Georgina, Iñaki and Marion - a family affair
Family photo with our neighbours (the Joaldunak of Ituren)
A language lover, teacher and small-scale writer, I started these projects with an old Ford Escort called Fred, a Spanish – English dictionary, a pair of walking boots and a bag of English tea bags. I was born in Solihull but spent many years in Copenhagen where finally my passion for languages and mountains rebelled and drove me south. Just before I left Denmark I published my first book ‘Freedom to Choose’ and – in many respects – the Pyrenean Experience put theory into practise. Thirteen years later I live here in Ituren with my Basque/Spanish partner, Iñaki, and my 7-year-old daughter, Marion, (equally irrepressible in Spanish, Basque and English). Iñaki is a professional Spanish teacher and family lawyer and, as for Marion, we have yet to see (although she has been shepherding sheep on our neighbours’ farms since the age of 2). My mum, Valeirie, also gives us an invaluable helping hand with the admin back in the UK.
The second book I wrote was ‘Breaking the Language Barrier’ and served very much as an inspiration for the Spanish language house-parties we run today. The next will – I hope - if time, work and motherhood allow - pay homage to the beauty of these Basque valleys and the wonderful Basque friends we have found. Georgina Howard. Contact us.
Me at my mobile office in the early days
Following in her mother´s footsteps. Marion at 5 years old.
Iñaki teaching over lunch with Sheila and Hillary at our favorite restaurant in Donamaria.
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Hello Georgina
I’ve been really enjoying reading through your blog – which seems to exude your personality, as well as being very interesting! If I weren’t also lucky enough to live in the Basque country & I was looking for a holiday of this sort, I’d be thinking this sounds brilliant.
Aside from the fact that you live in such a beautiful area, I think it’s because it’s NOT one of those impersonal companies & I can hear all your genuine enthusiasm for everything.Well done! (I’ve added you as a link on my blog)
I spent a week with Georgina 2 years ago – and was expecting that my second stay would not be as enjoyable. In fact it was even better (perhaps partly because my Spanish was better).
The whole holiday was brilliant – even though Georgina had to cope with the upset of someone having a nasty fall and having to be flown home early . All the experiences – meeting local people, visiting their homes and eating with them, having demonstations of local cooking, listening to the stories of the ‘contrabandista’ and the great fiesta on the last evening – not to mention the food, the lessons, the scenery – were wonderful and will be long remembered .