CHRISTMAS IN YOUR NEW COUNTRY: NEW YEAR'S EVE AND THE 12 GRAPES

As I have already explained to you in other posts, we have some curious Christmas traditions that you can not find in other countries. I think the New Year's Eve one is the most different, funny and important one.

Whilst the majority of countries do a count down from 10 at 12 am in New Year's Eve to celebrate the New Year, we eat 12 grapes.

There are several hipothesis of where this tradition is coming from. Some say that the upper classes used to eat grapes and drink Champaign at the New Year's Eve dinner and that the common people were taking the piss of them and started to imitate them.

Other say, and this is my favourite theory and the one I choose to believe more, is that in the late 1800's or beginning of 1900's there was an excess of grape harvest during the festive period. In order to sell all the harvest and do not let it rot, the farmers decided to say it was good luck to eat 12 grapes with each dong of the clock on New Year's Eve. This quickly catch up, and well over 100 years later you have 46 million people eaten grapes at the same time.

You also need to bear in mind that Spain is a very family orientated country, and we celebrate all "big important" dates with the family. This includes New Year's Eve. Familes gather together (extended family I mean, grandpas cousins, uncles, siblings ...) either at someone's place or in a restaurant (don't worry, all restaurants in Spain will give you grapes with your dinner that day).

This means that for us the party does not start until the grapes are finish, and this can easily be 1 or 2 am, the time when the Brits will come back home, for example.

After dinner, and when 12 am is getting close, we all gather in front of the TV, but before you have to wee for the last time this year, or call your friend for the last time this year, or eat your last dessert of the year etc etc. 

A vast majority of Spanish chooses the first channel of the national TV to see the "Grapes" (La 1), where the female presenter Anne Igartiburu is a tradition by herself, as she has been presenting the "Grapes" for at least 15 years. 

In family we have the tradition of trying to guess which TV ad will be the last of the year as it is the most expensive one of the year, and not to name any names, but Coca Cola is a very economicaly healthy company.

Normally any clock with give the time with a "dong", but it would be impossible to eat 12 grapes with only 12 dongs at normal speed, so for that day the Reloj de la Puerta del Sol de Madrid (the clock at the main square in Madrid, which is the one shown on TV) slows down the pace of the dongs, so it is more like "dooooooooooooong". So it takes about 30 seconds for the 12 dongs.

Picture from: https://www.elimparcial.es/noticia/185203/sociedad/espana-entra-en-2018-con-la-esperanza-de-que-sea-mejor-que-2017.html

Some people buy seedless grapes to make the process easier, and others peel them, but I like them as they are.

So, imagine this, the whole family sitting in front of the TV, with your little plate with 12 grapes, nerves raising, giggles all around. Then the clock start making noises and little ding dongs that tells you that the whole thing is about to start.

And then the 12 dongs start: dooooooooong (1 grape), doooooooooooong (another grape), doooooooooong (you get it now).

12 dongs later you have your mouth full of grapes that you have not had time to swallow, so you start kissing people and saying "Happy New Year" while you spit grapes and/or try not to choke. And then we open the Champaign bottles, or Sidra (Spanish cider)

Here you have a link to a youtube video that shows you the exact moment, and that could be any Spanish household:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiCjv50C6LA

I think you should try it, you need to experience it at least once, it is a lot of fun!

CHRISTMAS IN YOUR NEW COUNTRY: CHRISTMAS NATIONAL LOTTERY

As explained in a previous post, you are going to find some big differences with the way that we celebrate Chritsmas in Spain compared to your home country. One of the most relevant ones is the importance of our National Christmas Lottery.

For us Christmas starts officially on 22nd of December, as it is the day that we have the special Christmas lottery draw. Even the people that never play lottery (like me) we have at least one ticket for the Christmas one.

The maximum prize that you can win is 4 million euros, but you need to bear in mind that each number is divided in 10 participations, or tickets, which means that if you only have one you can only win 400.000€ (which is not bad anyway)

You can choose any number from 00000 to 99999.

The whole thing is like huge bingo. Each potential winning number is engraved in a little bingo like ball, and a few days before the draw all the balls with all the numbers are exposed so anybody can go and check physically if their number is actually there.

The potential prizes are engraved in the same type of balls, and we have one main prize or Gordo (the Fat one) for 4 million Euros, the second one is 1.250.000€, one 3rd prize for 500.000€, two 4th prizes for 200.000€ each, eight 5th prizes for 60.000€ each, and then the "pedrea": thousands of small prizes for 1000€ each. A total of 2.240 million euros in prizes this year (2018).

