by Mikel Gomez Ramos

contributor

When I think about whether or not coming to the United States was a good idea, I am constantly shown that it was, in fact, a great idea. In my home country of Spain, the education inspires demotivation, the economy system is not optimal and the job opportunities are very low (we have a rate of unemployment of 25.5%), and the young people are working where they should not. Therefore, it is common to meet engineers who clean the streets because there are not even enough companies to give work to most of the people who just graduated from college.

However, the situation here is totally different: I have had the chance of studying a double major while playing my favorite sport (soccer). This is something I could not do in Spain because the academics are too challenging and it is a much more difficult process to even get on track for a major.  Additionally, it is possible to have a job here on campus and get paid. Students who work at Spanish Universities receive very low. Even this is not the main reason why I love the United States. I have felt at home here since my very first day. Some people dedicate so many hours to assure that we are comfortable, have help with our classes, a ride to anywhere we may desire, and almost anything else we could need.

Also, playing a sport has helped me achieve many of the goals that I also had here. I have had a group of people to hang out with since I arrived, and even though the schedule is dynamic (including practices everyday and a study hall twice a week) we all hold the same goal: to win the Conference and National Championship.

Being here where everybody is friendly (even though they may not know you), where everything needed to be successful is accessible, where teachers are always willing to help you (thanks to the small size of the college), and where there is diversity of religions, origins and cultures has given me a strong chance of enjoying my 4 years here.