It’s a long way from Parma, Italy to Exeter, Neb. but
Samuele Colombo is very glad he made the trip.
Colombo is living with John and Anita Mueller and their
children Broc and Tara this year.
“The main reason I came was to have a great adventure.
I am interested in the language and wanted to change everything and start from
zero and see what happened,” explained Colombo.
So far that adventure has panned out for him.
“Everything is going the way I hoped. I am playing football. It is
a great way to have a lot friends and everything is easier with Broc. He
has a lot of friends. I am not very social in Italy so I decided to
change this part of me.”
The area of Italy where Colombo is from is known as a food
valley, famous for their cheese and wine. “I miss food in general but
nothing in particular. I miss my family and going to eat at my
grandmother’s home every Sunday. I miss my bike,” Colombo noted.
He has discovered a whole new world of food here in America,
particularly BBQ. “We don’t grill or bbq food. I had
ribs and they were wonderful. We don’t do all of the salsa either.”
Colombo is enjoying the sporting experiences in America, as
well. At home his sport of choice is mountain biking, so playing a team
sport is something he hasn’t done since he was a child, “I think the greatest
thing about football or basketball is the spirit and it is so good here.
Lots of people who support us – lots of screaming and cheering.”
On the flip side, football has been the hardest thing for
him to adjust here, but mainly because he hasn’t done them since he was
younger, “I am rediscovering the pleasure of team sports.”
Another thing he likes about America is the organization,
“We don’t have great organization (in Italy). I love the school
here. We have great teachers and great organization. In the town,
too, the streets are planned out. At school all the students know what to
do and where to go. It’s not like this in Italy.”
When he returns to Italy he will have one more year of
school. Right now, Colombo wants to be a barber. “Five years of practice
in shaving is the old tradition. I hope to shorten that up. I
wouldn’t want to work in an office. I would like to have a little barber
shop where they come and visit and have something to drink.”
So far the Mueller’s have taken Colombo camping and he
enjoyed that. “I love the mountains and we will take a trip to the
mountains this year so I can see my mountains,” explained Colombo.
He will miss his spear fishing and his home in the mountains
where he fishes in the summer and snowboards in the winter, but Colombo looks
forward to more adventures in America.
