Cyprus-Forum.com

[perdike]

I understand what you are saying but unfortunately you can't impose things on people. As in Australia where you are forced to vote. It doesn't make people any more interested in what's going on or make those unable to, to understand more.
As long as things don't affect people's daily lives, most are un-interested. I grew up when the IRA were coming and bombing English cities killing indiscriminately. I didn't then, or now, understand the issues and quite frankly haven't the time in my life to immerse myself in the world's problems. I'm sure the Cypriot immigrants or any others in England were no more interested in those problems than I was. Of course, had a member of my family been affected I'm sure I would both know more and be more interested.

I don't have much time for this attitude.

We all share the same world.

So, you could have quite happily said of Hitler's Germany "I am not interested, don't have the time to immerse myself . . .as long as no one in my family is affected . . ."

The world is a small place now, and most families have related members from several other countries/cultures, so how can one just say,in effect, 'boring, effort needed, I don't want to know' ?

[Feisty]

Blimey this selective reading is catching.
I didn't say I didn't want to know, I said I didn't want to immerse myself in it.
If I did I'd become a politician or involve myself in politics. As it is there is too much else going on in my life that I do need to immerse myself in.

[Feisty]

I understand what you are saying but unfortunately you can't impose things on people. As in Australia where you are forced to vote. It doesn't make people any more interested in what's going on or make those unable to, to understand more.
As long as things don't affect people's daily lives, most are un-interested. I grew up when the IRA were coming and bombing English cities killing indiscriminately. I didn't then, or now, understand the issues and quite frankly haven't the time in my life to immerse myself in the world's problems. I'm sure the Cypriot immigrants or any others in England were no more interested in those problems than I was. Of course, had a member of my family been affected I'm sure I would both know more and be more interested.

I don't have much time for this attitude.

We all share the same world.

So, you could have quite happily said of Hitler's Germany "I am not interested, don't have the time to immerse myself . . .as long as no one in my family is affected . . ."

The world is a small place now, and most families have related members from several other countries/cultures, so how can one just say,in effect, 'boring, effort needed, I don't want to know' ?

And in answer to this I'd just say..........
Oh I'll go along to discuss the Palestine problem or try to help starving kids in Ethiopia and Sudan etc but no one on here would be remotely interested.

[perdike]

I understand what you are saying but unfortunately you can't impose things on people. As in Australia where you are forced to vote. It doesn't make people any more interested in what's going on or make those unable to, to understand more.
As long as things don't affect people's daily lives, most are un-interested. I grew up when the IRA were coming and bombing English cities killing indiscriminately. I didn't then, or now, understand the issues and quite frankly haven't the time in my life to immerse myself in the world's problems. I'm sure the Cypriot immigrants or any others in England were no more interested in those problems than I was. Of course, had a member of my family been affected I'm sure I would both know more and be more interested.

I don't have much time for this attitude.

We all share the same world.

So, you could have quite happily said of Hitler's Germany "I am not interested, don't have the time to immerse myself . . .as long as no one in my family is affected . . ."

The world is a small place now, and most families have related members from several other countries/cultures, so how can one just say,in effect, 'boring, effort needed, I don't want to know' ?

And in answer to this I'd just say..........
Oh I'll go along to discuss the Palestine problem or try to help starving kids in Ethiopia and Sudan etc but no one on here would be remotely interested.

Feisty,
I understood, perhaps wrongly, that you were living in the UK at the time the IRA were setting off bombs, in which case I thought it strange that you would have been disinterested in the reasons why.

And I do take an interest in the broad sweep of whats going on, obviously not equally deeply everywhere. Thats what I get a newspaper for (not a tabloid).

Actually, there might be a few people on CF who ARE interested in whats going on in the world in general.

[perdike]

I'm sorry but a lot of you speak as though the Cyprus problem should consume our every waking moment. Well it doesn't and never will. Whilst understanding it's close to your hearts I'm afraid that it isn't many others', Cypriots as well as ex-pats. While it's effects are still on-going for a lot of you, for the average person it is an incident that happened 34 years ago and life has moved forward.

To you all I can say is that if you choose our country as your residence, then you can assimilate by learning our customs, and language. You could also appreciate our tiny country's environmental issues, and political problems. Assimilate into Cypriot culture or nick off! Is that not what many of you use to say to migrants in the UK. Are you a hypocrite?

