The Grass is Always Greener
While we in in Varzim we got chatting to a waitress at an on-street cafe. Well actually it was a kebab shop and we indulged in a doner kebab and chips. Sometimes junk food just hits the spot despite all the fresh food available around us.
Unfortunately we didn’t introduce ourselves so I don’t know the girls name but once she clocked we were English she was telling us how much she wants to go to England, not just to visit but to live and work.
Neil asked her why she wanted to go to the UK, we told her that is was raining that day in the UK and we were sat in the shade of an umbrella as it was so warm. Apparently, she has always liked everything English and certainly she spoke very good English. She wanted to see the pubs that she had heard so much of. She also said that Portuguese people were angry all the time and didn’t know why they were angry. English people are not so angry apparently. Although she does want to meet Gordon Ramsay of all people, probably the angriest person I’ve seen on the TV. The girl said though that at least Gordon knows why he is angry; if someone hasn’t done something right or as they were told. Strangely, we now notice that the Portuguese, men particularly, do sound angry when in conversation or on the phone. Although this could just be a cultural thing.
When we explained how expensive the UK is compared to living expenses in Portugal, she was certainly surprised. We have certainly noticed how much food shopping is much cheaper here. Even the brands we know such as Heinz is cheaper. Let alone the wine and beer, which I may of mentioned before!
She did say that she would of liked to of studied at Oxford but because she was Portuguese she could not. Not sure if this is true, that Oxford don’t take foreign students at all.
It was quite weird to be talking to someone who desperately wants to go to where we have left. Not that we left for any negative reasons but we do find ourselves comparing things on our travels to back in the UK. Not always negatively, but certainly when it comes to rules and regulations the UK is tied up with them. The police we have seen may carry guns but again look more relaxed in t-shirts and not wearing stab vests, hi-viz and weighted down with belts full of stuff. Essentially people just seem to be allowed and expected to use their common sense. Mind you watching some of the building site practices makes us smile. The chap may be wearing a hard hat but in just trainers and shorts, standing on a bucket to reach up above him, doesn’t seem like something the UK H&S would tolerate.
All that said, I do miss my friends, family and my garden.
I do hope the waitress gets to go, even if for a holiday. We have warned her though that London is not the UK. There is a whole lot of England outside of the capital.
