What Is Wrong With Britain That Makes So Many People Want To Leave?
Why Are The Brits In Spain From A Spanish Point Of View
I sometimes wonder if the Spanish ever question why there are so many brits in their country. For them it must feel that everywhere they turn another guiri(foreigner) pops up. Surely they must ask themselves what it is we are all running from. It is common knowledge that it can get very cold in the UK and they do have the impression that it rains all the time. But they can’t be naive to think that it is just down to the weather. Sometimes I feel a bit disloyal to the UK as you don’t see the Spanish relocating to other countries in their droves. I can’t help thinking that they might be feeling a bit smug about it all, maybe even a bit superior that we chose their country over others.
For the Spanish who live in the Malaga region, Gibraltar is a reference point for what Britain could be. One lady I know even suggested that the UK must be like a country version of Gibraltar. How wrong could she be when you can barely find a blade of grass on the rock. As we all know the UK is just a quick flight away. If I were Spanish I would have to go and have a look for myself, just out of curiosity. However, perhaps they just don’t care and are content enough in their own country without the need to explore others.
Hopeless At Being Proud
The truth is the UK is very pretty and has to much to offer. I think that if the average Spaniard took a trip to the English countryside in Spring they would have quite a surprise. The problem is the self depreciating Brits are hopeless at being proud of their country. In fact national pride actually has negative connotations of racism. Whereas the Spanish have a strong sense of identity and a solid, embedded culture, ours is much harder to define so we just don’t bother.
The Loyal Celts
I have also observed that the majority of expats living permanently in Spain are English. It is very rare to come across a Welsh person or a Scot living all year round on the costas. Perhaps they are more faithful to their countries unlike us English who can’t wait to get away from the place.
Bored Of Britain
It is not a negative thing that we are so open to trying new countries and taking an interest in their culture. However, it is only natural that a nation as patriotic as the Spanish look at us and think that perhaps our country doesn’t have a lot going for it. We are obsessed with the other and the more exotic. If we are not a Francophile, we are a Hispanophile. We love to eat food from all over the world. It’s as though we have all grown bored of Britain and have given up on it. The irony lies in that we have grown bored with a country that offers us choice and diversity like not many other countries can rival.
Too Modern To Be Patriotic
Do we consider ourselves too advanced, maybe even too civilised, to be patriotic bearing in mind that patriotism can convey the idea that your country is the best because you happen to have been born in it. Is patriotism a sign of ignorance in modern Britain? Are we beyond such old fashioned concepts still favoured by less developed (in our minds) nations such as Spain. Or perhaps we are that confident and secure in our national identity that we know that we can’t harm it or lose it by living away from our country.
Is This Just A Phase?
Perhaps we are just part of a phase in a cycle and the next phase will be a resurgence in enthusiasm in Britain. Who knows, is it just a matter of time before the expats will have enough and decide that it is time to go home and then the Spanish will realise that Britain does have something worth returning for? Will the Spanish eventually want to break away from the solidity of their festival and customs? Will they start sausages and mash at home and going to Maypole dance classes? Somehow, I doubt it.
Susan Pedalino is Masters Degree qualified in Intercultural Communication and teaching English as a foreign language. Susan regularly writes for the Spain forums website http://www.eyeonspain.com, which also lists cheap Spanish property for sale direct.
Tags: abroad, expat, home, living, moving, Real Estate, relocating, relocation, Spain
