So… I had this idea for my obligatory Thanksgiving blog post… I planned to write about the people I have met in the Canary Islands that I am thankful for. Novel idea. I know. I started my entrevistas or interviews with my roommate, Julia, and I immediately realized that this plan was insufficient. I don’t know how I could possibly fit the stories of fascinating people, like Julia, all in one blog post. Thus, begins my interview series! Name TBD. If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comment section. Although I know I can not widdle down the story of any one individual to a meager blog post, I will do my best to introduce you to Julia and others with my limited resources and amateur interview skills.

First, I should tell you that in Spanish “Js” are pronounced like “Hs”, so instead of “Jul yah”, think “Hul yah”.

Julia is one of the first people I met here in the Canary Islands. She is 22 years old, and she is a naturally likable and friendly individual. Julia hails from Madrid but came to the Canary Islands to take her driving exam. She is a very introspective person who places meaningful connections with people over all else. I admire her calm demeanor and her unmatched optimism for life.

Tell me about your home

I like Madrid for the variety of open minded and friendly people. There are many places to go, old monuments, street art, and parties. Parties before COVID were really good. In Madrid you have lots of possibilities.

Tell me about your village

My village is where my family comes from. My grandmother, grandfather, and father come from a village called Rascafria, situated in the north of Madrid at the base of the mountains. In the winter, it is really cold, and I like to sit by the fire and relax. In the summer, the climate is pleasant. I spend time with my cousins and friends. We all know each other. The village is where I learned to rock climb. I enjoy riding my bike. There are natural swimming pools, and we have a lot of stray cats. The parties in the village are famous. The 15th of August is Fiesta Patronal. We have a whole week of parties with costume competitions, car racing, and a water party where kids play with soap and water. Rascafria has lots of animals, is agricultural, and we have a wood factory. The one thing I don’t like so much is the very traditional thinking. They are not very open minded. Some people stay in the village their whole life, but others leave and go to Madrid or other places to study. I know brothers; one who went to Madrid, and one who stayed home, and they think so differently. With COVID-19 and travel restrictions, more people than usual have been visiting Rascafria because it is within their zone of travel and they have nowhere else to go. They stay in hotels and rural houses. When 3, 4, 5, people from outside Rascafria arrive, you notice.

If you could do anything without limits, what would you do?

Travel around the world all the time. I want to have many houses…not houses..homes around the world. I also want to help other people. I want to have money and resources to help them, but I will never in my life be a politician. Volunteering and traveling. I want to learn about people and know cultures. I don’t mind where I go, as long as where I go is a learning place. I like traveling alone. It’s a good thing for you, and knowing yourself in many situations. I don’t care where I go.

What are you thankful for?

I am really thankful for my parents. They push me to do lots of things, without me knowing they are good things. For example, I didn’t know what to study. Instead of arguing with me, my mom told me to calm down, take my time, make my own decision. My mom is the first one who tells me to travel. She says do it without thinking of anything else. I am what I am because of them. I’m thankful for all of my friends, all of the people in my circle because they teach me lots of things. I am really thankful for myself. I am thankful for this house. I like good people in my life, and I think I have that.

If you could eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

Pasta. You can mix it with lots of different things. If I was a sporty person, pasta would be really nice. I am not, but I’m still going to say pasta. I’m not going to get bored with pasta. My favorite food is cuban rice. It is the best, but I would get bored of that.

How has COVID-19 changed your outlook on life?

I became more mature. In quarantine, I spent a lot of time alone. I realized many things about myself. I realized how I am. I have lots of different feelings about people. I want to think that we are a good planet. But I don’t know. I don’t really know. I think COVID changed a lot of people. People feel COVID in different ways. We do not all have the same perspective about COVID. I think COVID is a good thing to unify us. I think if we do that , it’ll go better.

Anything to add?

Now a days, I’m in a really good mood with lots of ganas de aprender.