Latino American Oral History

For my Oral History project, I chose to interview a newly met friend of mine, who also happened to be a fellow honors student, Vinicius Martinson. I just came to know him a couple of weeks ago, but became pretty close friends in a few days. I barely knew him when I asked him for an interview, and was frightened that he might say no, but he gladly said yes. To be honest, we are as close as we are now because of the conversation we had during the interview. Furthermore, this interview helped me know his culture and background and diminished a lot of my preceding notions about the South American culture.

Through this interview, I got to learn how individuals from Latino American decent view the United States today as a region where one can get a strong educational background in a relatively cheap cost. Unlike the out of class events of the Latino American: 500 years of history that depicted the oppression and injustice that people from Hispanic/Latino American people had to suffer in the past, the United States has become more welcoming and friendly to people from these diverse backgrounds.

Oral History:

My name is Vinicius Martinson, but everyone calls me Vinny. It is easier to pronounce I guess. I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in January 4th, 1996. I am originally from Brazil and I moved to the United States only 2 years ago back in 2014. So, I basically lived my entire life in Brazil, and just graduated from high school before coming to the United States. In the meantime, I was also working part time for a company in Brazil, where they offered me to pay my tuition for my first semester at any community college at the United States. At that time, my older brother was already here at the in Gainesville. He came here, here with a visit visa, mainly to learn the English Language. I learned about Santa Fe Community College from my brother, and after talking with my parents about all these, I finally decided to come here.

My main reason to leave my country for the United States is the quality of education over here. I mean, the United States can provide a better quality of education than my home country. I was only eighteen when I came here. But I had my brother to help me get a place to stay. My mother also came with me the first time I arrived here. I flew directly to Gainesville from Brazil, through a connecting flight from Miami. Before I moved here, I was doing various sorts of volunteering activities and had a part time job. I was really depressed at first since I was leaving my entire family and all of my friends in my country. Before my mom left me all to myself, she tried to teach me how to cook and all that, and I tried to learn as much as I could. I mean I can still cook, but maybe I am the only one who can eat what I am cooking (haha). And yes, I bet every single one of my friends is missing me as much as I am missing them. You could tell the sadness of my friends if you just looked at them in the airport when they came to see me off. Ahhh. But I got to do what’s best for me and my family.

As I have already said, the main reason to come to United States is the quality of education that this country can provide in a really affordable price, and I did not want turn down the offer that the company I was working for provided me. I talked to my parents before coming here, and besides, if they did not want me to come here, then maybe I would not be here right now. They still have to provide for the tuitions for the rest of my terms in college in the United States and all of the other expenses. You know what I mean, I need their financial help, so I kind of sort of needed their permission. Other than the fact that I was not old enough to take such decisions for myself!

When I first came here, I was like really surprised. I had not expected America, oh sorry, the United States to be as welcoming and beautiful. People all around were so helpful, unlike in my country. But, don’t get me wrong there are friendly people in Brazil but not like in here. Knowing English before coming here made it easier for me to communicate with people. I learned it back in Brazil I was studying in an English medium school. So, yeah, I am bilingual cause I know Portuguese as well.

Changes in lifestyle, hmmm, let me think. I don’t know where to start from. Okay here I go. I learned how to drive after coming to the States and how to cook. I have to do my own laundries and clean my own apartment own. Set priorities to different tasks. Don’t want to waste too much time on useless stuffs. But I got to admit, the work load over here is pretty much overwhelming, especially because I gotto do everything for myself.

There are vast differences in culture in between the two countries. There is almost no similarity in the two cultures. It is safer here in the states. People are friendlier than I thought they would be. It is also a more beautiful place than I expected. I came here to finish my education and than most probably I am gonna leave afterwards. I don’t want to stay here without my family. It would be great if I become a resident and apply for my family’s citizenship, but I don’t think it’s gonna be possible in the distant future. To be honest, I never even thought about staying here before you asked me these questions. I am more focused on my initial goal that I came here with and is still in the process to get to that, finishing my college.

Freedom. Yes. There is more freedom here. And things are a lot more affordable here. I have my own car here. Back in my country I would always had to borrow my dad’s car cause things are a lot more expensive there. There are also a lot more options here compared to my country. But I still love my country and where I am from. I can’t lie about that. Hopefully things are gonna work out fine me. We’ll see.