Multiculteral Britain - A No,No?

[Royboy39]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Good on him, although perhaps a little hard on someone who's just arrived or some passing tourist who might have wandered in. The real problem, though, is the huge amount of money that the local authorities, government departments and the NHS spend on translating documents into about six different languages.

Just one other thing, though...when they were talking about this on TV this morning, someone said that out of the half million or so British expats who live in Spain, around 70% don't speak Spanish. Is this true?

True.......
There are no translated documents. No benefits unless and until you pay into the Spanish system and no sympathy if you are able bodied and dont work.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

True.......
There are no translated documents. No benefits unless and until you pay into the Spanish system and no sympathy if you are able bodied and dont work.

That's the way it should be here, Roy, but I'm amazed that the non-Spanish speaking Brits scenario is true. After all the stuff we hear about immigrants coming over here not being prepared to integrate into our society, I would have thought that the British in Spain would avoid falling into the same trap. It also begs the question...what would happen if Spanish shopkeepers refused to serve people who couldn't speak Spanish...or even worse Spanish bartenders!

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

True.......
There are no translated documents. No benefits unless and until you pay into the Spanish system and no sympathy if you are able bodied and dont work.

As I sit here cleaning my gun, wondering which one of god's creatures would go well with potatoes and carrots, a few questions come to mind: Are the British ex-pats Spanish citizens (or are they in the process of becoming citizens), or do they have some "limbo" status, like Landed Immigrants in Canada (not citizens with the right to vote etc, but official, legal resisdents ... a status which can be easily revoked, say if the landed immigrant commits a crime, even DWI) ... or are they there to work on a temporary basis? And I presume that many of the ex-pats have children, and that these children are educated in Spanish schools in the Spanish language. Am I right in presuming that any children born in Spain to ex-pats are automatically Spanish citizens? Do the ex-pats live in ex-pat communities, or are they spread out through the general population? I'm presuming that even the dullest of the ex-pats would pick up at least a smattering of Spanish, maybe enough to get by in the stores and the bars .... which brings me to that percentage, 30 I believe, that speak Spanish .... I'm assuming that they are fluent. If so, the percentage isn't really all that bad.

Just crossed my mind that Spain and la belle province de Quebec have quite a bit in common

[Eric]

... apart from the weather of course.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Eric

Are the British ex-pats Spanish citizens (or are they in the process of becoming citizens)

We are all citizens of the EU now...Europeans joined together in a blissful state of union for the common good (well, you're not, you jammy sod, but us lot over here are).

[Royboy39]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

That's the way it should be here, Roy, but I'm amazed that the non-Spanish speaking Brits scenario is true. After all the stuff we hear about immigrants coming over here not being prepared to integrate into our society, I would have thought that the British in Spain would avoid falling into the same trap. It also begs the question...what would happen if Spanish shopkeepers refused to serve people who couldn't speak Spanish...or even worse Spanish bartenders!

Spain has an economy built on tourism, mostly from Europe. It would be econimic suicide for anyone here to do that.
The Ex-Pat community..........mostly do speak a little Spanish and pick it up as they go along....I would say that the 30% who do speak the language fluently are the children of Ex-Pats and passed on to parents.
The Spanish Government do provide, in night schools, language lessons for anyone who wishes to learn.
Supermarkets here are the same as all Europe, You choose what you want and pay.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

We are all citizens of the EU now...Europeans joined together in a blissful state of union for the common good (well, you're not, you jammy sod, but us lot over here are).

