Athlone native happy to see the fans return to soccer in Spain!

Last year, the Westmeath Independent ran a feature series, 'Abroad In Uncertain Times', in which we interviewed local people in various parts of the globe about how they were coping with the pandemic while living away from home. We have recently been getting back in touch with those featured for an update on how things have been going since.

Kevin Quinn, from Retreat Heights, Athlone, has been living in Malaga, Spain, for the last decade. He works for Dell. Kevin is married to Elena and they have two children, Kian and Alicia.

* What is the current situation with the virus in Malaga?

Here in Malaga we have just come down a level, as the Delta spike over the last three to four weeks starts to show signs of falling. The restrictions associated with this level were very targeted towards the young (both Spanish and tourists) and their summer activities, with beaches closed at 11pm, bars and cafes closed an hour earlier and numbers at tables reduced from 8 to 6. For most locals this was only a slight inconvenience.

The big change here that came at the beginning of the summer was the lifting of the compulsory wearing of masks outdoors where two-metre distance could be observed. This was huge when the heat was starting to rise and also a massive psychological boost as an indicator that maybe we had turned the corner.

Most importantly for me, and anyone who knows me will understand, fans are back at La Liga!

* Is the pandemic continuing to impact on your own life and work?

I always worked from home so nothing much changed for me. We try to minimise the impact on our life, but it's hard as it's everywhere still. You have to try to absorb what you need to know and block out the rest.

* How does the situation feel now, compared to the early stages of the pandemic?

I have to say we are lucky here in Spain. After speaking to people who have visited Spain over the summer, they can't believe how open it is compared to Ireland. Since the initial severe eight-week lockdown last year, we have been living a pretty normal life with some time and travel restrictions and compulsory mask wearing. Otherwise, all schools are open, as are shops, barbers, cafes, kids' sports. Outdoor adult sports, including golf, continued so we consider ourselves lucky.

* What has been the toughest aspect of 2021 for you?

That's an easy one to answer: Not being able to jump on a plane and visit home without any risks or restrictions. It's hard, especially for the kids who are desperate to visit grandparents and family in Ireland. They had to experience the loss of my wife's father, in Dublin, from afar. When the situation is right we will make the trip.

* What are your hopes for the rest of this year?

Continued good health for the whole family, a return to normality please, and most of all, Sunday dinner in Athlone!