By Shannon Hardy
Ramón Rico, an international student from Spain, has officially kicked off his first semester in Newport. Today, he spends his time between classes playing for Salve’s International Intermural Soccer team, but four years ago, Rico was studying and playing soccer in California, and last year he did so in Spain.
Through an exchange student scholarship program, Rico spent his senior year of high school studying in California— until he suffered a leg injury. Later, the same program would offer him another opportunity to study in America during his senior year of college at Universitat d’Alacant in Alacant.
However, his stay at Salve has been entirely accidental. Rico thought he would be coming to Newport, California and remembers his first reaction to the news. “Two weeks before I came, I wasn’t happy,” Rico said. “I was like, oh my God, I didn’t know where I was going. I have no idea, but it was a new adventure.”
Back at home, prior to starting his “new adventure” in America, Rico worked three part-time jobs—bartending, soccer coaching, and modeling. Even though each modeling gig has not been fulltime, Rico has modeled for companies like Plaza Mar 2 and Mis Turismo Comunidad Valenciana.
As a result, he has gained popularity back home. His photographs have appeared on large platforms such as billboards and public transportation buses, and he has gained close to 5,000 followers on twitter from publicity, public relations skills, and international travels.
His personal life here in America and back in Spain differ greatly: the cultural differences have also been a difficult hurdle to overcome. Rico says people in Spain typically greet one another by kissing and are more comfortable with personal contact than the Americans he encounters. During his first experience studying abroad, he struggled with these cultural shifts and would get headaches after translating English all day.
Since Rico’s arrival at Salve, he has adjusted to his temporary home and has made new friends. “When I came they were incredibly nice, like incredibly nice with me,” Rico recalled. “They have the wait for the internationals. They teach us everything. It was so easy. They help you so much. Then I am happy that I choose Salve. I think that it was kind of unlucky luck.”
After this semester, Rico plans to return home to Spain and graduate as a public relations major. He hopes to continue to travel the world and believes that his time here at Salve has diversified and prepared him for his future travels.
