Em, yeah, do you think the internet is a good or a bad invention?

Good

Good. Do you both use it a lot?

No. I think it's rubbish

(NAME) (interruption) uh

Wh- (interruption) Why's that?

I just don't like it. I don't understand (unclear) I don't understand these social network sites. (interruption) Why would you want to put all of your details for all world to see

(interruption) Do do you not think it's a good way to keep in touch with people or

No. Mobile phone

Yeah

Text

Do you think if you had Facebook or something, you'd keep in touch more with the people that you met in Australia?

(cough) Probably yeah but

Yeah

(interruption) I probably would

(interruption) Do you think (pause) so you think like the internet's got more bad points than good?

Yeah definitely

Yeah

I think it has

And what do you think?

Well I use it for work (pause) and socialising

Yeah

Em and I couldn't do my work without the internet

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) So and we couldn't start our own businesses without the internet either (interruption) so, for working purposes and you know, kind of marketing and getting your business, that's the way forward at the moment (pause) but I agree with (NAME), I mean (pause) on social networking sites and stuff like that, maybes (pause) like under eighteens or under sixteens then it's not (pause) a good thing.

(interruption) Yeah (unclear)

Yeah em do you have Facebook?

Yeah

(laughter) Do you use it a lot? (laughter)

(laughter) Yeah (laughter)

Yeah. Do you think it's a good way to keep in touch with your friends?

Yeah definitely

Yeah

Em, especially like pictures and stuff with us living away, like all my friends and (NAME)'s friends today are at a christening

Yeah

So I'll get to see the pictures even though it'll probably make us (interruption) jealous

(interruption) Yeah (laughter)

Yes, we were invited by the way

Yeah you just didn't go (laughter)

We haven't (unclear) (laughter)

Em yeah so is that, what would you say your main method of communication is?

Phone for me

Phone

Yeah phone

So would you say that's a bad thing about technology? Like, it, you're less inclined to see people face to face?

Yeah, (interruption) it is

(interruption) Yeah it is

Yeah

Yeah

All right em, so I'm just going to ask you questions about your education. Did you go to a private or a public school?

Em mine was (pause) public all girls catholic school

Yeah and what about you?

Eh public. I was going to say private like (unclear) (laughter)

(laughter)

Public

Eh did (interruption) you enjoy school?

(interruption) (cough)

Yes I did

No I hated it.

Why?

Well I didn't hate it but the first two years I hated it

Yeah is that primary school or secondary school?

Secondary

And wh- what, why -- why (interruption) was that?

(interruption) 'Cause basically I didn't learn anything. I learnt how to survive

Yeah

'Cause That's how bad a school it was. It was really bad. (cough) So basically I was running the gauntlet every day

Yeah

It was bad like but then you start growing up a bit you know. It was al- the -- the last three years were all right but the first two years

So would you have enjoyed it more if the, like standard of teaching would have been better, do you think?

Yeah

Or do you think it was (interruption) your area or

(interruption) Yeah basically yeah the, the pupils ran the school

Yeah

It was worse than grange hill

Yeah

I honestly, I think they got the stories off Grange Hill off our school

Yeah

'Cause it was that bad. It was horrendous (pause) but, it's all right. It's actually quite a good school now

Yeah

(laughter) Probably 'cause I've left

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) Eh yeah it is. It's good now. It like does Arts and all that now you know

Yeah

And it's pretty, it's like a waiting list to get in to it. Believe it or not

(NAME)'s school's quite good though for drama

(interruption) Yeah and parties

(interruption) because there was quite a few, erm, back in the day when (NAME) was at school or just after, was quite a few of the students there went on to do like Byker Grove and stuff

Yeah

Didn't they? So

And what about your school, did you enjoy yours?

I did but I was quite athletic so I didn't like, ran for Sunderland

Yeah

Em, ran for the school, played hockey

Yeah

Em netball and stuff like that, so that's kind of points that I enjoyed

Do you do any of that kind of stuff now?

No

No

I try to, em go to the gym and (interruption) stuff like that but

(interruption) Yeah Is it just time and things?

