[Anonymous]

What jobs do Brits take away from Spanish natives? Would Spaniards prefer to sell fish and chips to British communities? Or to coordinate the cleaning of British rentals?

I do not see much overlap but the anger can directioned towards the foreigners anyway.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20081114/tuk-expats-in-spain-may-face-anger-6323e80.html

[Anonymous]

Many Brits of working-age go to Spain to actually start new businesses – pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, fitness centres…..estate agencies (!)…etc.

Very different to the uncontrolled, dependent-on-the-state type of immigration the UK has. How many Brits. go to Spain and then stick their hand out for benefits and free housing?? Most work or live on their pension.

And where are these expat retirees spending their British pensions? In Spanish-owned shops, restaurants, furniture shops etc.

Spain can’t have it all ways.

I had better add, before anyone explodes at me, that I’m not saying ALL immigrants to England only come for handouts.

[Anonymous]

Very few expats actually manage to gain employment that could have been a Spaniard’s. A British friend of mine has tried for 3 consecutive years to get employment in the mantecado factories here that open from Sept til Xmas and every year she has been turned down. Why? Because she’s English.

[Anonymous]

If you read the original article properly, it is referring to the strain that the – usually older – Brits place on the health service, not least because of the language barrier. Add to this the tradition of Brits en masse dumping their monolingual kids, often teenagers, into Spanish state schools, and expecting that their teachers will be able to teach these groups of resentful sovvie wearing chavs the Spanish curriculum without taking time away from the locals. And then you have the cash in hand, uninsured, airport runs taking trade away from the licensed taxis, the undeclared apartment rentals taking business away from hotels, not to mention the vast majority of resident Brits to demand interpreters at every turn because after 20 years here they still haven´t bothered to learn the language… No, can´t think why the Spanish might end up being resentful of the Brits in their midst…

First time posting here, but felt this needed to be said, as can´t believe the blinkeredness of the views – and it´s usually the same people who complain about immigrants in the UK

[katy]

If you read the original article properly, it is referring to the strain that the – usually older – Brits place on the health service, not least because of the language barrier

The British Government pays a sum to Spain for every pensioner registered here. If anyone uses the EHIC that is also billed to the UK.

the undeclared apartment rentals taking business away from hotels

The Spanish are the experts at this.

majority of resident Brits to demand interpreters at every turn because after 20 years here they still haven´t bothered to learn the language

There are no official paid interpreters. All the interpreting is carried out voluntary even at the Costa Del Sol Hospital. Despite the fact that the Hospital received 12 million euros last year for treating foreign nationals.

As Charlie pointed out immigrants to the UK arrive with no money and go straight on benefits. British arriving in Spain have to pay out immediately and there is no safety net if they fall on hard times. It was recenty reported in a Spanish newspaper that the British on the coast are far more generous at raising money for the Hospitals/childrens charities than the Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Our local health centre in Vera apparently (I haven’t had to use it but have been told) has a sign in English saying that English are very welcome to make use of the facilities, but you must bring an interpreter with you.

A friend’s children went to Spain when 7. They were put in a class of Spaniards (well, they are in Spain aren’t they) where they had to pick up the language, there was no dedicated teaching of Spanish for them. They were left crying in class for the first week as they couldn’t understand what was going on and no- one was able/ willing to talk to them. The parents paid for them to go to a private after school facility to learn the local dialect.

Compare that to Leeds where I live. Our local health centre has a board of leaflets translated into every language you can think of. There is also a sign that says if you can’t find a leaflet in your language, we will find you a translator.

When a foreigner comes to school on the UK, they are not dumped in a class to pick up the language. No, they are taken out and if necessary given 1/1 tuition.

I am a great believer that if you move to a foreign country you should integrate into society. Unfortunately there are commuities in the UK that don’t want to be British and form their own little groups where they all speak their own language and make no effort to learn the language.

Unfortunately, this is also true of the Brits in Spain. We all move to predominantly British Urbs and become lazy about learning the language, because most of the time everyone else speaks English! I think the case in point in the Brit who became Mayor by default but knows hardly any Spanish!

There are lessons to be learned Worldwide, especially with the mass scale of immigration around the globe. Unfortunately, you will find almost everyone expects to be able to live their life their own way and if they don’t want to integrate, they won’t. I think people should be given help to join in for a while and then if they refuse, they are left on their own. Just my personal thoughts.

Mark

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