Close-up p 179. Culture and Identity. Oral Mediation

A friend of yours from England has been asked to write a contribution to a blog about culture and identity. His assignment is to write about culture and identity in Spain. While doing his research, he came across these Google images related to culture and identity in Spain. He sends them to you so that you can shed some light on them. Your friend also asks you some questions about this topic. You decide to send your friend a voice message with an explanation of 2 minutes.

1. Could you please comment on the pictures I have sent you? How important is culture and identity in Spain?
2. Does religion play a powerful role in the Spanish society? What do Spanish people think about it?
3. Is Spain a family-centred culture? Does the Spanish social life revolve around the extended family?
4. How important is it to maintain traditions for Spanish people? Why? Have younger generations lost touch with their traditions? Have they adopted foreign traditions? Why do you think this is so? Do you think this is a good thing?
5. Do immigrants adopt the culture and traditions of your country? Do they also maintain their own? Do Spanish people take part in foreign cultural events taking place in the community? Have immigrants successfully assimilated into your local culture? Has it been a seamless transition for them? Is your local community very accommodating to foreigners? Has your country been hospitable to refugees? Do you know anyone who married someone from a different culture? Did this pose any challenges? Did they rise to them?
6. What challenges do Spanish people face when they move abroad? Have you ever taken up similar challenges? What was the most daunting challenge you had to overcome when being abroad?
7. Is life tough for some sections of your society? What are some of the major problems people face in Spain nowadays ? How do Spanish people cope when they go through a rough patch? Do Spanish people generally have a positive outlook? What problems take a heavy toll on Spanish people? Do Spanish people easily visit a psychiatrist or get counselling when they go through a sticky patch?
8. Are there pockets in your society that you find quite male-dominated? Do you think there's still a lot of gender discrimination in Spain? Is there widespread inequality for the LGBTQ community in Spain? Does your government encourage changes in attitudes to women and LGBTQ people? What could be done to tackle these inequalities in Spain?
9. Do you live in a fairly liberal society? Do Spanish people interfere in others' personal lives? or is it more "live and let live"? Can Spanish people always make their own decisions? Are there any meddlers or busybodies in the place where you work or study? How do Spanish people deal with people who meddle in their affairs?
10. Is class a big thing in Spain? Is social mobility easy in Spain? How? Do young Spanish people leave home and get on the property ladder as their parents did when they were young?
11. Have there been protest marches in your country recently? Why? Have you ever taken part in a peaceful demonstration? Did it turn violent? What kind of issues provoke public outcries in your country?
12. What's your opinion about the following overgeneralizations found on Spanish social networking sites: "Spanish men are no good at listening," "Spanish women are terrible drivers," "young Spanish people these days are slackers and disrespectful", "people who are on benefits are just lazy- they don't want to work", "immigrants come here to use our services and get handouts without contributing to our country's coffers." What other stereotypes can you think of? Are any of these stereotypes positive? How fair do you think they are?

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