The most interesting part, however, is that these exchanges rarely boil over, and they never degenerate into name-calling and insults. Furthermore, it almost always seems as if whatever frustration may have surfaced, they quickly move on as if it didn't happen. This is not to say that Spanish people are always arguing, but that they can sustain a conversation for a long time despite how direct they often are. This is sometimes because once they reach an agreement, they still will sometimes state the same opinion or conclusion in a different way from another person just so that their voice is heard.
For me, it was surprising at first to hear how direct and blunt Spanish people could sometimes be when talking to me or to each other, but now I am more used to it. Even so, it still catches me off guard from time to time, and I know that this applies to many of my U.S. friends here in Ourense as well.
