Smiles..but do the Spanish really like us!

[katy]

Had coffee in a neighbours house this am. Conversation re. crime etc. Her Sister was there and she was blaming the Rumanians and also saying that they are taking Spanish jobs as they can employ two for one Spaniard. She also said the English have taken all the jobs too as most use each others services, clog up the hospitals and stop their children getting a decent education! This Neighbour also once told me that another neighbour had said when we moved into the area ("they will all be coming here soon")although he is always pleasant and polite.

Ok. I know there is always one or two but I find there has been a change of attitude over the last few years. The ones who know me are fine but I do get vibes from strangers sometimes. My Friend went to sign on at the Unemployment Office last week. (3 hour wait!)She has been married to a Spaniard for 21 years and is practically bi-lingual. She felt she was treated very off-hand and when she asked the man to repeat some information he said he couldn't keep spelling it out for foreigners! There are computers in the dole office to search jobs on offer, wouldn't take her foreign residents number, when she informed a staff member she was met with a shrug. My friend says she notices many things as they forget she is English and she hears many comments.

I wonder if there are just too many of us in Andalucía now and we are in their face too much, especially now the economy has crashed

[BENIDORM]

I know what you mean katy, however I don't think that it is a new trend, I've led a very 'involved ' life in Spain, and have always noticed some resentment towards foreigners.
However in general I have been received reasonably well over the years, but it's a process of gaining respect, and proving to local people that you are prepared to make great efforts to integrate, and that you making a worthwhile contribution to the community.
I have said before that I have found some local Spanish people to be friendly to your face but rather two-faced behind your back.But that's life and I can remember the same thing happening many years ago in UK towards immigrants, and at present there does seem to be quite a lot of ' Polish' etc bashing in the Lincolnshire area, where my UK base is.
You do of course hear the same stories in France and other countries, I'm sure, and of course everyone will be looking for 'whipping boys' now, when problems arise it's human nature to look for someone to blame...Just my own personal opinion ..of course..

Regards,
Gordon

[Devils Advocate]

On the other hand I've heard long time UK ex. pats over there also complaining about newcomers coming across to make a go of it
One British bloke I know in particular over there seems to think he's some sort of Columbus and discovered Spain for himself and himself only
Also, and I'm generalising, but there are often condecending comments on here aimed at people wishing to make the move by people who seem to come across as saying "we made it and everything is great, but you won't"

I guess what Katy is saying has to be true and would be surprised if it wasn't and she knows a LOT more people than we do, but speaking as someone with a place in the campo the feeling I've got from the local Spanish on the last few visits is one of despair at the downturn in the frequency of visitors and a wish for things to pick up again.

DA

[katy]

Yes it's true about some British wanting to be the only Foreigner around. Maybe they feel they are the only right-minded Brits and don't want to lose their status. My first advise from a fellow Brit when we moved here was "We don't have dark furniture around here". Second, "We don't wear dark clothes here(Jan)" He didn't last

One of our Neighbours owns a chiringuito, usually closes Jan but is already closed this year. He is moaning that visitors are well down (maybe because he upped his house plonk from 7 to 11 euro this year).

It is human nature to resent foreigners (some people move from the UK to avoid them!) but on the whole the British invest far more into the economy here than they take out, different in the UK.

I spoke (nicely)to a couple on the Golf course last month as they were holding everyone up, didn't realise they were Spanish. He was very hostile and said "this is Spain and we speak Spanish here" So I told him where to get off...in my best Spanish of course)

[HKM]

Benidorm, your comment about the Spanish being friendly to the face but not behind your back I can totally agree with..

For me and the Spanish... For example, last week in my street there was a huge argument between 2 sets of neighbours one lady was accusing the other that her daughter had been having an affair with the others son...

I asked my neighbour P what had been going she said yes this girl had been having an affair, it was very bad becuase the man was married and had a child etc.. She was consoling the mans wife.. The next day I saw P and the girl who had the affair in the underwear shop in Town laughing and buying!!

Now at the moment there are a lot of Morrocans here for the olives, now I probably should not say this but I do not like them, they stand on the corners up Town and look at me really strangely, I have been involved in conversations about them so I am just as bad..

We go to everything that is on in the Town, all the fiestas, theatre, religious things, school meetings, I am now on the equivilent PTA and I am sure that helps..I have never felt any resentment though I am sure it is there... As I hear them talking about other Brits...

[katy]

Just to add, I was very suprised when my Friend actually came out and said "they don't like us" as although it is my impression she is very Spanglified..her children never speak any English although they understand it. Perhaps it takes someone well-tuned in to pick up on it?

[katy]

http://blogs.diariosur.es/perfida-albio ... a-todos-es

This is the other side of the coin...a blog from a Málaga man who has been working in London since 2004. He writes that there are better opportunities North of the piraneos and that he is treat much better by his employers than in Spain. Main complaint about Málaga that the hours were long and he now only works 8 hours daily and also was expected to work unpaid hours in Spain.

[olive]

Once a guiri always a guiri.

"She has been married to a Spaniard for 21 years and is practically bi-lingual". Not much hope for us newcomers...

olive

[smash]

Nope. Not really. And to be honest of all the places I've been to i feel the least at home over here. I've noticed the tension between Spanish and English people. and not just English-foreigners in general. You can see a deep social separation between the groups. you rarely see Spanish people in pubs and English people in Spanish bars("every statement is false, including this one" Mark Twain). whether I'm here or back at home i really don't act different with people wherever they are from. probably has to do with the fact that Spain is the 4-th or 5-th country i've moved to(im 21 years old) so i know how it feels. but here you can really feel the difference. A while ago one of my friends gave my number to some woman because she wanted a website. when she called me before even saying "hi" she asked "you are not Spanish, right?" And you can see that Spanish people in general hang out with Spanish people only. And British people mainly with other British, Irish, Dutch, Scandinavian and Eastern Europeans(Russian, Romanian, Bulgarian etc). And it's definitely not the language barrier. Many of us have learned Spanish at a level that we can completely fit into the environment. Still-not really. As for everyone else-personally having a weird accent or not being able to handle some phrases does not bother me at all when I'm talking to a someone. I can't say I don't get impressed when i meet someone and you are 100% that the person in front of you is English and after an hour or so they tell you they are Russian or Polish or something. And your first reaction is usually "what the....."

[Beachcomber]

It is certainly something which has been increasing over the past six years or so. It won't repeat the phrase that the Spaniards use when comparing long-standing residents to newcomers because when I wrote it some time ago most didn't understand it and those that did thought I was making it up.

[julian]

Beachcomber "Tiras la piedra y escondes la mano"

[katy]

Nope, I remember Beach's phrase well

[julian]

[Beachcomber]

No, it was a somewhat uncomplimentary and uncompromising comparison between the two groups.

[Chrissie]

O come on Beach, please repeat it

[julian]

Beachcomber "Tiras la piedra y escondes la mano"

[Beachcomber]

OK but please don't shoot the messenger.

'La basura de hoy y los de antes'

[julian]

oh..I was hoping for something more scandalous !!!
looks like you got away with it Beach !

[Beachcomber]

[julian]

I´ve been called worse than that here on the forum by fellow brits !!!