Yeah just working

Yeah

Too busy when you've got to do your job and run your own business at the same time

Yeah

It's like you're working a double shift

So, would you have rather gone to a mixed school than an all girl's school?

Don't know em, probably not no. (interruption) 'Cause I'd probably have been a tearaway (laughter)

(interruption) Yeah (laughter)

Bit of a (laughter) naughty girl (laughter)

(laughter) Yeah (laughter) Em, so did you have a lot of friends at school? (cough)

Yes

(pause) Yeah like a big circle of friends? (cough)

Yeah I did but they were only friends at school 'cause, like I went to a Catholic all girls school em which was like a grammar school but all my friend who I grew up with went to (NAME)'s school

Yeah

So kind of had two separate groups, had my friends at school and who I used to do sports and stuff like that with but then, my friends now, are the friends I grew up with who went to (NAME)'s school

Yeah and what about you, did you have a big group of friends?

Yeah

Yeah

Still have. When I go back to Sunderland I still see them all so

Yeah. Em, would you say that your school had certain types of gangs and things and you know little cliques? Like usually you get the geeks and the not geeks (interruption) and things

(interruption) Oh yeah definite (unclear)

Yeah (interruption) mine did too

(interruption) Yeah and what groups would you say you two were in?

I, definitely in the -- the nutcases group

Yeah (laughter)

(laughter) No there was, it was, well, it was a weird school (interruption) wasn't it but

(interruption) Yeah

It was good. I was in the trendy crowd

Were you? (pause) and what about you?

(laughter) Em (laughter) I was in the trendy

No you weren't!

Yes I was!

You were the geeks!

(laughter) No I (interruption) wasn't. (laughter)

(interruption) Yeah you were

I was quite brainy at school so I was in the top classes with the geeks (interruption) but aft-

(interruption) Yeah

Like, I used to knock about with the trendy ones

Yeah

No (interruption) you used to knock about with us

(interruption) (NAME)!

Em, so what, what were your teachers like at school? Do you remember having a favourite or, one that you hated, or (interruption) anything?

(interruption) Yeah I had some. I had Mad (NAME) the em Geography teacher. I failed Geography

Yeah

'Cause all he used to like talking about was Boxing so I can tell you loads about Boxing But I can't tell you nowt about Geography

(laughter)

Honestly I failed 'cause of him but it was funny

Yeah

'Cause it's all he talked about, he (unclear) didn't teach us nowt

So did you have a favourite teacher or not?

Yeah eh I liked (NAME) he was good (pause) but em yeah there was a few. They were all right some of them

What was your favourite subject?

Mm probably Sport. Football

And what was your worst?

Em (pause) probably Cookery

Yeah

All that sort of rubbish (laughter) (interruption) which

(interruption) Em

I was quite good at actually but

Yeah

Em (pause) no Maths. I didn't like that

Yeah

Boring

And can you remember any teachers from your school?

Em, Miss (NAME), she was a PE teacher. Em she used to take the hockey and netball and stuff as well so, em (pause) and then I had Miss (NAME) who was, I was really good at Maths and loved Maths but she was wicked

Yeah (pause) Em, so what was your favourite subject?

Maths and PE

Yeah and what was your worst?

(laughter) Religious Education (laughter)

(laughter)

You're laughing, I had to (laughter) do it as a GCSE! (laughter)

Yeah did you?

(laughter) Yeah (laughter)

(interruption) Em

(interruption) (laughter) It was compulsory (laughter)

Er, what kind of student would you say you were? Do you think you were well behaved or not?

Em I was well behaved but got caught for smoking

Um and what happened (pause) with that?

Em it happened on a day when my dad was going to see the teacher to see how I was getting on and eh, oh I know (NAME), it's dreadful and (interruption) he said

(interruption) You told me you started smoking after school

Oh Yeah, I think it was the last year though, like before my exams and em my dad says he couldn't make it 'cause he was busy at the dentist and I went and told her. I says 'Oh my Dad can't make it', and then he must have rang up and said he can and as I come back in off my lunch time I'd just had a cigarette and she told us and then she was like 'I can smell smoke on your breath!'

