The challenges of a student and athlete to win in California
- Mundo Bom
- Nov 27, 2021
- 10 min read
"How a Brazilian from Diadema overcame difficulties to become a success story in the United States"
Living abroad is a common dream in early adulthood. The desire to explore other cultures and societies is natural for youth of any nationality, but in Brazil there is a more urgent need: to seek a place where talent and potential can be utilized, where there is social and economic stability, and where you can pursue a dream and accomplish your goals.
João Paulo Leite recognized this potential for success. As an athlete from Diadema in São Paulo City, Joao wished to compete professionally. He was well aware that his chances of success and to make a name for himself could be improved upon outside of his country.
Outside Brazil, he would also have the possibility of fulfilling other dreams, such as living abroad, learning a new language and specializing in his area of training, Business Administration. Such goals took him far
from family and friends. His plan presented its own challenges, but his objective was not so different from that of thousands of Brazilians who leave to seek achievement in sports, the arts or just academic improvement: to evolve and succeed.
His goal was no different from that of thousands of Brazilians: to evolve and succeed!"
Seeking to fulfill those dreams, João joined a program at the College of The Desert, a well-regarded Community University in Palm Desert, a city in California with just over 50,000 inhabitants. In this program, the student athlete has the possibility to enter with partial or full scholarships. College of the Desert welcomes students from all over the world and offers the possibility to study in a variety of areas.
Robert Holmes, currently deputy principal of the College, was João's academic advisor in the United States, he explains:
“Studying in the United States is no different than anywhere else in the world. In my business career, I have lived and worked around the world. I studied many cultures and gained a lot of experience. The ability to succeed depends on the person, not the place. Maintain constant focus, not be afraid to fail, welcome every opportunity, especially difficult ones, and use each as a base for your next adventure.”
The ability to succeed depends on the person, not the place" - Professor Robert Holmes, deputy director COD
Mr. Holmes’ statement brings forth a dimension of learning that suggests exploration of other cultures is as important as the academic experience itself.
An end or a beginning?
Even with all the research and guidance, the expectation creates some illusions about the reality of a place we don't yet know. However, the unpredictable is a constant element in any adventure and needs to be considered as part of the “package”. For João, the unexpected meant something decisive: the end of an old dream and a change of direction to a new possibility for the future, which would cost him a lot of effort and an important renunciation:
“In the first months in Palm Desert I had the first difficulties - explains João - I discovered that the structure for playing soccer, which was my main objective, was not as complete as I had imagined. There was an insufficient number of athletes even for training and a lower competitive level than I was used to. It was clear that, while I still had the opportunity to improve my English and my academic knowledge, on the other, I would not develop as an athlete to the same degree. I was aware that this was my last attempt at sport. To understand that this place I came to, leaving friends and family, was not where I would fulfill a dream but giving it up was a great frustration and probably the hardest thing I have ever had to admit in my life! Facing this away from those I love the most was very difficult. At that moment I just wanted to give up everything and go home.”
An important decision
By accepting that football was no longer a possibility and feeling homesick more than ever, João turned to his base: his family. The support he received, however, came in a different way than expected:
“As a family, we are here for everything he needs, always - explains Mr. Antônio Leite Filho, João's father - including giving support if he decided it was time to return. But when the difficulties arose, and not only because of football but also in living with roommates, in surviving with minimal money and in uncertainty about the future, my son asked if I thought it was worth it. the sacrifice, both ours and his, as we provided the financial support for him to stay there. I replied to him that it was precisely this sacrifice that he should think about; if after everything he was going through and all the people he had walked away from, it would be worth going back without having built and learned something that would last.”
Even supporting any decision of the son, his father, Antônio, valued the fact that he could specialize, learn another language and absorb the positive aspects of North American culture and grow, professionally and as a human being:
"It doesn't matter if in the United States or Europe, the person has to have a goal, know what he wants and understand that he is going through difficulties and away from his family is for a reason, to build something important and this must be the reason for enough to follow. We here would help finance his dream for as long as it took."
A Son can not be denied the right to pursue his dreams, or in the future this guilt for what he has not accomplished can fall upon us." - Silvia Stefano Leite, João's mother.
João's mother, psychopedagogue Silvia Stefano Leite, drying her tears for the second time during the interview, recalled that, at the beginning, despite everyone's concerns about the risks, real and imaginary, to which João would be exposed while living abroad, it would be a good decision. Most of the travel resources came from her retirement. Silvia decided to follow her heart and base her decision on her trust in her son:
“We raised a responsible and intelligent boy and we know about the education we gave him. And as difficult as this may be, a son can not be denied the right to pursue his dreams, or in the future this guilt for what he has not accomplished may fall upon us!"
According to parents, one of the rewards for the support they have given their child is watching him grow as a human being today;
“When he's gone, he was a boy, but when he came to visit us in the following years he was already a man! A kind of man we were proud of.” Affirms the father.
The youngest brother, Bruno, recently moved to the city of Camboriú (SC), in southern Brazil. Silvia, who is already more used to missing her, says that she will give the same support to her youngest, but she demonstrates, when talking about Bruno, the same love and concern, although the distance is shorter:
“Is it safe there? he asks, knowing that I'm also from the south of the country. To reassure her, I answer that “I think so”, even though I know little about Camboriú.
Even with help, it was not without great difficulty that João faced his first year in the United States. He preferred not to share his problems with his parents. He felt it wasn't fair to ask them for more, as they already paid for college and its basic costs.
