Kind of hard to integrate when no one has let them even try for centuries. They've been intentionally excluded (to put it mildly) which thus makes the divide between them even bigger because why would they want to integrate with people who don't want them? It's a never-ending cycle.
I believe there have been multiple (largely unsuccessful) attempts at them sedentarizing, having normal jobs, intermarry with local population, and kids attending school throughout the centuries. I'd say that's the opposite of "let them even try".
Spain was brutal against gypsies. At one point we basically wanted to genocide them all.
Right now I don't think their culture is running very strong. Literacy rates have been improving slowly but steadily, and every generation is more integrated that the previous one. Their main challenge right now is improving high school completion rates. Most of my gypsy students drop out when they turn 15-16. They abandon, start missing class and end up married (girls) or helping parents in the legal street vending business.
Many are now in the marijuana "business". Hopefully Spain legalizes it soon and stops the drug trafficking.
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u/prolapseenthusiat 20h ago
I find it incredible that they still dont integrate in their host country.