Chatting with Joana Coll Ferrer

Earlier this year, I took a trip to Menorca with my friend and his girlfriend (she is my friend as well but this sets the scene better). The group was going to be larger which meant I would be stuck on this small island with two people who are dating - talk about a third wheel. We stayed at a villa in Menorca owned and run by my friend’s girlfriend’s grandma - or as we call her, iaia. I didn’t meet her until a few days in when we ended up at her home for lunch. While I couldn’t communicate much with her due to the language barrier, I felt instantly welcomed. She shared her food with us and showed us her beautiful paintings. What struck me was the energy I felt radiating from her - she was really living life. I knew I wanted to include her perspective in this book, we all have some things we can learn from iaia.

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When I visited Menorca, it was such a pleasure to meet you! You made me feel welcome, and I loved seeing your beautiful paintings all throughout my experience. From what I saw, you seem to be buzzing with life - how do you maintain such positivity and energy in your daily life?

I didn’t know I had such energy, I think it’s genetic, I like always having something to do. I started restoring furniture–which I really liked–, but then I got a job as a teacher (I taught French, Catalan, Spanish, theatre, and arts) and I wasn’t able to spend that much time with the furniture, so I decided to start painting. Regarding to positivity, when you reach 75 years, you realize that if you don’t positively look at the world, it’s very hard to maintain a happy and active life.

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While on the trip, your paintings really stood out to me. Do you believe art has had an impact on the way you live and perceive life?

I believe that it is basic to have illusions in life, and art is one of them. Therefore, I could say that it is related in some way since art is my illusion.

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My project focuses on ageism and changing the narrative on ageing. I'm curious to know, have you faced ageism in your personal life?

Of course, I faced ageism in my life, every day when I look at myself in the mirror, but I don’t mind getting old because it’s a phase everyone it’s going to go through eventually. I’m old now because I used to be young before. What really annoys me is how people treat you when you reach a certain age. Being old doesn’t mean that you’re deaf or dumb, I am a normal person like everyone else, what differentiates us from others it’s just a number.  

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The perception on ageing is very different from culture to culture. In your experience, how do people in Menorca view ageing?

People in Menorca, generally speaking, are very nice and respectful, I guess it’s because we live in a very small and calm island. We all know each other here and have many friends, that's why there are many associations of older people, activities, trips, excursions, etc. And one thing I think is different from other places is that many activities are organized here for older people, such as fishing, dancing, choirs, theater plays, computer courses, art or culture courses, and other activities that older people don't usually do.

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Do you believe your experience with ageing is different from how society views ageing?

Yes, I believe every person has a different experience. It all depends on the family, social and economic situation of each person. It is not the same to grow old in a big city alone as in a small town with your family and friends. 

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I’ve spoken to people who say they discovered themselves later in life. How has your sense of identity evolved as you've gotten older?

The older you get, the more you discover yourself. You live more experiences, you see things differently, maybe from a different perspective and, like me, you have more patience. At the end of the day, life is about accepting it as it comes. 

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Are there any valuable lessons you've learned throughout your life that you think are overlooked in conversations about ageing?

I think that many people don't accept becoming old because it is seen as something "bad". The biggest lesson I have learnt is to accept this. In this life we are passing through, it is ta fact of life to grow old and we are all going to go through it, so there is no other way but to accept it and enjoy each day as if it were the last. 

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In my opinion, you are a great example of someone who has challenged how people view older people. If there was one piece of advice you could give the younger generations about embracing the ageing process, what would it be?

The first advice I would give to young people is to always keep active. Play all the sports you want and make all the plans you want because you only have one life to enjoy them. Another very important thing is to take care of your health; you need to sleep and eat well and above all avoid stress. Finally, maintaining social relationships is also very important, always keep your friends and family close and always be open to meet new people.