Any advice on going to Europe? Can you be houseless traveler as in USA?

[DregeDE]

theoretically - define LEGAL . . .

 

[Critical Rupture]

I agree with most of what you say, apart from that. London has a shite loads of squats... like seriously stupid amount of them!!!!

It's not the quantity of squats I'm referring to, don't get me wrong, I know there are loads. I lived there before. And London is a fucking big city eh. What I mean, though not completely illegal now like the Netherlands, squats in London don't last long. 3 months is the current estimate of a squat lasting these days, much shorter the when I lived there. Not to mention they have changed the laws about what type of premises you can legally squat. I believe residential buildings are now illegal?

But somewhere like Barcelona, though a much smaller city than London, is much more lawless and unorganised as London. It's alot poorer. Just look into European colonial history and you'll see England come out alot better than Spain (though clearly fared better than the countries they colonised).

 

[Critical Rupture]

In reference to the Moroccan border, it may well be correct that it is not the best border to cross. All I know, is an American I knew did it for quite a few years, crossing backwards and forwards to renew his Schengen visa. He also has those very fashionable, American traveller style face tattoos. And doesn't have a clean record. He is far from the richest guy I know. But he is white, and has an American passport.

With marriage, I think it's more like a standard of 4 years for citizenship, maybe two years for your PR (permanent residence), and I think it's usually sometime after your citizenship you are eligible for a passport. And depending on the country, quite a long time before you are eligible for benefits.

Except, a friend of mine married into Germany, and got onto welfare straight away. That's insane!

 

[Cardboard]

Except, a friend of mine married into Germany, and got onto welfare straight away. That's insane!

You get residency immediately, and thats all you need. not PR, but residency is enough. Germany is hard though, you partner has to be emplyed, over 24, having a shared bank account.... My partner is german, We looked into it.

 

[Kabukimono]

squats in London don't last long. 3 months is the current estimate of a squat lasting these days, much shorter the when I lived there. Not to mention they have changed the laws about what type of premises you can legally squat. I believe residential buildings are now illegal?

But somewhere like Barcelona, though a much smaller city than London, is much more lawless and unorganised as London.

Oh yeah, definitely. Squats are being pursued by the coppers big time now. They took the law away that if the place was unsecured and a lock was placed on the front door - it was legally acceptable to squat. At least that was the last change I heard in England.

Spain's changing too unfortunately - there starting to close a huge amount of squats - that are actually beneficial to the neighborhood and where the neighbors actually agree with them being there and being productive and a good influence. Yet the government doesn't care. I couldn't really say specifically about Barcelona, it's been a while since I last been there and they were still all lawlessly up and running.

But hey - as we say from where I'm from:
Un desalojo otra Okupación!

 

[keg]

i know more than a dozen people who have went there to do just that,some as long ago as 2 years and none have came back.The "punk"scence is very strong and very helpful.just watch out for Heroin,to me it was everyplace and very good.

 

[DregeDE]

Why do people ever try, letalone get into He'ron - why can't ya'll just keep it chill with boozin and chiefin.
I have had good pharmz, ludes, morphine, and oxy's while I'd love to OD on em cause its so damn good feelin I aint tryin to have prolapse veins and shitting myself every fucking day till I croak; fuck that noise.

 

[Critical Rupture]

Oh yeah, definitely. Squats are being pursued by the coppers big time now. They took the law away that if the place was unsecured and a lock was placed on the front door - it was legally acceptable to squat. At least that was the last change I heard in England.

Spain's changing too unfortunately - there starting to close a huge amount of squats - that are actually beneficial to the neighborhood and where the neighbors actually agree with them being there and being productive and a good influence. Yet the government doesn't care. I couldn't really say specifically about Barcelona, it's been a while since I last been there and they were still all lawlessly up and running.

But hey - as we say from where I'm from:
Un desalojo otra Okupación!

Yeah, it's pretty crazy, the squatting bubble is certainly getting burst.

I guess the Netherlands was the first to out and out illegalise squatting (of the famous countries in Europe that had laws legalising squatting), yet, from what a Dutch friend told me a while back, there was a decent amount of resistance to help maintain a culture of squatting.

Talking to a friend recently who was living in England not so long ago, they said they actually don't even know many people who are squatting at the moment. The laws have been tightened big time, that's for sure. I think it's only like warehouses and similar which people can still squat.

I reckon Barcelona is probably much better off, in comparison, to those aforementioned places. But yeah, even back when I lived there, I heard quite alot about the governments strategies (actually quite similar to policies undertaken in Amsterdam), of having a specific goal of reducing the number of squats to a specific amount (at least social centres I presume).

