A foreigner is not only a foreigner in Spain. Spaniards consider someone a foreigner when it is clearly obvious that they are foreigners, like the Mexican term gringo . Here are the top five signs someone is a foreigner – heed the advice and don’t be one!
Socks in Sandals
No one would dream of wearing socks with sandals at home, so why do it when you are in Spain? The surest sign that “you are not from these parts.”
Other trendy no-nos include baseball caps when it’s not sunny and T-shirts that advertise the city you came from.
Speak loudly unnecessarily (and refuse to even try Spanish)
It may seem hypocritical for Spaniards to scowl at tourists for speaking loudly when they speak at a high volume themselves, but remember that you are speaking in a foreign language, and this stands out more.
No one expects all foreigners to be fluent in Spanish, but to fly up to a Spanish and bark “Where is the train station?” without at least asking first (in Spanish) if they really speak English is just rude.
Oh and no, speaking louder does n’t make you easier to understand!
Eating and going out in ‘non-Spanish’ times
Spaniards eat late and go out even later. If you don’t follow their lead, (a) you will be eating alone and (b) you will be made fun of.
Read a large map and a travel guide around every corner
Do you want to advertise the fact that you are unfamiliar with the city and are the perfect prey for pickpockets and robbers? Not? So don’t carry your map and travel guide for everyone to see. Stop by a cafe to see where you’re going, or better yet, print out About.com pages and discreetly check out instead!
Skin a painful pink hue … and it’s only March
If you’re in Spain for two weeks, what’s the rush to try to get a tan? Spending all day on the beach on the first day without sunscreen will leave you burned out and in so much pain that you won’t dare to sit on the beach again. The burn fades quickly and when you are at home, you are as white as when you started.
If you travel in the summer, unless a storm is coming, you have all the time in the world to tan, so take it easy!
