that is what is so unusual about the tourist industry, it is stuffed full of people who seem to enjoy being able to talk to you in your language, him in his etc. They feel they are doing their job, providing you - the visitor - with a service that doesn't make you feel isolated. And, as you indicate, they are some of the lowest paid workers, but always have a smile and a welcome.

locally in the Uk we have a couple of call centres, they regularly advertise for workers capable of talking in different languages. The salaries are to my mind appalling - £12k for someone able to speak Chinese\Russian etc as a native is no recognition for an ability, unless you have no choice

oh yes we do help them to settle in, with a free house, even free furniture from time to time. one family of 2 adults and 7 kids arrived from Eastern Europe in a battered, clapped out, Mondeo. No warning - just arrived. Complained the council putting them into a 4 bed house that wasnt big enough, and they couldnt get any help in keeping the car on the road. After 2 months the back garden looked like a tip. But became lifelong recipients of UK benefits, saying they came over here for the "opportunities" they didnt have back home

EFL classes are generally for no more than 10, and there are queues for them.

however, as they tell us, we cannot force them to attend a language course, in the same way as the Spanish can't force us to.
it is accepted that the children will learn English and always be there for parents and grandparents who don't know a word.
that is why they live in communities or ghetto's, for mutual support - just like Camposol.
they open ethnic shops, give you a dirty look if you should be visiting one of the few and rapidly closing "English" shops, or just driving throught the area.

meanwhile I get told I am not integrating.
Spain here i come,,,,,,

The UK government of all stripes have been resolutely stupid in dealing with immigration.

It should have been that only those with the ability to support themselves, or with the requisite numbers of 'points' eg, able to speak English, have a trade etc etc etc.

As for immigrants with a criminal record, or those who commit crimes of a certain level? Piss off and never come back.

I'm sure I've seen reports that an immigrant in the UK is less likely to commit crime that an average Brit and actually claims less benefits?

Or am I dreaming?

fully agree bil, but then the fluffy bunnies with degrees in HR, Diversity, Social Welfare etc etc, jump in and say such actions would be against the Human Rights of the individual, we must practice Diversity. Conveniently forgetting the Human Rights of the majority.

remember the Illegal Immigrant who couldnt be deported because he had put down roots by having a cat ??
remember a couple of months ago the Nigerian woman subject of multiple birth who has had about £500k of medical and welfare support ??

they have tried deporting people and giving them £3k and flight to go back home. more than one has come back!
prisoners with Deportation instructions are being released into the community because someone forgot to read page 2. there was a report a couple of days ago that over 200 of these cannot be found.
and you cannot deport someone who is a citizen of an EU country.

definitely not my cup of tea, but is it small wonder that organisations such as BNP and EDL are getting a better grip ?? The basic core of what they say has a lot of bearing - just let down by the delivery and methods. Which is why we must allow counter organisations who hide behind their religion rather than nationality, which they see as one and the same

rant over, time for an English cup of tea, made with Indian tea

dream on sunshine

That wouldn't surprise me, but that still doesn't erase the need to be restrictive as to who comes in. Other countries don't just let anyone in, why should we?

*phew* .... a new poster and straight on the money!!!! That's all I was saying. Wot she said!

because we are suckers ?

much vaunted international and eu rules say an individual should claim asylum when they make the first step on a friendly shore.
so how come Italy takes them in, puts them on a train north and says France that way!
how come France actively supports the camps in places like Sangatt knowing they will get to uk eventually.

sorry, but i am surrounded by them and last year spent time working with some in the public arena.
they take the GIMME GIMME GIMME attitude of Brits to a new level and can quote immigration and human rights law.

they have more than one passport, more than one name,

For some reason it seems to me that the British slavishly follow 'the rules' where other countries interpret them to their best advantage.

Bil, I'm surprised you've reverted to such Daily Mail nonsense

France, Germany, Italy and Spain all have a rate of immigration that is the same or higher than the UK.

Since 1990, Spain has taken in 6 million immigrants, thats 15% of their population. They even had an amnesty for 1 million illegal immigrants a few years ago.

Any restrictions on who they let in?

Oh yes, it's not DM nonsense to want people working here to speak English.

In Spain, no almost no restrictions at all, especially with the amnesty.

And where is here? You living in the UK now?

I dont understand why British people complain about immigrants going to the UK and not speaking English. Bill you are an immigrant in Spain that is not fluent in Spanish!

And how many British people come on this site looking for jobs in Spain even though they don't speak fluent Spanish?

Do you not see the hypocracy in the argument?

Anyway, during my time in the UK I never came across a worker who couldnt speak English and I lived in London for 5 years. Maybe there are on the potato fields, but who cares? Until recently the people on the Spanish fields didnt speak Spanish either. More likely to speak French, Arabic or Romanian

And you must see the cars that go around advertising gardening, car repairs or cleaning around here. All written in English. Dirty immigrants, how dare they!

CM i think you are missing the point of my earlier posting (crossed in the post?)

Spain for example we know and have to some extent bemoaned, has vastly different benefits structure to the uk.
they take them in and then shuffle them on..to the uk, having been processed by another eu country makes them "acceptable".

the biggest problem for countries like uk is the economic migrant, especially those who claim asylum, £millions are spent on proving their ineligibility to support and assistance, by which time they have gone underground and disappeared.

yes i agree there are those brits who just will not get out of bed to work, but basic jsa is only about £69\week. with more and more ethnic employers around they are taking on only certain ethnic\nationalities knowing full well that with a carefully crafted pay policy they can get away with paying below NMW. many of these jobs are in the food growing\picking\preparation areas around me, whole sites speak a single non-english language.
BUT THE PRICE OF FOOD IS STILL RISING.

embarrassed by the Brits ? Yes, but also embarrassed by those who are hiding behind the openness and fairness of the british people.

Illegal immigrants are a huge problem in the UK and a burden on every taxpayer.

Illegal immigrants in France Germany and Italy are not welcome at all.

Indeed it is an offence to assist an illegal immigrant in France, if only it was the same in the UK.