Class XIV international seminar trip Reports February 16-March 1, 2010
Family Structure and Life, Population, Ethnic Groups
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- Albondigas con picada de almendra—meatballs in almond, garlic and parsley sauce
- References
Family Structure and Life, Population, Ethnic GroupsIn Spain, family, including the extended family, is the basis of their social structure. The family supports members both financially and also socially. Traditionally, their families are large and it is not unusual for extended families to life together. The male has had the dominant role, however this is changing. Today families are smaller, and most do not live with their extended family. Spain has one of the lowest birthrates in Europe. More women are continuing their education and entering the workforce. Similar to Spain, Morocco’s family structure is also core to their society. The elderly are revered and respected. The predominately Islamic religion strongly influences the culture of the country. Women are legally inferior with only one out of eight attending high school, and women making up 25% of the workforce. There is no similarity in Spain and Morocco’s ethnicity. Basques, Catlans, and Galicians are the primary ethnic groups in Spain. Arab-Berber is 99.1% of the ethnic makeup of Morocco. Sixty percent of the population is indigenous Berbers. Arabs are the ruling class in Morocco. Food at Restaurants Food and eating is an important part of the Spanish culture. Olives and olive oil, almonds, garlic, fresh fruits, chicken, and seafood are all prevalent in Spain. The world’s most expensive spice, saffron, is also common in Spanish cooking. Although common threads in cusine, there are regional variations. Five basic meals are served in Spain during the day compared to our three. These include El Desayuno (breakfast), Tapas (little meal), La Comida (Lunch), La Merienda (snack), and La Cena (dinner). El Desayuno is the smallest meal of the day and usually consists of café con leche (strong coffee with hot, frothy milk), bollos (sweet rolls) with jam, or toast with jam or a mild cheese. Tapas is a snack, not meant to replace a regular meal. Tapas may be a Tortilla Española (Spanish potato omlette), Patatas Bravas (Potatoes with Spicey Brava Sauce), or Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic). Enjoying tapas sometimes includes hopping from one tapas bar to another. Tapas bars were common in many of the cities our OALP class visited in Spain. La Comida is the large meal of the day and may consist of multiple courses. It is eaten between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. and may start with a vegetable or seafood soup. The main course may be fresh fish or seafood, roast chicken, lamb, or a rabbit stew served with fried potatoes. Our class experience sheep tripe in a tomato based sauce at one la comida. A green salad or vegetables is always included in the lunch meal. Dessert consists of flan (light Spanish vanilla custard), light pastry, fresh fruit or ice cream. Coffee, Brandy and a Cigar is a normal way to end the meal. La Comida is followed by a siesta (nap) as shops and businesses close for two to three hours mid afternoon. Our schedule sometimes found us in small towns at siesta time for our lunch, leaving few options for eating other than at tapas bars. La Merienda may include anything from bread with a piece of chocolate to bread with chorizo (pork sausage), ham, or salami and is eaten around 5:00 when we would normally be eating our evening meal. La Cena, which is eaten after 8:30 p.m., and often after 10:00 p.m., might include fresh fish or seafood, roast chicken or lamb, fried potatoes or rice. Most nights our evening meal was served at 8:30 p.m or later and was never rushed. Green salad and/or a vegetable dish are included in the dinner. A lighter dessert of fresh fruit or flan may also be eaten. Arroz cubano is a fast dinner consisting of a mound of white rice, topped with tomato sauce and a fried egg. Before bed, there may be a nightcap of Churreria (fried pastries) and Chocolate Caliente (a thick, Spanish hot chocolate). Unlike most African countries, Morocco produces all of its own food. Citrus, melons, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, figs, olives, almonds, dates, fish and seafood are all bountiful in Morocco. The national dish is “tajine,” named after the cone-shaped earthenware dish in which it is cooked. “Veil” (which is what we call beef), lamb or poultry may be the main ingredient, combined with almonds, hard-boiled eggs, prunes, lemons, tomatoes, and other vegetables. The distinctive flavoring comes from spices including saffron, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, and ground red pepper. The tajine we had was very similar to our pot roast