It was only a matter of time until the jig was up, even lucky these strange world war 2 laws lasted as long as they did!

 

[Komjaunimas]

Yeah, it's pretty crazy, the squatting bubble is certainly getting burst.

I guess the Netherlands was the first to out and out illegalise squatting (of the famous countries in Europe that had laws legalising squatting), yet, from what a Dutch friend told me a while back, there was a decent amount of resistance to help maintain a culture of squatting.

Talking to a friend recently who was living in England not so long ago, they said they actually don't even know many people who are squatting at the moment. The laws have been tightened big time, that's for sure. I think it's only like warehouses and similar which people can still squat.

I reckon Barcelona is probably much better off, in comparison, to those aforementioned places. But yeah, even back when I lived there, I heard quite alot about the governments strategies (actually quite similar to policies undertaken in Amsterdam), of having a specific goal of reducing the number of squats to a specific amount (at least social centres I presume).

It was only a matter of time until the jig was up, even lucky these strange world war 2 laws lasted as long as they did!

Netherlands scene is still up and running, even better than before. Cause all the wanna-be squatters who only went there for weed is gone. People just got their shit together and now squatting bigger places with 50 people involved not 5 like couple of years ago...

London haven't changed ... that law they pushed thrue, it's still not in power and no one knows when it will be formatted. Its really hard to define everything clearly but.. you just cant squat residential places, but if a house has a commercial lease.. thats different.

Barcelona has too many people ... its getting milked like a cow.

Go to France, Grenoble, etc...

 

[eske silver]

Shit though, how do you get around $1400 flight ticket?!
I'd give anything to be in England or Scotland right now

 

[DregeDE]

By water is the next best way, more adventurous anyways.

 

[iSTEVEi]

Shit though, how do you get around $1400 flight ticket?!
I'd give anything to be in England or Scotland right now

If you are under 26 its worth checking out - http://www.statravel.com/ .

 

[Cardboard]

Shit though, how do you get around $1400 flight ticket?!
I'd give anything to be in England or Scotland right now

Look harder. One way trans atlantic flights come around 300, and can be even lower. Once you are in Europe there is a ton of commuter flights for very cheap, so you can go where you want when you want (also, hitching around europe is super easy, and I personally wouldnt bother paying for a 15 euro flight from barcelona to paris or something.)

 

[Ilikepie]

Northern Europe is fucking awesome!

Southern Europe, not so much for travelers except for in the country side places. Most of the people in S. Europe are afraid of Gypsies LOL! So hitching is out of the equation. In Northern Europe they encourage living in your van, and homeless traveling, and squatting, and most people will pick up a hitcher.

 

[Ilikepie]

Oh yeah, definitely. Squats are being pursued by the coppers big time now. They took the law away that if the place was unsecured and a lock was placed on the front door - it was legally acceptable to squat. At least that was the last change I heard in England.

Spain's changing too unfortunately - there starting to close a huge amount of squats - that are actually beneficial to the neighborhood and where the neighbors actually agree with them being there and being productive and a good influence. Yet the government doesn't care. I couldn't really say specifically about Barcelona, it's been a while since I last been there and they were still all lawlessly up and running.

But hey - as we say from where I'm from:
Un desalojo otra Okupación!

Spain is starting to lean to the right wing. In Galicia they've had parliament members who denied having the holocaust taught in schools, and other teachings of the holocaust because they said its Israeli propaganda. The right aren't as developed as in lets say, Greece, or Italy, but they're starting push forward due to the economic problems and the people might have another Franco on their hands soon. And then you have the separatists who are just aggravating everything else. (thats what Castilian empiricism gives you!)

Then again, maybe I spent to much time with the sheep in the country-side.

 

[littlejasonsandiego]

Cardboard, you're my heerrrrooo,, man! I would looovvee to hit up Europe sometime, but it's going to take a while, given my current circumstances... I'm a juggler, and would love to find another cirkus-person, either State-side or there, to busk around a bit with. Haha I wonder if they'd let me bring my juggling knives over there?!? Doubtful. :\

im a juggler too. im going to germany in july with my little sister girlfriend and two roomates. i made enough money for my ticket just juggling in los angeles and san bernardino county. did a couple med studies(clinical lab rat) for pocket cash while im there. i juggle baseballs but i prolly wont take em with me when i go. and i doubt you can take knives with you.

