Immigrant Voices Podcast Project
Immigrant Voices Podcast Project
Geraldo from Brazil
Out of economic need and a desire to improve his family’s lifestyle, Geraldo and his wife arrived in the United States with their youngest son and a ten-year visa. Despite his college education in law and experience in banking, Geraldo rolled up his sleeves to clean houses and restaurants. As the years passed, learning English became a driving force for Geraldo. When the visa expired, they risked uncertain immigrant status to continue their lives in the U.S. Thanks to today’s technology Geraldo and his wife connect daily with family members they left behind in Brazil. Still, it’s a connection that can never replace the too-long delayed joy of hugging the grandchildren he has never met. Determined to expand his world beyond the local Brazilian community, Geraldo founded a home maintenance, cleaning, and handyman LLC business. An established entrepreneur, Geraldo boasts over 25 clients, continually expanding his offerings while ever mindful to keep his work life and family life in balance.
Guest Introduction/00:39
Out of economic need and a desire to improve his family’s lifestyle, Geraldo and his wife arrived in the United States with their youngest son and a ten-year visa. Despite his college education in law and experience in banking, Geraldo rolled up his sleeves to clean houses and restaurants. As the years passed, learning English became a driving force for Geraldo. When the visa expired, they risked uncertain immigrant status to continue their lives in the U.S. Thanks to today’s technology, Geraldo and his wife connect with family members they left behind in Brazil. Still, it’s a connection that can never replace the too-long delayed joy of hugging the grandchildren he has never met. Determined to expand his world beyond the local Brazilian community, Geraldo founded a home maintenance, cleaning, and handyman LLC business. An established entrepreneur, Geraldo boasts over 25 clients, continually expanding his offerings while ever mindful to keep his work life and family life in balance.
Coming to the States/02:15
Deborah: My next guest is Geraldo from Brazil who came to the United States in 1999. And, Geraldo, tell me what was it that brought you here? Why did you come to the United States?
Geraldo: I came to the United States because the economic situation in my country. Okay. In spite of having a good job, the salary did not meet a comfortable living standards.
Deborah: How big was your family at that point?
Geraldo: I have three sons living in Brazil right now and one son lives with me and my wife over here. But my family that’s very very big Brazilian family, a third world family in some ways big family.
Deborah: Have you been in touch with them recently about the coronavirus? I know they’re having a terrible epidemic there.
Geraldo: Yes. We are in touch every day. We have to talk with them and I see them on Facetime calls and I talk to them as much as possible.
Deborah: So let’s go back to 1999. Was it easy to come here? You decided for economic reasons that you wanted to come to the United States.
Geraldo: Yeah, because I had a nice job over there. A good job. I get a visa.
Deborah: You said you had a nice job in Brazil. What kind of work did you do?
Geraldo: I work in banking and in a supervising role.
Deborah: Okay.
Geraldo: Yeah, it’s a good wage, but not enough to have a good, I don’t know how to say that.
Deborah: Lifestyle.
Geraldo: And I can’t afford my sons’ tuition and everything and I have to come to the United States.
Deborah: Did you know anybody here in the United States?
Geraldo: I had friends who received me over here. I come to their house and they gave me support.
Deborah: So how long did it take you to get to the United States once you decided you wanted to come here? What did you have to do to come? Did you just how many months or years happened?
Geraldo: Once I decided to come, I sold my belongings and get some money to support me here for a while. And I came in a six months. Plenty income. Not too far, not too long.
Deborah: Did you fly here?
Geraldo: I fly straight to Boston.
Deborah: Oh, straight to Boston. Okay.
Geraldo: Yeah.
Deborah: Did you have any problems with immigration or anything like that?
Geraldo: No, no, no. I have a visa for 10 years and at that time. Now it’s expired. But I had no problem to pass through.
Leaving Family/04:59
Deborah: And how many of your children did you bring with you?
Geraldo: I didn’t bring my son and my family at the same time that I came. They stayed in Brazil for a while about 6 months and then after six months they came. My wife and my youngest.
