Cyprus-Forum.com

[Svetlana]

Hi Michalis

I did not say 'all Cypriots are hostile', I am a foreigner and in the many years here I have never felt any bad feelings from Cypriots - except from my business rivals !

But many British Cypriots I have spoken to feel they are treated with hostility - and it is not just the 'nickname'. There was a TV series taken off the air late last year as it was considered 'anti-Charlie' (sorry, I cannot remember the name of the programme).

I employ British Cypriots and Cypriots from other countries - and this is what they tell me.

Lana

[Anteras]

maybe all our arrogance comes from a deep inferiority syndrome, so charlies and billies threaten us. they are different, they have seen things we didnt see, some of them are wealthy, better dressed... i used to think like that, very immature... i dont know if the fact that some cypriots dont like england has something to do with that as well..

[michalis5354]

I have also lived abroad and I know what real hostility means!

[Hazza]

I was walking down a main road, talking on my mobile in Greek and English. I overheard a guy talking to his young son, telling him that "this man is from England and has alot of money like the rest of them".

I too am called a Charlie on a regular basis, so I went out of my way to find out why. The responce I got was that it goes back to 1955 (or whenever it was) when Cyprus fought the British for independence, alot of Cypriots left Cyprus like the traitors they are and went to England, now they want to call themselves Cypriot, where they are not.

I take huge offence to being called a Charlie, I don't see it as a "fun" name, but instead as a huge insult.

[andri_cy]

I was walking down a main road, talking on my mobile in Greek and English. I overheard a guy talking to his young son, telling him that "this man is from England and has alot of money like the rest of them".

I too am called a Charlie on a regular basis, so I went out of my way to find out why. The responce I got was that it goes back to 1955 (or whenever it was) when Cyprus fought the British for independence, alot of Cypriots left Cyprus like the traitors they are and went to England, now they want to call themselves Cypriot, where they are not.

I take huge offence to being called a Charlie, I don't see it as a "fun" name, but instead as a huge insult.

When I was younger in Cyprus I remember my brother had a friend that used to come every summer from England. Most people wouldnt hang out with him because his Greek was not very good and everyone called him Charlie. This bothered my brother so he started hanging out with him. Then people were mean to my brother too. I do think a lot of it had to do with people who fled to England like cowards because they didnt want to fight-according to what my father used to say. But enough should be enough. Now my mother wants me to send her my daughter every summer and I have to admit I am kind of sceptical. My daughter understands Greek but doesnt speak. I am afraid what the yearly visits would do to her. It sure wasnt fun 10 years ago I am afraid even though she is only 4 it might affect her too.

[michalis5354]

A friend of mine studying for his Phd in London- an asian guy -very friendly and harmless ended up in a hospital when he managed to visit a Park near his home. The only mistake he did was to bring his bag with him as some idiots thought that he was carrying valuable stuff with him. If he was alone in the Park his life would be in serious risk. Someone else saved his life. He invited me many times in his house and I m so pleased about him and I go very often and visit him.

Many times he told me how hard it was for him to get a Job in London even though he possessed same qualifications with anyone else and he complained to me racial discrimination on the job market.

I have also personal experiences abroad. I was 19 at that time I still remember very clearly the voice of that lady when she asked me to move from the house I have been renting when I COMPLAINED THAT THE CENTRAL HEATING WAS NOT WORKING ALTHOUGH I PAID FOR IT . AND OUTSIDE WAS FREEZING. Thanks god I found the Argos store nearby and I bought a fan heater bymyself to pass the night! That Lady had a senior position at University accomodation Hall.

In many other instances I felt this discrimination on the Job market myself!

[rotate]

Pretty sad when the Cypriot Cypriots make a foreign foreigner feel more at home than a returning/repatriated Cypriot.

My Cypriot wife left Cyprus for the UK in the 1960's after being told along with all the other student nurses at Nicosia General Hospital by the then Health Minister that there would be no work for them when their training was completed (few private clinics at that time). As the RoC Nursing qualifying examinations were then set and supervised by the British she had little trouble in transferring her studentship to a UK school of nursing.

We've lived on and off in Cyprus, UK and elsewhere since being married and only once has anyone (Cypriot) dared to call her a 'Charlie', I'm fairly certain that after my wife's reaction to this insulting term that the rather unpleasent young lady who said it will be a little more careful of who she says that to again!

For the record when living in the UK she was never called a 'Cyp' 'Bubble' or 'Squeak', people either liked her or disliked her for who she was rather than for what she was. While living in the US I was asked by a 'Polack' why I did not speak English properly and if my wife was a 'Spick'.

Best to adopt the attitude that "if YOU dont like ME dont waste MY time talking to ME", spoken loudly in Greek/English or any other applicable language in a shop or restaurant it causes severe embarrassment to your protagonists!

Confound the ****holes, favouring Marmite over Marmalade I reject the the friendly local greeting of here comes another 'Marmalades' with a wad of cash to spend!

[michalis5354]

Now my mother wants me to send her my daughter every summer and I have to admit I am kind of sceptical. My daughter understands Greek but doesnt speak. I am afraid what the yearly visits would do to her. It sure wasnt fun 10 years ago I am afraid even though she is only 4 it might affect her too.

Please relax!!!!I have never seen you so sensitive when thousands Iraqi civilians have been murdered by the US forces in Iraq.

[andri_cy]

Please relax!!!!I have never seen you so sensitive when thousands Iraqi civilians have been murdered by the US forces in Iraq.

Of course you havent because you dont know me. So you cant tell if I am upset about it or not. These kind of comments you make to people you know. The truth is all you know about me is all you read here and all we post here is about Cyprus so my views on Iraq and the people dying there are not known to you. So sock it.

[michalis5354]

And you also dont know me personally so when you refer to cypriots just use the words some individuals I have met not all of the cypriots as the original message of yours implies!

Thanks