Prologue

At the request of our brother Xavier, the editor of this work, with pride and
pleasure I have accepted to make a posthumous tribute to the memory of our mother
devoted the most important moments of her life in my life because of its great influence
in my life. It's a complicated family history of two wars that our forefathers lived and
were victims of them: the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
Years ago he published a book about our father Nere Aita: Basque Exile in
America Txertoa Publishers, 1992. Although our whole family was described in that
book was dedicated to the main character, our father. Today I dedicate these memories
entirely to our mother.
Our mother was a calm personality, with much common sense, integrate, devout,
accurate, practical, not dreamed, worked, hard working, dutiful, caring, devoted to
family and self-renunciation and very loyal to their faith and faith helped him. One of
his favorite sayings was "God squeezes but does not drown." No matter how tired she
was, she prayed the rosary with litany every night and invited us to accompany her and
us but sometimes not very happy we did. He had a great ability to do wonders with his
hands, knew how to turn something ordinary into the extraordinary. He mastered the art
of cooking, weaving, sewing, upholstery, painting and gardening. His agility for the
numbers was insurmountable, and it was a great manager. He had courage and
confronted with situations that our father could not cope. She avoided trouble to give
our father hiding many of the things that we did not do very well. The circumstances in
which he lived were extremely difficult, but she was always ready to overcome any
obstacle if that brought happiness and peace to our father and us. The absence of her
second daughter was very painful for life. Just as our father taught us to think, to know
and love the Euskera and Euskadi, Love taught us to pray, love and work.
During the seven years of my childhood, I was away caring for our parents, I was under
the care of elder siblings and the loving father. I lived in the same village as our mother
was born and raised, went to college where she was educated, and had the same teacher
that she's educated. The most precious legacy left loves me, has been confident in
myself and great Christian faith that she did not leave him even in the worst moments of
his life, instead gave him strength to be able to navigate different drift countries and in
difficult circumstances. It was a cross for our parents live far away from everything that
was most loved and left behind forever.
Our father of true Christian faith was a tireless worker for the Basque cause,
and in his hometown of Algorta, Getxo, erected a square that bears his name as a
posthumous tribute to the great orator, writer, translator and lover of his Basque
ancestry. He was a great man and next to a great man is a great woman, who was his
wife and faithful companion all his life, our mother. On the death of Aita, loves
compiled the memories of all their years together. Wrote nine books later transferred to
fifteen tapes that she recorded. In those tapes described the passages of the years lived
together, with the same emotion that they lived with her death has left an unforgettable
legacy to us, his children and grandchildren.

Aita in the twilight of his life he dedicated this short poem our mother simply
summarizing what she was for him. I give it the day of his birthday, September 10,
1968. He would die five months later.
CONGRATULATIONS
For girlfriend
More rebonita
That was after wife
Faithful and loving
And the tender mother
Home rules
And Granny
With care and affection
The penalty takes
In each state it was in
And in every age
Used to be a paragon
Happiness!
Aita

Bibliography
1. The main source of information was "Memories of Love: Cassettes recorded by her
with stories of his life between 1926 and 1970," the 15 tapes recorded by love,
completed in February 1972. These tapes are an oral history of the years lived with our
father.
2. Robert P. Clark, The Basques: The Franco Years and Beyond (Reno, University of
Nevada Press, 1979).
3. Ana López Asensio, Colegio Madre Del Divino Pastor (Getxo, Getxo, 2004).
4. Don Felix Acha, Recuerdos de Las Arenas, two volumes (Las Arenas: Arenas Press,
2004, 2005).
5. Don Carlos M. Altube Zabala, Getxo, parvis Manor (Bilbao: Editorial La Gran
Enciclopedia Vasca, 1968).
6. William Wiser, The Twilight Years: Paris in the 1930s (New York: Carroll & Craft,
2000).
7. Dorothy Legarreta, The Guernica Generation: Basque Refugee Children of the
Spanish Civil War (Rena, NV: University of Nevada Press, 1984.
8. Leon Grinberg and Rebecca Grinberg, Pyschoanalytic Perspectives on Migration and
Exile, translated from Spanish by Nancy Festinger (New Haven: Yale University Press,
1989).
9. Mirentxu Amezaga, Nere Aita (San Sebastian: Editorial Txertoa, 1991).

THE LIFE OF MERCEDES IRIBARREN AMEZAGA

AMA GURE
TRIBUTE TO OUR MOTHER
BY
Amezaga Mirentxu

CHAPTER I
ECHOES OF FORGOTTEN

Our parents were Vicente de Amezaga, a native of Algorta, Getxo, and Mercedes
Iribarren native of Las Arenas, Getxo. My brothers and I are products of two Basque
sources: one of marine origin by Aita and other Pyrenean origin by love.
The results of genetic information, DNA that my husband and I have done recently tell
us that in the male line our upstream Amezaga came 10,000 years ago what is now
southern Russia and Ukraine, where they lived what the Greeks called Scythians, (a
group of nomadic and semi-nomads with whom they had contacted the Black Sea
region). They came by boat across the Atlantic and across different European countries
came to Euskadi living since then in the area between mountains and sea, existing
watershed area today.
The maternal line, Iribarren, are descendants of people from the Stone Age, the first
inhabitants of Europe. About 45,000 years ago from the Middle East, entered the Baztán
Valley where they remained for the past 25,000 years. Baztán Valley is located north of
Navarra in the Atlantic Pyrenees, place of meadows and hills, castles and stone
farmhouses with large balconies rosacea, monasteries, medieval bridges, caves and
megalithic monuments that speak of their Paleolithic era. Formed in the upper basin of
the River Bidasoa that this area is called Baztán River, 59 miles north of Pamplona and
east of the French Basque Country. Place where there was the Battle of Roncesvalles
(Aug. 15, 778) in which Charlemagne's army was defeated by the Basques. View photo
Valcarlos people in the Valley Baztán.
For the seventeenth century, when the family name begins Iribarren appear near the
province of Guipuzcoa, Iribarren is clear that the Pyrenees were leaving to go to more
prosperous cities and towns near the Cantabrian coast. In 1864, in the coastal town of
Innocent Motrico our grandfather was born. His parents were Pedro José Iribarren
(1828) originating Motrico, Guipuzcoa, and his mother Juana Egaña (1837) of
Escoriaza, Guipuzcoa. Innocent was the youngest member of the family who grew up in
this pleasant fishing village of Gipuzkoa, motor, Guipuzcoa, on the shores of the
Cantabrian Sea on the border of Biscay. Its coasts are cliffs where they open two bays,
one is with the urban core and the port and the other beaches shared with Ondarroa. The
town of Motrico was founded in 1294 and takes its name from the river at the mouth of
which lies the River Deva. It has a great beach that is its main tourist attraction. In
another time there was a major trading port, now used as a recreational marina.
In 1872 our grandmother Juliana Gorostegui born in Deva, Guipuzcoa. This Gorostegui
family name originates in the town of Bergara, west of the province of Guipuzcoa,
probably about the seventeenth century, and translated as Basque European site which
grows the holly. His parents were José Antonio Gorostegui (1829) Abaltxisketa native,
Guipuzcoa, and Maria Josefa Urkidi (1844) of Motrico, Guipuzcoa.

A Deva surrounding mountains 800 to 900 meters which are within walking distance
from the coast. Ekain Cave is a cave with large paintings of Deva. Among the highlights
is a group of horses that are highly relevant in the Magdalenian period (15,000 to
12,000 BC) and make Ekain this considered one of the main European prehistoric
sanctuaries. This cave is included in the list of World Heritage of UNESCO.
For us the story of the Iribarren begins in 1876 at the end of the Second Carlist
War. Innocent Juliana was born in 1864 and Gorostegui, in early 1870. And in his youth
witnessed a monumental struggle in Spain between forces of modernization and
centralization on the one hand, and supporters of freedom, and traditional regional
jurisdictions called, on the other.
It is important to include the history of our great grandfather Elijah Iribarren, who
fought on behalf of the second Carlist war. After the war ended, Elijah returned to his
home, but was pursued by the liberal forces that had sentenced all ex-Carlist militiamen
into exile or death. One day they came to arrest Elijah, who was hiding in the haystack.
Unable to find the soldiers decided to leave when the commander came up to ask the
children who were playing outside where her father. The smallest, Innocent, unaware
that sealed the fate of his father said the barn and find the soldiers shot him right there
Deva, the people of our grandmother Juliana is 3 miles drive. We met the two in the
festivities of Deva, the feast of San Roque on 14 August. Juliana was an attractive
young woman of delicate features. After went to live married Motrico. Innocent was the
sea engineer but you dizzy and decided to try opening a related company, so he loved
the sea with a ship-building factory and cranes, and it went to live in Las Arenas,
Vizcaya in 1895 .

LAS ARENAS, GETXO

Sands had been an undesirable desert, a lonely beach. In 1880 the difficulties in
supplying drinking water were overcome by a well with water pump and a windmill
designed to drain the marshes. An old house, called the Consulate and an old tavern
were the only buildings that existed in 1860. The mill was in place then later erected the
Parish of Las Mercedes.
A mid-nineteenth century, the merchant and industrial Bilbao Máximo Aguirre, who
was mayor of Bilbao. And Aguirre who was consul in the United States adopted the
American and British customs buying land in what today is Las Arenas, Santa Ana and
Lamiako and turned the land into a residential area in which the elite could buy your
second home. It had to channel the river courses and Udondo Gobela and began the
draining of the marshes and the setting of the land by planting pine trees, tamarisk and
gorse bushes, and soon became, because the fashion for sea bathing , in an important
residential and tourism. The plane was a rectangle in its center was the Santa Ana
chapel and the Establishment of Bilbaínos Sea Baths.
In 1903 he began to devise a new development between Algorta and Las Arenas, who
would be called Neguri (winter town) as the name says it would be destined to be
inhabited throughout the year and is typical of this new district was the idea of propel
the sport to the building of sports facilities. And what was once a sandy desert was
transformed into what was now a modern symmetrical people, spa villas and small
palaces that was inhabited in the summer months. The rest of the year these houses were
empty, giving the impression of being a ghost town, but soon filled with apartment
buildings.
In 1864 he built the first church, the hermitage of Santa Ana, one of the oldest
examples of Gothic style of Biscay. The work was done under order of the family of
Maximo Aguirre, but soon the chapel would not be large enough for the population was
increasing. In 1872 the means of transportation was a tram linking the important city of
Bilbao and the Las Arenas. Until 1887 that replaced the rail with the same path. In 1882
had only 212 inhabitants. In the next 20 years more than 120 buildings erected. See
photo of the station of Las Arenas in the forties. In 1887 the church was opened in Las
Mercedes designed in 1885 by Severino de Achúcaro Gothic modeled.
The first private school in Las Arenas was the school of "La Divina Pastora" now called
Colegio Madre del Divino Pastor, by the Franciscan sisters and founded on June 25,
1904. It was a farm, cottage style French style that bordered on the north by the railway
station at South Street Gobelas. I remember from the class having heard the whistling of
the train. Began to offer three years of teaching in all subjects, adding work, painting,
French, and music. Loves standing out in the first two: work and painting. His teacher
was Mother Maria Luisa.
On July 28, 1893 was opened in Las Arenas a single attraction, the world's first of its
kind. The Bridge-the most notable engineering structure by which the city is famous. Its
construction was due to the need to link existing resorts on both sides. The shuttle has a
boat which carries passengers and vehicles and several minutes to cross from one bank
or another of the ria Nervion River. Make the journey on the ferry saves a road bridge
road about 20 kilometers, which connects the left to right. On July 13, 2006 was
declared World Heritage by UNESCO which considers the Vizcaya Bridge as one of the
most outstanding works of architecture of the Industrial Revolution iron and highlight
their innovative use of lightweight twisted steel cables.
Twelve miles from Las Arenas was the largest city in the Basque Country and industrial
de Vizcaya, Bilbao, in existence since 1300 but its resonance industrial, dating from the
mid-nineteenth century. Bilbao by 1886 had 50,000 inhabitants is located on the banks
of the Nervion that doing zigzags through the city flows into the Bay of Biscay before
passing through several villages and cities that once had an independent existence but
now have become suburbs of Bilbao. One of these suburbs is Las Arenas.
The town was ready to welcome grandparents and Innocent Juliana Iribarren
arrived Sands with his two older daughters Lola and Juli. Shortly after my grandfather
bought a parcel of land near the village on the banks Erandio Nervion River and there
founded what is called "Workshops Erandio" of industries specializing in the
construction of cranes and large commercial ships hull liners. Five years after arriving
in our grandparents went to live in the 4 th floor of "La Casa Grande" on the streets of
Las Mercedes. This large stone building is opposite the Church of Mercy in 1900. Was
newly built by Domingo Usobiaga also come from Motriko. Las Arenas had three more
children: the only son, Ino, Mari, and Pascu.
By the early twentieth century, the society founded by Innocent, "Workshops
Erandio" was booming and Iribarren family enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle for the
growing middle class of Biscay. The grandfather had a large cellar which according to
family legend, transformed themselves the solid green grapes in a thin and delicious but
chacolí called liquid acid that ate with gusto.
CHILDREN OF AMA
The año1905 would be particularly remembered in world records because they would
see the Russian Revolution as a preamble to its bloody revolution. Sigmund Freud
psychoanalytic hypothesis launched its controversial "Three Essays on the Theory of
Sexuality." American Wright brothers, pioneers in aviation history, flew the first
powered flight in history. But a unique detail for consideration at the unforgettable
historical roles in 1905 as "Annus Mirabilis (miracle year) of science, was the scientific
production of the then unknown 26 year old physicist Albert Einstein of his four-
reaching research papers designed from Silent patent office and transfigured modern
physics with his proposals to explain to the world the theory of relativity and quantum
theory.
And in this miracle year our mother came to this world. The youngest daughter of
Juliana and Innocent grandparents was born on September 10, 1905. We gave it the
name of Maria Mercedes and Pascuala Pascu called it. Later our father urged him to use
his name change and Mercedes and this name will be known during the rest of his life.
This photo shows the 5 brothers each holding a symbol of their favorite hobby.
Lola, an avid reader, the small Pascu, a bouquet of flowers, Juli, a fashion magazine,
Inocencio, a tennis racket, after serious football player in the "Sands Club." The hobby
of Aunt Marie was playing the piano, but obviously could not easily demonstrate their
hobby. This photo was taken out to give his sick mother. Mercedes lost her mother at
age 13 after a long illness, leaving his widowed father in charge of the 5 children and
two adopted children. Two aunts who helped them in the care of the house.
The children of our mother we know little. Did not talk much about herself. Told
us that Grandpa was an avid hunter and she was in charge of preparing the clothes so
early in the morning out hunting on his motorcycle to Navarre. Also love that once ill
with high fever that would not let her. Still very bad, the doctor came to see her, and do
not know more than the family asked the cellar brought more dirty the bottle so that we
can inject the love, what would today call "penicillin." But this was home and Although
his arm was huge, the fever disappeared and later the doctor when he saw him on the
street said "you saved my life drunk" because only under the influence of alcohol could
be prescribed like medicine. The first clinical trial of penicillin was not until 1941 and
in 1943 began commercial production in the United States. On another occasion, when
she was little she was given a light blue raincoat that he liked, but I was a little big, and
for fear that it was outside and was returned in the rain all afternoon to keep their prized
garment .
When they met in the house with friends grandfather pushed a little bit Pascu her
daughter to sing to the guests the "Gora Euskadi" and the girl spontaneously sang the
lyrics: "Gora Euskadi bizi Bedi, Sabino Arana Goiri gora." The whole family believed
and professed that time programs of Basque nationalism. Several times Inocencio told
he could not attend Mass with the logo of the Basque flag on his lapel. Innocent and
Juliana were Basques, Basque spoken as first language, and early twentieth century
social pressure both religious doctrine discouraged the use of Euskera. The middle class
because he saw the Basque language as a sign of rural life and the church because the
Basque language was used before Christianity, that is pagan, and denied permission to
baptize children Basque names. Then later, the governments of Spain and France passed
laws explicitly prohibiting teaching about the Basque language. Now it is completely
different. Today the use of Euskera is a mark of a well-educated middle class in the
Basque country, but at that time all the children who spoke only Euskera was the oldest,
Lola.
Iribarren The five children were involved in the theater where they participated
in different ways. Lola was directing the production, Juli sewed the costumes, Mari was
in charge of music, Innocent directed the special effects like a thunderstorm appear and
that I could sacks of potatoes dropping down the stairs, and Pascu performance by him
to be happy and love.

AMA YOUTH
Pascu became a young woman of delicate features graceful, intelligent, and
common sense. She looked sweet, delicate and beautiful with her brown hair and dark
eyes. One of his many skills was mathematics, we heard him say several times that one
of his dreams had been working on the Stock Exchange. After finishing his studies in
school administration she was wearing her sister Juli workshop in her sewing business.
His main hobby in his youth was acting in the theater first in the batzoki, name in
Basque means "place to meet." Political and social venues are the Basque Nationalist
Party (PNV) for this addition to offices and meeting rooms have bars and restaurants.
There's one in every town, but were closed after Franco's victory in the Civil War. He
later represented in the Parish Social House Las Arenas was a religious center, cultural
and recreational. It was the home and meeting place, education and entertainment of all
youth of Las Arenas moving around the parish and the youth of Catholic Action. The
beautiful room that had a capacity of 500 people, was the delight of everyone with his
film and theater. They could see the people of Getxo early sound films and took an
active part, or simply as spectators, many plays, represented by the common people.
During the same was remarkable socio-cultural activity in conferences and lectures on
current topics of the day. A Pascu enjoyed acting and made it very well as everything
that is proposed. The next photo shows a group of young Divina Pastora College
dressed before their performance in a play. Pascu is standing to the left.

Algorta boys including Jose Antonio Aguirre, Johnny Sarria and a young law student,
Vicente de Amezaga, down to Las Arenas often to see the works that were presented at
the Social House. Algorta The neighborhood consisted mostly of wealthy capitalists. In
the seventeenth century Algorta had 100 houses near the port most of them. Until 1859
Algorta was completely isolated. The old beach Las Arenas was the only way for
Algorta who wished to take the diligence or steam. In 1853 he opened a road from the
Casa del Consulado, against Portugalete, to the San Martín. What is today beginning
Outpost is where the sandy ground were not deserving the attention of Algorta. The
distance between Las Arenas and Algorta were punctuated by palaces and villas
inhabited only in summer months, leaving the rest of the year closed.
Vicente de Amezaga, who had excelled in his studies at the College of San
Bernardo de Algorta suddenly lost his father when the age of 17. Shortly after he locked
himself in the attic of the house and learned the only Basque in six months and came to
dominate in such a way that would later be the founder of the American Institute of
Basque Studies in Buenos Aires (1943), he taught " Basque Culture "at the University
of Montevideo (1947-1955) and" Basque language "at the Institute of High Culture in
the same city. He was named corresponding member of the Basque Language Academy
in 1957. In 1926 he graduated in law at the University of Valladolid and was now
preparing for the examinations of recognized in the Canary Islands. He was appointed
Municipal Judge of Getxo in 1931, and as such married his friend Jose Antonio Aguirre,
first president of the Basque Government. At the same time Don Azkue Resurrection
Mary, (1864-1951) founder of the Basque Language Academy, priest, musician, writer
and academic, a key figure in the recovery of the Basque language was offered a
scholarship to send him to Germany, but war was brought in all these projects.
DATING
One time he loves acting, he starred in the comedy "Lullaby" by Gregorio
Martínez Sierra, which is the story of a newborn abandoned at the gates of the convent
and raised by nuns. Vicente who had seen action several times noticed her talent and her
delicate beauty and fell in love. Out in groups until one day he asked to meet at
Advanced the following day he loves replied quietly, as was the custom at that time: "If
it rains ... well" ... but was on his bike and there on August 23 1927, Vincent was
declared. Got engaged. Their courtship at the end of 1920 brings us back to the
traditional world that has completely disappeared today. Aita living in Algorta down to
Las Arenas to pick more or less at 6 pm for a walk to Neguri. Sometimes they went to
the bakery Zuricalday and walked through the beautiful Paseo Zugazarte, beautiful
avenue with many small palaces and ancient lime trees along the promenade, creating a
pleasant and welcoming atmosphere near the sea. Always escorted to a safe distance
from her sisters and friends of these, until nine o'clock at night was when Vincent left
him and returned home on the train to Algorta. The weekends were a movie (American
movies were popular in those days) or going to Bilbao on the train to the Arriaga
Theatre, Opera House neo-baroque style and named after Juan Crisostomo Arriaga,
Bilbao, known as Basque Mozart. " In the spring went to France accompanied by Juli.
Visiting the casinos, the two sisters loved to play and bet, Vicente not much, but I
endured to see her happy. Attending football matches, always supporting Arenas. Lunch
in the Hotel Continental in front of Las Arenas Vizcaya Bridge, and went to the parish
movie.
By this time changed his name to Mercedes, which was his middle name,
because he liked Aita more. She was a person of great faith. Their religious life has
always been of utmost importance all his life and the same for Vincent and now during
their courtship also their religious lives were still intense. Sundays were always
dedicated to the church, the Mass and later perhaps a parish event or go to support the
Arenas where you play. The celebration of Holy Week was special to them. Holy
Thursday loves arranging the Monument altar that day being installed in churches, each
boasting their own neighborhood. At four in the afternoon I went together to visit the
seven seasons starting from the Divina Pastora, loves school where he was educated,
Mercy Parish, Chapel of Santa Ana, El Hospital, San Ignacio, the Trinity, St. Nicholas.
The day Friday was more meditation, participating in processions, sometimes going as
officer Vicente, evening dress, or as a simple citizen. Holy Saturday all looked happy,
premiering dresses. Love says "during the month of May, the month when everything is
blooming holiday dress with colorful flowers to the flowers that was praying the rosary
with litany and hear complete songs sung by the choir of the village. The altar was
decorated daily with flowers of different colors that parishioners gathered in the
gardens, a few days with red roses, white jasmine, lily, wallflower and in the middle of
the range of colors the image of the Immaculate Conception with her blue mantle .
"They both had this scene with delight and pain of our youth did not have these views in
their spiritual lives. All this would ease their minds in this time of great tension.
Used to do together the ninth most frequently named as the town, the
Virgen de las Mercedes, and the ninth of the Virgin of Begoña Bilbao. For this ninth out
at six o'clock the house and climbed 300 steps and then sanctified the famous chocolate
snacking cake. When relationships begin in earnest in the mid 30's they began to shape
their future and she stopped acting penalty. Years later she would describe the life of
those times as "simple, quiet and deep faith." Unfortunately the world they knew was
about to explode and in fact they would know a lot of little peace again.
Now thought of "forming its nest" and they chose a white brick house of
two flats in the coastal town of Sopelana, five miles from Algorta. The house was small
but sunny. Had a nice dining room, kitchen and bathroom. The bedroom had a balcony
that opened onto the garden which was surrounded by fruit trees and dreamed loves
flowers and vegetables were planted in the beautiful and spacious garden. Visited the
house often in the company of Grandma Mary, mother of Aita, to add the odd
decoration to the building. They had already bought furniture for the dining room and
living room, and the nuns you were embroidering her trousseau and all them to dream
of a better future, full of hope, but the war interrupted his dreams when they had to
abandon everything to live in exile rest of their lives. She talked about the time of
engagement as the best of his life
WEDDING AND ESCAPE
At dawn on June 14 he called Aita housekeeper be startled by the call
before 6 am to tell you that the left for Las Arenas. They had to marry because it was
dangerous for him to stay and had escape. Ama generous temperament, he rushed into
his small case some of the summer suits her sister Julie had finished
do, but there was no time or place to carry all items of its inventory, leaving behind
many things that was hard to let go and his little bag at dawn he went to church. Aita
there waiting for him and the pastor.

