Optimism in Andalucía
According to www.astrologyweekly.com, Spain falls under the zodiacal sign of Sagittarius, and as any good Sagittarian knows, this makes it an optimistic, outgoing sort of country.
A recent report (produced in Andalucía, but I can’t find any astrological references for the region - to save you looking it up, Madrid is Leo, and Seville Pisces) recently came up with some suitably optimistic data for the next couple of years. From now and until 2020, Andalucía’s health will improve, and so will the care it takes of dependants. The 42 experts (on society, not on horoscopes) who were asked all agreed that there would be “general improvement” and that they were optimistic about the panorama in both the private and the public spheres. According to Eduardo Bericat, Professor of Sociology at Seville University, this is the first such study to come up with positive results, instead of the “classic fatalism, and historic resignation to being backward”. Among other things, almost half the experts predicted improvements in education and health, while 57 per cent expected less domestic violence, and 76 per cent forecast greater attention paid to family problems.
Less optimistically, 61 per cent predicted that public concerns about safety will continue on the same level or may increase, and 70 per cent said intolerance towards immigrants would grow, and that the region will suffer from the withdrawal of European funding.
Overall, the people asked for predictions were more positive than negative, and they even said that there will be difficulties, but not insuperable obstacles, on the road to the economic progress “which contributes to a better society”.
| Optimism in Andalucía | |
|---|---|
| Una encuesta realizada entre expertos | A survey carried out among experts |
| Un futuro mejor | A better future |
| En algunos aspectos Andalucía empeorará | In some ways Andalucía will get worse |
| El ámbito público y privado | The public and private spheres |
| Prevén mejoras generalizadas | They forecast general improvements |
| Los sistemas educativo y sanitario | The education and health systems |
| La intolerancia hacia la inmigración | Intolerance towards immigration |
| Calidad de vida | Quality of life |
| Acceso a una vivienda digna | Access to decent housing |
| El cambio climático | Climate change |
| Hay dificultades pero no obstáculos insuperables | There are difficulties, but not insurmountable obstacles |
| El desarrollo económico | Economic development |
| Las cosas van a mejor | Things are getting better |
| Los sagitarios son optimistas | Sagittarians are optimists |
| ¡Viva el optimismo! | Long life to optimism! |
Liz Parry's Spanish Phrase Book is available from http://santanabooks.com/node/52
