# What do they REALLY think?



## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Maybe an odd/ controversial subject to raise but from those well experienced in Spain, what do the locals really think of so many foreigners living in their country?

I know just like any country there's going to be obviously wide and varying views from friendly to borderline racist but what I am wondering is the general view. Thanks


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## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

A lot of them "like" us as we are wealthy, in their eyes, and they can make money from us. Deep down though many do not like us.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We have made many Spanish friends since moving here as well as Swedish, Italian, Norwegian, Danish, Sudanese and, of course, British. Our Spanish friends love having British people as friends but they do not like the Spanish who are racist and, of course, some Spanish are. Just look at the racist chants at some of the northern clubs, for example. We have come across a handful of Spanish who do resent foreigners living here but they say nothing to our faces of any import. Pretty much the same as living in Britain where racism thrives in certain parts and doesn't exist in others. We have never encountered racism in Frigiliana but as Mrs Rabbitcat has told Mr that he doesn't like it you won't encounter the lack of racism here as we have...


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I don't think any of us who are not Spanish, or at least have a Spanish partner, can really answer that question as anything we could say would just be based on what we think they think!

The only negative things Spanish people have ever said to me about other British people living here are about those who don't learn the language, and once or twice disapproving remarks about people who drink excessively. 

They appear (at least where I live) to prefer people coming to live here full time rather than just buying holiday homes which are left empty for much of the year, and their attitude towards you really warms up if you employ local Spanish people to do work on your property, rather than other foreigners.


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## Sirtravelot (Jul 20, 2011)

My experience.

1. They don't like it when you don't speak Spanish.

2. They love you when you got money.

3. We're in a Globalist World. What do we think when Spaniards take jobs in our countries?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

some and some - just like the UK, but if you try to be friendly, try to speak the language and dont take them or their country for granted then I doubt you'll have any trouble

Jo xxx


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

My several friends from Spain have told me they feel that the local Canary Islanders are resentful towards them, something that I was not aware of, and have not personally experienced, in fact we find them extremely friendly and helpful, but it appears that some of the Spaniards are not really liked by the locals.

The other week a Thompson Cruise liner visited, the place was overrun with Brits, one of the local lady shopkeepers said that there were a lot of Guiris in town, "Like us," I questioned, her denial was a pleasure to behold.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Some arrogant British seem to think it is like the old colonial stories where locals look at them as the great white gods.  we will never exactly know as most people are polite to your face, especially if earning money out of foreigners. The same as in the UK I am sure that in small villages they are not too keen to see their traditional bars taken over by Brits, driving foreign cars and setting up their own food shops etc. Not to mention pushing up the price of property over the years.

I am not over the moon about the amount of foreigners in the UK but don't take it out of individuals. I treat them as anyone else. Overall I would think they aren't too pleased, just as any other country in the world when there is a large influx of foreigners.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I have certainly heard some disparaging references to "moros" in conversation, but not nearly so many as I have about gitanos. The Spanish "payos" rarely have a good word to say about them. Many Spanish people are incredulous that I live where I do, where we have quite a lot of gitano neighbours, and say things like "but isn't it dangerous?".

I just take them as I find them. Some of them would no doubt fit every stereotype, but others are really nice people. A gitano couple moved into a house opposite some friends of ours, about a year ago. He is in his 70s, very flamboyant looking with shoulder length hair, always wears a fedora hat and carries a barra (those sticks with a leather tassel on them - he told us he has 8, one for every day of the week and one spare no doubt). They are very generous and welcoming people and have invited our friends (and their relations when they've been staying) to their house several times for drinks and meals. He knows us via our friends and has often invited us to sit down and have a drink with him at a local bar, but we've always declined as we feel awkward about letting him pay for us. Last Friday morning he beckoned us over and just would not take no for an answer, so we joined him and his friend and he bought us both a coffee. We said next time, it's on us. He is such a nice man, very funny and well informed about current affairs. He and his friend both pointed out to us, forcefully,
that they are gitanos - I thought well, you hardly needed to tell me that, but they are fiercely proud of their heritage.

The friend was one of the very many older people I've met here who spent many years living and working abroad (in France, in his case) and I often think that having been through that experience themselves, or almost everybody having someone in their family who did, tends to make them quite tolerant of foreigners coming to live in Spain.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Some good posts

Would also be good to hear from any Spanish members if poss


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Uhm, I'll promise I'll be nice. 

I, can categorically say, that I never thought, think or will think that Brits are rich and we need them in Spain, yes, maybe in the 50s and 60s people might have thought that, for some odd reason but that's the first time I hear such thing, I am not too sure lots of Spanish people think Brits are rich either, lol ! 

I love the mix of different nationalities and languages together, that can only be a good thing, here in Spain or in any other country. I have learnt a lot about other cultures when meeting people from different countries. The only reason I say this is because I lived in the UK and right from the start I went to school to learn the language and tried to integrate with locals, I always tried not to get too segregated with spanish people in the UK, as I wanted to learn the language and adapt to their way of living, after all, I was in their country and I should at least make the effort. 

I don't mind Brits in Spain at all, I do mind seeing drunk people out and about and being loud and behaving badly at 10am , and to be honest most of them I have seen in Spain, are sadly Brits, only this morning I went to the post office at 11am and there were a group of Brits outside an 'English pub' drunk as a lord. I know them, as they are locals and live here permanently. Sad.

The other thing is that they (most of them, at least around my area), don't try to socialize with locals, always doing charity events here and there, quizzes in pub, cakes and whatever, but not a local in sight, etc. 

The last thing is their moaning, they moan all the time, about everything. They moan about the local small cinema not showing movies in English for them, or that there is no-one at the Town Hall to speak English and translate everything to them, etc.

Although there are a lot of other nationalities around here, from Germany, France, Holland, etc, they (for some reason) do really go unnoticed, you hardly see/hear them. 

There are 17 houses in my street, we have spanish (both gitanos and payos), french, german, Brits and Dutch, we all go on very well and we invite each other round for beers/BBQ/younameit (apart from the Brits, they don't wanna know anyone on the street, for some reason and they keep themselves to themselves), and only because of their behaviour, my Spanish neighbours think that all Brits are the same, which is sad. 

You asked!


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Thanks for that I appreciate it

Thankfully I am Irish, lol!!!��- alas we too have drunkards and wasters amongst us


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

While doing my research before moving to Spain eight years ago I attended an exhibition in London where there were hundreds of stands all promoting life in Spain. I asked one of the Spanish exhibitors what he and other Spanish people really thought about the Brits settling in their country. “Listen,” he said, “my father left me a derelict house that I thought was worthless. Then, one day, a British man offered me €50,000 for it. I´m quite happy about British people wanting to live in Spain!” Since retiring here we have found nothing but kindness from our Spanish neighbours. We are regularly invited to their houses for meals and have been guests at two Spanish weddings. They do, however, all hate the Moroccans and Romanians!


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

I have rarely seen many drunken expats even on the Costa del sol. Perhaps some of you chose the wrong areas. I hear all the time about Brits having Spanish 'friends' strangely I never see them.


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## Guest (Feb 15, 2016)

I suggest attitude depends on where you live. Here, apparently there is less friendliness than there was 35 years ago when the first extranjeros came. Then, they were welcome because of the money they brought and simply because the Spanish are friendly. Then the hoards came. People are less friendly but it is relative.I think they are perhaps more reserved (in relative terms…..(that means you are hugged slightly less often) but there is little or no resentment. THere is, however, a Valenciano fragment who have strong feelings about anyone who doesn't share their view on the future of Valencia. This applies to Spaniards as well as extranjeros. So the question here is slightly different. But to give an easy answer..no, no resentment. Some contempt, I suspect, for some of the more stereotypical products of the UK and Ireland, though never openly expressed. Friendliness if you are open to their culture and language. It may well be different in other parts of Spain. The separatist question is more important here than extranjeros v locals.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Lolito said:


> There are 17 houses in my street, we have spanish (both gitanos and payos), french, german, Brits and Dutch, we all go on very well and we invite each other round for beers/BBQ/younameit (apart from the Brits, they don't wanna know anyone on the street, for some reason and they keep themselves to themselves), an*d only because of their behaviour, my Spanish neighbours think that all Brits are the same*, which is sad.
> 
> You asked!


But...
Your partner is British isn't he? So does that mean that they like you but they don;t like him because he's British, just like all the Brits?:confused2:


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Well, I'm not Spanish but OH and my daughter are and they seem to accept me pretty much.
I think my sister in laws and brother in laws (all very well educated and intelligent people) are almost there after 25 years of knowing me, but have spent many a year acknowledging my idiosyncrasies as being a result of my Englishness, not me being me. I don't like snails - it's because I'm English, I don't want to be in the photo - it's because I'm English, I'm not religious - it's because I'm English????

Anyway, what do the Spanish think of the English is impossible to say because who are The English and who are The Spanish? When I first came, and to a large extent even now there are a certain group of Spaniards who hold us in such high esteem it's not only incorrect, it's embarassing. They seem to have fossilised us in the 1950's - 1970's. We are polite , educated, courteous, well mannered, cultured... These are people I've met through family and work in Madrid and Bilbao. No doubt in the south and in the Baleric islands there;s a different story to tell.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

The Skipper said:


> While doing my research before moving to Spain eight years ago I attended an exhibition in London where there were hundreds of stands all promoting life in Spain. I asked one of the Spanish exhibitors what he and other Spanish people really thought about the Brits settling in their country. “Listen,” he said, “my father left me a derelict house that I thought was worthless. Then, one day, a British man offered me €50,000 for it. I´m quite happy about British people wanting to live in Spain!” Since retiring here we have found nothing but kindness from our Spanish neighbours. We are regularly invited to their houses for meals and have been guests at two Spanish weddings. They do, however, all hate the Moroccans and Romanians!


Ah yes, the infamous scale of immigrants where the Brits and Scandanavians if there are any around, will come at the top and the Magrebis will come at the bottom. Blacks second from bottom and South Americans in the middle seems to be the way they are categorised.


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

Well I have been here for 5 years and do not speak Spanish at all as I am from the Black Country so I struggle with English !! Seriously I have never had a problem with not speaking the language and I have lived in 4 totally different areas and all I have found are nice, warm, helpful people so perhaps I have been very lucky but I do treat people with respect and feel that this is all it takes.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I'm a member of a Spanish political Party with a long and proud history and I've been nominated for President, which I see as a great honour. I'm also Vice- President of an LGBT rights association.
In both of these organisations I'm the only guiri.
As to what Spanish people think of me as a British person, these facts surely speak for themselves, namely that if you are friendly and thoughtful and have shared interests nationality is irrelevant.
Incidentally, I do terrible things to the Spanish language but manage to get by and even make speeches.
I am often referred to as ' Maria inglesa', more though to distinguish me from the umpteen other Marias than to highlight my nationality.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> I'm a member of a Spanish political Party with a long and proud history and I've been nominated for President, .


OMG!!!
Spain's gonna elect a new President AND that person is a member of our little forum!!!

This is incredible news

Well now we ARE gonna have a few changes sorted out.

Maria scrub all those 90 days until you can import a left hand dog type rules plus make a maximum price of 20 cents for churros. Spain here I come!!


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

No idea what may actually be the case but most think I am English at first and when I say 'Soy Australiano' then I notice they take much more interest and become a bit warmer as opposed to the normal passing greetings.
I don't think there is anything to it other than a bit abnormality as I doubt there a many Aussies about but plenty of English.

I certainly don't feel any racism in Spain, Belgium was far worse for that crap.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Rabbitcat said:


> Thanks for that I appreciate it
> 
> Thankfully I am Irish, lol!!!��- alas we too have drunkards and wasters amongst us


Sorry Rabbitcat but much of the time English speaking means English. 

