Can someone tell me the truth about Miami?? What is it Really like!!! (Miami Beach: loan, elementary school)

[Leovigildo]

Tiger

We don't speak Spanish here, we speak Catalan.

Oh, yes, we also have Catalan Rednecks that hate Spanish, but of course, they know Spanish.

Everybody knows Spanish, we are in Spain. That's the reality.

Most people here also speak French, English and a gibberish of German, Dutch, etc.

As to Chinese, that burning took place far from here, and they didn't burn local Chinese shoe factories, they burned a illegal storehouse importing cheap shoes from China.

Shoe factories are on the way out in Spain, my family had a shoe factory that closed down 25 years ago. Chinese were not guilty but taxes.

There's no animosity here against Chinese. In the town I live, about 20.000 inhabitants, there are 4 Chinese restaurants, 3 or 4 chinese "1 dollar" shops, 2 Japanese restaurants, 1 Thai restaurant. Chinese are thriving here and they are happy in Spain. People don't say anymore that they serve cat or that they chop their dead to serve them in their restaurants.

You are referring to "Spanish Rednecks". Yes, we have plenty of Rednecks too. Rural Spaniards..."Deep Spain". Catalans call them "Castillians", "Castellà"..

Well, they are learning English. In fact, in their Language Aptitude Test they had better results in English that Catalans, quite an insult for Catalans.

But those "blue collared rednecks" from Inner Spain are disappearing at a fast pace and they must know English to get a decent job and now rural Spain is a desert, unfortunately.

We are a touristic country. Tourism, Industry, Construction (no more..)..

Yes, you are right. Having a different language from Spanish from birth helps a lot. Nobody is monolingual here.

Well. I'm my employer.

[flyers29]

Originally Posted by Leovigildo

Flyers

Well, what the heck, Spanish is the "lingua franca" in Miami.

There you go again, in the UNITED STATES....

There's no official language in the UNITED STATES. The business of America is business and the language of business in Miami is Spanish.

There are no sacrosanct rights tied to a language, that's all Fascist and Nacionalistic mumble jumbo to get us killed.

We have exactly the same discussion here, our language is Catalan and local "politicos" always declare that "Catalan is the language of the land", "the language of our culture", "the language we speak since the 9th Century...blah, blah...

Of course, pure nonsense.

The language of the streets here is Spanish, were are packed with Spanish migrants and they are a majority. What are we to do, kill them? Force them to speak Catalan, just like they do now?

You can't fight it.

People will always talk the language they need.

There may not be an official language in the US, but that's just some political technicality. Imagine if a member of Congress got up and just started yammering in Spanish...can't imagine that would go over so well. And fwiw, Florida's official language is English so that point is moot anyway in regards to Miami.

I'm don't have a problem with people speaking other languages. My problem is they cannot speak English when it's necessary and when I am obtaining a service from THEM in my own country. How is it acceptable that some people come to this country and take the attitude, "sorry, I'm not going to learn English, so you're going to have to learn my language."

[Leovigildo]

Flyers

We have the same problem here.

The Catalan Government (Catalonia is one of the 17 "Nations" of Spain) says that the "language of the land" is Catalan.

They impose fines if the signs, menus, business communications of your own business is not "at least in Catalan".

Kids are only taught in that language until 12.

But Catalans are a minority, and most people in the street speak Spanish, so all the money they are using trying to impose the language is useless if people don't want to talk that language.

Cubans know that they must know English, most of them know English, but they don't use the language socially with other Cubans. I don't know about non-Cubans. when I lived there the only Spanish speakers were Cubans and a spattering of Spaniards.

Spanish might be OK for working in a "bodega" or in Varadero Supermarkets, but everybody knows that you must know English and have a degree to get a good job.

All the first and second, and third generation Cubans born in Florida communicate in English among themselves, and their Spanish is quite perfunctory. There are many complaints from Companies that hire people "with Spanish" and they only speak "pidgin Spanish".

Back then, I don't know now, there was a certain "Cuban accent", English spoken with certain phonetics that caught on Anglo speakers. I remember watching a TV program on National TV about "Miamian". Andy Garcia or Gloria Stephan, they have that accent.

