https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/members/raquelcdcneris/activity/ Activity feed for Raquel Neris. Sat, 01 Jan 2050 18:00:18 -0500 https://buddypress.org/?v= en 30 hourly 2 f79c8819e1f243d304c592ef8d3d318a https://educash.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=182 Sun, 24 Sep 2023 21:43:36 -0400 Economia comportamental na educação financeira Na última matéria no nosso blog, tratamos um pouco sobre a questão de que não somos tão racionais assim quando o assunto é tomar decis […]

]]> 97ca85906b99765d3911b3f0aa5e8b3a https://educash.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=179 Sun, 24 Sep 2023 21:38:37 -0400 Dinheiro e felicidade: como nosso comportamento altera expectativas Characters of people holding positive emoticons illustration Dizem que o dinheiro não traz felicidade, a satisfação plena pela vida. Ma […]

]]> 35b3307575e5db0fc3ed43cdddd9f3dd https://educash.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=175 Sun, 24 Sep 2023 21:33:38 -0400 5 mini-hábitos para pais e filhos na gestão financeira familiar Dando continuidade ao nosso post anterior, apresentaremos aqui algumas dicas úteis para que você dê início ao processo de mudança sua e da […]

]]> 3c7326999ef348ea17aece05cd979a25 https://educash.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=172 Sun, 24 Sep 2023 21:20:47 -0400 O limite da racionalidade: como lidamos com o dinheiro em situações de risco Quando contamos com incertezas em nosso processo decisório, não há outra saída a não ser tomar algum grau de risco pela escolha. Isso é as […]

]]> 6b05ef8475b01dad2554939d9d67674b https://educash.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=165 Sun, 24 Sep 2023 21:13:58 -0400 O poder dos mini-hábitos na gestão financeira familiar Diante do atual cenário de crise financeira no mundo pós-pandemia, em que muitos chefes de família perderam seus empregos, ficou ainda ma […]

]]> d8b80701d94edd50c4f508e4b579dc20 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/942693/ Mon, 18 Sep 2023 17:51:57 -0400 70373b1f3b2fd26cdecc4ff419fd9280 https://educar30.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=352 Fri, 23 Jun 2023 17:26:15 -0400 Design Universal para Aprendizagem: o que é e como aplicar Crédito da imagem: Artem Podrez. O Universal Design for Learning (UDL), ou Design Universal para Aprendizagem, é um framework e […]

]]> 14e2a078c752e0686e08c53be3366845 https://educar30.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=342 Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:05:55 -0400 O que é a pedagogia que sustenta a cultura? Photo by Diva Plavalaguna. A pedagogia culturalmente sustentadora, uma tradução do termo em inglês Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (C […]

]]> 5523953534d6db41bf2e1a37d4ec4d4d https://educar30.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=333 Wed, 07 Jun 2023 14:27:00 -0400 Sete princípios para o ensino inteligente Como acontece a aprendizagem? Essa é a pergunta que o livro “How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching”, […]

]]> 5006d917275cc3d90d2f0c212db7c55c https://educar30.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=97 Fri, 19 May 2023 14:14:57 -0400 EduCash: educação financeira com games EduCash é um conjunto de games em que as crianças aprendem sobre finanças com o Edu, o porco astronauta. Ao viajar para planetas fant […]

]]> 0e1821dc7e477588eaffc3e3acd7bd0b https://educar30.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=86 Fri, 19 May 2023 03:24:47 -0400 O que são tecnologias sociais para a educação? Tecnologias sociais são abordagens, metodologias, processos, técnicas ou ferramentas desenvolvidas com o objetivo de solucionar p […]

]]> 4cfc4b5a993a58795947066f73d7e91a https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/921933/ Thu, 18 May 2023 19:47:34 -0400 c84b9d6fb33e6afad9c65776a41869d8 https://elnycpodcast.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=233 Fri, 21 Apr 2023 01:56:36 -0400 Ep #3 – Jussineia: Stand Up And LearnIn this episode, we have the story of Jussineia Silva, and ex-customer experience manager from São Paulo that came to New YorkRead More »

