Rebelette’s Weblog

 I didn’t intend to wind up back in what I consider the most depressing place in Europe (I’d love to say the world, but I know Afghanistan can’t be much fun right now…), however, due to strange twists of fate, I am back here again and have been since October 2007. And even though I can’t say I have enjoyed the last three months, I’m glad I came back, simply because I needed reminding that this country really is a mess.  The people’s mentality, the freezing cold weather and endless rain, the dull, daily grind, the littered streets, the crime, the dark mornings and afternoons, the utility bills and council tax… why settle for this Groundhog Day life when I know for a fact that the grass IS greener on the other side. I used to love getting up for work in Spain, waking up to clear blue skies while the sunshine crept through the curtains and made bright patches on my bedroom wall and the bus journey to the office, where I would look out across the Med and see if Gibraltar  and the Moroccan mountains were visible. Here, the scenery on my way to work consists of people coughing and spluttering all over the train. And fog. To say that I don’t like this way of life is an understatement. I despise it and I just can’t understand why so many people simply put up with it. For their entire lives. Then again, I suppose that if you haven’t experienced the good life, you don’t know what you’re missing…                                                                                                         When I was in Spain, I was forever wondering what my friends in England were up to and although my phone never stopped ringing (my friends in Spain were ALWAYS inviting me somewhere) I always felt as if I was missing out on things they were doing in the UK. However, now that I’m back here, it’s clear to see I wasn’t missing anything. My friends (and the rest of the population of this miserable country) don’t seem to be doing anything except working through the week and maintaining this mundane ‘living for the weekend’ attitude. So, to be honest, I think the ones who were missing out were them.  Also, another thing I’ve noticed is that when I was out there in sunny Espana, both friends and family claimed to be ‘missing me’. However, now that I’m back on the same turf as them, they don’t seem to care whether I’m here or there or on the bloody moon. People on this island are either too busy, too lazy, too cold or two stubborn to get off their backsides and come round for a chin wag and a pint of cherry beer. Why don’t I go and see them instead? Why should I? They all drive! Why the hell should I spend hours on trains and buses when all they need to do is jump in the car and put their foot down! Perhaps I should be the one putting my foot down…                                                                                                                                                                  Cold weather, cold people… I think the fact that people spend most of their time indoors here, means they all keep themselves to themselves and are afraid to get too close, to open up and be themselves. For example, I used to greet all my English girl buddies with the traditional two kisses in Spain, without even thinking about it, but here, I’m lucky if I get a hug.  Oh and don’t ever talk about emotions! Ooh no – we don’t have problems and if we do, we don’t share them. British people have this incredible talent for sweeping problems under the carpet and pretending they don’t exist. The Spanish might shout and scream about theirs in the middle of the plaza but it’s better out than kept in, I always say. And while I’m on the subject, I’ve noticed that no one wants to know you when you have no money or a roof over your head. And when you tell them you have £1 to your name, they just laugh and think you’re joking then run a mile when they realise you’re not. No one wants to help or even admit that they would like to, even if they can’t.  A mentality I simply don’t understand anymore, nor should I have to.     dscf1204.jpg                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Decaying UK…  Everything seems to be going downhill now – the economy has taken a major nose dive whilst the cost of living has rocketed, Great Britain is suffering from an identity crisis and I have a feeling there’s much more negativity to come.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                They say that home is where the heart is… well, my heart certainly isn’t in the UK!