Stories
We practice what we preach.
That’s why every year at Cultural Vistas, in addition to working with more than 900 U.S. businesses, companies, and NGOs to facilitate intern and trainee exchanges through the J-1 Visa, we host international interns ourselves.
In 2016, this tradition continued as we have welcomed Christon, Monika, and Rafael, respectively from Mumbai, Berlin, and São Paulo, to the United States to learn alongside our New York team and contribute to our daily work.
Meet Rafael
- From São Paulo, Brazil
- Studying at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP)
- Serving as a software development intern with Cultural Vistas through IAESTE
What motivated you to pursue an internship in the United States?
I always wanted to work abroad as a way of upgrading my resume. Since opportunities like this don’t come very often, and especially not to everybody, I believe it can make a great difference for me in the future. Also, of course, United States is very different from Brazil and having the opportunity to experience living here was very attractive to me.
What do you hope to gain from this experience?
My main goal is to learn as much as I can so I can come back to Brazil better than I was when I left. I am already learning how to do my job better and how to live with people who are different from the ones I am used to, as well as getting to know a different culture and how to adapt to it.
What are 3 things people might be surprised to know about you?
- People might be surprised that I love soccer! Yes, despite being Brazilian, I love soccer!
- I love tattoos and have one myself.
- I previously lived in the United States for three months in Granby, Colorado.
What has surprised you most about life or culture in New York City?
People are addicted to cell phones and technology in general! In the subway, almost everyone is always with a cell phone in hand. That doesn’t happen in Brazil.
What’s a common misconception about your country?
Rio de Janeiro is NOT the first place you should visit in Brazil!
What are you looking forward to most during your time here?
Visiting new places and meeting new people, learning about how American society lives and how it is different from Brazilian society. Those kinds of things really interest me.
Do you have any hobbies?
Of course, like everyone I know, I play soccer. But I’ve also been practicing Muay Thai since 2014, and that has been my passion since then.
The one thing you miss most about home?
Family and friends.
Learn more about the J-1 Visa, our role in IAESTE, a longstanding reciprocal exchange for technical students, and opportunities to host international interns at your organization.