Egelion

[Louis]

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It is often very easy to forget what each of us, in our daily lives, experience. What makes a nation run? A complex answer indeed with several opinions.  In a vast metro area, it is often us people who carry the weight of a nation. People. Educated, uneducated. Wealthy and poor. Experienced and inexperienced. All of our collective emotions, our jobs, and our sense of belonging is what  makes Altea a beautiful place. Of course, this city isn't perfect, but within our cobbled streets and cold corridors, the hustle and bustle of our people is what makes Altea unique. Yet within our shared experiences there are two different realities: one dominated by wealth and education, others by hard work and a hope to improve. I spoke with two different individuals on my journey to identify Altea's culture. Mrs. Villar and Mr. German were great help in my work as they represent two different sides of Altea.

Mrs. Lucero Villar is a renown banker at the popular Banco Santamer. Villar was educated at the University of Altea, College of Economics. She is from a prominently wealthy family from the Dul Kinean region, but migrated here during Altea's expansion 30 years ago. Her experiences at the top of the income brackets show the success of Altea: educated people moving up the ladder and experiencing the best of what Egelion can offer.

Trinidad: Tell me how it is to live in Altea for you. What you do, where you go ... it must be nice to live in the Sorsuela District with the palace being basically in your neighborhood. I imagine it is quite nice?

Villar: I think what you'll find in Sorsuela--and Egelion overall is a place of opportunity. I mean, it took forever for me to get where I am--stress, crying and all, but it was a good moment for me. I get to work at a place I enjoy, I get to go home and bake magdalenas in the morning, and all of my family lives nearby. Truly it is a great place to work and to live, I cannot complain. The torero festival and the parade of the roses is in the summer. And we get a beautiful Ghadrashi market in the fall time in May.

Trinidad: What is it about Altea that you think makes it appealing to others?

Villar: The opportunity, the community, and genuinely.... I think about the layout of the city. I spent so much time tying to get where I am--and that's the thing: nothing was handed to me. My parents made me work, they made me struggle. Yes, insurance was free and unemployment was there, but I never took it. I did it the hard way. And that's the beauty of it, you can succeed however you want and there's nobody here that will tell you you're doing it wrong. We are all community here and that is how I enjoy it. I go to work, get my cafe con leche, say hi to my neighbors, and work. It is a simple life.

Trinidad: Would you say you are living a privileged life here in the Sorsuela District? Compared to...lets say someone living in the Alfajor Distrct?

Villar: I mean yes. I live near high-rises, near beautiful canals, golden statues, marbled buildings... but I am not ashamed of it, that's Altea for you. It is a city of many people, not just the privileged. Those living in other districts have very similar things, as far as city services and architecture goes, but me? I worked for a lot of this. There may be some inconsistencies with how people move up the ladder, but we are trying to improve here. I am not flaunting what I have and  don't have. I understand others are trying in this country and I acknowledge their efforts. We're all living here, we have our lives, our struggles and our backgrounds. I am happy to just have that.

Villar is of course from a wealthier background, but remains humble. She understands there are inconsistencies within the city, but community and optimism is a way to heal divisions. Villar works and lives. While her day to day is heavily involved within her profession, she manages to do the things she loves: festivals, markets, baking, and enjoying time with those around her.

Mr. Cristian German is your local neighborhood barista. He works at Cafe del Sol in the heavily populated Alfajor District in the northwestern part of the city, far from the city center. He took some university classes in the nearby city of Mediomonte, but he dropped out due to his difficult financial situation. Now, he makes a living working at Cafe del Sol, hoping to one day move on. I took the opportunity to speak to him int he patio of his cafe.

Trinidad: Tell me about your day-to-day life? What do you do? Do you enjoy what you do?

German: Well, I wake up early at 5 in the morning everyday. I get started on my pastries that I sell in my shop. I bake  ensaïmadas, churros, polvorones, palmeras and crema Cailleana. Yes it's alot, but it compliments the coffee bean and espresso. I work at my shop all day, from 5 to 5 basically. I make coffee, I make pastries, I read the paper, and I enjoy my customers. It is always busy in the morning y'know? The hustle and bustle hours, but I enjoy it. The work and the connections I make with others give me a sense of belonging. I do my job, they do theirs. They've got their own lives, I have mine. It just all works together. In the end we carry inside, slivers of a million lives. 

Trinidad: To my understanding, you went to study in Mediomonte, but left due to economic issues. Can you explain that? 