No flowers, no music, no family or friends, but she accepted without complaint the
future uncertain beside the man she loved. At 6 am the pastor of The
Mercedes, Don Manuel Escauriaza were married in the sacristy of the Church of The
Mercedes, which would be bombed, burned and destroyed by a
Malatesta battalion company two days later at 3 am on
June 16, 1937 was. The newlyweds took their leave of family and
undertook the journey that took them into exile.
Leaving the church rushed out to Portugalete was on fire. Married his first
moments of sadness around them and desolation. Before his eyes had a desolate
landscape viewing the beautiful village of Las Arenas in ashes and the famous Vizcaya
Bridge was a gigantic international eco now lay in ruins. On the boat, crossed the Rio
Nervion
twisted metal, surrounded by fallen on the ria, and escaping from the soldiers
came burning houses leaving the village in flames. On the other side of the estuary was
not better picture, more than once had to hide in the sewers

For with the dawn air strikes were reiterated. Began to rise Portugalete slope exhausted
and hungry on their journey, they saw in the distance

Juanito in the car of the delegation that they picked. He had gone for Aita
to bring the Hotel Carlton. After leaving his wife in a brand new
Carranza hostel, the largest valley of Biscay, Aita and Johnny continued to Bilbao
The meeting at the headquarters of the presidency with Basque Government advisers
lehendakari advisers. The hostel where he was staying loves to be in danger
located at a crossroads and beside the telephone and suggested to
Guests were to hide in the mountains. His sister Julie who had
attached to her and she spent two nights hiding and half lost in the bush. So
spent his first two nights of our honeymoon.
SANTANDER
Two days later came Aita a government motorcade

Basque pick you up and continue on to Santander. On June 19 fell to Bilbao

Franco's troops after the fall of Bilbao, the Basque Government and tens of thousands
Basques move to Santander, a province controlled by the Popular Front.
After so much misery that lived in the town was added the pain of the lost and
shortages of food, especially bread. Lola and her elderly father evacuated
Santander as they could.
The situation was chaotic in Santander, the confession used in
streets of booths, and the chapels as theater. The hotels were crowded and not
was no place for anyone. Our father had been appointed director of the colony,
was in charge of 500 children to provide accommodation in Santander and search a boat
to go out with them in this city. Aita now acting on behalf of
lehendakari asked to speak with the governor and asked the governor accommodation
children and got in the Hotel Real. Built in 1917 found
located in the most privileged of the city, 500 meters from the beach.

At aitas were offered accommodation at the convent and church of Santa Lucia
built between 1851 and 1868 of early Christian art, the Salesian Sisters Royals
I was taken by the military. Although they were put in the room of
Abbess turned off the light when the noise of hundreds of bugs filled the bed
the walls and made it impossible to stay. They went to the station's 2
morning and there on the sidewalks of the platform and waited half asleep
as four hours later come the train that brought children and teachers,
so long spent their wedding night. Photo of the convent of the Salesian Royals.

About 20,000 Basques children between 5 and 10 years had to leave their parents and
their land to go to countries like Denmark, France, England, Mexico, Sweden, and
Soviet Union of cultures and languages. The children went to these countries
as refugees from the Spanish Civil War because of the desperation of parents
after the terrible bombing of Guernica and Durango. By 1937 over 200,000
Basques went into exile because of the war. Aunt Lola by her father and aunt
Antonia had fled to these for Santander, but could not find love for
give a final goodbye to his father.

The war brings destruction and dire consequences not only

those who are struggling and their families, but also to those fleeing from it going
into exile trying to save their own lives. The war of any kind is a great
cost, and its consequences do not end with the last shot but remains as an echo
in subsequent generations. In the case of our family history
eternal migrants due to two wars, the Spanish Civil War and
World War II. Everyone in our family have been and continue, we want
or not, being victims of Franco and Hitler.

BEGINNING OF EXILE
On June 22, 1937 embarked on a small collier
French, Plus-Vernet, a physician, 23 teachers, 2 cooks and assistants, a
doctor, two nurses, 3 priests and other helpers, and 500 children. Our
parents took their journey into exile. Their destination was St. Jean Pied de Port
(Donibane Garazi), the old capital of Basse Navarre, France in the Pyrenees next
Nive River, just 3 miles from the border. Twenty four hours later
The group arrived in Bayonne and traveled by train to their destination.

This centennial station covers the 58 kilometers separating the two

locations at the foot of the Pyrenees.
When they got off the train and walked to the fort in Donibane Garazi
shouted "Gorriak" by the fame of the Basques of being communists. All of them
housed in an abandoned medieval fortress that was called The Citadel, no light
water, bedding or blankets. In 1628 the French government to improve defenses
these people carried out the construction of this fort and in 1680 added the
Defence walls to south of River Nive. The Citadel is on the highest point
the city. The fort had not been open for 20 years, since the Great War
(1914-1918), and was the place where German soldiers were imprisoned
prisoners of war. It was dirty, cold and dark, inappropriate to house
500 frightened children. The role of adults were trying to duplicate
better place to give confidence to these children.
Below are photos of the exterior walls of the fort, our parents, the
chapel and the colony gathered in the central plaza of the fort. Love soon became the
cold and desolate place into something that resembled distant heat homes, and their
some pretty capable hands sewed curtains and bedspreads. Everyone had a job special.
Love was in charge of caring for and decorating the church of the colony, was sacristan,
having everything ready for the priest, the altar cloth, candles, the missal, and flowers
every day of the camp gathered to decorate the largest church

where they celebrated Mass every day. In the afternoon we prayed the rosary outside
and
dividing the group into two, praying in Basque and Erder.

In January 1938, six months after arriving in Aita was sent Donibane Garazi
to Barcelona, but before the two went to Paris. Love decided to live with her sister
Juli living in this city. She was a dressmaker and designer of haute couture, and lived
in the Rue Bonaparte # 18, # 6 in a neighborhood bohemian neighborhood two blocks
from the river
Siena. (See photo below.) Ama was four months pregnant with her first
child. Aita went hungry and loves danger in Barcelona and Aguirre was talking to
and to free Leizaola Aita. In April our father's car arrived Aguirre
Paris with the appointment of Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Culture
Leizaola working for Jesus in the Basque government delegation. The government
Basque, his ministers and aides will soon form the Basque Government in exile
Headquartered in Paris, in the # 11 Rue Marceau.

PARIS

By 1938 when our parents arrived in Paris the city was not the sparkling
global center of culture that had been before, now the environment was not hospitable
due to the rapid growth of refugees. For half a decade, refugees from all
Europe had gathered in Paris: Republicans in the Spanish Civil War,
Jews escaping from Poland and Germany, Russian writers and other intellectuals,
thousands of others.
While preparing with enthusiasm and love love the outfit complete for
first child. On May 7, 1938 at 9 pm I was born in the Clinique de
Vincennes, 36 Cours de Vincennes. Love's obstetrician Dr. Fernand was the famous
Lamaze already waiting for him at the clinic. When the doctor examined her did not see
either the
thing and Aita told "not to be able to save the child but the mother does not run
danger ", but it seems I had other plans. No one could speculate
say that in the hands of other less experienced obstetrician, my birth could be
ended tragically. It was a long and difficult labor. Dr. Lamaze was years
later (1951) the founder of painless childbirth.
At 9 pm Dr. Lamaze appeared sweaty even with the robe to
Aita announce a "we have saved the child, a girl is healthy and strong by almost 4
kilos. "I put in a crib next to love in the room. Love had always
always wanted her first child was a girl and was happy and looking
new member of the family, the two proud forgot for a moment the
shadows of war. Now felt less French immigrants with a daughter.

The baptism took place in the oldest church in Paris, St. Germain des Pres, which
part of VI century. It was a Benedictine abbey and the church was built
to save the relic of the Cross brought from Spain in 543. At the time
medieval church was so powerful, both religiously and culturally speaking,
became like a village within the town. It seems Romanesque
more like a medieval fortress. Love is described in 1938 as a wonder,
but when I was years later I found it empty and dark. Seems to be used
Now for Sunday concerts.

The aitas wanted to be baptized with the name Joana Escarne Look but could not
put the name in Basque political and religious reasons, and did so
French. I was named after Jeanne Marie Mercedes in honor of love and
our grandmother, but at home I called Mirentxu.
By February 1939 the Second World War seemed imminent, but not
seem to worry him to Paris or the French general. It
felt confident in the defense of the Maginot Line, a line of fortifications
concrete tank obstacles, machine gun posts and other defenses
that France built along its borders with Germany and Italy before
World War II. It was the largest military defense line built in
modern world and consists of 108 strong leading to 15 miles away
each other, many small forts, and more than 400 kilometers of tunnels.
In mid-August he sent a delegation to London Aita for a few months
inspection of the Basque colony in England. The constantly called love
and he wrote every day, until one day I suggested in discussions with the
London, loves the people sought a friend who was a nurse and lived in Bayonne for
take care of me. For my parents these two months was the real honeymoon because
They were married between bombing and war. Paris happy again
get home. Meanwhile at home following the daily routine, and our parents
carried away by the optimism that surrounded them.
Love always liked getting up early, put our house in order, make
mid-morning meal and go shopping or walk, and in the beautiful city
Paris was not much to see and do. In this city worshiped the creatures and
stopped traffic to give way to a mother with her infant. In stores
carefully looked after the baby while the mother to shop, bus
helped him up. When love took me to walk in the park that Chaillot
stayed close to home, Aita met with us to get out of the delegation
noon. A had always liked the creatures and have his own was very
special. I spoiled a lot and spoke to me affectionately in Euskera, and loves
had it since I learned to walk when I got home Aita that
recognized the bell went to the door to greet him with their shoes. The gave me the
eat every day with pleasure and wrote a poem dedicated to the task imposed
yours.
On weekends they chose to go for a walk quiet areas "breathing
fresh air "to Aita liked to say. Frequented the gardens of the Tuileries, near
home, the Bois de Boulogne to the west of the city, with lakes, waterfalls and
gardens with majestic trees where the French monarchy to go hunting. Place
that inspired famous painters such as Monet and Van Gogh. The Bois de Vincennes to
east of the city, is huge and zoo, sports fields and velodrome
and Racetrack. These two huge parks are the two lungs of Paris.
Visited museums. Love was an art enthusiast, visiting the wonderful
churches that were close, as the Madeleine and the de Chaillot which was our
parish. In the latter were weddings elegant and accompanied him to love
Aunt Juli enjoyed and getting details to design their dresses. The stitching on these
enjoyed moments of good customers and made them forget a little bad
news you hear on the radio. The Basques were optimistic, even if you
started talking about going to America. The delegation was in Paris by now, so
they were not thinking out there. In this picture, I'm playing with my puppy
the balcony of our apartment in Paris, while you love woven into the awaiting
next stem.
On the eve of World War II and expecting her second child loves, Paris
was mobilized, all fled to the countryside, no one wanted to stay, fearing
tear gas by the experience of the last war. Ama told me that
when the sirens sounded had to flee to the shelter. They had to go with
flashlights because Paris, the City of Light, was dark and we had to get the
gas masks, but it seems that I was terrified and crying are struggling to
put me not. Inside the house had to install double curtains for
light does not pass to the outside.

Family members left behind, later learned that his grandmother Mary, our
paternal grandmother had left him in the street by "having children who had criminal
caused the ruin of Biscay. " A maternal grandfather took away our home and
furniture, but the skillful daughter Lola found as replenish their losses, although
could never get to live in the "Casa Grande" and with the same luxuries as before.
In late August 1939, his physician, Dr. Lamaze, told mistress that he was
enlisted and had to find another doctor and maybe another hospital. Going to
Roseraie hospital in Biarritz. The Roseraie was "The real pride of the government
Basque in exile in southern France was the wonderful hospital with 500 beds,
set in a private villa in Biarritz. More than 800 wounded gudaris
war were treated at this facility, also attended free
refugees and hundreds of children born is this hospital. "
World War II started on 1. September 1939 with the invasion of
Germany to Poland and ended with the surrender of Germany and Italy on 7 May
1945. It was the largest armed conflict and bloody in world history.
Armed forces of 70 countries participated in air combat, naval and
ground and killed about 60 million people, with civilians most
the dead. This war was a global military conflict and that had the
involvement of most nations of the world, including all major
powers and caused the mobilization of over 100 million military personnel
making this the longest war in history

Aita and loves bought tickets to go on the train on September 2

early morning, but when love is lifted presented
labor pains. They called the hospital that closed the next day. Aita came to
street to hail a taxi while you love sitting on the steps of the expected portal
forward, but no one stopped, all in a wild flight wanted to leave
Paris. But the driver Rafael Picavea, Basque government delegate in Euskadi
Paris, who was passing at that time led them to the clinic on time. My sister
born two hours later. He named emergency at the clinic with
Miren Begoña name of peace, and put in a room lined with cork.
Sirens could be heard throughout the night we had love without being able to rest or
much sleep.

In autumn, people returned to Paris, but the city was still dark, and had to go
the street with flashlights. Paris looked sad and people concerned about the uncertain
future.

On 14 June 1940 the Germans entered Paris. The Maginot Line did not cover the
area chosen by the Germans for their first attack was through
Belgian mountains. Forest and mountainous region primarily in Belgium and
Luxembourg spread to France in valleys carved by rivers of fast
currents. Difficult terrain to maneuver large scale military operations.
However, in the First and Second World War the Germans were successful in
crossing through the Ardennes to attack the relatively weakly defended
area of France.

The Germans occupied France now also built the "Wall

Atlantic was like the Maginot Line. This wall is made through
Atlantic coastline of France but they found them either come
time, because the Allies found a way to invade France
Normandy, and this was due in large part to the effectiveness of the Basque agents.
From
1940 to 1945 the Basque resistance wrapped in activities to contribute to the
Allies in the fight against Germany. The American Consulate in Bilbao became the
clearinghouse for intelligence data when the messengers Basques
achieved in France by submitting information about operations
German bases. One of the most extraordinary efforts of the underground
war in which the Basque agents cooperated with the French maquis to remove
sand from various parts of the beaches of Normandy and put bags and transfer them
smuggled across the border to Bilbao, where they could analyze and track them
turquoise waters of the best places for heavy vehicles during the invasion of France
in 1944.

Paris and was a dangerous city. Jesus asked Aita Leizaola out
Bordeaux to see to find a home to transfer to the Basque delegation
city. Juli aunt took me with her to Biarritz. Love and Aita Begoña carried with them
Bordeaux
Eight million people were on the road, six million of these were
French. People piled in a chaotic manner in overcrowded villages in
south and west road conditions as unbearable heat, crowds and chaos,
France was lucky to have escaped a major epidemic. In retrospect
appears that the dangers and problems facing the Germans to stay
were less than the risks of facing the road. Schools, hospitals and
prisons were evacuated. Initially the evacuation was larger by train
but the roads are filled quickly and the trains were targeted for aircraft
enemies. The best thing was riding a bicycle because this is easily diverted from
crowded roads, Bordeaux was nearly 600 miles from Paris. In
this time was a total chaos and the Germans bombed the city before
occupancy. Our parents realized that nothing could be done and returned to
Biarritz on a train, although trains were so crowded that there was no
for furniture, and had to leave luggage on the platforms and other things
were removed from the home of Paris. Love it hurt to leave it there all but it was not
other remedy.

On 1 April 1939 Franco announced "The war is over" with the victory of
nationalist side and the defeat of the Republicans. Now began one of the
most harrowing consequences of the Civil War was the exodus of thousands of
people fleeing persecution and revenge Franco forced to live in
foreign lands and how our parents fleeing to Paris clashed with

World War II.

When they arrived at Biarritz, the city was full of Germans, and fear
delivery was disturbing to Aita. It was known that a certain Basagoiti was sent by the
Germany to Spain. A Luis Companys, a Catalan politician and lawyer, leader
political party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), pro-independence party,
declared illegal by Francisco Franco after taking power in 1939, and
Companys was delivered by German agents and sent to Spain and there was
arrested and executed on October 14, 1940.
Before this news Aita decided to leave France and go to England, but after
wait for several nights for a boat and getting nothing decided to grab the train
Marseilles for a ship to get him to pull out of France. But for this first
had to submit to the "German Kommandatur, the military headquarters
Germans, in the words of love "Aita was more dead than alive" but gave the
pass without problems and could get a train to Marseille. While love, my Aunt Juli
sister and I stayed at Biarritz.

This picture of them with me on the beach in Biarritz few months earlier.
MARSEILLE
Arriving in Marseille Aita soon learned that a boat would, but only
men could embark, and Aita wanted to be with the love that
time. Communications between Aita and loves those days was almost impossible. The
phone lines were cut and the mail was intercepted and read by the
Vichy government. Soon he met a Basque who delivered messages
clandestinely between Biarritz and Marseille and sent him an urgent message loves
he said "Leave everything and come, may have a boat and go, you can be
me until it comes out, only allowing men. "
Ama had no way to communicate with him, because when the messenger was killed
"As a spy." Ama was torn between the alternative of leaving "two girls so small and
helpless, or just to let her husband left for America. Aunt Juli him out of
doubt, she encouraged him not to leave her husband alone, she would take care of us
and loves thinking that maybe it would be a matter of weeks decided to join our
father in Marseilles, leaving us with Aunt Julie. Although she was very
painful choice, encouraged by her sister Juli decided to go next to our father.
He waited for my sister and I slept the siesta, to give us farewell
covered us with kisses crying leaving asleep. He weighed so let us
small in occupied France and rationed. She later noted that in the
plight of the moment "one reacts like a robot in which a
not think. " Begoña My sister and I had 13 months 29 months of age. At two
afternoon went by train to Marseilles. She said repeatedly that this decision will
affect and weigh all his life.

During his trip on the train to Marseille Biarritz she cried, broke his heart to think
the time that we wake up and she was not there with us, and knew I
I would notice his absence but my sister and ask for it. Ama
tells "very bitter I spent years separated from the girls" ...
Below is the latest picture of love with us before leaving her to Marseilles in
Biarritz beach. Once again delving into the unknown

In Marseille went hungry with food rations of condensed milk

carrots, figs, bread, eggs, and no salaries. The Mistral wind, strong wind and cold
Northwest not to be appeased and spent too cold to make the most distressing
situation. They started talking about that could ship the wives and families. Ama
tried to convince Aunt Julia to come to Marseille with us to leave all
together to America, which had always been the dream of his sister Julie. They already
had passports for us and for her, but preferred to return to Euskadi tia
to see his father's old and sick, and it leads to us with her as she
believed that the boat trip was dangerous for us and we would be safer and
well looked after her, and did so to the dismay of love that would not leave without
us.
A few days before boarding mistress went for a walk alone on the beach watching the
sea reminded him of his days on the beach at Biarritz with us two, out of his
holding the tiny black and white photograph of us carrying on such
beach and to see a painter she asked about the small photo transformed into a
large painting to hang on the wall, and the painter moved by the
grief of the mother did and color and she kissed and hugged her painting
gave him some comfort. This painting was placed on top of
bed in the cabin of the boat and was at home in pride of place even after
her death the painting has disappeared.
But this other picture also taken in Biarritz and it is my favorite, perhaps because of its
sensitive maternal gesture to me that I needed both during our separation
my childhood and in my worst moments of doubt and inner struggle of memory in this
Photography helped me to reconnect with dear little girl Biarritz.

On a cold January 1941, after waiting for three months in Marseilles

a ship appeared on the horizon. Was French, Alsina, built in 1921
of 8.043 tonnes. His itinerary was Dakar-Bahia-Rio de Janeiro-Santos-Montevideo
and Buenos Aires. The ship sailed on 15 January 1941 and 38 150 Basque children
from age 1 month to 14 years old. It was very painful to see the love
Families with young children at her side and without us knowing how the
needed, and all it needed us too. He locked himself in his cabin
mourn, Aita did not want to see her suffer to not add more grief to him. He spent several
day a little patient with unexplained fever. The ship would take them to them and
188 Basques and bloody war that would be safe in 15 days. Our
parents said goodbye to European soil very sad to leave behind two
small daughters and your old Europe.
SECOND EXILE
While Franco and his Falange party imposed the Law
that children were repatriated to return to Spain to have a special interest
to retrieve the children of the defeated. They were called "children recovered
for the country "where they underwent a process of ideological reeducation. Y
France being the refuge of most children was immediately Euskadi
white. A Basque evacuated to England at age 14 at his home in commenting
Begoña, Bilbao 43 years later, "I guess the thought fascists
prolonging our stay in democratic or socialist ripen the
seeds of future enemies. "Another boy of the Citadelle (St. Jean Pied-de
Port) said, "None of us wanted to go, but we were to
mercy. At the Citadel we felt like we were home and now
going into the unknown. At the border, the guards tried to greet us
the flag of Franco, but we only look. "Every time erupts
war is the children who suffer most because in addition to separate them
all and all they know and need, they do not understand why what is happening
around.
Most children were aged 6, who had left
during the Spanish civil war were repatriated, but many of them never
returned from exile. Our case was different, in the midst of World War II
leaving our parents emigrated in Biarritz, France, and both suffer from the
maternal deprivation since the tender age of 1 and 2 ½ years old
respectively, both too young to be separated from our parents, but
especially from our mothers. The painful decision brought sadness to love and us
for the rest of our lives. She reports "I spent hard years separated from
girls ... A constant resentment, why do not we bring? "was mixed with
anxious questions: "Are we expected and where we go?" And before that unknown
I thought it was better that we were not in the boat.

Because the Germans did not allow French ships Pétain

across the Atlantic, Hitler pulled from the air their bombs to ships dare
such a feat. So when they came to Dakar, Senegal, twelve days later had
to wait to get a neutral vessel. In the long wait for a child died Dakar
malaria and yellow fever else, and it was at that time that our
consoled parents thought it was a blessing not to have us both of us
with them.