You didn't really need the sarcastic smilie, "blissful state of union" conveyed your feelings But this point didn't cross my mind ... so there are no English or French or Germans any more? All are equal (given the latest news about some basket-case economies in Europe, some would appear more equal than others). I'm going to have to do some reading about this EU thing ... right now it seems to be a lot of unworkable bs (outsiders view of course). I asked the question because I remember that when CFB Kingston became a temporary home for some Bosnian refugees, the several children born here were automatically Canadian citizens ... but, as you say, that doesn't apply in the new, homogenized Europe.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Gordie

I see Noris or is it Doris has the side kick jaysay with his hand bag ready to swing.Bet you dont talk to your poodle this way

No but I'll talk to bigots anyway I want

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

A postmaster in Nottingham is in trouble with the Post Office because he has decided if people who can't speak English go in to his post office he will refuse to serve them. Be prepared for a suprise when you read about it

BBC NEWS | England | Nottinghamshire | Postmaster's foreign language ban

I think his reasons are spot on dave, if people want to make this country their home, learn the lingo

[Eric]

Originally Posted by jaysay

I think his reasons are spot on dave, if people want to make this country their home, learn the lingo

... or at least enough of it to get by. Even the dumbest, unilingual anglophone Canadian doesn't get confused with "stop" signs in Quebec ... and if he wants a brewskie; it's not hard to recognize the bars .... there are people inside them drinking

By the way, Quebec has an "in French only" law for all signs in the province ... and all immigrants in Quebec must send their children to French only schools. I love Quebec ... it's different, it's French, it's fun, and it's Canadian ... and given the inability of the Parti Quebecois to sell indepence, will probably remain so. Now, if only les Canadiens de Montreal could start playing some better hockey .....

[steeljack]

Originally Posted by Eric

I asked the question because I remember that when CFB Kingston became a temporary home for some Bosnian refugees, the several children born here were automatically Canadian citizens ... but, as you say, that doesn't apply in the new, homogenized Europe.

In answer to your question , dont believe there is a common rule in the EU about nationality being automatic to your place of birth , Each EU country still applies its own rules , know for a fact that a children born to Turkish (non-citizen German) parents in Germany are classed as Turkish (no automatic German Passport) .
Also a child born in the US to Irish immigrant parents (green card holders, but not yet citizens) automatically gets a US passport but also qualifies for an Irish passport.

Like the old saying , Just because the cat has kittens in the oven , don't make them biscuits"

[Stumped]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

A postmaster in Nottingham is in trouble with the Post Office because he has decided if people who can't speak English go in to his post office he will refuse to serve them. Be prepared for a suprise when you read about it

BBC NEWS | England | Nottinghamshire | Postmaster's foreign language ban

Incredible isn't, when a chap who is himself an immigrant, is setting out to implement a ruling that our inept government hasn't got the bottle to do. Just like Blackburn's 'man of straw', his gutless colleagues are scrabbling like rats in a sinking ship for fear of losing the muslim vote.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Stumped

Incredible isn't, when a chap who is himself an immigrant, is setting out to implement a ruling that our inept government hasn't got the bottle to do. Just like Blackburn's 'man of straw', his gutless colleagues are scrabbling like rats in a sinking ship for fear of losing the muslim vote.

I think in Jack, the man of Straw's case, he's trying to keep all the balls in the air whilst juggling the problem of retaining his own place on the gravy train at the next G.E. Stumped

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by steeljack

Each EU country still applies its own rules , know for a fact that a children born to Turkish (non-citizen German) parents in Germany are classed as Turkish (no automatic German Passport) .

Turkey's not an EU member (yet). The fact is that the EU allows freedom of movement and employment within its member states. Add to that the fact that much, perhaps the majority of our legislation originates in Brussels/Strausbourg and it becomes apparent that we are one large state. We even have our own flag and national anthem!

[steeljack]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Turkey's not an EU member (yet). The fact is that the EU allows freedom of movement and employment within its member states. Add to that the fact that much, perhaps the majority of our legislation originates in Brussels/Strausbourg and it becomes apparent that we are one large state. We even have our own flag and national anthem!

Was just using Turkey as an example in answer to Eric's question about automatic right of citizenship placed on the location of the birth, dont think a child of any EU parents (including British) born in Germany automatically gets German citizenship as a right , unlike the UK and US which automatically grants citizenship if the place of birth is within that country .

Maybe an Accy web user who lives in Spain can tell us if a child born in Spain of British passport holders (or other nationality) automatically qualifies for Spainish citizenship.