Deborah: I see. So you left the other sons in Brazil?
Geraldo: Yeah.
Deborah: Was that a hard decision?
Geraldo: It’s always a hard decision. Oh, I feel sick for that, but I’m here about 20 years and I didn’t see them anymore. Only by FaceTime.
Deborah: Wow. That must be difficult.
Geraldo: Now I have grandkids, like 6 grandkids I have in Brazil and I never embraced them. I never hugged them. I never kissed them. I don’t know how they smell.
Deborah: That’s one thing you can’t smell things through the internet.
Geraldo: It’s tough.
English as Obstacle/06:05
Deborah: So what were some of the struggles that you had after you got here to adjust or to find a job? What kinds of obstacles did you encounter?
Geraldo: The obstacles was the language. I knew a couple of words but to link the words to make a sentence was too hard for me because the verbs. But not to work and the Brazilian community is very big here and you can find a job with them. You can work without talking.
Deborah: What happened that made you decide you wanted to learn English?
Geraldo: Oh, once you live here, you’ll have to learn how to communicate.
Deborah: You do a good job, but I’ve encountered immigrants who’ve been here for 15 years, who never decided to learn English. So why was it different for you since you were already in a Brazilian community?
Geraldo: Yeah, I know people who came before me but they still don’t speak in English. They know about something. They understand, but they cannot communicate. It’s depends. Every person is different.
Deborah: Well, tell me how you were different than that you decided. Was there a particular day when you said, “Okay, I’m going to do it!” Or what happened that made you decide?
Geraldo: Because I had a good education, a college degree and it’s easier to learn. Some people, they live here some Brazilians or South Americans or Central Americans, they have no education. They are not educated. They went to the school until the second grade only. So, it’s very difficult for them to learn.
Deborah: So you had a degree from Brazil—from university. What was your degree in?
Geraldo: I went to the law school
Deborah: To law school?
Geraldo: Yeah.
Deborah: Did you become a lawyer?
Geraldo: I didn’t graduate, but I have a law school.
Deborah: Wow.
Geraldo: And my goal was to be a biochemistry, but I couldn’t go to the school because it was too far from my city. And then I went to law school.
Deborah: Wow. And that somehow led to the banking career?
Geraldo: No, I start to work in the bank before I get graduation.
Finding Work/08:44
Deborah: What were some of the other obstacles? I mean, here you were—you are a professional in Brazil and now you come here. You have to work. What kinds of work could you find?
Geraldo: Once I could speak the language I had to work as a cleaner in a restaurant. I worked as a prep chef, and cleaning. Yeah, food prep and cleaning. Very hard.
Deborah: And what about your wife? Was it hard for her to adjust?
Geraldo: Yes. Very hard. Because you know, it’s tough when you have to leave your family or your friends the comfortable you have in the country. So once the change is very tough to adjust.
Missing Family/09:43
Deborah: Do you have regrets?
Geraldo: No, no regrets. I have no regrets, but I miss my country. I miss my family and friends.
Deborah: What’s the most difficult obstacle you’ve had right from 1999 to today. Does something stand out as one of the toughest moments for you?
Geraldo: The tougher moments is to be with my family. They grow up and they get some of them passing away and I couldn’t stay with them. No, that’s difficult.
Deborah: That must be very, very hard.
Geraldo: Yes.
Growing a Business/10:24
Deborah: So when did you decide to start your own business?
Geraldo: Once my wife came here she started to work as a housekeeping or housecleaning. We decided to open a company and try to grow up as an entrepreneur because everybody likes to know everybody wants to get a better life.
Deborah: What year was it that you started your own company?
Geraldo: It’s about seven years ago
Deborah: Seven years ago.
Geraldo: It was my wife’s company. I was working as a cook in a nursing home so I quit my job and started to help her. And we opened the sole propriety and now I have an LCC company.