I've seen it many times - the assumption that because someone is speaking English they are English. I've seen road rage incidents and supermarket incidents where a Skandi or German will say angrily 'why don't you speak to me in English?' 

I've tried explaining but it doesn't work - I ended up just apologising on behalf of the 'English'.

Although you do see drunken Brits - far more-so in the resorts I would think than in other areas - the people I see mostly drinking in the morning are Spanish - often having a brandy or aguardiente before driving off to work. Not drunk perhaps but...

I've not really come across moaning Brits either but I guess that depends upon where you live. Where I was most of them seemed quite happy with life.

As to what we think about 'Spanish taking jobs in our countries', near where we are part of Bristol has become virtually Spanish - it is known as Little Galicia. There are Spanish bars and on the harbourside, Spanish is heard everywhere.

Nobody seems to mind. But then there is virtually no unemployment here unlike Spain.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Lolito said:


> we all go on very well and we invite each other round for beers/BBQ/younameit (apart from the Brits, _they don't wanna know anyone on the street, for some reason and they keep themselves to themselves), and only because of their behaviour, my Spanish neighbours think that all Brits are the same_, which is sad.


There has to be more to it than that surely?

If that is all it takes to leave a bad impression on some then I don't get it. 
I mean I'm all for being friendly with our neighbours and such and if some type of relationship develops then that can only be positive but frankly I would rather be left alone too.

I can't think of anything worse than a neighbour who always has their head over the fence wanting a chat or constantly getting invited to stuff you would rather not go too.

I would be the same anywhere though not just in Spain.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Ah but Jimenato but that's we Irish abroad do things deliberately to show we are Irish and not English

For example sometimes I go in to a restaurant in Spain, order a meal, pay for it- then when the waiters not looking sneak out without eating it!!


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

We've made lots of Spanish friends and socialise with them regularly.

They say they are happy foreigners are here but don't like it when they've been here for years and don't speak the language. That's really the one negative thing I have heard them say about the Brits. They tell a joke here... what do you call a person who speaks 3 languages... trilingual, what about a person who speaks 2... bilingual.... and 1.... English.

They don't like Moroccans much.

My policeman mate tells me that they have more trouble with Spanish kids than English kids getting drunk and high in the summer, but I do think that's only because there are so many Spanish in Javea in the summer. Brits do behave far worse when in equal numbers, I think.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

As couple of people have said, the attitude/ acceptance or what ever will depend on where you are and also who you are.
A lot of people say that the Spanish are very tolerant of both race and sexuality for example. That may be true, but often the areas which are most accepting are those who don't experience these groups. There are still few areas that have really high concentration on the scale of parts of Birmingham, Manchester or London for example. Lavapies in Madrid is one that comes to mind; It's not common to hear of racial tensions there. On the other hand there have been problems in Ecija I believe and there is a large Indian population in Barcelona which have encountered racism.
Racism is everywhere unfortunately, but sometimes it takes longer to raise its head. Also, racisim has its levels and normally in Spain if you are white and a native English speaker you'll do ok. However, if you are just ill tempered, rude, arrogant and or drunk you will not be liked, just as you were probably not liked in your home country. In fact, you may be given positive racism which happened to me for many years when I first came and which I kind of mentioned in a previous post. Because I was English I was perceived to be cultured, educated, wise, good...It was an image that people had conjured up of the English...


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Oh so much depends on the attitude of the Brit/Dutch/French/German... If the foreigner adopts the attitude of superiority or behaves in a manner that the Spanish would consider disgraceful (drunk and vomiting everywhere) or acts in a disrespectful manner, then that foreigner is going to be disliked. 

Some of it is down to not speaking the language but more is down to failure to be open and friendly as if there is something to hide. I never have any problems with anybody else, I speak to gitanos, cocos and any other group without fear nor favour. Many I know by their first names and always use them, that is an excellent way to become integrated and become accepted. A person you know by name is never as distant as one who is anonymous. The guy who runs the Correos was a miserable git and wouldn't say anymore than he had to for the purposes of the transaction; I asked him his name and always call him by it, he is now much more friendly and helpful.

A number of Brits have lived here in the past and rather gave us a bad name for their attitudes, drinking, rowdiness, etc., and, to start with, some Spaniards started bad-mouthing us until one or two Spaniards who know us better put them in their places.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> But...
> Your partner is British isn't he? So does that mean that they like you but they don;t like him because he's British, just like all the Brits?:confused2:


Hi Pesky, well, yes, Mark is English, from Yorkshire, but you wouldn't tell if you knew him, lol! soon it will be 5 years since we arrived here and he has not gone back to UK once, he doesn't want to at all, not even to see his family and friends, lol! He speaks very good spanish and he is very extrovert, so it makes things easier in Spain. To be honest, we made friends first with the British couple here, but soon we started meeting the rest of the street, and we made parties, etc inviting all the neighbours but the british never came, they seem to be nice people, we really made the effort but they don't really want to know. We stopped talking for some other reason, we parked our car in front of their house briefly as we were going to go out again and didn't want to use the garage, and my god!!! what a mess the made of that!! * and it is not even VADO *


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Rabbitcat said:


> OMG!!!
> Spain's gonna elect a new President AND that person is a member of our little forum!!!
> 
> This is incredible news
> ...


Err, sadly no, Rabbitcat...I'm just a little fish in a big pond...thankfully. 
But if ever I get elected to a more influential, powerful position, I promise to make you aide-de-camp, right-hand man, power behind the throne Together we will create a new world order, a peaceful, harmonious place, with free churros, wall-to-wall sunshine, Guinness on tap in every chiringuito....
That is a solemn promise.
And I never break promises.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Where I live there are only a dozen other British residents, and another dozen who have holiday homes. I have become good friends with several Spanish people, mainly English teachers, through helping them with the language (and vice versa). I can have a reasonably deep conversation in Spanish on a one-to-one basis, though I struggle in groups.

One of the more frequent topics of conversation is what they think of the Brits; the other is why did we move here. They like it when we learn the language, use local shops, ask them about local recipes, customs and history. They are proud of their town and love to show it off. 

They accept that some of us eat at funny hours, don't always like being kissed on both cheeks, and go out for a drink at 8 pm. They are bemused by the fact that we turn our roof terraces into leisure spaces (they only use them for hanging out washing or keeping dogs and poultry), and that we would rather buy impractical old buildings and lovingly restore them than have a nice new one. They laugh at the ones who ignore advice from local builders and put in huge windows so they can enjoy the view. They just don't understand why we get excited about the vultures and storks that circle over the village.

Nobody has ever mentioned drunken holiday-makers in Magaluf etc - that's another world.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> Where I live there are only a dozen other British residents, and another dozen who have holiday homes. I have become good friends with several Spanish people, mainly English teachers, through helping them with the language (and vice versa). I can have a reasonably deep conversation in Spanish on a one-to-one basis, though I struggle in groups.
> 
> One of the more frequent topics of conversation is what they think of the Brits; the other is why did we move here. They like it when we learn the language, use local shops, ask them about local recipes, customs and history. They are proud of their town and love to show it off.
> 
> ...


Same here. Haven't seen a drunk of any nationality for years.
There are Brits in our village, we get everywhere, they tend to have lived here for years and speak good Spanish.
My Spanish friends are mainly people we've met through politics and the animal charity although we are on very friendly terms with our neighbours. I can have reasonable conversations on any topic albeit in bad but comprehensible Spanish but my main problem is that I often understand only 70 -80% of what is said in reply.
I've been asked to take part in an ArcoIris mesa rotunda in Malaga based around a showing of 'Pride', that film about the gay and lesbian miners' support group and although I'll be OK with a set speech I'm more than a bit nervous about taking part in a Q and A session. You could do it much better than I
I remember you went on an intensive course in Seville some time ago. Was it very expensive and was it effective?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Alcalaina said:


> Nobody has ever mentioned drunken holiday-makers in Magaluf etc - that's another world.


The pair we had here (thankfully they are long gone) weren't holidaymakers, unfortunately. They were a couple in their early 50s who moved here from Torrox Pueblo (apparently leaving a string of debts behind them) into a rented house. They would go out before lunch, come back in the early afternoon so drunk that they were literally staggering and bouncing off the walls at each side of the street), sleep it off for a few hours then go out and do the same in the evening. Several times they walked out of bars without paying their bill, so the proprietors said. The Spanish neighbours were not too keen on them at all, and who could blame them.

They went back to the UK in something of a hurry, reportedly after she received some communication regarding UK benefits she was in receipt of. Could well have drunk themselves to death by now, for all I know.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> Where I live there are only a dozen other British residents, and another dozen who have holiday homes. I have become good friends with several Spanish people, mainly English teachers, through helping them with the language (and vice versa). I can have a reasonably deep conversation in Spanish on a one-to-one basis, though I struggle in groups. One of the more frequent topics of conversation is what they think of the Brits; the other is why did we move here. They like it when we learn the language, use local shops, ask them about local recipes, customs and history. They are proud of their town and love to show it off. They accept that some of us eat at funny hours, don't always like being kissed on both cheeks, and go out for a drink at 8 pm. They are bemused by the fact that we turn our roof terraces into leisure spaces (they only use them for hanging out washing or keeping dogs and poultry), and that we would rather buy impractical old buildings and lovingly restore them than have a nice new one. They laugh at the ones who ignore advice from local builders and put in huge windows so they can enjoy the view. They just don't understand why we get excited about the vultures and storks that circle over the village. Nobody has ever mentioned drunken holiday-makers in Magaluf etc - that's another world.


 hell, I'm running out right now to buy some chickens for my terrazas.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Lynn R said:


> The pair we had here (thankfully they are long gone) weren't holidaymakers, unfortunately. They were a couple in their early 50s who moved here from Torrox Pueblo (apparently leaving a string of debts behind them) into a rented house. They would go out before lunch, come back in the early afternoon so drunk that they were literally staggering and bouncing off the walls at each side of the street), sleep it off for a few hours then go out and do the same in the evening. Several times they walked out of bars without paying their bill, so the proprietors said. The Spanish neighbours were not too keen on them at all, and who could blame them.
> 
> They went back to the UK in something of a hurry, reportedly after she received some communication regarding UK benefits she was in receipt of. Could well have drunk themselves to death by now, for all I know.


For some reason Spain does seem to attract the wrong kind of British. Don't see it in Portugal, Italy and France. No excuse for xenophobia though.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> As couple of people have said, the attitude/ acceptance or what ever will depend on where you are and also who you are.
> A lot of people say that the Spanish are very tolerant of both race and sexuality for example. That may be true, but often the areas which are most accepting are those who don't experience these groups. There are still few areas that have really high concentration on the scale of parts of Birmingham, Manchester or London for example. Lavapies in Madrid is one that comes to mind; It's not common to hear of racial tensions there. On the other hand there have been problems in Ecija I believe and there is a large Indian population in Barcelona which have encountered racism.
> Racism is everywhere unfortunately, but sometimes it takes longer to raise its head. Also, racisim has its levels and normally in Spain if you are white and a native English speaker you'll do ok. However, if you are just ill tempered, rude, arrogant and or drunk you will not be liked, just as you were probably not liked in your home country. In fact, you may be given positive racism which happened to me for many years when I first came and which I kind of mentioned in a previous post. Because I was English I was perceived to be cultured, educated, wise, good...It was an image that people had conjured up of the English...


Good post, I was beginning to think I read different newspapers to anyone else

There is racism all over the world and the Spain is no different. It has its share of right wing organisations and there are often fights that blow up even between nearby villages. I have read forum posts too about racism in Spanish schools.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Isobella said:


> For some reason Spain does seem to attract the wrong kind of British. Don't see it in Portugal, Italy and France. No excuse for xenophobia though.


