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-   -   Another Sad Incident (https://britishexpats.com/forum/spain-75/another-sad-incident-629035/)

JnK Sep 5th 2009 2:45 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by JLFS (Post 7906882)
I hate the way we are thought of as being a species apart, as though we are not on the same wavelength as the British.
The Spanish are just people, and phrases like "i get on well with them" does not make any sense.
It is like saying that you get on with Londeners, impossible, you will like some, dislike some, and hate others.
It sounds as though you are talking as if it is a special skill to get on with the Spanish, like snake handling.
You get on well with the people you get on well with (I hope you can understand what I am trying to say) whatever the nationality.
And you dont get on with the ones you dont get on with.

Of course there are Spanish who dont like Brits, there are Brits who dont like some Brits, Spanish that dont like some Spanish, Italians that dont like some Italians.
There are dogs that dont like some dogs, lions that dont like some lions, need I go on?

There are loads of Spanish I dont get on with and loads of Brits for that matter.

But it is a people thing, not a Spanish or racist thing.

Most British families would rather stay in a hotel with Spanish families, than a hotel with crowds of Brits on stag weekends.

It is not usually nationality that divides the people, it is the difference is lifestyle and the places the frequent, that is the great divider.
A middle aged Spanish woman would have more in common with a middle aged British woman than with an 18 year Spanish guy.

Just because you speak Spanish does not mean that you understand US, because what I am trying to say is that we are the same as the British, Italians, Americans etc.
We dont hate or like the British anymore than they like or hate us.

I dont know if I have explained myself very well, but sometimes I feel that the Spanish are viewed as some sort of (enigma)?

And we are just people, no more, no less.

Absolutely brilliantly put ...what I was trying to say but obviously I wasn't being understood. It's down to people and how you treat them rather than any nationality or otherwise. :thumbup:

agoreira Sep 5th 2009 3:36 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

The Spanish are just people, and phrases like "i get on well with them" does not make any sense
.
It makes perfect sense to me, especially when someone claims I don't like them. If I disliked them, then there's no way "I'd get on well with them". It's a generalisation, of course, there's probably lots out there I might not get on with, but to date, no major problems.

HBG Sep 5th 2009 3:39 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 
I think that internet forums such as this provide an invaluable service to the million Brits already here and those about to come and join us. But all those Brits need balanced advice, not the kind that glorifies everything Spanish, nor the bitterness of those for whom the Spanish experience hasn’t worked.

This thread is a minute but perfect example, even though the topic is a sad one. The underlying, filtered advice seems to be, be careful, not all Spanish people will welcome you with open arms, and not all places are safe.

All the other advice about form filling, getting your telephone connected and applying for your residencia is important too, but not as important as personal safety matters.

jackytoo Sep 5th 2009 5:44 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 
These threads all end up the same because some posters cannot discuss anything in spain without "what about the UK then":(

Usually helped on by some spanish (sic!!) posters who seem to know more about the UK than their own country, all in excellent English too:unsure: One spaniard commented that they burn tramps in the UK, ever read your own national press? It's a national pastime in the big Cities, including málaga and Madrid. Do a search you should be able to understand better than us.

If you were attacked by some spanish Guiri hater, would you turn the other cheek and blame the other yob brits. If they don't know you and you are in the next village they won't know you are one of the "right sort" of brits will they.:rofl:

JLFS Sep 5th 2009 5:46 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by jackytoo (Post 7907366)
These threads all end up the same because some posters cannot discuss anything in spain without "what about the UK then":(

Usually helped on by some spanish (sic!!) posters who seem to know more about the UK than their own country, all in excellent English too:unsure: One spaniard commented that they burn tramps in the UK, ever read your own national press? It's a national pastime in the big Cities, including málaga and Madrid. Do a search you should be able to understand better than us.

If you were attacked by some spanish Guiri hater, would you turn the other cheek and blame the other yob brits. If they don't know you and you are in the next village they won't know you are one of the "right sort" of brits will they.:rofl:

Some of us Spanish are fully fluent in English, you know....
Just as some English are fully fluent in Spanish

HBG Sep 5th 2009 6:36 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 
Yes, how would they know if you were the ‘right sort’ of Brit? There might be some obvious signs, like grey hair and an unsteady gait, but that unsteady gait could be misinterpreted.

Especially in recent years, there are a great number of Spanish people, possibly with one English parent, whose English is totally fluent and at a far higher level than a lot of other posters, who perhaps haven’t studied their own language to the same degree. The same applies the other way round, and all those people especially are well worth listening to.

They are lucky enough to know both cultures, and I would prefer their advice to that from someone like me, who knows little of Spanish culture, but I’m trying to learn more.

I suppose I’m trying to be the ‘right sort’ of Brit, what a perfect way to explain things.

agoreira Sep 5th 2009 8:55 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by JLFS (Post 7906882)
I hate the way we are thought of as being a species apart, as though we are not on the same wavelength as the British.

