[Rosemary]

Originally Posted by Lenox A Danish couple has bought a house next to us. I met them at some art show and attempted to translate for them from English into Spanish as they were being introduced to the artist. No need, they said, when they decided to buy a home in Spain they went out and learned Spanish. Spoke it well, too. In reply to the OP, I think you meet one foreigner... and take away a whole bag-full of opinions about that nationality. The one grumpy British patient will have given a whole ward a chance to be bigots.

Agree with you and that is why I was so angry with him. I would like to think that due to the amount that we were there that the staff had got to know us well enough to know that not all Brits are like that. Trouble is that people have a tendency to remember and recount the bad experiences more than the good.

[Domino]

Originally Posted by Rosemary Agree with you and that is why I was so angry with him. I would like to think that due to the amount that we were there that the staff had got to know us well enough to know that not all Brits are like that. Trouble is that people have a tendency to remember and recount the bad experiences more than the good.

regrettably Rosemary that seems to be true about all aspects of life
everyone has a bad experience from time to time but some never seem to pick up a good experience to balance it out. perhaps they just aren't looking and like being miserable.

kr

[jackytoo]

Doesn't anyone see the irony in this thread. On another the Home office being on strike is discussed but nothing mentioned about hospital staff in Spain being on strike, lots of stuff about appointments, operations being put back. I would have thought this would be more important to a lot of you. Yet after chewing the fat on inumerable threads about the UK you come on here criticising the fact that ex-pats can't speak Spanish but, appear to know very little about what's happening in your adopted country.

[Rosemary]

Originally Posted by jackytoo Doesn't anyone see the irony in this thread. On another the Home office being on strike is discussed but nothing mentioned about hospital staff in Spain being on strike, lots of stuff about appointments, operations being put back. I would have thought this would be more important to a lot of you. Yet after chewing the fat on inumerable threads about the UK you come on here criticising the fact that ex-pats can't speak Spanish but, appear to know very little about what's happening in your adopted country.

This is not really about him not speaking Spanish it was mainly about his whole ignorant attitude.

Rosemary

[jackytoo]

Yes I know your post was I was mainly refering to the posts that came afterwards. Just a thought though...I am sure hospital staff have to cope with lots of grumpy Spanish too, they will be used to it!

[agoreira]

[quote=jackytoo;10181499]TBH I get the feeling that most posters on here don't speak much spanish either /QUOTE]

I suspect you're right, reminds me of an incident in Nerja years ago. One of our group needed an ambulance so we popped into a Brit bar just across the road to phone for one. We were introduced to Bill, " he speaks brilliant Spanish, he'll do it for you" Well, it was pathetic, the poor girl would have died before he got the message across. And he was the best Spanish speaker they had!

[Domino]

Jacky, I am fairly confident that I haven't got a bed booked, nor a slot arranged in an operating theatre, so nurses, doctors, bedpan changers, being on strike has no bearing on my life here in Spain.
That I may not be able to speak Spanish good enough may worry if/when the time comes - they make take off the wrong bits - but that is all.

However, uncivil servants protecting the borders of the country on strike, along with train/underground drivers, airline staff, etc etc has more of a bearing on day to day life for most people.

However, it does nothing for the immediate and long term international relations if people are ignorant and abusive when in a foreign country. If that is how they behave when they are abroad then the quicker they go back home the better.
And that is for all nationalities, not just the British.

[jackytoo]

[quote=agoreira;10184822]

Originally Posted by jackytoo TBH I get the feeling that most posters on here don't speak much spanish either /QUOTE] I suspect you're right, reminds me of an incident in Nerja years ago. One of our group needed an ambulance so we popped into a Brit bar just across the road to phone for one. We were introduced to Bill, " he speaks brilliant Spanish, he'll do it for you" Well, it was pathetic, the poor girl would have died before he got the message across. And he was the best Spanish speaker they had!

Well yes, I was in the Farmacía and a Britishman was trying to ask for some lemsip for his throat. I was at the back of the queue and could hear him shouting. He said he would fetch his friend who spoke spanish, man came in and said loudly to pharmacist "Limon" and pointed to his throat

You may think I was a bit mean not helping but I have been in some unbelievable situations through assisting. One occasion I translated between 2 people I knew during a dispute and both of them stopped talking to me

[Rosemary]

[quote=jackytoo;10184837]

Originally Posted by agoreira Well yes, I was in the Farmacía and a Britishman was trying to ask for some lemsip for his throat. I was at the back of the queue and could hear him shouting. He said he would fetch his friend who spoke spanish, man came in and said loudly to pharmacist "Limon" and pointed to his throat You may think I was a bit mean not helping but I have been in some unbelievable situations through assisting. One occasion I translated between 2 people I knew during a dispute and both of them stopped talking to me

Bit mean for not assisting, no, there is no chance of helping when you are wetting yourself laughing.

Rosemary