Peeling the Layers of a Culture

Diana Angel Alvarez Fundación Ortega-Marañón, Spain

Date

September 14, 2018

The program has officially started! Last week I met in Madrid with Dr. Cabrera, Assistant Director of Arcadia in Granada, who welcomed us to Spain and to the Arcadia -Toledo program. We had a short but substantial tour, were spoiled with great food and received great pointers to begin understanding in which culture we were about to immerse. 

Spain, as in other countries in the world, has its own idiosyncrasy within the culture and across regions. Those reading this blog probably knew that! I knew it, as a matter of fact as this is not my first time here, although, for some reason, I have not found the answer yet. I am fascinated with the way Spaniards interact with each other daily. One of the advisors in the program suggested that this interest may have risen because I am comparing the Spaniard culture with the USA or the Latinoamerican culture. After analyzing his point of view and contemplating this suggestion, I realized that I am not putting the cultures side by side. This fascination is pure and is also an opportunity to learn from the different layers of the Spanish culture and what better place to start than Toledo, “The City of the Three Cultures.”