This thread has got me thinking about the whole integration thing.
I used to live near brick lane in the early 90s and there were loads of Bengali immigrants, women mainly, who never learned English. At least part of this was because there were interpreter services provided for every point where they would interact with officialdom, NHS service. I could never see how this was doing anyone any good as it encouraged people to be isolated and relaiant on state goodwill.
Fast forward nearly 20 years and I find myself putting down roots in a Dutch speaking area outside Brussels. They are pretty strict on official languages being used though this is often directed at their fellow countrymen and not so much at foreigners. Loads of people live here for years without learning any Dutch or French and this group seems to mostly be made up of Anglophones. I met one contract PM who has been here 20 yrs and can’t order a sandwich in anything other than English.
I can’t see how people can get by like this, and I’ve made an effort to learn both languages. Me and my other half were at the town hall last night getting our diplomas for our dutch courses, my oldest boy if fully bilingual. All in all, we’re ‘good’ foreigners.
But, it ain’t that simple. There are loads of things that are changing rapidly here and I don’t really like all of it. I am a European citizen, and I have the right to get involved in my local society without the default ifyoudontlikeitherewhydontyoupissoffbacktowhereyou camefrom mantra kicking off, don’t I? Why can’t I object to new laws that will discriminate against my family and take part in the process that defines how the society I live in works?
Of course, I know the answer and its no different anywhere you go and at any level. The mantra always works wonders for believers even if it applies to someone who comes from the next village. What I think some people really hanker after is feudalism.
I used to live near brick lane in the early 90s and there were loads of Bengali immigrants, women mainly, who never learned English. At least part of this was because there were interpreter services provided for every point where they would interact with officialdom, NHS service. I could never see how this was doing anyone any good as it encouraged people to be isolated and relaiant on state goodwill.
Fast forward nearly 20 years and I find myself putting down roots in a Dutch speaking area outside Brussels. They are pretty strict on official languages being used though this is often directed at their fellow countrymen and not so much at foreigners. Loads of people live here for years without learning any Dutch or French and this group seems to mostly be made up of Anglophones. I met one contract PM who has been here 20 yrs and can’t order a sandwich in anything other than English.
I can’t see how people can get by like this, and I’ve made an effort to learn both languages. Me and my other half were at the town hall last night getting our diplomas for our dutch courses, my oldest boy if fully bilingual. All in all, we’re ‘good’ foreigners.
But, it ain’t that simple. There are loads of things that are changing rapidly here and I don’t really like all of it. I am a European citizen, and I have the right to get involved in my local society without the default ifyoudontlikeitherewhydontyoupissoffbacktowhereyou camefrom mantra kicking off, don’t I? Why can’t I object to new laws that will discriminate against my family and take part in the process that defines how the society I live in works?
Of course, I know the answer and its no different anywhere you go and at any level. The mantra always works wonders for believers even if it applies to someone who comes from the next village. What I think some people really hanker after is feudalism.
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