Patxi Olabe: Basque Country’s ambassador without embassy

In a year he made seven travels to the Dominican Republic, and there he realised the importance of that boy for him. Used to peace and the life together with the neighbour, arrived at the immense New York. He was teacher in an “Ikastola” (Basque School), he was “maisu Patxi” (Teacher Patxi).

It could be the beginning of one of those Love novels to be read in the underground or in the plane. But it is not. It is a real story, without any fiction of a man settled for two decades in New York.

Patxi is the ambassador of the Basque Country without embassy (and he points out as a joke, without salary). The town of Elizondo was very little for him, but nowadays, while walking through The Big Apple, he confesses that he misses the tranquillity of the Valley of the Baztan, the smell of the ferns, going to the bars with the friends…

However, he also has many friends here. Wherever he goes everybody welcome him, hug him, invite him to drink beer… at his 47 years old is the real image of the youth. But not all has been an easy way.

He arrived at New York without speaking any English, without work and a little bit of pocket money, but with a lot of love. He was very happy for some time, but suddenly his life changed. He was not the same person he used to be, he stopped being the lovely teacher Patxi he used to be.

What he saw was hard, but suddenly a new “guard angel” came to his life, who elevated him to the highest point of the sky and made his glance bright again and wanted to look forward.

Patxi is a good man a good friend and a good guide.

In a few day you will be able to enjoy with some funny and sensitive words of Patxi Olabe “ambassador of the Basque Country in New York”, in eitb24.com.

I can only say him thank you for making my travel funnier and more interesting.