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BRUNO FERREIRA By Laura Rempel
An immigrant’s struggles.
B
runo young
Ferreira,
a
immigrant
from Brazil, describes his struggles with adjusting to life in the United States both socially
and
financially
while expressing concerns for his future.
LR: Where are you originally of me for my accent, even though from? I knew English. I didn’t have the stereotypical struggle of having BF: I am from Rio de Janeiro, to learn a new language because I Brazil. I moved here when I was was tutored in Brazil. It was more three years old, and I ended up of a struggle to find friends and to going back there for three years discover what I enjoyed. when I was a teenager. Eventually I came back and I have been living LR: At what point did you start to here ever since. feel comfortable here in America and adjusted to your new life? LR: Why did your family decide to immigrate? BF: I believe it was my sophomore year of high school when I finally BF: My parents originally felt like I was in a place I could thought were we going to stay call home. I found friends in the for only a few years, then go back to Brazil and have a better life there financially, but I ended up going back before my parents. My parents were going through a breakup and wanted me to decide which parent to stay with, so I stayed with my grandparents in Brazil while I thought about my decision. My mom ended up in a long-term relationship and varsity football team and was became pregnant with my half finally excited to be going to sister, so I decided to stay with school and to be meeting new her in America. people. LR: What was the hardest LR:Are you considering ever adjustment you had to make as an going back to live in Brazil, maybe immigrant coming to America? with your future family? BF: The first time I came here, it was not too hard of an adjustment because I was so young, but the second time around took a hard toll on me. The friends I made the first time I was here didn’t remember me. People made fun
BF: I don’t imagine myself going back to Brazil. Life there is very corrupted, especially the political system. The only reason I would go back would be to visit family that lives there, but I would only visit for a little while.
LR: Are you attending any classes in college right now? BF: In the fall of 2012, I started going to Nassau Community College and completed a semester, but soon I was hit with a lot of financial troubles and had to support my family. Now I am working in the construction business. LR: How do you feel about not attending college? BF: I’m really stressed because I have to make enough money to help out with the bills. I wish I could be going to college and learning so much more. I’m nervous that I will get to a point where I will want to make more money to support my own family and won’t be able to. LR: In terms of your future, do you want to continue with this job or change careers? BF: When I was in Nassau, I was studying to become a field researcher. I was really into Environmental Science, but since that fell through, I am thinking more realistically about my future. I am not sure if I want to continue with the hard labor in the construction business, but I feel that I will have to manage. Laura Rempel is a writer from Long Island, NY currently attending Adelphi University.