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Little Britain

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  • Little Britain

    OK, I was asked to start a new thread and so here it is. Some great comments made on the previous thread before it was closed:

    All this discussion about British TV made me ask the question . Are there so many Brits here in Spain because it is so easy to create a "little britain "???? Cafe's , bars ,restaurants,supermarkets,shops, newspapers and especially TV. The Costa Blanca is getting like an English county with better weather!

    I have English neighbours who never try to speak spanish , don't like spanish food , only go to english restaurants. Why the heck are they in Spain ?
    No different to the ghettos we dislike in Britain . Purely immigrants for financial reasons .

    I only go to spanish bars ,restaurants etc and most of my friends here are Spanish or Argentinian . (even though my spanish is not brilliant). I am here because it is not England . An experience of a different culture !

    The one thing that I miss is some British TV ! Just a little will do!
    I have lived on the Costa Blanca for some time. I moved here because I fell in love with the culture, the whole joie de vivre that I think the Spanish people will always protect. Much like the poster above, I am amazed at the number of ex-pats who move to Spain and then never even attempt to learn the language, even if it's only "bar and restaurant talk". A neighbour has lived here for 20 years; he can barely understand the language. For me, that is such a shame because even just trying to learn the basics could open up a whole new world to him.

    My Spanish (Castellano) is okay - I'm certainly not fluent - and I am always keen to "give it a go" at every opportunity. The majority of my leisure time is spent in local bars and restaurants, listening to the banter, picking up the pecularities not taught in language school, and then "giving it a go" to join in the conversation. At first my attempts were met with some hilarity but I persisted, my new friends helped me along and I can now hold my own (almost) in heated conversation (although when the debate drifts into local dialect then I admit that I do tend to throw in the towel!).

    I don't have access to British TV and have not done so for some years - I don't miss it (I do miss being able to buy clothes "off the rack" that fit me and a decent kebab but then the latter that's probably why the clothes in Spain don't fit me well!). I have Spanish TV (TVE, Anteena 3, TeleCinco, etc.) but rarely watch it, if only to practise listening to the Spanish language.

    I have always made that extra effort to mix with the locals, to integrate as best I can. Someone mentioned on a previous thread that fiestas can get tedious after a few visits but they totally miss the point. All fiestas are different and every year they are different; it's all about how deep you want to be involved. Standing on the periphery can be dull; it appears to be the same old procession, the same old music, the same old people. However it's what happens before and after the "show" that's important. Someone else suggested that the Spanish don't want the English to be involved; I can tell you from experience that that is simply not the case. Integration is important to the Spanish; they love to show off their traditions and their culture to extranjeros, to confirm just how important family and friendship are to them. Never thought you'd be able to party until 5am? I bet you could!

    We live in a culture that is still blessed with tradition. I concede that some people still want a little bit of home broadcast into their living room or naya but I implore: why not wander down to that local bar and say hello (or hola!); you'll be surprised at just how pleasant the experience will be ...

  • #2
    Since buying our house here in 2001 and moving over permanently three years ago, we have enjoyed every moment of living in Spain. Where ever possible we employ Spanish tradesmen. Our nearest restaurant is Spanish, we know the family, they speak no English. We are learning Spanish. We exchange gifts, and are often given produce from the family garden. I work in a Spanish charity shop and totally enjoy the experience. I am constantly corrected on my Spanish, and am frequently spoken to in broken English and asked for the correct version. It is very uplifting, especially when you meet customers in the street and they stop to say "hola". But it is also pleasant to understand what is going on in the U.K. We like many others have close family living there, and whilst we are in constant contact, phone,e-mail etc. It is also important to keep up to date with current affairs. After all, our company pensions etc are all U.K. based.

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    • #3
      Well done ScottB, I look forward to reading others thoughts on this one, and I dare say I might have a little banter with you. Have a good day.

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      • #4
        I don't live here but have come down to see my parents. I go home in a few days. I have found this part of Spain dirty and rubbish and litter everywhere. Overdeveloped. Lack of public facilities. More graffitti than I ever saw. Cheap and tacky even for an Essex girl.

        My parents came here four years ago on a dream. They are trying to sell but stand to make a loss. They say now they made one of the biggest mistakes of their life. Their house here will not buy one at home so they re not sure what to do.

        A dream for some, a nightmare for others.

        (bet the estate agents that run this site delete this pretty quick !)

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        • #5
          Originalmente publicado por essex gal Ver Mensaje
          I have found this part of Spain dirty and rubbish and litter everywhere. Overdeveloped. Lack of public facilities. More graffitti than I ever saw.
          Much like Essex then. (And I come from Southend).

