20 ridiculous complaints

[mrypg9]

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

Have you been to London lately????????!!!!!!

Err, yes,actually - about twice a week on average since I left the UK four plus years ago and before that I lived in North London for twelve years. I did not feel threatened by ethnic minorities but I did feel the urge to get away from the yob culture that is now alas common across all classes in the UK.
Caz has neatly put to rest the myth of the 'swamping ' of the UK. But to me the whole subject is a strange and murky one.
First of all: why should anyone object to living with people of other nationalities? Sensible decent people choose their friends on the basis of character not ethnicity, don't they?
Secondly: why do we refer to people of other nationalities who have settled in the UK as immigrants or ethnic minorities when we emigrants to Spain and elsewhere refer to ourselves as expats? As far as I'm concerned, I'm an immigrant here.
Thirdly: I have two friends in the UK, one born in London to Polish parents and who considers herself British. The other was born in Birmingham to West Indian parents. She is also British -in fact she speaks with an educated but very pronounced Brummie accent. Now....I wonder if a certain type of person would consider them both to be equally British? The truth is that for a small section of society it's skin colour that matters. Fortunately the overwhelming majority of young people - indeed people -are indifferent to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation even age.
I still find it strangest of all that people see no contradiction in complaining about people of other nationalities settling in the UK and bringing their cultures with them when we do the same all over the world. I often encounter people who have lived here for years but who interact exclusively with Brits and speak no Spanish. They may not wear burkhas or djellabas but they are in essence no different from the Banladeshi men and women in their closed communities in the UK. We have set up British ghettos in Spain and yet we see no difference between them and the Asian ghettos in, say, Bradford. Do we ever pause to consider that some Spaniards might look upon us as an unwanted ethnic minority?
For the record, I am a firm believer in integration and it is my view that the misguided and intellectually muddled policy of multi-culturalism has done a great deal to contribute to hostility to people from different countries and cultures.
But this double-thinking and hypocrisy that characterises a minority of British immigrants truly baffles me.

[mrypg9]

[quote=JBODEN;190127]

Here's a link
Oficjalna strona miasta i gminy Maków Podhala?ski

Oh, thanks for that I spent ages looking on the net in vain. It was my bad spelling that caused difficulties.
I'm beginning to guess that you are of Polish origin...? I have very many very fond memories of time spent in Poland, both recently and a couple of decades ago.
I was once thrown off a Krakow-Prague train at the Czech border and had to spend six weeks in Poland before I could get permission to leave.....but that's a very long story..

[JBODEN]

[quote=mrypg9;190179]

Originally Posted by JBODEN

Oh, thanks for that I spent ages looking on the net in vain. It was my bad spelling that caused difficulties.
I'm beginning to guess that you are of Polish origin...? I have very many very fond memories of time spent in Poland, both recently and a couple of decades ago.
I was once thrown off a Krakow-Prague train at the Czech border and had to spend six weeks in Poland before I could get permission to leave.....but that's a very long story..

Born & bred in the UK, but of Polish parents who settled in England having tasted Communist hospitality first hand during WWII.
I think that you have hit the nail on the head when you mentioned 'communities'. I think that not trying to integrate with the indigenous population causes a lot of unease. I guess it's because we are inherently tribal, and outsiders settling in our territory is cause for suspicion.

[mrypg9]

[quote=JBODEN;190188]

Originally Posted by mrypg9

Born & bred in the UK, but of Polish parents who settled in England having tasted Communist hospitality first hand during WWII.
I think that you have hit the nail on the head when you mentioned 'communities'. I think that not trying to integrate with the indigenous population causes a lot of unease. I guess it's because we are inherently tribal, and outsiders settling in our territory is cause for suspicion.

Are you bilingual Polish/English? My Polish friend's parents had similar experiences to yours, camp in Siberia, General Anders' Army, Italy, then Scotland. She spoke exclusively Polish until she went to school. Her mother shopped in Polish shops and spoke no English.
You are right in your comment that we are essentially tribal. I've just finished reading 'The Necessity of Art' by Ernst Fischer who was a German Communist and Education Minister in the GDR. The book isn't as gruesome as it sounds as it's an interesting treatise on the development of art and you can easily spot and discount any Marxist theorising but the most interesting point for me is when he explains that the first function of language was to differentiate, i.e. 'this is this and belongs to this group and this isn't and doesn't'. I think that applies to human relationships.

