From Colombia, to Canada, to the USA

Hello! My name is Samir Jhosua Quintero and I am double majoring in Criminal Justice and Legal Studies. I am originally from Barranquilla Colombia where I was born and raised until the age of 8 years old. At this time my family had to unexpectedly relocate to Quebec Canada to start a new life in a new world. That said, it was the first time I experiences culture shock at a very young age. Although this was a great challenge, at times it seemed unsurpassable, but I quickly learned to adapt to my environments and make this opportunity a real blessing in disguise. As a traveler of many cultures and ideologies, I find myself holding very specific values to heart through which I identify myself with and regularly use to pull myself through difficult times and even to help others find their way to success as well. These values include integrity, humility, perseverance, and persistence, without which I would not be here today. 

Before arriving at Roger Williams, I was a full-time student of the Université Laval in Québec, the only French-speaking province in Canada. Studying in the United States, not only, meant quit my job at Apple, leave friends and memories behind me. It also meant, trade in my conformable lifestyle for an unfamiliar culture, a foreign language, a different cuisine, and a new home…I had to hit ground running; either I learned how to swim, in those new open waters, or find myself sinking.

Now that you know a little bit about myself and how far I have come, allow me to indulge you with some of my most life changes experiences that I have lived here in the United States, or more specifically, at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. It seems like it was yesterday that I just had finished my first semester at RWU. I was flying back home and did not know what to think. It has been such a journey! From the moment I first stepped on campus, all the way to today. Time flew by so fast…. New international Student’s orientation, first day of class, midterms, Thanksgiving break, more midterms, finals, and BOOM, the first semester was over.

Back then, it was just nice to be able to sit there, pause for a moment, and appreciate everything that happened during that first semester. In between the first day of classes and the finals exam week, there were moments in which I would ask to myself “how could this be possible?” What I lived and experienced throughout my Freshman year, can hardly be put into words. The combination of the courses I took, the people I got to meet, the events I attended, the experiences I went through, and the captivating but yet intimidating environment I was surrounded by, just made it so unique and different. But yet in my short time at Roger, I have accomplished so much. I have become a devoted and collaborative member of the John Jay Society and the triathlon club which have given me the ability to both be a part of this tight nit university community, but also to find an escape when times go stressful or overwhelming. This would potentially be the most useful advice I could offer to any prospective student looking to be a part of the RWU community. Find something, anything, that drives your passion and captivates your interests and stick with it because it will be there to pull you though your difficult challenges, your lonely times, and your down falls. From clubs to organizations to personal projects, anything goes!

College is different. College is not what I expected. It is so hard to explain and can only be understood once you have actually experience it. Every day I spent at RWU opened me up to whole new perspectives. It was such a big jump, from the comfort zone that I had back home. There were many moments when I did not understand what I was doing in such a foreign land; it seemed as if I was in a video game, trying to unlock the secret that would defeat the ultimate boss called life. Many times, college was everything I had wished for, and everything I had not.

This past year I have shed blood, sweat, and tears to excel in school. The good thing is that, here at Roger we have so many tools that will help students to succeed. My multilingual ability has allowed me to meet many different people from many different environments and milieus, and to open the doors to many work and internship opportunities. One of my greatest accomplishment incudes become an international fellow within the Stempel Corps Fellowship Program for International Students. This program not only allows me to be proactive in my university community, but also in the town in which I now reside. Being given the opportunity to be the bridge between these two worlds is truly an honor and a privilege.

In the end, I remember choosing Roger Williams because a good friend of mine told me about the school and how great it was. He knew about my projects of going to Law School and told me that Roger Williams has the best law program in Rhode Island, so I ended up giving it a try; now I think it was one of the best decisions of my entire life, and maybe, it could be one of yours too!