WELITON PRALAN

WELITON PRALAN

decided to study English due to the fact that it was considered to be an advantage to get a good job in Engineering. Nowadays, it is considered to be a basic skill that engineers should have because of globalization. In addition, he had had this dream of living in the United States, especially in New York, and learning English was an important step in my life so he could live this opportunity in the best way.

What are you doing now in life?  Where are you studying or working?

I am in the last semester of my Mechanical Engineering program and working as an English teacher for a franchise that has schools in three states of Brazil. I am also working on a project to propose an alternative way to generate electricity from the sun. This project was inspired by the one that was implemented in New Jersey, which consists of installing solar panels on utility poles in towns to generate electricity.

Have you met any goals (professional or academic) that you’d like to share?

Yes. Living and studying at an American university was the most important academic goal that I have accomplished, even though I considered it something that I could never do in my life due to my family background. My mother is a retired teacher of the Portuguese language and my father is a small farmer. I grew up in a city called Agua Doce do Norte where there are about 12,000 residents; in the countryside of Espirito Santo state in the southeast of Brazil. I always wanted to be an engineer, and after finishing high school I got into college to study Mechanical Engineering and after one year of college, I got a full scholarship from the government of my state. When I was in the third year of college, I heard about the Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program, a program from the Government of Brazil to send students to study in the best universities in the world. I applied for it, but not expecting that I could be selected. So, when I got the email from Pace, I could not believe that it was true, especially because I would study and live in New York City. If it wasn’t for this program, my family could never afford my studies in another country. Now back in Brazil, I got my first job as an English teacher and I am really enjoying this job because I can share my experiences and what I learned at Pace with my students, as well as keeping in touch with the language.

What are some of your favorite memories of living in New York City?

I always remember visiting the most famous spots in the city, such as the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Central Park and many others, with my Brazilian friends and friends from other countries. The most unforgettable memory was on the night of my birthday in 2014, when my roommate and I went to the Empire State Building to see the city from the top. Even though it rained at the moment we were there, enjoying the view of my favorite city from the top was still unforgettable. I also remember the 6-hour Yankee’s game, which was the first baseball game I have gone to; the first time in Barclays Center to watch a NBA game which was the playoff between Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat when LeBron James was still playing for Miami, and going to a Brazilian steakhouse to celebrate my friends’ birthday and mine as well. In addition, seeing the snow for the first time was one of the most exciting moments; and going to the Rockefeller Center to see the city for the last time, in my last month in the US, was one of the best moments in my life.

What is one recommendation or tip you would give to a new student on their first day in NYC or at Pace?

I would say: “Don’t be afraid.” Explore the city, make new friends and try to find something that interests you. New York is a very multicultural city and it is not difficult to find something from your country around the city so you could get used to it more easily. In the beginning you could find difficult to adapt to the culture of the city, but the more you explore the city and make New Yorker friends, the more you will be able to enjoy your experience in this incredible city.

 

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