 

[Kabukimono]

Spain is starting to lean to the right wing. In Galicia they've had parliament members who denied having the holocaust taught in schools, and other teachings of the holocaust because they said its Israeli propaganda. The right aren't as developed as in lets say, Greece, or Italy, but they're starting push forward due to the economic problems and the people might have another Franco on their hands soon. And then you have the separatists who are just aggravating everything else. (thats what Castilian empiricism gives you!)

Then again, maybe I spent to much time with the sheep in the country-side.

I don't agree. Spain has always leaned to the right wing, apart from a very select few - Euskal Herria, Cataluña, Asturias and Andalucia which are on a different level. Galicia has always been fascist .. Always - hence why Fraga has been in power for sooooo many years - So their political ideology shouldn't surprise anyone.

Now, the separatists aren't aggravating anything for the simple reason there is no separatism, and the little that is still alive is very very very underground. What is happening is that because politically the country is falling to pieces (as it has been for a very long time) - people are starting to realize and become more conscious of what is happening, the subjects are being mixed all into one. Of course this having been caused by a government which has failed to address the issue. Many people who talk about spanish politics fail to remember that a civil war happened here. It wasn't a world war, but a war from within which left the country more divided than what it was already. Seventy years later and the issue still hasn't been addressed.

This country will continue to crumble into europe's toilet because how can a country be expected to maintain within an economic union when the people in the country hate each other to bits over long lost history. Not to mention that Euskadi (among others) has been silenced using police force and brutality - and that silence is being felt and heard all around spain - As who started all the movements that caused change within the country? And I'm not strictly talking about armed movements, there are many other examples which don't generate from the extreme left. And now you have Catalunya being absolute tossers and causing shit for something they know very well it's not going to happen. So they are just causing a ruckus for nothing.

While in the side lines, you have all these 'little' movements which think they are going to chance anything, and if you speak to these people (obviously I am generalizing, but either way they don't have my support) a vast majority are kids (under 24) who have never worked, know nothing about politics, as supporting LAB, ELA, etc ('workers movements who get very well paid - the people who run it, that is) it's exactly the same as supporting the government they say they despise - As .. they are all being paid by the same people.

Anyway, cutting a long story short.

Spain has to sit down and talk/converse/ exchange words with the North - it is very overdue. Because all this europe crap, all it has done is bring over the 'american' way of life and created culture problems - and you can see that all around Europe. That way of life does not work here - we are not one united country who supports one same flag which holds 'similar' interests. Europe is a collection of very different people, different cultures and ways of life. Trying to bring them together (obviously the economical difference between countries should be more than obvious) with out a psychologist/therapist and just expecting the past to go away is plain absurd.

Sorry for the speech, but I've lived many many years in this country and the point of view of 'the separatists' as you say ... I assure you many think and believe in the general context of the lines I have written.
You are more than welcome to come see for yourself, don't worry, we won't bomb you, them days are only left in the memories of a select few who still remember when we had a pair of bollocks to stand up to authority and tell them, "Their way is not the only way and you cannot silence us with force!"


EDIT: Btw, that was the resumed version, well as short as I could make it. But I can write a ten page thesis giving examples and joining the dots for it to make a perfect visual of what I'm saying. I just thought an even longer speech than what I already typed out would probably not be appreciated.

 

[Ilikepie]

I don't agree. Spain has always leaned to the right wing, apart from a very select few - Euskal Herria, Cataluña, Asturias and Andalucia which are on a different level. Galicia has always been fascist .. Always - hence why Fraga has been in power for sooooo many years - So their political ideology shouldn't surprise anyone.

Now, the separatists aren't aggravating anything for the simple reason there is no separatism, and the little that is still alive is very very very underground. What is happening is that because politically the country is falling to pieces (as it has been for a very long time) - people are starting to realize and become more conscious of what is happening, the subjects are being mixed all into one. Of course this having been caused by a government which has failed to address the issue. Many people who talk about spanish politics fail to remember that a civil war happened here. It wasn't a world war, but a war from within which left the country more divided than what it was already. Seventy years later and the issue still hasn't been addressed.

This country will continue to crumble into europe's toilet because how can a country be expected to maintain within an economic union when the people in the country hate each other to bits over long lost history. Not to mention that Euskadi (among others) has been silenced using police force and brutality - and that silence is being felt and heard all around spain - As who started all the movements that caused change within the country? And I'm not strictly talking about armed movements, there are many other examples which don't generate from the extreme left. And now you have Catalunya being absolute tossers and causing shit for something they know very well it's not going to happen. So they are just causing a ruckus for nothing.

