Born on September 11, 1918, this Alicante woman can boast of having reached the age of 101 in good health and, therefore, humorously confesses that “although my eyesight is failing, my head works very well”.
“Live 101 years goes a long way ». This statement is made by Rosario Zaragoza Ramos, a dressmaker from Alicante born on September 11, 1918 who is not afraid of the coronavirus, but acts with caution. This centennial lady has known the monarchy of Alfonso XIII, the Second Republic, the Civil War, Francoism, the establishment of democracy in Spain, the attempted coup d’etat of 23-F, the reign of Juan Carlos I and, currently he enjoys his 4 children, 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren in the reign of Felipe VI. In addition, with vitality and gratitude, he received in 2018, from the hands of the mayor Luis Barcala, the recognition for having passed the century of existence.
In the state of health alarm caused by the Covid-19, it is not recommended that, being a maximum risk population, it receives many visits. So, phone in hand and with the help of his son, José Pastor, he very kindly attends INFORMATION to give his point of view about the unprecedented reality that Spain is now suffering.
Q Doña Rosario, how are you living this exceptional situation of the coronavirus?
A Inside the house, you have to obey the authorities. They don’t get much out of me because they’re working and it’s more difficult. And now is not the time to go for a walk. Everyone is in the house like roaches.
Q You saw the Civil War and now you are experiencing an exceptional situation in Spain with people confined to their homes. Does this make you afraid?
A Fear, no; but I do respect. Before, during the war, we were afraid of the bombs, and now, of the virus. My goodness, we will see what happens.
Q Do you think that the population is prepared to live in such a situation, to be confined at home?
A Of course not, we did not expect this and that now we have good houses and well equipped. Although this will disappear shortly, such a thing cannot last that long.
Q Saving the distances with the bombings and the curfews, what differences do you find with the current situation, now that we are all at home?
A Before we were on the streets and when the bombs came we would go into the shelters. Now it’s different, you don’t see people on the street.
Q Rosario, you with your age and having passed the Civil War, did you think that you would have to see a situation like this again, that limits us going out onto the streets, closes businesses, suspends classes and people gather to buy food?.
A It seems to me that they have taken it very hard and this will end soon. The industries will work again and everything will return to normal. In Spain you cannot relive such a situation.
Q When you see the images of the empty supermarkets, does this situation remind you of anything?
A Before we did not buy this way. There was no money or groceries, everything was rationed. Some were more hungry and others less, but the situation is not the same. The money we had did not help us because we could not buy anything, now it is not necessary to stand in line because there is food.
Q You could compare the situation of the Civil War with what you are experiencing now, with the fear of shortages to face this circumstance in Spain.
A It is very different, so there was nothing, everything was rationed and it will not go to that extreme. In those days, the one who had no milk bought a goat, my mother bought one to supply us at home. Before there was not so much food.
Q Give us the recipe to reach your age, 101 years old with the vitality and encouragement that you have.
A In my family we are very long-lived. It is genetic, my mother was almost 100 years old. In addition, he led a very healthy, full and happy life. God wants me here on earth still.
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