First attitude experience
Jul 5th 2020, 12:12 am
#16
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Land of no recession
Posts: 10,721
Re: First attitude experience
Had I back then thought I could earn a living I would have stayed. There was an opportunity to set up the first boat repair business in Vilamoura but at that time my experience was not up to it.
Last edited by Fredbargate; Jul 5th 2020 at 12:16 am.
Jul 5th 2020, 1:00 am
#17
Polished expat
Joined: Jul 2014
Location: Arcos de Valdevez "Onde Portugal se fez"
Posts: 16,989
Re: First attitude experience
Anyhow, I notice rather late that you're new here, so welcome to the forum from me.
I hope you'll be sticking around and sharing any information or experiences of interest and answering questions where you can. Or asking them if need be. And don't worry about the snarling dogs at the gate - they're only playing!
Jul 5th 2020, 2:15 am
#18
Resident Cynic
Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Suffolk,UK; Alentejo, Portugal
Posts: 15,171
Re: First attitude experience
My wife (from Lisbon) always says that the Portuguese are more patient with the foreigners than with their own...... if you want to see some real "attitude" problems, try being Portuguese!
Most people are pleasant and helpful - moreso now than 20 years ago - but there is still an issue with those who gets a "gatekeeper" job in Portugal. It's rarer than before, but still some people .... a bank assistant, a local civil servant, etc., will maintain the old attitude - they are more "important" than you, whatever they are doing is more important than what you want and their private conversations should not be interrupted. They work there, you are just a client - and you're the one asking them for something, therefore you are inferior. If you then expect them to deal with the fact you don't speak Portuguese fluently and don't know "how things are done", well, so much the worse. Then there's the beloved bureaucracy..... my wife almost exploded when she went to the utility company to ask something, was the only person in at the counter, but was told she still needed a "senha" before they could talk to her!!
Shrug it off, life's too short.
Most people are pleasant and helpful - moreso now than 20 years ago - but there is still an issue with those who gets a "gatekeeper" job in Portugal. It's rarer than before, but still some people .... a bank assistant, a local civil servant, etc., will maintain the old attitude - they are more "important" than you, whatever they are doing is more important than what you want and their private conversations should not be interrupted. They work there, you are just a client - and you're the one asking them for something, therefore you are inferior. If you then expect them to deal with the fact you don't speak Portuguese fluently and don't know "how things are done", well, so much the worse. Then there's the beloved bureaucracy..... my wife almost exploded when she went to the utility company to ask something, was the only person in at the counter, but was told she still needed a "senha" before they could talk to her!!
Shrug it off, life's too short.
Jul 5th 2020, 9:32 am
#19
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 6,313
Re: First attitude experience
1st Question: Do you speak Portuguese?
2nd Question: Did you take someone with you who speaks Portuguese.
I would remind you that this is a damned difficult time for everyone working in the Health Services across the world, so CUT THEM SOME SLACK!!
Usually the reason for a "perceived" attitude problem is that when an "Estrangeiro" walks in, the immediate reaction on the part of staff of many Civil Service agencies in Portugal is " OH B*gger! I'm not paid nor trained to converse in a another language " & now I have to deal with this.
Add to this current Portuguese opinions on Brexit, Borisconi & England's attitude to Covid19, and one has a toxic mix.
Get to know the Portuguese well and you will learn how to work through these things.
I consider myself as a permanent resident, a local and entitled to reasonable service. I don't take prisoners and can give any functionary what for it I have to, BUT I usually find knowing the system & how the locals live & operate resolves things.
2nd Question: Did you take someone with you who speaks Portuguese.
I would remind you that this is a damned difficult time for everyone working in the Health Services across the world, so CUT THEM SOME SLACK!!
Usually the reason for a "perceived" attitude problem is that when an "Estrangeiro" walks in, the immediate reaction on the part of staff of many Civil Service agencies in Portugal is " OH B*gger! I'm not paid nor trained to converse in a another language " & now I have to deal with this.
