Students from the Don Jose Taratuty Highschool recount in interviews their experiences during a trip to Rome to participate in the “Intereligious Match for Peace”, an event supported by Pope Francis. The London Supply Group Foundation was a Gold Level Sponsor of the event.
Luciano Rodriguez: “The headmaster of the school Orlando Bishels approached me and said he had news, news that I must take calmly. He explained that myself and a schoolmate had been chosen to represent our institution, the “Primero De Mayo Educational Park” and travel to Rome to be part of the Intereligious match for peace and be interviewed by Pope Francis. I could not believe what I was hearing, I began laughing from excitement, that was all i could do! I was both amazed and ecstatic. It was the first time I had been on an aeroplane, something I never imagined I would do, let alone to travel so far. It was incredible to meet the Pope himself, there in person! It had a profound impact on me. During the journey to Rome, I imagined all the things I would like to say to Pope Francis, however when I came face to face with him, I froze, my reactions were slow and my hand sweaty. To meet a person who is so important, yet transmits so much peace and ,security to you by his prescence is really something special. I asked him for a special blessing for me and my family, he also blessed the banner of our school which was very special. At one point his holiness ask us “Are you from the North” to which I replied, “Yes from Puero Iguazu” to that he replied he was very happy we had made the journey. That was a great moment, simple but it made me very happy.
When we met the football players that was a different emotion, I always watched them on tv as I am a football fan, and when I met them I realised they are very simple people. Despite being at the level they are, they treated us very well, they were very humble and we took potos with them all. When I had seen Rome, on tv for example, I never imagined I could be there, to be part of a city so rich in eternal culture. The trip was truly an experience, it showed me things from a different perspective, I returned with an attitude that anything is posible, no matter where you come from, a feeling I relay to my classmates, that any dream is achievable, and we must work towards them for ourselves and those around us.
I was left with the conclusión that if I continue to study hard and stay on the right track I can go far, have better experiences and open many doors in life. I learned that you must dedícate yourself to what you are doing, with effort, and despite economic differences we are all equal in the end. We all have the same goal in life, to be someone, to achieve things for us and our family, and people around us, the thought stayed with me that if I continue to do things correctly and continue on my path, everyday things will get a little better.
Now when I hear people say “I am having a hard time, I have to stop studying to work” , I say to them “What will that achieve?” If you continue to study you can study with wiser people who can help you and understand your situation, and one day you can finish your studies and say to yourself “he was right, I had to continue studying to change things for the better”. Leaving your studies only limits your opportunities in the future.
Adrian Nuñez: When I heard the news I really could not believe it, even getting our passports, I was completely surprised, I never imagine to travel so far. When the headmaster Orlando gave us the news, my family especially could not believe it, that a boy from such a humble background could achieve something like us and travel to another continent.
My schoolmates congratulated me, it was however difficult for me to leave my family, as I had never travelled so far away before. I felt many emotions, sadness to leave my family, anxiety, but overall excitement. When I arrived it was fantastic, I wanted to walk everywhere, see everything, everything I had only previously seen on tv. When it came to meeting Pope Francis in person, I cried with emotion, and emotion that came from deep within my heart. The blessing he gave was a great moment, he is a wonderful person. When I saw the football players it was a great emotion, a different one. I sat with them on the substitutes bench and watch the stars in action, it was amazing to talk to them, especially “Pocho” Lavezzi, who is one of my héroes.
What stayed with me was that we went to Rome to represent our school, and that is something important. The whole experience left me with a different experience on life, that if you really try hard to geta head in life anything is possible and working hard will only serve to make your life better everyday.