“Estas cansada?” my Spanish host mom asks me as she collects me from the airport in Santiago de Compostela. I am 19 years old and about to be away from home for 2.5 months, the longest I have ever been. I don’t answer because I am confused why her first question to me is about my marital status. Casada means ‘married’, and in my nervousness I mix it up with cansada – ‘tired’. We both settle for a smile and drive in silence to my student accommodation.

Roll on a good 15 years. I am in a Baby & Toddler Group in Greystones, living in Ireland for 7 years. I am well settled and confident communicating in a foreign language. Hardly ever do I think about my initial language struggles in Spain and Ireland many years ago.

The “Grandmother Au pair”

That is when I met Ana from Spain. Ana wasn’t coming over to stay a couple of months. She was a sweet grandmother who moved to Ireland from the south of Spain to look after her granddaughter full time. Watching her communicate – with the little English she had – always a smile on her face, lending a helping hand to busy moms – I knew I had to overcome my fear and talk to her in Spanish. Not to help Ana, she was fine, mingling as if she had always been here. However I felt I needed to give something back.

It brought back memories how tempting it was to just withdraw and not to make any contact when your efforts as foreigner were not reciprocated. So I gathered all my courage and approached her with my meanwhile broken Spanish. I didn’t regret it as I got to hear Ana’s emigration story as we kept meeting at the toddler groups over the coming weeks. I came to admire her for her bravery to put her life in Spain on hold to support her daughter and integrate into the close-knit community of Greystones.

From Spanish Summer to Irish Winter

Ana moved from Elche at the Spanish Costa Blanca to Ireland in November 2017. Her granddaughter Nora was almost 4 months old at the time and Ana’s daughter was preparing to go back to work. The weather in Ireland was wet and the days short as usual for that time of year. People spent most of their time indoors. As opposed to Elche where the evenings were still pleasant with people socialising outside. The dull Irish winter was particularly hard on Ana who liked to meet friends for a coffee. “Everything closes so early in Ireland“, says Ana, shrugging her shoulders. “There is no time to meet anybody for a casual coffee after 6 pm.“

Spanish Warmth in Greystones

However to Ana it wasn’t a huge cultural shock and she adapted quickly. “One day I was out walking with my granddaughter and met a mother who invited me to attend the local Parent & Toddler Playgroup. This was where I met other mammies, fathers, grandmothers and au-pairs from different countries. That has been an absolute life changer for me here in Greystones.“

Since then there was no stopping Ana. Rather than sitting in the corner, focusing on Nora, Ana actively approached other moms, seeking conversation. Still with little English, she stepped up to comfort babies when their parents were out of sight for a moment. She shared snacks and brought treats for Christmas. Ana just radiated such kindness that it was easy talking to her despite the language barrier.

When our daughter was born Ana gave her a very thoughtful gift. And whilst she might not remember Ana when she is older, it will always remind me of the granny from Spain who was so giving, bringing that extra bit of warmth to Greystones.

From Catch-up to Feature

With the start of the Corona lockdown in March I decided to contact Ana. First of all to see how she and Nora were, as we had parted, not knowing what was lying ahead. Secondly I wanted to use the time to brush up on my Spanish. I was hoping to improve before I met Ana face-to-face again.

Ana and I got into a lovely exchange, texting about all sorts of things. We discovered that we both liked cooking and baking, especially during lockdown with limited possibilities to buy groceries and going out for dinners. Ana told me that she took part in numerous cooking classes back home in Spain and when she sent me pictures I was intrigued. The idea to include her into my Foreigners of Greystones series was born.

Bonding over Flavours of Spain

I have fond memories of Spanish food which I got to experience in various parts of the country. In fact I shouldn’t say ‘Spanish food’ as Andalusian cuisine is very different from the one in Galicia. The latter imprinted itself on my mind with large tanks in shop windows, filled with alive octopuses and lobsters, ‘waiting’ to be eaten. On a sweeter note there was also the gorgeous  ‘Tarta de Santiago’ with its rich almond flavour.

From my semester in Salamanca I fondly remember the amazing tapas that came with a glass of wine in almost every bar. Unlike in the touristy regions of Spain, we received it as a literal lid over our drink, according to its original definition. After dancing the night away in the student city of Salamanca, we often got Churros con chocolate on the way home. I came to realise much later that they only taste nice in Spain though.