Easter celebrated in the boat using barrels of wine as an altar,

and singing in Basque and French. Preparing for it and offered confessions
gave communion in the pew who loves covered with his red coat. Mrs. Diva
Maria's long black dress gave concerts. Aita was teaching in Basque
this time and loves trying to learn, but his aching soul of our absence
CHAPTER II
LAS ARENAS, GETXO
Both children, parents and suffer intensely countries with wars. Children are one of the
sectors of the population who suffer most in wars as there are deaths, malnutrition,
disease and psychological trauma by being forced to continued displacement. For our
parents it was a cultural mutilation, added pain of having made so far in a war zone and
her two daughters so small. For the Basques and the Spanish Civil War after World War
II tore Euskadi a large and a large number of intellectuals of the most prominent and
prestigious.
While our parents left for America Aunt Julia came to us from Biarritz. By train crossed
the border with the two of us without documentation or authority to get us out of
France. The new Law on Franco helped plan such as our login Spain recovered the
daughters of the defeated. Begoña But recently explained that Aunt Juli could, because
he designed and sewed clothes for the wife of Ambassador of Spain to France, José
Félix de Lequerica Erquiza, while living in Paris. Now his intervention made possible
the aunt crossed the border with two French girls and 14 trunks of fabrics, designs
clothes and enough to start his haute couture business in San Sebastian
Lequerica went to France as ambassador in 1939, after occupying the embassy in the
Vichy regime allied with Nazi Germany. As Ambassador was marked by the relentless
persecution to which he put to the exiles from the war in Spain. Got arrested Lluis
Companys and other Republican leaders, handed over to the Francoist authorities as
Julian and Joan Peiro Zugazagoitia that also were shot. He was a staunch enemy of
Basque nationalism.
Across the border we waited for the uncle and aunt Ino Lola (the photo is the
guy we just passed the border in San Sebastian). Aunt Juli decided to continue to live in
beautiful San Sebastian opened a tailoring shop here. Begoña she stayed with me and
took me to Las Arenas, about 120 miles away to live with uncles and grandfather.
Separated the two brothers without thought of the terrible loss we had suffered.
Our maternal grandfather had lost his apartment and belongings of the "Casa
Grande" and went to live in a modest apartment in the district of Santa Ana A first floor
Gobelas Street # 24, right hand of Las Arenas. The house was sunny and clear as all the
rooms opened onto the outside. It had three bedrooms, large living and dining room,
huge bathroom and a kitchen that worked with wood and coal stoves with large crisper.
Grandpa lived with his eldest daughter, Lola, and her only son now Ino that drove the
actions of her sisters and her own and was Vice President of Workshops Erandio
society. Her other daughter Mari had gone to France and later to Caracas, Venezuela,
with her husband Luis and his daughter Luisa Ma. She was a piano teacher and would
open the way teaching. In the 4 th floor Elvira lived his niece.
I had a large room with a large balcony overlooking the back garden with
orchards of about 22 square meters per family. They raised chickens, chickens, or
vegetables were grown. In front of the house had a large garden surrounded by a fence.
My room was large and sunny and I shared with Aunt Lola. The room contained a king
bed, and over the head a newly acquired painting Guardian Angel protecting two
children crossing a dangerous bridge. Aunt Lola and I prayed every night that I covered
at night and day to me too, it would be a major concern of it, above the light table were
many pictures and all protected by glass. A favorite of mine was a nurse who wore a
necklace of glass beads and kept the aunt let him have me. I looked through the
generous sunshine that bathed my room, trying to imagine some unknown landscape,
the collar was emerald green. Complemented my room a large closet, and one small toy
to keep the clothes on my wrist Nicole, an armchair and a small shelf kept a collection
of books of the German brothers Grimm with the reading of which I nurtured me the
seven years I lived in Las Arenas.
We arrived at Las Arenas. In one trip I lost my parents, sister, aunt and without which
he had lived since birth. The grandfather looks forward to him my presence in his house
and called me Merceditas, perhaps by reminding his distant daughter. Las Arenas had
two aunts to take care. Aunt Lola, who said that I brought the sun home nicknamed me
"Solete." She was in charge of my religious life, took me to Mass with her and visited
all the churches around Easter, and school was appreciated by the nuns, which was a
frequent visitor asking for my progress "academic." Just as I had to visit the Shrine of
Arrate.
Arrate, which means Basque stones, is a mountain that is located on the city of Eibar
(Guipuzcoa) with a height of 556 meters. Along the top, crowned by a large stone cross
is a recreational area surrounding the Shrine of Our Lady of Arrate. Inside is venerated
image of the Virgin from the fourteenth century.
They were playing in the woods of pine and beech mochas, picking blackberries,
sometimes with Begoña and always with the children's aunt Andrew, the brother of
Uncle Peter. And snowy winter we saw the guy chasing the wolves that lived in the
region and attend classes that Uncle Peter dictated to children from neighboring
villages.
The chaplain of the Shrine of Don Pedro was Arrate Gorostidi (1915-2001) a great
photographer and expert's premier electronics and founded the first radio station in
Euskara in Eibar "Arrate Irratia" in late December 1959. The painter Ignacio Zuloaga,
born in Eibar, probably the most important Basque painter of the late nineteenth
century, donated some of his works at the sanctuary including the painting of Our Lady
of Arrate that were exhibited in the small enclosure of the altar. A Lola Aunt Elvira and
liked to help his cousin, Uncle Peter, especially in the special party as of September 8,
Our Lady of Arrate. We visited very often in winter or summer. We went by train from
Las Arenas Eibar and from there we climbed the narrow, winding road to the summit of
Mount Arrate. A Begoña and I climbed into the basket of the donkey. They gave us
chocolate bars and some comics, cartoons aimed at children as "Anita Tiny, blond
braids faced many dangers and enemies as witches horrible I guess to keep us quiet,
while the aunts were talking back. In addition to religious ceremonies in which I
participated in the procession, had dance competitions, tests Basque rural sports, dance
contest Basque and improvisers.
Aunt Elvira loved children, and lie without measure to cover my antics and
spoiled me by bringing goodies almost daily. She was in charge of my social life took
me on Sunday afternoon to visit my grandmother and my cousins Algorta. We also went
to Bilbao to visit old friends of my parents had two girls my age or the huge market of
La Ribera. Portugalete go on the ferry to eat chocolate with churros or attend fairs in
town. Begoña My sister saw it when there was a family event or the Christmas holidays.
Photo to Grandma Mary Algorta.
This is my first piece of "work" I did and sent it to my parents, and the firm is
Merceditas, the date is October 31, 1941, I was three years. Treasured love my cards
work.
We often visited a niece of the grandparent, aunt Antonia, tall and thin and used a cane,
always dressed in black as I remember. When we put the house phone, maybe by black
she did not want to use to talk to her sister who lived in Madrid because he believed that
this device was an invention of the devil.
Less than a year since I started school French "La Divina Pastora." Today is
called "Mother of the Divine Shepherd" and is opposite to the former home of my
grandfather. I was three years. I liked the theater and my first performance I said a line
of twenty words to the Mother Superior that even I have it. It seems that everyone
clapped and I did too excited. For now my grandfather and I were creating many
problems. We understood both very well, and no one could with our misdeeds.
Our parents knew what we were doing two of us. Aunt Lola wrote letters and eagerly
describing my past deeds and my bad behavior, but added my sympathy went beyond
any punishment. (I still have that letter.) And Aunt Juli wrote Begoña progress. She was
less work than me.
Picture of the school as I remember.
On 24 September, the festival of the Virgen de Las Mercedes Las Arenas people
dressed in giant party celebrating with big heads, bulls of fire, and shells casserole
contest. With that in mind my friends and I were racing competitions snails. In the
garden we had a lot of them and put them to climb the wall of the house, and spent
hours making championships. We also played marbles, one of the oldest games, or jacks
(jacks are the bones of the game of the knee of the hind legs of the Lambs) known from
classical antiquity and one of the most popular in the time between us. The hidden game
we did in large proportions, and we were going around the center of town and gardens
elegies uninhabited houses. One front of the station was our favorite, the owners of
these villas only came in summer. Make the trunk dance was another favorite pastime.
The neighborhood ice cream kept in the small garage in our garden your cart, and if we
still came out playing when he handed out ice cream we had left.
December 28 was celebrated with great pomp home of the grandfather's birthday. (The
picture of our grandfather and I Begoña Pier on the seafront in Las Arenas.) Days
before relatives had come from towns and villages nearby to help the sumptuous dinner.
Earlier in the kitchen all the women around a huge bowl killed and plucked chickens
and cooking time left them hanging on the balcony to keep them fresh, I did not I think
a better idea to grab one and throw the dog Txiki of downstairs neighbors that insurance
is both sniffing licking chicken. I do not remember what happened when it came time to
cook and realized they needed a bird, but surely that Aunt Elvira bailed me with one of
his famous tricks.
With the arrival of two txistularis Algorta, was beginning the party. At dessert a family
friend, Mary Basanez, played the piano and all under the baton of Uncle Ino Boga-Boga
sang solemnly. The house was full of people, many had come days before the aunts to
help prepare the big dinner in honor of our grandfather. My sister and I were the fun
jumping on the bed in my room as I remember. The dinner lasted until the wee hours of
the morning. Are special for the absent. Ama replied wistfully wrote about it and wishes
to return. The aunts answered "soon will be."
All around me was good and lively, at least when I visited my friends and saw them
with their parents, much resented not having mine although it was not something I liked
to preach, I felt sad that my parents did not live with me. It was such a longing to have
my parents that sometimes when he came home from school before touching the
knocker of the house, screaming "Love, Aita open the door" to my friends heard and
believe that my parents had already returned. While I lived all these experiences, my
parents were in Casablanca, Morocco, Africa. They had been waiting six months for a
neutral vessel to cross the Atlantic and go to Argentina. They had been in a
concentration camp on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, Africa. I did not know all that at
the time. In my jewelry I liked made me happy when I received from them an amber
necklace that I still have my doll Nicole picture with Aunt Lola in Las Arenas.
The day after Reyes no time to play with our new toys my sister and Aunt Julia
were going to San Sebastian and we felt sorry goodbye. We got along very well but
were very different in temperament, and physically. She was blonde with big brown
eyes caramel, pretty face and small stature, I was brown hair, freckles, and slender.
Also, our lifestyle was different, and we are going to different models. She lived more
isolated from other children because they stopped going to school after the kids was
called "daughter cells" with contempt. A andereño came to teach at home. She was
more shy and more quiet than I, my temper was more restless, I was either trying to be
the leader, and she was much as I could. Both the company needed the other, but
seldom had.
My parents had arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ama wrote often and the
guys they had at both of us constantly. We announced the arrival of a new Arantzazu
sister who was born on January 21, 1943 with which we could play soon. They were
convinced that his return was imminent.
The grandfather suffered from arteriosclerosis and used in his final months wheelchair.
His death was sudden at 79 years of age. I was told that he was sleeping and during the
evening and burial was staying with family friends in the upstairs and saw the street
Gobelas funeral, the priest, the acolytes with their candles and people back via a the
church, but I do not think I realized what was happening. I was five. The grandfather
our mother died without being able to say their last goodbye.
One year after the death of our grandfather's aunt Lola decided to go to Caracas
to be with her sister Mari was very ill at the time, and now my life was another person
who had been important to me. At home I was under the tutelage of Uncle Ino and new
aunt Carmen. I loved the guy, and Aunt Carmen was very good to me. When I was in
school I was shopping at the square with her as he had done to Aunt Lola. I wore my
little basket, and almost always came home with some homemade things that gave me
the plaza. For when we returned from food shopping was almost done, and smelled
delicious as it had been simmered in the coal stove and soon got the guy to eat with us.
The guys often take me for a ride to Bilbao, what I remember most is going to Arenal de
Bilbao in Week Great for walking in the carousels.
Uncle liked to tell of the time when the "Arenas Club was champion of Spain in
1919 and runner-up in 1925 and 1927 winning hotly Arenas Barcelona by 5 to 2 in the
field of Racing in Madrid. . And together we sang the song about such an event "...
Alirón, Alirón the Arena Champion" ... The playing football in the Arena Club and had
a large photo in the living room with the signatures of the team. The photo showed the
players and I remember a few of those times as successful Peña, Careaga, Monache and
Robus the first three of which came to know. The Arena Club was formed in 1912, first
played in a football field in Lamiako, but soon left the club in Neguri Jolaseta sports.
Ama told us of the glory of our season because once uncle had a goal. When the guy
playing the whole family attended, and incited him to tuck a goal or Aunt Lola would
not pay.
He also liked to take me to the balcony at dusk to watch together the fiery light
of the blast furnaces, huge ovens where iron was smelted, but I said I was the place
where they were those who were naughty. Once he took me to see the launching of a
ship at Rio Nervion. It was a moment of great excitement when the ship dropped from
the top of the dike to the surface of the river, saw with horror that shook him until he
finally rested pretty quiet in the water.
These days, I had a small accident could be serious. Playing in the house of my friend
Miguel A. and we decided to create our own railway line and putting chairs 'travel'
under them, perhaps because it is so close to home and the train station and hear
constant beeps. One of the chairs had a nail ledge you came into my frontal region, was
bleeding and it hurt a lot and my friend's mother carried her terrified me down the stairs,
they lived on the third floor, while I cried inconsolably and amid called to love my sobs,
she was almost 6 years. Difficult time for Aunt Carmen. I did the priests, and a
centimeter scar was visible on the forehead, invisible today.
When our parents knew that Begoña had separated and I would not liked
anything because we were growing up like sisters, but living apart was hard for them to
evaluate the circumstances and were very grateful that treated us well. Shortly after
leaving Aunt Lola, Aunt Julie asked invited me to spend some time going to San
Sebastian, and decided to try only for the three summer months, since I went to school.
Boarded the train "e" in Bilbao Atxuri station, and five hours later we entered Amara
station in San Sebastian. There I was waiting Contxesi accompanied Begoña. She was a
peasant euskaldun Guipuzcoa, and cook top, right hand of my aunt who loved my sister
Begoña. She and Contxesi they understood very well and spoke in Euskara. I knew a
few words I learned from my grandfather, to him the "Erder" was their second language.
My sister was happy and I also waiting to see her.
San Sebastian was once a fortified town and fishing village. Now was the Bella Easo.
The photo shows the house, third from left to right, indicated by an arrow. Aunt Juli
General Echagüe lived in # 15. The house had two floors. In the basement were the
kitchen, bathroom, Contxesi room and two large rooms that held the sewing workshop
where a dozen seamstresses worked. Upstairs was elegantly decorated highlighting the
colors maroon and sky blue. The entrance to a beautiful mahogany furniture where the
phone was a chair upholstered with maroon carpet. He was an elegant dining room with
a large fireplace and wood tile, carpet and burgundy leather armchairs. It was also
because the locker room during the day, became bed at night. The dining room was
connected by sliding doors to a room dedicated to fashion, carpets and sofas wore light
blue and very dim lighting torches type embedded in the walls giving a warm and
elegant appearance, followed by a waiting room of the same style and ultimately a
testing room and a large bathroom as big as the dining room. Every room had huge
windows overlooking the river Urumea. The house was located on the corner of Paseo
General Echagüe and Salamanca. The place was beautiful, and I remember falling
asleep to the sound of waves hitting the rocks on the banks of river. The large stone
building was built in the nineteenth century, five-story-high ceilings. Aunt Julie was a
true artist in design and sewing business had its couture. It was more a home business.
She traveled a lot during the week, but when I was at home working in the workshop or
testing, and often only saw during lunch. Sunday took us to Mass at the Cathedral of the
Good Shepherd and sometimes watched races in the bay before coming home for lunch.
We were always beautifully dressed. But for me the best of this city was playing with
my sister and we got along very well, though she were living different experiences in
this elegant, secure but lonely environment, and I was more modest, but more free and
more friends. In this beautiful city of San Sebastian, we had the freedom to go out alone
because it was highly trafficked Paseo Salamanca.
A few months after the birth of our little sister in Buenos Aires, our parents went to live
in Montevideo, Uruguay. The Basque president José Antonio Aguirre at that time was
living in New York will be commissioned by aita the Basque Cultural Week 1943 in
Uruguay who lived a democratic regime, and close friends of democracy, while in
Argentina occurred on 4 June this year a coup with positivism towards Franco. Aita
accepted the new responsibility of organizing the Basque Week which started on 30
October and was delayed until November 13, 1943. One of his main tasks was to
develop honor committees composed entirely of prominent members of the public and
intellectual life of Uruguayan society. We have facilitated and distant relative to the
then President of the Republic Juan Jose Amezaga, their grandfathers were brothers.
That week Basque our father worked hard to have the participation of poets, painters,
writers, sculptors, musicians, dancers. Aguirre also decided to continue with the Basque
Delegation in Montevideo. In the spring of 1943, Aguirre asked his old friend Vincent
to take over as Director of the Basque Delegation in Montevideo, which was equivalent
to be ambassador to Uruguay, but of course only an honorary title. After two visits to
study the situation, Aita agreed and moved to Montevideo in September 1943. They
seemed happy, Aita very big task to raise awareness of Basque culture in this city was
not known, and love with social work, although our mother, she used to say, the shadow
of our absence pained his heart constantly.
In my continually vibrated a concern that my sister did not share, and it was the desire
to be close to our mother and meet with our parents out anywhere, but as yet we were at
war was safe to cross the ocean and there was nobody to take responsibility by our care,
we do not much could be done. Guys always say "next year you'll be all together", but
months and years passed without too happen.
 Now that you know how to write them all this could have life and I did our
parents. Frequently received their news. Just born our brother Joseph Bingen on April
18, 1945, and the war was almost over. Our parents started talking to meet Begoña and
me with them. They wanted us to be the two together, what Aunt tell them that the
journey by ship from Bilbao to Montevideo, Uruguay, was very long, in years one
month's journey, and suggested better to make the journey and see then go the other.
That was a long trip for two and more by going alone. Our parents happy but not
agreed. I immediately started making plans of what until now had been only a dream,
first trying to convince to take Begoña together such a feat. I think if we lived under the
same roof would have been a fact.
I arrived in Las Arenas in time to start school, miss my sister, but my happiness
turned back to my uncles. They could not have children and it seems I filled their lives
very well, and I was happy to go to school and see my friends.
One day in October of 1945 my paternal grandmother, Maria, who lived in Algorta
going to daily Mass at the Church of the Trinity tripped on the steps of the door (see
photo at right) fell and broke her hip. The surgery, but died shortly afterwards of
pneumonia at age 83 without her youngest child nearby. I still remember his funeral. I
was 7 years after his death I had occasionally to visit Algorta uncles and cousins with
whom we played very well. His death opened the wound of separation in our parents
who could not give a last goodbye to their parents.
Aita delegate at Montevideo became leader of a spy network Basque dozen gathered
intelligence about fascist agents in Uruguay and what happened to the Basques of New
York who then sent it to Washington. The money earned from this service was a vital
part of family income in early and mid 40's. In early 1947 the U.S. gave a tour of 180
degrees to their concerns fascists, with the onset of the Cold War. Communism became
the enemy and Spain became an ally in this struggle. And now the State Department and
the CIA withdrew their financial support to the Basque government, a step that
succumbed to the efforts of the exiles of a financial crisis which he never recovered.
And now the family home was going through financial hard times.
We were in 1947, we wrote that love for my birthday would have a new / a
brother / a and I volunteered to be the godmother. I happy to take as a gift for me, but
changed their minds about the godmother, maybe I was too young, would be 9 years. At
school the nuns began to prepare for First Communion.
The aitas wanted to be present for this day so great and was a tear for them
that I hiciese away from them. But it would be 9 years and not know how much more
would be expected. We went to Canada to take photos to send official photographs. My
lovely organdy gown was made in the workshop of Aunt Julie. The celebrant was Uncle
Peter, the date, May 7, my birthday, instead, the school chapel. It would be a private
ceremony. The small church was decorated with beautiful flowers in May. Opposite the
altar were three sets of red velvet couches that would be occupied by my uncles Ino and
Carmen and half of them mine, white tulle wrapped. Abundant flowers and lights in the
chapel. It was a very good day for all but the absence of our parents was the only shade.
When I leaned on my pew fervently asked to meet with our parents very soon. Seven
months later he was in a boat to Montevideo, Uruguay. Four days to make my First
Communion, May 11, 1947, was born our brother, Xabier Iñaki.
The captain of Monte Amboto "Captain Gastiarena, friend of the uncle told him they
were going to South America with stops in Montevideo, Uruguay, next December and
would be responsible for two of us, but Begoña was unwilling to leave. It was a long
journey and I would go alone, without my sister or anyone I knew. His refusal did not
diminish my strong desire to meet with our parents. So began my trip preparation only.
The months went by quickly. I do not remember going through my mind when I was
about to leave everything I was so familiar and kind to embark alone on a distant place
to go to meet my parents and three younger siblings. But I had doubts about the step
that would give, but without knowing completely change my life and that of my parents
and siblings.
In one of my recent trip to San Sebastian again Begoña I proposed to accompany
me on the journey to America. I could not believe that she did not feel like something I
wanted so badly. It was midsummer and we were both in the Paseo Nuevo skating and
put emphasis on this trip you need to go together, this time I said very seriously and I
remember exactly his words, "I'm afraid to travel by boat going so far and makes me
laugh does not live with siblings. "I remember that day because while we were
discussing about our future, we look at some of the people sitting on the banks of the
Paseo Nuevo read the newspaper headlines that read" Died Manolete. "But while the
news has not told us a lot to my sister or me when we got home sewing girls talked
about the event telling that the biggest and legendary bullfighter in history was killed by
a goring deep testified that the bull (drilling with the shaft femoral vein and this event
turned him into a myth of post-war Spain) and that was an August 29, 1947. Years later
when I did an oral presentation covering the school in Montevideo culture of the Iberian
Peninsula, I would explain to the class about this event with much eloquence as if it had
been present at that event.
I left San Sebastian to Bilbao, the guy I went looking for the train station in
Bilbao. Going to Las Arenas in the car in silence, after a long pause he said, "you know
you do not have to go if you do not want." I nodded, but I had already made the decision
and no one could convince me otherwise. This picture, taken on the beach at Las Arenas
in the summer of 1947, the last mine before embarking for Uruguay.
Days before I left the guys gave me a beautiful gold bracelet with four
precious stones amethyst, light purple hue, called "Rose of France" they told me that
whenever I put it when I remembered them. And you wear during the journey and today
I have a small treasure. I learned that this rock is soothing and invigorating aspect in
case of stress, nervousness, fear and anxiety and is one of the world's most important
crystals. And according to Greek mythology, Dionysus, god of wine and debauchery,
sought a maiden named Amethyst, which wished to remain chaste. The goddess
Artemis heard their prayers, and transformed the woman in a white rock. Dionisio,
humiliated, poured wine on the rock by way of apology, staining and purple crystals.
Christianity adopted the amethyst as a symbol of renunciation of worldly goods and
chastity, and even today in the form of rings are many cardinals and bishops. The
amethyst symbolizes divine wisdom.
Arrived on December 17, 1947 and went to port and ship all Bilbao. The
captain was waiting, I had no beard or pipe as I had imagined, very friendly took us to
the bridge, where goes the ship, and showed us his glasses and wheel steering. My
uncles inspected my cabin. My bed was right above and next to the window (porthole).
They hugged me and kissed me with tears. I was so excited and thought they had
changed the idea of leaving, they told me later. Shortly after the boat with loud siren
implacable announced the departure. Begoña was not with me. I was alone on deck
watching them them in the spring. The guys continued to drive along the banks of the
river from the boat docks, marinas, boatyards, the blast furnaces, factories, houses and
yards Euskalduna against which Churchill was the guy waving a large handkerchief. I
remember him shouting "Do not forget the heritage." The aunt and uncles Cris was
Aunt Carmen and went to visit them from time to time to Bilbao. They lived in the
neighborhood Basurto, in the 5 th floor, the kitchen window I could see the San Mames
stadium. The best box in the neighborhood. While they were chatting outside the
window, I heard music on the RCA record player, and apparently liked me, so leave it
with me so I promised inheritance, and because it is my plea. At the bridge hanging my
uncles took the tissues to give me a final goodbye and I kept looking until they became
the horizon line. In front of my very soon to be the sea and more sea.
After a month of cross many time zones and the perception that something left
behind grew stronger loved coming to my destination. Change the time on my gold
watch aitas Gift for my First Communion, at appropriate times.
We stopped at Vigo, Lisbon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Montevideo. Four ports on a
month-long trip, abounded days sailing across the vast Atlantic where only looked
around the horizon, allowing a stay more calm on board. To clarify the times I
remember playing my favorite game, Maze, coloring and reading. (Picture of my cabin)
There were no children of my age to play. Torino, who was a waiter at Las Arenas, took
me around the boat ride and on Sunday went down to the kitchen in the cellar where
there were large pots of chocolate and there gave me extra donuts and churros. I
remember celebrating Christmas and Reyes had gifts of the master.
In Vigo stopped long enough for the captain to take me to the circus. We sailed through
the Canary Islands and stopped at the port of Tenerife for several hours before hitting
the Atlantic Ocean. In the middle of the ocean facing a pretty big storm, it was cold, the
wind blew relentlessly and the sea was altered. Bamboleábamos us a bit in following the
mad plans of the sea and I got a little scared the fury of the sea. The captain came and
trying to calm Amboto telling me that he was prepared for these storms, and I told the
story of the voyage of the Kon-Tiki, an adventurer who a few months earlier, underwent
another sea larger than the "us" and was only and on board a raft made of reeds only,
which are similar to the reeds that surround the banks of the river Gobelas. It seems
calm returned to my mind because I ran to tell Torino to "not be frightened."
Almost reaching my anxiety grew about my new and unknown world of my
new family and country. We reached the coast of Brazil, but I did not pay much
attention to anything because my anxiety grew up coming to the Rio. Now the
temperature was warmer. Bilbao had left in winter and in summer we got to
Montevideo. Finally the day came, I chose to wear a summer dress, I think the one I
had. Slowly the ship was entering the Río de la Plata, and soon in the port of
Montevideo, which was almost opposite to us. The date was January 15, 1948, exactly
seven years since our parents had left Europe.
Received from Bilbao River Maritime Museum in Bilbao, this small review of the ship
"Monte Amboto."
Anboto Mendi was launched on September 5, 1928 at the shipyards Euskalduna for
shipping Sota and Aznar. It was a conventional ship, for general cargo, with a
continuous deck and 4 warehouses. Since the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in
1936, was sailing under the flag republican controlled by the Basque Government until
August 24, 1937, when the crew went over to the national side. So, fly the flag of the
Government of Burgos until the end of armed conflict. It would then be delivered to
Naviera Aznar, renamed Mount Amboto.
He intended to sail in large coastal traffic and height, as a ship "tramp" .* Subsequently,
the vessel underwent a transformation, becoming mixed vessel with a capacity to
accommodate 72 passengers, sailing from then and for many years, in line regular
Northern Spain-South America with stops in Bilbao, Vigo, Lisbon, Santa Cruz de
Tenerife, Montevideo and Buenos Aires. I would also line-Mar del Plata Mediterranean.
Scrapped at Santander on March 3, 1977.
* The characteristic of this mode of transport is its high load capacity and adaptability to
transport all kinds of products, volumes and values.
CHAPTER III
MONTEVIDEO
At 2 pm the captain and I watched together on the deck to the dock that we were
approaching slowly. The two waited anxiously for the ship anchored in the harbor.
Feeling lonely and desperately looking for familiar faces, I asked the captain "Who are
my parents?" Before he could answer, my sister Arantza nearly five years and my
brother Bingen two and a half years running by the spring came shouting my name.
Now it was Mary Janes, I called Mirentxu. For every situation in my short life had a
new name. From a very early age I called different names depending on the situation I
was. The first letter that "wrote" to my parents on the eve of my third birthday in Las
Arenas, 1941, my "signature" is Merceditas. The first few months in Montevideo in the
park children called me "the Spanish girl" for my European accent, when I arrived in
Venezuela's co-workers called me Maria Mercedes, friends "ché" by my accent
Uruguay. When I became a U.S. citizen in 1970 and signed Mirentxu I used it until I
realized that it was difficult to pronounce and the sweet name was changed to
"Merencho", so I chose my first name Marie. My name in Basque continues in the
family, with our eldest daughter Anne, and our first grandchild Look Mirentxu Gizelle.
The various names and different nationalities I've had is that one of the reasons why the
motto on the shield of Paris is appropriate to have a bit of my history "nec Fluctuat
mergitur" or "tossed by waves, it does not sink. "
A little nervous, from the deck to change a few words with love in the spring. Aita
shook hands and smiled. The rest of us watched, but nobody said much. I remember I
asked my brother Xabier of 8 months since I saw him, and replied that he loves me at
home. The captain took me to his cabin to get my parents in private and officially
handed over to them. The minutes passed slowly, seemed hours when Aita appeared in
the doorway of the cabin and was followed by the rest of the family and a few friends.
Aita full of excitement kissed and hugged me calling me "Maitea nere." Love with tears
in his eyes I was embraced with so much time saying "Let us make my daughter
happy." My brother embraced me. The emotion of the moment was intense by my
parents, and mine to meet them all. Few like it and for so long, but once done I was
ready to go home with the guys again. Maybe because I realized that everything around
me was very different to what I had experienced so far.
After saying goodbye to a very loving and Torino Captain of the ship and soon we
arrived at the house in John Paullier 1615, third floor. The apartment was located a half
block from the Avenida 18 de Julio, famous and popular with many shops. The
apartment was very nice but a little tiny and in a stroller was my little brother Xavier
was beautiful, chubby, blond and I won right away with your smile. About Lucinda
Martinez was called at home "The Nanny" was the lady who took care of my brothers
and helped with household chores. She welcomed me warmly. Tata months later the
artist was very good help me designing the pages of my school essays. On these
occasions she told me proudly that he was a native of the city of Melo, capital of the
department of Cerro Largo, birthplace of brilliant literary talents such as the legendary
Joan of America, and Justin Zabala Muñiz. His father had gone blind after an explosion
in the lab where he worked and the family suffered financially because of it. While my
parents entertained a few friends of the people I went to the room with my sister share
followed by my brothers who wanted to see the things I had brought. Arantza my sister,
she was a cute blonde who was very interested in everything I said and did and followed
me everywhere with her rag doll in her arms she called "the pee." Bingen My brother
was a handsome boy with large melancholy eyes, very quiet, serious, silent observer
and, perhaps intimidated because until now he had an older sister to send you, and
suddenly had two. I was surrounded by them very well, although my role had changed,
here was the eldest of three children, ages 4, 2 years and 8 months. By age all they
needed more careful attention than me, and it was difficult for a girl of 9 years to accept
this after being daughter alone for seven years. The change!
The day after my arrival, our parents took me to see the city. We took a bus to the
Parque Rodo, a huge amusement center and near the beach. Bingen Arantza and came
with us. We went up to the bumper carts and carousels, but the roller coaster our father
came up with my brothers, because I did not want to go to it and love stayed with me.
We two were walking to the park's unique flora abounding with greenery and flowers,
which she loved. It was the first time my mother was alone with me since I was two
years. How many years apart, experience and the bond that is established during this
time. They lost my life and I was them and I thought it difficult or almost impossible to
recover. In silence we looked around when I noticed a seller caught surrounded by
children who had a bunch of balloons (latex) of all colors combined with the colorful
atmosphere. I had never seen balloons before, wearing only white giants and carnival
figures made of animal bladders, which they used to paste. Love to see my great
surprise I bought two. Later we bought cotton candy. I only knew the lump of sugar
water that accompanies the hot chocolate. Everything was unknown. And he missed not
having Begoña me. Many years later when he said "all the changes I went through
would have been much easier to side with you, to which she replied" my also I like that
you left me. "
In the home theater, beneath the window, there were shelves of books. Aita pointed me
to a collection of books that lady had bought especially for me. One was "Heidi" the
novel about the life of a girl living under the care of his grandfather in the Swiss Alps.
And several books in the collection of the Countess de Segur, whose author is Russian
and came as she and her family exiled to Paris at age 13 (1812). Later married to Count
Eugene de Segur. His novels are based on the life of her three daughters. One daughter,
Natalie de Segur, was maid of honor of the Empress Eugenia de Montijo. Segur's first
novel I read was called "the girls Model" is a happy family with three daughters very
good, Camila, Magdalena and Margarita but her friend Sophie was very different. Was
jealous of her friends. His mother was no news of her husband was lost at sea, and his
house was unhappiness. The author focuses on the three girls through their adventures
with Sophie learn the path of good and evil. And gladly absorbed the stories read these
books several times.
On the first floor there lived a woman named Moma, she was very good to us, when we
heard down the stairs left and forgotten, some candy on the ledge of the door and we
knew it was for us. It was delicious, and this became routine, Bingen would meet soon
to this feat. Xabier was too young to follow. As they did not reach the ledge the power I
get the delectable food made me an instant hero. When I went to buy coffee at a place
called "El Chano" Arantza almost always wanted to accompany me. Cologne was left
on the street, one block from home, and we had no loss because the aroma of coffee
smelled since we left the portal. My sister loved making these little excursions with me,
was something new to her, although I'm sure our parents were shaking a little bit when I
followed him because I was a freshman in the city.
The Tata took us to the park in the afternoons, three blocks from home. Park was the
Allies, named in honor of the Allied nations that won in the First World War. The park
is huge and with all varieties of trees and plants as well as much wildlife, and
monuments such as the Obelisk, La Carreta and the Estadio Centenario. This stadium
hosted the first soccer championship. Uruguay was the first world champion in 1930
and again in 1950 at the famous Maracana. " The Tata gave us a snack, not the
chocolate bar and bread they gave us in San Sebastian, but bread with dulce de leche,
sweet typical Creole taste it with gusto. It soon became friends with a group of children,
but I called it "the Spanish girl" thing because I disliked that term to emphasize my
differences with them, but nothing I could say to make them change their minds until
they speak with an accent Uruguay.
And these things were happening every day made from time to time I rebelled against
the injustice that I saw and felt within myself and my young age that knew not express.
Only my conduct and my studies gave the tone of it. Because I compared the difference
in the life led by my brothers and what was and was mine. They grew up next to our
parents, and everything was easy, but I had to suffer, fight, stop and change everything
that was familiar to me just because of wanting to be where I belonged by birth. How
difficult it was for me to understand and accept. Today, in similar circumstances all
family members would be subject to family counseling. But love able to overcome the
obstacles with patience and love.
Austrian psychiatrist Sigmund Freud tells us that many cultures have
emphasized the sadness of mothers separated from their children to be small, but
historically little has been said about the consequences of the loss of the mothers
suffered by young children. The basic need of a child is love and tenderness of his
mother and in his absence, his greatest anxiety is that such love is lost. As is also the
father's presence that gives security and confidence to the child. The dimensions of this
drama are impossible to understand for someone who has not lived. Ama understood
that I had adjustment problems better than anyone, and although it was difficult to talk
now with the girl she left many years ago, she knew to wait until I was ready for it. For
it was less difficult to deal with my rebellion than it was for our father, perhaps because
better understand my struggle that was also his fight. I know that the two wanted to
close the gap that had opened after the separation of seven years. And there was always
the question about our mother chose our father instead of my sister and me? Aita is also
about understanding and approach, but I made it more difficult for him. And I knew
love, he felt in his heart, he understood and was double his sentence. And to hear her
express her pain made me love her more. At the end of their confidence in me, their
concern and love worked miracles. When someone trusts us, adds value to our lives.
At home we had discipline for mealtimes and bedtime always at the same time.
While we ate lunch together when we almost always ate dinner before our parents,
because they were not home on the days at that time. Tata served us every night at
seven o'clock. Going to bed too was governed by an almost inflexible schedule that
would not let us be in their evening or night work. This routine was following her every
night. After we retire to bed, my father's peace building the house, busily working on
his translations and literary works at his desk, next to him in a special chair, loves
sewing clothes for us or knitting in silence and thus two were working in company with
so much love for each other until the wee hours of the night. Love often asked me to
help him wind the skeins of wool, and taught me the art of weaving and knitting and
started liking to canvas at his side and I continued to practice most of my life, even rugs
for the bathroom children that she did.
The financial slide a bit before my time became more dramatic setting. With
my arrival, the house was very small, in just one year were two more children. A few
months after I get moved to Francisco Araucho # 1235, Floor 3, Apt 6. The building
was newly constructed, it estrenábamos us. It was bigger and spacious and very well
located, near the school and park in front of José Pedro Varela which went almost every
day. This triangular shaped square is surrounded by Artigas Boulevard, the Avenida
Brasil and Calle Canelones, is one of the most beautiful and spacious squares in
Montevideo. The part that gives the Boulevard has a beautiful bronze and marble
monument dedicated to the great educator of the people of Uruguay which is carved in
bronze with a book in his left hand and a pencil in his right hand and foot several books.
Left photo shows a room balcony was a window, the fourth of our fathers, and the other
balcony where his desk was Aita library.
One thing was still employed in the lives of my brothers was the fall of teeth, and
