Sammy Rosario is a third year broadcasting and theater double major. Before coming to Goshen College, he visited the east and west coasts of North America. At GC, Rosario is a member of the Campus Activity Council (CAC), he is currently working on this semester’s mainstage “Twelfth Night” and is planning to perform at the International Student Club Coffeehouse this Saturday.
Fun Facts about Puerto Rico:– Capital City: San Juan
– Official Language: Spanish, but English is widely spoken as well
– Size : 3,515 sq. miles, almost three times the size of Rhode Island
– Cost of round trip (from Chicago): the cost fluctuates a lot depending on the season. It goes from $100 to $500.
– Puerto Rico is one of the most successful countries in the Miss Universe beauty pageant, with five Miss Universe titles.
-Puerto Rico is known for its bioluminescent waters that radiate light at night due to certain microorganisms that live in these waters.
1. What do you miss most about Puerto Rico:
I miss the warm weather and the smell of the ocean when I wake up. I miss wearing my swim shorts, tanning and playing volleyball at the beach whenever I want to. I also miss the city, because it’s different from any other city in the world. It’s a mix of old European architecture and modern buildings. The sunsets in Puerto Rico are also beautiful and just breathtaking.
2. What do you like and dislike about America:
I like America because it’s a mixture of different cultures where Asians, Latinos, Caucasians and African Americans are all living together. I also like how modern America is and the breadth of opportunities if offers to Latinos to study and become successful.
What I don’t like about America is that, sadly, it’s not inclusive of everybody. I don’t like that gay marriage is not included in the Constitution. I don’t like that there is still racism and some sort of dislike toward Latinos who are really trying to make a difference in this county.
3. What is your favorite childhood experience:
I have a lot of good experiences from my childhood and teenage years. One of the biggest achievements of my life was being cast in a major soap opera in Puerto Rico. It happened when I was in ninth grade and ended about two years later. During that time I met a lot of famous people and I also felt like a superstar. I had my own little dressing room and an assistant and people started recognizing me for my work.
4. What did you think about America before coming here:
I thought that America was the only place where I could fulfill my dreams of becoming a famous actor working in Hollywood. After coming back from Peru, however, I realized that this wasn’t true anymore. I’ve learned that I want to work at becoming a better actor and not necessarily a famous one. I also realized that America isn’t everything in this world, that there are other countries where I can work at what I love.
5. What inspired you to come here:
When I was growing up, studying in America was never an option for me because it was so expensive. The thing that inspired me the most to come to America was Goshen College and the scholarship I received to come here. Without that opportunity I wouldn’t have been here.
6. Biggest difference between the American and Puerto Rican culture:
In Puerto Rico there is no personal space: you kiss and hug people everywhere and at any time. Relationships are far more important than timing and because of that, in Puerto Rico it’s considered normal to be 15-20 minutes late. We are also a very open and warm culture and it’s very important to us that people feel welcomed. Puerto Ricans are also very musically driven and not a day goes by without dancing in Puerto Rico.
7.What does a typical day look like for you in Puerto Rico:
During the summer, I usually wake up around 10, I call my friends and invite them to the beach. We then walk to the beach and spend the whole morning there playing volleyball and tanning. Around 3 in the afternoon, we go to our houses, get dressed and go to the old part of San Juan to walk around and just hang out.