(laughter) Oh no! (laughter)

So my dad was (interruption) already on his way

(interruption) (cough)

To the (pause) thing, and I got, yeah

So what happened with that? What did your dad say?

He went off it

Did (interruption) he?

(interruption) I got grounded for that

Yeah

Yeah

And did you ever get in any serious trouble?

No, I was good

Are you sure?

Yeah

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) You never got in any serious trouble!

No I never got caught

Oh (laughter)

For anything

Em, so you said that you both went to college, what did (interruption) you do at college?

(interruption) Yeah

I did Business Studies

I did eh Engineering

And did you enjoy that?

Yeah it was all right

Yeah

Mm

Boring

So do you still use those qualifications that you got in your work today or not?

Not really

(interruption) No

(interruption) More an experience, I suppose it did start us off in my career but not

(unclear)

Not now

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) (unclear)

Are you glad you went, or not?

Yeah I suppose it was a couple of years out wasn't it (laughter)

Mm eh it was all right (laughter)

And what do you think about university? Would, if you could go back, would you go to university now? Or do you think it's a bit

I would

Yeah and what would you do?

As little as possible, Media (interruption) Studies

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter) I don't know, the easiest thing I would

Yeah

But for the social life and that's (interruption) really good

(interruption) Yeah

Isn't it?

So you'd just, you (interruption) 'd

(interruption) I would go to University actually but

You'd want to go for the social life Yeah?

Yeah. Just not to learn owt but (pause) I know you've got to learn sort of stuff but (cough)

And wh- where would you like to go to university? Do (interruption) you think it'd be back at home

(interruption) mm

Or?

No

Would you go somewhere

I don't know which one but I wouldn't go Sunderland

No

(interruption) I'd go somewhere

(interruption) Would you go quite far away from home do you think?

Prob, Yeah, a few hundred mile

Yeah

I don't know which one though. Which, who's got the best nightlife

Yeah (laughter)

Which is, I don't know. You tell me? (interruption) I don't know

(interruption) (laughter) Newcastle, I'd say, obviously

Ah I wouldn't go that one

(laughter)

(laughter)

And what about you? Would you go to Uni?

No probably not

No

I don't think it would have made a difference

Not even for the life style, do you think?

Yeah possible

Mm

That's the only thing you've got to pay now haven't you

Yeah

If I was going go to a University I'd go to Oxford

Would you?

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Pft

And what would you do?

Get off! They wouldn't have you

(laughter)

Philosophy or something like that

(laughter)

Why not? I'm a good student I got good qualifications

(laughter)

Oxford! Well I'd go to Cambridge then

(laughter)

(laughter)

(cough) Em so do you have any funny or embarrassing or just any interesting stories about your time at school, like you were saying about the smoking one, have you got any others? (pause) Like anything to do with any teachers or any like practical jokes or things?

God I can't remember

I'll have to think about it

Mm

I did but I was only young but em, God don't. Got up to loads of stuff so (pause) it's, most of it's illegal

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

(unclear) Don't. We did like loads of funny stuff

Yeah

Like all the time, just had a laugh

Didn't you set the school on fire?

No

Did you? (laughter)

No

(laughter)

Yes he did

No I didn't (interruption) set the school on fire!

(interruption) (laughter) What was that? (laughter)

Somebody you know set the (interruption) school on fire

(interruption) Aye somebody I know set it on fire

What the entire school?

No. Anyway I don't want to talk about that

(laughter)

I know (interruption) one

(interruption) Oh yeah that might be a (unclear)

(interruption) I know one of my friends like in school time set eh, 'cause we, where the school is, it's near loads of fields

Yeah

And set the field on fire and the whole thing went

So what happened with him? Did he get in trouble?

No. Nobody knows, who it is

(interruption) Yeah so

(interruption) So I shouldn't really be saying anything

Yeah

'Cause the Farmer won't have known who it is but I know who it is

Mm

But no stuff like that we just, I don't know

So what do you think about the type of punishment they had when you were at school?

