[Chapter 7] What is it like to work in summer to fulfill a dream

That summer of 2003 was, at least, curious. See how your friends enjoy the party, the beach bars and the beach while you are closing the newspaper at three From the morning one day of August at least, the soul forces you. But what I will always be agreed to the group Recoletos for giving me the opportunity to start Five my dreams.

Thanks to those months I could live some of the moments of the history of Spanish sport From within and, for a sports fan as is my case, that was little less than A pride and a privilege.

Real Madrid League Champion 2002-2003

I can't help it, Real Madrid is my love's team since it was a reborn. That Constant struggle and overcoming spirit, not surrendering before the last minute are values ​​that my parents instilled in me and that I could live through the team of my loves.

I still remember that June afternoon in the writing that, at that time He found on the Paseo de la Castellana in front of the Gregorio Marañon subway. In the building that was on the corner of María de Molina Street. That afternoon was very special for Me, I always saw the games with my father and more if they were Important but for those I had to work.

I don't know how the newspaper's writing will be today but I remember that, at that time, when there was an important event, a Very nice atmosphere within those offices. There was a television to which we We all swirled. It is true that young people were preparing the rest of the newspaper sections. The editors were bringing the photos of the rest of News that were going to be published and we were leaving the work done while the most Ancient in the place enjoyed the game.

I was with my Edu Institute partner who had also offered him The contract for the substitutions of that summer. Edu, football did not like anything and remember That, when we were going to the tray where the photos were left to us, he I took two by two and told me to enjoy the game and not worry Thank you edu for allowing me to live that!

That match against Athletic Bilbao at Santiago Bernabeu ended with a 3-1 with two goals from Ronaldo (El Gordo) and Roberto Carlos. At the end of the game in that writing They crossed celebrations and regrets, almost equal, depending on love and colors of each. From the windows of the writing we encouraged all the fans Real Madrid who came down from Bernabeu to Cibeles. That walk that had touched me so many times make those months ago and that, on more than one occasion there were Made with my father, now I lived from within the largest sports newspaper of the country.

But well, I had to work. Those hours that were calm during the game became frantic at the end of the celebrations. From my computer I listened to the songs of the fans who went down the Paseo de Recoletos while all that team among which I I found, we worked until very high hours of the morning for leaving the newspaper prepared for the next day.

Fernando Alonso's first victory

If in mid -June I was celebrating Real Madrid's victory in the League . . . in August 2003 I was working on one of the most important news in the history of sport Spanish.

That did not catch me fully into the writing since I entered the afternoon shift. I still remember the heats of August, I was alone in Madrid since my family was in the Beach house. I remember celebrating the victory at home and running for writing intuiting what I expected after the experience of the League end.

When I got to the writing all the work that was was Formula 1, Fernando here and there. News and new photos of that Historic milestone but it is true that I remember it as a much quieter event and committed that what was the end of the league. It worked a lot if, but, the great luck of That F1 is an event, generally noon, made the writing The rhythm was not so frantic.

What is working in summer?

I lived many more events such as that historic Copa del Rey de Samuel Etoo won by Mallorca, the arrival of David Beckham to Real Madrid, the struggles of Sete Gibernau and Valentino Rossi or the victories of Dani Pedrosa who led him to be world champion of 125cc.

But how is working in summer when you are so young. Well, I suppose it depends on How you get it. I was fighting for my dreams, forging my way and getting money to pay me the art school. I had moments of all kinds but I remember that time as a beautiful era in the sense that there was a Claro purpose, get ahead and fight for my dreams.

My friends called me from the beach and they told me that they saw the newspaper and remembered me. Although it seems silly, those things gave me strength to continue. At that time, social networks were not what they are today. Us we communicated by SMS or by phone and, for me, those photos printed in Those pages of recycling paper in a national newspaper were my Stories towards my friends. It was what connected to them in the distance.

I remember the newspaper smell of my room that summer. I kept all the newspapers on which I had worked in a Kappa backpack that I still keep. The days that were made hard simply thought about the ultimate goal, I protected me In my partner, I talked to my friends or simply left the newspaper at dawn And I was going to party with the friends who were passing through Madrid.

Leave your first job . . . to continue dreaming

Summer came to an end. They ran the first days of September when They offered to stay in that writing working. I still remember the name of the Person who was my boss but I will not write here out of respect for his intimacy. I He called his office to tell me that they were happy with me and that they offered me Continue after having made the summer.

I must admit that the work, at least at that time, in the writing of a newspaper was the least intense. Adapting the schedules is not entirely simple and this, together with which I wanted to design, create new things did not help take the decision to continue in that work. So I explained it to my boss in that hall. He understood the first, I told him that he was super grateful for the opportunity and for the proposal but that I was going to continue studying and fighting for what really wanted to. By schedules I could surely have combined my studies at school of art with the newspaper but needed to be centered and follow my way.

A few days after that conversation I was in the secretariat From the School of Art about to sign to study design and communication Multimedia. The course began in a few days, would not have any rest after having worked all summer. My father accompanied me. I still remember the nerves that had that day, little by little everything went in the line of those dreams that began five or six years ago between old computers and Dragon ball comics.

All the money that had achieved that summer was going to be invested in a formation that I was still hosted by an uncertain future . . . and that was, when my hand took the ball and I was going to sign the first of many receipts that my father took my hand, preventing me stamp my signature and told me one of the phrases that today continue to get excited After everything lived to get to this point . . . "You are not going to pay this, You have already shown me everything you had to show me . . . I take care of this. "