Pain in Spain.
Dec 5th 2011 | 4:38 am
#46
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 12,053
From: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Re: Pain in Spain.
Talking about language, I think us Brits face a different dilemma to than most countries, for instance I was never taught a language in School other than welsh because I lived in Wales, and if they offered me a language to learn I would not have known which one to choose, some in school were taught French. I personally have never, and will probably never have a need or desire to learn French as far as I know.
The difference in Spanish or any other European school is that English is the international language and well worth the effort to learn, so if you wanted for instance to become a pilot you would have to learn it, so if I were foreign it would be so easy to choose a useful language to learn,and for me it would be English.
The difference in Spanish or any other European school is that English is the international language and well worth the effort to learn, so if you wanted for instance to become a pilot you would have to learn it, so if I were foreign it would be so easy to choose a useful language to learn,and for me it would be English.
Problem I have now is that I remember so much of it, and because of the same\similar roots of words in Spanish I regularly forget and lapse into French.
I will have to blame it on those dang Romans.
Because of the universality of English it can be a problem, but understand the Chinese sent a plane up without an English speaking pilot who proceeded to cause mayhem when he tried to land.
English and Spanish are two of the six official languages of the United Nations.
Dec 5th 2011 | 5:21 am
#47
Spanish, 40
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 287
From: Surrey. Back to Spain in 2012
Re: Pain in Spain.
The 3 most used languages in the world are, in this current order: Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and English. Then Hindi-Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese and Punjabi.
This reflects people who THINK in that language, as mother tongue, not all who can speak the language.
As you said, years ago the international language was French. Now we learn English (keeping in mind that the numbers who can actually speak it are far less than those who had to study it at school!). Rajoy is learning English simply because in his generation he studied French and with the international implications of being a Presidente, he simply has to, but I bet he will always use interpreters.
Tomorrow, Mandarin? English is slowly losing its importance. Personally I'm not happy with this, as we already had to drop our pants and bend for it to gain its importance, so hopefully we won't have to do it again with Chinese.
But, in any case, this means nothing other than poor lazy excuses. if one lives in a foreign country, one has to integrate, otherwise you simply look like aloof people with a too high concept of themselves and happy to underestimate and insult the host society. You clearly don't like immigrants who don't integrate in your country, so why do you act like them when immigrants in other countries??? I will never understand it, sorry.
This reflects people who THINK in that language, as mother tongue, not all who can speak the language.
As you said, years ago the international language was French. Now we learn English (keeping in mind that the numbers who can actually speak it are far less than those who had to study it at school!). Rajoy is learning English simply because in his generation he studied French and with the international implications of being a Presidente, he simply has to, but I bet he will always use interpreters.
Tomorrow, Mandarin? English is slowly losing its importance. Personally I'm not happy with this, as we already had to drop our pants and bend for it to gain its importance, so hopefully we won't have to do it again with Chinese.
But, in any case, this means nothing other than poor lazy excuses. if one lives in a foreign country, one has to integrate, otherwise you simply look like aloof people with a too high concept of themselves and happy to underestimate and insult the host society. You clearly don't like immigrants who don't integrate in your country, so why do you act like them when immigrants in other countries??? I will never understand it, sorry.
Dec 5th 2011 | 5:34 am
#48
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Pain in Spain.
The 3 most used languages in the world are, in this current order: Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and English. Then Hindi-Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese and Punjabi.
This reflects people who THINK in that language, as mother tongue, not all who can speak the language.
As you said, years ago the international language was French. Now we learn English (keeping in mind that the numbers who can actually speak it are far less than those who had to study it at school!). Rajoy is learning English simply because in his generation he studied French and with the international implications of being a Presidente, he simply has to, but I bet he will always use interpreters.
Tomorrow, Mandarin? English is slowly losing its importance. Personally I'm not happy with this, as we already had to drop our pants and bend for it to gain its importance, so hopefully we won't have to do it again with Chinese.
But, in any case, this means nothing other than poor lazy excuses. if one lives in a foreign country, one has to integrate, otherwise you simply look like aloof people with a too high concept of themselves and happy to underestimate and insult the host society. You clearly don't like immigrants who don't integrate in your country, so why do you act like them when immigrants in other countries??? I will never understand it, sorry.
This reflects people who THINK in that language, as mother tongue, not all who can speak the language.
As you said, years ago the international language was French. Now we learn English (keeping in mind that the numbers who can actually speak it are far less than those who had to study it at school!). Rajoy is learning English simply because in his generation he studied French and with the international implications of being a Presidente, he simply has to, but I bet he will always use interpreters.
