How we change

How we have changed – The difference between living in UK and Spain. When we compare our attitudes and reactions to situations – examples..............

Oh bugger a fly in my wine!

In UK we would throw the wine away and wash the glass – In Spain the offending insect is removed with a deft flick of the forefinger and the contents consumed without comment to others.

Power cuts – In UK the question is asked – Is it us or is it ‘them’ – In Spain, it is always them.

Water failure – In UK the water company switchboard is swamped with complaints – In Spain there is no point as the phone won’t get answered. Somebody occupying the affected houses will know someone in the water company and eventually it will be sorted out........could be a few hours or a few days.

Utilities: In UK – all service providers send a notice that supplies will be affected – time -  date etc Spain just does it and you only find out when the respective service suddenly stops.

Shops - UK the shops will be open 9-5 Spain it is pot luck who opens and when.

Restaurants:  UK will get starters first, main course, and sweet and it will be served in that order to all at the table in Spain, The food can be served in any sequence and not at the same time........ normally luke-warm.

Shops: Between the hours of 2pm and 5pm UK is buzzing – Spain is asleep. At 1.45 you can’t get onto a supermarket car-park and at precisely 2.00 it will be empty.

Officialdom: In UK you can do most things on-line e.g fill in government forms. In Spain you must attend the respective office, at all times armed with Padron (town of residence certificate, NIE (national ID issued by Guardia Civil) Residencia (Resident status document) and of course your Passport. Always expect a couple of hours wait as the officer ‘the keeper’ of the rubber stamp is rarely around.

Why do we prefer the uncertainty of Spain to the guaranteed UK nanny state? This is what we get in exchange:

No pressures once you have mastered the Iberian shrug

Low cost of living.

Cheapo quality wine and beer.

Laid-back, no hassle existence.

Good weather (mainly).

Besides every other day being a bank holiday or a fiesta  – we get a bloody good laugh at the crazy systems here.

Woodbug, an amusing post using typical British comedy stereotyping.

But on a serious note: 

Maybe some of it was correct 26 years ago when I came to live here and could not speak Spanish but now most of it far from correct in the vast majority of circumstances.

In passing.

I am in the middle of a complaint against Nationwide Building Society (UK) on their inability to effect a Swift transfer to USA.  The first attempt failed; but Nationwide said they needed 5 working days to be able to tell me if it had actually failed.  I called the agent Bank in USA and in 10 minutes (without having to prove who I was, data protection etc.) had confirmation that it had failed because NW had not included an account number which I had supplied.  In my second attempt to get the money sent I had to have a row with NW and tell them how to make the transfer.  When they did it my way, the funds were in my sister-in-law’s account within 10 hours.

Not to say a Spanish would have been any better but probably for sure,  they would have been no worse.

Maybe some of it was correct 26 years ago when I came to live here and could not speak Spanish but now most of it far from correct in the vast majority of circumstances.

¿Está seguro de que se han vivido en España durante los últimos 26 años???

¿Está seguro de que se han vivido en España durante los últimos 26 años???

A rhetorical question I believe ?

Dunno John,

What does rhetorical mean - I hope it's not a rude word!