Marco Sebastian Adrianzen Ruiz is a second-year international student at ECC. He is currently pursuing nursing and is looking to transfer to a four-year university in Illinois, with the University of Illinois Chicago being his top choice.
Before coming to America, Ruiz lived in Lima, Peru. There, he studied nursing at the University of Peru.
Ruiz highlighted the current political issues in Peru as a big reason why he began looking to immigrate.
“America, Canada, and Australia were my top three choices, but my aunt [in America] helped me decide,” he explains.
Having family in America helped Ruiz establish himself.
“My aunt told me that if I go to America, I can go to college nearby and live with her,” he says. “Free food and a place to live without paying rent would really help me [financially]”.
While he originally didn’t know what a community college was, guidance from his aunt and the internet helped Ruiz decide to come to Elgin Community College.
“Cost was a big part of my decision,” he said. “Looking at the costs for a four-year college and two-year college, it almost felt like a hack to go to ECC over a four-year college.”
The visa application process proved to be a painstaking process. Through the college, Ruiz was able to obtain his F-1 Visa, a visa dedicated to students. Ruiz reflected on the visa process, underscoring the amount of paperwork required.
“The most stressful part of the visa was the interview,” Ruiz states. “For the interview, I had to speak English, which was difficult because it had been a few years since my last English class. I remember watching people go in, interview, and get their visas denied. I went with a group of 20 people and I watched as they got rejected one by one. When it finally came to me, I was the last one and I was very nervous. I managed to make it through the interview and got my visa approved”
In July 2022, Ruiz immigrated to America and began his first year at ECC in the fall of 2022. Ruiz emphasized the culture shock he experienced during his first year here.
Through United Stations of All Culture (USAC), an ECC club dedicated to exploring the different cultures of the student body, Ruiz was able to adjust to the newness of American culture.
“USAC is a great connector for international students,” he said. “When I first came here, it was difficult, but USAC helped me find my way and build a sense of community”
