THE British Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, when he visited our offices on Tuesday for the Bulletin breakfast with the local authorities, said that he would like to see British expatriates becoming more integrated into local society. The leading local authorities who attended the Bulletin event agreed. And I would also like to voice my support. If you speak Spanish, your quality of life on Majorca is going to improve. You can enjoy the island more. But why is it that a large number of expatriates, of all nationalities it must be said, do not bother to learn Spanish? Well, it is probably because you don't really have to. Majorca is a welcoming place and usually you will find someone who speaks English or German. In some coastal areas the majority of Spaniards speak a certain level of English. These days the local authorities have made living on Majorca easier for expats. The Foreign Citizens Department in Calvia is a prime example. Also, the number of Majorcans who speak English has increased dramatically over recent years. But obviously learning the language and getting involved should be a real necessity for expats. Once again the local authorities are helping out with language lessons. So if you want to have an even better life on this island, then you need to get involved. You can vote in local elections and there are hundreds of local charities which need your support. We have all made Majorca our home so let's put something back.






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Steve Riches / Hace over 3 years

It's not that simple - the majority language, largely due to Spanish migration, is Castilian - but if you try to speak that in the villages you are often reviled, in fact some locals prefer that you speak English. Catalan and its variant Mallorquin need a lot of learning work even if you are fluent in Castilian. I remember my lad when he was 7 being proud of learning some Spanish (Castilian) yet when he tried to use it at a village location a local lad went beserk at him and he was quite upset.