[Daniel_T]

hey all, I have another question, is N. Miami Beach Safe? I put an ad out for a roommate and got a response from someone there. Also I am wanting to fly in for a few days the beginning of June to do my college stuff, and am wondering what kind of weather can I generally expect? I know everything says June is the rainiest month!!! Thanks

[Bostonian08]

Originally Posted by Daniel_T

hey all, I have another question, is N. Miami Beach Safe? I put an ad out for a roommate and got a response from someone there. Also I am wanting to fly in for a few days the beginning of June to do my college stuff, and am wondering what kind of weather can I generally expect? I know everything says June is the rainiest month!!! Thanks

Well the big question here Daniel is are you talking about North Miami Beach or North Beach? NMB is actually a small town on the mainland north of Liberty City. I may have been there once twenty years ago so honestly I couldn't tell you whether it's good or bad today. Anyway, you don't want to go there, it's too far from the fun part. But if you are talking about North Beach, as in the part north of 42st on the Island of Miami Beach, sure it's cute. It's more small townish than South Beach.

Again, live on the island not the mainland. That's where the young internationals congregate.

[Leovigildo]

I'm don't have a problem with people speaking other languages. My problem is they cannot speak English when it's necessary and when I am obtaining a service from THEM in my own country. How is it acceptable that some people come to this country and take the attitude, "sorry, I'm not going to learn English, so you're going to have to learn my language."


Flyers

Use your dollars as a vote.
Don't hire services to anybody you can't communicate.
People only learn a language when they need it.
As to somebody speaking Spanish in Congress, why not?
If the voters want it....
I personally couldn't care less if some Spanish Congressman in Madrid speaks in English, Bask or Latin, they will probably say the same B.S.
But the Spanish get real pissed when they hear Catalan in Congress, but they do it.

[Daniel_T]

Originally Posted by Bostonian08

Well the big question here Daniel is are you talking about North Miami Beach or North Beach? NMB is actually a small town on the mainland north of Liberty City. I may have been there once twenty years ago so honestly I couldn't tell you whether it's good or bad today. Anyway, you don't want to go there, it's too far from the fun part. But if you are talking about North Beach, as in the part north of 42st on the Island of Miami Beach, sure it's cute. It's more small townish than South Beach.

Again, live on the island not the mainland. That's where the young internationals congregate.

The area he told me is around 7700 Collins. That looks like Miami Beach?? I don't mind being too far from the partying scene. I still have about 6 months or so until i'm 21 and I have to focus on school. Can't party much. Plus i've never really partied so I don't even know if I would be into it?

Also I was looking at attending another campus of Miami-Dade as well, this one is the North campus located at N.W. 119th st & N.W. 32nd Ave. Is this an ok area to be in just going to/from school?

[burgler09]

Originally Posted by Daniel_T

The area he told me is around 7700 Collins. That looks like Miami Beach?? I don't mind being too far from the partying scene. I still have about 6 months or so until i'm 21 and I have to focus on school. Can't party much. Plus i've never really partied so I don't even know if I would be into it?

Also I was looking at attending another campus of Miami-Dade as well, this one is the North campus located at N.W. 119th st & N.W. 32nd Ave. Is this an ok area to be in just going to/from school?

7700 Collins shouldn't be a bad area, but take it from me.. and LISTEN TO BOSTONIAN TOO, South Beach is where you want to be, find a place there, trust me you can find deals. Plus, nobody ID's on South Beach anyways.. I was drinkin there before I was 21

Of course it is an ok area to go to/from school or nobody would go!

[burgler09]

Originally Posted by flyers29

There may not be an official language in the US, but that's just some political technicality. Imagine if a member of Congress got up and just started yammering in Spanish...can't imagine that would go over so well. And fwiw, Florida's official language is English so that point is moot anyway in regards to Miami.

I'm don't have a problem with people speaking other languages. My problem is they cannot speak English when it's necessary and when I am obtaining a service from THEM in my own country. How is it acceptable that some people come to this country and take the attitude, "sorry, I'm not going to learn English, so you're going to have to learn my language."

where does anybody say "you have to learn my language" ?? Instead of whining an complaining, try not giving them business. There isn't an official language, it was set up that way. If an immigrant has no reason to learn english, why should they? USA is a free country , nobody here is saying you they must learn English or you must learn Spanish. It seems many people here don't understand how capitalism works, we're strictly a free market, which means the employer and worker must be competitive in that particular area. If you are living in an area with high population of Spanish speaking people, don't complain if you can't speak spanish.. learn it. Everybody here should be happy that nobody is forced to learn English... when you start seeing this.. watch out.

[ac11]

I do feel people need to LEARN and KNOW English. This is America and it is our official language. The reason I say this is that we do need a common language to operate in given the vastness and cultural diversity of our country.

I have no problem with people having english as a second language. that is quite common in Miami and I am perfectly fine with that. not knowing english though is wrong and I would not suggest it to anyone as in order to succeed in this country you should have to know english.