João remembers that, to save money, he had lunch in the afternoon so he wouldn't need dinner. He also found that he could collect recyclable cans and bottles from the places he frequented for extra money. He understood the investment and the expectation placed on his future, even so, that year, he had many moments of doubt and the desire to give up was almost daily:
“My life here was very different from what people imagined in Brazil. My routine was basically college, gym and home. At that point, not even football had any more space. At that time I can say that I stayed more because of my parents and their advice than me.”
During his first college vacation in Brazil when, despite the difficulties he faced, he was already determined to return abroad, João structured a new plan:
“Actually, I no longer intended to stay in Brazil and decided to apply for a year's work permit after graduating from College. So I moved to San Diego where I would be able to get more proposals. Being here - San Diego - it didn't take long before I was called in for an interview.”
From that decision and that professional opportunity that arose in the new city, his history in the United States entered a new and exciting stage.
A new Dream
Currently, the general manager João Leite, recognizes that the biggest difficulty of the work is people management. However, it was in his attention to them that he had his first prominence, understanding that it was necessary to listen to the team and make every decision a joint construction. During his career in office, he has collected many important achievements and is proud to have made a difference in the company's financial health by ensuring that, even during the pandemic, there were no staff cuts. However, before being able to help others, he had to face his own challenges:
“The first challenge was the language, but this I developed over time. In the beginning I worked on data archiving (data entry). When I started to do the payroll, I had to understand a series of labor laws that were totally different from ours. In both processes, the experience at the College was of great help.”
He was one of the most dedicated students I've had in my teaching career..." - Professor Robert Holmes
Professor Robert Holmes remembers how João excelled in the College of the Desert Program:
“I remember João Leite very well. He was one of the most dedicated students I've had in my teaching career. João is very mature, a good leader and a wonderful role model for younger students. He was an active participant in every class and also participated in a small business practice where students were able to create a new business from concept to reality and manage this business for a semester. João participated twice, as I remember. Each time, his leadership generated revenue in excess of $75,000 in just 15 weeks. He is a very talented individual. "
João became so familiar with his company’s processes that even after he completed his first year of work, he continued to provide support for the company employees and helped to resolve any and all issues.
"It was a little difficult, because at the end of my year in the program, I stayed in the country on a student visa and all my activities had to correspond to this status, so even if I wanted to, I couldn't give technical help about any problem, as this could be considered work. I limited myself to giving advice.”
Anyway, in the year of work at OPT, João managed to create a very positive image, focusing on adjusting the accounting and giving the best response to employees in HR. All based on a lot of study and commitment. In this way, it was clear to the owner and employees of the company that he was a key player.
As a student, he stayed on to take the TOEFL (Exam that assesses the potential of speaking and understanding English at an academic level) when he had a new job opportunity while studying the MBA (Masters in Business Administration). From there, he was able to apply for a part-time service, which would already meet the needs of the company that never stopped wanting him on its staff.
The program for part-time work, CPT, allowed João to return to Renty LCC and, with the departure of the previous manager, he naturally assumed this position. João remembers the dispute for the position, which he was not even a part of, and how he ended up with it:
“With the departure of the previous manager, the dispute was between three other candidates. The process they needed to manage I already knew well, so I collaborated as best I could. In the end, my employer chose to give me the position and, luckily, the team approved the decision.”
From there, João was able to implement a series of changes that streamlined processes, increased profits and raised the customer evaluation score from 3.4 to 4.3/5. In addition to customer satisfaction, João delved further into the study of Public Relations, both for better leadership and to unite the team, which he himself singles out as one of his most important achievements:
“My main ideas were related, firstly, to having good customer service and secondly, to creating a healthy environment for the team of 25 employees. The actions we implemented brought immediate results, from the service desk to the mechanic shop. The attention to the internal public was visible in what we achieved in the cooperative work where everyone profited from the good individual performance, and with the external public, the reduction of complaints and the good performance of locations even during the pandemic. During this period, Renty LCC provided important social work, as we focused on creating advantages for customers who needed cars for work, with unlimited miles and reduced bureaucracy in contracts, so that those who suffered most financially from the pandemic could have more peace of mind to work."
“I'm responsible for HR, sales, customer service, car detailing, finance, records, repair shop, support dealership, car storage, claims, accounts payable and receivable, payroll. In general, I supervise or execute tasks for all departments at Renty LCC. Being part of all stages, I can connect everything in a single cycle and bring improvements to the company as a whole. For example: I understand details of mechanics, so I can connect with sales and understand how we can improve our service with all departments connected.”
The way João talks about priorities in carrying out his tasks shows the confidence he has in his work philosophy, and the fact that he almost never uses the “I” but rather the “we” when talking about implemented improvements, reflects a lot of his inclusive and democratic style of leadership.
João Leite came to the United States with the intention of playing football. Now he manages a company and makes a difference for customers and employees. His team skills, determination, and discipline learned in sport was not wasted, instead he built upon these skills and gained valuable knowledge which ultimately enabled him to succeed.
“He built, and is building, a beautiful story…” says Silvia, João's mother, “…and I really, really believe in his ability! I never doubted today's results! I realized that he is determined and wants to get somewhere… and he will!”
An important lesson in João's story is that even with drive and determination, unexpected change can arise and challenge you. From that challenge, comes strength and new opportunities.
João continues to chase his dreams and work harder everyday, knowing that the work itself provides all the lessons he needs:
My Goal now is to aquire the Green Card. I know that the learning and experience I had here helped me in my professional and personal development and that the way to give back is with my work and my dedication, as I have already done!" - João Stefano Leite, manager of Renty LCC.
By: Elivelto da Costa Corrêa - vl2cultural@gmail.com
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