Drinking problem in Spain

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by xabiachica

I watched a news report about it from Barcelona

I have to admit to being a little miffed that a 'Brit' bar was chosen to illustrate the point - as if only 'foreigners' were guilty of 'over-drinking'


a report about the weather in Barcelona came from outside a clearly Spanish bar


I used to teach a 16 year old spanish boy - he freely admitted to me that he spent his weekends drinking whisky with his mates at botellones


as did a 15 year old english boy...................

it clearly is a habit with teens from both countries - whether it's a new habit for spanish kids I have no definitive proof either way

a new habit for spanish kids
A new habit I wouldn't say that. It's been going on for years now. It might be dying down now or maybe people are just trying to get on with life because you don't hear about it so much now, but it's still going on.
It had got to the point where central squares in towns are completly taken over by hundreds of teenagers drinking stuff bought from supermarkets (and Chinese shops and garages which now can't sell alcohol) Beer, Gin, Whiskey... Think of the noise, and the dirt (no toilets...) the litter. And think of the people living around the square who get no sleep every Friday and Saturday. And for some strange reason the police can'y do anything about it.

both countries
A couple on the Spanish side of the family sent their 16 year old son to Devon to stay with an English family this summer. On Saturday evening the mother went out to the supermarket and came back with rum, gin, cider, beer etc which she set out on the kitchen table. When the Spanish kid asked what was going on the reply was "Saturday Night!" She's bought it for her son and friends to consume! (I don't have clear whether she and her husband also took part) Is this the done thing in the UK now!!???

[dgjamison]

funny is'nt it all the same no matter where you go, poor students can't afford anything only booze, cigarettes, having a good time but poor poor poor hardworking pillars of the community eh??????

[littleredrooster]

Nordic drinking patterns?
I would say the younger ones in Scandinavia are doing much the same as their counterparts in Spain.
Despite the restrictions imposed by the Soviet style State controlled alcohol outlets,only open for certain hours, 5 days a week,the kids still manage to get their weekend fix.
Large quantities are brought in from other EU countries on booze cruise trips which probably out number those from the UK.
For people out in the sticks, illegal stills are widespread and moonshine is easily and readily available for those who want it.
I would say the patterns emerging are much the same as those in Spain,though maybe a few years behind the UK.
Bottle parties in public parks are commonplace,often before a big soccer match and often leading to the same violence and disruptions as used to occur in the UK stadiums and around town.
I would believe from what I have seen that alcoholism is also a major problem,often worse in the country than the towns.
Some put it down to the tedious,boring lifestyle, together with the long hours of depressing Winter darkness.
In addition, the Swedes especially are not naturally very social animals and often need alcohol to help them go out and relax and mix in public.

[dgjamison]

Originally Posted by littleredrooster

Nordic drinking patterns?
I would say the younger ones in Scandinavia are doing much the same as their counterparts in Spain.
Despite the restrictions imposed by the Soviet style State controlled alcohol outlets,only open for certain hours, 5 days a week,the kids still manage to get their weekend fix.
Large quantities are brought in from other EU countries on booze cruise trips which probably out number those from the UK.
For people out in the sticks, illegal stills are widespread and moonshine is easily and readily available for those who want it.
I would say the patterns emerging are much the same as those in Spain,though maybe a few years behind the UK.
Bottle parties in public parks are commonplace,often before a big soccer match and often leading to the same violence and disruptions as used to occur in the UK stadiums and around town.
I would believe from what I have seen that alcoholism is also a major problem,often worse in the country than the towns.
Some put it down to the tedious,boring lifestyle, together with the long hours of depressing Winter darkness.
In addition, the Swedes especially are not naturally very social animals and often need alcohol to help them go out and relax and mix in public.

I am living in Canada right now and I have to say I think they have really got it right, there are no liquor stores here, only LCBO which is the liquor control board of canada, it is government controlled and that is the only place you can get alcohol , the police do not tolerate any drinking in public, they are very strict, I have not seen any drinking in public in three months. You go to the beach and there ar lots of teens having picnics but no alcohol, they are really doing something right and other countries should take note before it is too late.

