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September 1984. Bilbao. Starting school. No clear memories. Excited and nervous. Without quite knowing what, something important was beginning.
September 1996. Bilbao. Starting university. The beginning of being "grown-up." Uncertainty, nerves, anticipation, excitement. A beginning I thought I had chosen.
August 2001. London. The wheel starts turning. My first offer, my first job. Did I choose it freely or did I take the bird in hand? I know the answer. Will they understand me? Will I understand them? Nerves, insecurity, excitement. I'm an adult. I have a salary! My lady luck is called Pearson. I owe her so much. Seventeen years of learning.
June 2018. London. British Council. A personal challenge, a professional one. Leaving “daddy” Pearson behind. Can I make it on my own? A free choice. A beautiful project. Leading a landmark British institution in the teaching of a language that isn't mine. Can I? A liberating beginning. My beginning. A free choice. The first one in this story.
June 2021. Oxford. A hard moment. The train derails. A divorce later, a pandemic later. The girls are growing. So are the bills. Fear. Insecurity. I trade project for safety. It's the responsible thing. The responsible thing. The responsible thing. Say it again. A bittersweet beginning. An uncomfortable decision. My decision.
April 2026. Granada. A sweet moment. A wonderful partner. There are six of us now. Many mistakes made, many lessons learned. Keep learning, keep growing. I'm taking the reins. An unexpected turn. An exciting project, a committed team. I adapt, I shift. How thrilling! A more mature beginning, a freer one, more mine. Nerves! Excitement! Let's go.
— — —
And you — have you started choosing your beginnings?
I'm listening,
Santi