Friday, March 10, 2017

We're in the local paper!

A couple of weeks ago Beatriz, a reporter for a local paper, La Comarca, contacted us and said she would like to talk to us about coming to Spain and our lives here. Last week she came to visit us one morning. We had also invited our friend Carmen, who is Spanish and speaks perfect English, to be there just so there would not be any misunderstandings as Beatriz doesn't speak English and our Spanish is open to question at times. Today the article was published.


Beatriz took the photo outside our house looking towards the village and sent it to us for approval. I cropped it and that is the one which was used in the newspaper article.

Here is the translation from Spanish:

Retirement to Torre del Compte after years of work.

At this point in March spring appears with almond trees surrounding the Phillips home. Margaret and Colin open the door of their house and greet me with a big smile and with a gesture of "follow me". We pass through the kitchen to the terrace. «This is the reason why we moved to Torre del Compte», they say.

There are no words to describe it. It's the1st of March and the almond trees have blossomed. In the background is the centre of the village and the silhouettes of others such as La Fresneda and even the Andorra thermal power plant smoke. (Note: I did point out that you could only see the smoke in the very distant sky from the power station as there was no wind. Normally the wind carries it away and the debris falls on Ibiza!)

Both were born in the northeast of England, near Sunderland. Colin, in the mining town of Easington until his family moved to Peterlee and Margaret was born in Hartlepool. "In England it is common to move a lot," they explain. Their last residence was Hastingwood, Harlow, near London, where they lived for 25 years going into the capital daily to teach. Colin was a teacher of technology at a secondary school and Margaret taught lessons of textiles and graphic arts in another school where she became part of the management team. When they took early retirement they made the decision to settle in Spain. "We were looking for a home on the Mediterranean coast, but there was a lot of traffic noise and too many people," they explained. The first option of internal Spain was Horta de Sant Joan then Torre del Compte. «To see these sights we thought it was as if we had died and gone to heaven», they reflected.

One couple more in the village.

They recall their eleven years in Torre del Compte while we were having a cup of tea which was welcome. "Five o'clock is usually tea-time, here it is all day», they laugh. The glances of complicity are continuous between the two. They do not hide their joy at having ended up in the place in which they live. «We have been very lucky because the people are wonderful,» they say. Although this house is a frequent centre of celebrations, they have their peña, the Katacroc, and their daily activities. Margaret goes to pilates in La Fresneda while Colin develops other hobbies. "Each year I have a different one," he says. The most recent is a type of welding. «You have your boilersuit and everything», laughs Margaret. That may be so but Colin enjoys another skill: photography. Everything that happens in the village is captured by his lens and shared in his blog: theverybestblogever.blogspot.com.es. Part of the organization of these events is the Association of Housewives, (Amas de Casa), which Margaret became President of for two years. "I don't know how it happened. «I said no to being Secretary and Treasurer so being the President fell to me!», she recalls with amazement. In fact, all were surprised. "It's all so different. All the people eating together in the Plaza at fiestas. We would never have thought about it".

They go to Spanish classes in La Fresneda and they are learning more and more every day. "I am 34 years old in each leg," says Colin in a show of patriotic mood arousing laughter in his wife and Carmen, one of the friends made thanks to the activities. She is a teacher of English at the adult school in Alcañiz and one of those lending a hand with more difficult interpretations with Spanish. They met her when they gave a presentation at the official language school, an activity that is repeated every time they ask. They have talked about various issues such as legends, myths and traditions.


Then Colin, eyes fixed on the window that overlooks the incredible views, relates a story for the first of March, the day of St. David, the patron Saint of Wales. Finally, as they were expecting, the question of Brexit arises. «It is too early to talk about the effects», they explain. And with regard to the future, "We want to continue enjoying everything," they sigh.



