Amanda Partington - The Material Girl in Malaga 

Born Amanda Parry, she spent an idyllic childhood in the beautiful Welsh countryside around Tregarth, North Wales, but a love of Spain means she is now living with her family just outside Malaga and running a successful interior design business.

Amanda was born in 1968, the third child of Florence and John. She lived with her sister and three brothers in Pen Y Ffriddoedd, near Tregarth. John was born in Dinorwic and met his future wife, Crosby girl Florence, whilst doing his teacher training in Liverpool. The children attended Bodfeurig primary school and were soon all Welsh speakers, although they didn't speak Welsh at home as Mam couldn't understand them! Her Dad was a primary school teacher in Menai Bridge and Holyhead. The family moved to Y Felin Heli when Amanda was 10 and then on to Llanaelhairn, whilst the children went to Friars Secondary School in Bangor. Although she hated school, Amanda's life as young girl was bliss. Living in such a beautiful area near Tregarth, she has delightful memories of running through the bracken, playing in the woods, picking fruit for Sunday dinner and long leisurely family walks. The hot summers conjour reminiscences of helping Dad in the garden with the veggie patch, pottering about in his shed and going shopping on the bus with Mam. Oodles of happy memories. Following school, Amanda left home at 16 to attend Llandrillo Technical College where she studied to be a hotel receptionist.

Twelve months later, she met Gary Partington, who was originally from Walsall, Birmingham, but had moved to North Wales. Their friendship grew into love and the couple ran away to Spain, returning later to Wales to marry in the charming small chapel in Four Crosses, Tyddyn Sion. Their wedding reception was held in Portmeirion as Gary had been a great fan of 'The Prisoner' TV series and Mam was in total agreement. The happy couple set up home in Pwllheli and had their first son James Dene in 1993. After a busy twelve month contract with Channel Five, Gary decided a treat was in order and they returned to Spain for a four week holiday. That break re-kindled their love of Spain and when they returned to Wales the decision was made, they had to move to Spain. Twelve months later in January 1999, they packed their belongings and drove to Spain heading for Sabinillas, near to Estepona, Malaga.

It has proved the best move they could have made. James went straight into a Spanish school, with only 1 classroom, 1 teacher and at the most 12 children. James soon settled in, interacting well and at 5 years old picked up the language quickly. Now aged 11, he's fluent in Spanish, still attending a Spanish school and more importantly, very happy along with one year brother Joshua Daniel. The main difference between schools in Spain and Wales are that Spanish school starts at 9am and finishes at 2pm with 3 months off in the summer, plus lots of other holidays. As the Spanish adore children and there is such love for family life, it is still a fairly safe area for children to grow up in. Amanda explains. "When we first arrived in 1989, Sabinillas was a small fishing village that's grown into a small town. The beach is close by and so we spend a great deal of time outdoors. Although Gary and I can converse in Spanish, this isn't helped with the number of Brit's that are now arriving here and making us ‘language lazy'! We integrate with the Spanish very well, they have welcomed us with open arms and couldn't have been friendlier, or indeed more helpful. They're so patient and willing to learn our language, when it really should be the other way round. Gary runs his Satellite TV business, but our focus is on our family and we love the gentle way of life here. The sunshine of course is a big bonus and lifestyle for the children is just ideal."

Amanda's Mam devoted her life to her family and left a huge gap when she died two years ago. The rest of the family still live in North Wales, but I get the strong feeling that Amanda would love them to join her. Dad lives in Llanaelhairn, sister Catherine and brother Daniel are in Deganwy, elder brother John in Caernarfon and Timothy near Pen Y Groes. They returned to Wales for a brief visit in January and enjoyed seeing friends and family, re-visiting old haunts, enjoying the beautiful green rolling fields, the mountains and all the sheep! Yet although North Wales is one of the most beautiful places in the world, Amanda's always glad to get back home to Spain.  

Amanda has recently opened premises as an Interior Design Service. Instead of a shop she has cleverly set the business up in a house, which means that everything is displayed just where it should be. When you walk in you have an instant homely feel with curtains on the windows, rugs, lamps, wall hangings, paintings and furniture for you to relax on in a real room setting. What follows, in true Spanish style, is unwinding with a glass of wine - Amanda sells glasses too, so you can purchase some before you leave! Custom or ready made curtains, from Jacquards to silk, cushions in the softest suede and leather, you're literally spoilt for choice. If you're furnishing a holiday home then their "Room in the Box" service, which is complete room sets, are delivered to your door. The bedroom kit comprises bedding, duvet, pillows, sheets, mattress protectors, beautiful duvet covers, pillowcases, now how easy is that? For your permanent home, which should reflect your personality, their personal Interior Design service is ideal.  By opening by appointment, Amanda makes you feel special and gives you time to discuss your ideas or take advantage of her expertise. Although the furniture is designed and made by local craftsmen, Dad, a talented carpenter selling his Welsh dressers throughout North Wales, is supplying Amanda his range of wrought iron table lamps and candlesticks. So a small part of North Wales is being sold in Spain!

