The best way I could describe what it feels like to be Gibraltarian would be: Family. Even if you are not related (which is nearly impossible when you have about 20 first and second cousins), if a fellow Llanito gets in trouble or is in need of help, we won’t hesitate to help one another, whatever the ethnic race, whatever the culture, we’ll always help each other out.

I think there are a few reasons why we are also like this, not just because we’re a small community, but I think mostly because of the rough times our ancestors have been through. Gibraltar’s borders were literally locked with a key and chain by the Spanish dictator Franco in 1969. Thousands of families were separated and left with little food and medicine, for 13 years the borders were closed, and during these years Gibraltarians grew as a family and became inseparable.

We also became very strong as people and I think this is something our ancestors have passed on to their loved ones, in one way or another it’s something we all carry within us. And of course, I can’t forget about the food – if you’re ever hungry I’ll invite you to my granny’s house, she typically makes food for the whole of her estate!

Here is the best place in Gibraltar, it’s where I’ve spent maybe all of my teenage years, just jumping around and doing a lot of different shit.

Back in my teenage years here in the Jungle, apart from the AF1 (that everyone had, the white ones), everyone wore black shoes, and I loved black shoes too. At that time I had these black Nike Ninja Shoes, with velcro – very easy to put on. They were cheap and were great for climbing.