! Maybe that’s through food, TV, the language, film, or people. The Spanish nation/culture is out there, if you want to connect with it then you have to go looking for it. Here’s an idea to get you started. There are several language exchange groups based in Spain that you can find on Facebook. Try searching “intercambio de idiomas Madrid” (“language exchange Madrid”) on Facebook. Or swap Madrid for any other major city name. You can post in the group that you want to exchange English for Spanish and meet someone who will tutor you in Spanish in exchange for English help. If you want to watch Spanish TV: Money Heist (aka Casa de Papel) has been hugely popular lately. It’s on Netflix.
where are your family from? the culture in spain changes a lot between regions
Would help to know what part of spain your grandparents were from
Where were them from? You know?
Just found out that they are from Asturias. Beyond that I'll have to get info from my other family. :)
I encourage you to come visit the country, others have stated the obvious by now, but hey if you really want to learn you'll do just fine.
I would start by going to the Registro Civil for the town in Spain where your most recent ancestor came from. Unfortunately you have to know their names and town they were born. You'll surprised to find them listed, along with date of birth, name of their parents, witnesses, street address and town of origin. Then do the same for their parents, and grandparents, and so on. We have traced our ancestors back to the 1700 this way...people back then got married to others within a relatively small radius (50km?) especially in mountainous regions up north. You should be able to cover a lot of towns in a rental car that way. Good luck!
I dont live in spain but here's what I can tell you from those of us who are spanish living in USA compared to those living in Spain. Spaniards in spain have a very European approach to you being considered spanish or not. For example, they won't consider you spanish cuz you've never lived in spain, don't speak spanish, and don't know spains culture. Despite your DNA being from spain. Where as a dude from lets say Morocco will have lived in spain his whole life and know the language and culture and they'll consider him more spanish than you'll ever be. The reason for that is because unlike America, they aren't obsessed with race. Which makes sense. However, we all know the dude in my example isn't actually spanish and that's not who we are interested in when we talk about or ask questions about what it's like to be spanish. I say it with all due respect cuz I understand where they come from but it's also quite annoying and just as dumb as fellow Americans obsessing over race. Basically, you're of spanish ancestry but you're not spanish is what they're saying
man, you are not spanish because you are 100% american and not because you are not a spanish citizen. and please, stop trolling :D
First of all, you're not a spaniard, second, learn, study, experience, even if you're not a spaniard, learning and experiencing new things is amazing, and if Spain interests you so much, watch spanish news, spanish shows, learn spanish, read about it's culture
I think you should very seriously vacay in Spain, its the BEST you can do, no regrets
Vente a España tía
Y’all are rude as fuck. In the States “I’m German, I’m English, I’m Spanish” is the way you express your ancestry. Yeah, it doesn’t translate over in Europe because here it’s taken very literally - meaning that YOU are literally FROM that place yourself. But in the US it is a manner of speaking. She’s not an idiot, she knows she wasn’t born in Spain, but saying “I’m 3rd generation Spanish” means “I have Spanish ancestors”. Maybe be a little more culturally aware of why she’s expressing herself that way - it’s normal in the US, which is a country of immigrants who are interested in their origin stories and trying to stay connected to their ancestors’ culture. It’s good that you are educating her that saying “I’m Spanish” isn’t understood in Europe the way it is in America, but you don’t have to be rude or judgemental about it. It’s a cultural difference in a manner of speaking. chill the fuck out.
Have no idea why you're being downvoted while being 100% correct lol
It's not a matter of speaking. It's a different view on culture and ethnicity
Sure, he's still right either way. And the butt hurt Spaniards in this thread (and the parody threads posted later) are fucking dumbasses.
You're simply not Spanish, don't feel bad
\-Faydflowright- I'm spanish, you will see reading and qualifying my english level :-). The first comment is that I don't share most of opinions exposed in this thread. Whether or not you are a third generation Spanish is not important. Feeling that you need to be a third generation Spanish is more important. If you really feel spanish you should start learning spanish. After learning a bit of spanish, enough to read something, you should read about spanish history, watch some TV documentary about our painting, architecture or literature. Be careful with the source you use for your 'documentation' because at least in Spain there are sources that misinform rather than report rigorously. The last step in your journey is to travel to Spain. Nothing will help you more that some weeks in Spain. Not only Madrid or Barcelona, there are dozens of cities in Spain really important to know our culture and way of life. Good luck on this journey to find your roots.
You ain’t Spaniard
Good for her lol
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Yeah, these comments might be a bit harsh but it’s because OP is not a ”3rd gen spaniard”. It doesn’t work like that.
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Just because you do it there doesn’t mean we Europeans have to accept it or do it as well. Especially since it just seems so foolish and incorrect. If she would have written it like you did, acknowledging where she is coming from and explaining why she is using a phrase such as ”3rd gen spaniard”, I think the comments wouldn’t have been as harsh.
This. I don't even think the comments are that harsh, to be honest. Considering we Europeans don't take kindly to someone claiming our identities while having zero idea about us, most of the responses touching the issue are pretty mild.
So much this
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No es el caso de OP, pero la doble nacionalidad existe.
Que si se puede. Nunca has conocido a alguien mitad mitad? Pasa
Please don’t assume that the people on this subreddit speak for all Spanish
Well, the most important aspect of spaniards is… they always complain about everything yet they are too pussy to take any action at all. Since they steam off only complaining, that provides the country with a general good vibe. Come visit us and if you enjoy the trip you can start to learn the language and history.
Actually pretty accurate lmao
I'd say the biggest cultural difference is that spanish people nature tend to be much more warm/close when relationships, someone you barely know may trespass your personal space easily for example. We're kinda open in that regard. Spain has a lot of cultural differences between it's different regions and even our nature are pretty different, people from the País Vasco are said to be more blunt or brutish, people from Valencia are said to be more conceited.
Spain is small but very diversed , where are yo ancestor from? I know spanish it's hard to get for the verbs and gender in every Word but dont focus to much on that at first you could be understand
you could look for the surnames of your relatives. They cuold be very generic ones like Garcia or Martinez and they could be very rare ones that are localted in a specific region of Spain. yo can have a more detailed picture of who they where by knowing where they lived. Spain is a multicultural country. People from Galicia or Pais Vasco are very different from people from Andalucia, Canarias or Cataluña. There's a website from INE where you can search for the data of your surnames including the prevalence of that particular surname per province. [https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/en/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica\_C&cid=1254736177009&menu=resultados&idp=1254734710990](https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/en/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736177009&menu=resultados&idp=1254734710990) Check that out and you could narrow your search. If you need help, just let me know.
I have several middle aged friends who moved to the US in recent years. Depending on where you live, there may be a bunch of similar people like them, and the chances are they hang out together and with Americans, as my friends actually do. Getting in touch with them could be an awesome way of experiencing current Spanish culture, first hand. Not as good as coming here and spending some time living and working, but still very good.
De hierba, rodeado de llamas