# Americans in Mallorca???



## annasimon

....Are there any?? Or will my son and I be the only ones?! 
And how are Americans treated by the locals? If anyone has any info, I'd appreciate it


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## lynn

annasimon said:


> ....Are there any?? Or will my son and I be the only ones?!
> And how are Americans treated by the locals? If anyone has any info, I'd appreciate it


I don't live in Mallorca, but I wouldn't think the locals are vastly different to Spaniards all over the country, who I find to be welcoming, friendly and open. They'll take you as they find you, and your nationality I suspect, will not make a jot of difference!


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## baldilocks

It all depends on YOU! If you try, like so many of your fellow countrymen to ram America down people's throats, you will probably not be very welcome, however, if you are open and welcoming to them you may well find that it is reciprocated.


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## annasimon

baldilocks said:


> It all depends on YOU! If you try, like so many of your fellow countrymen to ram America down people's throats, you will probably not be very welcome, however, if you are open and welcoming to them you may well find that it is reciprocated.


uhhhh... thanks???


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## annasimon

baldilocks said:


> It all depends on YOU! If you try, like so many of your fellow countrymen to ram America down people's throats, you will probably not be very welcome, however, if you are open and welcoming to them you may well find that it is reciprocated.


I actually wasn't asking for advise, I asked a couple QUESTIONS for anyone who maybe has some answers... thanks though...


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## annasimon

lynn said:


> I don't live in Mallorca, but I wouldn't think the locals are vastly different to Spaniards all over the country, who I find to be welcoming, friendly and open. They'll take you as they find you, and your nationality I suspect, will not make a jot of difference!


Thanks for your reply


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## Guest

baldilocks said:


> It all depends on YOU! If you try, like so many of your fellow countrymen to ram America down people's throats, you will probably not be very welcome, however, if you are open and welcoming to them you may well find that it is reciprocated.


Ow. :confused2: I apologize in advance if I'm going to far by saying so, but let's not forget that the vast majority of posters on this board are from countries which have their own respective negative stereotypes here in Spain. I should hope that all of who are here, or who are considering moving here, are able to adapt and integrate instead of live in our own "pro-X-country" bubbles. 



Anna, I assume you have the required visas and/or legal way to be here? I've never been to Mallorca, but can imagine that like in most other countries, a serious effort to integrate (speaking Spanish, adopting local customs, etc.) will be recognized and appreciated by locals.


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## annasimon

halydia said:


> Ow. :confused2: I apologize in advance if I'm going to far by saying so, but let's not forget that the vast majority of posters on this board are from countries which have their own respective negative stereotypes here in Spain. I should hope that all of who are here, or who are considering moving here, are able to adapt and integrate instead of live in our own "pro-X-country" bubbles.
> 
> 
> 
> Anna, I assume you have the required visas and/or legal way to be here? I've never been to Mallorca, but can imagine that like in most other countries, a serious effort to integrate (speaking Spanish, adopting local customs, etc.) will be recognized and appreciated by locals.


Thanks for your reply. I agree and hope to not run into the "hating Americans" type too much. Especially if the ones doing that themselves are foreigners there. 

I was more inquisitive as to if there are ANY Americans just due to the fact that there are many German and English expats there and I have yet to find any Ameicans who have made the move. If I find any, I'm curious to know how it is working out for them.


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## baldilocks

I wasn't trying to be a Yankie-basher but unfortunately a large number go abroad with the attitude that the world owes the US... (my mother-in-law is one!) The same attitude is put about also by some Brits and Germans and... It doesn't endear them to people in other lands especially in the Spanish territories where memories of the atrocities that were perpetrated during the Civil War while the rest of the world either turned a blind eye or supported (in some cases, actively) the perpetrators.


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## Guest

annasimon said:


> Thanks for your reply. I agree and hope to not run into the "hating Americans" type too much. Especially if the ones doing that themselves are foreigners there.
> 
> I was more inquisitive as to if there are ANY Americans just due to the fact that there are many German and English expats there and I have yet to find any Ameicans who have made the move. If I find any, I'm curious to know how it is working out for them.