Well they didn't have Corporal Punishment

Yeah

When I was there

Do you think it's a lot more serious than it is

No I said they didn't have it

(laughter) I know that's what I'm laughing at! Do you think you're that old? (laughter)

Well Yeah, thirty-seven

Mm

So do you think it, em, schools today are too (interruption) relaxed?

(interruption) Yeah, far too soft

Yeah

Yeah

(cough)

I was scared, 'cause in my school was ran by nuns, so em (pause) (interruption) you were

(interruption) Were they really strict?

Yeah really strict

Yeah

Even things like your shoes couldn't be patent leather, because it reflects like your knickers. Em hair bobbles had to be navy, white (pause) or green

Yeah

Like and it had to be an (interruption) emerald green

(interruption) At my school you had to have, compulsory to have a tattoo or they wouldn't let you in

(laughter)

(laughter)

Have (interruption) you

(interruption) Yeah

Got any tattoos just out of interest, either of you?

No

No

No

(unclear)

I don't like them

Do you not? Why (interruption) not?

(interruption) Have you got any?

Yeah

Oh have you, I'll not say anything (laughter) then (laughter)

(laughter) No you can, why don't you like them?

I like them but I'm just too scared of them

Really?

Pain yeah

Yeah (pause) and (interruption) do you

(interruption) I've been, I've been to get them a few times and bottled it

Really?

Yeah

If you were to get one what would you get?

I don't know that's a good question that. I'd get them, I don't know I'd get them everywhere

He wants (interruption) a dragon

(interruption) some (unclear)

Don't you?

No, I don't know

Would you not get anything to do with Sunderland?

No

No

No

(laughter)

I'm not that sad. (interruption) Well I was going to get a

(interruption) My brother was in the

Black cat like, a black cat but (pause) em (pause) no

No

I might one day, depends how, 'cause I've, in fact two of my friends who I used to go to school with they're both tattoo artists

Are they?

Yeah

Are they?

Yeah (NAME) (NAME)'s twins

Oh

But you know (unclear)

Uh-huh

I've got that

Oh that one there

So I could go and get them and he'd just, 'cause if you seen them two they're covered in them

Yeah

Obviously, so If he seen me, blank canvas isn't he

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) he just, I wouldn't get out for five years. He'd just cover us in them

Eh what were you saying about your brother, sorry?

Oh he, he was in the army and he had em, Sunderland AFC on his arm and 'TANS' for Tansey written on the back of his neck by someone in the army and it just looks hideous, it's not even straight

Yeah just like he's scribbled on him yeah Em so wh- what has been your favourite birthday so far do you think?

mine? (pause) hmm (pause) I don't know 'cause the best ones your eighteenth, I can't remember it. Nineteenth, I can't remember it. Twenty first, I can't remember it

Is that because you were drunk or (interruption) just

(interruption) Oh (interruption) yeah

(interruption) Yeah

Properly comatose so I can't really remember them. That's the honest truth

So what did you do, have parties and things?

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) What about your thirtieth?

I got stripped naked and walked through Sunderland town centre

(laughter)

I can't remember which one that was, might've been my eighteenth and my properly like friends, friends, I say (interruption) that term loosely

(interruption) Yeah

They took all like, stripped us naked and I was walking through Sunderland town centre and basically you know on like signs?

Yeah

They were finding like shoes

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) Jeans, like tops. I found my jeans and obviously my underpants last. Well, my boxer shorts

Yeah

But em yeah. They just left a trail (interruption) all the way down the town centre

(interruption) (laughter)

Did you not enjoy your thirtieth?

Oh yeah 'cause I went to Barcelona didn't I?

Oh yeah what was that, (interruption) wh- where did you go?

(interruption) Yeah it was good

I took (interruption) him for a surprise

(interruption) Barcelona

To Barcelona to watch Barcelona play Deportivo at the Nou -- Camp

(interruption) So how -- how long did you go?

