Shortly after Leo and I got married, Leo started working at a savings bank called La Caixa. It is the biggest savings bank in Spain. I am not one to brag, but right way his boss recognized that he was a great worker. Even though he lacks the formal education most of his other co-workers have, even they started calling him a "machine" for how quickly he picked up on things and how quickly he could get the job done. In 2007 we had finally made the decision to move to the USA however we decided to stay more time after Leo was offered a promotion from basically cashier level to bank director. It was an offer we could not refuse. In November of last year the doors opened of a new branch of La Caixa with Leo at the helm. Although it has been a challenge to start a new branch from scratch, he has done an amazing job. I am very proud of all that he has been able to achieve. Leo came to Spain from Ecuador 9 years ago as a naive 19 year old. He had no idea what to expect but with the uncertainty in his country he decided to try his luck in Spain. He arrived at a small town outside of Cartagena to stay with some cousins. His first job was working in the fields picking tomatoes, but that wasn´t his cup of tea so he only lasted 2 days. He then decided to walk the 5 miles to Cartagena to try to find work. He saw a help wanted sign in a pizza restuarant. They were looking for a guy to deliver pizzas on a small motorcycle. When the owner asked if he had ever driven one before, Leo said of course, but the truth was that the closest thing he had riden was a bike. The owner told him to take the motorcycle for a ride, so Leo took it around the corner and asked someone on the street if they could teach him first how to turn the thing on and then how to drive it. In less than 10 years Leo has gone from delivering pizzas to bank manager in a country that is not his own and with only 1 year of higher education. It just goes to show that with hard work and with a willingness to learn you can achieve anything.
I am not the only one proud of Leo. Charlie too is proud of where his dad works. In fact almost even before Charlie could talk he could say La Caixa. As we travel around anytime we see a branch of La Caixa, Charlie always says, look La Caixa. On one ocasion Charlie and I went to visit Leo at his branch after it was closed. Charlie thought it was the coolest thing be at daddy´s Caixa. He was in heaven as you can tell by the pictures below.
Leo sitting at the the cashier´s desk balancing the accounts at the end of the day.
Charlie took over Leo´s office and stole all the stamps so he could stamp his papers.
Chalie helping daddy with his work.
Ever since we visited Leo at his branch, Charlie now calls our home office his La Caixa.
Charlie took over Leo´s office and stole all the stamps so he could stamp his papers.
Chalie helping daddy with his work.
Ever since we visited Leo at his branch, Charlie now calls our home office his La Caixa.