A German once nipped in front of me to steal a parking space I was signalling I was about to occupy.
Obviously the wrong sort of German
I guess there are the 'wrong sort' of every nationality here, including the wrong sort of Spanish...
But I'm sure all, or 99.9% of us, on this Forum, represent the very Best of British, la crème de la crème, as it were

I don't really know what my Spanish mates think of the British, tbh I doubt they ever think much *about *the British.
But I have heard some racist comments about 'moros'...from fellow PSOE militantes!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> I remember you went on an intensive course in Seville some time ago. Was it very expensive and was it effective?


Yes, and last year I did the same in Granada (combined with cookery). It's really useful and fun because you get to talk about really interesting topics in small groups - and then get feedback on your mistakes, which of course you don't get in real life. The price depends how many hours/weeks you do - I did a week of 20 hours for €185, plus accommodation in a self-catering apartment which was about €50 a night (through booking.com, which was cheaper than getting it via the school). Full details here:

General Spanish in Seville - Spanish Courses

I must add that the main benefit was having to talk Spanish 24/7 due to absence of English-speaking OH!


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Once stayed in a hotel in Fuengirola and they was a huge group of Norwegians there. Quite a few we're drinking pints of beer with their breakfast and many were staggering around by the evening. But what the hell, they were on holiday. The Norwegians are mainly nice people, as are the British.:fingerscrossed:


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Isobella said:


> Good post, I was beginning to think I read different newspapers to anyone else
> 
> There is racism all over the world and the Spain is no different. It has its share of right wing organisations and there are often fights that blow up even between nearby villages. I have read forum posts too about racism in Spanish schools.



Compared to other European countries though, Spain is notable for its _absence_ of far-right organisations. There is nothing remotely like the Front National or Pergida or whatever, just a few old falangists living in the past. JONS got less than 0.01% of the vote in the last elections, less than the animal rights party.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Plenty of stuff on the Internet.

Alcaina I think when you said there aren't many Brits in your area answers it. Some areas has/had far too many. Alhaurin el grande had hundreds at one time. There was a lot of tensions. Similar to a programme I saw on channel 4 last week about the huge influx of Roma in an area of Sheffield. People feel their identity and traditions are being threatened.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Isobella said:


> For some reason Spain does seem to attract the wrong kind of British. Don't see it in Portugal, Italy and France. No excuse for xenophobia though.


I don't believe anyone here has suggested that there is xenophobia towards British people from Spaniards. Simply that they are disapproving of those who do go in for that sort of behaviour, which is quite different.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Well I have misunderstood. Thought a lot of posts indicated that if the Spanish don't like them it's the fault of a few boozers


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Isobella said:


> Well I have misunderstood. Thought a lot of posts indicated that if the Spanish don't like them it's the fault of a few boozers


I can't speak for anyone else, but what I said was that the only negative things Spaniards had ever said to me about other British people were about those who don't learn the language and ONCE OR TWICE about those who drink excessively.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Lynn R said:


> I don't believe anyone here has suggested that there is xenophobia towards British people from Spaniards. Simply that they are disapproving of those who do go in for that sort of behaviour, which is quite different.


Most people disapprove of unseemly public behaviour. (Good thing I reread that, I left the 'l' out of public, although that would have reinforced my meaning).
I've yet to see a drunken Spaniard but a Spanish friend tells me it's because I don't go to the 'right' (or 'wrong') places. 
What I find interesting and noteworthy is the Spanish attitude to sex. I once remarked to a Spanish friend that on the ten minute journey from my house to the supermarket I passed six known brothels to be given a dismissive shrug in reply. Another friend who enjoys golf said that after a round and a drink in the clubhouse his Spanish buddies always suggested ending the day with a trip to a house of ill repute.
I remember reading somewhere that the only thing that shocks Spaniards about sex is someone being shocked about anything to do with sex.
My investigations of this topic have not been intensive, as it were, but I do find the attitudes I've encountered interesting.
I'm a bit of a prude, myself.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> Most people disapprove of unseemly public behaviour. (Good thing I reread that, I left the 'l' out of public, although that would have reinforced my meaning).
> I've yet to see a drunken Spaniard but a Spanish friend tells me it's because I don't go to the 'right' (or 'wrong') places.
> What I find interesting and noteworthy is the Spanish attitude to sex. I once remarked to a Spanish friend that on the ten minute journey from my house to the supermarket I passed six known brothels to be given a dismissive shrug in reply. Another friend who enjoys golf said that after a round and a drink in the clubhouse his Spanish buddies always suggested ending the day with a trip to a house of ill repute.
> I remember reading somewhere that the only thing that shocks Spaniards about sex is someone being shocked about anything to do with sex.
> ...


The brothels here, and the women standing by the roadside we hear about in certain areas, are probably more open and obvious, but I'm not sure the actual situation is that different in reality in the UK. Every big town and city has its "red light areas" which are well known, with women standing on street corners and kerbcrawlers abounding, and there are "massage parlours" in practically every town. I had a job for a while in Ancoats, just outside Manchester City Centre, and the working girls were even out and about waiting for business at lunchtime (I see just the same thing on one particular street in Madrid when we go up there each year). A work colleague of mine lived in Cheetham Hill in Manchester and she even had men knocking at the door of her house in the evenings, when her children were in the house, looking for prostitutes, and was regularly propositioned by kerbcrawlers. It can be a big problem for people who live in or on the fringes of those areas.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Lynn R said:


> The brothels here, and the women standing by the roadside we hear about in certain areas, are probably more open and obvious, but I'm not sure the actual situation is that different in reality in the UK. Every big town and city has its "red light areas" which are well known, with women standing on street corners and kerbcrawlers abounding, and there are "massage parlours" in practically every town. I had a job for a while in Ancoats, just outside Manchester City Centre, and the working girls were even out and about waiting for business at lunchtime (I see just the same thing on one particular street in Madrid when we go up there each year). A work colleague of mine lived in Cheetham Hill in Manchester and she even had men knocking at the door of her house in the evenings, when her children were in the house, looking for prostitutes, and was regularly propositioned by kerbcrawlers. It can be a big problem for people who live in or on the fringes of those areas.


It's the tolerance of these places in Spain, though, that's different. A Spanish friend once said to me she didn't care about puti clubs as long as they didn't disturb the neighbours and unlike the UK, as you say,they don't, on the whole.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> Most people disapprove of unseemly public behaviour. (Good thing I reread that, I left the 'l' out of public, although that would have reinforced my meaning).
> I've yet to see a drunken Spaniard but a Spanish friend tells me it's because I don't go to the 'right' (or 'wrong') places.
> What I find interesting and noteworthy is the Spanish attitude to sex. I once remarked to a Spanish friend that on the ten minute journey from my house to the supermarket I passed six known brothels to be given a dismissive shrug in reply. Another friend who enjoys golf said that after a round and a drink in the clubhouse his Spanish buddies always suggested ending the day with a trip to a house of ill repute.
> I remember reading somewhere that the only thing that shocks Spaniards about sex is someone being shocked about anything to do with sex.
> ...


I have no experience of brothels but I have however stopped going to orgies-because I never know who to thank on the way out!!!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> Most people disapprove of unseemly public behaviour. (Good thing I reread that, I left the 'l' out of public, although that would have reinforced my meaning).
> I've yet to see a drunken Spaniard but a Spanish friend tells me it's because I don't go to the 'right' (or 'wrong') places.
> What I find interesting and noteworthy is the Spanish attitude to sex. I once remarked to a Spanish friend that on the ten minute journey from my house to the supermarket I passed six known brothels to be given a dismissive shrug in reply. Another friend who enjoys golf said that after a round and a drink in the clubhouse his Spanish buddies always suggested ending the day with a trip to a house of ill repute.
> I remember reading somewhere that the only thing that shocks Spaniards about sex is someone being shocked about anything to do with sex.
> ...


You are obviously in a bit of a rough area . Around here, I know of two, one between the village and the nearest town and one just the other side of that town. I was surprised to find them so openly located (no backstreets.)

The other thing that surprised me with regard to sex, is the relationships between young people. Both males and females seem to be able to gather together and be free and easy with each other but there are only rarely any teenaged pregnancies, however, whether this is because they are kept hidden or don't occur, I can't say, but living in a village, there are very few secrets.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> I'm a member of a Spanish political Party with a long and proud history and I've been nominated for President, which I see as a great honour. I'm also Vice- President of an LGBT rights association.
> In both of these organisations I'm the only guiri.
> As to what Spanish people think of me as a British person, these facts surely speak for themselves, namely that if you are friendly and thoughtful and have shared interests nationality is irrelevant.
> Incidentally, I do terrible things to the Spanish language but manage to get by and even make speeches.
> I am often referred to as ' Maria inglesa', more though to distinguish me from the umpteen other Marias than to highlight my nationality.


Congrats Mary! I do hope you'll accept  
I'm a member of our local branch of the same party - our local President for the past several years is a Brit. At one time he was the only one, but there are are two of us now! We do have quite a following among the guiris of various nationalities though, even if they haven't officially joined.

I'm on the management board of the local ayuntamiento run water company - the first foreigner to have ever been asked. 

We've had a lovely Belgian lady on the council for some years, too. She is also now on the management board of the water company.

So it's entirely possible to 'integrate' if you make the effort. I think that those I work alongside accept me as me, not as 'la inglesa' especially, though my experience of having lived & worked in another country is useful sometimes, bringing a different point of view. Some haven't lived outside Jávea, except for uni, & most haven't left Spain except for holidays, & have a rather narrow view of how things should be done.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> Congrats Mary! I do hope you'll accept
> I'm a member of our local branch of the same party - our local President for the past several years is a Brit. At one time he was the only one, but there are are two of us now! We do have quite a following among the guiris of various nationalities though, even if they haven't officially joined.
> 
> I'm on the management board of the local ayuntamiento run water company - the first foreigner to have ever been asked.
> ...


Felicidades companera


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## The Quilt (Aug 19, 2015)

Why worry about it? If someone has problems with certain nationalities,surely,that's their own problem. I personally haven't had any incidents of any form of racism from Spanish people that I'm aware of,even though I think most of the time I'm mistaken for being British.

I do have to say though,and I certainly don't want to offend anybody on here,is that if in a conversation with some Spanish people,and they learn that I am Irish,they tend to warm more towards me. Having said that,while being assumed to be British,I don't get any problems either so,for all the Brits out there, Don't Worry....Be Happy.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

The Quilt said:


> Why worry about it? If someone has problems with certain nationalities,surely,that's their own problem. I personally haven't had any incidents of any form of racism from Spanish people that I'm aware of,even though I think most of the time I'm mistaken for being British.
> 
> I do have to say though,and I certainly don't want to offend anybody on here,is that if in a conversation with some Spanish people,and they learn that I am Irish,they tend to warm more towards me. Having said that,while being assumed to be British,I don't get any problems either so,for all the Brits out there, Don't Worry....Be Happy.


It's not so much of worrying but rather how we are perceived.

I think we've integrated pretty well. We have Spanish friends as well as Brits. Our daughter goes for Sunday dinner with a Spanish family every week so she's certainly accepted.

However, as a generality, I often wonder how Brits are perceived.

Are we the ones with lots of money and no sense who buy large villas?
Are we the stupid ones who follow all the rules to the n'th degree?
Are we the ones who are always last to leave the beach during siesta?

I referred to ourselves as Guiris once and one Spanish friend was quite surprised. She stated that of course we weren't - "you're British".


I certainly think racism exists in this part of Spain but against Bulgarians, Romanians and Moroccans. Oh, and gypsies in general!


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

The Quilt said:


> Why worry about it? If someone has problems with certain nationalities,surely,that's their own problem. I personally haven't had any incidents of any form of racism from Spanish people that I'm aware of,even though I think most of the time I'm mistaken for being British.
> 
> I do have to say though,and I certainly don't want to offend anybody on here,is that if in a conversation with some Spanish people,and they learn that I am Irish,they tend to warm more towards me. Having said that,while being assumed to be British,I don't get any problems either so,for all the Brits out there, Don't Worry....Be Happy.