Easter 2008 I spent in León in the North West of Spain, devouring Torrijas for which Ana sent me her special recipe. I can’t wait for Ana to bring the original ingredients over from Spain so we can have some original Spanish flavours together in Ireland.

Ireland vs. Spain

Besides being passionate about food and cooking, Ana has many interests and a deeper affection for Ireland than just valuing its people and their hospitality. “Ireland has made a great contribution to literature with brilliant writers and poets”, she tells me. “The traditional music, combined with Irish dancing and all the myths and legends reflect the country’s expansive culture. You can find stunning castles or their ruins almost everywhere which is a proof of Ireland’s rich history. Also its more modern architecture with the coloured doors that you can see all over Dublin, make Ireland an interesting place to travel and explore“, Ana continues.

I fully agree with Ana. The beauty Ana sees in Ireland is exactly why I emigrated here over six years ago. But I also see how Ana must be torn between her home in Spain and her new country of choice. I once was too, and actually couldn’t rationally explain to myself – or others – how I ended up in Ireland and not in Spain.

All the more I enjoyed listening to, and writing Ana’s story. Like the Foreigners of Greystones before, she talks passionately about her hometown – Elche in the Province of Alicante. And whilst I have never been to that particular region myself, I dug up old photographs of my time in Spain, reminiscing about being surrounded by Spanish cuisine, culture and language.

UNESCO World Heritage Winner

No other country I visited has impressed me more with its abundance of magnificent cathedrals, castles and cloisters like Spain. The Moorish Alhambra in Andalucia, Segovia with its famous aqueduct and Alcazar, the cathedral in Burgos, Avila’s impressive walls, El Escorial in Madrid, the sheltered streets of Toledo and Gaudi’s quirky architecture in Barcelona have all left me stunned.

With Spain being the world’s leader in UNESCO world heritage cities, I am not surprised when Ana tells me that Elche also holds multiple UNESCO World heritage sites. The Historic Palm Grove of Elche is one of currently 42 UNESCO attractions in Spain. Both, the Pusol School Museum and the Mystery Play of Elche have been recognised by the UNESCO as outstanding intangible human heritage.

The Mystery of Elche – Not just a Play

The Mystery Play of Elche, or “Misteri d’ Elx“ how it is called in the language of the autonomous community of Valencia, absolutely peaks my interest. By sending me photos and videos, Ana let me appreciate its uniqueness and get a glimpse of the breathtaking performance. “Nothing compares to seeing it live and feeling the music and voices reverberating in the basilica whilst golden glitter is raining down from the ‘sky though’”, she writes in her email.

The Mystery of Elche is a musical drama about the Virgin Mary. It has been taking place in the Basilica of Santa Maria and the streets of the Old Town of Elche for almost 600 years. It is a living testimony of European religious theatre of the Middle Ages and the Mary Cult. Its two acts are entirely sung and are performed annually on 14^th and 15^th August.

Rather than just actors playing on a stage, hundreds of participants follow the morning and afternoon procession carrying candles. The ‘funeral’ procession of Mary leads through the streets of Elche, finishing with the enactment of the burial. The ‘Assumption’ and Mary’s Coronation follow in the Basilica. Over 300 volunteers feel honoured to take some part in the experience and so are the people of Elche.Elements of different cultures and epochs feature within this extraordinary event. From Gregorian chants, over songs of the Spanish Renaissance up to Baroque melodies, all performed a capella. A spectacle I definitely want to attend one day!

“Live, enjoy, dream, travel … and if you have time, repeat.“

Since I have settled in Ireland I have somewhat lost the enthusiasm for discovering new places that once made me explore almost all of Spain and Ireland shortly after. Working on Ana’s story – despite the confinement of lockdown – has rekindled that spark.

Ana has shown me that being adventurous and taking a leap neither knows a language nor an age barrier. With her optimistic personality and positivity Ana seemed to have opened up the world for herself. “There are all these things in the world that deserve to be explored. Things that you sometimes haven’t even heard of before. But once you know they exist, you can’t wait to see them with your own eyes.”

“Live, enjoy, dream, travel… and  if you have time, repeat!” What a wonderful motto – thank you Ana!