(interruption) Yeah it was good

Four days was it? (interruption) Three or four days

(interruption) (cough) Yeah three or four days

Mm

Was good (pause) I remember that one (laughter)

Good

And what's been your favourite birthday?

Eh (pause) I don't know, I can't remember

What do you do to celebrate your birthdays, usually?

Eh well mine, my dad's is the seventh of April, mine's the eighth

Yeah

And his girlfriend's is the ninth

Yeah

So we tend, em in April, we tend to go away don't we? We're normally in Spain for mine 'cause we all go over and have a big celebration, especially when it was my thirtieth

Yeah

Eh no sorry twenty-eight 'cause my dad was like fifty. Was it my dad's fiftieth when I was twenty-eight? And

I don't know (unclear)

Yeah so we all went over for there and my sister goes over and everything and we had like a big celebration, so

Yeah, whereabouts in Spain is it?

Em it's near Mazarron, Puerto Mazzaron which is about two

(interruption) Costa Calida,

(interruption) Tw- yeah (interruption) two

No Costa Blanca weren't it?

No Costa Calida, it's

Near Mercia

Yeah

Yeah

Just south of Mercia

(interruption) Oh You've heard of La Manga?

(interruption) You've got like Benidorm

Yeah

And stuff and La Manga

Yeah

(interruption) Eh the island that comes off

(interruption) Yes it's near La Manga

So is that a tourist area or more locals?

Em, well, you, (interruption) it's

(interruption) It's in the middle of nowhere but it's more, it's a lot of English are there

Yeah

But it's, it's not touristy it's people who actually, they're living over there (unclear)

Yeah people that have gone over to live there

Yeah it's like a big complex is it, it's about two or three miles long like with all the houses and stuff on so

So where else have you been apart from Sp- er, Spain? I know you've been to Australia

Mm

Or do you just usually go to Spain?

Em

I've been to Portugal, Spain

Mm

American

(interruption) Greece

(interruption) Whereabouts in America was it?

Em, Miami and New York (pause) Yeah where else? Indonesia, Malasia, Barley. I've been that club that got blew up. I've been in that

Really?

Yeah

So is that travelling or holidays?

(cough) Yeah travelling

Travelling

God I've been all over. Cyprus

Yeah

Greece (pause) I'm trying to think where else (pause) Burnley

Yeah

Sunderland

(laughter) And what about you?

Eh we've been to Paris

Oh Yeah, Paris

Em just all over really, the (interruption) same as (NAME)

(interruption) Yeah

Em went to Italy for the nineteen ninety World Cup (interruption) when I was little

(interruption) Was that good? What was that like?

Well I was only about twelve or thirteen at (interruption) the time

(interruption) Yeah

But I spent most of the time on the beach with my mam and my brother and my dad went

Yeah

Off to the matches. Was good. Good atmosphere

Yeah

Especially when Italy won the games, em

So are you interested in football

Yes

Yeah. Do you actually like to watch the match or do you like the atmosphere?

Both

Yeah

I like to watch a match an- and the atmosphere really

Yeah. So do you support Sunderland as well?

I do

Yep Right em, how do you celebrate Ch- Christmas?

s oh it's an awkward one this

Is it? (laughter)

Well, we've got no kids (interruption) so

(interruption) Yeah

Obviously we don't have to spend it here with our and like children and stuff, but we tend to go home and then we've got (NAME)'s mam's or my mam's and my dad's and stuff, so we just have to fit it all in

Yeah

Em I think one year though we're just going to do what we want and kind of go off aren't we? And celebrate it together

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) 'Cause it's a bit awkward 'cause like I have to go to my mam's for my dinner and he goes to his mam's or

So do you not all come together as just like one big family, or do you just

No

No. Do you like Christmas, both of you?

(cough) Yeah (interruption) it's all right

(interruption) Yeah

Yeah. Yeah. Em (pause) so how did you spend last New Year's Eve?

That's a good question

(laughter)

Were we not at their party last year?

No

Hawaiian party? Yeah we were

Weren't. That wasn't last year was it?

