“At the end of my studies in Switzerland I follow my best friend, who is Brazilian, to São Paulo. (…) In those days I explain to our father that I would like to become independent right away and that the trip also has this purpose. He replies that he appreciates what he calls my ‘Spanish knightly pride’ of no longer wanting to depend on him, but he says he disagrees, that he wants to help me find my way. (…)
In São Paulo I combine business with pleasure by working as a worker in the French chain Carrefour, which had opened its first hypermarket in that metropolis back in 1975. The then head of the branch was Francesco De Marchi, the dear friend (…) [of] my father (…).
De Marchi took me to visit several locations and a cellulose production plant in Amazonia built by the Americans. (…)
Those hard, intense and interesting months in Brazil (…) leave me with very good memories: it is a baptism of fire at work, which I have always considered an important experience’ (pp. 119-121).
