20 Year Reunion Visit for Barcelona Alumni

Alumni travelled from Barcelona to City Campus marking 20 year reunion.

In this interview, the Spanish alumni who travelled back to campus and the city to celebrate 20 years since they were last here together, showing what the University, and the time they spent here, mean to them.

The visit was organised by alumnus Rafael Vidal, who Studied Media and Communications Studies, completing his course in 2005.

What are all your names, what did you study and when did you complete your studies?

Erika Ros, Luis Comajuan, Àlex Font, Iván Medina, Marta Trabal and Rafael Vidal who we all studied Media & Communication. With us, Álex Sanromà who at the time was in London studying Engineering and was, and still is, Marta’s partner. He was often with us visiting and was a big part of the experience. Featuring as well Àlex Font’s wife. Eli Espanyol, who came along with us to understand what Wolverhampton was really about. We all were in Wolverhampton from 2004 and graduated with honors in 2005.

Who organised your special reunion and when did you start planning? What else did you do on your visit to the UK and Wolverhampton?

Erika was the one who had the idea and bought the tickets during one of our family meals that we try to have once a year about 2 months ago. Our personal and professional duties made it difficult to manage a date that could fit us all, the group we made at Wolverhampton is even larger.

We visited the residences and key spots where we used to hang around during our leisure time. Erika and Luis met 20 years ago in the residence and have 2 kids together, he actually asked her to marry him at the same residence they met 20 years later. Touching and emotional moment for all of us.

Do you all stay in touch regularly and have you had a reunion previously?

We try to meet at least once or twice a year as a group, individually it happens a little more often, some of us were friends long before. For example, Alex Font and I have been friends since kinder 4, a lifetime as friends.

Where do you all live?

We live in Barcelona and surroundings, being that Sant Cugat, Mataró and San Just.

What are some of your favourite memories from your student days at Wolverhampton?

Probably the times we spent at the residence kitchens, together like a big family, sharing the good and bad moments, supporting each other, having big family dinners.

As international students, how did you find adapting to life in England, what was difficult, and what were the parts of the culture you liked the most?

The most challenging thing was probably the weather and the food. Coming from a Mediterranean city we did take for granted certain things. But we got adapted pretty fast, so it was never a big issue.

What role did your studies play in your careers and where did they lead (what jobs/successes have you had)?

Luis Comajuan is CEO of Bakery Group, a marketing and communication agency. Erika Ros is an entrepreneur. Marta Trabal and Alex Font work in marketing, as well as myself (Rafael Vidal) that I’m currently a marketing manager and a life coach and mentor for entrepreneurs, fighters and other profiles. We all have good families and lives, we have fought through the 2008 crisis. I personally struggled, but with resilience and hard work, I made it work and found my purpose.

What did coming back to campus mean to you?

It was very emotional being there 20 years later. I just thought about the kid that lived the experience and the family man that came back. I believe all of us felt a little overwhelmed seeing ourselves back where it all started. Time flies, and we think it’s unlimited, it just makes me value more what I’ve got, enjoy every moment with more intensity and give more love to everyone around me.

What did you recognise? And what did you make of all the changes?

Some memories are a bit fuzzy, but the residence looked the same except for the gates, the rest was basically the same.