An expat's musings

"We'll keep a welcome in the hillside, we'll keep . . . ".  Those were the words that rang in my ears as I prepared to leave my home in Swansea in early 1970. I still get a lump in my throat whenever I hear that - and other Welsh songs, whether on a radio, CD or satellite TV.  I proudly stand upright and sing along to "Mae Hen Gwlad Fy Nhaddau" when I watch a live broadcast of Wales in a Six Nations Rugby match - even though I am a quarter-way around the world in my home near St. Louis, USA. 

I had worked for a little under two years in Banwen, for the (then) National Coal Board, when I received a phone call from the ‘States'. The voices at the other end of the line said ‘We need a few good men'. Not really, they only say that when recruiting men for the United States Marine Corps!  But they were looking for ‘an experienced body' to explore the nations' vast coal reserves for an expanding coal mining company based in Indianapolis.  It seemed like an adventure to not be missed - and so it proved to be throughout my 35 year career in that business in this country. I would never otherwise have seen so much of this country's diverse scenery, cultures and peoples. Wherever I went, my Swansea accent drew inquiries of my origin. Very few would guess ‘Wales'; it was mostly, "New York . . . er, Boston?" "No", I'd reply, "Further east!"  It was immensely comical to watch people becoming perplexed and seemingly unknowing that there IS in fact, anywhere ‘further east' than the east coast of the USA.  My work took me to the far northwest (Washington), to the southwest (Arizona), to the southeast (Alabama) and to the northeast (Pennsylvania) - all in search of ‘glo' - coal.

I discovered a tiny abandoned hamlet, Cardiff, in Illinois, a Swansea in North Carolina, another in Illinois and a third in Massachusetts. I have been to Nant-y-Glo, a small mining village in Pennsylvania, and through the twisty mountain roads to Jenkins, Kentucky and came close to seeing the famous women's college, Bryn Mawr.

In our earlier years here, my Irish-born wife and I made frequent treks ‘back across the pond' to visit each of our homelands and families left behind. Each trip, usually a few years apart became more arduous as our family grew. The most remarkable was in 1983, when my wife single-handedly hauled the six kids across the pond - I was tied up with work and could not make it on that vacation. Our kids of course, were always recognized (by their accents) upon arrival in Wales and Ireland as being ‘Yanks'; but by summer's end, they returned here sounding as good as any born-and-bred Taffy or Paddy!

When the temperatures here in St. Louis in July and August reach 102 Fahrenheit (39 Celsius) degrees and the humidity approximates that of a sauna - or when, in January, the thermometer falls to minus 10 Fahrenheit (minus 23 Celsius) - I miss the ‘softer / milder' climes of Wales - but NOT all the rain. Yes, I know it was often only barely 70 F (21 C) at mid summer when I'd walk half a mile from home to take a dip in the murky/dirty waters of Swansea Bay, but I miss that - especially as the nearest seaside haven is a ten or eleven hour drive from home, here in Missouri. I do so much miss the seaside and the Gower coastline.

My taste buds, though not my waistline, crave for such delicacies (extremely rare to non-existent on this side of the pond) as sausage rolls, pasties, bacon, fish ‘n' chips, Bassett's Allsorts . . .  stop!  I'm having a food induced nostalgia meltdown!  I never liked cockles or laverbread, so I do NOT miss those, but I do miss the sight and atmosphere of Swansea Market - which, incidentally, I helped build between leaving Dynevor Grammar School and going to ‘Uni' in Singleton Park in 1961.  As Mary Hopkins once sang, "Those were the Days".

As noted in my travels, clearly many Welsh men and women had preceded me - but not too many have followed. Our small local Welsh society, the St. David's Society of Greater St. Louis - www.eteamz.active.com/TeamWales - is mostly comprised of people whose connection to Wales is through their grandparents - or earlier. Consequently, there is less of that true spirit of ‘hiraeth' and of ‘hwyl' than might otherwise exist among a bunch of ‘fellow expats' - and I really miss that! 

Kath Rhodes profiles Diplomat Karen Williams and her journey from Connah's Quay to Beirut - via many fascinating countries ...........

The eldest of three daughters, Karen Williams was born in Chester to Welsh parents, moving to Connah's Quay, North Wales when she was six. Her father was made redundant from British Steel and then worked for 10 years as a Civil Servant with the Property Services Agency.   The family didn't speak Welsh, but Karen learnt a little of the language in Golftyn primary school before going to the Welsh-speaking secondary school in Mold, Maes Garmon. For two years she had about 18 Welsh lessons a week until she caught up with the Welsh-speakers. Her youngest sister Nicola went to the Welsh-speaking nursery and primary school in Flint and then to Maes Garmon. Her other sister, (Paula) did not attend any Welsh schools, but her two children, Laura and Katie did. 