          It all depends where you are. I live on the outskirts of a small village just slightly inland. It's clean, the rubbish is collected every day (unlike the UK) and development has been kept to a minimum so we are in no danger (at the moment) of being swamped by an ex-pat urbanisation sprawl. Public facilities are adequate enough (one can use toilets in any bar by law) and I haven't seen any graffitti, although that's not saying there isn't any, I just haven't seen it.

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          • #6
            couldn't agree more scottb

            I only have english TV cos my bloke can't live without it... I on the other hand enjoy a few programmes but in the main stick to getting to know the area that I live in... and I put it to you, as I do with anyone I catch complaining that they have to pay for a translator to go to the town hall or the police etc... would you be happy living in England and paying higher taxes so the town hall could employ full time translators, or being required to speak at least 1 if not 2 other languages just to get a minimum wage job in a bar? No, and so I suggest you don't complain that here (as the foreigners) we are expected to learn the language or pay for the services of someone who has done so.

            I also couldn't name one company in England that specifically and solely offers Spanish channels. (Correct me if I'm wrong).

            If you want English food, English TV, English neighbours and English laws... I can only suggest one place that you can be guaranteed all of that...

            I hate to sound negative, I am English and proud of it, and when applying for jobs (in Spanish) I frequently take advantage of my ability to speak English too, but I don't take anything for granted and make the most of not living in a country that has horrible weather, and is breeding a society of anti-solcialism.

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            • #7
              I am not proud of being English. It happends to be where I was born and that is all. I have no loyalty to the place. BUT, if you visit Torrevieja or adjoing areas like Orihuela Costa etc. you will see Spain at its worst. What a bloody tip ! Filthy, overbuilt - and the Spanish allowed it don't forget - overcrowded and sold to gullible people in search of a dream as the place to live. I feel sorry for Mum and Dad. They fell for the propoganda. I never would. Now they are trapped here. I don't have the room for them but they do visit me. When I look out back home I see tidy streets, open areas with well tended gardens and fairly good public services. This place no wehere near compares. That's why I would never ever buy here and I told my parents this but they would not listen. This place is the tips, it really is.

              For those who disagree, name me one decent and well tended openly available park, a few places locally where there is a pleasant view, open spaces etc. There are none and those that attempt to be are left to go to rack and ruin.

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              • #8
                Originalmente publicado por essex gal Ver Mensaje
                I am not proud of being English. It happends to be where I was born and that is all. I have no loyalty to the place. BUT, if you visit Torrevieja or adjoing areas like Orihuela Costa etc. you will see Spain at its worst. What a bloody tip ! Filthy, overbuilt - and the Spanish allowed it don't forget - overcrowded and sold to gullible people in search of a dream as the place to live. I feel sorry for Mum and Dad. They fell for the propoganda. I never would. Now they are trapped here. I don't have the room for them but they do visit me. When I look out back home I see tidy streets, open areas with well tended gardens and fairly good public services. This place no wehere near compares. That's why I would never ever buy here and I told my parents this but they would not listen. This place is the tips, it really is.

                For those who disagree, name me one decent and well tended openly available park, a few places locally where there is a pleasant view, open spaces etc. There are none and those that attempt to be are left to go to rack and ruin.
                Try visiting The Parc of Nations, La Mata sand dunes and the wonderfully pretty parc with it's waterfall then immediately the beach, not much up at OC that I know off but I don't live there.

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                • #9
                  It's a dump that is for sure.

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                  • #10
                    Originalmente publicado por essex gal Ver Mensaje
                    I am not proud of being English. It happends to be where I was born and that is all. I have no loyalty to the place. BUT, if you visit Torrevieja or adjoing areas like Orihuela Costa etc. you will see Spain at its worst. What a bloody tip ! Filthy, overbuilt - and the Spanish allowed it don't forget - overcrowded and sold to gullible people in search of a dream as the place to live. I feel sorry for Mum and Dad. They fell for the propoganda. I never would. Now they are trapped here. I don't have the room for them but they do visit me. When I look out back home I see tidy streets, open areas with well tended gardens and fairly good public services. This place no wehere near compares. That's why I would never ever buy here and I told my parents this but they would not listen. This place is the tips, it really is.

