5 .......... or less?

Out of the 50 most regular members, probably 5 or so are from Valencia
So 10%. There are meant to be 1 million Brits (though officially 350,000) in Spain, so that would make 100,000 in the Valencia region. Quite a few

A very unscientific survey though

First notice I have Spanish exposure makes you miss ironies. Wait.. Wasn't it an irony itself?

I think integration is not about doing the same things that the locals do, or even speaking their language. These are means, not goals.

Integration is about making yourself a place among the locals. It's about living in community. It's about learning about your neighbours and let your neighbours learn about you.

Integration is when you are different but you take it and you manage that people around you also take it.

No one should be ashamed of being different, and among humans there's always more stuff that join us than stuff that separate us.

So we have to make the effort to look at what joins us. The more we know each other, the more bonds we make.

Easy as breathing? I don't think so. It will be as easier as short the cultural leap is. And of course, if you land on a culture of diversity then it will be softer. But the most important thing is your willingness.

maybe they're so integrated that whitelinen hasn't noticed them

I am actually talking about Valencia Valencia not the Communidad de Valencia.

To include MBoy for instance as living in Valencia is like saying people in Brighton live in London.

LOL ........if only

Hi Juan
I take this from Wiki
integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely bringing a racial minority into the majority culture.

probably that could cause many more arguements, but you will see by my previous posts that, like you, I believe Integration will only come about by all involved taking an active part. I could not be called "integrated" if I could ever become totally fluent in the Spanish language and had a paella once a week. I believe it is actually harder for a Spaniard to allow integration, it is his country, his way of life. I would hope that he would have a little bit of pride that I wanted to live in his country, accept his laws, learn his language, cook his food whilst also perhaps taking on some of my little guiri quirks.
I would hope that in the short time I am on this planet that some, but never all, would feel I was able to make a little contribution to their way of life as well as my own.
I would not want to known as "a good egg" because I was "the guiri who always buys everyone a round of drinks". That isnt integration, although moving forward a small step if one or more also did it and included me in it, as acceptance.

Please remember that many Brit expats have direct (and in some cases bitter) knowledge of peoples from other countries who have come in and set up camp, gathered all their countrymen around them, built their holy places of worship and insist on living the same life they had "back home", only wanting anything to do with the British way of life unless there was something in it for them, never giving anything back except to their own community. Yes, there are some who do give payback, thanks for the help and assistance, but not in the majority.
Almost sounds like the Brits in Spain - just don't tell them that !!

Integration can only come as a stage after acceptance and can and usually does take centuries to achieve. UK still has problems with the English, Scots, Welsh, Irish, proving integration still isnt complete, in the same way as there are problems with certain regions of Spain that havent been fully integrated. But reading Spanish history, I can understand why, in the same way as Italy, due to the fairly recent coming together of various states. Isabel I and Ferdinand II did alot to bring about one state, but that hasnt resulted in full integration - yet.

Sri, rant over, Integration will not happen to me or during my lifetime, but hopefully it will come one day.

What we need is a great big melting pot
Big enough, big enough, big enough, to take the world and all it's got
Keep it stirring for a hundred years or more
And turn out coffee coloured people by the score

Ive always respected your opinions but this time Im sorry.

You are really talking out of your ass on this one.

Touristy and souless....Valencia city and its surrounding towns!!!! Nutter.

When I see the name Valencia it always reminds me of El Cid and the horses striding across the sand

I know why you're astonished at his opinion, but be fair, he was there in August and probably spent most of his time around The Scientific City and the new apartment blocks around there. Totally unrepresentative perhaps? You could walk around the City of London on a Saturday night (especially in winter) and think it's the quietest city you've known - a lot of pubs, eating places etc close at the weekend.