Tomorrow, Mandarin? English is slowly losing its importance. Personally I'm not happy with this, as we already had to drop our pants and bend for it to gain its importance, so hopefully we won't have to do it again with Chinese.
But, in any case, this means nothing other than poor lazy excuses. if one lives in a foreign country, one has to integrate, otherwise you simply look like aloof people with a too high concept of themselves and happy to underestimate and insult the host society. You clearly don't like immigrants who don't integrate in your country, so why do you act like them when immigrants in other countries??? I will never understand it, sorry.
There is a difference between not speaking the language between certain groups, and in my opinion the not speaking the language is often the least of the problem that causes bad feelings amongst the locals.
A lot of incomers dont learn the language here and Spain,but one group may make other demands which are out of sync with the local population and are quite difficult to handle.
I know of an old folks home where a couple of female residents for cultural or religious reasons will not be allow themselves to be examined by a male doctor, which can be quite tricky to resoolve if it is the middle of the night, there are of course other females who would rather be seen by a femail doctor, but they have to lump it, and are told not to be so stupid.
So is it fair to give one group extra consideration which is not usually the policy, when they have chosen to live in a country of a different religion?
So it a lot of cases it is not the lack of language that get peoples backs up, it is the jumping through hoops to appeas that go along with it.
That cannot be said of British expats in Spain.
Dec 5th 2011 | 5:40 am
#49
Banned
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 19,367
From: Mallorca
Re: Pain in Spain.
The pain in Spain falls mainly on the plain
Dec 5th 2011 | 5:48 am
#50
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 12,053
From: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Re: Pain in Spain.
The 3 most used languages in the world are, in this current order: Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and English. Then Hindi-Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese and Punjabi.
This reflects people who THINK in that language, as mother tongue, not all who can speak the language.
As you said, years ago the international language was French. Now we learn English (keeping in mind that the numbers who can actually speak it are far less than those who had to study it at school!). Rajoy is learning English simply because in his generation he studied French and with the international implications of being a Presidente, he simply has to, but I bet he will always use interpreters.
Tomorrow, Mandarin? English is slowly losing its importance. Personally I'm not happy with this, as we already had to drop our pants and bend for it to gain its importance, so hopefully we won't have to do it again with Chinese.
But, in any case, this means nothing other than poor lazy excuses. if one lives in a foreign country, one has to integrate, otherwise you simply look like aloof people with a too high concept of themselves and happy to underestimate and insult the host society. You clearly don't like immigrants who don't integrate in your country, so why do you act like them when immigrants in other countries??? I will never understand it, sorry.
This reflects people who THINK in that language, as mother tongue, not all who can speak the language.
As you said, years ago the international language was French. Now we learn English (keeping in mind that the numbers who can actually speak it are far less than those who had to study it at school!). Rajoy is learning English simply because in his generation he studied French and with the international implications of being a Presidente, he simply has to, but I bet he will always use interpreters.
Tomorrow, Mandarin? English is slowly losing its importance. Personally I'm not happy with this, as we already had to drop our pants and bend for it to gain its importance, so hopefully we won't have to do it again with Chinese.
But, in any case, this means nothing other than poor lazy excuses. if one lives in a foreign country, one has to integrate, otherwise you simply look like aloof people with a too high concept of themselves and happy to underestimate and insult the host society. You clearly don't like immigrants who don't integrate in your country, so why do you act like them when immigrants in other countries??? I will never understand it, sorry.
The principal of us not liking immigrants is based around the fact that they have been dumped on us over the past 4 or 5 decades and WE have been told to integrate with them.
Old Chinese saying - "Never Happen Johnny!"
We are the only ones who can be Racist, never them. We cannot be given a house\flat because the local authority are holding a buffer stock for immigrants. Do I go on ??
At least (usually) the Brits (and others) who come to Spain come with money, we don't get paid benefits, except those graciously awarded to us by our home country, so we don't send all our money back "home"
That is why there is at least one travel agent in ethnic areas, not only do they arrange the flights "home" but all the flights to the UK, and they act as money brokers for the sending of that money back "home"
The shooting of PC Sharon Beshenivsky was because of a bungled raid on a travel agent that was on the way to the mosque and on that day was expected to have lots of folding money.
Dec 5th 2011 | 5:50 am
#51
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 12,053
From: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Re: Pain in Spain.
There is a difference between not speaking the language between certain groups, and in my opinion the not speaking the language is often the least of the problem that causes bad feelings amongst the locals.
