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How did you find out about Kenyon and wind up in Gambier, Ohio?
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| Well, first I came to the United States to finish my last two years of high school at Loomis Chaffee (in Windsor, Connecticut), and from there I was recruited by Assistant Coach [Darren] Moore to come to Kenyon and play for the men's soccer team.
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My college application process was very unusual and I wasn't at all well informed of the correct steps to take. I was not looking at many DIII schools, but my dad, who was my No. 1 supporter all through the process, found Kenyon in a list of schools that were good at giving need-based financial aid. He sent me the name of the school and a picture of it saying "Email this school's coach! It looks like Hogwarts!" So I did, and Coach Thielke immediately took interest in me, told me to apply, and the moment I got Kenyon's decision to accept me and give me the financial aid I needed was one of the happiest in my life.
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| How, or why, did you start playing the sport your are involved with now? |
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In Chile, soccer is a huge part of our culture and all kids grow up playing soccer there. So I've been playing soccer for as long as I can remember. The person who really made me play at the beginning was my older brother, so he was a big influence as well.
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I honestly started playing tennis just to stay active and have fun when I was eight years old. At the time, I was actually very into playing the piano and that was what I spent most of my time out of school doing. But I completely fell in love with the sport, and not long after I was training everyday and going to tournaments every weekend.
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| How do the competitive levels of your sport in the United States differ from those in your home country? |
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I think the sport is definitely competitive in both Chile and the United States. The main difference probably would be how important it is for our culture, and how seriously people take the sport. In Chile, soccer is the biggest and almost only sport. Soccer is a huge aspect of social life across all age groups. Beside being played or watched by everyone, it shapes the dynamics of our society. Gatherings and events are [often] organized around soccer, and when there is a big game or the national team is playing the whole country is paralyzed. This then translates onto the field so players play with such passion and intensity not only at the professional level, but at amateur levels, too.
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I don't think that I could compare these. I played in Venezuela at a different level than I am playing here. I have found amazing players and tough competition here, same as how I grew up competing back home and facing amazing players that are now all around the world. One key difference is the possibility of being a college student-athlete, which not any other country that I know offers and for which I am very grateful.
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| Can you share a fun fact about your home country? |
| It has the Atacama Desert, which is the driest desert in the world.
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In [that] it's not so big of a territory, Venezuela has beaches, deserts, jungles, big cities, mountains, enormous plains, the world's highest waterfall (Angel Falls), and probably a bunch more that I am forgetting. Also, Venezuelan people are really loving and we love to express it (anyone on the team can tell you about my constant hugging). |
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| In your opinion, what's the one thing visitors to your home country must do? |
| Visit Valparaiso and eat shrimp and cheese empanadas. |
I would say go to the Island of Margarita, there's a lot to do there from shopping to surfing. But specifically, I would suggest you to go to Guacuco Beach and have a cocada (a Venezuelan coconut smoothie) on your way back to the hotel, definitely something I'd love to do again. |
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