Domino

taking the title of the thread - what is a "health car"

is it the land version of those boats that drop anchor and start doing low cost operations in foreign countries ??

is there going to be one near you ............

Lenox

Perhaps the Spanish think of us in the same way as they were when they emigrated to Germany and France in the fifties... working here, taking advantage and sending home our money to Mum.
The NatWest says today that there are an estimated 940,000 Brits living in Spain - most of them clearly bringing in money from 'home' every month. If they stopped threatening our homes, there'd be a lot more.
Of these Britons, maybe ten or twenty (not more) have jobs working in the public sector as funcionarios, or in the town halls as translators stealing Spanish jobs. In fact, all Britons and anyone else working here in Spain spend the money they earn here. The money comes in and it stays here.
We need to integrate and they need to let us participate. We are all Europeans. Once this is accepted, there'd be no more talk of 'health tourism'.

rafikiphoto

The British Embassy should take a hand in PR here and correct some of the misunderstandings about health care etc. we've been hearing about and give estimated figures for how much money is brought in to Spain from UK state and other pensions each month and spent here to the benefit of the country. Perhaps even a rough estimate of the income taxes we (well, some of us) pay here too! One or two interviews with well placed Spanish language newspapers and TV stations could do some good.

bobd22

Reading the English article that you attached it read to me like the complaint wasn't really about expats legally here. It was mainly about abuses by bordering Countries such as France etc coming over the borders and abusing the system. Also about the fact that Spain due to it's own inadequacies not claiming back what it was owed which if collected correctly would be paid by EU member states. Lets face it the whole thing really comes down to protectionism, happens everywhere when times are tough, ignorant people turn on the outsiders which is why it could become scary in the EU and something that the EU Parliament should get a grip of.

Domino

but doesnt that happen in N Ireland/Eire you head North or South dependent on what product you are looking for??

as for EU Parliament "getting a grip" - unlikely, they are only interested in their own personal interests, accepting a Commission that is wholey unelected, and still haven't been able to get their accounts audited, after more than 14 years.

even in the EU with its open borders prices are different in each country, they gave UK hell over car pricing many years ago when we were importing from Holland, but it really hasnt changed, each country has to maintain its own methods of obtaining the taxes they require to keep the top spinning

bobd22

Yes I am sure it does happen between Northern Ireland and Eire Domino it was just that that I got that as the Gist of what was said in that article. You for me hit the nail on the head re the open borders thing. The EU wants to be a state but isn't and I doubt it will ever be one as too much difference between the members. One thing though which I have mentioned before, it may not have been said but it was what I think we were led to believe that the evolving common Market/EU would allow us to move between countries getting the same services provided as in our own country, first bit we got but of course second bit is too difficult and certainly we won't see given the economic situation we now have.

Dick Dasterdly

Some countries who signed up to the Schengen open borders treaty and tried it for a few years, have already had second thoughts and are now reverting back to border patrols and regular checks, yet another reverse move for the intended United EU states.

Domino

In response to the original title of this thread, I think the Spanish people don't realise the problems of living in the UK with its darkness, its dank damp atmosphere.
They don't realise how much healthier so many Brits feel after a couple of months living here, the sunlight, the fresh food with no additives or preservatives
This is a bonus that cannot be quantified and I know several people, myself included who are fitter and healthire from just being here.

Health Care is something we all need from time to time but not as much as we needed in the UK.

cricketman

The OP is a wind-up merchant

I've never come across the opinions he talks about

Yes there is a debate about foreigners abusing the Spanish health system, but as usual, when Spaniards talk about foreigners or immigrants in their country, they mean Latin Americans, Eastern Europeans and Africans, not Brits.

Brits are actually not very visible in Spain unless you live in the Costas and even then many view the Brits who live here as tourists, not immigrants

The only negative opinion I've heard again and again is about the language. Spaniards cant understand why British people would come and live in Spain, especially with children, but not learn Spanish.

Domino

CM, when living on a golf complex, playing golf with Brits, socialising with Brits, having Brits come to visit, why would you need to learn such a difficult language as Spanish.
Even in Hong Kong they understand the name Coca-Cola, not in Spain.

jackytoo

Well not just golf course Urbs on the coast. Look where some of you live and you don't speak spanish either, it's evident from a lot of posts/questions. Pot calling kettle

cricketman

I can understand the argument for retired people - although they should still learn the basics imo, so they can be polite. That is the responsibility of everybody, no matter what country you live in.

But there are 10,000s of British families living in Spain with children who still do not speak Spanish. That is crazy and I assume it just comes from them wanting to be on permanent holiday.

And btw, if a Spaniard cannot understand you saying Coca-cola then you are saying it wrong. It would take a couple of hours practice to start saying Spanish vowels properly, hardly an unreasonable investment. Hell, you're an internet user, you have all the info you ever need to learn basic Spanish, at your fingertips!

Domino

yes, but it isnt my fingertips that are speaking the Spanish

just that having been here over 6m ordered hundreds if not thousands of coca-cola's and last night I asked 3 times, the guy called his 12yo daughter and she didnt understand, so in the end I pointed at the crate behind him and said Coke! and got served !!
wouldnt have been surprised if it had come to me on a piece of silver paper

bobd22

You are spot on especially the last comment. We unfortunately only get to visit our house every couple of months ( hopefully that will change as I'm now early retired), it is in a very small village and the street is very narrow. Over the street my neighbour is elderly and often sits on my step (no doubt done it all his life). He always talks away to me knowing I spoke very very little Spanish, but he just talks away to me and the wife. Over the time we've had the house we have got by with phrase books etc and learning a little more. Last time I was over I had beforehand and being retired had more time to study a little bit more Spanish. When we met up again we had a chat and he was really impressed that I had improved my still very little Spanish and you could tell that he was genuinely pleased as was another old boy I get on with. A little effort can go a long way

bobd22

Funny but I have had that in our local bar when asking for Coke I just thought it must be my Yorkshire twang.