I'd agree that there are cultural differences.


One of the most obvious is that whilst other nationalities have their peeves about others, they seem to be more political than cultural.

Brits on the other hand seem to whinge about cultural differences to a much greater extent. It doesn't matter who it is - Krauts, Frogs, Yanks, Spaniards - you name it... They are apparently all flawed in some way. Whether it's their despicable food and drink, their loudness, the way they drive, hold a fork, poor English... All flawed.

Yet I rarely hear all those flawed 'foreigners' whinging about Brits. It doesn't seem to be a topic of particular interest to them.

As has been said you seem to mix with the wrong type of people....try expanding your horizons.

.....and the people who I hear whinging most about 'brits' are those arrogant Brits who feel they are a cut above the rest....much like yourself.

Taxation is indeed high in France and Hollande still has two years left. Then maybe a ghost from the past will be in charge.

Indeed if you look at reg numbers on cars this summer then Javea has quite a lot of French ones. Chatting to them they highlighted what I already knew. The cost of living in France is much higher than here. However the housing market is difficult in France and I do not see 'hoards' leaving for Portugal.

Then some 25% unemployment for the young people. Then of course two types of employment contracts.

However still going back!

Finally the ECJ has ruled on the question of Social contributions and France is in breach. Thus with luck all of those contributions that we have made over the years we will get back! What will I buy with the money.

Also France is paying the price of allowing postal workers SNCF Air France and the like to retire at 50 years of age.

But save for two places in the South it does not have bull fighting neither do they kill hunting dogs who have lost the ability to hunt.

You are absolutely correct and I agree that no country is totally clean. But does that mean we stand idly by and do nothing. ?

Dick I have some images of Podenco's and being strung up on trees. Should I take my grandchildren who are currently here to see the sight?

And I believe that over 400000 Spanish people live in the UK? Why employment opportunities and/or the benefit system?

Employment, the UK us no longer the soft touch for benefits, for immigrants and nationals it once was.

The UK would be an a sorry state without the many skills from the NHS to every sector of the UK economy that immigrants from Spain and other EU
Countries bring.

This is a discussion forum.

This is a discussion.

It doesn't have to have a point.

So long as people stay polite to each other they can spout absolute drivel as far as I am concerned ( and they frequently do!). Usually there are a few gems that make it worthwhile.

If you don't like it you don't have to read it.

[QUOTE=EMR;11707835
The UK would be an a sorry state without the many skills from the NHS to every sector of the UK economy that immigrants from Spain and other EU
Countries bring.[/QUOTE]

Question is though why is this? The UK has a good education system more people than ever obtaining degrees, yet we are unable to train homebred Doctors and Nurses? I wonder how many foreign health staff Spain employs? Surely all the UK health staff can't be in Australia. Or is it that £ signs and rather than work for NHS they go private ? There has to be a simple reason although a solution may be more difficult.

For balance take Javea and its reliance upon ex-pats. The Mayor acknowledges and openly the importance of the ex pat community. A quid pro quo?

I surely can't speak for all of Spain, but in my neighbourhood, it's rare to find foreign healthcare workers. I reckon there could be many explanations for it, including preference for Spanish nationals in public sector jobs as well as the overall unemployment picture.

And while there may be other things one can complain about here, the healthcare system isn't one of them. It's very good.

I agree but in Denia there is essentially a private hospital and for rheumatologists where is a waiting list for months. And you try obtaining a specialist injection for Rheumatoid Arthritis. It took an intervention by the Consulate for it to happen. But generally so very good. Small point when you give blood at our salut take your own dressing!

However exposure to the French system for all of those years confirms with respect that its health system is marginally superior. they plough money into it like no ones business. But of course it is based upon a contribution of say 25% which one covers by insurance. However if one has a serious illness of which 14 or so are listed you get 100% relief.

France also believes in prevention. On a personal basis I saw a GP on a Tuesday the Consultant on the Thursday the anaesthetist on the Friday and operated upon on the Saturday.

As a matter of interest have you lived or worked in France for I might be preaching to the converted?

No, I haven't lived in France, but visit from time to time. Have some friends living there, so about all I know is by proxy. But it seems consistent with your narratives.

We do have more obtaining so called degrees from what used to be the local tech but is now the university of mediocrity.
So you have a degree in media, or fashion buying or any of the other useless qualifications in todays employment market.
What do they equip them for, serving in a pub or a shop.
InUK medical schools you will find have large numbers of overseas students who when qualified return to their original country or sell their gained UK skills abroad.We saw this in Bristol as it was graduation week.
How degrees are financed has to change, Tuition charges for degrees which we will call second or third tier have to be increased substantially and those for medicine, sciences etc or even removed.
The best from our schools should be able to compete for places for degrees that matter without having to worry about how they will live for their time at university or medical school.

I wasn't meaning it as a criticism of Spanish health system I have no experience of it. Friends have and say it is first class. I help out voluntarily for NHS and that too although under pressure does an excellent job. But as for reasons, my experience of NHS foreign hospital staff is very good. However many patients complain of disliking not being able to converse fully etc. In the UK although unemployment better than Spain could certainly improve in that area. There are plenty of people in UK well educated that surely could do with good nursing jobs or even auxiliary jobs. Final point I do find that manyexpats I speak with like to put down UK NHS and other public sector areas making out Spain is way ahead in these areas when reality both are very good. I do find that odd, I could understand it if it were Spaniards saying it as nothing wrong with national pride. By the way I am not be including contributors to the thread but expats I have known for years.

I've always felt the NHS is probably the most efficient public healthcare system in the world. Considering it costs about £80bil annually to provide preventative, pre- and post-illness, and emergency healthcare to 65 million citizens, it's damned difficult to rubbish it. Especially considering how abused it often is.

But its not only expats that rubbish it, it seems plenty of UK residents do too. Complaining about long wait times, etc. And any mention of implementing any kind of minimal co-pay for prescriptions or unnecessary abuse of A&E (as in other public healthcare systems) is confronted with protests similar to an anti-thatcher rally.

You can't expect 5-star service when paying 2-star prices. I think people should try to appreciate how good they have it.