Interviews of Artistic Baccalaureate and Communication Media. 2014-15

Interview with Mr. Antonio Vivas

Alba and Aida: 1 – How did you start working at Colegio Alborán?

Anthony: –  At the Bellamar school hotel I learned the basics of what is my trade today. Having worked hard, I managed to be number one in my promotion, with which I had more opportunities. In fact, he had job offers to work at the Puente Romano hotel and at the Leisure Residence.

In 1986 the father of the current director Santiago told me that they were going to open this school and he selected me. So I left the Free Time Residence where I was already working and came to school. I have never regretted that decision I made.

Alba and Aida: 2 – How many years have you been cooking for Colegio Alborán?

Antonio: – Next year I will be here 30 years old, since that September 6, 1986 when we opened this kitchen.

Alba and Aida: 3 – How is the menu planned?

Antonio: – We start from the basis that you have to have a balanced diet. We take into account the energy intake needed by adults and children, which is different depending on the physical activity they perform, their age... Our menu contains proteins, mineral salts, carbohydrates and vitamins that we need during the week, so we combine meat, fish , legumes etc So that we all have a full week full of energy.

Alba and Aida: 4- At mealtime, are children or adults more difficult?

Antonio: – In general, we can affirm that children are more difficult, since the older ones usually have an already educated palate. Also, the children at home eat different foods than ours. Minors who eat a variety of meals at home gradually get used to it and educate their palates.

Interview with Mr. Antonio Vivas

Alba and Aida: 5 – What is the star dish of the school?

Antonio: – (Laughing) This question must honestly be answered by you, the students. I think, correct me if I'm wrong, that they are the croquettes since all of you always want to repeat.

Alba and Aida: 6- Do you like to innovate in your work? Do you think that in the kitchen you have to be original and creative?

Antonio: – Indeed, you have to innovate, for me it is essential to present the dishes in a different way. What looks good enters more by sight, especially for children and young people. For this reason, you have to be original in your kitchen and continually surprise your diners. Fish, for example, which is the least liked, can be presented in many ways. I have to add that I do not agree with fast food and fried foods since they provide a lot of calories and are not healthy. We have the biggest problem with sweets, "sweets" as children say, since they have added flavor enhancers that make them addictive.

Interview with Mr. Antonio Vivas

Alba and Aida: 7-Are you a team when it comes to working or do you like to work individually?

Antonio: – We work together, our work is a team. I compare it, for example, with a soccer team, in which to succeed, the players should not play individually. In this case, I would be his coach and we are all a united team.

I really feel at home here, knowing all the students and loving them a lot. I have met not hundreds, but thousands and I can affirm that ''The greatest satisfaction I have is when you have left and come back in a few years, that you not only remember your classmates and teachers, but also Antonio the cook''.

Alba and Aida: 8- What have you changed lately about your job?

Antonio: – Well, I am very open listening to the opinions of all students. For this we have even created a suggestion book and we have carried out some of your requests, such as including pizza and hamburgers on the school menu... but all homemade. “My idea of ​​innovation is to make the kitchen your own and unique.”

We have also wanted to make the dining room one more classroom in the school in which, above all, the little ones feel comfortable. For this reason, the students of the Artistic Baccalaureate help to create an atmosphere and decorate according to the season of the year whenever they can. ''since the students are the most important thing in the school''.

Interview with Mr. Antonio Vivas

-I know that you were closely linked to the world of fencing, what did it mean to you?

It meant everything to me. I liked it, I traveled, I learned, I met people and I had a great time. It made me grow a lot as a person.

-When and why did you decide to work at the Alborán school?

In 1988. I loved fencing, as a shooter, monitor, referee... but in economic matters it was not enough. This College has been an opportunity for me in many ways and my daughters have studied here.

-What are your hobbies?

Read, especially on vacation when I have more time. I could say that one of the books that I liked the most is “The Pillars of the Earth”.
Although I have to admit that I would like to be a mechanic.

Have you practiced fencing again?

As an active shooter no. As a teacher on several occasions. I have been active as the coach of the Spanish Paralympic team from Barcelona 1992 to London 2012.

