How very British!

On Tuesday of this week, my new 10-year passport arrived by DHL courier… which considering I only applied online a little over 2 weeks ago is pretty good going I am sure you’ll agree. I am now the holder of a dark navy blue ‘British’ passport as opposed to a burgundy ‘European Union’ one at a cost of 105.86 GBP, of which twenty of that charge was for the courier – obviously no option. My daughter commented that I appear to be smiling in my photograph – which appears 3 times. Considering you are not allowed to smile in the photograph, I was called a rebel, although I’d say it is more of a smirk than a smile. On the first page as you open the cover, a rather large black and white one appears and there is a transparent heptagon window through which you see the colour photograph on page 3 and again another black and white on page 2. I duly signed underneath the colour photograph – in black pen as specified and popped it back into my bright pink passport holder! At least being so vivid I can easily find it when required. I am certainly not planning on going anywhere in the near, or come to think of it, distant future, but sometimes ID is required which can only be a Spanish ID card or passport. Hopefully, once we all eventually exchange our green ‘residencia’ cards for the new TIE photo card that will suffice. But after shelling out for a new passport I am in no hurry to pay out again for another form of ID until required to do so.

So does it make me feel any different having a blue British passport – more patriotic? The answer is no… as one friend remarked to me T¨ he passport that comes with the loss of rights to live and work in tens of countries.¨ Sometimes I shudder at the behaviour of my fellow countrymen and I was asked whether I would consider applying for Spanish nationality and therefore a Spanish passport. No in answer to that question… I will always be British but do feel it important to try and integrate with your neighbours. I live on a very international urbanization with my neighbours comprising of Spanish, Dutch, Belgian, Norwegian and Scottish residents. I understand many like to live amongst their own nationalities and some of the campsites here in Benidorm are mainly made up of Brits. But aren’t we the first to criticise when ethnic minorities do the same on moving to the UK – calling it a ghetto yet do not see it as the same thing when they do exactly the same in a foreign country that they have chosen to live in?

Last week I had to attend a meeting in Camposol, Mazarrón – it’s an area I have never been to, south of Murcia. It took an age to get there as a tractor decided to shed its load of hay bales across the motorway, causing a tailback like I remember on the M25. Goodness, traffic jams are unheard of here… I tend to huff when stuck at traffic lights for more than a minute but this was a proper turn your engines off wait. After my said meeting we went to a shopping precinct which was in Camposol B and it was literally like little Britain. There was the Post Shop & Passport Centre, Electrical shop, Composurf telephone and broadband provider, Quick Save, ‘Quality’ Indian restaurant and a number of Brit bars and cafes. You would honestly think you were in a town in the UK were it not for the weather… I didn’t hear any Spanish and the carpark was rammed with UK car registrations. I suppose if someone wants a life in the sun but to maintain all their British habits then that’s great and I can see, for some the appeal it would have. However, I do wonder what impact the dreaded B word will have on the community post January 2021.

The Brit population there is huge - somewhere in the region of 6,000 and we bumped into 3 gentlemen in dark green polo tops who belonged to ‘FAST’. FAST is a fully registered and insured charity whose sole purpose is to serve the emergency medical needs of everyone who lives in Camposol and is recognised by the Consulate, Embassy and most importantly, the Murcian Health Authority. All responders are volunteers and give their time for free. They have two ambulances which were purchased through fundraising and there is obviously great local support from the British community there. I found it amazing and inspiring the work that these gents did for their community and must admit I’ve not witnessed anything similar here or in any other region… although I do stand to be corrected. www.benidormallyearround.com