Both the balls with the numbers and the balls with the prizes are put in giant bingo like balls containers.

The day before the lottery people from all over the country will spend the night in the street at the entrance of the theater where the draw will take place in Madrid. 

The actual draw starts around 9 am. The children from the San Ildenfonso School (school for orfans) are in charge to spread the lottery love. You have 2 children releasing the balls (number and prize) and 2 children singing the prize and the number. All the numbers and prize balls are put in wires that are in special boxes, and the draw doesn't finish until all those wires are full. This takes over 4 hours.

The singing children start by saying the number and the other one the prize, so it is like 74658 and the other one says "miiiiiiiil€", and they put the balls in the wires.

But all of the sudden the kid that is singing the prices put his/her hand on top the wire so the other one cannot put the prize ball in its place. This is the moment when everybody watching tv knows that one of the big prizes is coming. You can see and hear the change of the energy at the theater, this could be the moment of the BIG one! 

Then they kids sing first the number and the the prize ... and it is "only" a forth prize. But still, if you have a ticket for a 4th prize it means you have just won 20.000€, not bad at all!

Here you have a video of how it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw07xa9wvSU

Once the prizes start to "rain" the live connexions with the places where the people has won the lottery start. Everybody is happy! 

Of course the best part is when the Gordo come out, but you don't want it to be too early as it takes a bit of the emotion out.

This lottery always reaches a lot of people, as everybody has a ticket, or is sharing one. It is simply impossible to know your friends or relatives have a number and not get one yourself. Imagine they win and you missed out!

So you have all the adults in the country playing lottery that day, rich or poor. 

And because you win, but not enough to become rich unless you have 10 tickets of the same number, everybody uses the lottery to pay off debts.

This day is also known unofficially as national health day, as if you end up not winning anything, we always say, "It doesn't matter, as least we have health!"

Do you have your ticket already?

CHRISTMAS IN YOUR NEW COUNTRY: SUMMARY

We all know how Christmas is in UK, it sometimes feels like a marathon: shopping, Christmas dinners, Christmas drinks, lights, buzzing time of the year.

And some places even put the Christmas tree up in August so people start booking their events! By September/October the decorations start to go up, and definitely the day after Halloween is Christmas all of the sudden. I remember once in the office a lady asked me if I had started with my Christmas shopping, as it was only 87 days left...

And just as suddenly, you have not even finished eating your turkey on Christmas day, and it is all gone. On 26th of December you cannot see a single decoration anywhere.

Well, to say this in a just a few words, we think you guys are nuts! And you are in for a bit of a shock when you see how we do things in Spain.

For starters, the decorations go up after 8th of December, which is the last long bank holiday of the year before Christmas. You might see some shops putting some decorations at the end of November or beginning of December, but this raises people's eyebrows as we think they are just trying to make money.

Christmas lights in big cities normally go up last weekend of November or first one of December. As part of the Christmas decorations we recreate Bethlehem with Joseph, Virgin Mary, baby Jesus, the sheperds, and all the animals, put up a Christmas tree, and figures of Santa and the 3 Wise Men get all in the mix.

But Christmas start officially on 22nd of December, with the National Christmas lottery, which is a tradition that deserves a post on its own merits, and it lasts until 6th of January when the 3 Wise Men bring presents to the children.

The whole Christmas period is a family event. We all travel to a relative's house, where about 20 people spend a few days together.

We have a big family dinner on Christmas Eve, and a big family lunch on Christmas day. Some families have started now to give some present away on 25th, mainly if they are not going to see the kids on Reyes (6th January)

We do not celebrate Boxing Day, it doesn't exist in Spain.

On New Year's Eve we have another family dinner, and at 12 am at night we all eat 12 grapes (again, this deserves its own post). Once we have all kissed and hug our relatives is when we go out, which is normally about 1-2 am.

On New Year's Day we have yet another big family lunch, and it doesn't matter if you only want to sleep or to throw up, the lunch is still on.

We then arrive to 5th of January, the day before the 3 Wise Men (Los Reyes Magos) bring the presents. That day each little town and big city in the country welcomes the 3 Wise Men, and they can be everywhere at once because they are magical, of course. That evening there is a big parade in each town/city, where tones of sweets are thrown (literally at your face), and get all children totally excited about the following day.

On the morning on the 6th the kids get up to find the living room full of presents, and they get the rest of the day to enjoy them and to show them to their friends. The parks are full of proud children with new toys.

