Meet Guilherme:
My father’s name is Guilherme Vilas Boas. He came to America 19 years ago. He’s from one of the largest cities in the world, Sao Paulo, Brazil. He came from his home with a large, tight-knit family, to a whole new world, to start a family of his own.
Life before America:
He explained to me that he had wanted to come to America ever since he was a young child. His mother had always pushed him to go out of his comfort zone and go after what he wanted. At 17 he did just that and came to Texas as an exchange student for his senior year of high school. Ever since then he knew he wanted to return and pursue his life here.
Reasons for Immigrating:
He came back at the age of 28 for graduate school. He was accepted into Ohio State and got an MBA there. His main reason for coming to the US was to further extend his education, and obtain a better quality of life. He later went on to become an entrepreneur and own his own business
My father sees himself as an American, and even said that if he moved back to Brazil, he would feel out-of-place. He could feel a sense of security and independence once he hit American soil, that he never felt before. Although he was finally in a safe and stable environment, he didn’t feel like he really belonged until about 10 years after the move. He mentioned how it is easy, as a born American, to misunderstand just how difficult it is to adapt to a new country.
Privilege as an Immigrant:
My father grew up in a fairly wealthy family with the means to provide him with Brazil’s best education. He explained to me that being an immigrant to escape poverty or harsh conditions is a completely different experience than those who have the opportunity to come for better education and to experience new life.
Family Life After the Move:
The first couple of years after his arrival in the US his relationship with his family at home struggled. His family relationships faltered due to the distance. Now that he is smoothly running a business that is anchored in both America, as well as Brazil, he gets to see his family every few months, and was able to rebuild the strong relationship they once had.
He mentioned, in the interview, that marrying an American woman and having American kids, has enabled him to much better adapt to his new life. He feels proud that he is able to give his children a multicultural experience, and immerse us in his culture at such a young age.
