By Kevin Hsu | Copy Editor

Spanish teacher Alberto Ballado recently decided to speak the truth and remove the facade he has skillfully maintained throughout his years at Irvington.

In an exclusive interview, Mr. Ballado revealed his rich Finnish background and knowledge, which, he explains, has greatly contributed to his personal growth and development.

“Most students don’t know that studying abroad for a couple of years at Finland was a part of my graduation process during college,” said Mr. Ballado. “It has really shaped my perspective. The language, life, and food there was really exciting, and my appreciation for the country really grew afterwards.”

Despite his Mexican roots and upbringing, he still goes into raptures over Finnish culture, and in his spare time, when he is not organizing Mecha and DECA, Mr. Ballado holds meetings with his secret Finnish club, called Tervetuloa Suomi.

“Tervetuloa Suomi means ‘Welcome to Finland’ in Finnish,” explained Ballado, “and the purpose of my club is to help improve students’ fluency in the Finnish language. In fact, we’re thinking of planning a possible exploration or cultural immersion trip to Finland this summer.”

Although many students tend to believe Mr. Ballado is strictly Spanish, he is actually currently seeking employment at the Finnish Embassy.

“I’m in the process of applying to be the Honorary Consul of Finland at San Francisco, which will allow me to be a part of the group of Finnish Honorary Consulates in the U.S.,” said Ballado. “Hopefully, this will give me the opportunity to become involved in something I’m deeply excited about—I’m really looking forward to the experience.”