I have actually been the victim of Irish racism! While on holiday in Dublin, aged about 10, a group of local boys gave me a kicking because I was "a Brit." My protestations that my father was Irish failed to impress them! Never mind, I don´t bear a grudge and will actually be going to Dublin this year to join in the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising (but I think I´ll stay in the company of my numerous Irish cousins, for safety´s sake!).


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

[B said:


> The Quilt;9450121* Why worry about it? If someone has problems with certain nationalities,surely,that's their own problem. [*/B]
> I don't think it's necessarily a worry, but it's something to be aware of.
> It's their own problem to a certain extent, but if it impacts on the type of service you receive, job offers you are given, the reception you have in a community, then it is very much the "victims" problem too. People don't tend to live insular lives and as such, other people's attitudes do affect the people around them.
> 
> ...


===


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

One thing for sure, when the Russian tourists really start turning up en masse the Spanish will love the brits once again lol.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> It's not so much of worrying but rather how we are perceived.
> 
> I think we've integrated pretty well. We have Spanish friends as well as Brits. Our daughter goes for Sunday dinner with a Spanish family every week so she's certainly accepted.
> 
> ...


The use of Guiri seems to vary a lot. I've been called a guiri a lot, but in fun.
Where I've actually been corrected by some Spanish people is by including myself in the bracket of "immigrant". As discussed on many other threads during the years, there are a lot of Spanish people, and others, who don't think that Brits, at least white ones (not sure about others) are not immigrants


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## The Quilt (Aug 19, 2015)

"In my job (English teacher) I find there is there is a very misplaced "snobism" with many Spaniards preferring British English as it's "better". Others prefer British English because they do business within Europe where British English is more common - that may make sense, but it's not better."

Can you clarify what you mean here Pesky? What exactly is "British English"? Do you mean nationality or language?


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

The reason I mentioned the drunk british is because there is a pub in town, next to a couple of big supermarkets and a school, and lots of people go past it every day. There is a 'terraza' outside on the street, where they all sit and smoke and drink and laugh, and usually 95% of the times I go past it, we always find the same people, usually drunk and always well before midday. 

It sort of remind me when I used to go to work (in UK), and I went past a Post Office, and usually I could see a long queue of people looking rather 'odd' (lol) waiting for the Post Office to open, then I could see from my office window, that they would just cross the road and go to the off licence to buy cigs and cheap plonk. 

I do see Spanish people drunk, but usually at around 2 or 3 am.... we could always drink alcohol at any time of the day and night, so we took it easy, drunk lots but gradually over the day, eating a few times in between drinks, etc, so really, I don't remember being drunk during the day, but usually at night time as we went out for dinner at around 11pm, then coffee, then we'll start the bars/pubs never before 1am... 

In Uk, it was so different, I started going out after work, at 5pm, and try to drink as much as I could before they close at 11pm, and then have a kebab on the way home... lol! No more!

Here in Spain you can drink at any time of the day or night, so people should take it easy....


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

The Quilt said:


> "In my job (English teacher) I find there is there is a very misplaced "snobism" with many Spaniards preferring British English as it's "better". Others prefer British English because they do business within Europe where British English is more common - that may make sense, but it's not better."
> 
> Can you clarify what you mean here Pesky? What exactly is "British English"? Do you mean nationality or language?


Americans and the British both speak English, but there are differences: differences in accent, vocabulary and even grammar. Some people think that British English is better, but I don't think it's correct to categorise languages as better or worse than each other.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

What I have found .........

By & large I have found the Spanish to be very accommodating and Women more than Men, the Men are more reserved I think but not sure why though ?
I worked for the local council for a spell with just me and a Romanian lad on the team who were not local and it was clear that I was just a curiosity until they got to know me but the Romanian was just viewed with suspicion and never fitted in. About 12 months later I was in the village with one of the lads I used to work with as the council vehicle pulled up and 2 East Europeans jumped out and went into the offices, bloody outrage he says (or words to that effect) employing them while locals are out of work !
I started to chuckle and asked him was the same said behind my back ?, no your English he said with a bemused look on his face ? ............ we then went for a coffee while he continued to have a rant. :confused2:
Like others have said when I refer to myself as an immigrant to those I speak to they have all said the same (no your English ?) 

Mind you I do realise that if I lived here for 50 years I would never be classed as Spanish, but hey that's just how it is and would also apply in France/Italy and I'm sure elsewhere (not the UK though)

I kind of like that you can also easily approach/talk to teenagers here without batting an eyelid & in fact have a few as friends, not quite the same as the UK as far as I can recall ?

Not had any reason to give the issue a seconds thought since we have been here.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

VFR said:


> What I have found .........
> 
> By & large I have found the Spanish to be very accommodating and Women more than Men, the Men are more reserved I think but not sure why though ?
> I worked for the local council for a spell with just me and a Romanian lad on the team who were not local and it was clear that I was just a curiosity until they got to know me but the Romanian was just viewed with suspicion and never fitted in. About 12 months later I was in the village with one of the lads I used to work with as the council vehicle pulled up and 2 East Europeans jumped out and went into the offices, bloody outrage he says (or words to that effect) employing them while locals are out of work !
> ...


When I taught English to Spanish kids in an academy years ago, I had a similar experience with a group of teens. Apparently Europeans aren't considered to be immigrants - or at least that was their view - whereas South Americans, even with a common language, are :confused2:


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> When I taught English to Spanish kids in an academy years ago, I had a similar experience with a group of teens. Apparently Europeans aren't considered to be immigrants - or at least that was their view - whereas South Americans, even with a common language, are :confused2:


I've found that Americans (from the United States) aren't considered to be immigrants either. I've been told that many times.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I remember when we were looking to buy a house in Spain 8 years ago. The agent said that the owner didn't like the British "invasion" because we'd made house prices rocket, making it impossible for locals to afford housing?? Hhhmm...he wouldn't take offers from Brits and wasn't particularly friendly 

Jo xxx

Sent from my D5803 using Expat Forum


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jojo said:


> I remember when we were looking to buy a house in Spain 8 years ago. The agent said that the owner didn't like the British "invasion" because we'd made house prices rocket, making it impossible for locals to afford housing?? Hhhmm...he wouldn't take offers from Brits and wasn't particularly friendly
> 
> Jo xxx
> 
> Sent from my D5803 using Expat Forum


Which is what has happened in countless places nearer the uk like the Cotswolds and parts of Wales


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## The Quilt (Aug 19, 2015)

I think I can see what the meaning of describing someone as a foreigner or not is,I grew up in Ireland and spent most of my adulthood there. Lots of nationalities,in my opinion, would not have been described as "foreigners" i.e. British,Americans,Canadians,Aussies,Kiwis and perhaps western Europeans(Spanish,French) But when you started to go further afield,then for some reason they were deemed to be "real"foreigners,and not in a bad way,that was just how it was. 

Another thing I have noticed is that Black Africans don't tend to be described as foreigners either but as Africans,it's not racist or anything I think,just that some people find it a handy way of describing certain nationalities.

The point I'm coming to is,in Spain,something similar may exist where certain nationalities aren't described as foreigners,and no particular reason for it.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Which is what has happened in countless places nearer the uk like the Cotswolds and* parts of Wales*


To a degree your right. Back in the sixties and seventies English were buying up cottages and farm houses left right and centre but... most of these properties had been empty for years, many young Welsh folk did not want to live in some old cottage in a little village, they wanted a modern home with central heating and double glazing. In fact, the 'weekenders' kept many a small local store/garage/pub afloat.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> The use of Guiri seems to vary a lot. I've been called a guiri a lot, but in fun.
> Where I've actually been corrected by some Spanish people is by including myself in the bracket of "immigrant". As discussed on many other threads during the years, there are a lot of Spanish people, and others, who don't think that Brits, at least white ones (not sure about others) are not immigrants


Is that because we are known as _[email protected]_, or _[email protected]_ of the EU? The government, at least, only uses the term _inmigrantes _to describe people from outside the EU. Maybe that's trickled down to the population. I must admit, people look at me strangely if I call myself an _inmigrante_, so I usually use _guiri_ and have a laugh about it.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

bob_bob said:


> To a degree your right. Back in the sixties and seventies English were buying up cottages and farm houses left right and centre but... most of these properties had been empty for years, many young Welsh folk did not want to live in some old cottage in a little village, they wanted a modern home with central heating and double glazing. In fact, the 'weekenders' kept many a small local store/garage/pub afloat.


That was exactly how it was here when we bought our house, and still is. The Spanish people could not wait to sell off their old houses in a location where, more often than not, you can't drive a car to the front door, to eccentric foreigners, and move into new flats near the town centre. It was fine when a lot of the foreign buyers were coming here to live full time, but for the past few years almost all the houses sold have been bought as holiday homes, and small local shops are just not surviving now, which is a great shame. It has its advantages as it is much quieter now than when we first arrived (we had a day nursery just across the street), but I don't like it so much as a lot of the life seems to have gone out of the area.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

bob_bob said:


> To a degree your right. Back in the sixties and seventies English were buying up cottages and farm houses left right and centre but... most of these properties had been empty for years, many young Welsh folk did not want to live in some old cottage in a little village, they wanted a modern home with central heating and double glazing. In fact, the 'weekenders' kept many a small local store/garage/pub afloat.


I bought a house in North Wales in 1987 in an area where there had recently been burning down of holiday places. I bought from an elderly widow who wanted to move away, but since I was living there, I had no problems. While I had it I installed double glazing and central heating (it needed both.) When I wanted to sell in 1989 (i was moving abroad) I put it up for sale with a £500 discount for anyone from the village - no problems.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Which is what has happened in countless places nearer the uk like the Cotswolds and parts of Wales


And Cornwall! Which, thankfully, helped to finance my early retirement to Spain!


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

I've met a lot of Spanish who don't like the British in general. A common sentiment seems to be that they come to Spain and expect everyone to speak English. I have pointed out that a lot of those people they think are British are actually Irish/Dutch/German/Swedish etc. but it always falls on deaf ears!

I don't have many problems here, but then I speak Spanish well, with a decent accent, and have lived in Spain on and off for quite a long time. The friends I have here are almost all local Valencians and I get on well with most people here, but what I do find odd is that people have absolutely no interest or curiosity about where I'm from. I lived in Chile for a time and every single person I met asked me all about England, how did Chile compare to England, what did I think about Chileans? The Spanish simply don't seem to care. I get the sense they really prefer me to just fit in with them, speak like them, eat like them, if that makes sense? Basically be a Spanish version of me as opposed to a British person living here. The British 'traits' I still have such as shyness are considered to be defects rather than simple cultural differences. But on the whole, yes, I am treated well here!


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

My best friend, William (Scottish), lived for 3 years in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, etc. I remember him telling me off because I wasn't very interested in these places. Now he lives in Sidney, and visit regularly New Zealand, I love these places and I am forever asking him questions about these places. 

I have no interest whatsoever in Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela or Uruguay.... but I love Mexico, Argentina and Honduras. 

I love fried eggs, but I hate French omelettes. Just preferences really , that's all. 

I would also be more interested in learning about England or Great Britain, or Norway, or Greece, rather than, let's say, Chile or Armenia.... as I have more chances of visiting those countries near me than those far away that I know I would never go, like China or Japan, or Canada, there are countries, that although I know there are beautiful and probably full of beautiful people, they just don't seem to interest me at all.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Lolito said:


> My best friend, William (Scottish), lived for 3 years in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, etc. I remember him telling me off because I wasn't very interested in these places. Now he lives in Sidney, and visit regularly New Zealand, I love these places and I am forever asking him questions about these places.
> 
> I have no interest whatsoever in Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela or Uruguay.... but I love Mexico, Argentina and Honduras.
> 
> ...