when I dropped one, a new event arrived home, the legend of the Tooth Fairy. It was a
novelty for them to see that I placed the tooth under the pillow while sleeping and a
mouse I would change it for a gift or money. My sister dreamed of the moment to
remain toothless. The tooth fairy story says that "... Between the death of King raged
and the accession to the throne of Mari-Chestnut Queen there is a long and dark period
in the chronicles, that there are few reports. It appears, however, that flourished at that
time a king Buby I, a great friend of the poor children and protector of the mice decided
to ... "The mouse was very small, with straw hat, sunglasses gold, canvas shoes and a
red bag, placed at the back. We say that the mouse lived with his family in a big box of
cookies, in a famous candy store, just a hundred meters from the Palacio Real. The little
rodent ran away from home frequently, and through the pipes of the city, came to the
rooms of the little king Bubi I and other poor children who lost a tooth, confused cats,
who were always lurking. On July 18th Avenue was a shop devoted to the tooth fairy.
On Saturday morning we went to the beach Pocitos on bus 121. On Sunday
afternoon we visited friends of the family, sometimes we'd go to the spa Carrasco. This
was elegant and sophisticated resort about 20 kilometers from the city with the most
varied types of architecture, the building that I remember most was the Hotel Casino,
because the bus stopped beside us, a magnificent building surrounded by gardens and
sculptures, and from here we walked through beautiful countryside with fragrant
eucalyptus trees that provided a perfect backdrop for the mysterious and funny stories
that my father had younger siblings. Ana Maria Carrasco lived in Bidegaray of Janssen,
which called Marion, born in Hasparen, Lapurdi, Xabier godmother and close friend of
the family. (Picture) was the person I most admired in Montevideo, and his memory to
our first child baptized with the name of Anne Miren. It was not just its culture, its
fineness, her delicate figure, but his intelligence, his charm and humanity in the deal. I
loved hearing their stories of the old East and I remember observing in the living room
of his home two paintings related to the torture of medieval China were not with him,
but she once told us that the consequence of disobeying Emperor was torture and death.
She was the author's first book published in Uruguay in relation to Basque culture,
Basque Baby in 1948. Years later in the farewell to us in Euskal Erria she took me aside
to speak fondly of many things. As I knew much about my life? Among them, in my
role and responsibilities of eldest daughter, me with tears in his eyes, hugged and
thanked his words, though I do not remember having gone through all your good
advice.
Two months after my arrival and before school starts, we went to a studio to get a
picture official family had made love all the clothes that we wear in this picture. This
picture has always been in the dining room. Aita was next, but for some reason not in
the picture. We were in March and this month the first day of school. Ama, Arantza and
I went to buy uniforms with enthusiasm to the store El Cabezón, huge warehouse near
home that had everything. And ready the first week of March we started the school. But
not soon I knew no one school, college and Liceo Santo Domingo of the Dominican
Sisters French, my second home. The school and the sisters became a treasured
sanctuary as it grew and I made friends with those who continued to write after leaving
Uruguay until the eve of marrying.
 Others were almost monthly visits to the first cousin of Aita, Ludovina
Amezaga and her husband Ambrose Uriarte. While our parents talked to the cousins
Ambrosio twin sister who lived with them the rich showed us that she made jams and
jealously guarded in the large pantry. On the death of Ambrose, Ludovina elderly and
somewhat fragile health he moved to a nursing home where we went to visit often and
say goodbye just before leaving. On this last visit I noticed the very kind and
compassionate soul who harbored it and what was his fervent faith, and that last day
perceived it as a saint. When you tell Aita later, I said to be a no-Amezaga mistake
about it ...
One Friday May 7, 1948 dawned rainy and sad, and the thunderous sounds of drums
improvised pot lids I woke up, the whole family, including Tata, I woke up with gifts. It
was my first birthday in America, met 10 years. Happy running and breakfasted and
dressed in the uniform was ready to go to school when he loves me said they had
prepared a surprise for me that afternoon. When I returned for lunch, I neither saw nor
heard anything more than a faint whisper to lunch "Zurik Zorionak." I went to school in
the afternoon, this time taking my sister Arantza five years, he was a "gardener." Love
had given me a bit of change to buy one of my cravings of the moment, bubble gum,
which I shared with my sister, but still she did not anticipate the surprise that awaited
me. When we returned to the home late, the whole house was lit and decorated with
streamers and thousands of multicolored balloons. In the dining room table was a large
cake with 10 candles and a big heart and lonely. Xabier met in a few days the first year,
and although he knew, he was included in the treat. Immediately began to fill the small
apartment with a dozen children of friends of our parents. At the back of the room a
special chair was reserved for John Uraga, a dear family friend, former mayor of
Barakaldo, who had saved his life during the Spanish civil war from France across the
Pyrenees in a change of guard. For the dish was not better than the rice pudding that
loves him and savored prepared with pleasure every time. After blowing the candles
mine and only my brother and eating the great "colinetas" or cake had a Chaplin film to
our dear family friend Peter Arteche always provided. He was born in Bilbao to
Uruguay with his parents at a young age. He and his wife had two daughters, Nora and
Martha a bit older than me, was a family very dear to us all.
Ma Luisa de Biraben at the party asked for permission to love to take me days after the
cinema to see the musical fantasy film "The Wizard of Oz" this is a young American
woman swept away by a tornado and left in a fantasy land inhabited by good and bad
witches, a talking scarecrow, a cowardly lion, a tin man and other extraordinary beings.
It was the first time I went to a movie in Montevideo, and was very different to those I
had gone to see in Las Arenas, Bilbao
Ama was the promoter family celebrate holidays, as well as for special occasions
like when we were visiting friends in Buenos Aires Basques. She cooked very well and
enjoyed doing it. I remember some of the visitors to Buenos Aires as Pedro Basaldua,
spouses Lasarte, Jose Maria Aldasoro and was an occasion to love to do the best dishes.
He went to bed reading the cookbook. On anniversaries and birthdays of ours, who
never overlooked, were part of a legacy that gave us love and Aita citing this special
day events on our birth, stories of them during the Spanish Civil War and War World
lived in Paris, grandparents and other family members. With all these stories in a way
they were building family unity, strengthened the culture, share issues of common
interest and to transmit its values to us and it made us feel important part of the family
to give a sense of belonging to the family and as consequence to the society in which we
lived. His latest recording fifteen cassettes was part of that legacy.
Part of what we tell our children can make their lives forever. Our thoughts
dictate what we say, the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and is therefore better
to speak positively rather than negatively. The tricky thing about all this, is to accept
each of the members of the family, appreciate and love them as they are showing
interest and concern for others instead of apprehension, also realizing that we
sometimes take more than they receive, and accept it because there are times when we
receive more than they give, and know how to be grateful. Family harmony and love is
a great treasure that we all feed.
Even family celebrations our mother was careful not only in food but in the
presentation. The table looked with a special tablecloth, white linen embroidered in blue
indigo, and the fine china used only for these occasions. Begoña In all these dates are to
be spiritually present in an empty chair when she put her picture to join in the festivities.
Aita always glad the festivities with some narration at times humorous and even a song.
We expected the banshee desserts because he always loves surprises, she put vintenes
(Uruguayan currency) into the cake and we all looked eagerly for it not for the value but
to feel special, but I think that most enjoyed was it
Living in the Southern Hemisphere was in summer holiday season, and we felt
discriminated against because the cards had the Magi with their heavy winter clothing
camels. We wanted a scantily clad kings, and aboard yachts coming to our shores by the
sea, where we were almost every day at this time. Our postcards instead of snowy
landscape would have had to be sand and palm trees. But the reality is different, we
were told, because the city of Bethlehem this time is very cold wind and frost to be
close to the desert with snow in the highlands, and therefore the same manger as it was
located in atop a small hill.
Christmas for us children was a sweet word that conjured to mind fond
memories and great food gift. For our parents this time was somewhat bittersweet
longing for the distant party left behind, was the Christmas of exile, as the called Aita.
Our mother when he arrived this time displaying his artistic talents to build a beautiful
paper mache Bethlehem trying to imitate the elements of the country's arid and rocky
landscape to which he put the sacred figures in the manger.
Arteche friend would show up at home with a delicious sweet bread, dessert menu that
always accompanied the rich who loves prepared. Dined, sang and waited at midnight
sometimes praying the rosary and of higher before opening gifts. Small went to bed
very early to open the toys the next day.
Xabier, because of age, was the fastest-changing, first when he started to crawl,
then taking its first steps was a pleasure to watch him as he was victorious getting these
achievements. It was a happy child. Easily be left wanting. I loved to observe the
teaching, patience and love motherly love deployed to teach the names of different
things, and sing the little songs like "Txalopin Txalo" Anton Pirulero "and that was
successful for all of us when you responded positively to his efforts.
South American in this environment I learned different games that were played
in Europe, or at least many of them had different names, no game of marbles, but now
was the payan and stones instead of jacks, the trick, they said was gaucho game, the
stain, which is a chase game and reach, this was my favorite and I played a lot at school,
blind man's buff nearly all of them today out of practice less jump rope and hopscotch .
The latter we play our grandchildren perhaps because it began in the primitive world of
the Roman Empire and the Roman soldiers used it as military training, and kids imitated
and soon spread throughout Europe and the Americas.
My brothers have been emerging, like me, Bingen generally took everything in
life very seriously, including religion from an early age, he was clear in his speech,
quiet, very intelligent, independent, drew the highest marks in all subjects, and when
asked who had taken notes on a given subject the pointing his finger at the large sign
painted on a building opposite a house where one could read the word optimism. He
also liked sports, especially baseball. Xabier play with the cars he had and put things
together was his passion, had the soul of an engineer, was very playful and a very jovial
character. Bingen followed him everywhere and played together very well. Arantza now
replaced its wrist notebook and pencil. She lived in her imaginary world with characters
that she read, and that gave them life in his stories, writing much prose, but also writing
poems, the first poem was dedicated to the hands of our loving mother kept in her purse
proud when the time to show your friends. The age difference with my brothers to more
obvious every day, I started high school, different times at school and every day my
friends were becoming more important in my life. Photo of the vineyard of the field.
Our parents would not let us forget that we were dreaming exiled family's return
to Euskadi. At home, loves to cook very well what to mainly Basque cuisine. Although
we do out of the house with friends ate pizza, which as I remember it was not round but
square, we also liked the faina, dulce de leche, empanadas, all foods typical Creole not
try at home. I got to make yerba mate, kind of tea served in a gourd used as a vessel to
bring the wine, and with a silver straw to drink the afternoon accompanied by a
delicious sweet rolls when he was on holiday with our friends the Biraben to a farm,
ranch in Uruguay, on the outskirts of the city. Ma Luisa was very fond of love and work
together in Euskal Erria. She was my sponsor for Confirmation. Her youngest daughter,
Grace, was two years older than me and when they visited the farm always invited me
to go with them. Grace and her mom were great fans of French music of the moment,
and when I was with them on the farm continued to listen to Maurice Chevalier and
Edith Piaf ballads, songs that Grace and I got to memorize them completely.
Being on the farm we were buying into the only shop in the town of San Jacinto, five
miles from the farm. This small town of San Jacinto at that time was the church, which
was attended on Sunday, a small school next to a plaza and a club where once Grace
and I went to watch as the townsfolk danced.
Photo of love with us, she seems to be enjoying a happy single cluster of grapes. It was
taken in front of the vineyard during a family visit to the family farm Biraben in the
town of San Jacinto, Canelones, 48 kilometers from Montevideo. In the two weeks of
vacation that our father had a year they extended the invitation to every family, and had
all the farm for us. And what about the good friends we left at our disposal. For the
health of our father was very beneficial to the peace and tranquility that this place was
in the air. The farm had a windmill to pump water and electricity for the small villa of
the family Biraben. The vast plantations for the production of table grapes, muscat
grapes were in grapevine. My first paid job was picking grapes in this vineyard farm we
put in large baskets, my salary was a weight per basket, and there sitting on small stools
in the vineyard, Graciela and I did, sometimes all day until snack cakes waiting for us
creole baked by Mary, the lady who cooked serve them divine. Beautiful fruit trees
around the place which loves its fruit picked in the rich thinking that she could jam
later. Lived in a ranch about an Italian family, refugees from the Second World War. It
was a family of five people who took care of the place and helped the crop itself.
I liked the competition and challenge. At school enthusiastically participated in the
basketball games. And he was enthusiastic and played football from time to time among
siblings. Bingen and I were very enthusiastic about sports, love and Aita are also
interested, perhaps remembering his younger days when they were fans of Arenas.
Bingen was a fan of Peñarol and Nacional yo, I liked the color more uniform, blue and
white. Peñarol's uniform was black and yellow. Xabier going to whoever won. Arantza
not be moved by it. In 1930 Uruguay was the first world champion of football in
history. In 1950 it was the first edition after the Second World War and even many
European countries were in ruins. Germany was prevented from participating as a
repudiation of the crimes committed during the Second World War by the Nazi leaders.
El Carmen, a July 16, 1950 Uruguay had beaten Brazil 2-1 in the final game in the
newly released Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, the largest in the world at that time
was crowded with 250,000 viewers. The end was so unexpected that there were suicides
among Brazilians, and death threats for the coach and some players of the Brazilian
team. Some friends invited me to go to receive the celestial champions Carrasco
Airport. When the plane arrived with the heroes of the moment, the emotion and
commotion were awesome. I felt a mixture of excitement and fright. At the foot of the
plane had a bus waiting for players heavenly. As they descended the aircraft steps
factory horns started sounding in unison with the horns of cars. The players quickly got
on the bus and everyone went to the streets, was truly a Sunday glory. When I got home
and all were partying, Bingen who was 5 years old told me happily that he had heard on
the radio goals with Aita. Our parents were celebrating this victory with almost the
same enthusiasm that had hailed the "Arenas" years before singing "Uruguayan
champions of America and the world ..."
Our lives were combined among Uruguayan friends and the friends of Eukal
Erria (Basque Centre of Montevideo), founded on March 30, 1912. In Euskal Erria
began to promote Basque language courses when they formed an entity called
Euskaltxaleak (friends of the Basque language) in order to spread the maintenance,
development and exaltation of the Basque language. Aita was honorary president of this
entity. At the same time I started school I started going to classes on Wednesdays from
Aita was Basque. Left school at 4 and a half and went straight to the house of the Sisters
Beldarrain waiting for me with a tasty snack. Together we did the homework for the
class. At 6 and a half we left for the class of Basque which came two dozen people,
including love. I remember Karmele Storace Oxacelay two sisters, three sisters
Beldarrain, Estela Gomez Haedo, José Mendiola, Dr. Michael Banas, he was the person
most contested in Euskal Erria to know the origins of the Basques in Uruguay. Always
dressed in a suit and bow tie, which gave him an air of elegance and eccentricity, never
wore a hat, coat or gloves even if done very cold winter. I was the only girl and kept
going until Aita left Uruguay. The study book I keep it still was "Basque language"
grammar, conversation and dictionary by Isaac López Mendizabal, also attended the
classes of culture that dictate our father in the auditorium of the University. Aita to
energetic, love and enthusiasm, you saw that was his life.
The Tuesday that Tata had the day off I was responsible for taking my brothers
to the plaza. Crossing the street trafficked Canelones was dangerous, and once under my
care and to my horror, Bingen it slipped from his hand and was hit by a taxi driver, but
without serious consequences, I spent a great shock. For a few weeks wearing a cast on
that friends filled her autograph. After this episode Aita implemented the legend of the
Man of the Exchange, folk character, if my brothers did not obey me, the man with the
bag was going to put them in a big sack and carry an unknown location. Bingen
Although our brother did not like following instructions, bichicome idea scared him,
and no further violations. Sitting on the grass I was telling stories to them and their
friends, six among them. It was difficult to talk about the rich experiences of a world I
had lived and that somehow missed it, and they did not know, and got the full attention
of all except the Xabier hear my stories more than he liked to play with its collection of
carts by the fascination and had spent his time playing with them at my side.
To compensate for my work to care for younger siblings, from time to time our parents
took me to the theater at night, I always liked the theater. Tickets María Luisa provided
Iribarne the Battle Berres, sister of the then President of the Republic, Luis Battle
Berres, our parents devoted themselves to the shows. Of all the shows that I was the one
that I remember were the comedies "Paquito Busto" with which Aita and I laughed a lot.
We also went to ballet and musical theater at Teatro Solís. Sometimes we had tickets for
the circus, but neither love nor my sister and I were not very fond of it. Our father and
brothers enjoyed enough of this entertainment.
Our father's health began to suffer with so much work and responsibility. Had
dizziness, ringing in the ears, and altered stress. The doctors said the ear problems were
produced by the stomach and sent him complete diet and rest. With continuous tests that
subjected the costs kept rising and Aita decided to sell two apartments Algorta. Did not
sell well at the time, but could not do much so far.
In those days (1950) established the United Nations to maintain international
peace and security support to Spain as a member of the UN, and recognition of the
Franco government by the United States and the Cold War to strengthen the European
countries against communism. And with the passage killed the hopes for political exiles
like my parents to return to their homeland. Aita was sad because his dreams were
shattered. It was hard for me not to feel the sadness and disappointment that surrounded
our parents, I would not feel the same. It was not easy for me to talk to my friends about
it, because they do not even understand the meaning of the word "exile" only
understood the meaning of the word "Basque" because I told them about it from time to
time. And in Uruguay, saying "the Basque word" was well known that in Basque to be
trusted, what promised to meet him. The two terms used and Basque exile was the
center of life in our home, but were unfamiliar words out into the world that we are his
children lived with our friends in Uruguay. With our parents lived differently. A fully
connected life with the world Basque language and culture and social development in
the Basque Euskal Erria center.
Love was a member of the Ladies' Welfare Board, which was the largest capital of the
Company which began at the moment the work of helping the elderly Basques held in
nursing homes. In February 1951 she was named president loves the Charity
Commission and Instruction Euskal Erria and there was more emphasis to participate in
Euskal Erria. And I was old enough and I did it in various capacities in the Basque
Center. It was part of a dance group led by Antonio Michelena txistulari, president of
the Festival Committee. These dances were offered on the various festivals during the
year Basque Euskal Erria and on the outskirts of the city in the playground of Malvin
who had a huge campaign and attended by the whole family to the pilgrimages and
many festivities. My friends and I helped each serving 30 to 40 tables or poxpoliñas
dressed spinners. Participants were playing Rummy Canasta, card game invented in
Montevideo in 1940 that spread to the rest of the world to be very popular in 1950 that
soon became one of the great parlor games played in all circles.
There was a huge participation of Euskal filled the room Erria nice recently decorated in
rustic style reminiscent of a farmhouse. I remember serving pizzas, sandwiches and
desserts such as bombs and bodies confectionery pastry that my friends and I savored
with eyes as served. They were recently brought from "The Mallorcan, one of the most
famous confectioners Montevideo. Ama was tireless in this social work and went from
shop to shop getting awards for grant in those cases. Seeing her so full of vigor Ma
Luisa Biraben once told me that despite the "sweet fragility" that loves exhibited, was a
woman of extraordinary strength and courage. Letter thanking the services provided by
us.
These games gave money that was used for distribution of Christmas baskets were
distributed to the Basque old ladies living in nursing homes or relatives of members.
These baskets were filled with candies, dried and glazed fruits, pastries and puddings
English style entirely appropriate for the Christmas season. Glad to see the faces of
those old people was a rewarding experience that I had the opportunity to see and learn
that with a modest contribution towards someone so happy.
In this cut from a local newspaper, speaking of the act. Pictured left us dressed
spinners. From left to right, love the second left, Matilde Ibanez, wife of then President
of the Republic of Uruguay, Luis Battle Berres Talic, and Ma Luisa Battle Berres
Iribarne.
Love knew the sympathy support and affection of his friends with his
personality, responsible, dutiful and loyal. His life now was almost full, his faith in God,
his love and devotion to our father and us was his life. The absence of Begoña was his
only regret. Continued to write many of her friends from Uruguay until his death. Ma
Luisa Biraben Besides, I come to mind names like Ma Luisa Battle Berres Iribarne,
Maria Ana Bidegaray Janssen, Esther Ma Real Idiarte, Paquita of Duvigneau, Antonia
Salaverria, Aurora Ezcurra, Ma Luisa Bidegaray, daughter from Marion, Ma Luisa
Berres Batltle Iribarne. All social life was in Euskal Erria and completed his world.
Once Mary Esther and Pepe Real Idiarte gave a big party at his villa in which
our parents talked a lot because the dinner was cooked in the ground, never seen or
heard before by any of us. The widowed Ma Ester spent time with her daughter, Ana
Maria and family, who lived near us and several times coincided with the visit of
mistress and the two were happy to see and catch up of mutual friends in Montevideo.
Years later, having been invited to dinner Bob and I had the same experience
when we were served dinner cooked meal on earth. And this time I was curious to
notice all the details. Our friends told us as the day before a big hole dug in the ground
covered with green leaves, and added inside the meat and vegetables covered with
heated stones filling with fire. All covered with soil is expected to heat the stones will
cook the food. About 24 hours. This was not turkey but a large pig and threw a lot of
smoke and we were a large group (60) gathered in the garden around the dead pig. A
helicopter was accompanying us circling around us and soon the police authorities to
ensure that a fire had not reached the house, also to realize that they had permission to
make such a stake in the leafy neighborhood. All ended well and was a fine dinner.
The courage and selflessness of love to the family was present many times. In
Montevideo he put his life in danger for us all. One day when coming home to hear a
noise like a whistle that came from the master bathroom, the small window above the
door we could see that a lot of steam left. Terrified to leave the apartment because we
realized that the water heater was about to explode. But love did not waver and to our
astonishment the door opened and the vapor enveloped us for a few seconds seemed
like ages. Realized the problem, and without thinking twice closed the valve, the noise
stopped and steam vanished, saving us all from a gas leak explosion.
Love was also the spiritual soul of the family. She tried to continue the intense
religious life in which she grew up and the two struggled to continue that tradition with
us, but our lives were different from those they lived, despite all of us every night we
participated praying the rosary meeting with Basque litany lit before the painting of the
Virgin of Begoña. Mistress was very important for family unity and world peace, and so
we asked. At that time he was a Father Patrick Peyton said Ireland "The family that
prays together stays together" and "A world that prays is a world at peace" slogans
important for our parents, our family was together, but mostly out pious . I do not think
that happened one night before retiring to bed not getting together to pray the rosary.
Holy Week we walked the seven churches as they had boyfriends. Fasting also fulfilled
forever.
Never that I remember, we miss Mass on Sundays, but there was a time when
there was an epidemic of infantile paralysis and was prohibited from attending any
public place, but we heard Mass on the radio. The preferred site for our Sunday
obligation was the church of Mary Help of Christians in the street Canelones or chapel
of our school. The chapel was eight blocks from home, but be one or the other family
fasting Amezaga ran through the streets of the city to be on time for Mass of eight and a
half. The chorus sung by the Dominican Sisters and the chapel florida so pretty and
worth the slide, at least that's what Aita said.
Exile is one of the worst punishment for human beings because one is uprooted from
all that trained him: family, culture, friendships. It is true that our parents were lucky to
have two important social structures of those who depend on the support of both
material and emotional: The Catholic Church and the Basque Government in exile (and
the dream of Basque nationalism) but have relied on this support they could not carry
more than 30 years and they did. In his book Migration and Exile, Leon and Rebeca
Grinberg tell us that life in exile is a life of denial of this, the lives of our parents were
dominated from the past full of fantastic memories and the future represented only the
illusion of return.
Exiles as our fathers were few in Montevideo. All Basques who escaped from
the clutches of Franco lived in Argentina, Mexico or Venezuela. The Basques who were
in Uruguay were Basque Euskadi who left in the early economic reasons, or
descendants of Basques by one or several generations that had been there forty years
earlier. Our parents were one of the few who had suffered a recent tax exile. Love if I
wanted to re-Euskadi was happy living where she was always outside next to our father,
but felt with passion Aita and expressed frustration working tirelessly day and night to
make known the cause and the Basque culture in Uruguay. In Euskal Erria celebrations
of traditional festivals such as Aberrieguna (Easter) San Ignacio (July 31) and the day of
Euskera (Culture Day, 3 December) is celebrated with infectious enthusiasm and
energy. These celebrations strengthened the bonds of community and made a strong
impact on everyone who knew our father since he became a simple act in a solemn and
exciting event.
This time it was our father who was the mediator to save a love life. Love had
gone several times to the Circle Worker Catholic health care institution type Collective
Mutual, on the birth of our brothers and Xabier Bingen assisted both by Dr. Aguerre.
This time it was to become a surgical treatment to address their incontinence, and to
make a blood transfusion blood was incompatible and had a severe hemolytic reaction
that could be fatal, she said Aita prayers in the chapel of the clinic for that time saved
his life.
Our social mother was named reporter of the newspaper of Buenos Aires; Euzko
Deya, which in Basque means "The Voice of the Basques", the first issue of this paper
was the May 10, 1939. The responsible managers were delegated the Basque
Government. Ama wrote for the newspaper with information on the life of the Basque
community in Uruguay, to raise awareness in the port city of Basque activities in
Montevideo.
In those days there was no TV and go see a news report was of common interest. One of
the technological advances witnessed living in Uruguay was the rising production of
television and only saw one in a public place, and the other was the lights two years
before leaving the country. They started in a specific section on July 18, and I remember
we tried to memorize what they meant the three colors of amber, red and green and
Bingen was the most enthusiastic because it reminded him of rich colors lollipops.
Some of the trips with our parents at the center of the city was going to see
films. The bus left us near the Monument to the Gaucho near City Hall in the Avenida
18 de Julio. The gaucho stands in bronze on a marble pedestal and address this national
folk hero symbolizes freedom and independence of Uruguay. Aita talked about the
anonymous protagonist of the struggle for independence as he identified with nationalist
sentiment and personal autonomy of the gaucho. We crossed the street and entered the
American Institute, I do not remember the name, type and watch educational films.
From what I remember most is a documentary of Parallel 38 that it was the Korean War.
The parallel was established as a boundary line between the Soviet occupation zones
north and south American. I do not think we like the track but for aitas was an
interesting documentary.
Montevideo carnivals have never reached the fame of the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but had
Brazilian Candomble dancing and African music in Uruguay, not seen at other times of
year. Carnival is always celebrated three days before Ash Wednesday, but I think in
Montevideo for several days we heard the sounds of drums. Your main character is
King Momo, tall, fat, god of mockery and madness in Greek mythology. This is an
excessive period allowed before abstinence of Lent. People painted and disguised.
There are dances, parades that covers all the different neighborhoods with street
musicians, men disguised with painted faces who act, sing and dance to the rhythm
candombes fanfare and evening performances are presented in Tables. We went the
whole family to see the table, and then commented on it at home. The carnival was
theatrical excellence.
In these times with so much noise and mess I thought the carnival celebrating the peace
that was breathed in school and preferred. Aita teasing me with a little lyrical musical
about the Dominican Sisters celebrate the carnival, which began with, "The Dominicans
have everything, body and soul happy crazy, we had fun at the convent ..."
On 20 November I finished high school graduates (my graduation picture, third row,
first left) but could not make any plans for the future because he was not yet decided.
There is a Portuguese poet, saying the country is one place where you live your
adolescence, it is the age where friends are made. And I agree, my friends I grew up
with were here in Montevideo, and was leaving for good and continued to fight against
this reality. I could hardly believe that was real and did not want to leave the country,
and less indefinitely. And amid all this maze of love knew how to tune things my
character, told me to take piano lessons, I had always wanted, and with this gesture
could not complain more. I took voice lessons for two months until the day before
boarding. The reality was, but I realized the sacrifice of love and resignation to take
over the decision of my parents. Decades later buy a piano and take piano lessons, I
keep practicing. Bingen without learning music theory, playing concerts stores when we
visit.
Aita decided, not without great difficulty, to test the opportunity that presented itself in
Caracas, Venezuela. I do not want to leave again Montevideo or leave half my life, I
wanted to finish a race and live in that environment where not only me but the whole
family were so happy, love was calm and explained that she understood how I felt, and
she felt the same, and that the reasons for leaving the country were only economic. Aita
also wanted to calm down and before leaving I took the night to watch the play of the
"Trojan Horse" or "Troiako Zaldi" as he called it, in the Faculty of Architecture, very
close to home. The family was going through tough economic times where our father
provided the house with a combination of different jobs, and now had 54 years and was
anxious about long-term possibilities for him and for us. Two sisters in love (Lola and
Mari) and a niece, Ma Luisa, daughter of Mari, who lived in Venezuela urged him to go
to Caracas because the city was booming economically and certainly could get better
paying job.
The plan was to go to Caracas Aita alone. And we love him if he would meet in Caracas
was the solution to the problem. Our friends who love writing and I kept telling us that
the country's economic crisis began to unravel in 1955 they added will not know if it
was after the fall of prices of exportable items monoculture Uruguayan economy or the
departure from us the country. How not to love a country where citizens gave us much
help and we felt so much? Ama said. On leaving he gave us all a memory of her
children. I gave away two books: The Imitation of Christ written by German mystic
Thomas a Kempis, and The Psalter, which are the Psalms of David, both very
appropriate for me at that time. With our father left Montevideo worth a July 17, 1955.
The often wrote to us telling us about their impressions of the city and his new job. A
month after arriving in Caracas Aita met with old friends at the Basque Center in
Caracas was the sanctuary for Basque refugees since 1942. His old friend Jose Maria
Lasarte, the godfather of Bingen, proposed the work of Secretary General of the Basque
Center, and he agreed and even paid good salary was less than previously offered, but
was working for and with the Basques, and the was sufficient.
Shortly after the lehendakari José Antonio Aguirre while passing through Caracas had a
conversation with our father on his major concern, the Basque culture in the post-war.
Franco was fiercely persecuting and suppressing the Basque language. He explained
that he had the idea of forming a permanent seminar papers and work files, which
would provide for the future of coming generations would be four to six people. There
would be much the salary, the place would be a village in Basque-French, and a couple
of months and he confirmed that he had to propose in Paris such a suggestion and if
feasible Aita it would be in charge. A forward to giving our father's idea was a dream
job and able to carry out and more importantly, would be close to home.
The hope and joy of Aita was intense, immediately wrote to love, that she
prepare a trip to Euskadi. And with that hope, although he loves more realistic, she was
not very convinced that it is something so perfect for him, began to prepare for the trip.
It would be an opportunity to meet his second daughter Begoña now 16 years old.
Love held a giant work alone, because we the children were busy in our own worlds,
with the house to put on auction. The library of our father had to save, and had to make
an intense and careful scrutiny of all our father's books, page by page to ensure that
there was no compromising role within them. Some books are impossible to carry with
her for the track and had to send the mail. Love was also in charge of selling insurance
that had worked to stop Aita Montevideo, and while she was taking this job was a fire
that love had to face. With so much to do and the Tata became ill and had to be at rest
for three months. And she loves everything and everyone faced with courage and
energy. Our good friend Pedro Arteche, who loves calling him "the savior" because he
drew from many troubles, loves seriously proclaimed "deserved a statue" and how right
he was.
With great sorrow we say goodbye to Uruguay, leaving what both wanted. The friends,
country, everything was so familiar to us and nice, and I realized that my dreams of a
career were broken, though I do not think it was feasible to expect that my parents could
have to pay me a career in medicine, but that time I did not realize it. This photo was
taken at the farewell to the family for the family of Martha Pizza Nogueira, a friend of
my sister in Carrasco.
Farewells are never good. Those days were full of emotion and a lot of fussing about
everything for love. All our friends showed their love. The last two weeks before the
trip had fired almost daily from friends and neighbors with meals accompanied with
songs. The famous tango was played over and over again "Adios Muchachos" by Carlos
Gardel, tango singer, actor and famous in Uruguay and Argentina. My friends said
goodbye in a tearoom. The friends of my brothers were invited to a barbecue. A
mistress had a grand farewell by the members of Euskal Erria with some moving words.
Love stated that "There was no good way to say goodbye to so generous and caring
friends."
In this photo are the four brothers tour in Rio de Janeiro, at the foot of the statue of
Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain. With this trip our family took a
different turn. The plan was for us to expect in San Sebastian to Aita reached San Juan
de Luz and meet there with him. In this way all living close to home might be near
Begoña family whose absence had become a big problem. It gave him courage to love
to make the trip.
In the early hours of the morning of April 7, 1956 we boarded the French ship
"Provence", and our friends in the port took leave of us. With tears in his eyes said
goodbye one last time while the ship was slowly away out of the Rio de la Plata and
entering the Atlantic Ocean. It was not for love or for me the first time we had this
feeling of leaving something good we wanted to go aimlessly unknown. When we could
not see them with tears and went away to the beautiful dining room where our table was
the only empty, because I was serving lunch.
The itinerary of the trip was stopping at Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Barcelona Dakar
and our destiny. We got off at Santos and we reveled in the rich aroma of coffee that
covered the city. We said 50 years ago was the port of entry for the bubonic plague into
Brazil. The entrance to Rio's spectacular mountain chains around us up to the wonderful
and exotic city of Rio de Janeiro. We visited the Christ the Redeemer atop the
Corcovado mountain and from there we could see the fantastic view of Copacabana
beach, the Sugar Loaf mountain. We walked in the Copacabana neighborhood famous
for its tiled streets imitating the movements of the waves. We bought the coffee aroma
like no other. Brazilians are right to say "God is the artist and his work River."
Next was Bay, is the city visited the church of San Francisco covered with gold. This
city is called the Black Rome the high percentage of churches and blacks.
Dakar was in love with Xabier Bingen and to visit the city, and Arantza and I decided to
go with our friends. When we love and we realize that the brothers were in the boat. An
hour later we heard the ship's whistle announcing his departure and had not yet returned.
I went to tell the captain to wait a bit because our mother had not yet arrived. Not as
would have responded to my panic, but luckily at that moment we saw running down
the dock to love and siblings.
Early the morning we announced we were leaving and entering the Atlantic and the
Mediterranean and then we could see from afar the Rock of Gibraltar which is a rock
that has no rivers and water stored in cisterns were told. It's the closest contact between
Africa and Europe.
Even in the midst of our sorrow of leaving loved Uruguay, the crossing was happy for
us kids. We made friends with a youth group, and from the beginning we fell very well
and I a young Frenchman, and throughout the trip we were together at the end of the trip
Arantza gave me a poem titled "My First Love." Everything was good for us young, not
so much to love that one eager expected to meet his second daughter and an uncertain
future. We celebrate the crossing of the line of Ecuador interrupting the routine on
board and was declared a holiday. An authority, in this case, the captain of the ship,
disguised himself and played the role of the god Neptune. From the bridge by means of
loudspeakers announced his arrival on a makeshift throne of Neptune came in
procession followed by his entourage. Near the pool on his throne and baptized
neophytes demanding taxes and granting favors. I really got the name "Sea Star" After
this rite without hesitation he threw into the pool to the master. When they cross the line
is marked with a peal of bells. But all young people were busy because that evening the
ship was dressed youth. A lady was in charge of the costumes and she chose to Arantza
a costume representing a seller of baskets of Bahia, and granted me the mysterious
costume odalisque. On prom night there I attended, but love came for me to go to bed
much earlier than I had hoped.
It was a great trip until the eve of the landing where our brother Xavier, who as the
youngest of the group always kept running and someone in front of him without
knowing who was behind the closed one of the heavy doors of the ship and its hand was
trapped and needed medical help in the infirmary of the boat and then in Barcelona. Her
screams and cries aroused the sympathy of all passengers.
Communication in those days, the years of 50, our parents or us, the brothers was based
Begoña letter takes one to two weeks to reach its destination. Still had no idea of
supersonic flight, instantaneous communication in writing and speaking to through the
Internet have provided to us free international calls and use a cell phone. Neither we
received many pictures of her, the aunt was not very fond of photography, and also to
write a lot for the busy and hectic life that I had, and Begoña never been inclined to
write much. They tried several times to call our parents by phone, but it was quite an
ordeal so expensive, and often brief miscommunication. When friends of our parents
traveled to the aitas Euskadi strongly asked them to visit Begoña. But none of these
visits was positive because she was quiet all the time for fear that they would take with
them to America. This prevented having a close relationship of our sister with the
family and vice versa would be better prepared for the meeting all that was about to
perform.