A lot of incomers dont learn the language here and Spain,but one group may make other demands which are out of sync with the local population and are quite difficult to handle.
I know of an old folks home where a couple of female residents for cultural or religious reasons will not be allow themselves to be examined by a male doctor, which can be quite tricky to resoolve if it is the middle of the night, there are of course other females who would rather be seen by a femail doctor, but they have to lump it, and are told not to be so stupid.
So is it fair to give one group extra consideration which is not usually the policy, when they have chosen to live in a country of a different religion?
So it a lot of cases it is not the lack of language that get peoples backs up, it is the jumping through hoops to appeas that go along with it.
That cannot be said of British expats in Spain.
A lot of incomers dont learn the language here and Spain,but one group may make other demands which are out of sync with the local population and are quite difficult to handle.
I know of an old folks home where a couple of female residents for cultural or religious reasons will not be allow themselves to be examined by a male doctor, which can be quite tricky to resoolve if it is the middle of the night, there are of course other females who would rather be seen by a femail doctor, but they have to lump it, and are told not to be so stupid.
So is it fair to give one group extra consideration which is not usually the policy, when they have chosen to live in a country of a different religion?
So it a lot of cases it is not the lack of language that get peoples backs up, it is the jumping through hoops to appeas that go along with it.
That cannot be said of British expats in Spain.
Dec 5th 2011 | 6:06 am
#52
Spanish, 40
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 287
From: Surrey. Back to Spain in 2012
Re: Pain in Spain.
There is a difference between not speaking the language between certain groups, and in my opinion the not speaking the language is often the least of the problem that causes bad feelings amongst the locals.
A lot of incomers dont learn the language here and Spain,but one group may make other demands which are out of sync with the local population and are quite difficult to handle.
I know of an old folks home where a couple of female residents for cultural or religious reasons will not be allow themselves to be examined by a male doctor, which can be quite tricky to resoolve if it is the middle of the night, there are of course other females who would rather be seen by a femail doctor, but they have to lump it, and are told not to be so stupid.
So is it fair to give one group extra consideration which is not usually the policy, when they have chosen to live in a country of a different religion?
So it a lot of cases it is not the lack of language that get peoples backs up, it is the jumping through hoops to appeas that go along with it.
That cannot be said of British expats in Spain.
A lot of incomers dont learn the language here and Spain,but one group may make other demands which are out of sync with the local population and are quite difficult to handle.
I know of an old folks home where a couple of female residents for cultural or religious reasons will not be allow themselves to be examined by a male doctor, which can be quite tricky to resoolve if it is the middle of the night, there are of course other females who would rather be seen by a femail doctor, but they have to lump it, and are told not to be so stupid.
So is it fair to give one group extra consideration which is not usually the policy, when they have chosen to live in a country of a different religion?
So it a lot of cases it is not the lack of language that get peoples backs up, it is the jumping through hoops to appeas that go along with it.
That cannot be said of British expats in Spain.
Yes, when they have any problem with the local society (health, police, repairs, shopping...) and they cannot understand that the natives don't have to speak English. Then in many cases local police, doctors, shop assistants or whatever have to try to solve the situation and find somebody to translate or try to practise some Espanglish. They can also waste valuable time when talking about health issues and not being able to answer important health questions. And this when these immigrants might have been living for more than 10 years and simply didn't bother to learn a bit of the lingo. What would they think of you and me if we lived in the UK for 10 years without being able to speak English?
I don't put in the same sack tourists and immigrants, and I expect immigrants to be able to communicate and solve their problems rather than expecting natives to understand them because "English is the international language". That is a lazy attitude.
Now take all the other non English speaker "expats", they cannot make that "international language" excuse. I expect them to do exactly what I expect from any other immigrant, be it in my country or everywhere else.
Dec 5th 2011 | 6:24 am
#53
Spanish, 40
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 287
From: Surrey. Back to Spain in 2012
Re: Pain in Spain.
careful - Chinese and Mandarin are different, the former has many dialects such as Cantonese, the latter goes back centuries as the language of the Emperor and his civil servants and is still used as a high level diplomatic language.
The principal of us not liking immigrants is based around the fact that they have been dumped on us over the past 4 or 5 decades and WE have been told to integrate with them.
Old Chinese saying - "Never Happen Johnny!"
We are the only ones who can be Racist, never them. We cannot be given a house\flat because the local authority are holding a buffer stock for immigrants. Do I go on ??