A Good Customer/11:15
Deborah: What kind of spinoff company? If you were going to define a good customer, how would you define a good customer? How does somebody get to be a good customer or one of your favorite customers?
Geraldo: The favorite customers are the ones who never complain about the things you did good. They try to say you’re not good. I have no complaints because my customers are very good. They give us freedom to work. They give us the key. We have a good relationship with them.
Deborah: How many customers do you have?
Geraldo: I had, oh, let me see. It’s about a 20, 24, 25 customers.
Deborah: And during this COVID 19 pandemic what’s happening?
Geraldo: They are good customers. They still pay up. Send us a check and we’re expecting that situation will get better to meet again.
Deborah: So you’re, you’re able to shelter at home right now. Oh, that’s good. That’s good.
Geraldo: Yeah.
Pandemic P.O.V./12:24
Deborah: So, what do you hope might change in the world after this experience of this pandemic? You think it’s going to get back to normal? What do you hope will change in a good way?
Geraldo: I think a lot of things are going to be changed.
Deborah: Like what?
Geraldo: People have to think more about the environment. About the way they treat other people. How they share their lives with their families. A lot of things are going to be different. I hope. Because everybody is always challenging for money, money, money. Life does not resume on money. You have to love more each other. It makes you think about that.
Deborah: So did you ever bring anything with you from Brazil that you still have? Some object or something that you always keep with you?
Geraldo: No. Just, the only things I bring is my clothes in my back and a little brief case. Nothing else.
Deborah: No personal item.
Geraldo: No.
Advice from Living/13:40
Deborah: What would you tell somebody who wants to come to this country? What kind of advice would you give them? If you could do it over again. If I had known this, I would’ve done that, or some advice for them?
Geraldo: The only thing I can tell them is come with focus to work hard and don’t expect to be rich because life is very, very hard over here, not easy like you think.
Deborah: It’s not the American dream.
Geraldo: It’s still a dream for us because our country is more difficult to live than here. To survive. To have things materials. But it’s not a dream over there. It’s like a fantasy. No, the reality is very different from when you you’re there. Before you come, your dream is so big, but when you come here, the life is not that easy as like you think, but I tell them, yeah, you will work hard when you be here. Your dreams come true.
Deborah: How did you find out about the Gardner Pilot Academy Adult Education Program? How long have you been coming to that?
Geraldo: About four or five years.
Deborah: And how’d you find out about them?
Geraldo: My friends they told me about this school and I applied to the school and that helped me a lot. Give me confidence. Give me strength.
Accomplishments/15:29
Deborah: What are you the most proud of in your life?
Geraldo: I don’t ever think about proud. I’m proud about my.
Deborah: Maybe the happiest moments. What are some of the happiest moments? Where you’ve experienced success either financially or emotionally or some way?
Geraldo: I think emotionally because I’m not addicted to the money. I think money is to spend, but I’m so happy to have my family in a good way. Healthy and other things is gone. Working. Good.
Future Dreams/16:11
Deborah: What are some of your dreams about the future? Assuming that we pull out of this pandemic that’s going on right now? What are some of your personal hopes and dreams?
Geraldo: I’m so simple. Today my dream there to continue living my life and enjoy the journey. That’s all. But in a commercial issue I also plan to grow my business. So my family will provide for. This way we can have a easier life.
Deborah: Okay. So like right now, how many people you have working for you?
Geraldo: Oh, it’s me, my wife. And about two more people.
Deborah: So are you thinking about more people you want to have?
Geraldo: Yeah. I would like to have but we have a bad situation in the country. People are trying to save money and it’s not to easy to grow the company but we are trying to grow it.
Deborah: Right. Well, you have happy customers. That’s for sure.
Geraldo: Yeah.
My Son, the Dreamer/17:17
Deborah: So is your son considered a “dreamer”?
Geraldo: Yeah, he has his own dream.
Deborah: No, but I mean is he considered like one of the dreamers?
Geraldo: He stay in the DACA.