with vegetables. Moroccan sweets are often homemade with almonds and honey. Morocco offers unique mealtime experiences. Meals often are consumed around low, round tables. Participants sit on cushions on the floor and eat with their hands using the first two fingers of their right hand. (Today silverware is often provided.) Our class never experienced a traditional setting. Small, warm, damp towels are passed around or basins of water are used to clean hands. The napkin is not to be used to wipe hands. Bread is used to carry food to the mouth and soak up sauces. Sometimes meals are eaten from a large, single main bowl, which often contains a hearty soup or stew. Flat round Moroccan bread, couscous or rice, and salad or cold vegetables are served with meals. Dessert consists of fresh fruit. A production is made of serving sweetened mint tea by pouring it from three feet or more above the cup. There are some distinct difference our class found in snacking in Spain. Class members were unable to find Dr. Pepper, or any generic version of it. Snickers candy bars were also difficult to find. Kit Kats were the most common candy bar was smooth and creamy. Key Menu Items Menu items in Spain may include items such as: Cocido – national dish of Spain – wholesome stew Tortilla Española – Spanish omelet, made of eggs, potatoes and onions Gazpacho – cold tomato soup Paella de marisco – seafood rice Paella valenciana – rice with rabbit, snails and vegetables – may also be fish, pork or chicken Jamon serrano – Spanish ham Chorizo – Spanish pork sausage Calamares en su tinta – squid in their own ink Pollo al ajillo con vino – Garlic chicken with wine Ensalada andalucia de arroz – Andalusian rice salad Flan – custard dessert
Cordorniz en escabeche—marinated quailRabo de toro – oxtail stew Bacalao al ajo arriero – dried cod with peppers and tomatoes Moroccan menu items may include items such as: Beyssara – dried fava beans stewed with cumin and paprika (breakfast dish) Beghrir – pancakes (breakfast dish) Tajine – a lamb or poultry stew - national dish Couscous – crushed wheat product served with vegetables, meat, or seafood Couscous marrakesh – semolina grain with lamb and chicken Pastilla – pigeon meat pie Brochette – shishkebab with various meats Harrira – a soup with mutton, saffron, and coriander, sometimes with dates and lemon slices Zaalouk – an eggplant and tomato mixture Kebab koutbane – Beef kebabs Batinjaan salud – Salad made with eggplant Bocadillo – Sandwich (baguette) Kaab el ghzal ("gazelle's horns") - pastry stuffed with almond paste and topped with sugar Halwa shebakia – honey cake – pretzel-shaped pieces of dough deep-fried and dipped into a hot pot of honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds Halwa shebakia – cookies eaten during the month of Ramadan Zucre coco – coconut fudge cakes
Flores Monica S., et al. “Africa Stage: Time Machine – Mali to Egypt.” The Odyssey: World Trek for Service and Education. 1999. The Odyssey. 1 December 2009. www.worldtrek.org/odyssey/africa/timemorocco.html “Food in Morocco – Moroccan Food.” Food In Every Country. 2010. Advameg, Inc. 8 January 2010. www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/ Morocco.html “Moroccan Cuisine.” Wikipedia. 9 January 2010. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 8 January 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_cuisine “Morocco – Language, Culture, and Doing Business.” Kwintessential. 2009. Kwintessential Ltd. 2 December 2009. www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/ global-etiquette/morocco-country-profile.html “NobleArt – The Fine Art of Travel.” NobleArt Travel. 2007. NobleArt S.A.R.L. 1 December 2009. www.nobleart.travel/info.php Porter, Darwin. Frommer’s Spain & Morocco on $40 A Day. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1989. Sierra, Lisa & Toni. “Meals and the Culture of Spain.” About.com. 2007. The New York Times Company. 1 December 2009. http://spanishfood.about.com/od/ discoverspanishfood/a/spain_meals.htm “Spain – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette.” Kwintessential. 