"British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
May 17th 2011, 8:42 pm
#46
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,368
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
The Spanish are no different, try reading forolondres, it's full of Spanish working in London seeking "quedadas", they want to mix with their own, nothing wrong with that. I don't integrate as such because I don't live in Spain, but we are just coming to the end of a stay here, and as usual have been overwhelmed by the generosity of Spanish friends. In Ronda, a rural hotel we have stayed in many times, the owners gave me a signed book of the area (expensive!) and because they know I like albariño, a bottle that they sell for €18. In our present accommodation, the kids have just been up and given my wife some jewellery which looks like it cost more than a few euros. Throw in the free meals, tapas, reduced rentals etc, and it's safe to say, we get on OK with them. In exchange, I have photographed their properties, and never charge them, so it's a win win situation for all of us.
May 17th 2011, 8:42 pm
#47
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,800
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
Why didn´t I just say that to you being as you are only 2 metres away.
Graham
Last edited by Rosemary; May 17th 2011 at 9:02 pm.
May 17th 2011, 8:44 pm
#48
Not Banned (yet)
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Madrid
Posts: 6,400
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
I have always been a believer in being yourself, no matter where you are, cherry pick the best of all around, which is very easy to do in certain parts of Spain.
I generally preferred the Spanish bars in Madrid when out at night, not least because there were free tapas early on, and also the later-opening bars would sometimes "invite" you to another drink once they recognised you. It helped a lot in practising the language too. However I would often pop in the Irish pub on a Saturday if a decent Premiership game was being played, for the banter and to catch up on gossip from home.
May 17th 2011, 8:54 pm
#51
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 74
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
Watching the thousands of Madrillians on holiday in Cullera rather a lot of them eat paella at night, in fact the seafront restaurants are awash with paella of every sort. Maybe it is just a holiday thing with the Spanish and they will not admit it when they return home.
Just picture the scene back in Madrid, hubby to missus,"tell them about the drunken orgies, the wacky baccy, midnight skinny dipping but for gawds sake don´t mention the paellas.
Graham
Just picture the scene back in Madrid, hubby to missus,"tell them about the drunken orgies, the wacky baccy, midnight skinny dipping but for gawds sake don´t mention the paellas.
Graham
Are we playing tennis?
Of course, there are madrileños who should stay at home and not go on vacation. (And brits...) I hate when they come to the beach every summer and leave rubbish everywhere in the sand, and act as if they were the royal family...
May 17th 2011, 8:58 pm
#52
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,800
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
It was a bit of fun hence the big grin.
Graham
Last edited by Rosemary; May 17th 2011 at 9:02 pm.
May 17th 2011, 9:01 pm
#53
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Alicante province
Posts: 5,753
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
Here in the Alicante area there are many people who prefer to stay alone (not only Brits). And also people who can't understand even if you talk to them in their language. That's why it's so difficult. You find a wall when you try to say something...
Do you speak English?
Do you speak English?
There was a cashier working in the local Mercadona, English born but who came to Spain at the age of 12 with her parents. She looked English but refused to acknowledge that she spoke English when customers asked her something in her native language.
That's integration gone wrong, and I've seen it more than once. The balance can be difficult to achieve. My wife is an interpreter, London born but has lived most of her life in Spain, and with Spanish people, before we met.
Spanish people accept her as Spanish and so do the Brits. Sometimes she gets confused and swears at me in Spanish, and when she has nightmares, it's in Spanish.
I only start to worry when she calls me Joan, albeit in Catalan.
May 17th 2011, 9:03 pm
#54
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Valencia
Posts: 1,164
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
Nobody should get wound up by someone (the OP) quoting drivel from a presentation at a Housing and Cohesion Conference 3 years ago by someone called Anya Ahmed.
Why not mention the next presentation entitled Can Mixed Neighbourhoods Be Cohesive?
The whole thing smacks of flaming.
Why not mention the next presentation entitled Can Mixed Neighbourhoods Be Cohesive?
The whole thing smacks of flaming.
May 17th 2011, 9:05 pm
#55
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
It was saying, that the husband and wife did lots of weird things, but the worst one was eating paella at a late hour, and not to mention it to the neighbours.
The British sense of humour is very sharp and a lot is based on irony, stick around and you will get used to it.
May 17th 2011, 9:07 pm
#56
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 74
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
Well said! If the system allows me, i'll send you some karma.
I generally preferred the Spanish bars in Madrid when out at night, not least because there were free tapas early on, and also the later-opening bars would sometimes "invite" you to another drink once they recognised you. It helped a lot in practising the language too. However I would often pop in the Irish pub on a Saturday if a decent Premiership game was being played, for the banter and to catch up on gossip from home.
I generally preferred the Spanish bars in Madrid when out at night, not least because there were free tapas early on, and also the later-opening bars would sometimes "invite" you to another drink once they recognised you. It helped a lot in practising the language too. However I would often pop in the Irish pub on a Saturday if a decent Premiership game was being played, for the banter and to catch up on gossip from home.
Unfortunately, many Spanish customs are disappearing, specially here in the coast....... where they even serve paella at night!!!
May 17th 2011, 9:08 pm
#57
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
I know what you mean, I live in the Alicante area too. And thanks for that Youtube link, hilarious.
There was a cashier working in the local Mercadona, English born but who came to Spain at the age of 12 with her parents. She looked English but refused to acknowledge that she spoke English when customers asked her something in her native language.
That's integration gone wrong, and I've seen it more than once. The balance can be difficult to achieve. My wife is an interpreter, London born but has lived most of her life in Spain, and with Spanish people, before we met.
Spanish people accept her as Spanish and so do the Brits. Sometimes she gets confused and swears at me in Spanish, and when she has nightmares, it's in Spanish.
I only start to worry when she calls me Joan, albeit in Catalan.
There was a cashier working in the local Mercadona, English born but who came to Spain at the age of 12 with her parents. She looked English but refused to acknowledge that she spoke English when customers asked her something in her native language.
That's integration gone wrong, and I've seen it more than once. The balance can be difficult to achieve. My wife is an interpreter, London born but has lived most of her life in Spain, and with Spanish people, before we met.
Spanish people accept her as Spanish and so do the Brits. Sometimes she gets confused and swears at me in Spanish, and when she has nightmares, it's in Spanish.
I only start to worry when she calls me Joan, albeit in Catalan.
Do you want to share something with us?
May 17th 2011, 9:13 pm
#59
FreeThinker
Joined: Nov 2009
Location: the moors and levels
Posts: 9,702
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"
There was a cashier working in the local Mercadona, English born but who came to Spain at the age of 12 with her parents. She looked English but refused to acknowledge that she spoke English when customers asked her something in her native language.
That's integration gone wrong, and I've seen it more than once.
That's integration gone wrong, and I've seen it more than once.
May 17th 2011, 9:15 pm
#60
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Alicante province
Posts: 5,753
Re: "British people don’t integrate very well into host society"