German: Well I went to school to study communications. I was really interested in journalism and what not. My schooling was free.. but I couldn't afford to live over there. I mean, I could have rented with other people, but my situation was just not good. My mother had just died at that point and I was a wreck. Didn't know what to do. With new housing being built in Altea, I decided to move here and take online courses while I worked. I applied here at Cafe del Sol, previously own by Don Tomas Cantilla. I worked... and worked.... and I ended up loving it here. When Don Tomas retired, he gave me ownership. This was about 5 years ago. I've been here since. Do I desire to go back to school? In the future maybe, but I'm content with my life. I make enough to live, to eat, and to enjoy my hobbies. What else can I ask for? 

Trinidad: Would you say you envy other with a higher status than you?

German: No. No I really dont. We all forged our paths differently with twhat we had. Some are born into wealth, other are doomed to die in poverty. I think the government is doing enough to keep us afloat, but at the end of the day, we decide what we do with ourselves. I'm happy I chose my path. I make coffee for people. That pot of coffee could help someone's mental health. It can heal wounds from the soul and reinvigorate our lives. I could of course go live in the Sorsuela district and forget about my worries... but here, this is where I belong. This is where I can give apart of my life to the soul of the city.

Despite the two different backgrounds, Altea is a place of many cultures, peoples and backgrounds. But what we all share in the city is   strong sense of hope, unity, community and overall optimism. Villar and German show us that diversity, humility, and a sense of belonging in a huge metro area is a positive thing. We embrace culture and our differences. Where did this sense of humility come from? Despite their circumstances, Villar and German displayed happiness with their position in society and the goals they achieved to get there. /it could just be that Egelians are happy to be part of a conversation--be part of something bigger than themselves. Having gone from very little to global influence in such little time, it seems Egelians appreciate their position, and despite all the growth, humility and optimism defeats hubris and arrogance.

[Louis]

Kalistan

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[Louis]

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The end of the academic semester can be a very difficult time for students. Throughout the city, we witness coffee shops full, parks at capacity, and students cramming inside libraries to check out that final book. This sense of urgency, of stress, and of academic excellence is exacerbated by the Real Academia, who have set educational standards throughout the nation. These standards set in place graduation requirements, requirements for foreign students, and the necessary courses needed to get an accredited degree from one of Egelion’s many universities. Here at the University of Norterra, requirements and restrictions are at their strictest. Requirements at the university of Norterra are strict of course, but for good reason: it remains Egelion’s top university and one of the most popular locations to study following the decline of Lourenne. With over 12,000 applications each year, Norterra only accepts a third of that. A beacon of excellence and research, the university’s stringent and often stressful rigor gives students an unreal amount of expectations. When does it become unhealthy to continue increasing the rigor of students.

Johan Marquez from Borianoburgo explains his situation on expectations and his impact on his life. Johan is a second-year student studying Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the College of Medicines and Sciences.

JM: It often feels like I forget myself y’know? I go to my small apartment, take out the books, make some matcha and start my studies. I’ll study and work till the sun goes down. It’s a beautiful sight here in Norterra that really goes underappreciated, really. I might travel to La Gotica a few blocks away for a late night espresso--decaf of course, my classes are at 8 in the morning.  Everyday is a test really: “Will I pass?” “Will I fail?” “Do I even understand this work?” It is a lot of mental gymnastics to even realize that I am studying for myself. My expectations are high, but man let me tell you… When I see those good grades? When do I get praised by my professors? Nothing can beat that high. I guess at the end it’s all worth it for me.

Montserrat Andreu from Norderms travels to Norterra as a commuter on the nation’s rail system. She travels about 90 minutes each way everyday. Her experiences shaped her into a stronger woman, ready for any challenge.

 

MA: Yea? So I travel almost two hours everyday, big deal. It gives me time to finish my essays and turn in some work. I take the high speed from Norderms to the city. Lovely seat cushioning, awful drink selection. When I get to the city, I have about an hour before I get to class, so I go hang out at La Font de Carmela, a beautiful fountain park. I stop and get some of my favorite Pa amb tomàquet with Helios olive oil. I go to class and spend HOURS in the library checking out books and just taking time to study. I basically spend my day in Norterra. I obviously have a busy schedule, but listen, it doesn’t bother me. It empowers me. Yeah, I want to rip my hair out sometimes, but it’s going to make me stronger at the end of the day. If I can’t make it in Norterra, I won’t be of use in this country. We strive for excellence and endured years of difficulty. I need to do what I can and succeed with what I’m given. Nobody else is doing it for me. So again tell me, is it rigor that’s the issue? Or are we not used to succeeding in this country?

