[Tozzie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I just put that there because these "Ex Pats" (not immigrants of course) are doing exactly what some people in this thread are getting upset about when foreigners come into Britain ie. not integrate, form "ghettos", expect the natives to adapt to them, refuse to learn the language etc etc ..............no doubt I'll get the" but we Brits are making Spain better/giving them money etc etc excuse *yawn*

I think the difference between people moving to Spain from Britain and people coming here from anywhere is that fact unless you have paid into the spanish system you cannot claim benefits, which I reckon should be the case here. A lot of the expats are using their pensions to live there

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Tozzie

I think the difference between people moving to Spain from Britain and people coming here from anywhere is that fact unless you have paid into the spanish system you cannot claim benefits, which I reckon should be the case here. A lot of the expats are using their pensions to live there

That's not the point I was making though. The point I was making was that alot of British in Spain do all the stuff that they accuse immigrants in Britain of doing but they always have excuses of why it's ok for them to do it (ie not learn the language, not integrate, form ghettos, not only don't learn Spanish but actually expect the Spanish to speak English etc etc )

[Tozzie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

That's not the point I was making though. The point I was making was that alot of British in Spain do all the stuff that they accuse immigrants in Britain of doing but they always have excuses of why it's ok for them to do it (ie not learn the language, not integrate, form ghettos, not only don't learn Spanish but actually expect the Spanish to speak English etc etc )

I lived in Spain for two years and I learned the language, I wasn't very good but I got by and the Spanish people always smiled and were friendly towards me when they saw I was at least trying. Yeah, I have a friend who went on holiday to spain and came back playing pop about the spanish not speaking English, what the hell? Most ex pats live in English communities which I think is wrong they should integrate, I lived in a very Spanish town inland, the doctor didn't speak English and when I look back I don't know how the heck I managed, but I did. The Spanish respect you more if you at least try to speak their language. They don't seem to take much issue with the Brits to be fair, in my experience anyway whilst I was there.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Tozzie

I lived in Spain for two years and I learned the language, I wasn't very good but I got by and the Spanish people always smiled and were friendly towards me when they saw I was at least trying. Yeah, I have a friend who went on holiday to spain and came back playing pop about the spanish not speaking English, what the hell? Most ex pats live in English communities which I think is wrong they should integrate, I lived in a very Spanish town inland, the doctor didn't speak English and when I look back I don't know how the heck I managed, but I did. The Spanish respect you more if you at least try to speak their language. They don't seem to take much issue with the Brits to be fair, in my experience anyway whilst I was there.

Yeah, i don't understand why you would want to move to Spain and not immerse yourself in their culture, why move otherwise? It's not much of an experience otherwise

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Tozzie

I lived in Spain for two years and I learned the language, I wasn't very good but I got by and the Spanish people always smiled and were friendly towards me when they saw I was at least trying. Yeah, I have a friend who went on holiday to spain and came back playing pop about the spanish not speaking English, what the hell? Most ex pats live in English communities which I think is wrong they should integrate, I lived in a very Spanish town inland, the doctor didn't speak English and when I look back I don't know how the heck I managed, but I did. The Spanish respect you more if you at least try to speak their language. They don't seem to take much issue with the Brits to be fair, in my experience anyway whilst I was there.

I think a lot of people move to Spain and similar countries because of the weather and lifestyle and I agree if you move to a none English speaking country at least have the decency to attempt to learn their language.the amount of times I have had someone on the phone that I just cannot understand,I even have difficulty with some doctors etc.which can be embarrassing.