Bilingual Ricardo proud of Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuelan nationalities

Ricardo Jugeshuarsingh is a 12-year-old who boasts two nationalities.

He is the son of Cristobal Selwyn Jugeshuarsingh Santil, a Trinidadian man with Venezuelan roots, and Daniela Alejandra Cumana, an entrepreneurial Venezuelan who took TT as her second home.

Ricardo, the eldest of three boys, has lived both in TT and Venezuela and is fluent in both English and Spanish. He was born in Cumana, Sucre, Venezuela, but his parents decided to come to TT when he was six years old.

And because he speaks both languages so well, he was inspired to teach his Trinidadian friends Spanish and his Venezuelans friends English.

“I would like my friends to have the opportunity to speak two languages, and maybe together we can learn a third language. I'm sure that would open the doors of the world for us in the future."

The standard five student at Endeavour Hindu Primary School told Newsday Kids, “It is a source of pride for me to grow up with the influence of two nations, of countries with different cultures and with the progress speaking English and Spanish gives me.”

He did the SEA exam in March and is hoping to attend Queen's Royal College in September.

Ricardo has many other talents. He does karate, plays football and the guitar, and also likes to draw with graphite.

“I am always doing things. I don't like sitting at home waiting for time to pass."

He dedicates two days a week to his karate training at Ryu Dan Dojo, Enterprise and enjoys classes with Trinidadian and Venezuelan children.

“It is a pleasure to have friends from both countries. To speak with some English and with others Spanish. It's weird because I always have a local friend and a migrant next to me and I have to speak both languages, but it's nice for me to be able to do it,” he said.

Despite being born in Venezuela where the culture is totally different, Ricardo has been adapting to the traditions of TT.

From Monday to Friday Ricardo attends bhajan classes, Hindu prayers and learns to read from the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text considered to be one of the most important religious classics in the world.

“I am learning a lot about the Trinidadian culture. In fact, I will be representing my school in the Baal Vikaas competition on May 22 of this year.”

Ricardo wants to continue learning from him in TT, improve his English and continue helping his friends in the study of the language and traditions of both