Dominican Republic student meets pope
Utah Statesman: Where are you from?
Dolores: I’m from the Dominican Republic. Do you know where that is?
U.S.: Yeah.
Dolores: Are you sure?
U.S.: Isn’t it an island?
Dolores: Yeah.
U.S.: How long have you been here in the United States?
Dolores: A year and a half.
U.S.: Why did you choose Utah State?
Dolores: There are a lot of people in the D.R. that know about a scholarship, and they told me about it and I applied. Then they told me it’s going to be in Utah, and I was like Utah? What is that? Is it good, and they were like yeah, yeah it’s good. Some people told me not to go because it’s too cold, but I said to myself, “This is a college, so it will be OK.”
U.S.: Do you like it here?
Dolores: Do you want the truth? I don’t like it.
U.S.: Why? Too cold, culture?
Dolores: Too cold. Really, really too cold. Also, it’s too quiet. I come from the capital. It’s a big city, and here it’s too small here. The culture is different. People in the D.R. talk to each other more. But I do love it here (the TSC) because it’s a nice place to study. I can go to my apartment to study and it will be quiet, so in that case it’s nice.
U.S.: Do you like being in the United States?
Dolores: Yes, it’s OK.
U.S.: How often do you go back to the D.R.?
Dolores: I went back a year ago, not this Christmas, but last Christmas.
U.S.: How many people are in your family?
Dolores: I have four brothers and one sister.
U.S.: Where do you fit in among your family?
Dolores: I’m the youngest.
U.S.: Are you the first one in you family to come to the United States?
Dolores: I’m the first one to come to study, but I have a sister that lives in New York, and she was the first to leave home to come to America.
U.S.: What is the last movie you saw?
Dolores: I saw “Troy,” and “De Javu,” and “Night at the Museum.” I liked those movies.
U.S.: Are you a big movie watcher?
Dolores: Yes and no. When I have time I like to go.
U.S.: What is your favorite color?
Dolores: Blue.
U.S.: Why?
Dolores: Because it’s the color of life, and it’s in the sky. Sometimes color has personal meaning, and I have some personal reasons.
U.S.: Who is the most famous person you have met?
Dolores: I don’t remember it, but when I was 4 years old, I met the Pope Saint Joseph II. My brothers and my dad took me to meet him.
U.S.: What has been your most embarrassing moment?
Dolores: One day I saw this girl and thought she was really cute, and I started talking to the guy next to me. I told him that girl was way cute and the guy who gets her is going to be really lucky. It turned out to be that girl’s boyfriend I was talking to. I was so embarrassed. And I see the guy all the time around campus.
U.S.: Do you play soccer?
Dolores: Yeah, but not too much. I love to play baseball. It’s the favorite sport of the D.R.
U.S.: What position do you play?
Dolores: First base.
U.S.: What are your favorite classes right now?
Dolores: I like my humanities class because we are learning about Troy, and I liked the movie so I think this class is fun. Also, I like my computer science class.
U.S.: Do you e-mail or text message?
Dolores: I don’t use e-mail too much. I like it when people e-mail me, but I don’t have time to reply. I like to text message better. I text all the time, even during class.
U.S.: Why do you like to text message so much?
Dolores: Just to talk. It’s fun to be able to talk during the middle of class. One day I had over 100 text messages. I was like, “This has to stop.”
U.S.: What kind of music do you like?
Dolores: I like all kinds of music. The only kind I don’t like is Ranchero music. Country is OK. I don’t like it too much.
U.S.: Do you read The Statesman?
Dolores: No, I don’t have time.
U.S.: Will you read it now?
Dolores: Maybe.
-dwkoecher@cc.usu.edu