agoreira

I used to work with a guy that said similar "Why do I like the French as individuals, but hate them as a nation?"

Relampago

What mania of generalizing....

In Spain there is racism, there is in all places, but not more than the one that can have in Europe (We don't have ultra-right governments, like it is the case of Switzerland) and others parts of the world. One that says that it is British, he speaks of the racism in Spain, and I could mention him cases of racism in the UK

If I believed that all the British people are like the British media (at least the sport media, when they speak of Spain or their sportsmen) or some arrogant behaviors as which mentioned " jojojojojo " in the first column, for me UK would be an abhorrent place. And nor all the British people are this way, nor UK is an abhorrent place

I don't know cases of racism to the British community. Personally, none. But the British media dirties the image of the British people a lot. I would say that even more than the hooligans...

jackytoo

Some couldn't even spell it either!!

Off the top of my head - Juan Louis Romires Zapatero ? anywhere near it?bet they all know Franco though. El Generalissimo


.[/QUOTE]

Well the humour was lost on you wasn't it Suppose you don't know he is known as ZETAPARO because of his record on unemployment...just another tosser trying to score points

Dick Dasterdly

You got the last name right

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Spanish people are normally known by their first surname i.e. Rodriguez. However, when this is a very common name like Rodriguez is, they sometimes prefer to use their second surname if it is more unusual.[/QUOTE]

Reason the Spanish don't know or can't spell his name is because most of them know him more commonly as Mr Bean.
Looks like Mr Bean, Acts like Mr Bean..........

Relampago

If I have a British neighbor or of another part of the world and doesn't know how to speak my language, I will try to be understanding with him, more if is a person old, kind and/or tries to speak my language, although it is drip to drip. But I will never allow arrogant attitudes, and more in my own country...or would you allow it?

Because I don't know if it is true, but according I have understood, if you don't speak English in the UK, people don't usually stop to listen

jackytoo

Thinking about it when people say things like "The spanish welcome us with open arms" etc. it is a bit derogotary to the spanish as it implies they are idiots. What community would welcome their streets being taken over by foreigners, opening their own bars and shops, drinking until the early hours. Take a look at some of those pretty inland villages, Mijas, Benahavis, Competa and many more, they have lost their soul!

Only those directly earning money out of the British would be pleased.

jdr

Well the humour was lost on you wasn't it Suppose you don't know he is known as ZETAPARO because of his record on unemployment...just another tosser trying to score points[/QUOTE]


I call him Zapadodar.

cricketman

Yes those villages have kind of lost their soul, but to be honest, they may only have been a shadow of what they were if it wasnt for tourism. Mijas has devoted itself to tourism for over 40 years now.

Villages far from the cities have been being destroyed for the past 50 years in Spain as everyone migrates to the cities. I've seen campaigns of alcaldes trying to attract more young Romanian couples to stop villages dying.

And as someone mentioned earlier, it isnt the British who have destroyed these villages, it is the local politicians who allowed all the properties to be built to get their hands on the money. The Spanish people I know blame the ayuntamientos, constructors and alcaldes for concreting over the Costa Del Sol, not foreigners.

Though they are very puzzled why a British person would move to Spain, not learn Spanish and spend most their time in British establishments, but they put it down to ignorance and a lack of education/culture.

Lenox

...and a lot of Brits, abrogating their own responsability to integrate, say 'aaahm just a guest of this country...'. So, where's the invitation - on your mantelpiece?

jackytoo

Yes I once got into a heated discusson about this. Was dragged along by a friend to her hairdressers in an inland pueblo as she said they did good cheap pedicures. My friend hardly speaks any spanish so naturally we were sat there speaking english to each other. Some local spanish were making not very nice comments about guiris, including having houses built in the area. Should have seen their faces when I asked them who sold them the land and built the houses!

I have lived both inland and coastal and I think there is less xenaphobia on the coast. They are used to the British and most spanish living there work in tourism directly or indirectly.

HBG

I've visited all those places on previous house hunting trips and I agree. But the same applies to any country opening its doors to foreigners, and most countries in Europe do, or are obliged to. It's not so much Spain welcoming foreigners with open arms, but more of just complying with European Law; Spain can't keep the Brits out, and the UK can't keep the Poles out – it's the law.

But Spain is lucky with its Brits, they don't generally take jobs away from the locals and I don't think many Polish pensioners have come to the UK.

That's why Spanish people in general don't mind us Brits, we are self-sufficient and don't cause too much trouble – we just build our houses on disused farmland, with permission from local politicians like the passed-away Jesus Gil, and like to sing on the karaoke machines late at night.

jackytoo

I think Brits have been taking jobs from the spanish. Years ago it was mainly retired or well-off British who moved here. Many young families have moved here over the past 10 years. You can see the vans, many UK plated, loaded up with building material etc. There are Brit pool cleaning companies, double glazing. One apartment block in Elviria mainly owned by Brits employ all British gardeners. All these jobs would have been taken by spanish.

HBG

Never mind Mijas, you want to see what they've done to the coast at Orihuela.

bil

The expats that I know here with jobs tend to be working for other expats.

bil

Reason the Spanish don't know or can't spell his name is because most of them know him more commonly as Mr Bean.
Looks like Mr Bean, Acts like Mr Bean..........[/QUOTE]



Mr Bean eh? I bet had Aznar been in charge the Spanish would have been even deeper in the shit.

Lemmesee. Aznar was so far up Bush's arse he could actually see Blair's feet, and in a massive festival of bumsuckery he sent Spanish troops to die in the US's messy Middle east fiasco.

Zappy gets to pull them all out and is known as Mr Bean.

If that's the case, then well done Mr Bean say I!