Deborah: Oh yes. That’s what I meant.
Geraldo: He is a DACA guy and expecting through the government to legalize them.
Deborah: So is he trying to become a citizen?
Geraldo: There’s no law about that at this time, but they still renew? No, the DACA law.
Deborah: When you brought him here how old was he in 1999?
Geraldo: He was four years old.
Deborah: So he has no memory of Brazil?
Geraldo: No, no. He don’t remember anything in there.
Deborah: How’s his Portuguese?
Geraldo: He’s good in Portuguese and he speaks four languages.
Deborah: What are some of the other languages he speaks?
Geraldo: He speaks Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and English.
Deborah: Wow! You’re going to bring him into the business or does he have other plans?
Geraldo: Oh he has other plans. Political science, international relations. And he has a job. He works on the vote computer things.
Deborah: Oh, right. Well, he’s building a website for you. Is that done?
Geraldo: Yeah. Because the virus now that because he’s still working there.
Driving License/18:40
Deborah: Oh, he’s working at home. So Geraldo, I’m just curious, I know you’ve been frustrated about not being able to have a driver’s license.
Geraldo: Yeah.
Deborah: Is that like one of the biggest obstacles for you still?
Geraldo: Yeah, because once you have a drive license and you drive more confident no threat to be stopped.
Deborah: Have you ever been stopped?
Geraldo: No. No, never, but I used to have a driver’s license over here. Because when I came, we could take a driver’s license and renew once to 2015. But now has another law. You have to have an American ID to renew. So around here around Massachusetts and New York and another account another state you can go there and renew.
Deborah: But you can’t in Massachusetts.
Geraldo: Not yet. There’s a law in the House to be voted on.
Deborah: Oh, when are they going to vote on that?
Geraldo: Yeah. Well, I’m waiting for that.
Citizenship Path/19:49
Deborah: Do you have any plans to become a citizen?
Geraldo: I would like to become a citizen to go in my country to see my in my relatives, but you know it’s tough, the government, they don’t think about us. I miss him. Bush. Bush was a good guy, gave a people through opportunity to become a citizen. But after the 2001, the seven eleven is after.
Deborah: Nine-Eleven. Yeah.
Geraldo: And Nine-Eleven. They never give us the chance to become a citizen anymore. At least you got the wrong away. It’s like no it’s right too.
Deborah: Because you pay taxes, right?
Geraldo: Yes.
Deborah: But then you were saying when I talked to you the other day that you don’t get any social security, you don’t get any benefits.
Geraldo: No. Even now when the government is helping people. A couple of dollars. I had no grants to receive.
Future Hopes/21:05
Deborah: So anything else that you want to tell me or any experience that you had?
Geraldo: No. I do like to talk about my dreams.
Deborah: Tell me some more about that.
Geraldo: Yeah. I would like to say about my dream. Two. One is coming to here to a dream to this is the land of opportunity. And we are able to push you, uh, dreams. It’s up to us to work hard for what we have here, but this is a place that provides the possibility to change your life for the better. That’s why we are here to work hard and get the dreams become true.
Deborah: Absolutely. Well, I have a dream for you, which is that somehow you’re going to be able to see your grandchildren and hold them and see the sons you left behind and their families. I hope everyone stays healthy down there in Brazil.
Geraldo: Thank you very much for that. And I will be the happiest man in the world when that happens.
Deborah: I bet. I bet. Thank you so much, Geraldo.
Geraldo: Okay.
Deborah: Take care. Okay.
Geraldo: Thank you so much. Thanks so much.
Deborah: Okay. Thanks. Bye.
Wrapping Up/22:22
Although he came to the States to better his economic life, Geraldo has never lost sight of the importance of family and the need for people to care for one another. Always on the lookout for ways to expand and grow his business, he has the resilient and courageous spirit of an entrepreneur. Pursuing money for its own sake has never been a driving force for Geraldo. His story documents the hard work it takes to bring the American Dream out of the clouds of fantasy into the real world.