'From day one I fell in love': Spaniard Elena on life in Cork 

A carefree summer in Cork helped Elena decide to stay Leeside in 2006, but the love of a Cork man helped her call it home.

FROM the North of Spain to the West of Ireland, Elena Rodrigues originally visited Cork on a one-month educational trip - 16 years and three children later, the Spaniard says she is here to stay.

From Santander in Spain, Elena told The Echo, she came to Cork to learn English.

“I booked a month English course, but from day one I fell in love with Cork and I knew I was going to live here for a long, long time,” she says.

Elena said she enjoys the “easy life” that Cork offers.

“There is always a friend to meet and beautiful natural places to visit. People are most friendly and they always make an effort to understand foreigners, even when my English was not perfect... well, and still is far from perfect!

“I think there are many opportunities to upskill and learn new things for mature students, as well as the opportunity to pursue different careers, and the interest of Irish people in general in inclusion and equality — even if things are not perfect, but people discuss and are preoccupied to make things better for everyone.”

For six years, Elena worked in hospitality with Marriot Hotels, but after her son Elliott was born, she decided she wanted to try and get involved in something that meant something to her family.

Elena’s 10-year-old son Elliott is deaf, and this motivated Elena to return to college and take up disability studies, facilitating inclusion, at UCC in 2018.

Work with Cope Foundation 

The social care worker with Cope Foundation is currently in her second and final year in a Masters in social policy, also in UCC.

“These studies gave me the opportunity to change careers, and after my first year in UCC I started working in Cope foundation in the team New Horizons. We support people with intellectual disabilities that want to be more independent, working and living in their local communities. Independent living and human rights are at the centre of my work.”

Elena also volunteers with the Cork Deaf Association, helping out in summer camps for deaf children.

The 41-year-old mother-of-three said she loves her work.

“Working in Cope Foundation, I can see the good in people, working towards a more inclusive community, where people with intellectual disability have the same opportunities to have a good life, which is a big motivation for me,” she says.

Elena said she works with her clients to achieve what they envisage as a good life, and making that a reality.

Looking back at her time in Cork, Elena said her first summer Leeside in 2006 was a dream.

“My summer as an English student was so much fun, I had friends from everywhere, and on our first weekend here we went to Kinsale, and will always remember that day even after so many years.”

Elena said she made friends from all over the world that year, people from Italy, Switzerland, Korea, and Ireland.

“I remember one day we were all chatting and someone asked me what language we were speaking, and I told them English! We were trying so hard, but it was difficult at the start!”

While Elena said she is not too partial to heat, she does sometimes miss the hot summers of Spain, and said while she wants to stay in Cork the dream is to have a second home in Santander where she can spend a few months of the year.

“My beautiful family and my job in Cope Foundation is keeping me here, but I miss my family and hot summers.

“When I retire, I hope to have a house in Santander to spend half the year.”