“It is difficult to maintain a high level of studies and a high level of sport in my country. I came to the U.S. for the opportunity to play soccer and go to college,” said Pablo Valverde, a sophomore goalie on the Bantam Men’s Soccer team from Galicia, Spain.
Palbo says that moving away from home to come to Union was not without its culture shocks, in the game and in day-to-day life. “Here, they take stats very seriously,” he said. “There are unlimited stops in the game and other differences in the rules.” Off the field, he says that American culture is more individualistic, while in Spain, they focus more on groups. “There is nothing wrong with that, it’s just different,” he said.
Besides his family and friends, Pablo says he misses the food in Spain. “Our seafood is probably the best in the world. We eat bread with everything. Lidl had saved my life.”
Though he sometimes gets homesick, Pablo says USC Union is a supportive community. “There are people and resources around you to help you,” he said.
Pablo says he hopes to have the opportunity to play professional soccer, but would also love to finish his studies to become a physical therapist.
Freddie Payne is a sophomore and Bantam Soccer player from Northwest London, England. He says that his hometown is small like Union, but within thirty minutes, he can get to the heart of London by train. “It is harder to get places here,” he said, citing this as a main difference between the U.S. and England.
When here in the U.S., Freddie misses his friends, family, and dog, but says that living with his teammates is a plus. He has also grown fond of the restaurants in Union, especially Naruto.
“My goals for this year are to keep good grades, have fun, and play good football,” he said.
The Bantam Blog 