This is what I don't get. You're only interested in talking about places YOU would like to visit. Aren't you interested in hearing about your friend's experiences in Thailand or Cambodia, regardless of whether you'd ever want to go there yourself? If I meet someone from another country, I'm curious about them and their country, even if it's somewhere I'd never heard of or somewhere I wouldn't want to go. I want to know what's going on there, what the customs are, what they eat. I couldn't imagine having a friend from another country and having no interest whatsoever in where they come from, because their background is a big part of who they are. To me, anyway.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Lolito said:


> My best friend, William (Scottish), lived for 3 years in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, etc. I remember him telling me off because I wasn't very interested in these places. Now he lives in Sidney, and visit regularly New Zealand, I love these places and I am forever asking him questions about these places.
> 
> I have no interest whatsoever in Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela or Uruguay.... but I love Mexico, Argentina and Honduras.
> 
> ...


I had absolutely no knowledge nor any real interest in South America until I had a pen-friend in Colombia. I went to visit for two weeks, came home, jacked in job (lousy job anyway) then went back to Colombia. Met SWMBO, 6 weeks later we were married - over 26 years now. Fascinating country, has three distinct climates, fabulous heritage plagued by New York mafia drug cartels and organised terrorism. Produces the best coffee in the world amongst other things.

You never know what there is until you open your eyes to see.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Well, yes, gosh! I don't want to sound ungrateful or whatever, of course I have an interest, to certain extent. I do have friends from Chile or even from China or Japan... and yes, I do ask questions, maybe not too many, lol! 

It is like Mark (my other half) with his music, he likes composing, he likes playing classical music on his piano, and I do like it, but to be honest, it is not my thing, he is my partner and I try showing an interest on whatever music he writes, but only to certain extent and otherwise I get bored as it is not something I am extremely interested in. When Jordi cames over (a friend) he talks for hours on end to Mark about music, as he loves music too, I just go out with the dogs and enjoy a walk on the beach and a coffee with friends.. lol!

arrgh, maybe I don't explain myself very well. sorry! I don't mean to upset anybody from whatever country they come from or go to!!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Lolito said:


> Well, yes, gosh! I don't want to sound ungrateful or whatever, of course I have an interest, to certain extent. I do have friends from Chile or even from China or Japan... and yes, I do ask questions, maybe not too many, lol!
> 
> It is like Mark (my other half) with his music, he likes composing, he likes playing classical music on his piano, and I do like it, but to be honest, it is not my thing, he is my partner and I try showing an interest on whatever music he writes, but only to certain extent and otherwise I get bored as it is not something I am extremely interested in. When Jordi cames over (a friend) he talks for hours on end to Mark about music, as he loves music too, I just go out with the dogs and enjoy a walk on the beach and a coffee with friends.. lol!
> 
> arrgh, maybe I don't explain myself very well. sorry! I don't mean to upset anybody from whatever country they come from or go to!!


I am the converse - my mind and ears close off with almost anything other than light classical. I was converted in 1953 when at the cinema (they showed the main film, a 'B' film and often short films of general interest all as part of the programme in those days) and one of the short films was of the Twentieth Century Fox orchestra and choir performing this:





 Listen with a bit of volume.

I was smitten - such wonderful sounds especially the build up to the crescendo with the huge crash of the cymbals, you could see the look of pure delight on the percussionist face as he did it. I was hooked and, for me, there was (and is ) nothing else. I missed all the pop era stuff (Rock and roll, Beatles, etc)


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

edit: wrong thread


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> I am the converse - my mind and ears close off with almost anything other than light classical. I was converted in 1953 when at the cinema (they showed the main film, a 'B' film and often short films of general interest all as part of the programme in those days) and one of the short films was of the Twentieth Century Fox orchestra and choir performing this:
> 
> Polovtsian Dances with Chorus (from 'Prince Igor') - YouTube Listen with a bit of volume.
> 
> I was smitten - such wonderful sounds especially the build up to the crescendo with the huge crash of the cymbals, you could see the look of pure delight on the percussionist face as he did it. I was hooked and, for me, there was (and is ) nothing else. I missed all the pop era stuff (Rock and roll, Beatles, etc)


That's interesting, Baldy. I had a similar experience. Having grown up in a culture free zone where Donald Peers was the music of choice I had by the age of sixteen never heard classical music, light or heavy.
Then I went to see a film with Antony Perkins and Ingrid Bergman ( I think) based on a novel by French author Francoise Sagan called 'Aimez- vous Brahms? '. which featured music from Brahms Fourth Symphony. I loved it, went out and bought the LP and that was the start of my interest which eventually extended to Wagner and evn bits of Mahler, the tuneful bits.
Funny what can spark an interest.


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

stefig said:


> what I do find odd is that people have absolutely no interest or curiosity about where I'm from. I lived in Chile for a time and every single person I met asked me all about England, how did Chile compare to England, what did I think about Chileans? The Spanish simply don't seem to care. I get the sense they really prefer me to just fit in with them, speak like them, eat like them, if that makes sense? Basically be a Spanish version of me as opposed to a British person living here. The British 'traits' I still have such as shyness are considered to be defects rather than simple cultural differences. But on the whole, yes, I am treated well here!


Yep, that makes sense because I have experienced it, too.

The "lack of interest" syndrome was touched on several years ago on this forum....
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/la-tasca/93939-making-friends-expat-easy-4.html#post648472


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

baldilocks said:


> I am the converse - my mind and ears close off with almost anything other than light classical. I was converted in 1953 when at the cinema (they showed the main film, a 'B' film and often short films of general interest all as part of the programme in those days) and one of the short films was of the Twentieth Century Fox orchestra and choir performing this:
> 
> Polovtsian Dances with Chorus (from 'Prince Igor') - YouTube Listen with a bit of volume.
> 
> I was smitten - such wonderful sounds especially the build up to the crescendo with the huge crash of the cymbals, you could see the look of pure delight on the percussionist face as he did it. I was hooked and, for me, there was (and is ) nothing else. I missed all the pop era stuff (Rock and roll, Beatles, etc)


Was one of my Dad's favourites on the old 78s I sometimes used to dance around the house to it when I was a kid. I like classical especially live. I also like rock and pop music.

You should go see Malaga Symphony orchestra, they are quite good and tickets much cheaper than most London concerts. My Spanish friend's Father is in it. (Yes, I got one too )

Back on topic it doesn't really matter what the Spanish think of you except when it spills over into administrative decisions. Heard some Ayuntamientos take offence if foreigners make complaints, even being told by some jobsworths to go back to the UK if they don't like it.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Brangus said:


> Yep, that makes sense because I have experienced it, too.
> 
> The "lack of interest" syndrome was touched on several years ago on this forum....
> http://www.expatforum.com/expats/la-tasca/93939-making-friends-expat-easy-4.html#post648472


That was an interesting read. My experiences do support the idea that the Spanish are much more insular than other nationalities. I was in Latin America a few weeks ago and people were well aware of events happening in Europe/the UK, asking me what I thought about this or that. I don't think anybody here has ever asked me anything. In some ways it suits me because I'm quite a private person and don't like talking about myself, but it is a bit odd. I noticed it when I taught kids (6-11) here as well. Lots of questions about me as a person, did I have a boyfriend, did I like paella, what music did I like, but virtually no interest in where I was from.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

I had a thought, why not Google in Spanish a few terms for this would be even better if all you fully integrated ones actually asked on a Spanish forum so I googled, even though I make no claim to being integrated. Lots out there, far too much to read. This one from 2014/5 is interesting. Much of it being taken up with discussions about are we expats, migrants, whatever. The 30 plus comments are mainly not very flattering about us Brits.

Y ya son 898.000 los británicos que viven entre los “cerdos voladores” del sur de Europa | Diásporas Magazine


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

That article and the comments below show how thin-skinned some people in this country are. People wittering on about the acronym PIIGS as if that's how the British refer to the Spanish. I have no idea why so many people are jumping onto that bandwagon when it's patently false. Absolutely nobody bar a few economists refers to 'PIIGS' to mean Portugal, Italy/Ireland (I love how the article writer glosses over Ireland because it doesn't suit his agenda), Greece and Spain. I have rarely even heard the term in that context, and I'm quite into economics and finance compared to most, yet so many Spaniards are quick to take offence without even knowing the facts. It's notable how not one of the opinionated commenters bothered to find out what PIIGS actually stands for and by whom it's used, and that at least person one thinks Ireland is part of Great Britain. The whole thing tells me a lot more about the victim complex some people seem to have than how the British integrate in Spain.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stefig said:


> That article and the comments below show how thin-skinned some people in this country are. People wittering on about the acronym PIIGS as if that's how the British refer to the Spanish. I have no idea why so many people are jumping onto that bandwagon when it's patently false. Absolutely nobody bar a few economists refers to 'PIIGS' to mean Portugal, Italy/Ireland (I love how the article writer glosses over Ireland because it doesn't suit his agenda), Greece and Spain. I have rarely even heard the term in that context, and I'm quite into economics and finance compared to most, yet so many Spaniards are quick to take offence without even knowing the facts. It's notable how not one of the opinionated commenters bothered to find out what PIIGS actually stands for and by whom it's used, and that at least person one thinks Ireland is part of Great Britain. The whole thing tells me a lot more about the victim complex some people seem to have than how the British integrate in Spain.


It is articles with that sort of mis-information which feed any ill-feeling there might be.

Several years ago one of the main newspapers ran an article which stated that British pensioners were essentially healthcare tourists, coming to Spain for cheap healthcare. I overheard the receptionists at our centro de salud discussing it, & I have to say it went some way to explaining the attitude some of them had towards British pensioners!

I knew one of them quite well - we took our coffee in the same bar every day, so at the first opportunity I explained to her how it really works. She knew about the S1, but not the significance of it. What she didn't know was that it actually costs a British pensioner more for healthcare in Spain than in the UK, since prescriptions are free for pensioners in the UK, so the idea that they come here for cheaper healthcare is laughable.

She went away & checked out what I said, and was very apologetic next time I saw her.

I found it particularly sad that these 'front line' workers had these particular prejudices, fed by misinformation in the press.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> I found it particularly sad that these 'front line' workers had these particular prejudices, fed by misinformation in the press.


Unfortunately many 'front-line' workers do not see the admin behind the Tarjeta Sanitaria (the S1, etc) and assume that we get it jut by being here. The foreigners also stand out and cause difficulties because they (many of them) don't speak Spanish nor do they know how the system works, expecting it to be the same as the NHS


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> Unfortunately many 'front-line' workers do not see the admin behind the Tarjeta Sanitaria (the S1, etc) and assume that we get it jut by being here. The foreigners also stand out and cause difficulties because they (many of them) don't speak Spanish nor do they know how the system works, expecting it to be the same as the NHS


You can hardly expect everyone to know The system, nor speak really good Spanish when they arrive! 

That's where forums like this come in useful, of course


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> It is articles with that sort of mis-information which feed any ill-feeling there might be.
> I found it particularly sad that these 'front line' workers had these particular prejudices, fed by misinformation in the press.


I think this story illustrates to us all something that most of us know, most of profess to doing and yet these stories still get read and digested. What I mean is _*Don't Believe Everything you Read in the Papers*_
It's a bit like watching Big Brother or Maria Teresa Campos on the tele; few admit to actually doing it, but the programmes get record numbers of viewers every week_*.
*_Be cautious, get info from more than one source and very importantly as xabiachica says be aware that people dealing with the public don't always have the info needed - not your fault, but maybe not their fault either.