Why is it you never read properly? I never said that the problem wasn't appreciated, I said that it didn't consume people's everyday lives and that goes for most Cypriots as well as ex-pats.
As for appreciating environmental issues I don't it's ex-pats washing their drives etc and using water like it was going out of fashion.
ps. I haven't chosen Cyprus as my country of residence yet and have certainly never said that anyone should integrate. The fact is that people don't integrate with different cultures (in general) whoever they are. As Magnus said above, people gravitate to what is comfortable and that is to their own kind (for want of a better word). Also, in general, people don't want immigrants to integrate really. People's social circles revolve round just that.[/quote




Feisty,
When you have 'used up' Cyprus with all your "getting on' and 'living' dont even THINK of coming to New Zealand to do a bit more 'getting on with life', because here we want fellow humans who appreciate what is HERE, who will take time to understand their new home, its history and its customs, and we most certainly DO want citizens who will INTEGRATE and think of helping this nation to flourish as well as calculating how they can best milk it for themselves. We don't want day-trippers scouting around for the best bargain, without interest or empathy for what we are trying to evolve here.

Whats wrong with Blighty then? Too many foreigners?

WHERE ARE YOU FEISTY? . . . . silly me, she's getting on with living, putting anything too taxing behind her into history.

[Jerry]

I read some of the "renegade" posts on the CL site. They were, in the main, aimed at seeing how outspoken and cheeky one could be before the shutters came down. Freedom of speech is all very well but CF members knew what CL was all about, nevertheless they stormed the site, perhaps tongue in cheek, taking the piss out of the established site users who quickly realised what they were up to and effectively told them to bugger off. I think if the roles were reversed they would get the same treatment.

[Niki]

I just think it was saying "na na na na naaaah", so pathetic!

Let me get this right however as I am confused, someone who lives in Australia (or has been back for 2 weeks) is telling people who live in Cyprus that they should fit in better and be less bigoted? Without living in Cyprus or knowing anything about the people that are being accused?

Ah I GET IT! Freedom of speech.

So far in Cyprus (only 1 year but learning) freedom of speech has been on a par with the UK, maybe a little better in fact. I agree that some Brits can be racist and make the mistake of refusing to integrate but certainly not all and certainly not the members on this forum that have been accused of this. The CL members may not be the people you would want as best friends but they are decent enough people and don't deserve the treatment they received. I also believe that if they tried the same trick on this forum they would be ostracised immediately. Freedom of speech would not be allowed here.

Also it may be a good thing to read back on member's posts to understand what they're like before making assumptions.

I maybe an old bat though, you'll never know!

[roseandchan]

we live in a totally turkish speaking village as part of the community. both us and the village learn new things daily about each others culture. we take our tc friends shopping in the south weekly, some who have never been to the south since 1974. understanding other peoples religion and culture, stops racism. some members of this form call me a racist for wanting to continue my culture. is this wrong? so how many cypriots on both sides marry into families from their own culture? is this racist? no it is just preserving the next generation of cypriots. i can understand this.

[Paphitis]

I just think it was saying "na na na na naaaah", so pathetic!

Let me get this right however as I am confused, someone who lives in Australia (or has been back for 2 weeks) is telling people who live in Cyprus that they should fit in better and be less bigoted? Without living in Cyprus or knowing anything about the people that are being accused?

Ah I GET IT! Freedom of speech.

So far in Cyprus (only 1 year but learning) freedom of speech has been on a par with the UK, maybe a little better in fact. I agree that some Brits can be racist and make the mistake of refusing to integrate but certainly not all and certainly not the members on this forum that have been accused of this. The CL members may not be the people you would want as best friends but they are decent enough people and don't deserve the treatment they received. I also believe that if they tried the same trick on this forum they would be ostracised immediately. Freedom of speech would not be allowed here.

Also it may be a good thing to read back on member's posts to understand what they're like before making assumptions.

I maybe an old bat though, you'll never know!

Listen, I have been to Cyprus 5 times and collectively have stayed in Cyprus just a bit under 1 year. Even I would need to assimilate to Cypriot culture because having grown in Australia and gone through the Australian education system and the service I gave it for so long has kind of moulded me in a particular way.