-Why saber and not foil or sword?

I started with foil at the age of 12 and after winning several competitions I dedicated myself completely to the saber modality.

-We know that you were in the Paralympic world, why? What did it mean to you?

In the year 90 I took a course for disabled coaches. At that time it was the Barcelona Olympics and one of my students was an Olympic gold medalist. It was a great joy for everyone.

-What is your goal in life? Have you reached it? If so, when and how?

I would have liked to be an Olympic champion. I have known my limits and I am very proud of myself for many reasons.

-How many years have you been in school?

I started working at this school the year it was founded, I have been working here for about 28 years.

-How did you come to work in Alborán?

He worked for the father of the current owner, D. Santiago, in another place before the school was founded.

-What do you like most about working here?

Having the opportunity to meet many children and young people, chat with them and instill values ​​in them. The students always invite me to their Graduation dinner, because they say that I am special to them and they are very fond of me, and I always tell them that the affection is mutual.

-Is it true that you studied Philosophy?

Yes, but it's been a long time. [laughs]

Tell us a bit about it.

Well, I didn't finish my degree, but I kept learning on my own. I read a lot, from all kinds of authors. The people who motivated me to study philosophy were mainly my father, Nietzsche, and a PhD in Philosophy from Valencia named Nacher. I have read books by many philosophers, but my favorite is undoubtedly Nietzsche. One of the topics that interests me the most is the topic of God. I am an atheist, but a private atheist. When I say I don't believe in God, I explain the reasons. It is very difficult to explain God. In fact, when I retire I want to write a book about the birth of God, with parts of Nietzsche and my own. Another topic that I find very interesting is death. We are all afraid of death. An author who dealt a lot with this topic was Schopenhauer.

What other job would you like to have?

Without a doubt, Doctor of Philosophy. He is also a forest ranger, which in fact he could have been.

-Could you tell us about your life before Alborán?

I have always worked like a slave, but without considering myself as such. In the fields, I worked many hours under the sun, without being able to take shelter in the shade, and I have even slept on the ground before working in this College. It could be said that he was a slave without knowing it. Thanks to the sacrifice of my parents I was able to study something, but it's very difficult if you don't have the necessary means, so I had to do it a bit on my own. I am also a leather goods officer. One sure thing is that I prefer physical exploitation a thousand times over mental exploitation: never that one. I have worked in very different places, in hotels, in the countryside... "And I don't even like what Virgilio said about the countryside anymore: people idealize the countryside a lot, but because they don't know what it is to work there."

-Tell us about your new musical hobby.

I am learning the piano now, with the teacher Noemí, in any spare time that I find. I am a humanist: I love everything that has to do with the Humanities and the Arts: literature, music, drawing... I love drawing. I was thinking of giving up the piano until after I retired, but that's like a habit of smoking. I still don't know how I can stand not to paint.

-If you had to give someone advice, what would it be?

[Thinks for a moment]
Believing more in people than in divinities can bring greater benefits.
But, above all, my advice to students is to take advantage of the great opportunity they have to be in this College, to be able to study hard, and to do their best.

When he started to work?

I started working in 1983, that is, I have been working for 32 years, but I have been at Colegio Alborán since its inception.

Have you done a lot of archaeological digs? Could you tell me some?

I have directed and collaborated in many archaeological excavations. In fact, I lived from that, it's something very interesting. Before becoming a professor, he was Director of Archeology for the Junta de Andalucía. One of the campaigns I did was in the town of Alameda where we discovered complete Roman baths.
Inside the old town we find a stately Roman Villae and a complete necropolis with rich grave goods, as well as Roman bodies.
It was a fascinating experience.

Apart from being a professor and archaeologist, is there anything else that interested you in studying?

Well, everything I have done, in all the projects in which I have been involved, is what I have really liked, although I started Medicine because many of my colleagues did it, but I did not finish it.

What are your hobbies?

I have many, I am passionate about extreme sports (cliffs, ravines, caves), I also like traveling, hiking and the countryside. I like to learn new things and then teach them to my students and friends.