Academic rigor and the high expectations of Egelian education institutions are indeed very high. The expectations begin in primary school and reach their course in post-secondary,  but several questions linger when analyzing the usefulness of rigor and expectations: are they really a necessity? Some may argue that rigor is needed to achieve a certain academic level to help the nation, others believe that high rigor causes mental health issues and often, does the opposite of its intended purposes. Examples of high rigor and lower mental health are found in Lourenne, whose population was dug into the ground thanks to the extremely high standards the country adopted. It needn't be that way. Academic excellence and rigor coexist and should be balanced to produce capable students. Why do standards matter when freshly graduated students have no stamina or endurance to take on the stressors of a highly developed society? It is indeed imperative for institutions to balance rigor and expectations. Sometimes, less is more. We must continue to improve our standards in the field of education by introducing new methods of learning and teaching. There is space to improve our methodology and pedagogy, but no space to decline. We must not forget that we are humans--not machines. 

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[Louis]

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The Real Academia Egeliana extensively lobbied for a massive change to school curriculum in all Egelian schools this week. The Royal Court passed a law recommendation to the Royal Council that made the fine arts an "academic requirement" for all students in Egelion. This law would effectively require all students to take up to four years of a "classical performance" class. This could include anything from singing, poetry writing , expressive writing, or musical performance. The Real Academia Egeliana's board championed the move, stating: "The nation's children must be culturally 'in-tune' with their nation and alongside their peers. We have Ghadrashi, Caillean, and Egelian people all in one place. We must learn to take pride in our collective culture."

This curriculum change however causes more work for the Real Academia, who are also in charge of enforcing a national curriculum in the nation.  Arteaga Palace has stated that several teachers are require for this large curriculum change--including an increase in budget. At public universities, the Arteaga Palace is creating incentives for students to go into teaching, specifically in fields involving classical performance. Currently, there is a slight shortage of teachers in the mathematics field, but experts say that the new curriculum change would put several dents at schools without the properly accredited educators. in the case of Classical Music and Performance, teachers would be needed who are licensed to teach in the humanities and in performance arts.

Teaching programs at Egelian universities are now changing their requirements for incoming teachers to make sure that future educators have all of the tools necessary to successfully complete the program, and to be ready to enter the work field upon the completion of their degree. All programs are free at all Egelian public universities that are integrated into the Real Academia's universal college system. The Royal Council has stated that there is a currently a three year wait until the law truly comes into effect, but already several educators and parents have claimed that the new curriculum changes will create a positive cultural renaissance in Egelion and give students a way to express themselves within educational institutions.

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[Louis]

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Spring semesters at the University of Norterra can be quite stressful. As the nation's most prestigious educational institutions, academics can be quite difficult. Yet, nobody could prepare for the scenes that would unfold on campus eight weeks into the semester. Yesterday evening, several news agencies reported that Prince Artemio, the Crown Prince of Egelion and Caille, was seen studying and "comfortable lounging" with foreign student Alexanderova Anastasia of Rotherigren-Traugott-Ludvig--better known as a Princess of Nadiya and Old Trigunia. An heir apparent Tsarina. Many would have believed that the deposed Tsardom would not make a comeback, but it appears that the families and descendants of old Trigunia continue to exist. The Princess came to Egelion to complete her studies, per sources from Nadiya. Nobody however would have expected her to be close to the Prince of Amateria, who is the same age as the Nadiyan Princess. Both royals, if sources are correct, attended La Academia Real de Altiflor San Mares in Altea, which remains the go-to destination for elite families. This would mean that the Prince of Amateria and the Princess have known each other for five years. Now, both enrolled at the University of Norterra, they appeared to have caught the attention of thousands, as their relationship could bring significant changes.

After photos were taken of them at Norterra, the Royal Court was questioned by reporters at the daily press conference at El Capitolio. At the conference, High Councilor Formoselle-Castilla II answered questions on behalf of the royal family. The High Councilor stated that King Romulo and Queen Alicia "know little" about the supposed platonic relationship between the Prince of Amateria and Princess Alexanderova Anastasia. If there was of course more details of a more "significant relationship" between the two young royals, the Palace of Sorsuela would make that information known to the nation. Sources say that even though it seems the royals are quite close, they are in fact not in a relationship. Students at the University of Norterra have claimed that the two appear to be "competitive studying partners" but nothing more than that. Others say that the two often blush and joke consistently with each other, but they remain small moments. Regardless of what the future holds for the young royals, one cannot fail to speculate the political opportunities and geopolitical dynamism that would be created should the two students consider to make their relationship more "serious".