Life goes back to normal on 7th January. By then you are exhausted, full up, and needing holidays again!

Enjoy your Spanish Christmas!

1st NOVEMBER: DÍA DE TODOS LOS SANTOS, ALL SAINTS DAY

This week it seems that all kids around are getting ready to celebrate Halloween, you can even find parties for adults in certain bars.

We, Spanish, believe that any excuse is good for a party, so we are happy to adopt other cultures' traditions if they involve some fun. This is why we go along and are buying fancy dresses and loads of sweets. At present the "trick or treat" exchange has not yet fully become a tradition here, but it might happen in the future.

But in Spain what we really celebrate is the 1st of November, a national holiday called "Dia de todos los Santos", all saints day. We use this day to remember our loved ones by going to the cementery to pray and to bring flowers to our relatives and friends that have passed away. Flower shops' make a year earnings in one day.

We do not do it as the Mexicans' which will nearly have a party at the cementery, and we do not paint our faces, or we believe the world of the death is closer to the world of the living on this particular day. We just simply remember them and the majority of people will also attend mass, all a lot more serious than in other cultures.

It is quite clear that all those believes, however we would like to celebrate them, have a common ground: celebrate death once a year, instead of life. Bearing in mind a lot different cultures do the same on the same day (or night) makes me think there was some kind of pagan tradition than the different religions adapted for themselves, and nowadays people is adapting to our times, in a more fun way.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate the next bank holiday, I hope you have a good one!

RENTING A CAR ABROAD AND THE POINTS SYSTEM

Have you ever tried to rent a car abroad? First time we tried to rent a car in UK we were asked how many points we had in our driving licence. Very proudly we answered that we had all 15 points. Therefore our request was declined. We could not understand why!

In EU we follow the points system, so surely we should be entitled to rent it! But of course each country can develop the rules on the way they see fit. So in Spain you start your driver's life when you get the licence with 12 points, and if you are a very good driver, they give you extra points up to 15. When you commit a driving licence offense the points get removed from your licence.

However, in the UK you start off with zero points, and the points are added to your licence in case of driving offense. So having 15 points in UK means that you are a very very bad driver, but having 15 points in Spain means you are an excellent driver.

Living in another country can be very confusing when you are not aware of this this one. Always do a good research of your country of choosing before you make some costly mistakes!

#relocationagent #movingtospain #livingthelife #happyliving

THE IMPORTANCE OF REGISTERING WITH THE PADRÓN

When you move to Spain, one of the first things that you are recommended to do paperwork wise is to register with the Padrón at your town hall. A lot of people can't be bothered, as you can get by without doing it. You have to register, but no one is going to start knocking on your door to see if you have done it or not.

But then something happens, like the fires that we experience every summer in the area where I lived. And people start complaining that there are not enough firefighters within the town to help with fire extinction, and that houses have been lost, etc. 

The answer is very simple: each town is equipped with the resources that they need based on the number of people registered as living there. If you live in a town/city and do not registered with the padrón as a citizen of that town/city they don't count you, which means the provision for firefighters, doctors, ambulances, local police, funding for the town hall, etc, will based on the actual number of citizens registered. 

In other words, if a town has only 5.000 people registered as living there but in reality there is 10.000, they will only have resources for 5.000, which means they won't be able to cover all needs for all citizens.

Picture from: https://zamoranews.com/provinciazamora/comarcas/item/1089-nuevo-camion-autobomba-paque-bomberos-bermillo

If you dont do your part and register with your padrón then you shouldnt complain about the lack of services. It is totally down to you. 

So PLEASE!, register with your local town/city hall padrón office to prevent disasters like this summer's fires.

WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY

There are times when you are in a dire situation and you need help. Everybody should be aware of the main emergency telephone numbers here in Spain. This is a small list of the most useful ones. Then each town/area will have their own for firefighters, local police, etc, but if you don't know those, you should call the main emergency line and they will patch you throught:

• Emergency (any kind of emergency): 112
• Guardia Civil: 062
• Policia Nacional/National Police: 091
• Sanitary emergency/emergencia sanitaria: 061
• Help line for women under duress, gender violence/violencia contra la mujer: 016
• Firefighters/bomberos: 080
• Emergency Local Police/Policia local emergencias (it will give you your local police number): 092

But in case of emergency, if you don't know what to do please call 112

LEARNING THE LINGO: BE CAREFUL WITH "FALSE FRIENDS" WORDS

After deciding to relocate to Spain many people decides to start learning the language too, so they can mix with the locals. And this is very advisable. 

Learning Spanish might feel a bit daunting, mainly because our way of learning the language is based in knowing grammar, and that can be tricky.

But also you need to be careful, as there are many words that are similar in English and Spanish and you can "make" them Spanish straight away, such us:

Potential = Potencial

Intention = Intención

Occassion = Ocasión

But there are others that sound very similar and you will be tempting to make them Spanish and you will end up saying something that you shouldn't, or just that the exact translation can't be used as it has a different meaning in English than Spanish. A few  very funny examples:

- To be embarrased = estar avergonzado. 

However people tend to say in Spanish "estoy muy embarazado/a". What you are really saying is that you are very pregnant. It is even funnier if the person saying it is a man!

- To be hot = tener calor

But be careful! If you look on the dictionary "hot" translates as "caliente". In Spanish if you say "Estoy muy caliente"  you are not saying that you are very hot, you are saying that you are very horny, which is not exactly the same. If you are hot you need to say "tengo calor", or if the weather is very hot then you say "hace mucho calor"

- Carpet = Alfombra, Vacuum = pasar la aspirodora. 
So if you are planning to vacuum the carpet, please do not say "voy a vacunar la carpeta" as what you would be really saying is "I am going to vaccinate to the folder"
Carpeta = Folder, Vacunar = to vaccinate.

- Preservatives = Conservantes

Please do not confuse it with "preservativo" = "condom". Imagine that you are dictating a recipe to someone and you would like to tell them what you use to preserve the food, but what you are really telling them is to put a condom on the food ... I don't think anybody is going to ask you for a recipe ever again.

- Card = tarjeta, as in credit card. Do not confuse it with Carta as that means letter. Also do not confuse "letter" with "letra" as that means the actual letters of the alphabet or writing.

So your credit card is not your carta de crédito. "Carta de crédito" actually means that your bank is lending you money!

And what you receive in the post are "cartas", not "letras"

 Copyright: Alban.Beg

- To choke = ahogarse.

Not to be confused with "chocar" or "to crash". If you are choking on your food, or with water you are "ahogandote", you are not "chocando", as you will be saying that you are crashing against something. It will be bad enough to be choking, you don't want to also be crashing!

- Delito = Crime, Delight = Delicia

If you would like to report a crime, please do not tell the police that you are there to report a "delicia". They might not take you seriously.

- To stretch = estirar, alargar. 

Again, my daughter when she wants to say "these trousers stretch" she says "estos pantalones estrechan"

Estrechar = narrow, to make it smaller. So instead of telling me the trousers can become bigger, what she is telling me is that the trousers are getting smaller, so I think we need to go shopping!

- Grocery = tienda de comestibles. 

However "Groseria" = rudeness, coarseness, impoliteness. 

If you are on and about on the street and ask someone "¿dónde está la grosería más cercana por favor?" do not get surprised if you get a bad answer, as you will be asking "where is the closest rude, impolite, crude, coar place, please?"

- Rope = cuerda. Ropa = clothes

If you are sailing and you need a rope, do not say "pásame la ropa", as your sailor might give you his clothes and get naked.

This are just some examples, but I am sure you have encounter plenty more. I would love to hear them!

THE JOURNEY TO HAPPINESS

I have lived in many places in my life, in Madrid, Bilbao, Barcelona, Basingstoke, Bristol, Sabinillas, Toledo, Ronda, Huelva, and possibly someplace else that I cant remember now.

I have moved twice to UK and twice back to Spain. I know quite a bit about the difficulties of starting over in a new place, making new friends, getting used to the place, dealing with bureaucracy (which by the way is bad in every country, not just in Spain), learning a new language, trying to understand Spanish in different parts of Spain (gosh, it can be quite tricky these one), so I would say I was cut off for this job. 

I started recently the new adventure of being a Relocation Agent, which basically means I help people with anything and everything related with their move in order to make the whole journey as stress free as possible.

And what I have realised is how different we are. And I dont mean Spanish vs English. I mean families in general. What I think is normal is strange for other people. There are so many different needs to be covered, so many things to think about that I had never considered before just because I live in another way.

I am proud to say that it is possible to put all differences aside and work and live together. Because there is something that unites us all: we all want what is best for our families and loved ones. So, it doesnt matter what other people tell you, if you think it is right for you and your family you ought to try it.

Nobody is saying it will be easy, or pretty, and you might not even like it. But if you dont try you will never know.

Just do it and be happy. I know I am. And I want the same for you.

The rest of your life starts today!