A New Face

Roman Alberca Caballero is a 15-year-old foreign exchange student from Seville, Spain, who recently moved to Conifer in August of 2024. So far, Caballero is enjoying hanging out with friends, exploring American culture, and playing soccer. As a sophomore, he is a starter for Conifer’s varsity soccer team.
“I have been playing since I was 3 years old, I love it. Soccer and the friends I made have been my favorite part of America,” Caballero said.
Caballero was surrounded by a lot of soccer growing up. His uncle Pablo Alberca Navarro played professionally for San Roque Balompie and his father loves the game.
“My uncle and me are very close, he is a big inspiration to me,” Caballero said. “I like playing Futbol with my friends, and it relaxes me and makes me forget about everything bad that happens to me.”
Making the transition from life in Spain to life in America is a switch that not many can imagine. The culture, food, schooling, and social aspects are very different.
“It was scary. I thought about how my family was like 8000 kilometers away from me, and I was worried about not making friends, but I made a bunch and I love my friends a lot,” Caballero said.
“Roman has the warmest heart out of anyone I’ve ever met,” junior Simon Bleicher said. Bleicher is a friend and teammate of Caballero.
Not only are the people different, but so is the food.. Traditionally, meals in Spain consist of bread with olive oil and jam for breakfast, paella, a dish consisting mostly of seafood, rice and vegetables for lunch, and something very light, like salad or fish for dinner.

“Lunch in Spain is more important than dinner. I like the food here a lot but not more than in Spain,” Caballero said.
A normal day of school in Spain consists of 6 classes. In the beginning of the day he attends his first three classes then goes to his first lunch, after he goes to one more class then attends his second lunch, then finishes his day with two final classes.
“Our school goes 8 hours a day, from the morning at nine to the afternoon at five. Here I take classes that are the same in Spain but they are very weird and totally different,” Caballero said.

In Spain, Caballero’s classes consist of math, science, history, and physical education, which are similar to the classes he is taking in America. Caballero has come to America to study for one year, following in the footsteps of some of his family members.
“I came to America because my uncle and all my family come here for one year to study because English is the most important language to learn and coming to the USA is the best place to learn culture,” Caballero said.
“I love it here a lot. I will cry when I have to go back. But I will have to come back to America when I am older,” Caballero said.