[Louis]

After more than five years without any significant changes, Castillo Garbaldi, the official home of the Directory of the Armed Forces, announced several policy and doctrine changes for the Royal Armed Forces after a final approval was given by Royal Councilor Montalivet days ago. The new military reforms focus on several issues: doctrine, organization, and equality. Previously, during the reign of King Amadeo, the military doctrine for the Royal Armed Forces was one of military readiness, predictability, and instant reaction. With Egelion barely coming out of its thousand-year silence, the late king believed that the nation must always be available for conflict, regardless of the cost. Now, under King Romulo, the military remains more organized and at ease. The new doctrine changes will end that constant state of military aggressiveness and instead focus on all-out adaptability. Castillo Garibaldi stated that Egelian troops would be trained to take on any situation, any climate, and any circumstances without difficulty. The Royal Directory stated that a soldier which knows how to adapt and insert themselves in any situation with ease is more deadly than the soldier focused on speed and aggression. 

With the change in doctrine also came change in organization. New corps of units and brigades would be created and/or eliminated by the policy change, but not troops would be effectively removed from the Armed Forces. Instead, troops would be rearranged into new units focused on different tasks and strategies. The reorganization process created two new special forces units: the Legio Cailleano and the Ghadrashi Marines. The new Legio Cailleano is an elite force comprised of mostly Caillean troops. These units will be integrated into the Royal Marines as a separate legion but underneath the same leadership. This legion is said to have trained for "years under strenuous environments and situations" to achieve their current form. At the yearly troop inspections in Cartablanca, the Legion drew several cheers and applauses. Their true lethality is fully unknown, but they are now becoming the pride of Caille and of Egelion due to their years of service.

Royal Councilor Montalivet also welcomed reforms concerning equality within the armed forces. This would include equal pay, members' benefits, healthcare services, and mental health services. All citizens of Egelion would be permitted to join the force regardless of sexual orientation, gender, and race. Conservative Party politicians once denied the idea of allowing women to serve in the force, as well as transgender individuals. Yet, King Romulo immediately announced a ban on discrimination within the overall Royal Government--including the Royal Armed Forces, stating: "It is ludicrous that a government for the people rejects individuals from serving their country based on what they believe, how they look, and how they identify. Egelion and Caille is not the place to test antiquated ideology based on bigotry and hate. Here, we all serve with pride and with honor."

[Louis]

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As Egelian finances are starting to be used more globally, executives at Banco Cascabel-Otienda have announced the opening of four new regional headquarter buildings in four different nations in Terra. The nation's chosen by Cascabel-Otienda have labelled the nations as "stable, promising, and capable" to handle regional transactions on a global scale. Cascabel-Oteinda chose Lodamun, Dundorf, Istalia, and Bianjie to house the expansions of their bank. Within each regional headquarters, existing customers and potential partners will be able to access all of the bank's services and products. Loans, investments, personal accounts, and consultants will be available for international customers. All continental transactions for Cascabel-Otienda will be handled at the regional headquarters, depending on the continent those nations are located in. All transactions, requests of services, and investments will be communicated with the main branch in Altea, who could no longer hold all of its global services in one building. 

Royal Councilor Imelda Cascabel, who overtook her father Valentin Cascabel as Royal Councilor, is currently the CEO of the bank while she attempts to find a replacement within the Cascabel family. She praised the expansion and gave credit to King Romulo's widespread economic reforms, which made the liberalization of the economy possible.

"If we did not have a structured and stable welfare system, we could not have made investments into our private sector. We understand there must be balance between public and private ventures. After so much focus in our people, we can now begin to expand our own riches and our own opportunities to to others."

Cascabel-Otienda has already opened these new branch locations in the aforementioned countries. Executives at the bank stated that the countries were "extremely helpful in getting leases and permissions for the new buildings, which were constructed within three years. Executives have stated that there there is a "huge amount of promise" in each regional headquarter locations. "We believe these states to be the future of Terran economics and we are confident to establish ourselves in these locations". Customers in different continents can now access services and products from Cascabel-Otienda at the regional headquarters--making international banking more efficient and accessible for those in need of stability and opportunity. 