I will also let you know, that today I also hold Cypriot citizenship and a Cyprus ID card and I am very proud of that. I also own my very own house in Pafos. I am also obligated to serve the CNG if I move to Cyprus.

And you have no right to speak to me like this for many reasons. Firstly, many Cypriots in Australia are very active politically. After my discharge from the military, I have been extremely active within the Liberal Party. I interact freely amongst sitting members, senators and MLCs. I attend many functions just for the sole reason of having an opportunity to lobby them on many things about Cyprus. I entertain many of them at my house. One such individual who is very well known to me is the former Foreign Affairs Minister of Australia, The Honorable Alexander Downer who will be the next UN envoy on Cyprus!

I would also like to point out that my wife is a refugee. Her family lost their house along with thousands of others, when Turkey invaded in 74. They moved to Australia out of necessity and since then have rebounded in way that only refugees can. By shear determination and hard work they rebuilt their lives from nothing. My wife's father, served in 74 and was captured by the Turkish Army. He was a POW and was 1 of the 800 that were transferred to a Turkish concentration camp in Adana (Turkey). There is footage of these POWs in the BBC archives. The mere fact that these 800 men survived and are not "missing" is due to pure circumstance. They are all lucky to be alive today as the Red Cross new of their capture and registered them as POWs which allowed for their protection under the Geneva Convention.

My point is, that many of us here in Australia and elsewhere have contributed to Cyprus in their own way. Many of us are citizens and have properties and other business interests in Cyprus. Many will no doubt move back to Cyprus. I can tell you that this is my ultimate dream, but for professional reasons we choose not to or are perhaps not ready for such a move. I do have my own Cyprus residence, so am able to visit the island whenever possible.

What is a definite fact is that Cyprus is part of my heritage and is also my inheritance. And I am very proud to be a Cypriot as well as an Australian. You however, only move to Cyprus to better your "lifestyle" whilst being indifferent to the islands problems. If you tell me that you are not indifferent, then I will tell you that you have made no contribution as a citizen to Cyprus and are merely using Cyprus to improve your "living". I will tell that such migrants are definitely not welcome to Australia as you would contribute nothing to the nation's enrichment!

Regards

[perdike]

I'm sorry but a lot of you speak as though the Cyprus problem should consume our every waking moment. Well it doesn't and never will. Whilst understanding it's close to your hearts I'm afraid that it isn't many others', Cypriots as well as ex-pats. While it's effects are still on-going for a lot of you, for the average person it is an incident that happened 34 years ago and life has moved forward.

To you all I can say is that if you choose our country as your residence, then you can assimilate by learning our customs, and language. You could also appreciate our tiny country's environmental issues, and political problems. Assimilate into Cypriot culture or nick off! Is that not what many of you use to say to migrants in the UK. Are you a hypocrite?

Why is it you never read properly? I never said that the problem wasn't appreciated, I said that it didn't consume people's everyday lives and that goes for most Cypriots as well as ex-pats.
As for appreciating environmental issues I don't it's ex-pats washing their drives etc and using water like it was going out of fashion.
ps. I haven't chosen Cyprus as my country of residence yet and have certainly never said that anyone should integrate. The fact is that people don't integrate with different cultures (in general) whoever they are. As Magnus said above, people gravitate to what is comfortable and that is to their own kind (for want of a better word). Also, in general, people don't want immigrants to integrate really. People's social circles revolve round just that.[/quote




Feisty,
When you have 'used up' Cyprus with all your "getting on' and 'living' dont even THINK of coming to New Zealand to do a bit more 'getting on with life', because here we want fellow humans who appreciate what is HERE, who will take time to understand their new home, its history and its customs, and we most certainly DO want citizens who will INTEGRATE and think of helping this nation to flourish as well as calculating how they can best milk it for themselves. We don't want day-trippers scouting around for the best bargain, without interest or empathy for what we are trying to evolve here.

Whats wrong with Blighty then? Too many foreigners?

WHERE ARE YOU FEISTY? . . . . silly me, she's getting on with living, putting anything too taxing behind her into history.

Seems Paphitis and I share a few ideas about INTEGRATING into the country one adopts.

Its not a one way street. Disagree all you like with policies, but do so from an INFORMED UNDERSTANDING.

It seems some "ex-pats" moved to 'GET AWAY FROM' rather to embrace a positive.