Broadband and Me

Hola!

After being abducted by aliens (well my family who sometimes feel alien) I find myself in the beautiful surroundings of Nerja on the Costa del Sol. I've been here several times before but not since the introduction of the Euro and the cost of things have changed quite significantly (being more expensive). Interesting that it is probably just as costly to live here now as the south of England, which is quite a shock.

The benefits of Spain or at least Andalucia are the pace of life, the weather (if you like sun) and the people. Everything is so much slower, less worry and what appears to be genuine warmth towards others. I am talking generally of course but it has held true over about ten years of visits. While I appreciate that almost everyone I interact with here is part of a service sector compare to the Uk- in Nerja people are often versed in at least 3 if not more languages, try to help ignorant foreigners (i.e. me) with Spanish language and culture and are very welcoming to children. In the UK most people can just cope with English, dislike children and dare I say it dislike anyone foreign (they certainly couldn't help with translation).

Is there a point? Well I guess two key areas that the English (if not the rest of Britain) need to focus on are increasing the language ability of its workforce and developing the customer service element especially when dealing with those not of our own background or having English as a first language.

And I think an element of both aspects is about an change in the way the 1nglish view the world. An acceptance of lack of control and have a sense of alternate points of view. Of course some relaxation couldn't hurt either. Intereted in people's views on this as it links into some aspects of branding and psychology that I'm thinking about.