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by Caden Clawson
Despite a recent lack of foreign exchange students due to COVID-19, there are still students at NS that bring cultural diversity to the school and surrounding community. Denilson Carias and Gustavo Soto are two of these students. Carias came from Guatemala and Soto came from Mexico. Both received opportunities here that made them choose to come here.
“My uncle gave me the opportunity to live here to go to school,” Carias said. “[He] has a business, so after school I can go and work for him.”
The opportunities have been good, but there is a lot of change for them.
“Think of yourself going to Mexico or Spain not knowing any Spanish,” said Rhett Bird, ESL teacher at NS. “You haven’t taken any Spanish and then you get thrown into the education system.”
Figuring out every word for them is important. Though there are many Spanish speakers at NS, it’s still difficult for these students to learn and understand what is going on in class. Translating correctly is a huge necessity.
“And so the biggest thing for them is translating,” said Bird. “If you don’t know something, you have to translate a word to try and get the whole picture to be able to do your homework.”
If Carias and Soto have to talk to someone who doesn’t know Spanish, they use a translator on their phone to be able to talk to them.
The Spanish-speaking students have been a huge benefit for these students as they try to assimilate and learn a new language.
“I think it gives them a level of comfort,” said Bird, “knowing that there’s people that can relate to them. We have a large Hispanic population, so to know that a lot of the kids can speak to someone in Spanish, that obviously helps.”
Another difficulty they face is missing their families. Carias left his parents and family in Guatemala and Soto doesn’t see his mom.
“I miss my family,” said Carias. “One day I’ll go back.”
Though there are many challenges that have come with moving to the US, both students have found some important positives.
“Everything has been really good here,” said Carias. “The teachers have been great to work with. If you don’t understand, they are willing to work with you. Just try and do things the right way while you are here.”
Soto and Carias also like the community around them.
“It’s really relaxing here or calm,” Soto said. “There’s not a lot of worries here.”
Both of them enjoy playing soccer, and Carias is on NS’s boys soccer team.
“It’s really good, despite not being able to communicate with one another on the field,” Carias said. “But everyone’s been really good to me and it’s been fun.”
While Soto isn’t playing on the soccer team, he’s found another pastime to fill his time. He goes and plays pool in Ephraim or Spanish Fork.
“In Mexico going to different bars—because in a lot of the different bars, they had pool tables—is where I started playing,” said Soto.
These sports give them opportunities outside of school to do other things beside work and school, and it gives them something they can do in the community. Their presence also gives community members the opportunity to learn about new cultures.
“I don’t know that I always jumped into getting to know their culture the way that they do things and celebrate things,” said Bird. “So I’d just say that it’s a great opportunity for us who live in this community to diversify ourselves and understand another culture.”
Throughout their time at NS, Carias and Soto appreciate any help they can get from teachers and fellow students.
“One thing that people can do is be more receptive to helping us if they see us struggling or needing help around the school,” said Carias.