                    For those who disagree, name me one decent and well tended openly available park, a few places locally where there is a pleasant view, open spaces etc. There are none and those that attempt to be are left to go to rack and ruin.
                    For parks... I can name 2 now, but could probably name more if you wish - at the corner of Avda Dr Waksman and Avda Paris there is a nice park, kept nice by the locals (english and spanish), also you have the Park of Nations (Parque de los Naciones). I am also from Essex and feel the same about Essex as you do about Torrevieja. Ofcourse there are places that are dumps, but there are also places that are nicely kept. You'll probably find that a lot of the 'dumps' are community owned and have a lot of owners who neglect to pay their community fees (which incidentally go towards the upkeep of community areas such as parks) as they feel that they don't need to being that they only use the services 2 weeks a year. Other areas yes, also are badly maintained, but I can certainly name a number of places that previously were thought to be lovely in Essex and now are considered 'no go' areas.

                    Spain is not a dream where the streets are paved with gold and foreigners greeted with palm leaves and parades. It is a normal country, that only asks that foreigners pay their dues and respect the spanish way.

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                    • #11
                      Originalmente publicado por sunshinegal Ver Mensaje
                      Spain is not a dream where the streets are paved with gold and foreigners greeted with palm leaves and parades. It is a normal country, that only asks that foreigners pay their dues and respect the spanish way.
                      Spot on!

                      I don't know why anyone would think anything different!

                      Having had the misfortune to visit some of the urbanisations in and around Torrevieja, I can't help but think of Basildon in Essex - and that is an absolute dump. Perhaps I should consider myself lucky that I live in a modest two-bedroom finca away from the urban sprawl. Others seem to have been duped into purchasing a lego brick villa similar to the other 200 lego brick villas in the same street ...

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                      • #12
                        I was born in Essex I dont live there.

                        Compare this area with Gloucester, Wiltshire, into Wales - no comparison at all.

                        Respect the Spanish - they have done well out of gullible ex pats and grabbed their money. The Spanish have sold their souls and will live to regret it. No one wants to buy here any more and those that have are trapped.
                        I dont respect them any more than I respect any other money grabbers who work by a system of curruption and backhanders. I say again, this part of Spain is ruined and a bloody tip. I enjoyed the 2 weeks with my parents but I shall be glad to go home and so would they if they could sell and get their money back.

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                        • #13
                          Originalmente publicado por ScottB Ver Mensaje
                          Spot on!

                          I don't know why anyone would think anything different!

                          Having had the misfortune to visit some of the urbanisations in and around Torrevieja, I can't help but think of Basildon in Essex - and that is an absolute dump. Perhaps I should consider myself lucky that I live in a modest two-bedroom finca away from the urban sprawl. Others seem to have been duped into purchasing a lego brick villa similar to the other 200 lego brick villas in the same street ...
                          Oh my gawd!!! You hit the nail on the head... Basildon is exactly where I'm from! hahaha however, having lived there I can honestly say Torre is much better. :P

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                          • #14
                            Originalmente publicado por essex gal Ver Mensaje
                            I was born in Essex I dont live there.

                            Compare this area with Gloucester, Wiltshire, into Wales - no comparison at all.

                            Respect the Spanish - they have done well out of gullible ex pats and grabbed their money. The Spanish have sold their souls and will live to regret it. No one wants to buy here any more and those that have are trapped.
                            I dont respect them any more than I respect any other money grabbers who work by a system of curruption and backhanders. I say again, this part of Spain is ruined and a bloody tip. I enjoyed the 2 weeks with my parents but I shall be glad to go home and so would they if they could sell and get their money back.
                            Not all of the UK is the same, there are horrible parts, nice parts, historical parts, and you may even be lucky enough to find some cultural parts... my point is that not all of Spain is the same in the same way that not all of England is the same.

                            And regarding your comments regarding the spanish taking advantage... how dare you? British people move here for CHEAP lives, to not have to work, to sit in a bar all day and gossip (in English of course) complaining about the way they can't integrate with the locals who SHOCK HORROR don't speak very good English if at all. How many British 'Entrepreneurs' move here, start up their own business, conveniently ignore the taxes they should be paying, con plenty of their own countrymen out of thousands of pounds and then when they get caught they quickly pack up and move off down the coast to start again.

                            I repeat, if you come to Spain for an easy life... don't bother unpacking you bags, go home. If you come here ready to be a part of Spain then you will be welcomed with open arms and huge smiles. I don't pretend that Torrevieja is paradise, and in fact I'm not planning on staying here forever, when the market improves I will sell up and move to a less touristic area so that I can enjoy the Spanish life without hearing the whinging of the Not-So-Ex-Pats.

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                            • #15
                              A few years ago Torrevieja was a very poor fishing village.

                              The Spanish have made a fortune out of the Brits (and other nationalities) and still continue to treat with the utmost contempt.

                              Essex Gal is spot on.

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