What are some general "rules" while in Spain?

Regarding...?

That is a wide topic!

this is an about Spain section, so I guess their cultures and such. just anything that would be considered rude, and i need to stay away from doing. I know the hands on your lap thing is rude.

How old are you?

And...I have no idea why the hands on the lap thing would be considered rude...nor have I ever heard of it.

Certain things are, however, rude in all cultures...1)don't have conversations in very loud (and the operative word here is "loud") voices...there is no need for everyone to know about what you're talking; 2) drinking to get drunk is a no-no. Drinking is part of a social activitiy...not the activity; 3) loud and obnoxious behavior is rude in all cultures 4) don't assume that everyone knows English...why should they?

They (whoever the "they" are) are in their own country and are speaking their own language. This does not suggest that "they" will not speak to you or that "they" will try to rob you because you don't speak their language... So...don't yell at them or speak in loud voices to get them to understand a language that may very well be alien to them.

Ultimately, treat everyone with "respect" and it won't matter if you do or do not speak the language... and, in the long run, people will respect you no matter where you are.

Sheryl

what is the hands in the lap thing? tourists here in barcelona get a bit of a bad rap because they do a lot of things that sheryl warned about not doing.

I don't know about the not speaking loud part. I've been in Madrid for 4 months and everybody seems to speak too loud. My wife is Spanish and when she and her friends get together they all talk loud. When she was in England people there who heard her speak to other Spanish thought she was being agressive.

I haven't been in any situatuion where I thought I may have offended someone. Just try and speak a little Spanish and smile. I'm not very good at the language but I try and people are generally pleased that at least i'm giving it a go.

You'll be ok, just go with the flow!

True, in Spain we speak too loud. I have noticed that when I travel around Europe. But the States are a bit different... I'd say, don't speak too loud when you travel around Europe...in Spain it doesn't matter too much, you'll only show that you are a foreinger because of the language, but that wont be a problem.

i'm 16, and i know proper etiquet and such, but other things that i really shouldn't do, that are totally different then here in the states, I'm going to be staying in someone's home for 2 weeks, and I really don't want to insult them.

worried about spain, you worry too much!

relax!
Maybe the only gaffe I could think of is addressing someone older and unfamiliar to you with the "tu" form instead of "Usted", but as a foreigner and an American most Spaniards wont have very high expectations, so relax and be natural, that's the best impression you could make.....

Worriedaboutspain.... treat anyone as you wanna be treated, that always works

By the way, I think I know what you meant about "hands in the lap". When I was in the US I was pretty surprised to see how over there it seemed to be accepted as good manners to have one of your hands in your lap while eating, while in Spain it is actually considered unpolite.... But it is not really important, and you will find people (in Spain and in the US) understand that you come from a different culture and forgive whichever "mistakes" you can make. I'll give you an example: In Spain one of the main companys selling bread is called "Bimbo", in Spain when you say "pan" you mean "french bread", and if you wanna ask for regular bread we usually say "pan bimbo"... Can you imagine how people looked at me when I asked in the US for "Bimbo bread"???? My friends are still laughing at me... hehehe