Martial arts in BCN

Hi Matthew,

Welcome to Expat.com!

Hope you will receive some suggestions soon

Hey Matt,

Been searching a lot myself and even have a few adverts out there but no news yet.

Rob

Hi,

there are some good places for karate and judo in Poble Sec and near Hostafranch Market. I do not know weather they do it in English, i do not think, since there are other people of the city going.

Sorry, I ignore how long you've been in the city, why you are here and how much you care about this city, but I think it is very chauvinistic from you to expect others to speak in English and you don't make the effort to learn Spanish. If you join one of these sessions, people will help you never mind the language and if they do not speak your language but you try to speak their language, they will very much appreciate your effort and will be very willing to help even harder. So, what I recommend is to break this fear of the language and just go.

Buena suerte!!

maicachacopino wrote:

but I think it is very chauvinistic from you to expect others to speak in English and you don't make the effort to learn Spanish.

How do you know he is not doing Spanish classes as well? Maybe you need to read more about Spanish people when they are expats in different countries and their reputation for their levels of English.

Hola again,

Sorry, but I know perfectly well what I'm talking about.

On the one hand I was an expat myself. I spent 7 years in Scotland. When I arrived I could speak very little English. I used to go to English lessons and joined lots of different activities and evening courses to meet locals and also learn something different while learning/practising my English. It would have been crazy to expect that the teacher would speak Spanish!!!!! I had many Hispanic friends (Spanish and latins) and all of them did their best to learn the language!!

On the other hand, now back in my home town, I'm a Spanish learning coacher and a tour guide, (I've been so for 15 years) I often take my clients out into the street to make them speak and help them with their relocation. So, I perfectly know the expats panorama in Barcelona. Many, not all of course,  know how to survive in Barcelona without any Spanish. I know that to speak a language is a very long and difficult process and many pychological factors are implied. But there's the attitude: 'Why care?'  And it's a pity. It's a pity that some people are here just because it's a beautiful city with wonderful weather, it's a pity that they miss the opportunity to enrich themselves by acquiring another language and another culture, it's a pity the lack of respect they show. That's why I wrote my comment yesterday. I still think it is very chauvinistic to expect everyone to speak English here.

By no means my intention is to offense anyone. It's true I don't know if the person who asked about an English speaking Martial Arts trainer speaks any Spanish or why s/he is asking so, but I've come across quite a high number of Expats in Barcelona who are not interested in learning about us, our language (not saying Catalan, but only Spanish, which for many catalans, is not our language :-(  , and.... really, it is very sad.

Just wanted to say my point of view, that's all.

Best regards


Maica

maicachacopino wrote:

I've come across quite a high number of Expats in Barcelona who are not interested in learning about us, our language

That's nice, what about all the Spanish Expats who don't speak the language in their new countries of residence?

Example, for every 5 Irish people living in Barcelona there is maybe 50-80 Spanish living in Dublin and from living in Dublin all my life I can easily say that the Spanish are just as ignorant (if not more) at learning an additional language than expats to Spain are.

What you are 'preaching' about is not just an issue for Barcelona or Spain but it is a global matter.

Chau!

i think i would like to learn the native language of any country i decide to live in. irrespective of what is the right and proper thing to do , each to there own , but my personal opinion is it will make life so much easier if i can communicate with the native people of the country i live. #Also you know when people are taking you for a fool if you can understand what they are saying.
just my thoughts

Hey Matthew,

Any luck with finding classes?

Cheers
Rob

Hello Rob,

For info you are posting on an old thread 

Marjorie