Did you make some jokes when I study in your College? tell us an anecdoteWell, I was one of the funny ones, something of a hooligan and very naughty.
One of the pranks I played was that I pretended to throw my Professor out of a University window. (Laughs) It caused a sensation.

How do you motivate students who don't like to study your subject?

There is no magisterial formula, my subject has a theory part, which you have to study to learn it. What I do is implement a methodology to make the subject more attractive and that it does not remain just a memory concept. I show many images, slides, photographs which is a good complement. My goal is for them to LEARN HISTORY AND ENJOY LEARNING IT.

How long have you been organizing trips and what courses do you assign them to?

I have been organizing trips for 29 years, because as I always say in the Department of Cultural and Recreational Activities of the center "Traveling is walking a dream...".
Organizing and coordinating the Cole Alborán trips is one of my tasks, I have instilled in all my students my love for traveling, interest in historical culture, respect and interest in multi-adventure and nature as well.

The students travel from 3rd year of Primary Education to 2nd year of Baccalaureate, I organize a series of trips in which culture goes from Spain to Europe.

Did you think from the first moment about being an English teacher?

Well, I like Language in general, Literature and Grammar, I thought of studying Hispanic Philology. But at that time studying English was something new and surprising, so at the last moment I decided to give it a try and I'm very happy, English opens many doors and it has become essential.

Where did you work before arriving at the Alborán school?

I was giving private classes and I worked in three academies in Malaga until I started at this College.

How many years have you been teaching?

I have been teaching since before finishing my degree. She started in the last year of the University and it has been twenty-two years as a teacher. I love teaching.

What did you like most about your career?

I liked everything, the university years are the best. The best memory I have is the good people I was lucky to meet and some teachers I will never forget. The relationship with the teachers was very different from that of the Baccalaureate.

Do you enjoy teaching?

Yes, I really enjoy every day. When I teach I realize that I chose what I really liked. I have never regretted it.
I like the fact of teaching, I enjoy all the English contents, although I enjoy the grammar topics more. What I like is transmitting knowledge, teaching itself.
I always tell students that without effort there is no reward: “No pain, no gain”.

When did you start at the Alborán school?

I came here eighteen years ago. And I hope there are many more years to come!
Before I taught classes in Infant, Primary, Secondary and Baccalaureate, now only in Secondary and Baccalaureate, and sometimes I miss teaching the little ones.

What would you highlight most about the school?

The team of teachers in general. Especially the good energy that there is among all the teachers, the enthusiasm that we all put in and the desire to improve every day. I would also highlight the students, who are, like you two, fantastic.

Tell us the anecdote that you remember the most during your years in this center.

I remember that one Valentine's Day in 4th grade, the students had to choose a partner to draw a card for. And one of the kids gave it to me! I still hold that card very fondly. (He shows it to us.)
Children, especially the little ones, are unpredictable and they surprise you with their questions, they are a lot of fun. The older ones also have their charm. They say that I have a very good ear, that I "get" everything, and this year, for example, the students of 2nd year of Baccalaureate at their Graduation Dinner have awarded me the band for "Most Perfect Ear". (Laughing).

When you were little, what did you want to be in life?

I wanted to be an interior decorator, I had some very nice magazines and I wanted to decorate my room as I saw in the magazines.

What did you study?

I studied English Philology, a course for stewardess, travel agent and something else. I have always liked languages.

What was your future plan?

After the idea of ​​wanting to be an interior decorator, what I liked the most was traveling. Since I was 6 years old, I went to travel agencies for old brochures and then home to study all the places I had to go, like the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben etc. All those places I wanted to go were drawing in my mind like in a story.

I wanted to be a tourist guide but it turned out that this degree was only offered in Bilbao, at the University of Deusto, and my parents were not willing to let me go that far in those days. I considered another option and thought: What do I like the most? Languages ​​like French, Latin... As everyone at that time was studying French, I decided to do English Philology. I combined studies, languages ​​and travel, which I liked the most. That's how I ended up working as an English teacher, something I love.

How did a Basque end up in Marbella?

