Friends only repaid him small amounts. Those who owed him most had left Granada when ARC went back. ARC went by train from Granada to Madrid, then to Irún, crossed the border to Andalla, train to Toulouse and finally arrived in Montauban. When he came back to Spain to get married, they took back his sister-in-law to France. They had a flat at that point. ARC asked the secretary of the local council what documents he needed for his wife-to-be. Told she was legal by marriage for 5 years. Needed to sort out carte de séjour (residence permit). After 8 days they called hum to say that actually ARC’s wife could not stay beyond the 3- month tourist period. Two days before that time was up, the Gendarmes (police) came and said if they were there the next day they would be arrested. ARC and wife went to Irún, crossed border in order to renew pass. Had to do this each time 3 months was up. Eventually regularised by immigration. [90:00 – 100:00] Life in France Impressions on arriving in France first time? French had known ARC’s father since the war. They were treated well. ARC played football, cards, managed to integrate well. They lived in a village called Realville. No problem with French customs or practices. There wasn’t much difference between France and Spain. Many in the village went fishing and hunting, and used to give ARC fish they’d caught. ARC never fished or hunted. Remembers that the secretary from the council used to say sorry all the time for the mix-up on immigration with ARC’s wife. No general other problems with bureaucracy. ARC already had a contract before he came to work in France. After 13 days he got his carte de séjour for 3 months. ARC had to go back after 3 months, then got it for 6 months more, then for 2 years. ARC was about to receive a carte de séjour for 15 years, and his boss was even talking about him taking French nationality. Howerer, ARC didn’t do this, and moved back to Spain. ARC didn’t earn so much, even though he lived better in France. Remembers going to the shops with his wife and telling her to buy a whole chicken – she was surprised. They lived well. [100:00 – 110:00] Housing in France, story about life in Panama They had a flat in a converted school, on the third floor. It had three rooms, with a window each in two of the rooms but one without a window. Big flat. The bad thing about accommodation in France, which ARC missed about Spain, was that there were no bathrooms in the house. They had to go downstairs to the toilet, and pay to shower at a nearby hotel. ARC used to work from 8am to 6pm. On Sundays he used to pass by the hotel on the way home around 6.30pm and have a shower. When they used to go to Toulouse, they used to see lots of houses where there was no bathroom and so people used to go to the toilet in the street and bathe in the canal. ARC was amazed as everyone could see everything. Nine neighbours in their block of flats, all of them had to go downstairs for the bathroom. Used to go to look for wood for the fire between October and May because of the cold. Coal was expensive and you had to keep putting it on. So wood was better. [105:05 – 106:00 ARC and interviewer arrange next meeting.]

Created by: Darren Paffey for the JISC OpenLIVES Project 2012.