It happens, people generalise, and in that respect the Brits are no different than the Spanish. Just reading a Spanish forum of Spanish living and working in UK, and they are holding a survey,
¿Son los ingleses borrachos mas violentos que los españoles borrachos?.
They group as all together, as one nation, not as individuals. Similarly, they are asking, ¿cómo son los ingleses e irlandeses? as if we are a species apart!;)

HBG Sep 5th 2009 10:08 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 
We are, in just the same way as the Andalucians are apart from the Catalunians. I'm writing without the spellcheck, and apologise, but I'm a minute away from going up to the noisy karaoke pub, it's going to keep me awake anyway, so I might as well join them.

I can only hope that I don't hear My Way, or the Green Green Grass of Home. I feel sick.

lynnxa Sep 5th 2009 6:01 pm

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by JLFS (Post 7906882)
I hate the way we are thought of as being a species apart, as though we are not on the same wavelength as the British.
The Spanish are just people, and phrases like "i get on well with them" does not make any sense.
It is like saying that you get on with Londeners, impossible, you will like some, dislike some, and hate others.
It sounds as though you are talking as if it is a special skill to get on with the Spanish, like snake handling.
You get on well with the people you get on well with (I hope you can understand what I am trying to say) whatever the nationality.
And you dont get on with the ones you dont get on with.

Of course there are Spanish who dont like Brits, there are Brits who dont like some Brits, Spanish that dont like some Spanish, Italians that dont like some Italians.
There are dogs that dont like some dogs, lions that dont like some lions, need I go on?

There are loads of Spanish I dont get on with and loads of Brits for that matter.

But it is a people thing, not a Spanish or racist thing.

Most British families would rather stay in a hotel with Spanish families, than a hotel with crowds of Brits on stag weekends.

It is not usually nationality that divides the people, it is the difference is lifestyle and the places the frequent, that is the great divider.
A middle aged Spanish woman would have more in common with a middle aged British woman than with an 18 year Spanish guy.

Just because you speak Spanish does not mean that you understand US, because what I am trying to say is that we are the same as the British, Italians, Americans etc.
We dont hate or like the British anymore than they like or hate us.

I dont know if I have explained myself very well, but sometimes I feel that the Spanish are viewed as some sort of (enigma)?

And we are just people, no more, no less.


Originally Posted by Relampago (Post 7906958)
There is of everything. There are people that acts individually, and there are cowards that act in groups. But that happens here, China or any other country. I know the case of several young boys (there was also girls) that in UK at night, they killed beggars. And it is something recent. The cowardice and the wickedness don't have nationality

What has happened to this British one could have happened to another person, native or of any other nationality. The attackers were mob with desires of fight, but personally I don't have constancy that this is usual among Spaniards and British

I've been thinking..........


at first I thought - here we go again - the British press blaming the spanish & vice versa


then I took 'race' out of it

2 guys at it with prostitutes in a doorway - wrong

some other guys 'have a go at them' (verbally initially) understandable

these guys throw eggs & stones at the guys in the doorway - what are they doing with eggs in their pockets at 4.30am? up to 'mischief'? so another wrong

the guys in the doorway retaliate - understandable

so they all get into a fight & one guy very sadly ends up dead


lots of wrong there - but just another booze-fuelled 'saturday night fight' with a tragic ending that could have happened anywhere

rugbymatt Sep 6th 2009 12:21 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by lynnxa (Post 7908243)
lots of wrong there - but just another booze-fuelled 'saturday night fight' with a tragic ending that could have happened anywhere

Thats what I have been trying to say for three pages.

JLFS Sep 6th 2009 2:39 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by jackytoo (Post 7907366)
These threads all end up the same because some posters cannot discuss anything in spain without "what about the UK then":(

Usually helped on by some spanish (sic!!) posters who seem to know more about the UK than their own country, all in excellent English too:unsure: One spaniard commented that they burn tramps in the UK, ever read your own national press? It's a national pastime in the big Cities, including málaga and Madrid. Do a search you should be able to understand better than us.

If you were attacked by some spanish Guiri hater, would you turn the other cheek and blame the other yob brits. If they don't know you and you are in the next village they won't know you are one of the "right sort" of brits will they.:rofl:

I am glad we seem to agree that is was a wrong time, wrong place, with a few too many drinks senario.

I am a bit puzzled about about the above comment about the level of English of some Spanish posters on here, as if inferring something not quite right about it.

Most parents who bring their young children to Spain and wonder if they will get to grips with the language, well I was one of those kids who had to learn a foreign language.
I think I managed very well.

whitelinen Sep 6th 2009 3:25 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by JLFS (Post 7908927)

Most parents who bring their young children to Spain and wonder if they will get to grips with the language, well I was one of those kids

Are you saying you are English?

agoreira Sep 6th 2009 3:29 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by JLFS (Post 7908927)
I think I managed very well.

You did indeed, the boy done good!;) I'd be quite happy if my Spanish was at the same level!:D

JLFS Sep 6th 2009 3:31 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by whitelinen (Post 7908989)
Are you saying you are English?

I am Spanish, well Gallego to be exact.

Mitzyboy Sep 6th 2009 3:33 am

Re: Another Sad Incident
 

Originally Posted by whitelinen (Post 7908989)
Are you saying you are English?

No .... I'm guessing he is Spanish but lived in the UK for a long time. I wish I was bilingual then people could ridicule me for it ;):)


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