It was

I wasn't there (pause) I don't know

I'm sure it was. It was it last year

(interruption) It wasn't

(interruption) Em, it was (pause) (NAME) and (NAME) across the road had an Hawaiian party (interruption) for New Year

(interruption) Yeah

And we went there

Was that last year?

Yeah

Was it?

Mm-mm

Was that good?

Yeah it was really good!

Must have been, I (interruption) can't remember (laughter)

(interruption) Did you, did you dress up?

Yes

Eh, what did you wear?

Eh a sarong

(laughter)

(laughter) What's so wrong about that? (laughter)

Eh, well if it was, I had a Hawaiian shirt on

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Hawaiian shorts, sandals with white socks on

(laughter)

(laughter)

White socks pulled up, quality. Was that last year?

Yeah

Was it?

Mm-mm

Hm can't remember

So do you both usually enjoy New Year's Eve or do you think it's a bit overrated?

No it's overrated isn't it

Yeah

But

It's awkward for (NAME) (interruption) 'cause

(interruption) Yeah

His father died on New Year's

Oh

Day, morning

Yeah

So (pause) it was, before that it was great but

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Since then, it's been hard for (NAME) (pause) (interruption) Hasn't it?

Yeah

It's not kind of a celebration for you

No. It's a good excuse to get drunk

Yeah (interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

Em, (interruption) can you remember the millennium?

(interruption) (cough)

Yes

(interruption) Wh

(interruption) Mm God, where were we on that?

We were just local with everybody else round four, in Sunderland

Oh yeah

So what did you do for that?

I can't remember that

Just partied didn't we? There was loads of house parties, like all friends live together in like a few estates

Yeah

Em and there was just like house parties and we just went like door to door I think. It was when we went (interruption) (NAME) (NAME) and stuff like that

(interruption) Bloody hell you've got a good memory (cough)

So what was your neighbourhood like as children, were you really close to your neighbours and did you (interruption) live on an estate

(interruption) Yeah

Did you have a lot of friends and things?

Yeah

Yeah

Yeah. (interruption) Very cliquey

(interruption) Still have. There's (interruption) a lot

(interruption) His mam

Where my mam still lives, been there thirty years, same house. So

Has she?

Be longer than that, weren't you born there?

Oh aye

(interruption) He's thirty-seven now. She must have been there about forty year

(interruption) (unclear)

Yeah

Yeah. Oh aye

So is there a lot of people that still live there

Yeah

(interruption) From

(interruption) There is actually

From (interruption) what you remember?

(interruption) A lot of them, a lot of them are dead like but

Yeah

It's, yeah there's still quite a few people there

Like all his friends who are married now and stuff moved down there, it's like Seaburn (pause) Private estate. Nice

So did you enjoy where you lived, when you were growing up?

Yeah

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) He loved it

What did you like about it?

It's just right near the sea so

Yeah

Right near the beach

Yeah

(interruption) Had everything

(interruption) Yeah

Your friends, the beach

So how did you spend time when you were younger? Going to the beach and what else?

Well I used to, I was in a lot of clubs

Yeah

So I used to do a lot of running for Sunderland Harriers (pause) em and Hockey and (interruption) Netball and stuff

(interruption) Yeah

Did that. Other than that we used to meet in the cemetery and drink near the churches

(laughter) did you? (laughter)

(laughter) On a Friday and Saturday night (laughter)

(laughter)

And then progressed to Monday, Tuesday, (interruption) Wednesday, Thursday

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) Friday

(interruption) So how old were you when you used to do that?

Thirteen

Thirteen?

Fourteen, fifteen

Yeah

Bottle of 20/20 and White Lightning

Mm

(laughter)

So when people say (interruption) that

(interruption) (cough)

Children these days like drink quite a lot and you say that you drank when you were like thirteen and fourteen, do you think that not actually that -- that much has changed?

No

Probably not, no. (interruption) Just

(interruption) I think they're younger now

Do you think it's just more publicised now?

