British Expats - The Rise and Fall.......

Hiya Pete :)

Sorry! I've been out or busy for the bulk of the day, so have only just got back on here since this morning.

I'm really sorry to hear about the awful treatment your friends are suffering at the hands (or mouths) of mindless individuals with nothing better to do :( :mad:
I'm equally sad to hear about the vicious rumours that have been put about, regarding you, your family and your business :ohmy:

Whilst I'm sure you are doing your best to support your friends through this horrible time; you probably feel you have to work harder to keep one step ahead of the tiresome gossip mongers, regarding your own situation - and that must really take its toll.

I have every faith that you can rise above all this pettiness and jealousy, and ultimately do your best to ignore it.
We're not a bad bunch on here, and I'm sure we'll do our best to support you and be a listening ear ;)
Rosemary has already proved what a brilliant and supportive listener she is, by offering to be an impartial support for your friends :thumbup:

Whilst I'm not trying to belittle anything that you've said, don't you think that people with this type of attitude would be exactly the same ANYWHERE in the world (I know someone has already said this)
I'm thinking particularly of "village mentality"...................which I'm sure is the same, the world over!

In the UK, I worked in a village............and rumours were rife on an almost daily basis!
Here, as you know, we live in a small village - and everybody DOES know everybody else's business! :ohmy: (or at least, they think they do!)
We've been warned almost from the word go, that although everyone seems nice to our faces, in time we'll get to know who really IS genuine, and who's not.
Only very recently, someone told me that what people don't know in the village, they make up!!

Bear in mind that we are the only Brits living here, so we don't have to cope with the backlash of nosey/spiteful/jealous/vindictive Brits.
However - and much as I love life here - I'm sure there are Spanish people who possess those same characteristics..............and maybe one day we'll be at the sharp end of such attitudes.
Obviously, I hope not - but the problem (as I have said before) is that the human race is essentially an unkind bunch! :(

Only a couple of days ago, my Spanish friend who is separating from her husband, was subjected to a tirade of verbal abuse from said man - which was a whole load of poisonous vitriol, aimed at anyone and everyone who had anything to do with her. This included me and my O/H!
Now, I'm not suggesting this was at the same level as the stuff you and your friends have had to contend with - but this was from a Spanish man with whom I had previously very happily passed the time of day!
It's no skin off my nose what he thinks of me; especially because I recognise that this tirade was a result of him feeling jealous and having his pride hurt. However, my point is, that even without an Ex-pat community there is still plenty of opportunity for people with axes to grind.

It's a sad state of affairs, but that is the worst side of human nature.
Thankfully, most of us know enough good people to outweigh the idiots that we can sometimes come into contact with ;)

I really hope that things straighten out soon for you and your friends; and that your friends don't feel they have to leave the country altogether, if they don't want to.