This is taken from Racial Integration entry. I am unsure whether or not we can talk of 'racial integration' between us. I was thinking about a new neighbour in a new neighbourhood. Perhaps the subject is interesting and deserves its own post, but the OP's question AFAIK was about our concept of integration when migrated.
Then we don't share the same concept of integration. My idea of integration involves keeping your national identity and customs, while being able to take part in the community. Of course fluency would be very useful for your integration since your communication skills are critical. Trying the paella is also a good idea, but if you dislike it, it is OK. You can play backgammon, bridge, and cricket, and perhaps you can invite some of your neighbours to join. Bake a pudding. For sure they will be delighted. You will always be different, but it is how that has to be. Spaniards and Brithish share football fondness, perhaps you can exploit it. Think different (sorry for the Steve Jobs tribute).
Everyone have a role in integration, but traditionally I was taught the first step is taken by who arrives the last. Attitude is understood regardless colours or languages, and smiling has a good chance to be successful. As long as you progress, you eventually find a balance --where you make friends, just cordial relationships or strictly functional relationships. Everyone has virtues and defects, and when you strip the nationality and race from the person, you see nothing but a peer.

Be yourself. It will be the best gift you can give to your community. By community I mean all people who live around you, regardless their origin.

That is a start, but the idea is that the drinks should be bought in turns.
Well, integration is not mandatory. Respect in coexistence does. Segregation often favours friction but in some situations can be a solution, transitional or even definite.

I believe segregation sometimes is advisable, for example integration for the gipsies is a risk because their way of life. They like the open country, the bonfire and the music, and they have their laws. Integration can be therefore a big loss for them.
I would call that 'fussion' rather than 'integration'. Some of us in Spain appreciate diversity. I think diversity makes Spain more interesting.
As I told you, I prefer you as you are. Be yourself. Keep your identity. Perhaps some day we Spaniards and British (and all Europeans) will be indistinguishable. Until then, I'll enjoy our differences.

I am afraid that the last few posts have gone right over my head, a bit of overkill on the psycobabble, methinks

I have not read any posts past the first three - so i'm way behind - but it is a topic that I might be part of.

I don't suppose for one minute that intergration is only spoken of in Spain.

I believe I am fully intergrated into Italian life. At the same time I'm happy to cook Shepherd's Pie and Yorkshire Puddings and make Apple crumble.

Just my two pennorthworth.

I don't believe that mixing and matching one's roots means less fitting in. I believe that living for one's roots - means less fitting in.

you're absolutely right

someone a page or more back said that they take what they like best or what fits their lifestyle, from each 'culture'

you can live an essentially 'Spanish' life & still incorporate 'British' bits

my kids go to Spanish school - so our daily timetable is dictated by that

they start school at 8am - so we get up horribly early

they finish at 2 or 3pm so we all have a big main meal lunch together then

I work mornings from 9.30am til 1pm so that I can be home to cook it

if we were Spanish we'd no doubt then have a little power nap - but we none of us were brought up with that, and haven't managed to get into that habit - so we can't stay up as late as our Spanish neighbours who do

3 evenings a week I go out to work again for a couple of hours - I would never have done that in the UK - but it's how things are done here

then we have a light 'supper' when I get home & early to bed

we watch Spanish tele & listen to Spanish radio, but download the X factor & various sci-fi things to watch in English

we gpo to the cinema when a new film we want to watch first comes out & watch it in Spanish - then later we will often go to our local cinema to watch it in English - a lot of the humour & puns just don't quite translate

we eat what ever we feel like eating - in summer lighter 'spanishy' food - in the winter maybe more 'englishy' comfort food - but mostly our diet would be best described as 'international'

we speak English at home, unless we have friends around who can't, then we speak Spanish & I have heard my kids speak Valenciano with their friends on the odd occasion

I have no idea if we're integrated - but popping to the shop can sometimes take hours, stopping to chat with all sorts of people, and my husband knows to only go to the bank if he has an hour to spare - the manager loves a good gossip!

btw - our Spanish landlord speaks excellent English - he grasps for the odd word now & then, but he's as near as dammit fluent

he certainly swears very well in English