Eric Remedi eager to adjust to life stateside

Eric Remedi, like many Atlanta United players who came before him, is quickly learning to adjust to a brand new and exciting country. Although it may be a lot to digest in a matter of days, Remedi told reporters during his introductory press conference on Tuesday morning that things have been going well so far.

“The guys are helping me by welcoming me to the group and giving me confidence,” said Remedi. “It’s a good group and I’m just trying to get adjusted as quickly as I can.”

Coming to a new country is difficult, especially when unfamiliar with that nation’s primary language. There are so many details of everyday life that must be ironed out. “Where am I going to live?”, How do I get where I need to go?, Who do I ask for help?” are all questions that must be answered rather quickly.

This doesn’t even include the crucial and no doubt tedious process of obtaining necessary paperwork required for U.S residency. This can all take a toll on a person rather quickly. However, it helps to have the right mindset along with some reliable friends. Just ask Leandro Gonzalez Pirez.

“Eric’s a good guy,” said Gonzalez Pirez. “He has good intentions. We’re happy with him. We hope he can adapt quickly for the rest of the team. He always has a smile on his face. He’s a funny guy. He jokes with us. We try to help him with whatever he needs.”

Gonzalez Pirez, who made the move from his native Argentina to Atlanta in January of last year, went into specifics on Remedi’s current situation and what some of his new South American teammates have done to get him acquainted.

“He’s single and lives here alone. It’s so difficult to come to a new country with a new way of life alone,” said Gonzalez Pirez. “We’re trying to make him feel happy here. He eats dinner with us. We have a lot of barbecues. At the moment, he’s busy because he’s doing a lot of paperwork for his Social Security. It’s difficult, but we’re here to help.”

Technical director Carlos Bocanegra raved about Remedi’s eager mentality to adjust to a new culture.

“We have a contingent of South Americans here that help him adapt a little bit quicker with the language barrier,” said Bocanegra. “He’s been doing a good job of being independent so far. He wants his own car, he doesn’t want to be driven around, he has his bank account set up, his phone, all these things. He’s done a good job of adapting and I think that shows his mentality. He’s beyond his years at 23 years old in a new country.”

“Everyone’s helping me understand things here that I’m not used to,” said Remedi.

That’s all one can really ask for.