(Laughing). This Basque goes to California for a sabbatical year and she meets her soul mate, as Miguel Hernández would say. They decided, since they did not have a green card, to return to Europe. I didn't speak German and he didn't speak Spanish, so we decided to stay in London. After four years of seeing rain and deluge, we decided to return to Spain. When I returned to Vitoria they selected me for a travel agent scholarship in Marbella, that's how I ended up in this beautiful city. Before finishing said course, the opportunity to return to work as a teacher arose and I did not want to miss it, in fact I took it up again with more enthusiasm after having lived for a few years in South London. I felt that I had many things to share with my students, about English culture and civilization as well as language as a vehicle of communication.

What is your favorite thing to do?

Meeting interesting people, traveling, reading, watching comedies, good movies, I have many hobbies.

What is your dream?

To be happy and contribute in some way to improve the world.

Do you feel identified with any quote?

“Because the ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do”, by Steve Jobs, which means that “those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do”. do".

Do you feel accomplished with your work?

Professionally yes, a lot, and personally too. I love teaching and the treatment we have with you, the students, of any stage and level.

In fact, before I taught Art, Science and English in Primary and now in Secondary and Baccalaureate, but each stage gives you satisfaction for different aspects.

I think there are many things that can go hand in hand. I hope we have many opportunities to grow as people. “I don't believe that the work makes the person, I believe that the person makes himself and also he is lucky to be able to implement and share that in his work”.

"A person is infinitely more than the work they do."

What else would you like to do?

Many, for example, travel more and help others. It makes me happy to contribute my grain of sand, "The dunes are not the ones that have the strength, the strength is in each grain of sand, which if they are carried away by the wind, in the correct way, will end up giving shape to that dune."

Have you always thought about being a teacher?

Not always, but I've never ruled it out. I tried working in the laboratory, in the field of public health, but I decided after giving my first private class, also when I helped my classmates I had a very satisfactory feeling. This is how I feel every time I teach someone something, I don't mean just Science, Chemistry or Mathematics, but also when you teach, for example, a sport.

I like my job, I like to teach and I also like to learn. It is a rewarding experience. In addition, young people are fun and bring dynamism.

How long have you been teaching in Alborán? Where did you work before?

I have been here ten years and I spent another ten at Colegio La Latina.

We have found out that you have written a book, what is it about?

Actually I'm already on my third book. The first deals with the evolution of music in our city during the late 80s and early 90s, and is told through anecdotes and stories from various people who surrounded me, this book in novel format is called "The dairy life" and it is the only one I have published so far.

The second book deals with a study of the tree of tourism on the Costa del Sol from the point of view of a child in a hostel in the 70s. And in the third I am writing a thriller. I recommend reading and above all writing, it seems to me a therapeutic activity to capture our ideas.

Did you fail, were you a good or bad student when you were young?

I didn't fail high school and I was a good student, often a delegate and organizer, although I have to say that at the University of Malaga, I wasn't very bright. I tended to divide my time between music, other cultural and work hobbies and studies, so I didn't do as much as maybe I would have liked to have dedicated myself fully, although what I lost on one hand, I gained on the other, I suppose.

Do you consider yourself more of Science or Letters?

They always say about me that I am very versatile, because I really like Music, Cinema, Literature and Art, but I am also passionate about Science.

How many years have you been playing? Why did you start playing? How did the band you currently play in come to be?

Well, when I was 14 years old, I went to a concert with my uncle, it was a concert by the Tequila group at the Marbella fair. The truth is that during the concert I experienced a very strong feeling, I had a lot of fun. I liked that feeling, and I started playing guitar in a band with my friends around the age of 16. I still feel that same passion as when I went to that concert. The important thing is to focus on what you do.

Did you live the movement of the 80s? What experience did you take?

Yes, of course I lived it. (Smile). It was a very fun time, but above all full of creativity. I remember that new things were created, both good and bad, but without fear of error, for me it is a very colorful memory. I think that today this has been lost, we now live in a society in which people are much more afraid of being wrong, and everything is very predictable and less imaginative. Overall it was a great time.

Did you dream of dedicating yourself to Music? What can you tell us about your band?

