My mom on her visit to the United States. Here is on top of rock found at the Escure Ranch.

TIAA 02: I’m never never never going back with Alicia Ciganda.

Imagine getting to go visit another country

Do you ever think about never going back to a country you’ve just visited? Many people dream about getting to go visit another country. They look forward to the opportunity to meet new people and get familiar with a new culture. Typically, they don’t instantly think, “I’m never never never going back.” Yet, for my mom and probably others, this is exactly the case.

If offered the opportunity, would you take it?

I’m never never never going back is what my mom thought when she returned to Jaurrieta. As you can see, she did go back to the first place she stayed at, the Escure Ranch in Washington State.

I’m never never never going back to the US.

On the first day she arrived at the Escure Ranch, the home of her uncles, Gregorio and Marcos Escure (Escujuri), she thought about going home.

Take a look at the drastic difference in scenery.

Her hometown of Jaurrieta is situated in the mountains near the Pyrenees.

Casa Ugarte in Jaurrieta, Navarra (My mom’s childhood home)

Whereas, the Escure Ranch, as you can see in the picture below, is in the middle of nowhere and in a desert.

What a complete shock to arrive to this strange land!

She would stay the full year and make connections with people in the area. When her year ended, Alicia would then go back to Navarra thinking that she’d never return.

Never never never would become forever

You get to hear it in her voice how difficult it was to come to the U.S. and leave her family behind. But we also get to hear that after marriage and having children, she would prefer to stay in the U.S. than return to her home country.

I'm never never never going back.
Escure Ranch, Washington

Tune in as we discuss many different topics in this episode with my mom.

My niece Ania and I discuss the following with Alicia:

  • initial visit to the United States
  • purpose for her visit to the U.S.
  • why did she return to the U.S. a few years later after returning to Jaurrieta
  • her version of the day she met my dad
  • how she learned English and challenges she faced
  • the hardest years away from her home country
  • adjustment to living in the U.S.
  • thoughts about what she went through looking back on it today

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Kaixo, I'm Esther!

I help Expats, people with Basque roots & language lovers like you learn Basque without it being too hard.

As a daughter of immigrants and now an Expat myself, I’ve created the podcast The Immigrant All Around to showcase the stories of the people around us.  

Learn more about me and how I can help you HERE.

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