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[Louis]

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A project of over 50 years of relevance is finally coming to a close. For the past half century, Egelion has spent billions of crowns repairing and modernizing the nation's housing sector. Recently, the housing sector saw several flaws throughout many of Egelion's metro areas, prompting large scale construction efforts to fix desperate infrastructure. Now, the Royal Court has announced that most housing projects funded by the government and its contracts are about 95% complete. Members at Soverano and Banco Ibarra, who helped with the expansion of the housing project stated that "houses are at a low price with a reasonable rate". The housing project, while focused on modernization also led to a significant increases in houses built. The government has claimed that there is a slight "surplus" of available houses in metro areas. This surplus is being met with lower prices for single-family and multi-family homes.

On the political side, members of the Royal Court have sent a law recommendation to the Royal Court to begin promoting immigration to Egelion to supplement the work force and begin an overall policy of population growth.  However, members of the Conservative Party are not too keen on the population increases based on immigrant populations. Interviews with members of the party were overwhelmingly negative, with some members believing increasing immigration would lead to an "impure and multicultural Egelion" with no true ideal population. Every other party in the Royal Court denounced some of these interviews stating that Egelion is welcoming of all cultures and is already seeing increased immigration from Kalistan, Selucia, Nadiya, Istalia, and Baeguk. Housing in Altea, Norterra, Yadraz, and Rozevia have dropped to extremely affordable levels that some families have begun to actively advertise them worldwide. The work force sector is yet to catch up however. Jobs are currently stable and unemployment rates have begun to drop. There is several opportunities in the mining and oils sector, which have begun to tamp up production about three years ago. Currently, it's the cities like Altea and Egelburgo which are attracting new residents. The cities continue expanding, shops and restaurants along with them. Their financial and business sectors also improving at a dramatic rate. Opportunities and employment are readily available for new families in the nation. Had it not been for extensive welfare and people--oriented reforms, this level of prosperity would not be available.

The new homes built throughout Egelion are not all modern. Copy-and-paste housing styles that can be found in other nations are not found in Egelian cities. All homes represent a fusion of cultures. In Norterra itself, several houses reflect the colorful and rich Caillean culture. Buildings and homes are covered in tiles and designed with intricate stone pieces, creating an aura of tradition and elegance. In Altea, there are more Selucian-inspired homes as laid out by architect Renee Colona. This unique blend is seen all throughout Egelion, not just the capital. The nation has invested billions in ensuring that all Egelions have respectable homes, but also homes that beautifully reflect their culture and their nation. The Royal court encourages those who are interested in living in Egelion to fill our an application of residency at the Institute of Egelian Diplomacy website at www.ide.eg.

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[Louis]

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[Louis]

Fans were left in utter shock yesterday in Altea as F.C Norterra destroyed Atletico Amateria's chances of remaining at the top of the table in La Liga Real. F.C Norterra, who were in second place and trailed Atletico Amateria by only 1 point, outmatched the team 4-1 taking with them the lead of the league. With only three months remaining in La Liga Real's calendar, many are wondering if Atletico Amateria will recover from this loss. With the top five spots in the league highly competitive, there is no room for errors or losses whatsoever.

Coming into the match, FC Norterra prepared themselves in a 4-3-3 narrow formation, with an emphasis on "total football". Short passes, incisive movements, and possession dominate Norterra's playstyle. They matched up against Atletico Amateria's 4-2-3-1 formation, with an emphasis on counter attacking football. Both teams, although equally matched in skill and quality players, started off in two different directions. Norterra immediately used their possession of the ball to wear out Atletico's players. With half an hour into the match, Norterra had scored one goal and were heading for another. Half time gave Atletico a small break to figure out how to crack Norterra's gameplay. At the start of the half, with ten minutes in, Atletico was able to get the match even with their own goal. Yet, their counter attack playstyle was no match for the solid defense Norterra put up--leading to their own offensive success. In the span of twenty minutes, Norterra scored three more goals, effectively sealing the game. 

At the end of the match, Manager Luis Delfonte of FC Norterra spoke to the press about their commanding victory over one of the top teams in the league: 

I am honestly very proud of the boys. Everyday at training, they show tremendous effort and growth. This match belongs to them and their own efforts. I of course am the mastermind behind what they do--but at the end of the day, this win is on them and only them. I expect them to only get better and show that they can stay on top of the table as we head into the last few months.

FC Norterra now sits at the top of the table with 67 points. However, their true test will be in four weeks when they play against the now-second place team: Real Amateria. Members are already expecting the match with Real Amateria to be one of the most watched in ages. Ticket prices are already soaring to over 450 Egelian Crowns. Many say it will be the spectacle of the year. A battle between number one and number two will decide the league this year.

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