José Emilio Latorre is married and has 2 children. He has been an English and Social Sciences teacher at Gaztelueta for 37 years. His main hobbies are cycling and cinema, which he enjoys in his free time.
What time do you wake up every morning? The alarm clock is set for 6.30am, but I usually wake up at 6am. I think that with age the biological alarm clock gets earlier and earlier.
What is your best moment of the day? I have always liked the early hours of the day. I'm sure it's because I associate that part of the day with the times when I have done and usually do sport.
Your favourite film? Complicated question because I have several in mind. But if I have to choose one, I would say The Godfather. I think it reflects very well the duality of the human being, the best and the worst, and sometimes you have to be very careful to distinguish the difference.
Which historical figure would you go to dinner with? I would love to have a conversation with Socrates. It would be nice to be able to win a dialectical battle with him. Impossible.
What would you eat at your last meal? Well, knowing that it would be my last meal, I probably wouldn't be very hungry. Any of the dishes my mother would make me.
A phrase that has left its mark on you? "Hard times create strong men, strong men create easy times, easy times create weak men, weak men create hard times.". I think there is a lot of truth in this sentence. As always, with exceptions.
What has been the best thing about your time at Gaztelueta? I think that what I have always liked and been most surprised about Gaztelueta is that is thrown away a lot of individual freedom, which also means a lot more responsibility. I believe that when there is freedom, the personal bar can be set higher.
Which event do you remember most fondly? I don't remember a particular moment, but rather a lot of great memories with colleagues and students. My friends in Bilbao are amazed when a former student approaches me in the street and treats me as a don and with great affection. They find it hard to believe that this could be compatible. And it is.
With whom would I watch a sunset under this mast? It would be nice to say that with my wife, but I would also love to be able to do it with all the people who have passed through the English department and tell anecdotes until the sun goes down.
