Kenneth Enos is a Spanish student now attending Hudson High School. He came to the United States to find new opportunities and currently plays soccer on the high school team.
Adapting to the language didn’t cost him much, but he claims it did cost him a lot to adapt to the “American culture and lifestyle.” vThere are even some things he is still getting used to after 10 years. He came to live here with his parents and siblings in 2012 and started playing in different soccer teams like International or Twinsburg until he came to Hudson High School.
He claims he was embarrassed about his first soccer training in the United States because he was “afraid of not playing as well” as the other players. Although he confesses that later he met “very good people” and that he loves the sport.
“I’m a Real Madrid fan, it’s the best soccer team in the world.”
His family moved to the United States looking for new opportunities after the 2008 economic crisis that left Spain in a terrible situation. “It hurt us a lot and left families in poverty. We had a good house but the crisis hit us very hard. My father was offered a job in the United States and we left.”
Although he no longer lives in Spain, he travels there every summer. “When I go to Spain, I always want to stay, but in the United States I have a life that I can’t have in Spain. When I visit Spain I don’t like to go back to America, but after a few days I realize that my place is in the USA.”
What he misses most about Spain is the time they eat meals, like lunch and dinner, because “in America we eat at times when I’m not hungry.” Typically, dinner comes around 9pm in Spain, which is a time many Americans start to get ready for bed. He also misses Spanish food and music.
Kenneth has not lived in Hudson for the past 10 years. First he lived in Solon, then Twinsburg, then Springfield and finally his family moved to Hudson in 2020.
He thinks that education in Spain is more difficult, but public schools in the United States have more technology, space and freedom.” In Spain most weeks “there are very difficult exams compared to America.” Something that Kenneth likes about the Hudson environment is that “they don’t judge so much if you wear brand name clothes or go in pajamas”, something that according to him “doesn’t happen in Spain.” A more formal dress code is what is accepted and expected in Spain.
“The United States is a country that gives you opportunities that Spain can’t give you.”
He believes that there are many people in the United States who confuse Spanish culture with Mexico. “They are not the same, and that there are some prejudices that are false. For example, Spain is not just bullfights.”
He hopes people are able to realize all the good things Spain has. “There are great cultures and countries beyond the USA, and people should study them more.”
In the future, Enos would like to study something related to economics, but he does not know if he will stay in the United States because he would like to travel to get to know other cultures.
