Miguel Castillo, is not your usual student. At 80, the octogenarian is one of the oldest students participating in the Erasmus Programme, a European Union (EU) student exchange programme established in 1987.
Currently, a history student at the University of Valencia, the grandfather of six will be spending his next semester in Verona, Italy. Mr. Castillo shared with a Spanish news agency that he had re-enrolled at university because he felt unfulfilled and increasingly dissatisfied with the typical retirement lifestyle. A heart attack followed by a quadruple-bypass heart surgery gave him the final push he needed to step back into a classroom.
Not only has Mr. Castillo found his love for studying at a late stage in life but he is also encouraging other people of his age to pursue an active lifestyle as well, and “be open to the world”. He greatly believes that no matter what age you are at, everyone “can contribute a lot and also gain a lot from society.”
Mr. Castillo’s tenacity and passion to pursue a degree at such an age is simply amazing. It truly embodies the philosophy of life-long learning which every one of us, especially our youths, should emulate. At the end of the day, I firmly believe that age should never become a boundary or hindrance to better ourselves, deepen our knowledge and expand our worldviews and perspectives. Kudos to Mr. Castillo!
If you want to read more about Mr. Castillo’s inspiring journey of life-long learning, click the following link:
http://www.euronews.com/2018/02/14/eighty-year-old- Spanish-grandfather-enrolls-in-erasmus-scheme