Call_me_Trev

Just like to say hello to everyone as I have just joined. Still living in the UK, and have never actually been to Spain, but am very interested to hear other people's accounts of living over there. Am keeping an open mind for the future though.

As much as I love the UK, there are certain aspects, which I hate, for example, anti-social behaviour, which seems to be getting worse. You daren't think about approaching these characters now as you dread to think what could happen.

What I would be interested to know, does this go on the same scale in Spain? Talking here of kids on street corners being rowdy, harrassment, vandalism to parked cars, property etc? Do you ever walk the streets in fear? Is there more respect over there?

Apologies in advance if this topic's already been covered.

lynnxa

Welcome

In answer to your question - it depends....................

Yes, all of these things happen in Spain - but not everywhere in Spain - and Spain is so much bigger than the UK that it could well be easier to avoid it

I have never walked the streets in fear here - but there is one area in my town where I would never go at night

fionamw

Welcome seconded
It depends seconded
Third para ditto
I suspect there are plenty of places in Spain where I'd happily walk at night (if you know what I mean....)
however there are plenty of places in the UK where I'd do that too, it all depends on whether you're talking countryside, small village, town, 'country town', suburb, city, etc., etc.
I doubt that if everyone on the Spain forum answered you'd have a representative view, anyway & I'm not sure how you'd get one, in all honesty. I just know that I think the places where I'd be comfortable leaving my 8yo running around the countryside for an hour or more & only knowing 'vaguely' where he is within a mile or so are now non-existent in most of the UK yet I do it with ease & a contented smile that he's having a freer childhood.
(and no, I wouldn't do that immediately on setting up home anywhere, but we were comfortable with the notion within a few months)

HBG

If you take any British town and compare it with any similar Spanish town, you want find any difference, generally. You can get away from anti social behaviour in the UK and you can get away from it in Spain, if you choose your area carefully, but the countries themselves have grown very close to each other, within Europe.

From the gist of your post it seems that you want to get away from anti social behaviour in your locality (don’t we all?), but merely coming to anywhere in Spain, or France, or Germany, won’t solve that.

But, as Lynn said, Spain is much bigger, so you have a bigger choice, but there are many other things to consider.

JLFS

Hi and welcome Trev,

In answer to your question I "third" the above posts.

As you have said that you havent even been to Spain, in your position I would not be putting the cart before the horse so to speak.

It is like deciding if you wnat fried or boiled eggs, without every having eaten eggs at all.

Spain can be a pain in the ass country, in may aspects. You have got to love Spain to decide to come and live here.

Not wanting to be in the UK for whatever reason, would not be enough to make a life in Spain.
Most on this board have chosen Spain, based on what Spain has to offer (be it sun, cheapness, family situations or whatever), and not on what they dont like about the UK.

Book on a Ryanair flight (not Granada apparently) and have a taste for your self.

You might land here and hate the place, food, weather, then your itch will be scratched and plan B can be put into action (if there is one)

As I said before welcome to our little band of merrymen and women.

Cheers,

Jose Luis

HBG

I forgot to add the obvious – it you see a crowd of yobs congregating near your house in the UK, you can call the police; you can’t do that in Spain unless you speak Spanish.

jojojojojo

There are also alot of those same "british yobs" in a lot of towns in spain! They came over here too!!! I certainly feel safer in Spain tho and the young spanish kids do seem to have more respect - or maybe its just cos I dont understand them???????? Also the tendancy in Spain is for families to go out at night, unlike the UK, which seems to leave the towns at night in the hands of the yobs. So the atmosphere tends to feel different

Jo xxx

jdr

English speaking police number 902 102 112

HBG

That’s a good point, here in Valencia you get an English, German and I believe Russian operator if you ask after dialling the emergency number 112. I suppose they have to with the numbers of foreigners living here.

The problem arises when they arrive at the scene, because they will only speak Spanish, although most of them are very helpful, unless they’ve drawn their guns and then it’s best to say nothing and just put your hands up.

jackytoo

Nothing like that ever happens in Spain...it's perfect. Come on down

HBG

You’ve asked for it Jacky, and I don’t want to put anyone off, but this begs to be told.

On Easter Friday, 2003, on a sunny afternoon, my wife and I and our little dog (we got the Doberman a week later) were all having a siesta when two giant Berbers climbed over our low, ornate garden wall (it’s now two metres high) and walked into our open house.

I woke to see a giant Berber with three of my wife’s handbags over his arm. There was a scuffle in the house, in the garden and then in the street. A Danish neighbour called the police who arrived just as I was climbing over the wall to get back into my garden, the Berbers having run away.

I was so pleased to see the two Guardia Civil until I saw that they were pointing their revolvers directly at me. I was only wearing socks and underpants and my hands were covered in blood, but I had the good sense to put them up and felt a right prick.

They got the Berbers a few weeks later, but not without a fight and one of the burglars was shot dead.

I hope I haven’t put anyone off from coming to this beautiful, peaceful country.

jackytoo

HGB I was just being sarky I think these posts are deliberate to get everyone riled!

Someone said they are perfectly happy for their 8 yr old to run around, I wouldn't in any country. Spain has pedos you know, least one a month in the papers!

cricketman

For christ sake. You'd prevent your child from having their freedom and fun because of a tiny amount of paedophilia cases. Now THAT is child abuse.

People should get a reality check. These cases are so rare that whenever there is a case it makes the front page of the papers in whatever country.

Anyway, paedophiles are very unlikely to be strangers, they are usually fathers or uncles.

jojojojojo

The amount of freedom given to a child is more dependant on the child than who or what is out there IMO. But I wouldnt have wanted any of mine at the age of 8 straying out of earshot in either country

Jo xxx

lynnxa

Agreed

My kids do have more freedom here than I know a lot of kids their ages in the UK have - pretty much the same freedom as I had growing up in the UK

from the age of 10/11 I used to go on the bus to the next town swimming or to the cinema with friends - go for long walks in the hills with a picnic - we'd go out in the morning in the summer & be back for tea

No mobile phones then either

I have no idea if I'd give them that freedom in the UK or not though - I don't live there & haven't been back for 6 years, but I do know that friends there with 10 year olds don't let them further than the park in the same street on their own - if they are even allowed to do that

I don't know if it's more dangerous in the UK than here or not - I doubt that there's any real difference if you compare similar areas in each country - but there is a perception of safety here.

Perhaps it's because you see groups of 10 year olds (& younger) playing together in the parks/on the beach/on the street without adult supervision, that it seems more 'normal' & 'safe' - rather than the other way around (they play out because it is safe)