While in the side lines, you have all these 'little' movements which think they are going to chance anything, and if you speak to these people (obviously I am generalizing, but either way they don't have my support) a vast majority are kids (under 24) who have never worked, know nothing about politics, as supporting LAB, ELA, etc ('workers movements who get very well paid - the people who run it, that is) it's exactly the same as supporting the government they say they despise - As .. they are all being paid by the same people.

Anyway, cutting a long story short.

Spain has to sit down and talk/converse/ exchange words with the North - it is very overdue. Because all this europe crap, all it has done is bring over the 'american' way of life and created culture problems - and you can see that all around Europe. That way of life does not work here - we are not one united country who supports one same flag which holds 'similar' interests. Europe is a collection of very different people, different cultures and ways of life. Trying to bring them together (obviously the economical difference between countries should be more than obvious) with out a psychologist/therapist and just expecting the past to go away is plain absurd.

Sorry for the speech, but I've lived many many years in this country and the point of view of 'the separatists' as you say ... I assure you many think and believe in the general context of the lines I have written.
You are more than welcome to come see for yourself, don't worry, we won't bomb you, them days are only left in the memories of a select few who still remember when we had a pair of bollocks to stand up to authority and tell them, "Their way is not the only way and you cannot silence us with force!"


EDIT: Btw, that was the resumed version, well as short as I could make it. But I can write a ten page thesis giving examples and joining the dots for it to make a perfect visual of what I'm saying. I just thought an even longer speech than what I already typed out would probably not be appreciated.

Very very underground? I am from Galicia, as is most of my family, I currently live in the U.S., and I respectfully disagree with you. Resistencia Galega has done a total of 28 bombings between 2005-2011. The problem is, the news ignores it, and they sensationalize what happens in Pais Vasco instead, because ETA has a long standing reputation. There have been multiple protests in which regular Galicians (and by which I mean, political moderates) burned Spanish flags, but the media rarely reports this, and if they do its for a couple of seconds. Lots of Galicians have resentment towards Fascism for what Franco did to his own people. He repressed our culture and language in favor of Andalusian shit (pardon me on calling their culture shit, but I don't like it, and most Galicians didn't either). Galician culture is now having a renaissance, the youth LOVE IT, and take pride in it. Ask any damn farmer and you'll know they love it too. And we're still making struggles in bringing back Galician from the huge blow Franco gave to the language. The people are definitely making a return back to Fascism, but if it does reach that point, I doubt the Galician people would ever follow the government if they attempted repress the culture again. They were not expecting what Franco was going to do.

Spain can't continue on like this anymore, we either need a centralized nation, or we need to give independence to autonomous communities. Every region has its own damn system of education, and this allows separatists to take advantage of this, and make the youth hate Spain.

 

[Kabukimono]

Very very underground? I am from Galicia, as is most of my family, I currently live in the U.S., and I respectfully disagree with you. Resistencia Galega has done a total of 28 bombings between 2005-2011. The problem is, the news ignores it, and they sensationalize what happens in Pais Vasco instead, because ETA has a long standing reputation. There have been multiple protests in which regular Galicians (and by which I mean, political moderates) burned Spanish flags, but the media rarely reports this, and if they do its for a couple of seconds. Lots of Galicians have resentment towards Fascism for what Franco did to his own people. He repressed our culture and language in favor of Andalusian shit (pardon me on calling their culture shit, but I don't like it, and most Galicians didn't either). Galician culture is now having a renaissance, the youth LOVE IT, and take pride in it. Ask any damn farmer and you'll know they love it too. And we're still making struggles in bringing back Galician from the huge blow Franco gave to the language. The people are definitely making a return back to Fascism, but if it does reach that point, I doubt the Galician people would ever follow the government if they attempted repress the culture again. They were not expecting what Franco was going to do.

Spain can't continue on like this anymore, we either need a centralized nation, or we need to give independence to autonomous communities. Every region has its own damn system of education, and this allows separatists to take advantage of this, and make the youth hate Spain.

Nada, habia escrito una parafada de la ostia .. pero esta conversacion no pinta nada en internet. Que tu lo ves desde estados unidos .. parece que hace tiempo que no vives aki - o eres demasiado joven.
Pero la cosa esta muy txunga y no va a buen puerto.
Y aparte .. yo de politica no hablo en internet. Eso es un tema para la vida real.

Asi que nada, un saludo galleguiño y ya me tomaré un orujillo a tu salud!

Agur!

 

[Kate Westcoast]

id say its the easiest especially western urup