And the original Spanish version:

A estas alturas de marzo la primavera asoma en los almendros que rodean el hogar de los Phillips. Margaret y Colin abren la puerta de su casa y reciben al que llega con una enorme sonrisa antes de iniciar camino con un gesto de «sígueme». Tras atravesar la cocina aparece la terraza. «Aquí tienes la razón por la que nos quedamos en Torre del Compte», dicen.
No hay palabras. Es primero de marzo y los almendros han estallado. Al fondo se ve el casco urbano del pueblo y las siluetas de otros como La Fresneda e incluso el humo de la Central Térmica de Andorra.
Ambos nacieron en el noreste de Inglaterra, en la zona de Sunderland. Colin, en el pueblo minero de Easington hasta que se trasladó a Peterlee, y Margaret nació en Hartlepool. «En Inglaterra es frecuente moverse mucho», explican. La última residencia del matrimonio fue Hastingwood, en Harlow, muy cerca de Londres, donde vivieron 25 años desplazándose a diario a la capital para dar clase. Colin era profesor de Tecnología en un instituto y Margaret impartía lecciones de Textil y Artes Gráficas en otro centro donde llegó a ser parte del equipo directivo. En el momento de la jubilación tomaron la decisión de establecerse en España. «Buscamos una vivienda en toda la costa mediterránea pero había mucho ruido y gente», explican. La primera opción de interior fue Horta de Sant Joan y la siguiente, Torre del Compte. «Al ver estas vistas pensamos que era como morir y estar en el cielo», reflexionan.

Una pareja más del pueblo
Rememoran sus once años en Torre del Compte mientras dan sorbos al té con el que amablemente reciben al que llega. «Lo del té de las cinco es mentira, aquí es todo el día», ríen. Las miradas de complicidad son continuas entre los dos. No esconden su felicidad por haber recalado en un lugar en el que viven y conviven. «Hemos tenido mucha suerte porque la gente es maravillosa», cuentan. Aunque su casa es frecuente centro de celebraciones, tienen su peña, la Katacroc, y sus tareas diarias. Margaret acude a pilates a La Fresneda mientras Colin desarrolla otras aficiones. «Cada año tengo una», asegura. La última tiene que ver con un tipo de soldadura. «Tiene su traje y todo», ríe su esposa. Eso sí, Colin goza de una habilidad permanente: la fotografía. Todo lo que sucede en el pueblo es captado por su objetivo y compartido en su blog: theverybestblogever.blogspot.com.es. Parte de la organización de esos eventos es de la Asociación de Amas de Casa de la que Margaret llegó a ser presidenta dos años. «No sé cómo pasó. Dije que secretaria no, que tesorera tampoco y ¡me cayó el de presidenta!», recuerda aún con asombro. De hecho, todo les sorprendió. «Es todo diferente. ¿Comer todo el pueblo en la plaza en fiestas? Nunca lo habríamos pensado».
Acuden a clases de Castellano en La Fresneda y se van soltando cada vez más en el día a día. «Tengo 34 años en cada pierna», dice Colin en una demostración de humor patrio despertando la carcajada de su mujer y de Carmen, una de las amigas logradas gracias a las actividades. Es profesora de Inglés en la Escuela de Adultos de Alcañiz y una de las personas que les echa una mano con situaciones más complejas con el Castellano. La conocieron en una presentación que hicieron en la Escuela Oficial de Idiomas, actividad que repiten cada vez que se lo piden. Han hablado de varios temas como leyendas, malentendidos y tradiciones.
En ese momento Colin, con la mirada fijada en el ventanal que da a las apabullantes vistas, cae en la cuenta de que es primero de marzo, día de San David, patrono de Gales. Y, como ya estaban esperando, cae la pregunta del Brexit. «Es demasiado pronto para hablar de efectos», argumentan. Y respecto al futuro, prefieren dejarse llevar. «Queremos seguir disfrutando», suspiran.
BEATRIZ SEVERINO

Here's another photo which Beatriz took and I cropped:


I think Beatriz made the right choice for the newspaper. However, yet another experience.

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