Yes, I dreamed of dedicating myself to Music and I had numerous possibilities. In fact, we sounded in the Top 40, we also appeared on TV, we gave concerts and tours, and it was a difficult decision having to decide between music and my career...

To this day, I am glad to have finished my university studies and to work as a teacher, my true vocation, and at the same time to continue dedicating myself to music as a hobby.

We have released two albums, and we are preparing the third. As for the name of the band “Briatore” we chose it because we liked the Italian sound and it was a mix between that and irony.

We had a hard time coming up with a name for the band, and when we were about to quit, a friend told a joke about this man's life and women, and he stuck with that name. (laughs). I insist on the irony of the name.

What moments are you passionate about in life?

There are so many moments... I can tell you several examples from different fields: when you meet your objectives during an academic year, everything goes well and you notice that the students appreciate it, when you are at a concert and you see the public enjoying the freedom you experience when Sailing is one of the sensations that I like the most… In general, I am passionate about the feeling of satisfaction from a job well done, it is always a great feeling.

Where would you travel and what has been your favorite trip?

Without a doubt, my favorite trip has been to Egypt, I can't wait to go back. I would love to travel to New York, Sweden, Australia, Brazil, and Berlin. They are places I don't know and they attract me a lot. Also, I think that South America is a place where there is much to discover. I love traveling.

Tell us about a fun experience from your youth.

Fortunately I have escaped unscathed from some minor shipwreck (with a motor boat or drifting doing windsurf). I remember once that after releasing the first album, there was a gala for cancer and we were going to give a concert, but they told us that we had to do it in playback. They didn't have the record, they had a cassette tape and it turns out that the song was halfway through, so when we were in the middle of the song, it cut off and started rewinding making a very funny sound, but we laughed, we always laughed. everything, because the most important thing was to learn and have fun.

Another memory from my youth was filming an ad featuring a couple rowing in a boat and a man bungee jumping who stole their cookies. That man bungee jumping was me!!! (Laughs loudly).

Why did you decide to dedicate yourself to teaching?

I consider that I have enough patience to give affection and be able to teach my students correctly. I am a vocational teacher. I have always loved being a teacher, since I was little I played with my friends and I always played the role of teacher. (Between laughs).

How long have you been dedicating yourself to teaching?

I have been here for 32 years and I feel like at the beginning, I have not lost the illusion of teaching. I really like my job, what I learn every day from the students, they teach me a lot.

How many years have you been at our College?

I've been here for 30 years, the center has been open for 29 years, but the first year we did workshops to set standards and coordinate everything. I remember it all with great affection and joy.

What courses have you taught? What subject do you like to teach the most?

In all the courses of Primary Education, except in 4th. I like all the subjects, what I love is transmitting knowledge to these little people in training, but the one that excites me the most is History and Geography.

If you hadn't been a teacher, what would you have been?

I guess I would have dedicated myself to something related to decoration, art, in general work related to crafts. I don't know, because I've always had it very clear. (Smile).

What method do you use to maintain the interest of the students in the classes?

I always try to keep the children motivated. Motivating them is essential for me. I have a lot of fun in my work and I try that each one develops the most positive part of it. I try to have fun while learning.

Do you like to read? What kind of books?

I love reading. It is one of my favorite hobbies. My favorite type of book is historical novels, whether they are true stories or fiction.

How do you remember your childhood?

I remember it as a happy time, living quietly in a town.

Why did you move to Marbella?

Because the one who was then my boyfriend, came to work at the Don Pepe hotel. So after we got married, I came with him and we have always been very comfortable here.

What is the nicest thing a student has said to you?

The truth is that I cannot complain, they tell me very nice things. (laughs). Every day they tell me phrases like “Señor, how can you tell that you like your work”, or “Señor, how good you are to us”. "We love you…"

Children today have changed, in these 30 years we have witnessed a change in the discipline of children, new technologies, which influence the attitude of children both positively and negatively. Although I always keep the positive part of everything.

Do you think students keep good memories of your classes?

Well, I hope so, but you have to answer that question, you who have been my students. (Laughing, he hugs us affectionately).

