Egelion

[Louis]

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It is often very easy to forget what each of us, in our daily lives, experience. What makes a nation run? A complex answer indeed with several opinions.  In a vast metro area, it is often us people who carry the weight of a nation. People. Educated, uneducated. Wealthy and poor. Experienced and inexperienced. All of our collective emotions, our jobs, and our sense of belonging is what  makes Altea a beautiful place. Of course, this city isn't perfect, but within our cobbled streets and cold corridors, the hustle and bustle of our people is what makes Altea unique. Yet within our shared experiences there are two different realities: one dominated by wealth and education, others by hard work and a hope to improve. I spoke with two different individuals on my journey to identify Altea's culture. Mrs. Villar and Mr. German were great help in my work as they represent two different sides of Altea.

Mrs. Lucero Villar is a renown banker at the popular Banco Santamer. Villar was educated at the University of Altea, College of Economics. She is from a prominently wealthy family from the Dul Kinean region, but migrated here during Altea's expansion 30 years ago. Her experiences at the top of the income brackets show the success of Altea: educated people moving up the ladder and experiencing the best of what Egelion can offer.

Trinidad: Tell me how it is to live in Altea for you. What you do, where you go ... it must be nice to live in the Sorsuela District with the palace being basically in your neighborhood. I imagine it is quite nice?

Villar: I think what you'll find in Sorsuela--and Egelion overall is a place of opportunity. I mean, it took forever for me to get where I am--stress, crying and all, but it was a good moment for me. I get to work at a place I enjoy, I get to go home and bake magdalenas in the morning, and all of my family lives nearby. Truly it is a great place to work and to live, I cannot complain. The torero festival and the parade of the roses is in the summer. And we get a beautiful Ghadrashi market in the fall time in May.

Trinidad: What is it about Altea that you think makes it appealing to others?

Villar: The opportunity, the community, and genuinely.... I think about the layout of the city. I spent so much time tying to get where I am--and that's the thing: nothing was handed to me. My parents made me work, they made me struggle. Yes, insurance was free and unemployment was there, but I never took it. I did it the hard way. And that's the beauty of it, you can succeed however you want and there's nobody here that will tell you you're doing it wrong. We are all community here and that is how I enjoy it. I go to work, get my cafe con leche, say hi to my neighbors, and work. It is a simple life.

Trinidad: Would you say you are living a privileged life here in the Sorsuela District? Compared to...lets say someone living in the Alfajor Distrct?

Villar: I mean yes. I live near high-rises, near beautiful canals, golden statues, marbled buildings... but I am not ashamed of it, that's Altea for you. It is a city of many people, not just the privileged. Those living in other districts have very similar things, as far as city services and architecture goes, but me? I worked for a lot of this. There may be some inconsistencies with how people move up the ladder, but we are trying to improve here. I am not flaunting what I have and  don't have. I understand others are trying in this country and I acknowledge their efforts. We're all living here, we have our lives, our struggles and our backgrounds. I am happy to just have that.

Villar is of course from a wealthier background, but remains humble. She understands there are inconsistencies within the city, but community and optimism is a way to heal divisions. Villar works and lives. While her day to day is heavily involved within her profession, she manages to do the things she loves: festivals, markets, baking, and enjoying time with those around her.

Mr. Cristian German is your local neighborhood barista. He works at Cafe del Sol in the heavily populated Alfajor District in the northwestern part of the city, far from the city center. He took some university classes in the nearby city of Mediomonte, but he dropped out due to his difficult financial situation. Now, he makes a living working at Cafe del Sol, hoping to one day move on. I took the opportunity to speak to him int he patio of his cafe.

Trinidad: Tell me about your day-to-day life? What do you do? Do you enjoy what you do?

German: Well, I wake up early at 5 in the morning everyday. I get started on my pastries that I sell in my shop. I bake  ensaïmadas, churros, polvorones, palmeras and crema Cailleana. Yes it's alot, but it compliments the coffee bean and espresso. I work at my shop all day, from 5 to 5 basically. I make coffee, I make pastries, I read the paper, and I enjoy my customers. It is always busy in the morning y'know? The hustle and bustle hours, but I enjoy it. The work and the connections I make with others give me a sense of belonging. I do my job, they do theirs. They've got their own lives, I have mine. It just all works together. In the end we carry inside, slivers of a million lives. 

Trinidad: To my understanding, you went to study in Mediomonte, but left due to economic issues. Can you explain that? 

German: Well I went to school to study communications. I was really interested in journalism and what not. My schooling was free.. but I couldn't afford to live over there. I mean, I could have rented with other people, but my situation was just not good. My mother had just died at that point and I was a wreck. Didn't know what to do. With new housing being built in Altea, I decided to move here and take online courses while I worked. I applied here at Cafe del Sol, previously own by Don Tomas Cantilla. I worked... and worked.... and I ended up loving it here. When Don Tomas retired, he gave me ownership. This was about 5 years ago. I've been here since. Do I desire to go back to school? In the future maybe, but I'm content with my life. I make enough to live, to eat, and to enjoy my hobbies. What else can I ask for? 

Trinidad: Would you say you envy other with a higher status than you?

German: No. No I really dont. We all forged our paths differently with twhat we had. Some are born into wealth, other are doomed to die in poverty. I think the government is doing enough to keep us afloat, but at the end of the day, we decide what we do with ourselves. I'm happy I chose my path. I make coffee for people. That pot of coffee could help someone's mental health. It can heal wounds from the soul and reinvigorate our lives. I could of course go live in the Sorsuela district and forget about my worries... but here, this is where I belong. This is where I can give apart of my life to the soul of the city.

Despite the two different backgrounds, Altea is a place of many cultures, peoples and backgrounds. But what we all share in the city is   strong sense of hope, unity, community and overall optimism. Villar and German show us that diversity, humility, and a sense of belonging in a huge metro area is a positive thing. We embrace culture and our differences. Where did this sense of humility come from? Despite their circumstances, Villar and German displayed happiness with their position in society and the goals they achieved to get there. /it could just be that Egelians are happy to be part of a conversation--be part of something bigger than themselves. Having gone from very little to global influence in such little time, it seems Egelians appreciate their position, and despite all the growth, humility and optimism defeats hubris and arrogance.