Yeah exactly. People never ew knew about it then 'cause we used to kind of, as I say, the, like Seaburn Dene where we grew up, was a massive church em a massive cemetery and there's like two churches meet in the middle so like you're totally out the way aren't you. Where I think these days it's more like street corners

Yeah

Em and streets and parks where people actually see it. Think then it still went on but it was kind of behind closed doors (interruption) if you like

(interruption) Yeah. Would you say as well that maybe you had more of an excuse to do it because there wasn't actually that much to do? Whereas teenagers today have got you know like going out and like bowling and just loads of

Yeah

Different social activities?

There's nowt, nothing to do. So that's why I drank

There wasn't was there? When we were younger, apart from hang about

Mm

I mean we had the fair and the amusements (pause) but apart from that but then you used to drink round the back of them so (laughter)

(laughter) (cough)

I'll drink on the waltzer

Yeah. Em right I'm just going to ask you some questions about like your goals and your achievements. Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

Dead

(laughter)

That's the whole point

Tut (NAME)

Definitely

No be (interruption) reasonable

(interruption) (laughter)

I'm telling you I will be

(cough)

I don't know

So do you think you'll still be living in Burnley?

No

No

No

I think we'll be living abroad

Do you?

Yeah

Where a bouts? Spain or Australia?

I'd love to go Australia but I'm getting too old now to get in, so

Yeah

Think more like Spain

Yeah probably Spain

Yeah

And a child, I want a child!

Yeah. Em so have you made (laughter) plans (laughter) on having a family?

No. You have

(laughter)

Haven't you?

Well yeah but he says I've got to pack in smoking (interruption) before I can

(interruption) Yeah

So I've got to do that first

Yeah

Em so what's your biggest achievement to date, would you say?

To date, bloody hell (pause) (interruption) I don't know

(interruption) I think (NAME)'s is probably starting your own business

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) And probably been going for nearly a year (interruption) now coming up

(interruption) Yeah

Em although it hasn't been like amazing and he's had his hiccups and things go wrong, you're doing all right. You're paying your way (pause) and stuff, so

Yeah

Probably that for (NAME)

And what about you?

Mm probably my career

Yeah

Em (interruption) in the middle

(interruption) (unclear)

Of starting up my own business so

And then moving away as well

Yeah that was a (interruption) big upheaval

(interruption) Yeah, (interruption) yeah

(interruption) You know what I mean

We left everybody haven't we so

Yeah

Didn't like move away to be with family or anything like that so

Yeah. Em so do you have any specific goals or anything that you want to achieve?

I well I do. I want to learn Spanish

Yeah

I keep meaning to get round to doing it but

Eh

Oh, I don't know

So do you think you'll ever actually do that?

Well yes, I do yeah

How would you go about doing it? Would you go to classes or you can get like DVDs (interruption) cant you?

(interruption) I'd probably use DVD. I'd do it

Yeah

But em, what do I know yet em: 'Uno grandes cervesa por favor'

And what's that? (laughter)

(interruption) One

(interruption) Large

One large beer please

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) So you see that's -- that's all you need to know though isn't it (interruption) really

(interruption) Yeah. Em and what about you, do you have any?

Em just starting my own business

Yeah

Em and being able to work for myself full-time rather than

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Having a job and doing it at the same time

Mm

And having a family

Yeah. Em, so what are you- your opinions on marriage? Do you think it's relevant or irrelevant in today's society?

I think it's relevant

Yeah and what about you (NAME)? (laughter)

I think it's very irrelevant

And why's that?

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (cough) Because, what's the point

Do you think it's just lost all novelty now (interruption) and everyone just

(interruption) Yeah

Does it for th- the sake of it?

Yeah I do. I just don't know believe in it. Everyone I know who's married, the majority of them are bloody divorced now, so what's the point?

Mm

Like my (interruption) friends

(interruption) It does

A lot of them are divorced now you know, so

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Is there any point? I would say

Yes, I want a ring!

(laughter)

There you gan

(laughter)

There's (unclear) (laughter)

Em, right so how do you feel about your accent? Do you like it? Do you think it's a good accent to have?

