These are knick knacks I bought in Greece when I was working there teaching English to children in a family in the 1970s. It was a difficult time then; there was a military regime and a great deal of student unrest, real bullets and tear gas were used in the demonstrations. There was a curfew and we had to be in by 9pm. I couldn’t speak the language but I had a wonderful time and I’d love to go back. I keep these in a glass cabinet at home.
I was born in North of Iraq, Kurdistan then my family and I moved to the Netherlands. It reminds me when I was a child making a snowman. My mother took the photo from the window. I’ll give it to my daughter.
This medal belongs to my son and it was the first he ever won. He won it at sports day at his school, St Gabriel’s. He played football, tennis and ping pong. I was very proud of him and he was very happy. One day he would like to win the Golden Ball.
During Christmas in Catalonia there is a tradition called Caga Tio. Caga Tio is an item that cannot be bought: on the 8th December every year families find a piece of wood and dress it with a face and legs, and cover it in a blanket. On Christmas Day we each get a stick and hit the Caga Tio and sing a special song telling the Caga Tio to poo sweets. Afterwards we lift up the blanket to reveal lots of sweets.