2009. Kwintessential Ltd. 2 December 2009. www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/ global-etiquette/spain-country-profile.html Culture of the People of Spain/Morocco Kent Switzer Topics “Religion and Cultural Priorities” How does religion affect lives and cultural priorities in the countries of Spain and Morocco? As I begin this report on religion as it relates to Spain and Morocco, I would like to acknowledge that I realize it is very presumptuous to make a blanket statement and attempt to apply it to an entire region or country. As an example, someone from a foreign country could come to Western Oklahoma and determine from their visit that the United States was very flat, windy and with few trees. A blanket statement concerning the geography of the United States based on a visit to Oklahoma would be presumptuous at best. With that in mind, I plan to give statistical information on the countries of Spain and Morocco as a whole recognizing there will no doubt be variances by area and region. Religious breakdown by percentages: Spain: Morocco: Roman Catholic - 76% Sunni Muslim – 98.7% No religious affiliation – 20% Christian – 1.1% Islam – 2.3% Jewish - .2% Jewish - .1% Other – 1.7% As you can see from the breakdown of religious affiliation, the two countries of Spain and Morocco are very diverse from each other. The religion of the majority of the population of Spain is Catholicism. The Catholic religion in Spain has strong roots spanning centuries. Because the government of Spain is now a secular one, it can no longer be said that the Catholic religion is the official religion in Spain. The Catholic Church does however, receive some official state funding from the government. Most Spaniards do not participate regularly in religious services. Of those Spaniards who identify themselves as religious, 58% hardly ever or never attend church. Islam is practiced by the vast majority of Moroccans and governs their personal, political, economic and legal lives. Among certain obligations for Muslims are to pray five times a day – at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening. Friday is considered to be the Muslim holy day. Marriage in Spain and Morocco is also radically different between the two countries. In 2005, the Spanish parliament approved a same-sex marriage law, giving same-sex couples the right to adopt children and receive inheritances. The Catholic Church has vehemently opposed same-sex marriage and divorce in Spain. Pope Benedict XVI has condemned gay marriage as an expression of “anarchic freedom” that threatens the future of the family. In Morocco, homosexuality is considered a criminal offense. Overt displays of affection between same-sex partners are discouraged. Homosexuality in Morocco does however exist, but the social attitude towards it keeps those relationships private to avoid the obvious consequences associated because of society’s denial of its existence. The way the public dresses in Spain and Morocco is also very different and has direct ties to their respective approaches to differing religious backgrounds. Spain tends to dress more formal than the rest of Europe. In Spain, it is important to project good taste in apparel. Business attire includes well-made, conservative suits and ties. Shorts are seldom worn in pubic. Public dress in Morocco amongst women varies greatly by age. Younger women will be seen with sleeveless shirts and knee-length skirt, with their hair flowing down their backs. Many older women will wear the traditional long outer robe with full sleeves, her hair in a bun. Some wear the strictest Islamic dress, covering themselves in black from head to toe, with only the eyes visible. Despite only becoming legal in Spain in 1981, the divorce rate is now the highest in the European Union. Spain’s divorce rate tripled between 1960 and 2000. Relaxed laws implemented in 2005, have further escalated its rate. It is important to point out that Spain’s rate is still below that of the U.S. Morocco’s divorce rate is very low and the overall rate is going down. Women are now allowed to initiate divorce which was strictly prohibited in years past. Moroccan women can be found in most professions, ranging from policewomen to several cabinet ministers, and at least 10 percent of the legislature is now made up of women. According to a 2004 report, Spain is one of Europe’s highest consumers of cocaine, cannabis, and extasis. Cocaine consumption among the Spanish population has doubled in the past 10 years. Personal possession of any drug is not a criminal offense in Spain, and punishment, if any is usually very light. Spain’s many miles of coastline creates a lot of opportunity to move drugs in and out of the country. Morocco has very strict penalties for those caught purchasing or using drugs, especially among tourists. Do not buy marijuana from anyone who approaches you (and you may be approached). Despite those strict laws, enforcement is lax, and marijuana is smoked by a sizeable percentage of the Moroccan male population. Morocco has in fact, become one of the world’s largest producers of illicit hashish, most shipments being directed to Western Europe. Spain is not a country known for its high crime rates, although, like any other country in Western Europe Spain has its fair share of crimes. A crime noticeably on the increase in Spain is passport theft. These stolen passports are sold on the black market to illegal immigrants in Spain. If you find yourself a victim, notify your embassy in Spain as