cricketman

You are being silly. Unemployment hasn't even increased in Asturias, they didnt have a building boom you see!

The Asturians love the British. My Asturian BIL says Asturians are more British than Andalucians for example. Go out in Gijon and you'll see that the whole youth and music scene is based on British mods and rockers trends.

I've just got back from London, the centre was full of Spaniards young and old enjoying the best of what London has to offer. Spanish people love Britain.

Those who live in tourists areas may dislike being patronised by drunken tourists and old fuddy duddies, many of which may be British. But that doesnt equal HATE which is a very strong word!

pwwm

Was reading about forum Trolls earlier. Not feeding COF and his/her weird views lol

bil

Well, I'm in agreement with the majority here.

In all the time I have been here I have never come across anyone I felt was being rude or racist. People have bent over backwards to help me, and we have been made to feel very much at home.

Part of that IMO is because like others here we have taken the trouble to learn the language, have tried to be culturally sensitive, and done our best to fit in.

Interestingly, I was in a restaurant with a good Spanish friend who is always pretty well an anglophile, and almost everyone else in the restaurant was English with a couple of Germans and french. English was very much in evidence as everyone else was ordering in English, and after awhile he turned to me and made a very derogatory comemnt about being sick of continually hearing English.

So, there's a clue then...

jackytoo

I won't say why but I am very fluent! If people come to tourist areas they pays their money and choose wether to speak the language ...or not. I have seen some nice quiet elderly people treated arrogantly, also seen some bad behaved british too

bil

It isn't the fluency that matters so much as the desire to learn and fit in.

Lenox

What's to like about the British? When I was travelling in Mexico years ago, some of the American kids would put Canadian flags on their back-packs and, they swore, it got them better treatment. I spoke Spanish and was not a 'gringo' (this before the Falklands war) and was well treated and received. Those were the days...
Here the problem is simple - there are too many of us and we don't (in general) learn or respect the Spanish culture. We don't get on the padrón (compare the official 270,000 with the Foreign Office's estimate of ONE MILLION Brits in Spain); we don't vote (a massive 0.5% of Brits voted in Mijas in 2007); we aren't to be found in any Spanish city (apart from a few Brits who have - quite properly - gone native); we don't participate or move in Spanish circles (yes, yes, I know you have a lively time of it with your Spanish maid) and we are, generally, completely unaware of who is our mayor, our police chief, our regional president (hands up?), the president of our diputación (what is our diputación - anyone?), and even the full name of our president. Zappy-something. We couldn't name one Spanish author, pop group or living artist if we tried and we are - unfortunately - tied in with Gibraltar which the Spanish don't have much time for. We read crap English-language freebies and listen to dreadful English-language radios (Gaunty anyone?) and watch SKY TV... and we think we know something about Spain.
The question is this... Why should they like us?

jackytoo

Well you wouldn't get fluent by not fitting in would you, you don't get fluent with a few CD's from Michael thomas or whatever

Yes there are too many of us, that's why I said it was better about 10 years ago! We are as welcome as the Pakistanis and Romanians are in the UK. Makes me smile when people write they are leaving the UK cos there are too many foreigners!

cricketman

Depends what you call fluent

I like Lenox's post, pretty much sums it up for me. Although I still dont agree that Spaniards hate the British. Maybe they are fed up with British people who dont speak Spanish, but hate goes too far.

bil

American vs Canadian, yeah, can't you just see that? Can't remember my alcalde's name, but I do at least know of Sonsoles and José Luis aka Bambi. We are on the Padron, and we understand what our neighbours mean when they refer to la Colonia, aka el Peñón.

Hablo malo pero con gusto.

Fluency. Now there's a term that is almost worthless, because it means so many different things to so many different people.

jackytoo

Yeah fluency is worthless, especially when you aint

BTW a survey showed that many spaniards don't know Zetaparo's name either!

cricketman

Post the link then so I can believe you!

The point is that some people say they are fluent when want they mean is they can form a sentence while other people say they are fluent when they can speak the language as well as their native language.

jackytoo

Yes true...I don't care what you think, anyone can say anything on here. We all have to read between the lines

jojojojojo

I dont know half of those things in England??? And what of those who start those English freebies? or who DJ on those English radio stations? Who cares anyway??. I live here legally and happily, I'm pleasant, I'm friendly, I try to speak the language and I take nothing from the Spanish!

You are a very bitter man Lenox. Chill and enjoy life, its not a dress rehearsal!

Jo xxx

Lenox

thanks Jo

VFR

Yes that just about sums it up for us Jo.
Met a Brit lad a good few years back in the local Ferateria moaning about Spain being a third world country for all to hear & looking to me for support.
Told him to Fxxx off back to the UK in that case for all to hear and I walked out.