euskalkultura.eus

Even if he was born in France (Montepellier, 1977), Mike de Elguezabal has spent his whole life in Venezuela, or better said, a large part of it. His degree is in Biology from the University of Cumaná, he is father and a passionate for our culture (admitted fan of jotas, Benito Lertxundi and Mikel Laboa). He came to Navarre to study with a grant, and finally stayed here and got his Masters from the UPNA.  Article published in the “Diario de Noticias.”

Fernando P. Arderius and Unai Beroiz/Iruña-Pamplona. “I am Venezuelan of Basque origin. My grandmother was from Lizarra-Estella and my grandfather from Bilbao,” he says proudly in his recently-opened café-bookstore. “They left because of the war 80 years ago, in 1937, since many of my family members were pursued and killed and some even became nuns and priests to be able to go to Guatemala or Argentina. Now many are making their way back and coming back to their roots. For example, I have family in Hondarribia and Donostia, and other are ready to come,” he assures. “My aitite (grandpa) went to Venezuela with my amona (grandma) where he was a biology professor at the university, as my father and I have been,” he says.

A profession that brought him to Navarre to study with a research grant, even though “the circumstances in Venezuela” made him choose, two years ago, to stay here. “Navarre has always seemed to us as one of the best places to live and raise our children, especially because of the health and education systems,” he explains. ‘The thing that we like the best is the security. Here nobody robs or kills, and so there is no comparison with what was going on there,” he says.

After living for two years in Huarte with his wife Yaile and their three children, he is now in a “business adventure,” with the help of family members, in Venezuela as well as here. “We didn’t want to open just a coffee shop, but also a cultural space for all ages and families,” he said. His products, that don’t include any alcohol (“if folks want vodka or gin there are many places for them in the area”), they want to integrate the two cultures that Mikel finds himself in the middle of, where one can enjoy a Colombian coffee as well as a 'karakola' from Eugui.

“Apart from the coffee shop, Al Norte del Sur is also a bookstore that has titles of tourism and local gastronomy, as well as works by renowned authors like Patxi Irurzun, for example.” They also promote the “decrossbooking” service. “It is an anonymous book exchange. You bring in whatever kind of book, novel, poetry, or a photo book….and you can exchange it for another,” he explains.

“You can also sell used books here, if they are in good shape and are interesting, not a carpentry manual for left-handed woodworkers for example,” he jokes. “In the future we also want artists and photographers to exhibit here and eventually sell their works here as well, like a small gallery,” he said.

(published on 7/21/2015 in the Diario de Noticias)