[deanhankin]

Originally Posted by dgjamison

I am living in Canada right now and I have to say I think they have really got it right, there are no liquor stores here, only LCBO which is the liquor control board of canada, it is government controlled and that is the only place you can get alcohol , the police do not tolerate any drinking in public, they are very strict, I have not seen any drinking in public in three months. You go to the beach and there ar lots of teens having picnics but no alcohol, they are really doing something right and other countries should take note before it is too late.

Maybe slightly off topic here but anyway.

I recently spent 10 days in Estepona and Cartama (sorry i didnt get to the pozo for the coffee JOJO) but I was shocked at how much wine you guys drink.

I stopped drinking 10 months ago but decided I would have to go with the flow and join in on this trip as I was there as the guest of a good friend. I can tell you from this recent experience that 3 bottles of wine each a night for 9 nights has put me off the thought of going to visit this fella anymore for the good of my health.

Everyone I spoke to whilst I was there was either hammered, in the process of getting hammered or on the way to the boozer to get hammered.

So on my arrival back in England I thought thank god for that no more booze for a while, only for a very good friend to invite me on a stag do.............in fuengirola

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by deanhankin

Maybe slightly off topic here but anyway.

I recently spent 10 days in Estepona and Cartama (sorry i didnt get to the pozo for the coffee JOJO) but I was shocked at how much wine you guys drink.

Who guys??!! I don't drink like that, and never have actually.

I stopped drinking 10 months ago but decided I would have to go with the flow

you certainly got the right expression there!

and join in on this trip as I was there as the guest of a good friend. I can tell you from this recent experience that 3 bottles of wine each

Each?? For 9 nights??? WTF?!? What kind of lifestyle is that?! Well don't answer, it's got nothing to do with me, but this is something that is totally alien to me here in both the immigrants that I know and the Spanish. However I do know a couple of Brits at home who are heavy drinkers...

a night for 9 nights has put me off the thought of going to visit this fella anymore for the good of my health.

Everyone I spoke to whilst I was there was either hammered, in the process of getting hammered or on the way to the boozer to get hammered.



So on my arrival back in England I thought thank god for that no more booze for a while, only for a very good friend to invite me on a stag do.............in fuengirola

By the way, you can say "No thanks" you know...

Is your friend happy with life in Spain, or the bars in Spain??

[Caz.I]

Mmm yes. I agree Pesky. Just say no! I do think there are a lot of people (expats) out here, particularly down this way, who have serious drinking problems, unfortunately. The coast seems to attract certain types of people who have various issues in life which they deal with through various addictions.
Despite having a fairly wild youth, I dont drink vast quantities of alcohol either, so dont like being included in this generalization.
I think originally this thread was talking about drinking amongst the young but there is also a problem with older people binge drinking too!
Caz. I

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by Caz.I

Mmm yes. I agree Pesky. Just say no! I do think there are a lot of people (expats) out here, particularly down this way, who have serious drinking problems, unfortunately. The coast seems to attract certain types of people who have various issues in life which they deal with through various addictions.
Despite having a fairly wild youth, I dont drink vast quantities of alcohol either, so dont like being included in this generalization.
I think originally this thread was talking about drinking amongst the young but there is also a problem with older people binge drinking too!
Caz. I

I think you're right Caz I. , there's a problem with binge drinking in adults too, it's just that they don't do it on street corners with a load of mates so it's not so obvious. And the Brits seem to be kings at this!!I think it's possibly more worrying than the younger generation who at least may grow out of it. We've probably all done wild things at some point in our younger days, but most of us leave it behind when we get older - for good and for bad. Some people on the forum think that makes older people sad, but I think it's about learning how to live your life...

By the way, have you noticed how TEFL teaching attracts those people "who have various issues in life" as you so delicately put it??

[XTreme]

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

Some people on the forum think that makes older people sad, but I think it's about learning how to live your life...

Nothing to do with alcohol....or living a wild life. More a state of mind!

There's no rules in life that say when we get to a certain age we have to suddenly morph into boring and pedantic old people.

Example....Len Vale Onslow....got an award from the Queen and rode to the Palace on his motorcycle. At 100 years old! I think that's fantastic!

And you hear of older people taking up new interests like Martial Arts etc....and doing Open University degrees etc when they're the wrong side of 70. Again, I think that's fantastic!

Damn sight better way to live your life than playing computer games, watching Jeremy Kyle, or boring people senseless on Internet forums!