Ezkaroze, Navarre. A Basque student in Valencia, Spain won second prize in the Pyrenees Micro-Story Contest III in the Basque student’s category. According to Ibai Biain, from Portugalete, her teacher at the Official School of Languages Saïdia, Carolina Otero began learning Basque in October, “seven months ago.” She is a writer in Spanish and brought that passion when she signed up for Basque classes. With basic knowledge and the help of a dictionary she created a text of 100 words, which is the format requested in this contest organized by the Euskera Services of the Navarrese Pyrenees with the support of the regional government.
Carolina Otero teaches Spanish Language and Literature in Valencia, and is also a poet and a rock singer-songwriter (Carolina Otero & The Someone Elses). Her latest book is entitled Piscina fuera de temporada (Out of Season Pool) published in 2019 by Trifaldi.
It seems that it wasn’t Carolina who sent her text that has now placed in the 3rd Contest of Micro-Stories. The award, however, not only made Carolina happy, but also encouraged her classmates. “What a joy it is to read the result: second prize for Carolina!” they said.
In the contest in the Basque student category there were 32 works submitted, 12 of which were from the Pyrenees, 11 others from other places in Navarre, 6 from the Basque Autonomous Community, 2 from Valencia and 1 from Argentina. The winner was Alba Cabrera Jauregi, from Urnieta, and second place went to Carolina Otero Belmar from Valencia.
The contest consisted of two main sections: an interschool one for school children in the region, with the participation of schools in Auriz, Aurizperri, Erro, Garralda, Otsagabia and Erronkari-Roncal, resulting in winners in their different subcategories Jon Nazabal Eginoa (Hiriberri-Aezkoa), Carlota Pino Araujo (Ezkaroze), Aiora Goienetxe Etxeberria (Otsagabia), Eidur Ekisoain Goiena (Aintzioa-Erroibar), Amane Sancet Aranburu (Itzaltzu), Irune Erdozain Lanas (Orbaizeta), Iraia Ziaurritz Villalba (Orbaizeta), and Ainara Sarrias Garcés (Izaba).
The other for those older than 16, also included two subdivisions: the aforementioned category for Basque students, and a general category where first prize went to Elena Aierbe from Tolosa, and second prize went to Xabier Ariznabarreta from Andoain. The awards ceremony took place on April 30th at the Zaraitzuko House in Ezkaroze.
Here is the winning text by Carolina Otero (original in Basque, followed by our translations into Spanish and English):
Mahai bat euskara ikasle batekin maitemintzen da...
Ni mahai bat naiz.
Ni mahai berde hura naiz.
Ni mahai hura izkinan.
Zu beti nire ondoan esertzen zara.
Begi argiko dituen mutila zara klasean.
Mutilek eta neskek surfa egin nahi dute zure begietan.
Zure koadernoa mahai horretan jartzen duzu.
Idazten duzu.
Eskuak orriaren gainean jartzen dituzu.
Hitz horiek idazten dituzu: "ura", "haizea", "sute" eta "lurra".
Koadernoa ixten duzu.
Etxera zoaz.
Astelehenean eta asteazkenean etortzen zara.
Isilik egoten naiz.
Euria ari du.
Negua da apirilean.
Astelehenean itzuliko zara.
Zurekin amets egiten dut baina isilik nago.
Esan nahi dizut: "Surf egin nahi dut zure begietan ".
Bakarrik mahai bat naiz.
Ni maitemindutako mahaia naiz klaseko izkinan.
-Hona iazko lehiaketako lanekin egindako liburua
Una mesa se enamora de un alumno de euskera...
Soy una mesa..
Soy aquella mesa verde.
Soy aquella mesa de la esquina.
Tú siempre te sientas junto a mí.
Eres el muchacho de ojos claros de la clase.
Los chicos y chicas surfean en tus ojos,
Dejas tu cuaderno en esa mesa.
Escribes.
Reposas tus manos sobre las hojas.
Escribes palabras como "agua", "viento", "incendio" y "tierra".
Cierras el cuaderno.
Vas a casa.
Vienes los lunes y los miércoles.
Suelo estar en silencio.
Llueve.
Es invierno en abril.
Volverás el lunes.
Suelo contigo pero permanezco en silencio.
Quiero decirte: "Quisiera surfear en tus ojos".
Solo soy una mesa.
Soy una mesa enamorada en la esquina de la clase.
-Libro elaborado con los textos participantes el pasado año
A Table Falls in Love with a Basque Student ...
I'm a table ..
I'm that green table.
I'm that corner table.
You always sit next to me.
You are the clear-eyed boy in the class.
Boys and girls surf in your eyes,
Leave your notebook on that table.
You write.
Rest your hands on the pages.
You write words like "water," "wind," "fire" and "earth".
Close your notebook.
You go home.
You come on Mondays and Wednesdays.
I am usually silent.
It's raining.
It's winter in April.
You will be back on Monday.
I stand with you but I remain silent.
I want to tell you, "I would like to surf in your eyes."
I'm just a table.
I'm a table in love in the corner of the classroom.
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