Part of living abroad is learning to deal appropriately with that sort of silliness. Quite frankly, I had a lot harder of a time in Canada than I've had in Spain. 

I'm sure there are Americans in Mallorca, they just don't frequent this board. Due to visa requirements, you'll find there's not too many Americans around who aren't students or short-term (eg. 1 year) visitors/workers. 

I see you mentioned you have a son. Have you looked into the education options available?


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## Guest

baldilocks said:


> I wasn't trying to be a Yankie-basher but unfortunately a large number go abroad with the attitude that the world owes the US... (my mother-in-law is one!) The same attitude is put about also by some Brits and Germans and... It doesn't endear them to people in other lands especially in the Spanish territories where memories of the atrocities that were perpetrated during the Civil War while the rest of the world either turned a blind eye or supported (in some cases, actively) the perpetrators.


Baldilocks, I'm sorry to have replied the way I did, but that sort of stereotype really bothers me. I'm sorry your MIL behaves in that way. Tell her a yankee up north is angry with her.


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## Alcalaina

baldilocks said:


> I wasn't trying to be a Yankie-basher but unfortunately a large number go abroad with the attitude that the world owes the US... (my mother-in-law is one!) The same attitude is put about also by some Brits and Germans and... It doesn't endear them to people in other lands especially in the Spanish territories where memories of the atrocities that were perpetrated during the Civil War while the rest of the world either turned a blind eye or supported (in some cases, actively) the perpetrators.


I've met a few Americans and Canadians in Spain and without exception they have been respectful and appreciative. I think the mere fact that they want to visit or live in Spain at all marks them out as different from the stereotypical loudmouthed Yank (only 21% of US citizens actually own a passport!!).

Not sure what the Civil War has to do with all this, but there were plenty of Americans in the International Brigades.

It doesn't matter where you come from, it's how you behave when you arrive that matters.


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## Guest

I did some fact checking on that passport claim, and came across this article, which I found fascinating: Behind the myth that few Americans have passports - Columbia Missourian


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## Alcalaina

halydia said:


> I did some fact checking on that passport claim, and came across this article, which I found fascinating: Behind the myth that few Americans have passports - Columbia Missourian


Good article, I'm sorry to perpetuate the stereotype - but even she admits the figure is less than 30%. And it's obviously nothing to do with distance, because (apparently) 50% of Canadians and 70% of Australians have passports.


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## Guest

Alcalaina said:


> Good article, I'm sorry to perpetuate the stereotype - but even she admits the figure is less than 30%. And it's obviously nothing to do with distance, because (apparently) 50% of Canadians and 70% of Australians have passports.


I'm more than willing to claim that the reason a claimed 50% of Canadians hold passports is that "an estimated 75 percent of Canadians live within 161 kilometers (100 miles) of the U.S. border.*" The recent Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires that Canadians (and Americans!) hold passports or a passport/frequent traveler card to cross said borders. I was in Canada when this law came into effect, and remember the absolute ruckus it caused.

Where'd you get the passport information for Australia? 







* Source: Canada Facts, Canada Flag -- National Geographic


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## annasimon

halydia said:


> I did some fact checking on that passport claim, and came across this article, which I found fascinating: Behind the myth that few Americans have passports - Columbia Missourian


Interesting article. Yes America is quite big isn't it? and for sure much more expensive to travel away from than it is for Europeans, no doubt. 
Plus it's very true that in a lot of parts of America, specifically the big cities, we grow up and live with multiple cultures (not just one or two groups of immigrants) and for the most part do embrace them, especially the European expats. I grew up in Los Angeles, which is HEAVILY Mexican, my father is from England, my step-father from Israel, and my husband is German! 
In the big cities anyway, we know what integration is all about. And ironically enough even though we know a lot of Europeans have bad stero-typical ideas about us, we still think that THEY are the coolest! yeah...we are like that there... 

I do only hope some of my positive attitudes and genuine interest of Foreign cultures I obtained having grown up in America will come back to me in this, my new exciting endeavor.