When she was 18 Karen left home and moved to London to work for the BBC as a secretary. She had interesting jobs working for the World Service (Arabic service), Radio Times, Letters Editor's Personal Assistant, (P.A.) and Breakfast Time as the Editor's P.A. where she shared an office with Frank Bough and Selina Scott! Great days, with the BBC in the first year paying for monthly visits home to Wales.

Karen, far right, at the Moevenpick Hotel, Beirut with members of the committees of the St David (Cambrian) and St George's Ball.

Karen returned home to Wales, temping for a year, but the wanderlust remained so in April 1987, she was pleased to join the Diplomatic Service and with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. A year working in London was followed by a P.A. post to the Deputy Head of Mission in the British Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Karen explains, "Before I went I was told there was 'no worse test for a single female' and they weren't wrong!  Females were restricted in what they wore, were not allowed to drive, or sit in a car or restaurant with a man that wasn't a close family relative. Nevertheless I enjoyed my time there.  The work was interesting (in my final month Sadam Hussein invaded Kuwait) and most of my spare time was spent  playing my trumpet in the two clandestine music groups - a 50-piece wind band where we put on the 'Last Night of the Proms' four nights running each year, plus the 20-piece Desert Diamonds Dance band. 

Two years later and Karen was given the posting she really wanted, New York. There she spent nearly three years as secretary to the Legal Counsellor at the UK Mission to the UN - the man who drafted some of the Security Council resolutions. Karen continues, "I was an Uptown Girl living, living in an Uptown World on the upper east side of Manhattan!  It is certainly a town that never sleeps, with Security Council meetings sometimes running late into the night.   After New York I became a 'World-wide Floater' which meant all my belongings were put into storage and for 2 years I travelled round the world filling in for P.A.s who were either on leave or taking maternity leave. I worked in Belgrade, Mauritius and Yemen, during the two-month civil war in 1994! Barbados followed, where I learnt to scuba dive, then to Anguilla, Riyadh, again, followed by Ecuador and Uruguay, learning Spanish along the way.   I then transferred out of the Secretarial Branch and was promoted to a fully fledged Diplomat."

Her first 3-year posting as an 'officer' was to London, where she worked in Recruitment Section as the Fast Stream Recruitment Officer. As well as organising ‘open days' she also dealt with all the initiatives to promote the FCO to universities, so that they were aware about careers in the Diplomatic Service. Karen also studied in her own time for the Diploma in Personnel Management.  Personnel work is now one of her ‘career anchors' in the FCO.

January 1999 saw Karen posted to Rangoon, Burma for a busy 3 and a half years. She held three simultaneous jobs there - Management Officer - responsible for the supervision of the account, maintenance and local staff; Entry Clearance Officer and Vice Consul where she was responsible for the high profile political prisoner case, James Mawdsley. Karen was later awarded the 'MBE' for her work with this case which had involved her making the 4½ hour trip by plane to the Northern Shan State of Burma to visit him each month. On his release Mawdsley wrote a book, 'The heart must break' - after spending 14 months in cell with only rats for company. It was in Burma that Karen learnt to play golf in her spare time and now, she's totally hooked on the game.

Karen had two lovely Lebanese bosses whilst in Kuwait who spoke fondly of their country (which was then in the throes of Civil War) and this prompted her to make a successful bid for a post in Beirut. She was delighted and explains, "I love the Lebanese people, the food, the wine, the culture, the natural, beautiful landscape, skiing in the winter and the waiter-service beach clubs! On the work front, I'm in charge of the Trade & Investment team and help British (including some Welsh companies) do business here.  We alert them about the opportunities here from time to time.  I also went to see Wales Trade International before coming out to Beirut.   Working with British and Lebanese colleagues in a busy, front-line job and being able to contribute to team building using my professional HR skills is particularly rewarding (eg I have been coordinating the Embassy's preparations for IiP accreditation).  

"Following the assassination of former Prime Minister, Rafic Harriri in February, it has been quite eventful here, with demonstrations taking place literally outside my front door in Martyr's Square.   In my spare time I help with fund-raising activities:  in addition to sitting on the St George's committee, I set up the Cambrian Society of Lebanon and we held our inaugural Ball last February. This year we had no option but to cancel the Ball because of the mourning for Rafic Harriri so we joined forces with St George and held a joint Ball on 23 April with 212 people attending. Last year we raised $2,000 and we donated the money to the Baaqline Library in the Chouf mountains as they have a relationship with the National Library of Wales.  We know of about 8 Welsh people currently living in Lebanon."

Although the wanderlust seems to have left Karen - for the moment - as she remains settled in her beloved Beirut, she still misses her family and friends and returns each year to Connah's Quay to visit them. She also misses the fresh air, the rolling green hills of Wales and her weakness - Welsh Fudge.