INSPIRATIONAL HUMANS

Unlikely Twists of Fate

Meeting my second mother in Spain

My life has been shaped by small, unlikely turns of fate I never could have planned. Some of the most important people in my life have appeared when I needed them the most and deserved them the least.

Eva was one of those people.

Eva was born in Pamplona, Spain in 1961. I was born in Indiana in the U.S. in 1986. We had no relatives in common, no common activities. We were not similar ages. She did not speak English and I was only just learning Spanish. We had no reason to come together at all.

But during my third year at university, I chose a study abroad program in Madrid. I landed in the house of Eva, a single mother who rented out her apartment to exchange students to help pay the bills.

It was my first time in a big city, and the first time out of my country. I was 20 years old, and an idiot. I was thrilled by Spanish culture since that I could drink at bars before I was 21.

I must have been insufferable

But, for some reason, I wasn’t to Eva. She opened her home to me, even though the allowance she got from my study abroad program only covered rent and a modest amount for food. She cooked delicious meals, was patient with my language abilities, introduced me to her friends, and took me to parties. She taught me the guitar. She bought me endless rounds of pre-lunch/after-lunch/pre-dinner/after-dinner drinks. She talked to me like I was an adult, and listened when I tried to explain my background, my family, and my country. She was different than every other adult in my life at the time.

I was the only exchange student that decided to stay with their host family after the first semester.

The year that followed profoundly changed my life, and it was sparked by the supreme luck of having her as my host mom.

Through the years, Eva and I kept in touch. I visited her three more times over holidays and when I later moved back to Europe to pursue a Master’s degree. Even after the economy fell in 2007, she always insisted I stay with her for free.

We had a great time together. She referred to me as her adopted daughter.

But, I wasn’t the only one she “adopted.” She had a big heart and saw the good in most, adopting both pets and people.

She also was active in her community, lending help when it was needed. One of my trips to visit her included helping both a local Shaman garden and a single mother who had just been evicted move to a new place.

She was passionate and unafraid of her own beliefs. After the economy collapsed, she joined political groups to protest the mass evictions taking place around the country. If she felt something was wrong, unfair, or unjust, she would not hesitate to raise her voice about it.

Her passion and resolute sense of justice are some of the things I admire most. Talking to her every night about my hopes and dreams gave me the courage and confidence to continue traveling and make my own path moving forward.

Eva was not a perfect person

She smoked like a chimney, could be passionate to the point of argumentative, and was stubborn. But she had a huge heart that she gave to people without hesitation. She was open-minded, often patient and an amazing cook. She inspired me and the other students that were lucky enough to have her as a host mom.

There was no reason for our paths to cross and even less reason for her to take me in with such warmth and care when I was a stupid, 20-year old American adapting to a new experience. But she did. And I am so grateful.

Thank you for reading.

Check out another recently posted Inspirational Humans story here:-