What is hospitality?

What Does hospitality Mean

The hospitality is a virtue or quality that is to be treated well, with kindness, a neighbor . The term, whose origin is found in the Latin hospitalitas , contemplates the assistance and attention of anyone who needs something.

For example: "The singer thanked the hospitality of his fans, who made him feel at home" , "How are you going to let your cousin sleep on the street? Where is your hospitality? » , "Thank you for dinner and for your hospitality, Clara . "
In ancient times, hospitality was one of the most valued virtues . That is why people considered it a duty or an obligation to be kind to strangers, travelers or foreigners.

In certain Arab and Eastern cultures the importance of hospitality is still maintained, unlike what happens in Western societies, where disinterested displays of charity are more common in the countryside and small towns. The complexity of the modern world, however, means that hospitality is usually channeled through entities or non-governmental organizations.
When hospitality becomes a crime
In countries where the economic and social situation makes life and development difficult for its inhabitants, many choose to emigrate. Spain is the chosen destination of many people, especially Latin Americans, who seek better working conditions, more opportunities and security, among other things. However, it is public knowledge that to enter a country it is necessary to meet certain requirements, which can be summarized as having a visa or having inherited the corresponding citizenship.
Failure to comply with these rules, in general the foreign person is deported to their place of origin. But sanctions are also usually imposed on locals who contribute in some way to their stay as long as they do not have the required papers. In the case of Spain, this penalty amounted to 10,000 euros, generating a resounding protest in 2009, through the "Salvemos la Hospitalidad" platform.
Fear of hospitality
Another enemy factor of hospitality is the feeling of insecurity that occurs, especially in cities. Given the high percentage of crime and its growing trend in large metropolises, such as Madrid and New York, it is common for people to feel fear of strangers. The repercussions of this epidemic are appreciated, not only when someone does not offer accommodation to those who need it, but in terrible cases in which assistance to a wounded person is denied, because they do not know if it is a staging for a robbery.

Hospitality is often associated with empathy and compassion, two qualities that are increasingly lacking in our fast-paced lives. Many times driven by beliefs that have been instilled in them by their parents, children physically and psychologically attack their schoolmates, often causing irreparable damage, which ends in suicide. Physical defects, homosexuality, learning difficulties, are some of the targets of ridicule and humiliation in countless educational centers. This is the antithesis of hospitality , and many times those who perform it do not believe in their actions, but fear the consequences of disobedience.
Other meanings
The notion of hospitality, in other senses, can be linked to the idea of ​​a banquet . A banquet is a meal or a party that is held on the occasion of celebration , to entertain or honor someone. The host , therefore, is hospitable to whoever is the protagonist of the tribute.
The concept also used to be used with reference to the period in which a person remained in a hospital , when his concept denoted an enclosure destined to the exercise of charity. Currently, the hospital is associated with the establishment that offers health-related services.