Do you want to live in Spain? Yes! then you have to learn Spanish
RosaYesterday I read an article in El País that really got my attention: “according to the Financial Times, the Europeans choose Spain as their favourite country to work and live”.
It seems that the 17% of 7000 thousand people from Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain consider Spain as their first choice to live and work in case they had to leave their country. Europeans think that Spain is a country with an interesting economy, that Spanish people are welcoming to foreigners and very optimistic about their future. They also think that we are the ones who know how to live best in the whole of Europe. As we normally say: “Here in Spain we work to live, but we do not live to work”.
I, as a Spanish person, think that it is true that we know how to live well and enjoy life. I have lived in countries like Great Britain or Germany, and although their economy is much stronger than ours, salaries are higher and the number of working hours less, there are facts like the weather that can not be changed and really influence the way people are and behave. It is very difficult when you come from a Mediterranean country to get used to the freezing winter and the early evenings in January when at 3 o´clock it’s already dark!!!! Of course, not all is bad, and I really enjoyed my time in these places for many other reasons.
The article also says that 42% of the Spaniards surveyed, believe that the inmigration is very good for the economy and that we seem to be the Europeans with the more optimistic opinion about this delicate issue. It is also important to know that of 2 million foreign workers in Spain, more than 350.000 come from European countries.
However, and this is my worry, do they speak Spanish? Barcelona is one of the favourite destinations for European visitors. Years ago we only had retired people because of our good weather and good living conditions, but nowadays many young people also come to work and live. Sadly not everybody learns the language and for us it is a real shame. If they do not speak Spanish, not only their working opportunities will not be the same but also they will be missing the best of Spain, which is not only the sun and the beach but also, our culture, our music, our sense of humour, our films and in general the real way Spanish people are.
I invite all of you to learn Spanish, not only in case you want to stay with us but also because I am sure it will be a great experience!
Rosa