At least (usually) the Brits (and others) who come to Spain come with money, we don't get paid benefits, except those graciously awarded to us by our home country, so we don't send all our money back "home"
That is why there is at least one travel agent in ethnic areas, not only do they arrange the flights "home" but all the flights to the UK, and they act as money brokers for the sending of that money back "home"
The shooting of PC Sharon Beshenivsky was because of a bungled raid on a travel agent that was on the way to the mosque and on that day was expected to have lots of folding money.
The principal of us not liking immigrants is based around the fact that they have been dumped on us over the past 4 or 5 decades and WE have been told to integrate with them.
Old Chinese saying - "Never Happen Johnny!"
We are the only ones who can be Racist, never them. We cannot be given a house\flat because the local authority are holding a buffer stock for immigrants. Do I go on ??
At least (usually) the Brits (and others) who come to Spain come with money, we don't get paid benefits, except those graciously awarded to us by our home country, so we don't send all our money back "home"
That is why there is at least one travel agent in ethnic areas, not only do they arrange the flights "home" but all the flights to the UK, and they act as money brokers for the sending of that money back "home"
The shooting of PC Sharon Beshenivsky was because of a bungled raid on a travel agent that was on the way to the mosque and on that day was expected to have lots of folding money.
I have said many times that I don't like ghettoes, in the Uk, in Spain, or anywhere, I'm consistent: I don't expect from immigrants in my own country more than I can do as an immigrant myself. Some people will call me racist, I don't care, I know I'm not.
Dec 5th 2011 | 7:23 am
#54
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,753
From: Alicante province
Re: Pain in Spain.
You're not racist, you're merely wishing for the impossible. To stick with UK expats; for a million of them to descend on Spain for mostly obvious reasons, and expect them to somehow integrate totally just isn't realistic.
A small number might make the effort, and I think, sadly, that it is a small number; the majority will take what they can from this marvellous country; the climate, people friendliness, cheapness (only just, nowadays), a tiny portion of the rich culture, and the chance to escape from problems back home.
Bluntly, they've come for a knees-up in the sun, to stop having to baby-sit back home, to leave neighbours behind, and some might even come for romance, new love in the sun; British ladies have always had a soft spot for the Spanish gigolos and their smooth talk.
I used to watch the gigolos in Cafe Benidorm, experts at their art. They would study the fat ladies from up north waddling through the door, pick their next conquest, and minutes later they would be on the dance floor with their clapping hands above their heads, 'Simply the best, better than all the rest . . .'
A week later, they would be seeing them off at Alicante airport; long, sloppy embraces, before hurrying back to Benidorm for the next one.
If you don't believe me, go and have a look, Cafe Benidorm is a place I remember fondly.
A small number might make the effort, and I think, sadly, that it is a small number; the majority will take what they can from this marvellous country; the climate, people friendliness, cheapness (only just, nowadays), a tiny portion of the rich culture, and the chance to escape from problems back home.
Bluntly, they've come for a knees-up in the sun, to stop having to baby-sit back home, to leave neighbours behind, and some might even come for romance, new love in the sun; British ladies have always had a soft spot for the Spanish gigolos and their smooth talk.
I used to watch the gigolos in Cafe Benidorm, experts at their art. They would study the fat ladies from up north waddling through the door, pick their next conquest, and minutes later they would be on the dance floor with their clapping hands above their heads, 'Simply the best, better than all the rest . . .'
A week later, they would be seeing them off at Alicante airport; long, sloppy embraces, before hurrying back to Benidorm for the next one.
If you don't believe me, go and have a look, Cafe Benidorm is a place I remember fondly.
Dec 5th 2011 | 7:30 am
#55
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Pain in Spain.
You're not racist, you're merely wishing for the impossible. To stick with UK expats; for a million of them to descend on Spain for mostly obvious reasons, and expect them to somehow integrate totally just isn't realistic.
A small number might make the effort, and I think, sadly, that it is a small number; the majority will take what they can from this marvellous country; the climate, people friendliness, cheapness (only just, nowadays), a tiny portion of the rich culture, and the chance to escape from problems back home.
Bluntly, they've come for a knees-up in the sun, to stop having to baby-sit back home, to leave neighbours behind, and some might even come for romance, new love in the sun; British ladies have always had a soft spot for the Spanish gigolos and their smooth talk.
I used to watch the gigolos in Cafe Benidorm, experts at their art. They would study the fat ladies from up north waddling through the door, pick their next conquest, and minutes later they would be on the dance floor with their clapping hands above their heads, 'Simply the best, better than all the rest . . .'