How was your leap into the world of teaching?

Well, it has been a work of perseverance. Since I was little I have liked teaching and being surrounded by people, which is why I decided at the time to study Geography and History. I moved from Bilbao to Malaga to get information and prepare for the exams for Secondary Education and as soon as I landed I found a job, I fell in love with the light, the people, the gastronomy and the Andalusian customs. So I decided to stay.

Despite the fact that my family is half Andalusian, they had not experienced the spontaneity of the characteristics of this area.

Along with teaching (academies, management schools…) I have dedicated myself to other activities always related to the world of Art. I have worked in antiques, decoration, organization of cultural events, etc. You have to know how to adapt to everything and get the positive out of each activity that takes place.

Which job has been more rewarding for you, the secretary or the teacher?

Both, I am a very adaptable person and whenever I have joined a company it has been for customer service in positions of more or less importance. Let's say that I was born with a certain facility for Public Relations. With the crisis I had to adapt and after presenting different CVs they called me from the Alborán School. At first it was for telephone attention but I never lost sight of my goal of entering teaching, since I had worked in Spanish academies for foreigners and support classes for letters and study techniques.

I like being with children, healing them, listening to parents, learning from my classmates, both teachers and non-teaching staff... They all have something to teach me. In short, I like to be surrounded by people.

On the other hand, I love this new stage in which I am immersed because I feel that I have reached a goal that I set myself years ago and I also believe that I have connected with the students and they with me. Feedback is very important in any communication. Without that feeling of correspondence, there is no vocation that can resist.

How did the change of country influence your childhood?

Well, I think that being born in another country has influenced my character and my relationship with others because it has made me an open, spontaneous and curious person. I have always been interested in other cultures, languages, gastronomy, ways of thinking... I think it enriches us a lot to have an open mind and travel.

What was the biggest difficulty you encountered when you arrived?

On the one hand, I found it difficult to change the language. I went to school and my mother tongue was German. They made me repeat a lower grade to adapt to the necessary vocabulary in Spanish and then they passed me on with those of my age. As an anecdote, I must tell you that my teacher was desperate because the first year she did her homework mixing both languages ​​and she had to call me to her desk to translate for her. It was a hard year and that is why I have so much empathy for the children who come from other countries and have to integrate into our educational system. I know first-hand of the difficulties that this geographical and language change entails. But also how important it is to know that everything can be done with effort and dedication.

On the other hand, as in the movie “A franc 14 pesetas”When I arrived from a bucolic and clean Switzerland, silent and serious, and arriving in Bilbao in the 70s, where everything was gray, polluted and somehow gloomy... it was a shock. I renounced my nationality at one point during my first year in Spain, but then I took out -as always in any situation- everything positive and enjoyed making a name for myself by forgetting my mother tongue in a fit of rebellion. The next objective will be to return to my mother tongue, German, but that will be for the next academic year...

Why did you study history?

(Laughing). This is a good question...

The truth is that I had very good Social Studies teachers during my childhood, but when I arrived at COU they assigned me to the best Art teacher you could have. I remember great anecdotes of his explanations, he made us dream and want to know more... After the first term, I decided that I was going to study Art, but since I couldn't for economic reasons, I did Geography and History with the idea that if one day I could do restoration in Madrid or Barcelona.

Is that why you like crafts?

Yes, everything that has to do with DIY and crafts relaxes me a lot. Keeping your hands busy rests your brain. Now I am working on recycling everyday things that we normally throw away and it is curious how something useless can be transformed into something that has a decorative or functional use.

What would you like to say to conclude the interview?

Well, I would add that I liked sharing this time with students, in an area other than the classroom and that I find this activity that you carry out in the Media very interesting. On the other hand, I would like to convey to all the students that they dream, live, learn and keep in mind that destiny is omnipotent and sometimes decides for us paths towards the future that in youth we are not able to see, and my destiny It was without a doubt, it was to be the 2014 High School History teacher at Colegio Alborán. A role that is greatly enriching me as a person and that I hope will serve to have left a small imprint of interest in History on my students.