Never too late to learn
Retired 80-year-old student travels to Verona on EU-funded Erasmus programme
Miguel Castillo, a retired 80year-old student at Valencia University, proves its never to too late to learn as he sets to travel to Verona on EU-funded Eramus programme
EIGHTY-year-old Miguel Castillo is a retired notary who survived a heart attack that nearly killed him. This episode caused him to change his entire outlook on life, and he hasn’t looked back.
He signed on to study geography and history at Valencia University, and after three years of study he applied for an Erasmus student grant which will see him travel to Verona to study for four months.
Miguel believes that his age is no excuse to slow down. He is a retired notary general, music lover, and ex-football player, father to three daughters and grandfather to six grandchildren.
Miguel said he chose the Italian city of Verona because, 42 years ago, he was there with his first wife at a María Callas concert. He will share his new adventure with his second wife and, although he admitted that he would not mind staying in a
At age 75, he suffered a heart attack, as a result of which he had a quadruple bypass operation
college, they will stay at a hotel the first few weeks and then they will get an apartment.
"My wife says she does not see herself taking part in a pyjama party. I told her to wear a nightie instead," he jokes.
Born in Llíria to a family of farmhands, Miguel was able to attend secondary school in Valencia thanks to a scholarship. He finished his studies top of the class, winning a school prize for being an outstanding student.
His love of football led him to sign for Valencia’s second team and, although he tried to combine football with his first year studying law at Valencia University, he failed all his subjects for not having his mind on his studies.
This made his father very angry, and he was then made to work in the fields, but when he saw an opportunity he went off to Barcelona to play for a small club belonging to an international textile company.
With the small salary he was paid, and by giving private lessons, he was able to put himself through law school.
"To my utter surprise, in my first year in Barcelona I obtained first class honours in three subjects,” says Miguel, who remembers that his classmates were from wealthy families and that they lent him clothes so he could attend the theatre functions at the lyceum correctly attired.
Although Miguel’s vocation was to be a university professor and get a chair, he could not do so after signing a manifesto, along with his fellow students, against the rector. Therefore, he opted to be a notary.
With his girlfriend and laterto-be first wife, who studied pharmaceutics, he returned to Valencia and carried out his work as a notary in the towns of Lucena del Cid, Sant Mateu, Sagunto, Pedreguer, Gandia, Torrent, Paterna, and in Valencia city itself. His notary work resulted in him being awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of St Raymond of Peñafort by the ministry of justice.
The crosses of the Order of St Raymond of Peñafort are awarded to legal and administrative professionals working under the jurisdiction of the ministry of justice. They honour years of unblemished service .
hen Miguel’s first wife died, he moved to Onda (Castellón), where he was named an honorary citizen. At age 70, he retired, but until age 75, his activities were those 'typical of a pensioner - taking care of the grandchildren, strolls, playing golf and little exercise', but that did not fulfill him. At age 75, he suffered a heart attack, as a result of which he had a quadruple bypass operation.
After that, he said: "Maybe it was the light that illuminated my life a little. I said something else has to be done, I cannot not do anything, and that gave me the courage to find a place where I could study. "
He chose geography and history because he has always been curious 'to know where we come from and where we are going', and he assures that at the faculty he enjoys his classmates' company, some of whom he considers his children and gives them advice. It was the Vice-Dean of Culture of the Faculty of History, Professor Miguel Requena, who encouraged him to go on Erasmus.
Although his daughters told him he was crazy, his grandchildren have been his biggest 'fans'. “Grandpa, we are with you all the way,” they shouted.
Miguel encourages all older people to fight to overcome limitations – and to "not lock themselves in their homes, to open themselves up to the world, because we can contribute a lot and also receive a lot from society'. His aim when he finishes his studies is to write the history of the Valencian notary public.