Tennis players spend summer serving a new generation

Instead of rushing back into the comfort of their families and homeland, two GC&SU foreign exchange students decided to make America their home for summer break.

Junior psychology major Mariano Cebri?n and freshman Erick Siqueira are studying at GC&SU on tennis scholarships.

“I wanted to study in a foreign country, and tennis allowed me to do it,” Cebri?n said.

According to the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents semester enrollment report for Spring 2005, there are approximately 97 international students at GC&SU.

“Currently we have 16 international students on our athletic teams,” said International Student Advisor Libby Davis. “In general, the athletic teams have a large number of international students, particularly tennis and golf.”

Cebri?n, an Argentinean, and Siqueira, a Brazilian, both arrived in the United States alone, leaving behind family and childhood friends.

Cebri?n and Siqueira go home for Christmas but decided to stay in the United States through the longest break of the school year.

“I need money to survive to pay for fall and spring (semesters),” Cebri?n said.

Not all athletes get full rides. Some, like Cebri?n, have to pay a percentage of their tuition. Not only does Cebri?n have tuition costs, he also needs money for rent, food and other necessities. As a result, Cebri?n had to work; however, he did not stay in Milledgeville.

Cebri?n lived and worked in East Hampton, N.Y. at Green Hollow Tennis Club, where he taught private tennis lessons and was a camp counselor for Future Stars Tennis Camp for kids ages 6 to 16. His schedule kept him working from sun up to sun down.

“I love (working),” Cebri?n said.

Cebri?n said he’d rather work in New York state than in Georgia because he could make more money in New York, and he didn’t know the Middle Georgia area at the time the opportunity arose.

Cebri?n began working in New York in 2003, when he accompanied two former GC&SU golf team members to East Hampton to work as a caddy at a golf club. Shortly after arriving, he noticed Green Hollow Tennis Club next door. He said he walked to Green Hollow, met the manager and was hired the next day as a tennis instructor.

Now, every summer, Cebri?n has returned to Green Hollow to work.

With the money Cebri?n made over the summer, not only was he able to afford his tuition and cost of living, but he was able to buy a plane ticket home for Christmas break.

Cebri?n said working stateside helps his psychological well-being because it provides him the opportunity to become familiar with America, instead of feeling as if he lives in two places. He doesn’t have to constantly question where his home is by living a few months here and a couple months there.

“Now, home is here,” Cebri?n said.

Cebri?n said he misses his family, but if he had gone home, he would have missed out on many experiences. He does not recommend that any fellow exchange students go home for the summer if they plan on staying in the states after college, which he plans to do for a while.

Siqueira, on the other hand, stayed in Milledgeville over the summer.

Siqueira said his family didn’t have the money to fly him home, so he had no choice. He worked around the community, teaching at kids’ tennis camps and doing construction work.

“(I stayed in Milledgeville) because I didn’t know a lot of people to get better jobs elsewhere, and (I) had something to do since the middle of spring for summer,” Siqueira said.

Siqueira was able to make enough money to buy a plane ticket home for Christmas and have some extra cash to get him through the semester.

Siqueira said teaching tennis allowed him to develop his English and working with kids was the best job he ever had.

Working in construction taught him new things he may find useful later in life. He also thinks staying in the United States taught him to appreciate home more.

Siqueira wishes he could go home to see his family and deeply misses them, but he has the same outlook as Cebri?n.

“Life is here now. Doesn’t matter how good home is, if you’re not in place where you’re living, then you’re missing out on a lot,” Siqueira said.

Siqueira plans to stay and make a living here in the United States after college. He said there are more opportunities and chances to show what he is are capable of than there are back in Brazil. He believes that Brazil will now be a place to visit, not a place to live.

“I never think I’ll love America more than Brazil, but I have a better chance at a better life here,” said Siqueira.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 14 2005. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry