If Eddie Carranco could go global, anyone could do anything. No longer a Latino from the Eastside or Westside of Santa Barbara, he became somebody at the post office getting a passport. He says he never felt more American. Perceptions of possibility shifted in the neighborhood.
People knew he was in Running Start, a program at SBCC where high school graduates without intent of higher education get incentives to try college. But study abroad? He bought a duffel bag, threw in some jeans and a couple of T-shirts, stuffed his life savings into his wallet, and got to Spain on scholarship. No credit card. Never been alone in a foreign country. Suddenly, he was converting currency and using the metro. Visiting ancient cities. Just a summer overseas: a game-changer. A chance to see himself as someone who can, who should, and who will.
With the new semester in swing, he worries Spain is a fleeting glimpse into life’s treasure chest, banging shut. But he knows he’s changed; there’s new confidence and growth. He’s asking more questions in class, interacting with more people, helping others. He’s not the same kid who graduated high school with prospects of minimum wage. Eddie went to college, to Europe, and the kid who’d never been anywhere didn’t come back. A guy with goals took his place.