BARCELONA
The Provence anchored in Barcelona on Sunday April 22, 1956 shortly after lunch. We
went to the bridge and our group of friends tried to find Begoña, and soon recognized in
the spring and all in chorus shouted his name. Begoña exhilarated by his sudden
popularity looked at us amazed and happy. At last she came on board with Maria, his
granddaughter Ana Mari, and friends of the family, Julia and John. Of all the family
members she only knew me. When love and embraced our sister was very exciting for
them and for us to see them. Ama lost consciousness for a few seconds. That day was
the first time that all five brothers were together in one place and 50 more would return
to repeat this feat. And in that moment of joy for all believed that our sister Begoña
would stay with us, but unfortunately it did not. There had been many years apart to
repair the damage of such absence. We prepare to leave the boat and asked for passports
and showed his love when they took it away and said I had to get another pass a month
because that's not worth. It was his purge. Books and other, thanks to good friend
Araquistain, passed through immigration without opening the boxes. We stayed at the
Hotel Astoria and the son of Mary Pallin was in this city, took us to the three sisters to
visit the city during the time we were in this beautiful Catalan capital. We visited the
Monastery of Montserrat, the Park Tibidabo, Montjuic, a center for arts, entertainment
and culture and the Church of the Sacred Heart. After a few days we took a twin-engine
plane that would take us to Bilbao.
In Sondica airport waiting for us guys Elvira, Ino and Carmen. The joy and surprise of
meeting again was great, for love was almost 20 years since he left his people and their
families. We went to the uncle's house and after dinner came Algorta family. Many
memories rushed through my mind and heart, now with different eyes I looked around
me and what had been so familiar as a child, I told him to love, and she replied that it all
seemed smaller, as if be taken from a picture of birth. But his emotions were now
focused on their second daughter Begoña.
Begoña was 16 and I almost 18 years, the age when we thought life was fantastic and
the world belonged to us. We got along so well as when we played together many years
ago. The experiences of the past years in different countries, speaking with a different
accent and without much physical resemblance mistook her friends did not believe were
members of the same family and the sad thing is and was, we belonged to two different
worlds, so had both and there are differences between the two, but always united us and
we will continue joining the sad experience of our childhood. But the only dissimilarity
we felt at that time was that she was a fan of the Royal Society of San Sebastian and I
Athletic Bilbao. Begoña made it impossible for me to form the duo is inseparable from
our childhood to the dismay of our mother, because with it he relegated her to third
place. Our two brothers have always grown up together in the family and country and
continue without the disparity Begoña, Arantza and I have lived in the three of us have
grown up in different places, in different circumstances and therefore with different
experiences.
While we arrived at Barcelona Aita Aguirre received word that their project had been
postponed indefinitely due to lack of funds. Aita despite his sadness confident in the
strength of his friend José Antonio with the hope that would be done in the future, love
was not so optimistic. It was a great disappointment the more needed, but at this time to
love the most painful was the confirmation of what he feared, had lost her second
daughter and it seemed too late to win back. Been a long time and could not recover in a
few weeks the work of many years. The war was marking his victims.
In midsummer the beautiful town of San Sebastian on the shores of the Cantabrian Sea
offers spectacular views. The city is surrounded by three beaches Ondarreta, La Concha
and Zurriola, and three mountains. El Monte Urgull, mountain of 135 meters which is
situated between the Old Town of San Sebastian and the Paseo Nuevo, near the sea. At
the top is the statue of the Sacred Heart that dominates the skyline. El Monte Igueldo of
184 meters on top of which has an amusement park and a lookout tower that served
long ago. El Monte Ulia of 231 meters with a privileged setting, wooded with abundant
ruins hidden in the bush and coastal cliffs view afforded by the coast facing the
Cantabrian Sea Guipuzcoa. The San Sebastian dictatorship to keep the role of summer
capital city. Francisco Franco during the month of August, staying at the Palace Ayete
from 1940 to 1975.
While I lived in the house of Aunt Julie, loves, Xabier Bingen and slept in a rented
room nearby. Begoña and I we soon became a group of guys we went out regularly. We
met in beach Ondarreta the morning and at dusk Avenue. One night we arrived a little
late and serene, a former night watchman at a neighborhood that had keys to every
house and watched over the peaceful streets, we opened the great gate of the house, and
reminded me what we Aita serene said of his time in Algorta. They were spoken and
meteorologists as clocks, singing time and weather every hour during the night. Our
brothers, 9 and 11 years in Donosti sailboat racing a great source close to home, the real
Olympics, made excursions climbing Mt Urgull, Mount Ulia, walking 9 miles Hernani,
renting bicycles recorrieron7 miles to reach Renteria, its inhabitants were known as
cookie jars because in that location, the delicious cookies were made Olibet, we
speculate that they were there for that sweet, but we never say for sure because of his
excursions, and were alone, and doing so "hidden" they knew better. Followed in the
train until the day before school starts. Only saw them at mealtimes. Arantza 13 years
he liked to be in Las Arenas. When she visited San Sebastian not going very well
because we do not we included in our plans, and she was alone. I just turned 18,
celebrated flattered and was absorbed in this new adventure with Begoña next in the
wonderful San Sebastian and I did not realize she needed me. Resentment turned to love
Las Arenas where I had a group of friends with whom he met on the beach or hiking. In
one of these outings with friends and going to Mount Serafin, a small mountain whose
peak is located in Santurce on the banks of the Bilbao Estuary, visible from all parts of
the region serving as a benchmark, fell by Arantza a ravine with a broken ankle
resulting in many bruises and loss of consciousness. Ama was doing some paperwork in
France bereaved dropped everything and rushed to his side. Although Aunt Carmen
carefully executed, it was problematic to love having so many things to fix and children
separated and far away from her without her care and supervision, but we were many
and had to deal in different houses that the guys gave generously.
One day Aunt Julie asked me to be a model for a small fashion show for Carmen, the
official model of sewing, I was sick. Nervously I agreed and later the aunt let me use the
clothes of the parade to parties. Photo with one of the dresses made by Aunt Julie for
these occasions. On weekends we went to the tennis club which Begoña San Sebastian
was a member. The season that I lived in Las Arenas also had an active social life. I was
invited to a bowling alley, party buffet, with food and dance festivals that take place in a
house, Real Club dances in Neguri Josaleta I attended with my friends Madariaga de
Bilbao. Love was not very happy that I did this kind of social life so hectic when Aita
was working so hard to support the family, but Aunt Juli interfered in my favor, and let
me keep going.
Our father who was depressed by the negative supply in France and increased his grief
and disappointment being living alone in a boarding house in Caracas asked mistress to
accelerate their journey to be with the not understanding everything that was living love
at that time. Wanted and needed to rebuild their home, is looking for a house, buy
furniture and made it carry us with them. Love at the insistence of our father and
unfinished the amount of commitments and obligations was still pending and a penalty
leaving the children ran to her side. Once reunited with Aita and in a small apartment
Arantza my sister met them and after test began immediately after school. Two years
passed before my brothers and I getting together with them. For now Bingen, Xabier
and I lived in San Sebastian. I had to prepare for the trip to Caracas faster than expected
because not approve Aita relations that had just started a Spanish engineer. My
departure was delayed several months which was a torment for our father loves to tell
me later. Due to the crisis of the Venezuelan government at the time that ended with the
fall of dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez.
MADRID
On a cold April morning in 1958 we left San Sebastian. Begoña accompanied me, Aunt
Julie, Hope and his driver Ramon and we left for Madrid, covering about 500 miles
away. We stopped in Logroño, La Rioja, for lunch at a restaurant and although I do not
remember the name or the menu, if I recall our astonishment because they had the
heating in the floor, and was on the verge of crossing the River Ebro and River were
now officially in Spain I thought I remembered the words of Aita. We continued
traveling to Burgos, where we went down to visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria de
Burgos, a stately Gothic church of the thirteenth century. We continued our trip and
although we do not stop from the road told us the view of El Escorial as the historic
residence of the King of Spain. Almost stopped coming to Madrid to see the Valley of
the Fallen in the Sierra de Guadarrama, designed by Franco to honor those killed in the
Spanish Civil War. Half an hour later we arrived at the hotel in Madrid. We had dinner
and went to rest, the next morning everyone went to visit the Museo del Prado, but I
stayed at the hotel, I was not looking forward to it perhaps thinking of what to expect in
the new Haiti. Begoña picture and I at the airport Barajas.
Finally came the hour of departure and after I got to say goodbye to all aircraft
to be living in the era of propeller aircraft travel from Madrid to Caracas lasted 11
hours.
Bingen and Xabier our brothers classes ended several months later and arrived in
Caracas, and the family was together again, although I personally and we all would
have loved to Begoña we had joined the family, but now I was expected much it.
CHAPTER IV
CARACAS, VENEZUELA

