My heart is in Spain but my soul is in the UK.... (17)

I am English but have lived here in Spain for 2 years, not a comfortable ex-pat retiree unfortunately, I have to work to survive! However, although I know that I never want to return to the UK permanently, I integrate fully with Spanish people, and I am in love with this country, there are times when I feel a little homesick , mainly when I am missing family, and I sometimes find myself defending the UK and its people when questions are put to me by Spanish people. I know I will always do this and for this reason I want to be able to contribute from time to time to the UK forum which personally has more relevence to me than the International forum.





I also want to see if my thread is pulled because I'm a 'foreigner' in the eyes of CS.

Maybe we could work out some sort of student exchange programme, and bring you back over for a semester.

I sincerely trust that what is a very sensible discussion topic is not pulled by the thought police.
your contribution is both valid and welcomed.
Only by the example you personally set should you be judged!

the Spanish are lovely people but unforunately are as guilty as the rest of us in giving other nations stereotypes.

Very true, but in my experience here in Murcia city centre, where there are literally a handful of English people, the locals have nothing but good words to say about the UK and I have been made more than welcome. However, they know about the behaviour of Brits abroad in the tourist spots and ex-pats who have colonised some places, amazingly without having to speak a word of Spanish! so I am often asked questions about this by my adult students.

The dilema posed by your adult students questions is very relevant.

The accurate exposure by the media of the beer bellied lager louts, with their Union Jack shorts and their fondness for violence, demonstrates behaviour that is simply indefensible.

The english speaking ghettos again simply expose the arrogant superior mentality common among the great number of little englander expats. It is equally indefensible.

Luckily many ex pats are able to integrate and to provide a positive counterbalance. I hope that in time they will prevail.

NO one is excluded from the UK forums, just coz their not in the UK.

You can be interesting in meeting/dating UK people, want to visti here, whatever.

It's just a separate forum that's UK centered.

If you look at "forum posters" you'll various people from other countries are all in the UK forums.

Internationals can use also the UK Forum if they want.

And if you're in the UK, you can use both UK and international forums.

I mean..interested in meeting UK people...or you may want to visit the UK

my spellchecker glasses aren't working...
and niether do these x-ray spex!

Your English, so you should be here, your posts are valued.

It's strange, I have a lot of issues about things that go on in our country these days, but let a foreigner or ex pat put my country down and the hackles rise!

Hi Jan,
I understand how you feel as my best mates girl is living here in Scotland and she's originally from the Bilbao basque area and she's just the same loving it here but gettin over to her homeland often, she's intergrated fully and even works for a government business so knows how things work here, we're always winding her up about how the Spanish are stealing all our fishing quotas and how easy they've got it with subsidies and E.U handouts but she's as quick as any Brit' and doesn't take long to wind us up. Not sure if i could stand 11 months of sunshine am sure id miss the clouds. Best o' luck & god bless the chirizo