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barefoot_boo
Joined: 06 Aug 2005 Posts: 399 Location: Wiltshire
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 06 1:01 pm Post subject: Wales - are the natives friendly? |
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Now the new year is here we are beginning to consider our options more seriously re: where we ultimately downsize to.
Something in my gut pulls me towards Wales - I love the landscape, and the sense of s-p-a-c-e. I've been speaking to a few friends and family about this and have received a lukewarm response, with one person even going so far as to say "the welsh don't like the english moving in!" Do you think there is any truth in this? Or is it just outright prejudice?
I've lived in a rural community all my life, so I have a pretty good understanding of how rural life works - you can't expect everything on a plate, and have to be preapred to get stuck in.
Actually, I went to Uni down in Carmarthen, but being a 'typical' student I didn't really spend much time trying to integrate into the community - I was far more interested in the SU bar! I met my first husband (a welshman) at Uni and for a while we lived near Caerphilly. I had no problems getting on with folk then, but I'm wondering if that was because the welsh are generally welcoming, or whether it was due to the fact that I had married one of them!
So, I guess my question is this: for those of you who have moved to Wales, how easy have you found it to settle?
boo
p.s. I hope no-one takes offence at this post, none is intended. |
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Jonnyboy
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 23956 Location: under some rain.
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judith
Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 22789 Location: Montgomeryshire
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Bugs
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 10744
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sally_in_wales Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 20809 Location: sunny wales
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Nick
Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 34535 Location: Hereford
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 06 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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Living on the border, there's a degree of friction, but it's well meant and humourous, and no worse than you get between, say North and south Londoners, or either side of the Yorkshire border.
There are, for sure, some people in Wales who don't like the English, or, as JB says, anyone who doesn't speak Welsh, even if they are Welsh. Just ignore these members of the Viet-Taff, and you'll be fine. |
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thos
Joined: 08 Mar 2005 Posts: 1139 Location: Jauche, Duchy of Brabant (Bourgogne-ci) and Charolles, Duchy of Burgundy (Bourgogne-ça)
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Gervase
Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 8655
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 06 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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Here in West Wales we've encountered nothing but support and help from the locals; far more so than ever we've found on the other side of Offa's Dyke.
Most communities will accept you if you accept them, and if you make it clear that you want to make a positive contribution. Much of the perceived anti-Englishness results from a prejudice against holiday homes - and it's a prejudice I share. Buying up a place and leaving it empty for half the year isn't going to endear you to the natives, but buying a place to live in, and sending your kids to the local school, buying your stuff from local shops and seeking local advice - that's how you become local.
I've lived in Suffolk, Herts, Bucks and London, and I've never encountered nicer, more friendly people than here. As Judith says, there's more of a divide between urban and rural than Welsh and English. |
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Azura Skye
Joined: 14 Jun 2005 Posts: 2199 Location: Carmarthenshire
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 06 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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I live in west wales, and slowly the homes on my little street are being bought by lots of English people, in my opinion I feel sad to see the Welsh language going, because communities are what keeps things like language and customs going. But really, Im not bothered who moves in next to me, as long as they are friendly and join the community! Two people a few houses up, refuse to send their children to a Welsh school in the village, literally a five minute walk, and will send them instead all the way to Carmarthen, which is 16 miles away! I cant see the point in this, and its a obvious attempt at not joining the community. I think if you move from England into a Welsh village, you will be very warmly received, if you go and say hello and 'sut mae' to your new neighbours!
But thats true anywhere, Im sure. |
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Nanny
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Posts: 4520 Location: carms in wales
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gingerwelly
Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 419 Location: Wales ...in cardiff at the mo but from mid wales
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Gervase
Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 8655
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 06 10:05 am Post subject: |
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gingerwelly wrote: |
...our local primary school has always been half welsh and half english (some lessons been Welsh others in English) a few families that moved to the area were very unhappy that their kids were asked to learn Welsh ..even went to court over it !! that did not go down at all well with the local people who felt that it was an insult to them and their culture. |
Blimey, I'm not surprised the locals were pee'd off! Jack, our youngest is now getting pretty fluent in Welsh, thanks to free intensive lessons locally, and we're hugely envious. In Ceredigion Welsh is still the predominant language, and we would love to have better Welsh than we have. That said, I was dead chuffed to have been able to sing the national anthem, in Welsh, at the Millennium Stadium when we beat the Aussies before Christmas.
With attitudes like those of the litigious idiots mentioned above, it's a wonder that the Welsh are as accepting of incomers as they are. But, to paraphrase gingerwelly, treat people as you'd like to be treated yourself and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Behave like a pompous prat and don't be surprised if the locals are unfriendly - not suffering fools gladly is not just a Welsh thing! |
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barefoot_boo
Joined: 06 Aug 2005 Posts: 399 Location: Wiltshire
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mochyn
Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 24585 Location: mid-Wales
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Silas
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 6848 Location: Staffordshire
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