On the eve of his 20th birthday, April 1958, left the airport of Barajas, Madrid, heading
to America, was once the Caribbean. We made stops in Lisbon, Bermuda and Caracas,
Venezuela. After eleven hours of flying from the aircraft and could see the magnificent
mountains that frame the beaches of this tropical coast. The view was breathtaking. My
parents and sister were waiting Arantza. We hugged, we were happy to be together
again.
Silently we went several miles between mountains in a huge highway that goes to the
city and were crossing bridges and tunnels through these hills. The hillsides are full of
precarious buildings called "ranchos". The city is in a mountain valley 15 kilometers
from the Caribbean Sea and 900 meters. It was noon and it was very hot. When I left
Madrid in the European early spring was cold and I got this tropical country with a
searing summer heat. Caracas has a lot of American influence since oil made him
change his early days of the colony. It is a very beautiful tropical country with a tropical
climate with alternating periods of rain are sometimes torrential hot weather, sun and
drought.
Uruguay and Venezuela have very different kind of culture. European culture
embodies Uruguay, Venezuela represents the Caribbean culture, Andean, and plains.
We left the tangos of Gardel with his bandoneon to enter the country accompanied by
harp joropo and maracas. Gone was the kapok tree with its beautiful red flowers to enter
the country of orchid delicate colors. We came from the open city of Montevideo with a
belt integrated into the urban beaches to the narrow valley enclosed by the majestic
Caracas Venezuelan Andes. The food, weather, friends, everything was very different
from what we had lived in Montevideo. Here again we were the last Basque exiles to
arrive, our family and friends had already passed the difficult early migrant, while we
had to start all over again, we were all older and were more difficult road where there
was a little challenging environment . Shortly after I arrived I went to work to help the
house with so many expenses and to catch up on our new life. While it is true that when
we come to Venezuela the country was in economic boom, and was easier to get
economic welfare than any other country, and we made our way more easily than in
Montevideo, love, and I kept thinking, and writing with missing our friends in
Montevideo.
For our parents in this city was the fifth time he started from scratch to put a
house with everything attached to it. Abandoning what could be their first home in
Sopelana, followed her home in Paris, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Caracas now.
Although they felt nostalgia for things left behind, sometimes very good, our parents
never complained, and loves to work, effort and enthusiasm put in each one of them a
very personal stamp making them warm and comfortable home.
Aita always insisted that the best treasure that we could leave was a good
education, and in that the strong emphasis. Sacrificed to send us to the best schools.
While teaching us increase the quality of life to achieve an economic level (not always
the best), our father never stressed to make money as a goal. The gave us his example
with his thirst for knowledge by reading incessantly. A polyglot knew eight languages
to read the books in their original languages. He was a writer and poet with love for
classics and a great admirer of Greek culture and remarkable for its rich literary
tradition, for its art and architecture and its feeling a great link to the past. But even with
all its know heard him say, the Greek philosopher Socrates said that true wisdom is in
recognizing one's own ignorance.
 Of our parents learned to admire the noble sentiments people had spiritual
qualities such as kindness, righteousness, justice and forgiveness. He also admired the
simplicity and elegance of the people.
Being wealthy was not the goal of any of us. There are many parables in Scripture relate
to issues of finance, and God warns that the desire, the love of money is the beginning
of all evil. Love cited the biblical author of the book of Ecclesiastes that focuses on the
purpose and value of human life "Vanity of Vanities! Vanity of Vanities! All is vanity!
"... Used to deplore the emptiness and nothingness of the things of this life.
But our mother liked to try his luck, he liked the overall game, betting on horse
races, called "5 & 6" and after coming to Mass as a distraction and hope bet on their
favorite horses. After the special meal prepared dominguera y. And with our first
television followed these races that are carried out religiously every Sunday afternoon
and were televised from the Rinconada Racetrack, horse racing was still enjoying the
sport of kings. As a distraction for them at night watching the news was "El Observador
Creole", Radio Rochela or their favorite show "The Fugitive" and sometimes we joined
some of us to see the renowned physician Dr. Kildare in search of a maimed true
murderer of his wife. I liked a show, do not remember the name, which was to
memorize TV to hit, I practiced often and when I started to master wrote to the Televisa
television studios. I received the invitation and as our mother liked the show invited and
accompanied me happy. I did not get to be in front of the cameras, and are resigned to
sit in the audience. Have fun in and out, in the lobby saw the famous producer and
television host, Renny Ottolina, talking to the producers of the show and we both
consoled telling everyone about the event.
Ama also liked to play poker julep and one Saturday a month and met with his
two sisters, Lola and Mari, the latter lived with her daughter Ma Luisa and family in La
Castellana. Although our parents were the only ones who played the whole family went
and came back to the late night. Ama was quite lucky and win almost as long as it gave
him the incentive to attend these family gatherings. We had the opportunity to see our
cousin Ma Luisa (Goian Bego) living with all kinds of luxuries. He had two houses, one
in Altamira rented three floors, and a very luxurious in La Castellana two floors with a
beautiful green garden and Olympic-sized pool at the foot of Mount Avila, both in very
good residential neighborhoods in the city, but the best. At the entrance was a large
spiral staircase that separated the dining room, kitchen to the last detail, several maids,
sitting-in where we met daily to play. His closets were full of clothes, beautiful spacious
rooms, a Mercedes Benz at the door, and traveled to Europe every six months with her
husband and daughter. Two years ago his second daughter only a year old, Mari Cris, he
was very ill, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She was taken to New
York, and was hospitalized at Mount Sinai Medical Center "but nothing could be done,
and died a month of admission. Many years passed without communicating, but when I
heard she was sick I established communication talking to her regularly over the last
two years of his life. She was very lonely. Her husband and two children had died at
that time. In these conditions naturally very depressed. I do not remember anything like
the vibrant and glamorous cousin who I had known and dealt with earlier years.
Our parents were avid swimmers, but in this city had very few chances to go to
the beach. We were invited to our cousin's house to swim and cool off the tropical heat
many times, and a day and after dinner we were all we enjoyed the pool water we all of
us left behind Aita. When we saw with horror and desperate gestures seemed to be
sinking and needed to act quickly, without thinking threw loves to save, and hold on to
it the two were in danger, Aunt Mari-collectors offered the leaves, and could cling to it
and go to safety. It was a moment of great panic for everyone. Photo in the pool with
Xavier in the house of our cousin Maria Luisa.
As in Montevideo we participated whole family in an active way in the Basque
Center in Caracas which opened in 1942 with the arrival in Venezuela of the first exiles
of war and begins to form a colony. Overall it appears to be the greatest of all the
Basque centers worldwide. Has pediment, where famous play ball games. Here it was
different than in Montevideo, as was Secretary General of AITA Basque Center, and
was working weekends in the dark office all afternoon. For love was not very attractive
idea to meet with her friends just to chat, and were long and boring these days of the
weekend, but to our father. She had enjoyed going to our father to cultural events and
festivals, and the company of her friends organizing charity events, and both had
experienced fully in Montevideo. That had been his world that fit well with his
personality and now both missed him.
Although I knew no one did soon a group of friends who belonged to Eusko
Gaztedi. This photo shows my first trip, front row third from left, at The Deer on Mount
Avila, compared to a stay in the colonial era that was harvested coffee.
Neither the streets of Caracas were as safe as they were or had been those of
Montevideo. One day love going shopping on the Boulevard de Sabana Grande, the
longest and most famous of the city crowded during the week and even over the
weekend with all kinds of business imaginable. Ama available a sum of money for
something specific that was going to buy. Before he realized a thief came and snatched
the briefcase had been clinging to love itself. Our mother fought, screamed and ran after
the robber got scared that half a bar, but loves that did not let up and followed him and
entered the establishment and the thief to see my mother so committed to the portfolio
dropped to the ground and got love could recover the wallet and make your purchase.
Loves shopping for his favorite pastime was to see the attractive window displays, and
sales prices. In Montevideo we sometimes took my sister and me with it. For us it was
like going on safari through the jungle, an adventure full of dangers and risks starting
with the ups and downs to reach the stores that were in the busy Avenida 18 de Julio
and then try to pay was another ordeal when we got home we were exhausted, but not
her.
After working one year as secretary, I lost my job because I really was not worth as
secretary, I was not challenging enough, it was boring to spend all day in a small office
with papers to write and to order. With the money I signed the dismissal of an intensive
course of one year from Monday to Saturday from 8 AM to 5 PM at the Hospital of
Caracas, in University City. The course was based on a given curriculum in Chicago,
Illinois, USA, after which acquired the diploma with the title "Stories Medical
Librarian." It was the first time offered in Venezuela: the director was a graduate of the
University of Chicago, USA. The issue linked to the medicine I was interested, and I do
the course by presenting the Certificate of Secondary Uruguay. I started in January 1960
and end in December of that year. Two weeks after graduating I was offered the job
with salary more than double that of secretary. Now working as a coding of diseases,
working in processing information for a diagnosis of illness or operation and converted
to a code information to be communicated to physicians for evaluation or medical
research. And that interested me and worked with gusto.
The hospital is on the grounds of what is now the campus that had been occupied by the
famous Hacienda Ibarra who represented one of the most famous properties in the
colony a producer of sugar and rum to make the best of their times. The Ibarra of
Basque origin, were the owners of the farm and the house for more than three centuries
until it was acquired by the Venezuelan government in 1947. This housing estate was
also used as the Liberator Simon Bolivar, who devised the future of Venezuela and its
university in the land of the beautiful Hacienda Ibarra. Alexander Humboldt, the great
German naturalist remained in the house for more than two months dazzled by the Avila
mountain, the river Guaire, and rich colonial culture.
It was fascinating for me to work in this environment thinking about my future. I tried
to learn a lot of different kinds of diseases that medical histories described, witnessed
the operation from the windows of the operating room, and once I was invited by one of
the surgeons to observe the operation along the same operating room. Caracas being a
tropical country with a certain level of moisture causes the organisms are easily spread,
it was important to be aware of it and attended conferences of different tropical
diseases, Chagas disease, dengue, brucellosis and a few others I can not remember .
This appealed to me, and spoke it at home, loves bear, but Aita would not hear no
hospital or diseases.
As a hospital employee opened a medical history for each family member in case of an
emergency. Our parents were served free. The first to go was our father by accusing a
sore right shoulder, was diagnosed with shoulder bursitis, and injected a dose of
cortisone and was was pain. The did not tell the doctor who had spent all afternoon
before throwing stones at the mangoes. The mango is an exotic fruit, sweet, refreshing,
seems to have originated in northwest India 6,000 years ago and was extended to the
tropics and subtropics. You have to collect them when they are pale yellow and as hard
Aita gave all of that color that looked just thinking about the delicious mango jam you
love doing. In Montevideo our mother prepared a marmalade of tomato and orange of
the best quality. For us was the endless hours of peeling these fruits, but the result was
very good when we ate the sweet toast and thinking about it thought it was worth
helping, Aita now enlivened with interesting stories.
While working for several years in the University Hospital knew and was in daily
contact with physicians. And one day I talked to one of the best surgeons and I
presented the case of nurse who suffered from incontinence for a long time, had three
operations and all failed. The I promised to talk to a urologist and soon the two were
offered to make the operation almost assured us would give good results. So far there
had been and she had been subjected to many tests and three operations but none
satisfactory. A little fearful face the new challenge. The operation lasted nearly three
hours and she held her very well. That night I decided to spend the nights with her and
the following I slept beside her in case you need something. As the Medical Records
Department was on the first floor, and she was in surgery, I think third floor. We put
some cushions on the floor and I think it comforted her to know that I was next and our
father was also quieter. By day he could visit often for several minutes. The operation
was a success loves being completely well after the past frustrations in previous
operations.
The problem with working in this hospital is that it is located within the campus. At that
time there were no meters, but there were buses, or the famous and popular "shopping
for office", in which 5 people share a car to cover a default route, but it was chaotic,
uncomfortable, insecure and quite an adventure and none of they were allowed to enter
university. And without access to any public transport except taxis, the time came that it
was necessary to buy a car to get to my job. Driving in Caracas was not easy dealing
with traffic hell. I decided to take driving lessons. Love liked the idea and she wanted
to. The two went to the driving school at seven in the morning before going to work,
and in two weeks the two got the license, but when love was the final hit of his career
behind the wheel. I liked driving but never knew where he went, because my sense of
direction is fatal. I bought a car shortly after English, Hillman, second-hand upholstered
in red leather inside, cream and red double doors, slow climb, but he did good service.
Photo with my car.
Since I was the only one who had handled them all from time to time at the beach, a
place that they liked both our parents who grew up near the sea, and see the same sea
that the waters kissed Euskadi. I do not remember the name of the beaches that were,
but were beautiful beaches, white sand and crystal clear waters and one of them lost
Aita lenses when out of the water, and told us distressed, but before finishing his
sentence without giving us time to think, love hurriedly got into the water and after
diving a little triumphant appeared with them in hand.
Xabier was my favorite mechanic and if it had co-pilot could manage to China. But an
unlucky day going to work fell "stick water", torrential tropical downpour, with a
minimum of three hours the drainage system collapsed and the streets overflowed. In
the middle of the highway and muddy water rising rapidly around me needed to do
something, and did not know that, but suddenly a colonel in his jeep was next to me and
suggested I sign out of the car and open the door and mud into my favorites was a
drama, but I moved to safety. When I left on a nearby street, my car, it was not
amphibious, only saw its red roof. Would have had to dive to get out of the mud, mud
and debris surrounding my poor car. Later, a crane took it to the shop, but in the mud he
had abused and the cost of the arrangement was too expensive. Love me to the house
insurance, the Ministry of Transport and the two keep ventilating our anger, but was not
covered for such a downpour and ended so sadly for the moment our adventure.
At home we did not have many pets, a chicken, cattle in a school kermes of our
brothers, a cat and a canary, and for a few days a lovely dog called Zuribeltza by white
and black. We all enjoyed playing with them, but love was definitely the only one who
cared. Aita cat preferred to any other pet, always loved having a cat. He said they are
excellent pets and companions while independent and easily adapt to any environment.
His idea was to have him on your side while writing at his desk. Both repeated that
convinced him to our mother and one day she found her ideal partner. A Persian cat
elegant gold, with blue eyes. It was curious, agile and active and loved to climb high
places of the house, and maybe that's why one day jumped to the window frame of the
kitchen rushing to empty our eighth floor and died. Decided not to have another cat
after losing so tragically.
But love was alone at home every morning when we went out every home in different
directions, work, school and university, and I thought she needed company and decided
to buy a beautiful canary. It was lively, cheerful and chatty. Sang and participated in the
general excitement of our family jumping and chirping in his cage. He loves his cage
hung in the middle of the plants and flowers that abound in the spacious terrace offering
a cozy place for the singing canary whom she tended with care.
Our futures have been emerging. Begoña still living in San Sebastian, was a graduate of
Perito Mercantil and was an excellent administrator in the business of Aunt Julie, and
worked at the Red Cross as a nurse. She inherited the ability to love for numbers and
business. Arantza was about to graduate from Central University librarian, and I was
already working in Electricidad de Caracas. Today is a successful novelist. Bingen was
a medical student and graduate years later at the Faculty of Medicine and serious as a
heart surgeon Head of Cardiology. Xabier come two years after the Faculty of
Engineering, in its second year chose another field and now is engaged in the planning,
design and implementation of Web sites and Web pages in Spanish and English. I was
in my senior year of high school validates, as always, struggled twice to do the same.
But I discouraged that, unlike gave me more incentive to continue. Past and equivalency
exams free even I had to complete the last year. In September 1964 I enrolled in a
secondary school in Campo Bello night and even between school and work did not have
much free time, I was glad that in a few months would meet my goal. Do not come to
complete the revalidation in Caracas, but years later would get one of my dreams by my
university in America.
Culturally, the Basque center quite often offered lectures often offered by our
parent or guest speakers for this or that commemoration. Aita almost always gave the
programming or ideas about any cultural event. His lectures were full of wonderful
emotion and patriotism as only he could. Bingen Arantza and followed suit, and
conquered the audience with his words. Although it was not what I was doing better,
face the public, Aita asked me to be part of a group of young people who present a
lecture on Jesus de Galindez and present "exile with nostalgia and love."
Now more squarely on my social life in the Basque center with more enthusiasm
and were still making monthly trips going to different places by bus rented for such
purposes and happy on the road singing boleros Lucho Gatica, Chilean bolero singer
who was in fashion that time, some Venezuelan folk songs, and a few Basque, which
we sang always in our expeditions.
Sundays at the Center saw Euzko Gaztedi rented movies. I loved to participate in the
dances, although the trials were sometimes grueling, also participated in the choir of
Gabon, the villancicos (carols) for Christmas. This we did with a vengeance. We would
share in groups and visited different houses in which we sang and gave us sweets,
drinks and collecting money to send to the Basque government in Paris. Masses and
retreats were not lacking, and the whole group was very close and fun. He had two
special friends, one was a recent graduate of the University as an engineer, Trini, and
one in psychology, Beatriz, and we went together to all sides, but always ended up in
the Basque Center.
Young decided it was time for our independence and under the stern gaze of
the largest we could not socialize according to our tastes because the lords of the "old
guard" were shocked to see that "danced to the grip." As a group we had in the
professional people in the construction area decided to build a dance floor away from
the supervision of the elderly, just for us. I participated but I do not remember that part I
had to do, but together we make a great work, turning a useless field in a concrete
terrace for dancing with a low wall to sit at twilight outside.
EUSKADI, 1963
The Medical Records Department came to visit two doctors in Madrid because
they were interested to open a program like it in the hospital where they worked. We
gave them a tour, and before leaving we left their cards poderles contact if any of us go
to Spain. Months later when I was preparing my trip to San Sebastian I got in touch
with those doctors. We agreed that they would come to Barajas airport to greet me.
Ready to go and to leave the airport before Pello Irujo, Arantza boyfriend, we took this
picture of the family. Before my trip to Euskadi the aitas gave me a wonderful camera,
Canon, roll film, not digital now. I liked taking pictures, and I got enough on this trip,
but Xabier always beat us to love and me in terms of quality. He has an eye for
photography, artistic and technical ability that transforms him into a very good
photographer. Personally I always thought it is an art that enriches our lives.
The whole family came with me to the airport in Maiquetía, and I still
remember that when I say goodbye to everyone and walking down the runway and take-
off and near the stairs to board the plane, I heard the cry of love "LOOK" I called to
give me a last farewell. Maybe he thought he loves me the possibility of settling in
Euskadi with a job, or going alone adventure, or as an omen, but I turned around and
smiled to encourage him. Although the trip was good all night, dawn, and still flying
over the Atlantic the plane began to shake violently and it was as if we lost height for a
few seconds. One of the passengers near my seat, went to the cockpit, and when he
returned I asked if I was afraid, and I understood the reason for his question, he
categorically denied he was terrified but then I said we had lost slowly engine and the
pilot was preparing to make an emergency landing. I looked out the window and saw no
land anywhere. I began to pray fervently. After a while, that seemed centuries, the pilot
said we were going to land in Lisbon without going into much explanation. And there
before our eyes spotted land. Soon it could spot terracotta roofed houses everywhere.
We stayed in a nice hotel where we spent the rest of the day and night before leaving for
Madrid on the evening of the second day. After leaving the luggage we ate, and the
dessert was a delicious cream cake. Then they gave us a tour of several hours through
the historic center of this picturesque city that has hills, some very steep and the bus had
been up .. Lisbon was one of the few European Atlantic ports neutral gate to be a
refugee. When we arrived it was dark Barajas. I had planned my trip to connect by train
to San Sebastian. The two doctors were waiting for me despite the delays and took me
to Atocha station to take the train to San Sebastian but not before making me all sorts of
questions and give them a copy of my notes. They were really interested. I could get
that night train and arrive at North Station in San Sebastian as eight hours later. My stay
in San Sebastian was very good and both Begoña as I had a great time, but now the two
most mature each thought to build a future more seriously than previous years. Some
time later one of the doctors wrote that they had begun to manage to open the program
and offered me a job. I was glad I could help with anything, but I had my plans for my
career in Caracas. In San Sebastian also had opportunities to implement the program
and perhaps use to me, but due to budgetary problems, they offered to pay half in
Caracas.
CARACAS
After this last trip in 1963 returned home with the idea that it was better to buy
an apartment to rent. Aunt Julie had just bought a very nice study in a high apartment
house in San Sebastian and I caught his enthusiasm to make a similar investment. We
then lived in "Building Naiguatá, a well located apartment, spacious and sunny, but
rented. Nearby construction had a beautiful condo building that we visited on a Sunday
after mass.
We loved it, especially our father, next to magnificent views of the golf course
and Mount Avila, while he was in a central location. By building around him gardens,
swimming pool, small playground for children, and around his golf course giving all
sense of peace even amid the noisy Avenida Miranda. We met the family in plenary to
discuss the cost and income to the house. At that time only worked Aita, my sister and
me. Bingen could not work for being in first medicine that absorbed all free time. We
could make monthly payments but the problem was the down payment. Discouraged
reflected on and loves it when satisfied smile gave us a big surprise. She always
responsible to juggle the available resources had been secretly saving the same idea in
mind and had saved enough to start our project successfully. We bought this beautiful
house in Campo Alegre.
The pool was one of the things we liked in this new house. My brothers and I
were enjoying the sport of swimming and going to the beach was impossible because I
had no car. Depending on the time we had all the available pool to ourselves. Only ten
floors down with our towels and sunglasses and we expect a refreshing exercise in this
tropical country. We loved shooting us with the water trampoline and race with us.
Xabier required not only brought the towel but came armed with a team down like
swimming goggles, tables, breathing tubes, fins, and earplugs type Azteca, they wore
earplugs to show their level of importance I do not think that our brother could not get
wet with both units on top.
Shortly after we moved the Basque Center's work Aita ignored. They were
anxious moments for all of us, my brothers were still studying, and our father was 63
years old, a bit older and abroad to easily get a job. But he got thanks to his friend Pedro
Grases, who had helped him before and again now and do what he liked working with
our father, that is, historical research. Grases born in Catalonia (1909-2004) and arrived
in Caracas in 1937 to escape the Spanish Civil War, was a writer, historian and literary
critic. An avenue in La Castellana Caracas where he lived for over half a century bears
his name. The estimated and recognized it was worth our father and was always ready
to give you the opportunity that our father deserved. Self worth is needed to assess the
worth of others.
At a time when the Medical Records Department was talk of a scholarship to go to
Chicago, Illinois, to do as a graduate and I went to register for it, even if all you knew
was an English medical terminology and I think we have achieved, but something got in
my plans. "Man proposes and God disposes" is attributed to the German writer Kempis,
author of "Imitation of Christ" and repeatedly said he loves to make us see that our
goals will depend on the divine.
In November, the American holiday of Thanksgiving. It is a traditional
festival in the U.S. and Canada. In the United States on the fourth Thursday of
November. Usually in this feast is gathered around the table family and friends to share
a feast. Aita worked with an American student and my father invited him to dinner that
day with us, he liked the food he loves preparing gladly accepted. The traditional main
dish for dinner is a great roast turkey stuffed with corn and sage. Served with a sweet
and sour cranberry jelly, vegetable dishes, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy
made from turkey. The desserts are varied pumpkin pie being the most popular, pecan
pie and apple. Days before the party George, as they called our friend, we asked our
father if he would care to invite another American student new to the country that was
also alone. Aita agreed immediately.
Love certainly did not follow this menu at the bottom of the letter, but the food was to
please everyone. Copy of the menu, it appears that no attempt to impress them much.
In the United States department store chain Macy's in Manhattan, New York makes a
great parade through the streets that attracts millions to Broadway to see the huge giant
balloons and watch performances by guest artists. To compete we decided to do our
own show. I sang ranchera, popular and famous Mexican musical history "She" by
Pedro Infante. To see Pedro Infante singing this song, watch YouTube at this address:
Bingen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jjnA0LV4k0/ Accompanied by four
musical instruments typically Venezuelan Plains home, consisting, as says his name,
four strings, is a very ancient instrument, giving rise to today's guitar. We were ready to
compete with the big Macy's parade.
Xavier opened the door and took care of the necessities of the guests, Arantza loves you
ran with instructions on this celebration. Aita was not very confident that things would
go very well and was a little nervous.
At six o'clock Xabier rang the intercom and started to fulfill its task. Soon the door was
George and his friend Robert, this with a bottle of wine, were present. Pello we rejoice
with their loud laughter and everything went well for respite from our father. After
dinner and Xabier Bingen, went to the Basque Center, Aita and loves prudently
withdrew, and five of us went out to the terrace to chat, and we did animatedly until 1
am.
Bob, as we called him at home, I call on the fifteenth day and went to eat an arepa and a
drink, and soon began dating and this relationship became more formal by 19 March,
feast of St. Joseph and public holiday Caracas. Bob and I went to spend the evening at
Monte Avila.
Caracas is located at the foot of the Avila, a mountain of 2,765 meters is
reached by cable car to the top. The trip lasts 15 to 20 minutes, is a picturesque ride
Venezuelan nature. It passes through the different types of plants such as palms, ferns,
flowers, orchids and trees such as Bucharest, the most beautiful tree of Venezuela with
orange leaves. Reaching the top is almost like being in the jungle, deep green, dense and
cooler temperatures. Its green is constant in contrast to the dry cement in the city.
At the top there is hardly any place to walk because it is a peak, but in this narrow area
stands the famous Hotel Humboldt cylindrical structure with 14 floors and offers a 360 º
on the top floor. From the summit looking south we see the town was now quiet in the
distance, and watched the northern Caribbean Sea. And there in this romantic place Bob
proposed to me and I accepted. In the lobby of the hotel dining room, skating on the ice,
gazebo, cafeteria. We entered the latter and there provide for our future with a Coca
Cola each. Photo taken by a tourist that day without knowing the historical moment for
us.
The first person I told of our commitment was to love, we hugged, and went to tell Aita.
For both it was a joy mixed with sadness because I mostly leave the house and the
country. Almost the first thing my father did after receiving Bob in the family, buy a
Basque flag to have her with us always, everything we have done, is framed and in
pride of place in the room, but was confident loves me strong faith worried that Bob
was not Catholic, and to calm Aita took us to his desk and looked there and study the
origin and history of the Methodists, the name of religion that had been baptized, and
read all the information we needed. The following close my relationship with Bob, he
liked his sense of responsibility, seriousness, punctuality and eagerness to study, and
generally liked him very well.
After our engagement time flew. So many details, so little time to prepare for it. Love
helped me buy most of the outfit, gave me tips on home management and cooking that I
did not worry me much, but his lessons are put into practice some more later. She
accompanied us to choose the invitations and participations. We sewed and wove
quickly. Needed now fall and winter clothes did not have. She had taught me to crochet
years ago and I liked it, and told us how he learned weaving ladies jackets batzoki
weaving to send the gudaris on the front.
On June 23 and I decided Arantza, Pello and Bob married civilly. Simple family
ceremony. Went to court house where love had prepared one of his famous banquets.
We set the wedding date by the church on September 15. Aunt Juli designed my
wedding dress, simple and very pretty with a long veil and a crown of silk lilies. Ama
and I were walking to church the day before the wedding to arrange and decorate it with
flowers. On the way love told me what she longed for me what she had expected and
obtained their marriage, being loved, cared and understood. We talked of many things I
expected in the future and wanted to share both closer, love me uncertain voice said,
"We'll go visit you." The little chapel looked simple and humble, but beautifully
decorated.
On Wednesday 15 September 1965 was sunny and everything was ready for our big
day. The small church was filled with flowers. Ama was the bridesmaid. With soft
music enter the church on a red carpet coming down the aisle. We were married by
Father Jose Mari Mendizabal (Goian Bego). Father Jose Mari talked about Basque
women and their tendency to remind Bob that in the Basque Country is the wife who is
in charge of everything. Love was the best example. Bob was calm and happy I was
least thinking about so many changes that I expected. Once again the joy of the moment
was a bit confused by the laid-off mine, and also the shadow of war in Vietnam who
was present. This war had intensified in the spring of this year, and Bob was waiting
two years of military service after getting his doctorate. Xabier took this picture because
the official photographer arrived after lunch, having suffered a car accident.
It was very sad for them to let me go and my leave, not without tears in his eyes we all
said goodbye. Thinking about another separation more and when we see each other
again. We went to the Sheraton Macuto and two days later before embarking call home
to say goodbye to love and evening sailed for Houston, Texas. That afternoon tropical
port of La Guaira I could not help feeling that he left behind a part of me might never
recover. The ship was at sea. This third time another boat would take me to a different
destination leaving my loved ones, to start a new chapter in my life as a migrant. Today
I can say that I received all the sacraments and in each different country, in Paris
Baptism, First Communion in Las Arenas, Montevideo Confirmation, Marriage in
Caracas and Anointing of the Sick in Washington.
We talked and I love my total ignorance on kitchen and soon I was worried loves
sent me to cheer him for his first cookbook, "My kitchen Economic Biscayne"
Mercedes Ledezma. The author was a professor at the academy of cooking and worked
in Bilbao all marriageable girls came to take lessons. Possibly the first academy of its
kind to be formed in this city. Love knew that I would learn and would benefit the small
cookbook, and it did, but struggled with the equivalence of measures.