Yes because it was voted years ago as one of the friendliest accents and that's why they've moved all the call centres up in to Sunderland

Yeah

And the North East

Yeah

I, I like my accent

Yeah

But I talk like you like sometimes

(laughter) I know, wh-

I can change

What

I can change down into like Burnley can't I?

No

Yeah

(laughter) What are your opinions on the Burnley accent?

(cough) I don't know

I just don't get why yees miss letters out your words

(laughter)

I think you sound, you sound simple. Some people do

Yeah (interruption) I was going to say

(interruption) Like, 'you all right'. Like bloody hell

So do you think like, you make judgements on people

(interruption) You do Yeah, yeah

(interruption) Based on their accent?

Yeah you can do

Yeah

Especially if you're over the telephone and not face to face

Yeah. Do you find that people eh, eh, not so much treat you differently but em I don't know a bit funny towards you when they hear your accent and that you're not around, that you're not from Burnley?

Yes

Yeah

Yeah we do yeah

Very cliquey here

Yeah

Yeah

Very cliquey. Like I've got friends (pause) up in the North East and the, like one of (NAME)'s friends is moved in with em (NAME) she's from Essex

Yeah

And all my friends eh including me, kind of like really good friends with her now and just include her in everything and you know she's more than welcome. She's kind of just fitted nicely into the group

Yeah

I think down here, you're very much an outsider

Yeah

Em and they don't treat you as

Yeah

They're not as friendly. That's what I mean about culture (interruption) it's like a

(interruption) Yeah

Totally different culture down here

Yeah. So do you think em people up in Sunderland are more, would be more accepting of people with different (interruption) accents

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Yeah much

Than (interruption) Burnley is?

(interruption) Much more

Yeah (pause) Em, so do you ever try to consciously change your accent like for example if you were on the phone or anything? Do you have like a telephone voice?

(interruption) Not that I'm aw

(interruption) You do

(laughter)

(laughter)

Not that I'm aware of but

Yeah

I don't

You don't, ever? (pause) No?

No (laughter)

(laughter) Em so what is your favourite accent? (pause) Do you have one?

Not really. Em I like the Australian accent

Yeah

I don't know

Quite friendly isn't it

Yeah and what's your least favourite accent?

Liverpool

Yeah (laughter) and why's that? (laughter)

Why?

It's just annoying

Do you not, what about Birmingham?

(interruption) Oh yeah and Birmingham

(interruption) (unclear)

Yeah

Don't like that either

I don't know it doesn't bother me, accents. But em my favourite would probablys be, I don't know (pause) I like Dutch accent

(laughter) Wh- Why's that? (laughter)

'Cause I met, I met a load of Dutch people when I was there

Yeah

I don't know I just like it

(interruption) Do you think

(interruption) I don't know really. I mean regional accent's don't really bother us you know so

Do you think when you went travelling it was difficult for people to understand your accent?

Yeah

It's difficult for me to understand his (interruption) accent

(interruption) Yeah (laughter)

Sometimes when he talks (interruption) so fast

I had to, I had to speak slow

Yeah

Like really slow

(cough)

Did you get a lot of eh abuse about it, like jokingly?

No

No (pause) And do you think, do you find it difficult to understand other people's accents? Like when you first came to Burnley?

Yeah I still do now

Yeah

I still say 'Sorry? (interruption) What?

(interruption) Yeah

What? (interruption) What? Pardon?'

(interruption) You do, you've sort of got words for like

Like

You've got daft words haven't you

Yeah like oining. (interruption) Didn't know what that meant

(interruption) Yeah oining (laughter)

Yeah oining us I mean what the hell's that, wh- what

I don't get that. There was loads of words (interruption) that was said

(interruption) Yeah loads of stuff

And it was like what?

Yeah

But then again when I'm at work and there's stuff I say, like em for told off in the North East we'd say em, 'get wrong'

Yeah, (interruption) yeah I've found that yeah

(interruption) Em some people don't understand that and there's loads

Get wrong?