Xenophobia

Last week I met a few people from overseas, and it got me thinking about how big the world is and the enormous range of people and cultures that exist on this planet. The people I met mostly spoke spanish, which is great because although I got an A in spanish GCSE, I think we all know that languages taught in Britain are on par with being taught PE or something else as menial; teachers teach you to pass the exam, not speak spanish. In other countries, when they are taught English they actually learn how to speak english, even if it might be a bit ropey at first, with practice it just gets better and better.

Sometimes I think we take it for granted that most people on this planet are able to speak (basic) english. Approximately 375 million people speak English as their first language. There are around 6,692,030,277 people in the world (thanks google), which roughly means 1 in 4 people in the world will know at least a couple of phrases of English. The classic stereotypical brit on holiday will not attempt to speak any of the native tongue, they will instead speak in english to the shopkeeper/barman/animal, and if they do not understand they will simply speak louder, as if this means they will understand. I find this quite distressing; imagine if some polish guy came in your workplace and started screaming polish in your face in an attempt to make you understand, and all the while you know he is insulting you to your face.

Whilst learning other languages is obviously difficult, it can also be very rewarding. Through meeting so many spanish speakers over the past week, I can feel that my spanish has improved, and it is fun to learn because I am learning words and phrases that I want to learn, not 'my favourite subject is english because i think it is fun', like the bullshit they teach you in school. I can now hold a conversation in spanish, which is very useful - spanish girls... jheeeez! Other than english, the other most widely spoken languages in the world are chinese and spanish. At some point in my life I am going to attempt to learn cantonese (a type of chinese), when and where is another story. It will be immeasurably complicated, mainly due to the fact that when you learn another language you use the same alphabet and some of the words are the same or vaguely similar; in chinese there is no alphabet, only symbols for whole phrases. Sometimes the meaning of a sentence will be changed by only the tiniest flick on a character.

Just by meeting just a few people from other countries (this past week I have met people from Malaga, Columbia and Switzerland, to name a few!), I have noticed just how different their way of thinking and values are, which I find fascinating. I didn't feel like this before last week, but I am slightly bored of England. Obviously I can't say that with any real sort of conviction because I haven't been everyone, but coming from a very middle class family I have seen a fair bit of it on my holidays! It has definitely got me really excited for my trip to Australia (1 month exactly till I fly!), I am going to try and talk to as many people as I can (not everyone obviously, probably mostly the pretty girls!). If you spend your whole life only speaking to english people and living english lives (which works for some people, I'm not saying it's a bad thing), then you will have spent your whole life experiencing mostly opinions and stereotypes of english people. More brits than you think fuck off out of this shithole and start life elsewhere, hell if people can learn english (which is a pretty fucking bent language, an amalgamation of about 3 thousand different languages, probably why it became the most widely spoken though) then english people can definitely learn another language, it's not like because we're english we have to speak english. Languages do take slightly longer to learn if you are english, because you are not used to all the rules that govern other languages (I'm sure you remember all that bullshit about verb endings), but once you conquer them it is relatively simple. The best way to learn a language is to learn a basic understanding (rosetta stone or whatever your weapon of choice may be) and then go and live somewhere where you have to speak that language, you will be fluent within 3 or 4 months. Remember, you can do anything you set your mind to.

Ok, so to sum up, everyone in england = wankers! Haha not quite (a good 60% though still), but seriously, I mean I love my city, but how would you know if your soulmate wasn't halfway across the poledancing at a bar in tokyo? (if that's your thaaaang). Or that mexico city was actually the sickest city on the planet, or that poland is actually a really really nice place. Next time you see someone in public who you can quite clearly tell is foreign, and looks amazingly pretty or a bit quirky, I challenge you to approach them and start a conversation, most people from other countries feel really welcomed that someone has taken the time out to talk to them! (most, not all, don't go messing around with no bearded muzzies). Until I next get some cracked out thoughtflows, peace out

Speak to a stranger but stay out of danger!

James

D:

03.03.2010

Quick one just for the kids

Via Facebook:

'Robbie Ramsden
James I think you should go update your gay little blog... '


Robbie Ramsden is the real gay.

Updated!

Less hating more creating

James