In the year 1965 there were many changes globally, which affected us Bob and me
personally, the situation had worsened in Vietnam, President Lyndon Johnson ordered
to send troops to prevent South Vietnam collapsed, and the continued war intensified.
The Second Vatican Council called by Pope John XXIII was one of the events that
marked the twentieth century. It lasted from the fall of 1962 until its closure in
December 1965. The goal was to modernize and renew the Catholic Church. And the
final decisions of this council were drastic changes such as replacing the altar table,
moving the tabernacle to the side, remove the rail for communion, the priest celebrate
Mass facing the people, women need not wear a veil in the church and change the
language liturgy, the Mass celebrated in Latin by hundreds of years now would be in the
vernacular, which in my case would now be in English. While it is true that all these
changes took place gradually over four years after finishing the Council, changes were
crowded over the big change he was experiencing at the moment.
Ama and I agreed that we liked all these liturgical changes. Here you can add what the
Prophet Jeremiah told us. Do not look longingly to the past, wishing things could be as
they were before. Exalt God in this and let us move the forward. And so it proved.
The Bible has a great influence, but we are unaware of the path that has left us
not only historically in the social and culture but in art, science, literature and music.
Love in their everyday language used many sayings from the biblical world.
Some of the expressions taken from the Bible and spoken by love;

"In all there in the vineyard of the Lord" (Matt. 20:1-7)

Jesus taught equality among all the disciples about the reward of eternal life.
"In the blink of an eye" (1 Cor. 15:52)
A doomsday scenario that tells us we must be awake because at any given time the final
trumpet sounds and all living and the dead shall be changed
"Double-edged sword" (Prov. 5:4)
Discretion and prevent understanding of adultery that leads to disgrace, bloodshed and
bringing remorse at the end, comparing marital happiness brings happiness and safety.
"Making someone Passover" (Exodus 11:4-5, 12, 29)
In this passage God told Moses to kill all the firstborn of Egypt
"Mourn as a cupcake" (Luke 7:38-44)
Lesson of the relationship between forgiveness and love. Only love and recognition
inside a sinner brings mercy and forgiveness.
"Going through hell" (Gen. 4:11-14)
The first murder in history, Cain kills Abel.
"To have more patience than the holy Job (James 5:11)
The book of Job is an exquisite dramatic poem, it is the suffering of the innocent. It is a
matter of patience and perseverance in the midst of trials.
"Sow discord" (Matt. 13:24-30)
The wheat and tares grow together was the best expression of the church is a mixture of
good and bad, like the rest of the world. But in the end all will be judged and justice will
triumph.
"Vanity of vanities" (Ecclesiastes 1:2)
Is an expression of the entire book of Ecclesiastes and refers to something that may be
true, but has little or no substance.
"Selling out for a mess of pottage" (Gen. 25:29-34)
Sale of the offspring of Esau and Jacob. Change the honor for material goods and giving
up something important for a minimal benefit but immediate,
"To see the speck in your neighbor's eye and not the beam in their own" (Matthew 7:3-
5)
Jesus said not to judge trial.
"To see the heavens opened" (Acts 7:56)
See the glory of God said the first Christian martyr Stephen, to have the vision of the
risen Jesus in glory before being stoned to death.
CHAPTER V
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

