Name: Valeria Ricciulli-Marin
Age: 21
Hometown: Cartagena, Colombia
Goals: Valeria wants to work for a non-profit, if possible in Colombia. Her frustrated dream is to be a professional Salsa dancer.
Music: “I love salsa music, I love dancing to it too, I wanted to be a professional salsa dancer.” (laughs)
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| Valeria(on the right) |
Valeria is hard to miss on campus, she always seems to be buzzing around and involved in all activities. Traits like these are unexpected in international students who are “supposed” to be stand-offish, reserved and bad at speaking English. Valeria is not bad at speaking English although her beautiful Colombian accent gives her away. Valeria is President of the UNICEF club and her care for people shines forth in everything else she does, which by the way is a lot
QUESTION TIME:
1.) Is it safe to say people consider you an "international kid” stereotype? How true is that and how does that make you feel?
-“Well yeah, right away when people listen to my accent they say “where are you from? You’re Spanish” whatever. Some people don’t understand my name, when I go to Starbucks, they write it wrong, and they say they don’t understand it. Sometimes, I’m comfortable; sometimes I wish I didn't have such a heavy accent. Actually, I didn't realize I had an accent until I came but people tell me all the time it’s so exotic and I’m like no (laughs) I don’t like it that much but I’m getting used to it, it’s been two years already and it hasn't gone away but when people listen to me they think “oh! She talks like Sofia Vergara” from Modern Family. That makes me feel good sometimes but sometimes not because she’s really stupid sometimes, so I don’t know how to feel about that . I don’t like people to assume things about me. I like people to know that I’m different, because that’s why I’m here. I’m here to show who I am, to show my culture, so I like people to see I have different aspirations and different “costumes” and speak differently. Sometimes I feel good when people see me as different.”
-“Umm, I think when you get to know me really closely; you’ll realize that some stereotypes are true and some are not. For example, I’m really open and caring like a typical Hispanic/ Latino woman but I’m really responsible not a crazy Latina who’s always partying like some people think and I have really high aspirations. I think my way of dressing has nothing to do with that, I dress normally, you know?”
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| The college student life filled with beautiful jewelry and gruesome papers. |
-“ When I first came, I was especially excited about meeting other Hispanic people because I love our culture and I am fascinated by it and I expected to only hang out with them but now I hang out with everyone. In the end, I realized one of the best lessons that I've learned in life which is: it’s not about where you come from but the values you have. For example, you and I could be a thousand times more similar than me and another Colombian girl. I realized that the fact that we’re from Hispanic countries and speak Spanish does not mean that we are going to get along. It was better to expand and meet other people, my best friend is Colombian, Maria Pava but I've tried to open myself and I've met awesome people like you, Sylvie...” (laughs)
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| The UNICEF and Colombian flags flanked by dolls... sounds good to me! |
4.) How has Manhattanville helped you discover more of who you are and separate you from the crowd?
-“Well, yeah I think Manhattanville has taught me a lot of things in many different ways. Since I came Freshman Year, a lot of my perspectives have changed. The classes I've taken with many different professors have opened my vision of the world. Comparing my culture and talking to other people has helped me appreciate more the way I was raised and the values that I have. Also comparing the good things other cultures have and how we can implement that in my country and there are also some things that I don’t like in the American culture, so I think I've realized how different I am as a Colombian and what can I learn from them and how can I apply them to my life.”
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| When you're as involved as Valeria, you literally have to wake up to your organizer. |
5.) What about you do you think people will be surprised to know?
-“ Usually they are surprised when I tell them my dream is to dance Salsa or when I tell them I used to do ballet, even my closest friends don’t believe me. They see me as really responsible but I’m not like that, I’m really relaxed and that has caused me one of my worst problems (laughs) but I get really bored easily. I don’t like routine, I think people will be surprised at that, that’s why I want to be a salsa dancer and travel round the world.” (laughs)
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| Valeria Interviewing another great Latina, Soledad O'Brien |
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