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## Alcalaina

halydia said:


> I'm more than willing to claim that the reason a claimed 50% of Canadians hold passports is that "an estimated 75 percent of Canadians live within 161 kilometers (100 miles) of the U.S. border.*" The recent Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires that Canadians (and Americans!) hold passports or a passport/frequent traveler card to cross said borders. I was in Canada when this law came into effect, and remember the absolute ruckus it caused.


Sounds feasible.


halydia said:


> Where'd you get the passport information for Australia?


Answers.com - What percentage of australians have passports


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## Pesky Wesky

There's a facebook page called Americans in Mallorca.
There are precisely 13...

Google (España) es tu amigo...


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## gus-lopez

Pesky Wesky said:


> There's a facebook page called Americans in Mallorca.
> There are precisely 13...
> 
> Google (España) es tu amigo...


What ! Out of 80,000 that live in Spain ? ( Apparently )


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## Caz.I

I imagine that not all are on Facebook then! I remember seeing a programme last year, I think it was Callejeros, about foreigners living in Spain, and it featured an elderly but very lively American woman in Mallorca (cant remember where exactly though) who had lived there for years and seemed to be at the centre of Mallorcan high society. So that accounts for at least one...

But I am sure you will find some of your fellow patriots there. I think there is an American club of some sorts for Americans living in Spain... They used to be listed in the Sur In English.


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## greenteen

Hi Annasimon
I lived in Mallorca for 3 years and met quite a few Americans who live there. Go to Santa Maria where my American friend has just opened a restaurant called Es Petit Cafe.


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## Alcalaina

Caz.I said:


> I imagine that not all are on Facebook then! I remember seeing a programme last year, I think it was Callejeros, about foreigners living in Spain, and it featured an elderly but very lively American woman in Mallorca (cant remember where exactly though) who had lived there for years and seemed to be at the centre of Mallorcan high society. So that accounts for at least one....


I saw that! Destino España, brilliant programme. And here she is, the fabulous Elena from Noo York!

Destino: España - Baleares - Elena - RTVE.es


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## greenteen

Hi Alcalaina
Thats another one then as my friend is mid thirties and called Katie


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## annasimon

greenteen said:


> Hi Annasimon
> I lived in Mallorca for 3 years and met quite a few Americans who live there. Go to Santa Maria where my American friend has just opened a restaurant called Es Petit Cafe.


Thanks! i will check ot out sometime


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## athesp

*Yankie (sic) bashing*



baldilocks said:


> I wasn't trying to be a Yankie-basher but unfortunately a large number go abroad with the attitude that the world owes the US... (my mother-in-law is one!) The same attitude is put about also by some Brits and Germans and... It doesn't endear them to people in other lands especially in the Spanish territories where memories of the atrocities that were perpetrated during the Civil War while the rest of the world either turned a blind eye or supported (in some cases, actively) the perpetrators.



Well, Baldilocks.... I just ran across this post and must say that you certainly DO sound like a Yankee basher. I am in the process of moving to Mallorca and have, thankfully, met quite a few Brits here who are definitely NOT Yankee bashers. I would point out, however, that "Yankee bashing" is a British term. "Bashing" in general one of the reasons I don't want to live in the West (including England) any longer.


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## jojo

athesp said:


> Well, Baldilocks.... I just ran across this post and must say that you certainly DO sound like a Yankee basher. I am in the process of moving to Mallorca and have, thankfully, met quite a few Brits here who are definitely NOT Yankee bashers. I would point out, however, that "Yankee bashing" is a British term. "Bashing" in general one of the reasons I don't want to live in the West (including England) any longer.



Dont take it too seriously. We all "bash" others from time to time and it seems everyone has stereotypes to live up to or dispel, as long as its not meant with any malice! In the end we're all expats looking to find something that we couldnt find "at home" I guess!! Eventually we all take people individually as we find them, I know I do!

Jo xxx


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## 90199

I went to Mallorca for a break in September, stayed in S'illot, I found that the local people were very friendly and polite, there were a lot of British tourists and a lot of Mosquitoes
It was however most unusual, to find that all the road signs were in Welsh


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