soon as possible, which will make arrangements for a replacement. Pick pocketing, mugging, and stealing valuables left in vehicles is also common in Spain. Violent crime in Spain is fairly low. Violent crime in Morocco is also fairly rare, but getting harassed by “guides” and petty theft is fairly common. Avoid walking alone at night especially in unlit areas and on the beach. Take care of your valuables and don’t flaunt jewelry. What kind of gifts do we bring to present to speakers, tour leaders, and others? Family is very important to people in Spain. Time is very relaxed. It is wise for foreigners to be punctual, but Spaniards do not put a great emphasis on time themselves. Men who are close friends will often exchange a hug. Women who are close friends usually meet and part with a small hug and a kiss on the cheek. Dinner is usually served after 9:00 pm. Tipping service people is not expected, but appreciated by the Spanish people. Waiters don’t expect anything from Spanish customers, but are used to receiving tips from foreigners. Bargaining is not expected and is out of place. Presents are not expected, but are appreciated. If one does give a gift to a host, they appreciate a small gift from the visitor’s homeland. . In Morocco, if you are invited to a Moroccan’s home bring sweet pastries, nuts, figs, dates or flowers to the hostess. Do not bring alcohol unless you know that your host drinks. Gifts may or may not be opened when received. Do not be surprised if you are asked to remove your shoes upon entering their home. Food is generally served at a knee-high round table. A washing basin will be brought to the table before the meal is served. Hold your hands over the basin while water is poured over them. Dry your hands on the towel provided. Do not begin eating until the host blesses the food or begins to eat. Food is served from a communal bowl. Proper etiquette would be to eat from the section of the bowl that is in front of you. Never reach across the bowl to get something from the other side. Scoop the food with a piece of bread or the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand. Traditional Moroccan custom would require one to eat and drink only with the right hand. Do not wipe your hands on your napkin; a washing basin will be brought around the table again at the end of the meal. Hopefully this report will give our group some idea of what to expect from a religious and cultural standpoint as we enjoy our trip to Spain and Morocco. References: Religion in Spain." Wikipedia. 12 Dec. 2009. Web. 21 Dec. 2009. www.bing.com/reference/semhtml/ Religion in Spain "Morocco - Language, Culture, Customs, and Etiquette." Morocco - Language, Culture, Customs, and Etiquette. 8 Apr. 2004. Web. 22 Nov. 2009. www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/globaletiquette/morocoo-country-profile.html Spain culture guide: Religin in Spain." Kwintessential. 16 Sept. 2003. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/Spain/Spain-culture-guide-Religion-in-Spain "Spain Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage." Washington Post 30 June 2005. Print. Zijlma, Anouk. "Morocco Travel Information." Web. 22 Nov. 2009.www.goafrica.about.com/od/morocco/a/ moroctraveltips.com>. Spanish Business Etiquette. Rep. 18 Feb. 1999. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. www.cyborlink.com/besite/spain.html Tarvainen, Sinikka. "Moroccan women seek their way between Islam and feminism." Editorial. Moroccan women seek their way between Islam and feminism 1 June 2008. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/moroccan-women-seek-their-way-between-islam-and-feminism-2 "Spain becomes EU country with highest divorce rate." Catholic News Agency 25 May 2007. Print. "NationMaster - Moroccan Crime statistics." Nation Master. 18 Dec. 2008. Web. 22 Nov. 2009. www.nationmaster.com/country/mo-morocco/cri-crime "News from Spain: Drugs in Spain." Weblog post. 14 Sept. 2004. Web. 22 Nov. 2009. www.euroresidentes.com/Blogs/2004/09/drugs-in-spain.html "A toker's guide; Levels of prohibition." The Economist. 7 Mar. 2009. Web. 2 Dec. 2009. www.proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index "Spain society guide: Crime in Spain." Kwintessential. 10 Jan. 2006. Web. 22 Nov. 2009. www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/Spain/Spain-society-guide "Bargaining, tipping, and gifting in Spain...Rude or Polite?" 21 Mar. 2009. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. www.answers.yahoo.com/question/index Business Etiquette Directory: files files -> Answer True False 2 points Question 2 files -> Integer programming and game theory files -> 4 Integer Programming files -> Bpa vehicle Window Repair Scenario #1 task: Procure vehicle window relacement. 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