We left the port of La Guaira in the evening and our first stop was the port of Curacao.
The arrival at the port of Curacao was surprising because the ship entered the port
passing near a row of picturesque houses of different colors. We learned the meaning of
the name of the island. Curacao means "healing island" because when ships came to
port with sailors suffering from scurvy disease were cured by taking the delicious fruits
that the island offers. Our second and last port was Aruba before coming to Houston,
Texas. It was a happy eight-day trip across the Caribbean Sea exchange dotted with
islands and the wider Gulf of Mexico. Riding a Caribbean cruise is exciting and
memorable when you look down over the Caribbean Sea and the honeymoon going.
They were happy days and Bob and I enjoyed greatly.
When planting new roots, many of us find our minds wandering through the seas to the
mountains or the valleys of the land of our fathers or the land they left behind in other
pilgrimages. Someone said that the sea can be a psychological boundary that protects us
from hidden wounds and bitter memories. Our fathers sailed the same waters were
battlefield in wars innumerable German submarine torpedo destroying and sinking
Allied ships.
I was living my experience as an immigrant for the fourth time in 27 years. Arguably, it
was a "citizen of the world." To pack, say goodbye to loved ones, to reach unknown
lands, hear strange language, guided by the city, adapting to new customs and idioms,
and change all that radically knows all these things I experienced as a child, young and
adult. All these moves have their pros and cons. It really gives us a different view, more
open minded and adapt and integrate with heart and soul in the society that we live and
easier to understand other minds and cultures, but all it entails great expense, which is
lack of roots.
On Saturday, September 24, slowly entered the Houston Channel and arrived in the land
port of Houston, Texas. The port is 40 kilometers in the Gulf of Mexico, and only one
kilometer from the city center. Bob's sister and her family hosted us generously.
Houston enjoyed great breakfasts which were really rather brunch including pancakes
and syrup. Three days later we began traveling from Houston to Washington in eight
days, covering the states of Louisiana continuing our honeymoon we spent several days
in the beautiful city of New Orleans, crossed the Mississippi, Alabama and visited a
friend of Bob college and his wife. In Atlanta Georgia stroll through the heart of the
south, where they filmed "Gone With the Wind." We crossed South Carolina, and North
Carolina celebrated the birthday of Bob on the road, and came to Virginia, the southern
capital, at noon which we traverse in three hours. And finally we come to Washington
that evening I will never forget.
To reach the center of the city had to cross the Potomac River one of the many bridges
that add special fascination to Washington. We crossed the bridge that gives the greatest
input to the city because it is lined with American patriotism by suggesting that we are
entering the capital, the Memorial Bridge. We stayed in a hotel and the next morning
before leaving for a home described in a long letter to our parents and brothers all my
thoughts, joys and concerns.
We soon found and settled in a beautiful and tiny apartment in a downtown
neighborhood near Johns Hopkins University where Bob was a student. The measures
Lilliputian apartment had a lovely night that turned into a bedroom. Two large windows
decorated with mustard-colored curtains and a sofa upholstered in blue and cream,
chairs and tables in French style. The living-room fireplace had warmed us in the winter
and two closets, a small desk, old, large kitchen with huge closet and a bathroom glad
that the sun bathed by a large window. He was very well located in terms of cultural
education of American life and entertainment, as it was to only a few blocks from the
White House, the Capitol, many museums of various kinds, the National Gallery of Art
with its concert halls were attending the weekend, majestic monuments, Library of
Congress, the oldest cultural input in the United States that serves as the research
institution for Congress, and is one of the largest libraries in the world. We were also
near the Washington Monument, an obelisk made of white marble of 185 meters on the
ground of the Mall Bob and I tried to break the record when we got to walk the 897
steps of the iron stairs in 20 minutes. But fell behind as the record shows that he has
been climbing the observation deck in 6 minutes and 42 seconds. The church was also
close, and was the historic Cathedral of Saint Matthew, a huge church, the exterior
looks like the churches in Italy, is of red bricks that contrasts with the richly decorated
inside with marble and semiprecious stones. The confessionals were the flag to indicate
the different languages in which confessions were offered. They went to Mass every
Sunday, and Bob was always with me. He liked that he loves.
At the beginning of spring dresses up Washington with the cherry blossoms. And we
went to walk through the flowery path one morning dominguera although a bit cold, but
the show was lovely. Is an annual celebration of 3000 cherry trees Japan gave to
Washington in 1912 as a memento of the friendship between Japan and the United
States. People around the world gather here to welcome the arrival of spring.
On 4 July, Independence Day United States, the Kingdom of Great Britain and Aita
Washington's birthday is celebrated on the banks of the Potomac River with millions of
kilos of blasts that are thrown into the air in what is the biggest firework display in the
world. To attend these festivals there are large discounts on airfares, hotels, package
tours, restaurants and shopping centers. Bob and I were on a picnic after a short walk to
witness the time the sky was filled with magic.
Bob's parents came from London where he worked as a petroleum geologist, directing
the search for oil in the North Sea. They came to Washington and stayed with us for a
week. Try speaking in Spanglish and acertábamos most times, very nice people and
really treated me with affection. It was an exciting year for us. There were so many
things that had to do and see. I excited to share all these experiences of this exciting city
with our parents and siblings. Our parents were excited about what they had and wanted
to come visit soon. Aita unfortunately could never do it, love came four years later and
we were able to show the places that I had described in letters. The photo in our
apartment with my in-laws. Today, this apartment is converted into an Art Gallery,
Corcoran, retaining only the exterior facade.
Aita Meanwhile he had promised to teach Bob Euskera correspondence began to
prepare and send the classes, and loves to accompany the lessons also involved with
drawings that she designed. And Bob is very easy to learn languages faster in the little
time that lasted classes. (See below photo of one of the lessons.)
In June 1966 Bob graduated from Johns Hopkins with a Ph.D. in International Relations
and immediately the army called him to do two years of service. The first year was
assigned to Walter Reed military hospital in Washington. The shadows of war that I
sensed in our wedding came true on a beautiful April morning in 1967 when Bob was
instructed to go to Vietnam. The Vietnam War was a war whose origin was the
determination of the Communist guerrillas (the so-called Vietcong) in South Vietnam,
supported by North Vietnam to overthrow the South Vietnamese government. The
confrontation led to a war in both countries soon became an international conflict when
the U.S. and over 40 other countries supported South Vietnam as Russia and China
furnished munitions to North Vietnam and the Vietcong. In this bloody war killed some
153,303 U.S. and 57,685 were injured and 2,500 missing
Could delay the game a little because our first child would be born soon. But sadly the
person appointed to replace him during that time he was killed in an ambush.
Send me love for her beautifully made clothes. She wanted to be with me in these
important moments of our lives, but could not be.
Our first child was born Anne Miren happily as an important date is July 7, 1967, the
day of San Fermin, important celebration for all of Navarre, as well as the most famous
hospital in Washington, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. This
major hospital was named in memory of Walter Reed Medical and Commander who
was in charge of a team which confirmed that yellow fever was transmitted by
mosquitoes and not by direct contact, and as a result of this important discovery not
only saved many lives, but also able to carry out the construction of the Panama Canal.
The nurses were very curious to know where I had bought some clothes so thin that
Anne Miren looked upon leaving the hospital.
The year 1967 was a year of triumphs with the births of the first two children and
grandchildren and challenges with the departure of Bob Pello Vietnam and imprisoned
for attending a Aberrieguna with a camera.
On Saturday July 29 at 8 pm the city of Caracas was shaken by an earthquake, known as
"Earthquake Cuatricentenario of Caracas as the city celebrated in those days the first
four centuries. At the moment did love was cooking squid for lunch the next day, while
my father worked at his desk. Love felt the movement but thought it was a little dizzy
from it, until he saw the chandelier in the dining room moving from side to side and
realized it was an earthquake. Called our father who seems to had not noticed, and there
in the waiting room the two embraced an end. But all was calm and hurried down the
ten floors out with the other neighbors on the street. Later they heard on the radio the
sad news. The neighborhood of Altamira, Los Palos Grandes and the central part of the
coast were the hardest hit by the quake. Bingen and Xabier were unharmed and turned
to assist in the rescue work. Pello Arantza and ran to his home in Los Palos Grandes
where they lived to find her child of six months he was with the nanny, and arriving
home went through buildings of 6 and 10 floors converted to the height of a floor, but
lucky the building was standing and there on the street near his apartment found the boy
in the arms of the mulatto woman who saved his life. Happy that night that began for
many when he suddenly changed everything went dark and the earth shook. Happiness
became pain and panic. The first quake lasted 35 to 55 seconds of 6.5 on the Richter
scale, but it was enough for the terrified population out into the street like a lost soul
and more than 400 inhabitants of Caracas and the coast died. There were thousands of
casualties and incalculable material damage. In the center of the city, the Patriarchal
Cross of the Cathedral of Caracas broke off from the top of the church and tradition
says that the fall down the earthquake process and as testimony to that fact is recorded
his mark on the floor. A few weeks later I got a love letter with details of the earthquake
and the sad news of the death of friends Basques when the building they lived in
collapsed.
Meanwhile, I just arrived home from the hospital and the baby in her arms and began
my arduous task of being sweet mother without more help than Bob when he came
home from work. We did not have any family around to celebrate your arrival or for
advice or assistance. Bob had gotten a woman to help me clean the house. It was a tall,
slender black hat and gloves to greet ceremony after the baby and I was singing around
the house by cleaning. I could relax with my daughter to sleep to the sound of quiet
songs of the mulatto in the white bassinet that I had lined with tulle for my wedding
veil.
At 15 days we are baptized into the church Memorial Walter Reed English
countryside looking gray stone. We had a little party where we invite Perico Beitia,
Basque government delegate in Washington, Yaione Bilbao and husband who were
visiting the city, and some friends of ours. A few days after the house and woke up three
games to Houston, Texas, where Anne Miren and I'll live near Bob's family during the
absence of Bob he left for Vietnam. Bob with his new Ph.D. now be responsible for
planning and coordinating the security of caravans and trucks carrying medicine, food
and ammunition. Our farewell was very sad, both crying our newborn between them.
Three months later my in-laws invited me to visit to Bogota, Colombia, one of the
highest cities in the world still, to 2640 meters above sea level, and also one of the
largest in Latin America. This city offers a contrast between the houses of rich colonial
heritage and modern buildings and is surrounded by huge Andean mountains. On the
streets you see people clothed with dark-colored ponchos that made him look more
dramatic. We were staying in the Hotel and Residence Tequendama, located in the
center of the city. We spent a month with them in Bogota after which we made many
purchases. We visited the "Quinta Bolívar" a beautiful house, beautiful gardens, with a
mosaic floor made of sheep bones. We went to Mass at the Church of San Diego, then
at the Copper Museum nearby exhibiting thousands of objects of copper. I thought
seeing the typical rustic Basque cuisine and I can not remember where, but we bought
ten items for cooking copper crafts to decorate our kitchen. We bought ponchos, jewelry
emerald stone. Finished our stay at my in-laws joined us Bogota to Caracas to meet my
parents and siblings. Look Anne and I spent five months in Caracas.
CARACAS
We arrived at Maiquetía and the whole family was waiting. My in-laws after a
food is delicious dinner prepared by master went to rest at the Hotel Tamanaco where
they were staying, and the next day came home. My father and I went to the U.S.
Embassy to report my new address and telephone. While the aitas home and my mother
is very well understood by our father's translator. At night they invited the whole family
to dinner at the Hotel Tamanaco. I could not stay because Anne never ceased to mourn
Look and my good father brought home to us both. Ama told me it went very well and
our parents personally liked them very well Bob's parents.
One of the first things we love, the girl and I was to visit the ruins of the fallen
houses during the earthquake. It had been five months and Caracas, and even the streets
were damaged, dilapidated buildings, vacant lots where once there were buildings, but
may calm tempers in the hope of Christmas. At home the Aitona (grandfather) was
speaking in Basque Anne Miren fondly. Ama was delighted to make dresses and take
her to walk. All were very kind to us but I could not fully enjoy because they were bad
moments for me thinking about Bob and the Vietnam War fortunate that no one could
hear very good news. In April 1968 we could not wait any longer returned to Houston to
await the return of Bob. Before I left Aita gave me a copy of his recently published
book which gave me and that was called The Man Basque. I am filled with pride and
not expected. Again and sadly said goodbye. In these photos taken in Caracas in 1968,
Aita and love are with her first two grandchildren, Anne See, our daughter, and Xabier
Irujo, son of Arantza and Pello.
HOUSTON, BRYAN, TEXAS
On the eve of the first year of the girl Bob returned from Vietnam. Celebrate in style
with the whole family. Caracas I call to report the good news. And offered him his first
job was in Bryan, Texas, a university town two hours north of Houston. Here were real
cowboys, were witnessed exciting rodeos and its inhabitants were very friendly. It was a
small charming village, but lacked the cultural or entertainment events offered cities
such as Washington or Houston. I think because of that, we had parties continued, and
almost all songs sung nostalgic about college accompanied by Bob on guitar, musical
instrument that I had purchased from Don Disco, Chacaito neighborhood in Caracas as
a gift. In this environment, Bob began his teaching career, and the three to pursue
family life had been interrupted by separation due to war.
I remember that I told him what we did in this town of Bryan in love and she wrote that
after the tumultuous year to travel to Bogota and Caracas Vietnam Bob advised me to
take advantage of the peace of this small town and take the time to restore our lives to
normal. And he was right. Needed in these moments of tranquility that these people
gave us.
A few weeks into my second pregnancy hear from Caracas by Bingen, our
father going to the University Hospital for x-rays done got sick and was hospitalized.
They found him and made him anemic blood transfusion. Bingen got in touch with the
gastroenterologist to view the radiographs diagnosed probable carcinoma of the
stomach. After several transfusions recovered by laparotomy was decided to make a
definite diagnosis. Bingen was upbeat and told me not to worry, but unfortunately it was
stomach cancer with liver metastases. A week after the operation he had a complication,
peritonitis, renal failure and died with full knowledge and without pain. I with five
weeks pregnant and having had an abortion months earlier could not travel to see and be
around him one last time. Begoña arrived in Caracas days before the operation to be
next to his father before he died and got to know and embrace. In the photo above Aita
and love with the title of Country homeowners who loves holding in his hand
triumphantly.
Ama, I did not expect such a tragic end, I wrote some letters very painful and difficult
for me to read and I felt very sad about being so far away to offer my support and love.
Xabier wrote that he took me for walks, taking trips, which she had always liked, and
made excursions into the Venezuelan jungle, visited the Venezuelan Andes and also led
him to eat one of their favorite delicacies, the almond cake Colonia Tovar, and other
excursions for these trips and all she had was to do was enjoy the scenery and food, and
she enjoyed going with them, mistress, told me in all his letters, she wrote of these
adventures illusion. Bingen told me that also took him to the cinema to see "Fantasia"
for Walt Disney that he really liked. The three brothers were able to be support for our
mother in those difficult moments.
All these trips led him to love in a jeep Werchmacht German German armed forces in
World War II, no doors and a canvas roof that noise got everywhere. I was called "The
Tank" but according to Xavier was a work of engineering construction and led him
proud and took him everywhere, was driving once to Brazil.
My father had taken me two years ago at Space Center Houston where they
control all facilities and serves as NASA astronaut training. It was an interesting tour
that impressed me. Now on a hot July morning sitting in front of our first color
television set recently acquired, we saw the space launch of Apollo 11 from Cape
Canaveral, and four days later, on July 20, 1969 the first human landing on the moon.
On July 24, landed in the Pacific Ocean. It only took eight days to go back to the moon
and Neil Armstrong, the commander of the lunar module. By stepping on the moon
famously said "This is a small step for man but giant leap for mankind." Look Anne just
turned two years did not understand what happened and we expect the night to point out
the moon and describe what happened, but not impressed as much as we wanted. I
wrote to our mother telling her this and she said she thought what Aita enjoyed
watching this event would not be beaten.
We invite you to our mother to Texas and be with us for the birth of our second
child and did so. It came several weeks before birth, in time to put the finishing touches
to clothes that neatly stitched crib and baby. Kathleen was born on the day of the
Mercedes, the saint of love, September 24, 1969. She shared her room with the newborn
decorate it together and it took a lot of affection for the girl. The attending day and night
to let us rest to us and can I be more with Anne Miren, and that caring for the newborn
will soothe your aching spirit. The church baptized in the old Bryan, Saint Joseph
(1873) with the name of Kathleen Elizabeth, names of family members of Bob.
Two months later my in-laws invited us to visit and stay with them a few days
in the city of Corpus Christi, Texas, the "Sparkling City by the sea", to 443 miles of
Bryan. They currently reside in this city. I was a little worried to invade the house with
us five, but with a newborn, but between love and Bob encouraged me. Love was
treated with all mime, and she was very grateful to the care of my in-laws. He left her
the master bedroom with private bathroom, the girls occupied a room and we the other,
while my in-laws were sleeping in a small room adjacent to the room. I love saying "I
do not think Aita has assigned our room." My mother liked what love was witty, as
when he loves invented a means of transport for walking to the girl as we had not
brought the stroller to walk it out love Kathleen held her infant seat to the car, and put
up stock table for drinks in the garden, and thus took her for a walk outside. Ama said
"the need for the mother of invention" The truth is that love had a good time but did not
go to many places.
Bob and I prepared for a weekend visit to New Orleans, six hours away. Ama care
offered to girls. We stayed at the Hotel Provincial is located in the French Quarter, the
oldest in the city. We'd been on our honeymoon and we liked to be quiet, simple
elegance, and very well located, close to everything. In the nineteenth century had been
the convent of the Ursuline Sisters, and then converted into a military hospital during
the Battle of New Orleans and later during the civil war. Upon arrival at the hotel called
to make sure everything was okay. Look and loves Anne spoke a bit and everything
seemed in order. The next night we called again and this time the line was busy, even
after half an hour was the same. We knew that none of the three could get much better
that nothing, and we came to call the neighbor and Spanish spelling in a message to give
it to love. We called and loves to answer. The phone had been off the hook because
Anne Miren thought I was on the line all the time, she missed us and his consolation
was the phone. This episode made me sadly back to my childhood because I was his age
when our mothers went to Marseille. And we returned home.
Bob is given a good chance of working. He was offered the post of head of the
department of political science at the University of Chattanooga in Tennessee and Texas
to accept it and we left family behind. He gave us a little sad because in this new city
had not known anyone. The city of Chattanooga is really the two Tennessee River and
surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains. We rented an apartment in a historic region
in the neighborhood of the top of Signal Mountain, (Mount Signal) so named because
the first inhabitants, the Cherokee Indians, from the top of this mountain and sent smoke
signals fire through the valley. The mountain has an altitude of 600 meters up the road
offers a unique panoramic view, but has a very narrow road with many curves and does
not inspire much night driving safety. One month we bought our first house, down in
the suburbs of the city. Throughout the region offers a picturesque nature. The city is
very urban, more mountaineering and culture revolves around the arts, music and folk
crafts.
Living in this city so picturesque I decided to take courses offered by the
Interior Decoration of La Salle University by correspondence, and learn to choose the
right colors to decorate our home and develop my creativity. With each lesson
transformed the rooms starting with the entry and ending with the girls rooms. Nothing
more to graduate, Bob helped me in this project and I ended up changing our whole
house. I've always liked the home reflects our tastes and personalities. Time later, an
upholstered love seat perhaps as a show of support for our efforts.
In 1972, Bob worked as a coordinator in the state of Tennessee of the election
campaign of Senator George McGovern for president. Few months were very busy, the
phone kept ringing until late at night and by day we organized and we went to parties
for fundraising, countless trips to give talks, meeting politicians and finally delegate to
the Convention Miami, Florida, Bob could not attend. Ama eagerly followed closely the
political career of Bob and sent him to the art form of support. See illustration. They
sent me a gold pendant for bracelet, a donkey, a symbol of the Democratic Party.
EUSKADI
In 1973 he traveled to Euskadi to show Bob the country of which we had both
spoken. At that time love was living with Arantza, Pello and their three children in
Pamplona. Since she died Aita divided his time between Caracas, Euskadi and the U.S..
On our wedding day, she promised me to write once a week and did so faithfully, then
wrote their letters more often. In the first week of July a few days visit Pamplona. Look
Anne was convinced that in Pamplona fiesta and fun filled were celebrating her
birthday. And the place that most were attending was the pastry. During our time Bob
made a number of interviews with people in the Basque underground struggle that later
become part of his first book about Basque politics. Most of the interviews were made
possible thanks to the intervention of love through his contacts with politicians in
Euskadi.
I had never lived in this city known worldwide for the famous festival of San
Fermin. Love insisted we should go to witness the closure, which consists of a three-
minute run before the bulls, culminating in the bullring. She woke us up early to be sure
that what we do. We arrived before the first rocket launch (txupinazo) and uploaded to a
window of a bank could experience the risk and excitement of these popular closures
immortalized by Ernest Hemingway in his novel "The Sun Also Rises."
We were able to bring the girls and their cousins to see the parades of giants and
carnival figures known as told by me many times. With some trepidation they saw
happen to couples of the giants and giants of the world representing different races and
big heads chasing us across the street for fear of children shouting and running. But we
could not stay to attend the final night. On day 14 that officially ends the day San
Fermin and has been dismissed and night Navarre meet across from City Hall and
candles sadly sing the song "Poor me."
CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE
Our trip to Euskadi and our stay there was very good and productive for all, we
were happy we did. Two years later came loves to be with us for a while. At this time
we lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She arrived a few weeks before the birth of our
third child was born December 24, 1974 with all happiness. When born the doctor told
us that the child's life was in danger of suffering from severe anemia associated with Rh
factor.
 • INDEX

Ancestors
Their people, their lives
Our parents
Spanish Civil War
First Exile
St. Jean Pied de Port
Paris
Birth of the first two daughters
Second exile, crossing the sea
Third exile, Buenos Aires
Birth of third child
Fourth exile, Montevideo
Birth of the fourth and fifth sons
Fifth exile, Caracas
United States

My Mother: Mercedes Iribarren de Ametzaga

http://mercedesiribarrengorostegui.blogspot.com

Blog created by: Xabier Iñaki Ametzaga

http://xabieramezaga.blogspot.com