I mentioned on another thread an anecdote from many years ago. I went with a disabled friend of mine to do something at the social security offices in El Escorial. We were asking about the possibility of doing certain procedures online. She didn't even know they were on line as from that week. We had to give her the www address...
Life in El Escorial government offices is much more efficient nowadays I am happy to report


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I read through the comments (having expected to find the kind of anti-foreigner diatribe routinely found in online comments on Daily Mail articles, for example) but I thought they were conspicuous by their absence.

Most of the negative reference to British people referred to "hooligans", and drunken people jumping off hotel balconies, ie tourists, and not to ordinary people living here. This is part of one comment I copied

"No hay ninguna objeción por los inmigrantes ingleses (aparte los hooligans claro)." 

which seems to me to bear out what several of us have said earlier in this thread.

Another commenter expressly said that it is not the British people who call Spain and the other Southern Mediterranean countries PIGS, but the bankers and the press.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Getting hot under the collar over the acronym PIIGS is a sure sign of not having much of substance to worry about.
A bit like Muslims writing PBUH when writing the name of the Prophet. There was and maybe still is an acronym devout Catholics use when ending letters. I can't remember it as I've never used it.
These acronyms save a lot of ink and wear on keyboards.
People take offence so easily these days. I've been reading about the current vogue for ' no platforming' of people like Germaine Greer and Peter Tatchell.
I don't lose sleep over what people I don't know may or may not think of me. I doubt they are that interested in me.
When graffiti appears on my wall telling me to go home or a brick comes through my window I might start contemplating the situation.
Until then, blissful ignorance.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I think this story illustrates to us all something that most of us know, most of profess to doing and yet these stories still get read and digested. What I mean is _*Don't Believe Everything you Read in the Papers*_


As far as I can see, it was just a silly article hoping to stir things up and provoke a hostile reaction (as so-called journalists often do). It seems to have fallen rather flat, judging by the comments below it. How many threads do we see started on the forum by people alarmed by something they have read in one of the British free rags. which gives rise to lots of comments along the lines of "those nasty Spanish have got it in for expats", when the article turns out either to be completely untrue, or that has just misinterpreted some new development in Spanish law or tax (and I'm not convinced that misinterpretation is always accidental).


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Was interesting to see a couple of British people had made comments. Do any of you integrated posters ever do it? Ok. The article may not be one of the best examples but it was one of the first on Google, as I said there are lots there. More likely to be more honest than face to face.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

I suppose there's good and bad everywhere. Indeed deep down we all have our prejudices- often due to ignorance.

Personally I will never forgive the Chinese for Pearl Harbour


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Rabbitcat said:


> I suppose there's good and bad everywhere. Indeed deep down we all have our prejudices- often due to ignorance.
> 
> Personally I will never forgive the Chinese for Pearl Harbour


More or less what I said about ten pages ago. Silly to pretend resentment doesn't exist it is the same the world over.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Rabbitcat said:


> I suppose there's good and bad everywhere. Indeed deep down we all have our prejudices- often due to ignorance.
> 
> Personally I will never forgive the Chinese for Pearl Harbour


I blame the Irish for tipping the tea in the harbour just because they didn't like the Statue of Liberty.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Lynn R said:


> I read through the comments (having expected to find the kind of anti-foreigner diatribe routinely found in online comments on Daily Mail articles, for example) but I thought they were conspicuous by their absence.
> 
> Most of the negative reference to British people referred to "hooligans", and drunken people jumping off hotel balconies, ie tourists, and not to ordinary people living here. This is part of one comment I copied
> 
> ...


Sorry, but there was a lot of 'the British' this and 'the British' that. You have chosen to highlight two of the more reasonable comments. I have encountered the same attitude in real life - people asking me why 'we' jump off balconies into swimming pools. I could only answer that I've never personally done it so I wouldn't know what attraction it holds! You're right that the comment section isn't full of the same bile as the DM one (that would take some doing) but it does show that some people are happy to read a load of total rubbish, accept it as fact without doing any research or thinking, and then resent all British expats. And what's worrying to me is that a lot of educated, professional people act in this way. I quit a Spanish course in Salamanca years ago because the teacher kept banging on about 'the British' and how arrogant we all are and how we refuse to learn Spanish. I tried to point out that I personally was spending all my annual leave in Spain, in an advanced level Spanish course, and that perhaps she could use the evidence in front of her to make up her mind rather than things she read, but......deaf ears.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Isobella said:


> . Silly to pretend resentment doesn't exist it is the same the world over.



Indeed. My grandmother was always quarreling with her sister , my Great Aunt Elsie, who lived in the cottage facing ours across the road. 
Human nature...


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

stefig said:


> Sorry, but there was a lot of 'the British' this and 'the British' that. You have chosen to highlight two of the more reasonable comments. I have encountered the same attitude in real life - people asking me why 'we' jump off balconies into swimming pools. I could only answer that I've never personally done it so I wouldn't know what attraction it holds! You're right that the comment section isn't full of the same bile as the DM one (that would take some doing) but it does show that some people are happy to read a load of total rubbish, accept it as fact without doing any research or thinking, and then resent all British expats. And what's worrying to me is that a lot of educated, professional people act in this way. I quit a Spanish course in Salamanca years ago because the teacher kept banging on about 'the British' and how arrogant we all are and how we refuse to learn Spanish. I tried to point out that I personally was spending all my annual leave in Spain, in an advanced level Spanish course, and that perhaps she could use the evidence in front of her to make up her mind rather than things she read, but......deaf ears.


I can count 5 comments which refer only to "hooligans" and drunken tourists causing mayhem, and then there's this one about British people coming to live in Spain and not mixing with the locals, creating their own ghettos, etc (which is a familiar refrain on this forum, is it not?) - and it's immediately contradicted by another commenter.

"Todos sabemos cómo son lo ingleses y lo que siempre han pensado de los españoles. No hace falta excusar algunos pensamientos u opiniones vertidos aquí. Si se ofenden, que lo vivan. Si el artículo habla sobre periodismo, también muestra parte del pensamiento anglosajón hacia los países del sur de Europa. Países que, por cierto, eran los más civilizados del mundo cuando el suyo aún no era más que un charco de barro ponzoñoso en el que ellos se "desenvolvían" aún ciertamente incivilizados. Si os fijáis, los ingleses que vienen a España, o a otros países no anglosajones (Portugal es otro ejemplo que conozco), no se mezclan con los locales. Crean sus propios guetos, sus urbanizaciones con sus pubs y sus restaurantes, y su micro mundo anglosajón. Incluso viviendo en nuestro país nos miran por encima del hombro. Eso lo dice todo. La arrogancia se les desborda por el cuello de la camisa. Pero la culpa es nuestra por no haberlos puesto en su sitio hace tiempo, por permitirles entrar en nuestro país sin cortapisas, ser generosos con ellos, y aprender a hablar inglés. Daos una vuelta por Sancti Petri, en San Fernando, Cádiz, y os podréis hacer una idea de lo que estoy diciendo. En el Algarve pasa tres cuartas de lo mismo.

Responder
Respuestas

Anónimoviernes, 5 de septiembre de 2014, 12:54:00 CEST
Tú no has hablado con un británico en tu vida. Además, confundes a expatriados jubilados con emigrantes, en las grandes ciudades españolas hay miles de ingleses conviviendo y perfectamente integrados"

And then there was this comment earlier in the list - seems perfectly reasonable and well balanced to me.


"Tienes toda la razón del mundo, Paul. El artículo habla de la significativa presencia de británicos en España, pero en ningún caso se refiere a esos migrantes de forma ofensiva. Son tan merecedores de respeto como nosotros y no deberíamos mezclar las barbaridades de cierta Prensa anglosajona con la gente. El artículo también dice que si alguien estaba indignado con que nos llamaran cerdos voladores eran los lectores de The Economist, y la mayoría eran británicos. La información de The Economist se queja de que los españoles, franceses e italianos reciben un mejor trato que los europeos del Este, que son mejor acogidos. Esto no es un asunto entre británicos y españoles... LO que es una aberración es que un semanario supuestamente serio se dedique a sembrar toda esa basura racista. Pero desde luego, los británicos deberían tener todo nuestro respeto..."


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

A pet hate of mine is stereotyping entire nationalities

I get bored with people thinking just because I am Irish I am bound to be witty, intelligent, generous , caring, thoughtful and an absolute tiger between the sheets


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> I can count 5 comments which refer only to "hooligans" and drunken tourists causing mayhem, and then there's this one about British people coming to live in Spain and not mixing with the locals, creating their own ghettos, etc (which is a familiar refrain on this forum, is it not?) - and it's immediately contradicted by another commenter.
> 
> "Todos sabemos cómo son lo ingleses y lo que siempre han pensado de los españoles. No hace falta excusar algunos pensamientos u opiniones vertidos aquí. Si se ofenden, que lo vivan. Si el artículo habla sobre periodismo, también muestra parte del pensamiento anglosajón hacia los países del sur de Europa. Países que, por cierto, eran los más civilizados del mundo cuando el suyo aún no era más que un charco de barro ponzoñoso en el que ellos se "desenvolvían" aún ciertamente incivilizados. Si os fijáis, los ingleses que vienen a España, o a otros países no anglosajones (Portugal es otro ejemplo que conozco), no se mezclan con los locales. Crean sus propios guetos, sus urbanizaciones con sus pubs y sus restaurantes, y su micro mundo anglosajón. Incluso viviendo en nuestro país nos miran por encima del hombro. Eso lo dice todo. La arrogancia se les desborda por el cuello de la camisa. Pero la culpa es nuestra por no haberlos puesto en su sitio hace tiempo, por permitirles entrar en nuestro país sin cortapisas, ser generosos con ellos, y aprender a hablar inglés. Daos una vuelta por Sancti Petri, en San Fernando, Cádiz, y os podréis hacer una idea de lo que estoy diciendo. En el Algarve pasa tres cuartas de lo mismo.
> 
> ...


A lot of people barely read past the headlines though - or probably aren't aware of the real meaning of PIIGS, so take that article at face value


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> It is articles with that sort of mis-information which feed any ill-feeling there might be.
> 
> Several years ago one of the main newspapers ran an article which stated that British pensioners were essentially healthcare tourists, coming to Spain for cheap healthcare. I overheard the receptionists at our centro de salud discussing it, & I have to say it went some way to explaining the attitude some of them had towards British pensioners!
> 
> ...


Several of my Spanish friends believed that British people were getting free healthcare in Spain at the expense of Spanish taxpayers. They were astonished when I told them about the payments made by the UK government to cover the healthcare costs of British pensioners living here. It is strange how so many Spanish people have this false view of the situation.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

The Skipper said:


> Several of my Spanish friends believed that British people were getting free healthcare in Spain at the expense of Spanish taxpayers. They were astonished when I told them about the payments made by the UK government to cover the healthcare costs of British pensioners living here. It is strange how so many Spanish people have this false view of the situation.


I've had the odd snide comment when using my SIP card here. I don't think people realise that you need to be a resident and be registered with social security (hence paying in to the Spanish system) to get one.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

The Skipper said:


> Several of my Spanish friends believed that British people were getting free healthcare in Spain at the expense of Spanish taxpayers. They were astonished when I told them about the payments made by the UK government to cover the healthcare costs of British pensioners living here. It is strange how so many Spanish people have this false view of the situation.


So many British people also think that just anyone can land in the UK & get free everything too.

That isn't true, either.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Rabbitcat said:


> A pet hate of mine is stereotyping entire nationalities
> 
> I get bored with people thinking just because I am Irish I am bound to be witty, intelligent, generous , caring, thoughtful and an absolute tiger between the sheets


It *is* hard trying to live up to those reputations.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Rabbitcat said:


> A pet hate of mine is stereotyping entire nationalities
> 
> I get bored with people thinking just because I am Irish I am bound to be witty, intelligent, generous , caring, thoughtful and an absolute tiger between the sheets


Reminds me of a line from the movie Austin Powers, when the (Dutchman) Nigel Powers said,_ "There are only two things I can't stand in this world: People who are intolerant of other people's cultures.....and the Dutch." _


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Rabbitcat said:


> I suppose there's good and bad everywhere. Indeed deep down we all have our prejudices- often due to ignorance. Personally I will never forgive the Chinese for Pearl Harbour


 Chinese? The Japanese bombed the Harbor.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Woooosh!

