HAPPY TO BE HOME
Eskasoni soccer player spent early years in Guatemala.
After moving to Guatemala at a young age and then to the United States, an Eskasoni Division 1 boy’s soccer player is back in Cape Breton and plans on staying here to graduate.
Israel Regalado, 16, moved from Eskasoni to Amatitlan, Guatemala at age four to live with his aunt.
Regalado lived in Guatemala for 10 years until he was 14. While there, Spanish became his first language. He said his favourite part of living there was like any child’s, his friends. Aside from the friendships he had there he also enjoyed the tourists who came to visit.
“A lot of people from other parts of the world go there to see the culture and I liked meeting them,” said Regalado who added he liked visiting places as well “they had a lake I liked – green lake.”
At age 14, Regalado moved from Guatemala to Salt Lake City, Utah to live with his father. Regalado said he was nervous to move to the United States because he spoke little English and would miss the friends he made in Guatemala and his brother, who still lives in the Central American country.
“I was kind of sad leaving Guatemala, leaving all of my friends and one brother who lives there still,” said Regalado.
Once in Utah, Regalado said it was challenging to adjust to the new culture and learning a new language.
“It was different; I was learning how to speak English – I’m still learning. School was hard there.”
While in Utah, Regalado learned to play soccer and became very good at it, but after two years, he moved back to Eskasoni in May of 2016 to live with his aunt, Kim Basque.
Basque said that since Regalado has moved in he has been great to live with and see after over a decade.
“It’s a joy, because we haven’t seen him since he was a baby,” said Basque. “He’s such a great kid, he loves sports and games – he’s always on his Xbox or going to the gym.”
Regalado said he also felt comfortable in his new home of Eskasoni and his new high school. He started playing soccer for the Eskasoni Warriors Division 1 boy’s soccer team last year in Grade 10. He said this year his team is bonding and improving.
“I like the team. We’re still learning but we’re getting better every time we play.”
Warriors coach Ron Martin said in his first year in Eskasoni, Regalado was shy but has come into his own.
“His first year, he was extremely quiet and it was extremely difficult for him because he was brand new to the community and he didn’t know people,” said Martin. “Throughout the year he came along and came out of his shell and this year he’s doing really well socially and very well liked by the kids.”
Martin added that Regalado shows real promise on the soccer field.
“He’s a real team player and he knows the sport inside and out, he knows soccer very, very well. He’s able to read the field,” said Martin. “He knows the field – where people are going to be and where he needs to be and he’s a great guy to have around, always with a smile on his face.”
Regalado himself said he’s now very comfortable at his new school and the new friends he’s made.
He said he plans to continue to play soccer throughout high school and stay in Eskasoni.
“I’m going to stay here so I can graduate in Eskasoni,” he said.