I've just realised that parts of this post sound rather pompous -even Pseuds Corner. Didn't mean it to be.
Never mind, football on Sky soon

[JBODEN]

[quote=mrypg9;190197]

Originally Posted by JBODEN

Are you bilingual Polish/English? My Polish friend's parents had similar experiences to yours, camp in Siberia, General Anders' Army, Italy, then Scotland. She spoke exclusively Polish until she went to school. Her mother shopped in Polish shops and spoke no English.
You are right in your comment that we are essentially tribal. I've just finished reading 'The Necessity of Art' by Ernst Fischer who was a German Communist and Education Minister in the GDR. The book isn't as gruesome as it sounds as it's an interesting treatise on the development of art and you can easily spot and discount any Marxist theorising but the most interesting point for me is when he explains that the first function of language was to differentiate, i.e. 'this is this and belongs to this group and this isn't and doesn't'. I think that applies to human relationships.

I've just realised that parts of this post sound rather pompous -even Pseuds Corner. Didn't mean it to be.
Never mind, football on Sky soon

The route was the same for my parents. My father is actually writing his memoirs before it's too late (he's 91). He's doing that in his spare time because he spends a lot of time travelling all over the globe! (Where does he get the energy from?).
As to bilingual - I am now having worked in Poland for the last 19 years. Hopefully I will be trilingual shortly (learning Spanish) although ages ago I was quite good at French.

[mrypg9]

[quote=JBODEN;190201]

Originally Posted by mrypg9

The route was the same for my parents. My father is actually writing his memoirs before it's too late (he's 91). He's doing that in his spare time because he spends a lot of time travelling all over the globe! (Where does he get the energy from?).
As to bilingual - I am now having worked in Poland for the last 19 years. Hopefully I will be trilingual shortly (learning Spanish) although ages ago I was quite good at French.

I can get by in Polish and in Czech but I found both those languages incredibly complicated. Well...jeden oluvek, dwa oluvki, sto oluvkow!! (excuse spelling and UK keyboard). Very confusing...
Once you've got the hang of a language it never goes so you could find that your knowledge of French might surprise you if you had to use it. German is my second language and although I haven't used it much lately - not for years, in fact -I was surprised to find how easily I could converse with a German I met the other day.

[owdoggy]

[quote=mrypg9;190204]

Originally Posted by JBODEN

I can get by in Polish and in Czech but I found both those languages incredibly complicated. Well...jeden oluvek, dwa oluvki, sto oluvkow!! (excuse spelling and UK keyboard). Very confusing...
Once you've got the hang of a language it never goes so you could find that your knowledge of French might surprise you if you had to use it. German is my second language and although I haven't used it much lately - not for years, in fact -I was surprised to find how easily I could converse with a German I met the other day.

I did French at school and being more years ago than I care to remember I thought I'd forgotten it all but it's just amazing what came back when we were there. The hard part was turning it off when you got across the border into another country



Doggy

[mrypg9]

[QUOTE=owdoggy;190205][quote=mrypg9;190204]
I did French at school and being more years ago than I care to remember I thought I'd forgotten it all but it's just amazing what came back when we were there. The hard part was turning it off when you got across the border into another country

I was driving in Estepona looking for a specific address with three passengers, one Spanish, one German and one English, all simultaneously shouting directions at me in their respective languages.
I'm afraid I used an English expletive internationally understood when asking them to be quiet.

[darrenandlynne]

Originally Posted by xabiachica

here are some stupid questions, too

20 stupid questions asked by tourists - Telegraph

in answer to the aussie questions these are genuine?:-

> Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia ? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? ( UK ).
>
> A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.
__________________________________________________
>
> Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? ( USA )

> Aepends how much you've been drinking.
__________________________________________________
>
> Q:I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden)
>
> A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.
__________________________________________________
>
> Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia ? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay ? ( UK)

> A: What did your last slave die of?
__________________________________________________
>
> Q:Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia ? ( USA )

> A: A-Fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe .
> Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not
> ... Oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.
__________________________________________________
>
> Q:Which direction is North in Australia ? (USA )
>
> A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.
_________________________________________________
>
> Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia ? ( UK )
> A:Why? Just use your fingers like we do...
__________________________________________________
>
> Q:Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? ( USA )

> A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is
> Oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
__________________________________________________
>
> Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia ? ( UK )
> A: You are a British politician, right?
__________________________________________________
>
> Q:Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? ( Germany )

> A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers.
> Milk is illegal.
__________________________________________________
>
> Q:Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can Dispense rattlesnake serum. ( USA )

> A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from.
> All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
__________________________________________________
>
> Q:I have a question about a famous animal in Australia , but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (USA )
>
> A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them.
> You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.
__________________________________________________
>
> Q:I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia ? (USA)

> A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
__________________________________________________

> Qo you celebrate Christmas in Australia ? (France )
>
> A: Only at Christmas.
__________________________________________________
>
> Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )
>
> A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by darrenandlynne

in answer to the aussie questions these are genuine?:-

> Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia ? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? ( UK ).
>
> A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.
> Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )
>
> A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first

Very funny! I usually hate these things that get sent to you by email every 5 mins, but this one really did make me LOL
Thanks!