Right over his head


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Elyles said:


> Chinese? The Japanese bombed the Harbor.


Yes....that was the joke....

I liked it anyway, Rabbitcat!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Rabbitcat said:


> Woooosh!
> 
> Right over his head


on their way to bomb Pearl harbour?


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

In the US we never thought much about the people from the UK except that they all talked like Sean Connery! I grew up all over the US and spent seven of the first fourteen in the South. For me, it burned the scars from prejudice and racism deep into my soul. I recall as a youth in Dallas seeing many signs saying (Colored Only or White Only). The South was extremely prejudiced towards Blacks. Then traveling to Florida to live, we saw the hovels that poor Black families lived in through Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Later, living in Texas again I remember idiotic school rules like (if a white girl walks down the hall, she must be escorted by two white boys). Yeah, with my father in the military, he was home with many other prejudiced ********. Developing a liberal set of mores was difficult in those times and places but I managed. Yeah, no matter where we are in the world there will be some prejudice due to ignorance. I remember telling my mother that I had dated a Black woman and her jaw dropped till I told her the woman was a psychiatrist. That seemed to make it ok. At the onset of my career I was working with AIDS patients in large Gay communities. She thought that it had to be due to some sexual confusion on my part. Of course, it was her homophobia talking to her. The reality of it was that I was a token straight guy just working within another culture. Just another form of prejudice. No, I am not proud of the fact that we had a war on our soil based on slavery. Nor am I proud that the KKK still is very active. I see far more acceptance of all cultures here than I ever did in the US.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Rabbitcat said:


> Woooosh! Right over his head


 No, it was just from a different culture and mindset.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Elyles said:


> Chinese? The Japanese bombed the Harbor.


Are you sure? was it perhaps the Chinese in aircraft painted to look like Japs to pin the blame on the Japs? In this world of conspiracies and counter-conspiracies, one can never tell.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Exactly Baldilocks

In fact I reckon us Irish were involved, including an Irish Kamikaze pilot who was on his 9th mission........


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Rabbitcat said:


> Exactly Baldilocks
> 
> In fact I reckon us Irish were involved, including an Irish Kamikaze pilot who was on his 9th mission........


Not the one who was on his 9th *successful* mission? Wasn't he the one who flew a B25 Mitchell bomber into the Empire State building?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Rabbitcat said:


> Exactly Baldilocks
> 
> In fact I reckon us Irish were involved, including an Irish Kamikaze pilot who was on his 9th mission........


Maybe I was getting confused with the one who upset Custer by buzzing him at he Little Big Horn?


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> Are you sure? was it perhaps the Chinese in aircraft painted to look like Japs to pin the blame on the Japs? In this world of conspiracies and counter-conspiracies, one can never tell.[/quote ]
> 
> No, I think it was other Irish low on Guiness.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Elyles said:


> Are you sure? was it perhaps the Chinese in aircraft painted to look like Japs to pin the blame on the Japs? In this world of conspiracies and counter-conspiracies, one can never tell.[/
> 
> No, I think it was other Irish low on Guiness.


You DO have to watch the Low Irish very carefully especially when they've been on Guinness. The High Irish have invariable been on speed or mushrooms or shamrock or...


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## The Quilt (Aug 19, 2015)

Elyles said:


> Chinese? The Japanese bombed the Harbor.


You'll have to work on "Irony"


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Shamrock with a Bushmills backer


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

I have been reading a few more Spanish forums. Seems many are more aware than some thought. There is a thread 'Que pasaria con Los emigrantes britanicos si UK se va' 

Política: Que pasaria con los emigrantes britanicos si UK se va? | Spaniards.es, la Comunidad de Españoles en el Mundo

Another one with some insight is mename.net


Most comments about Brits follow the same thing such as drunken Brits, don't speak the language etc. Live in ghettos. Many point out that the Spanish don't mix abroad either. Most Germans don't speak Spanish and one said when the Italians visited on Erasmus project they did not mix.

Generally the ones who speak highest of the Brits are the ones who live in the UK or have lived there.

A couple of notable comments

"rare to find an educated and polite Britain nowadays."

"British are racist and think they are superior"

One claimed that all the bars and clubs in Fuengirola are British and they don't want Spanish in.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Isobella said:


> One claimed that all the bars and clubs in Fuengirola are British and they don't want Spanish in.


It's true! That's why I like visiting there.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

The Skipper said:


> Several of my Spanish friends believed that British people were getting free healthcare in Spain at the expense of Spanish taxpayers. They were astonished when I told them about the payments made by the UK government to cover the healthcare costs of British pensioners living here. It is strange how so many Spanish people have this false view of the situation.





stefig said:


> I've had the odd snide comment when using my SIP card here. I don't think people realise that you need to be a resident and be registered with social security (hence paying in to the Spanish system) to get one.


Is it strange that Spanish people make these conclusions? The world is full of people thinking they know what in fact they don't, including many many foreigners who think they know what The Spanish think, feel, do, believe, like, and spend their money on, but in fact they are talking about those living in their province or town or street.
We all do make wrong conclusions without realising it, until someone actually points us to the "right" information.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Isobella said:


> One claimed that all the bars and clubs in Fuengirola are British and they don't want Spanish in.


There are definitely places in Torrevieja that do NOT cater for the Spanish in any which way, language, beer, food, tv, sports programmes, papers available. I'm sure it's the same in other places too!


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

please don't shoot the messenger, I only looked on Google. that is why I said some are bound to feel resentful. I would if our village pub turned into a Polish place.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Isobella said:


> please don't shoot the messenger, I only looked on Google. I have no opinion either way!


No shooting intended.
My post was just an addition to the one you wrote detailing my personal experience.


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Pesky Wesky said:


> There are definitely places in Torrevieja that do NOT cater for the Spanish in any which way, language, beer, food, tv, sports programmes, papers available. I'm sure it's the same in other places too!


Those bars with Sky Sports blaring out of the TV, copies of The Sun all over the place, badly cooked egg and chips....I wouldn't want to go to those places and I'm not even Spanish.  They should count themselves lucky that they're not welcome.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Isobella said:


> I have been reading a few more Spanish forums. Seems many are more aware than some thought. There is a thread 'Que pasaria con Los emigrantes britanicos si UK se va'
> 
> Política: Que pasaria con los emigrantes britanicos si UK se va? | Spaniards.es, la Comunidad de Españoles en el Mundo
> 
> ...


Well again, I don't think any of that comes as a surprise to most of us, who have been saying all along that those are the behaviours exhibited by some British people in Spain which Spaniards object to. I'm sure none of those people would change their behaviour in any way because of that, though, because everything they do is predicated upon their own convenience and gratification and not on any consideration for others.

It was amusing that, far from thinking all the British in Spain are rich as one of the first commentators in this thread claimed, a number of people posting in the thread you linked to said that the British who come here are in fact "de clase media-baja".


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

I would like to think when we move over we will try hard to integrate although I wonder is that ever going to be the case, I hope it is and it won't be the lack of trying. The Spainiards I know here are fully accepted and certainly aren't referred to as foreigners or with any form of distaste. Even here we have Spanish bars in which mainly Spanish hang out but nobody bats an eyelid. I think the key thing is acceptance also they don't make a show of themselves but then again I would think ( correct me if I'm wrong) the majority of Brits in Spain try to integrate and aren't beer swilling, pie and chips eating louts.

I think it's great the Spanish can come over here and enjoy the benefits of living here, work, healthcare and they're not looked on as scroungers etc. Maybe some Spanish to need to be tolerant and accepting, again I say "live and let live"


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> There are definitely places in Torrevieja that do NOT cater for the Spanish in any which way, language, beer, food, tv, sports programmes, papers available. I'm sure it's the same in other places too!


We have a couple of bars like that here. It isn't so much that they don't want Spanish customers - it's more that the Spanish won't go in if they can't speak to the staff in their own language. Having a copy of Las Provincias on the bar just isn't enough.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> We have a couple of bars like that here. It isn't so much that they don't want Spanish customers - it's more that the Spanish won't go in if they can't speak to the staff in their own language. Having a copy of Las Provincias on the bar just isn't enough.


Correct - 'not cater for' doesn't mean 'not welcome'.

We are used to this in the UK and welcome it - there are a huge variety of 'foreign' restaurants and bars and, although I've not come across any, I'll bet there are even some where very little English is spoken.

UKdians seem much more accepting of 'foreign-ness' than the Spanish who, for instance when it comes to food, tend to stick to their own menus and tastes.

In our bar we did no Spanish food at all - there were another 20 bars that did so why bother?

It's not that we didn't welcome Spanish - we did and many (mostly younger) came in regularly and ate and enjoyed although others (I guess) would have found us 'unwelcoming' as we didn't do anything particularly Spanish.

(BTW language wasn't generally a problem the part time barmaid and I had passable Spanish).


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Correct - 'not cater for' doesn't mean 'not welcome'.
> 
> We are used to this in the UK and welcome it - there are a huge variety of 'foreign' restaurants and bars and, although I've not come across any, I'll bet there are even some where very little English is spoken.
> 
> ...


Exactly

We of course have Indian, Italian, English, Chinese (& so on) restaurants which sell nothing even remotely Spanish. Some are just as popular with the local Spanish population as any other restaurant - because Spanish is spoken, so they feel comfortable going there.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Roy C said:


> I think the key thing is acceptance also they don't make a show of themselves but then again I would think ( correct me if I'm wrong) the majority of Brits in Spain try to integrate and aren't beer swilling, pie and chips eating louts.


It depends on where you go. There are certain areas that are beloved by " beer swilling, pie and chips eating louts," there are popular areas that are liked by the "more refined" Brits and there are yet other, much larger areas that are enjoyed by the more independent thinking Brits who display much less of the herd-instinct.

The first group don't care where they are as long as they can indulge themselves in their particular kind of behaviour - if they do mix (integrate would be the wrong word for them) it will be with similar boozing Spaniards, Germans, etc before having a good old punch up and throwing up session. This group would tend to be abhorred by the second and third groups.

The second group are much quieter and more content to sun worship and take their drink in more modest quantities and probably from a glass rather than direct from the bottle or can. They will dine in restaurants and sit down to eat rather than à la 1st group (shoving greasy fast food into their maws while rambling along the street.) The may well integrate or at least mix, in their own way but in small groups. They will still be seen doing any shopping in Brit shops in preference to branching out into Spanish shops where they aren't overly sure about what this or that is, what it will taste like or 'I couldn't eat that' although some will be more adventurous and try Spanish food either with great enthusiasm or pick at it dubiously.

The third group tend to be not in crowds and will integrate into Spanish environments but as themselves/individuals rather than as a group. These are the ones who live independently, mix with their neighbours and are most likely to be found having conversations in Spanish.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

When you describe it like that Baldilocks I can think which group sounds worse!

Everything from pissheads to "up-their-own-ass types" !!!!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Rabbitcat said:


> When you describe it like that Baldilocks I can think which group sounds worse!
> 
> Everything from pissheads to "up-their-own-ass types" !!!!


You do mean *can't*, not can, don't you :fingerscrossed:


I can't see myself in any of those groups (thankfully)


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Oops you are right I meant can't

And I agree with you -surely there are happy mediums betwixt drunken wasters and pretentious snob types

Wifey doesnt drink at all but I would sit over a sherbet or two. 