A week later, they would be seeing them off at Alicante airport; long, sloppy embraces, before hurrying back to Benidorm for the next one.
If you don't believe me, go and have a look, Cafe Benidorm is a place I remember fondly.
A small number might make the effort, and I think, sadly, that it is a small number; the majority will take what they can from this marvellous country; the climate, people friendliness, cheapness (only just, nowadays), a tiny portion of the rich culture, and the chance to escape from problems back home.
Bluntly, they've come for a knees-up in the sun, to stop having to baby-sit back home, to leave neighbours behind, and some might even come for romance, new love in the sun; British ladies have always had a soft spot for the Spanish gigolos and their smooth talk.
I used to watch the gigolos in Cafe Benidorm, experts at their art. They would study the fat ladies from up north waddling through the door, pick their next conquest, and minutes later they would be on the dance floor with their clapping hands above their heads, 'Simply the best, better than all the rest . . .'
A week later, they would be seeing them off at Alicante airport; long, sloppy embraces, before hurrying back to Benidorm for the next one.
If you don't believe me, go and have a look, Cafe Benidorm is a place I remember fondly.
Dec 5th 2011 | 8:07 am
#56
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,824
From: Living in a good place
Re: Pain in Spain.
They went to a better cafe with younger men
Dec 5th 2011 | 8:28 am
#57
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,753
From: Alicante province
Dec 5th 2011 | 8:35 am
#59
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 153
From: England and Gran Canaria mostly
Re: Pain in Spain.
A lot of the Cypriot lads ('Kimargi' - woman shark, something like that) go for the girls too, they seem to get the young slim good looking gals, must have a better technique than their Spanish counterparts or only fat northern ladies go to Spain or the Spain HBG hangs around in, sounds very down market to me.
Plenty of good looking girls in Benidorm HBG, its not a prerequisite to be obese before they allow you to stay
Plenty of good looking girls in Benidorm HBG, its not a prerequisite to be obese before they allow you to stay
Dec 5th 2011 | 8:37 am
#60
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 17,507
From: On Top of the World
Re: Pain in Spain.
You're not racist, you're merely wishing for the impossible. To stick with UK expats; for a million of them to descend on Spain for mostly obvious reasons, and expect them to somehow integrate totally just isn't realistic.
A small number might make the effort, and I think, sadly, that it is a small number; the majority will take what they can from this marvellous country; the climate, people friendliness, cheapness (only just, nowadays), a tiny portion of the rich culture, and the chance to escape from problems back home.
Bluntly, they've come for a knees-up in the sun, to stop having to baby-sit back home, to leave neighbours behind, and some might even come for romance, new love in the sun; British ladies have always had a soft spot for the Spanish gigolos and their smooth talk.
I used to watch the gigolos in Cafe Benidorm, experts at their art. They would study the fat ladies from up north waddling through the door, pick their next conquest, and minutes later they would be on the dance floor with their clapping hands above their heads, 'Simply the best, better than all the rest . . .'
A week later, they would be seeing them off at Alicante airport; long, sloppy embraces, before hurrying back to Benidorm for the next one.
If you don't believe me, go and have a look, Cafe Benidorm is a place I remember fondly.
A small number might make the effort, and I think, sadly, that it is a small number; the majority will take what they can from this marvellous country; the climate, people friendliness, cheapness (only just, nowadays), a tiny portion of the rich culture, and the chance to escape from problems back home.
Bluntly, they've come for a knees-up in the sun, to stop having to baby-sit back home, to leave neighbours behind, and some might even come for romance, new love in the sun; British ladies have always had a soft spot for the Spanish gigolos and their smooth talk.
I used to watch the gigolos in Cafe Benidorm, experts at their art. They would study the fat ladies from up north waddling through the door, pick their next conquest, and minutes later they would be on the dance floor with their clapping hands above their heads, 'Simply the best, better than all the rest . . .'
A week later, they would be seeing them off at Alicante airport; long, sloppy embraces, before hurrying back to Benidorm for the next one.
If you don't believe me, go and have a look, Cafe Benidorm is a place I remember fondly.
Managed to get my mate to intercept the one due in, till I got her away.
I'd once done the same for him.
They weren't all fat northern waddlers either, Swede and Austrian as I recall.
My chickens eventually came home to roost one night when a few of them turned up out of the blue at my regular bar at the same time.
Thought I might quietly get away with it till the Finnish lass landed in as well,.... then all hell broke loose.
Gave my pals and the locals a good laugh anyway, if nothing else.
Benidorm aint got nothng on Tenerife and that's for sure.
