Carmen
Calvo-Couto
My parents travelled separately to
Venezuela from Spain when they were
young, aged 17 and 20. They met
and married there before bringing two
daughters into the world. My parents
were both born in the aftermath of the
Spanish Civil War and they knew many
people who travelled to Venezuela so
they decided to follow their footsteps
too. South America was the fashionable
region at the time. My sister and I were
born in Caracas, which is where my
parents met and held their wedding.
When I was four years old, they decided
enough was enough and ended their
South American adventure returning to
their home region of Galicia in Spain. I
still remember some of my pre-school
friends who I never had the opportunity
to say goodbye to. Although I was only
four, it took me a while to get used to the
idea that I would never see them again.
We settled in the city of Coruña on the
northwest coast of Spain – it currently has
a population of 250,000 and is surrounded
by a long beach, a small fishing harbour,
sailing sports harbours and a large port for
cargo and passenger ships.
Galicia is known as ‘green Spain’ and
currently has an exceptional historical
and cultural heritage. The city of
Santiago de Compostela, the Roman
Walls of Lugo and the Tower of Hercules
in Coruna have all been declared World
Heritage sites by UNESCO along
with the Way of St James (Camino de
Santiago).
In 1975, clothing company Zara (one
of the labels of Inditex Group) opened
its first store in the city and I am proud
to have been one of the first customers
as a child. Its founder Amancio Ortega
Gaona, a native of the region, is now
considered to be the third richest person
in the world. Inditex Group still has its
headquarters in a nearby town.
Another interesting fact about where I
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grew up is that it has the only working
Roman lighthouse in the world called
Tower of Hercules. It still surprises me
that some people know the city because
of the football team, Deportivo de la
Coruña – they used to be in the top
of the Spanish and European leagues
but I don’t think they are doing so well
nowadays.
As well as all its attributes, there have
been unfortunate and famous disasters.
The Aegean Sea oil spill in 1992 and the
Prestige oil spill in 2002 and there is still
a shipwreck on the coast from the latter
where it remains.
A major rail disaster, that occurred
in September last year, took place in
Santiago de Compostela, which is just
45 minutes away from Coruña – so it is
certainly a city that has had a lot going
on.
I think my parents travelling adventures
and experiences are in my blood and
maybe that is what encouraged me to
move to England after I finished my law
degree in Spain. During my last year of
university at the University of Coruña,
I attended an English conversation
course. I was lucky enough to obtain
a grant to partially finance a summer
course in England. I chose to do this in
Lewes – it was a wonderful and intensive
month in this beautiful town. I met
wonderful people, some of whom I am
still in contact with.
I remember watching the sunrise and
sunset from the top of the cliff, running
across the golf course, chasing sheep,
enjoying the live music at The Snowdrop
pub and the Spanish connections at The
Rainbow pub at the time.
The proximity of the town to the coast
meant that I spent many of my days
and evenings having fun in Brighton – it
was a good incentive to come back to
England once the course finished.