Having had property abroad for some time we do learn the lingo, socialise with both ex pats and locals and enjoy local cuisine/ culture-however I see nothing wrong in occasional indulging in foods/ activities from home, so for me a good mix of experiences is what I enjoy


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> We have a couple of bars like that here. It isn't so much that they don't want Spanish customers - it's more that the Spanish won't go in if they can't speak to the staff in their own language. Having a copy of Las Provincias on the bar just isn't enough.


I very carefully said "don't cater for Spanish customers" not that they don't want them. Maybe they would like a Spanish client every so often, I have no idea, but they don't cater for the Spanish.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I very carefully said "don't cater for Spanish customers" not that they don't want them. Maybe they would like a Spanish client every so often, I have no idea, but they don't cater for the Spanish.


Yes, as jimenato said, 'not cater for' isn't the same as 'not welcome'


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

I think the thread has shown to me over all the Spanish are welcoming.

This would confirm the feeling of welcome we had on our stay there last month when the villagers put a cute note under our door. ( text below)

Even with my beginners Spanish I believe it roughly says- " we welcome you to our village", I found it rather touching 

volver a Irlanda- cerdos gordos!!!!


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

jimenato said:


> Correct - 'not cater for' doesn't mean 'not welcome'.
> 
> We are used to this in the UK and welcome it - there are a huge variety of 'foreign' restaurants and bars and, although I've not come across any, I'll bet there are even some where very little English is spoken.
> 
> ...


We eat regularly in Italian, Indian and Thai restaurants in Spain, and do often find Spanish customers in there, although I agree with you that many Spanish people seem to prefer to stick to Spanish food and believe it is superior to any other (and the French and Italians are very similar in that respect). However, in those restaurants the menus are available in Spanish, English and German (as well as in Italian in the Italian ones), and all the staff working there seem to speak fluent Spanish.

There used to be an English-owned bar in Vélez for a few years, which served a limited range of food (burgers, pies and chips, sandwiches, etc). The menu, such as it was, was in English only, English newspapers on the bar, and the proprietors spoke only a few words of Spanish. They went broke, because there just weren't enough British customers to sustain the business, and they never made any effort to cater for the local Spanish population. I once saw a Spanish woman order a salad in there and the expression on her face when it turned up, with a pile of grated, orange, plastic cheese on top of boring lettuce, with no dressing on it and none placed on the table, was a study in horror.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Went to Xabia this weekend, for the first time, had lunch at La Boheme in El Arenal. I was probably the only spanish person there, I went with a group of German, English and Dutch friends. Without opening our mouths, the waitress gave us an English Menu to all of us. 

We also stopped to do some Dutch shopping near Pedreguer (by the tanatorio), and bought some stroopwaffles , then we stopped at some English shop on the way home, outside Ondara, called Tommys or quicksave, or something like that.... we were going to go to Iceland in Xabia, but couldn't find it. 

Finally we stopped for a drink at some British pub and got a few English written newspapers to read at home... 

For a moment, I felt like I wasn't in my own country. lol!


... only in Spain!!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Lolito said:


> Went to Xabia this weekend, for the first time, had lunch at La Boheme in El Arenal. I was probably the only spanish person there, I went with a group of German, English and Dutch friends. Without opening our mouths, the waitress gave us an English Menu to all of us.
> 
> We also stopped to do some Dutch shopping near Pedreguer (by the tanatorio), and bought some stroopwaffles , then we stopped at some English shop on the way home, outside Ondara, called Tommys or quicksave, or something like that.... we were going to go to Iceland in Xabia, but couldn't find it.
> 
> ...


I just about never go to the Arenal - it really is the tourist area of town. If you had ventured a little further along & had lunch in Castellón you would have found an almost exclusively Spanish clientele. They'll only be arriving for lunch about now though. 


There's a really good English chippy at the other end of the Arenal. Last time I was in there all the other customers were Spanish 

You didn't miss much by not finding Iceland either. Almost everything offer there is available in any of the Spanish supermarkets & cheaper. Even my favourite Cadbury chocolate.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Lolito said:


> Went to Xabia this weekend, for the first time, had lunch at La Boheme in El Arenal. I was probably the only spanish person there, I went with a group of German, English and Dutch friends. Without opening our mouths, the waitress gave us an English Menu to all of us.
> 
> We also stopped to do some Dutch shopping near Pedreguer (by the tanatorio), and bought some stroopwaffles , then we stopped at some English shop on the way home, outside Ondara, called Tommys or quicksave, or something like that.... we were going to go to Iceland in Xabia, but couldn't find it.
> 
> ...


It's not only in Spain. It happens in Canada too with expat communities, especially in the big cities. From the sounds of it here on the forum and from what others have told me, it happens in the UK too, again especially in the big cities.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I forgot to say, the premises formerly occupied by the British bar in Vélez has, for the past few years, been a branch of a chain of kebab/pizza restaurant/bars called Isturk. It has now survived for longer than the British bar did, and their customer base is overwhelmingly Spanish. All of the staff who have worked there (they tend to change every year or so) have been Pakistanis, and every one of them has spoken fluent Spanish (and English too). I don't suppose the standard of the food is anything to write home about, but the menus are in Spanish and English, and Spanish customers can ring up and order a takeaway in their own language - and a lot of them do, their delivery driver is kept quite busy. Spanish customers also use the place as a bar in the afternoons, as does my OH because it has nice outside space and their prices are very cheap.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> I forgot to say, the premises formerly occupied by the British bar in Vélez has, for the past few years, been a branch of a chain of kebab/pizza restaurant/bars called Isturk. It has now survived for longer than the British bar did, and their customer base is overwhelmingly Spanish. All of the staff who have worked there (they tend to change every year or so) have been Pakistanis, and every one of them has spoken fluent Spanish (and English too). I don't suppose the standard of the food is anything to write home about, but the menus are in Spanish and English, and Spanish* customers can ring up and order a takeaway in their own language *- and a lot of them do, their delivery driver is kept quite busy. Spanish customers also use the place as a bar in the afternoons, as does my OH because it has nice outside space and their prices are very cheap.


You could do that in the UK with the Chinese take aways - "27, 78, 63"


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

baldilocks said:


> You could do that in the UK with the Chinese take aways - "27, 78, 63"


Plus your name and address, I suppose? They would be a bit harder to cope with if the proprietors didn't speak English.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> Plus your name and address, I suppose? They would be a bit harder to cope with if the proprietors didn't speak English.


Why would they need your name and address for a take-away?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

baldilocks said:


> Why would they need your name and address for a take-away?


Errr - if you want to ring up and have it delivered to your house, as the Spanish customers do here with their kebabs and pizzas? Bit difficult without an address, that.


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## The Quilt (Aug 19, 2015)

Lynn R said:


> Errr - if you want to ring up and have it delivered to your house, as the Spanish customers do here with their kebabs and pizzas? Bit difficult without an address, that.


Whooosh!!!!!


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## The Winksies (Feb 20, 2016)

We have just returned from Spain, and we have nothing but high praise for the welcome we received from the local Spanish people and the help we received from everyone whilst looking, purchasing and getting all the paperwork sorted.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Lynn R said:


> I forgot to say, the premises formerly occupied by the British bar in Vélez has, for the past few years, been a branch of a chain of kebab/pizza restaurant/bars called Isturk. It has now survived for longer than the British bar did, and their customer base is overwhelmingly Spanish. All of the staff who have worked there (they tend to change every year or so) have been Pakistanis, and every one of them has spoken fluent Spanish (and English too). I don't suppose the standard of the food is anything to write home about, but the menus are in Spanish and English, and Spanish customers can ring up and order a takeaway in their own language - and a lot of them do, their delivery driver is kept quite busy. Spanish customers also use the place as a bar in the afternoons, as does my OH because it has nice outside space and their prices are very cheap.


I think chains are different. They have a brand and marketing. Look how well McDonalds does in Spain. The Brit bars do bad because most of them are bad, I wouldn't go in them either. Most have never had pub or catering experience and think it's ok. To do a microwaved menu.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Nice post Winksies


Up the Dubs!!
Aointrim go Bragh!!!


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Isobella said:


> I think chains are different. They have a brand and marketing. Look how well McDonalds does in Spain. The Brit bars do bad because most of them are bad, I wouldn't go in them either. Most have never had pub or catering experience and think it's ok. To do a microwaved menu.


Yes, I agree. We called in at a new branch of Padthaiwok (I think they're franchises) in Málaga the other week, just near the Larios Centre. The owner and waitress were Spanish, the cooks looked Thai and the kitchen help were various nationalities. The menu was all available in Spanish, English and Thai (although I can't imagine they get all that many Thai customers), I think everyone else who came in apart from us was Spanish, and the food was quite nice. Whenever the waitress had nothing to do she was cleaning something, I have seen dirtier hospitals.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Lynn R said:


> Errr - if you want to ring up and have it delivered to your house, as the Spanish customers do here with their kebabs and pizzas? Bit difficult without an address, that.


... then it's not a take-away (strictly speaking that is)!


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> ... then it's not a take-away (strictly speaking that is)!


Why not - someobody's taking it away to deliver it to the customer, aren't they?

I don't know about you, but if we ever rang up to get an Indian meal delivered in the UK, we called it getting a takeaway. What is the OED approved term, pray?


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Went to Alicante Airport today, there was a Costa Cafe outside the Terminal, we thought having a coffee there. 8.50 euros for 2 coffees!! Have to say the the coffee wasn't that brilliant either, any spanish seedy bar would make a better coffee... we thought about taking the cups with us, but in the end decided not to, lol! rip off!


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## stefig (Jul 14, 2015)

Lolito said:


> Went to Alicante Airport today, there was a Costa Cafe outside the Terminal, we thought having a coffee there. 8.50 euros for 2 coffees!! Have to say the the coffee wasn't that brilliant either, any spanish seedy bar would make a better coffee... we thought about taking the cups with us, but in the end decided not to, lol! rip off!


There are 2 in Valencia city now, both usually busy. I wondered at first how they could ever be successful in Valencia, when you can get much better coffee for less than half the price, but what they're really selling, IMO, is the wifi and the comfortable seating. I'm a freelancer and I like to work in cafes sometimes just to get out of the flat. You can't really do this in your average Spanish cafe, because either they have no wifi or they don't want you sitting there for ages. There was definitely a gap in the market there, which is now filled by Starbucks and Costa. I go 2-3 times a week and I see loads of people working there. I don't really like the coffee, but I don't know of any local place that offers the same atmosphere. I like Ubik and some of the other independent places in Ruzafa, but I don't think they really like people staying for ages, and Ruzafa is a bit far from me.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

Lolito said:


> Went to Alicante Airport today, there was a Costa Cafe outside the Terminal, we thought having a coffee there. 8.50 euros for 2 coffees!! Have to say the the coffee wasn't that brilliant either, any spanish seedy bar would make a better coffee... we thought about taking the cups with us, but in the end decided not to, lol! rip off!


 Sounds like an airport Starbucks


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

https://www.just-eat.es/?opt=0a5674029

The UK Just Eat is very popular, any of you use the Spanish site?


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Or this one.

https://www.laneveraroja.com/

Both absolutely useless to me however. Tried ordering from one in justeat that said they would deliver only to be called back and say they wont.
Home delivery food is one thing I miss.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> Why not - someobody's taking it away to deliver it to the customer, aren't they?
> 
> I don't know about you, but if we ever rang up to get an Indian meal delivered in the UK, we called it getting a takeaway. What is the OED approved term, pray?


Must be a northern thing - where I come from, a takeaway is what the customer takes home with them (unless it's beer, in which case it's a carry-out). If it's delivered to your home it's a home delivery.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Pazcat said:


> Or this one.
> 
> https://www.laneveraroja.com/
> 
> ...


So you don't miss much then, unless you can't cook.


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