Add to this current Portuguese opinions on Brexit, Borisconi & England's attitude to Covid19, and one has a toxic mix.
Get to know the Portuguese well and you will learn how to work through these things.
I consider myself as a permanent resident, a local and entitled to reasonable service. I don't take prisoners and can give any functionary what for it I have to, BUT I usually find knowing the system & how the locals live & operate resolves things.
And well said Barloventoexpert.... If you want to talk about 'rude' you might try living as a foreigner in the Netherlands as i did for over 30 yrs.
That was a lesson I have never forgotten .I now always think of the person I am talking too, what they feel in having to deal with me in a foreign language.How I feel when stumbling through one myself. Some people get defensive and act surly because they feel they are being tested and don't like it. I always begin with Portuguese and a smile , I try ,however stumblie and incorrect. It often works wonders if you show you are willing to try speaking the actual language of the country your living in. So many Brits can come across as arrogant . Can you imagine the reaction if you went into the council offices in say Worthing and set off in Portuguese. 
I eventually learnt Dutch ,but more importantly I learnt to smile and ask for help in that language when I got stuck. My goodness the difference was huge. My OH and I have never had a problem here because, I believe, of those earlier experiences of being a foreigner. I do however remember how horrible it felt when I first encountered it in NL.. so sorry the OP went through that .hopefully that will be the first and last time
Jul 5th 2020, 6:59 pm
#20
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2020
Location: Silves
Posts: 37
Re: First attitude experience
Indeed.
Anyhow, I notice rather late that you're new here, so welcome to the forum from me. I hope you'll be sticking around and sharing any information or experiences of interest and answering questions where you can. Or asking them if need be.
And don't worry about the snarling dogs at the gate - they're only playing!
Anyhow, I notice rather late that you're new here, so welcome to the forum from me.
I hope you'll be sticking around and sharing any information or experiences of interest and answering questions where you can. Or asking them if need be.And don't worry about the snarling dogs at the gate - they're only playing!
Jul 6th 2020, 6:24 am
#21
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Land of no recession
Posts: 10,721
Re: First attitude experience
My wife (from Lisbon) always says that the Portuguese are more patient with the foreigners than with their own...... if you want to see some real "attitude" problems, try being Portuguese!
Most people are pleasant and helpful - moreso now than 20 years ago - but there is still an issue with those who gets a "gatekeeper" job in Portugal. It's rarer than before, but still some people .... a bank assistant, a local civil servant, etc., will maintain the old attitude - they are more "important" than you, whatever they are doing is more important than what you want and their private conversations should not be interrupted. They work there, you are just a client - and you're the one asking them for something, therefore you are inferior. If you then expect them to deal with the fact you don't speak Portuguese fluently and don't know "how things are done", well, so much the worse. Then there's the beloved bureaucracy..... my wife almost exploded when she went to the utility company to ask something, was the only person in at the counter, but was told she still needed a "senha" before they could talk to her!!
Shrug it off, life's too short.
Most people are pleasant and helpful - moreso now than 20 years ago - but there is still an issue with those who gets a "gatekeeper" job in Portugal. It's rarer than before, but still some people .... a bank assistant, a local civil servant, etc., will maintain the old attitude - they are more "important" than you, whatever they are doing is more important than what you want and their private conversations should not be interrupted. They work there, you are just a client - and you're the one asking them for something, therefore you are inferior. If you then expect them to deal with the fact you don't speak Portuguese fluently and don't know "how things are done", well, so much the worse. Then there's the beloved bureaucracy..... my wife almost exploded when she went to the utility company to ask something, was the only person in at the counter, but was told she still needed a "senha" before they could talk to her!!
Shrug it off, life's too short.
Jul 6th 2020, 8:06 am
#22
Resident Cynic
Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Suffolk,UK; Alentejo, Portugal
Posts: 15,171
Re: First attitude experience
macliam this post reminded me of one from the Spanish forum which included the following youtube clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXWZ3uAEKsw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXWZ3uAEKsw
