It’s New Year’s Eve and I’m looking back. 2018 has been a big year for me.
Mostly because of Hella Basque.
2018 is the year I finally re-started this blog after putting it on hiatus a few years before.
I launched this new website in June and fellow bloggers Henar Chico of A Basque in Boise and Blas Uberuaga of Buber’s Basque Page were kind enough to spread the word.
Hella Basque also got a shout out in NABO’s Astero, which was much appreciated!
I’ve been enjoying reading your comments and messages ever since.
If you want to revisit some of Hella Basque’s posts from 2018, here are the most popular ones:
- Basques Are Unique: It’s In Our Blood
- A discussion about the origins and common blood types of Basque people. Suggestions of resources for learning more about the Basques.
- How the Basques Defeated Europe’s Greatest Army and How History Erased Them
- The story of the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 AD, when a group of Basque guerrilla warriors ambushed a key section of Charlemagne’s army.
- Why Some Basque Baby Names Are Illegal in France and the United States
- A brief history of naming laws in France, Spain, and the United States to illustrate how Basque first names are now legal in Spain, whereas some spellings of Basque first names are still technically illegal in France and the United States.
- Basque American Contestant on The Bachelorette, Garrett Yrigoyen, Makes the Final 3
- This year’s season of The Bachelorette was big news for the Basque American community. Contestant Garrett Yrigoyen made it to the final 3 and ultimately went on to win Bachelorette Becca Kufrin’s heart.
- 9 Movies Filmed in the Basque Country
- A list of 9 Hollywood movies filmed in the Basque Country, from award-winning classics to box office flops.
In October, I took a two week solo trip to the Basque Country.
I stayed at a friend’s house in Baigorri, rented a little Fiat, and spent my time divided between visiting family and meeting wonderful strangers from the internet. People who have followed Hella Basque for years, and people who had just heard of it.
Out of this trip came an invitation by Benoit Etcheverry to join Gure Irratia’s Basque diaspora radio show, 8 Probintziak, for their October episode. The show played live on local radio out of Ustaritz, Lapurdi and on Facebook Live. You can listen to the episode here.
The only way I got through the nerves of live radio was pretending no one I knew would listen to the episode. But as it turns out, quite a few of you did!
Photo: Benoit Etcheverry
I got back to California at the end of October and hit the ground running trying to put together an online store for you guys before Christmas.
The Hella Basque shop launched in November, and a few of you were kind enough to purchase some of the merchandise.
Keep an eye out for new products and promotions in 2019! You can get updates straight to your inbox by signing up to the Hella Basque email newsletter.
So a big thank you to Hella Basque’s readers and new customers for supporting in 2018. All of your comments, orders, shares and likes on Facebook and Instagram, and retweets have been very appreciated!
When I re-launched the blog back in June, I had a feeling bringing Hella Basque back was a step in the right direction.
On a personal level, I can say it definitely has been. I love learning and sharing information about the Basque Country and Basque people, and I’m very fortunate to be able to do so.
It feels good to be back in the swing of things. Hella Basque brings me closer to my roots, and I hope it does for you too.
May 2019 allow Hella Basque to continue spreading the word about all things Basque online. And I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
Eskerrik asko eta urte berri on!
Thank you and happy new year!
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