TALKING OF FRIENDSHIP
We all know how frustrating it can be trying to penetrate a new society – particularly when you are challenged by the language. The obvious answer, here, is to take up Spanish lessons! The trouble is that whilst it´s easy to find a teacher or a class to join, with other Britons, for grammar and vocabulary – it is far more difficult to form a meaningful relationship with the Spanish themselves.
Some nine months ago, we set up a group in a bar on Saturday mornings where Spanish people could come to practice speaking English. Over a period of time our little group has expanded to over a dozen interesting and delightful locals. In fact, the “hour” now goes so quickly we are always at least half an hour late leaving. It makes for a truly fascinating and enjoyable morning.
Recently, we decided to invite all the members of our Saturday group to our house for a “get together”. It was amazing to see how quickly the idea caught on and by the end of the session we had received promises of all sorts of goodies, including rare delicacies of Spanish cuisine. On the day, we had a fantastic time, despite the weather being truly British – the sun was out until everybody arrived and then it rained remorselessly until they left! However, inviting our group to our house seemed to break an invisible barrier that somehow has meant that our friendship has immeasureably deepened.
We often think that most ex-pats rarely really meet the Spanish or have the opportunity to speak to them about their day to day lives. In fact, with a little patience and effort, it is amazing how quickly you can gather together a circle of truly valuable and delightful Spanish friends. And, thankfully, to do this you really do not need to speak Spanish. The rewards are tremendous and you can quickly find yourself experiencing a warmth of friendship rarely felt in the UK.
Copyright Nick Snelling (www.nicholassnelling.com) author of three books on Spain including ‘How to Move Safely to Spain’ (www.movesafelytospain.com)
ENDS
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