]]> 1eb03fa3f44b4dae466701ec79490601 https://elnycpodcast.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=192 Wed, 05 Apr 2023 03:55:37 -0400 Ep. #2 – Jacques: How Student-Centered Education Can Open DoorsIn this episode, we have the story of Jacques, a missionary from Burkina Faso that came to New York in 2014 with a dream: studying theology in an American institution to help spread Christian faith in West Africa. Episode transcription Jacques: The way they teach, a way that pushes you to think by yourself. __ THIS IS RAQUEL NERIS, AND YOU’RE LISTENING TO ENGLISH LEARNERS IN NEW YORK CITY. IN THIS EPISODE, WE HAVE THE STORY OF JACQUES, A MISSIONARY FROM BURKINA FASO THAT CAME TO NEW YORK IN 2014 WITH A DREAM: STUDYING THEOLOGY IN AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION TO HELP SPREAD CHRISTIAN FAITH IN WEST AFRICA. LET’S LISTEN TO HIS STORY. — Jacques: I am Jacques Bamogo and I was born in 1973 in Burkina Faso and, yes, I got the opportunity to come to the US in 2014 to visit, just to visit. Three or four months later I figured out that I could make a Visa change to become an international student in order to pursue my dream that is to complete my degree in theology in the US. I was looking a way to go to study in the US because I know that the education in the US is very good and ah, I don’t want to come back without having a diploma from the US. I was praying asking the Lord to help me and to open the door for me to be able to go to college and everything should start for me by the change of the visa, from tourist visa to F1 visa.  — ONLY TO CLARIFY,  YOU ACTUALLY CAN’T CHANGE YOUR VISA INSIDE THE US, WHICH WAS JACQUES’ SITUATION.  WHAT YOU CAN DO IS CHANGE YOUR STATUS. IN OTHER WORDS, JACQUES CHANGED HIS STATUS FROM TOURIST TO STUDENT. IN HIS PASSPORT, HE HAD STILL A TOURIST VISA. FORTUNATELY, JACQUES SUCCEEDED, BUT CHANGING THE STATUS IN THE US IS RISKY AND MUCH MORE BUREAUCRATIC THAN GETTING THE VISA ITSELF. GETTING BACK TO JACQUES STORY, I WAS CURIOUS TO KNOW: WHY NEW YORK? —- Jacques: I came to New York because I had some friends in New York City that wanted me to come visit them and also when you are in Africa, speaking about the US, New York comes first, because it’s there that a lot of people come, a lot of places to visit. In Africa, New York is really known. Raquel: I see. And did you find, like, when you came, did you find a community from Burkina Faso? Jacques: Yes, one of my friends from Burkina who came to the United States long ago was the one who received me and let me stay with him, and we were living with other peers from Burkina Faso. We had a direction with each other and, ah, yes this is what we’ve been doing. Raquel: Ok, and you, when you came in 2014, did you already know how to speak English? Jacques: Ah, no, because I am from a French speaking country. In high school, in Burkina Faso, we had like three hours of English a week. And because we used to speak French, we kind of neglected that part, so when I came to the United States, I wasn’t able to, like, make a good sentence in English. Not have a lot of vocabulary, do not have any skills in speaking. In writing, I can read and write. The speaking was very hard for me. So I had to go to ESL classes after I changed the visa to learn how to speak and how to improve my English skills. — MOVING ABROAD TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE IS MORE EFFICIENT THAN TRYING TO LEARN IT IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT TAKES YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE BUT ALSO BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO IMMERSE YOURSELF IN A NEW CULTURE. — Jacques: In New York City, you have to go to the stores, you have to go visit places, you have to meet people, and you have to speak English for people to understand you. It helps you to get to know the culture, American culture. It helps you to understand American history, and it’s gonna help you to be able to apply for college, and yeah, to get to engage in the US. — JACQUES IS CORRECT. HOWEVER, AS NEW YORK IS A CITY OF IMMIGRANTS, CULTURAL ENCLAVES CAN GET IN THE WAY WHEN IT COMES TO LEARNING ENGLISH OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL. AS PEOPLE FROM THE SAME COUNTRIES TEND TO LIVE IN THE SAME REGIONS, THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE USING THEIR LANGUAGE.  THAT ALSO HAPPENED WITH JACQUES, WHO LIVED IN THE BRONX, ONE OF THE MAIN LOCATIONS OF THE BURKINA FASO COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH HARLEM, IN MANHATTAN. —- Jacques: Yeah, I can say it was, ah, really hard to learn English because, first of all, I lived, I was living with people from Burkina Faso. We don’t speak English, we just speak French when we are sitting together and, ah, it wasn’t easy because I go to school and I had vocabulary from the school but I could’t use them, because I don’t have anyone, a native person to speak to. So, I am by myself and I was the only one that was a student at that time. We were like six people in the apartment, all from Burkina, and I was the only one who was going to school. So, that’s why it took me like, five years to improve my English speaking, writing… Raquel: Yeah. Jacques: So you’re not improving —- ON THE OTHER HAND, FOR JACQUES, LEARNING ENGLISH IN SCHOOL WAS MORE THAN JUST LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE: IT WAS A WAY TO MAKE FRIENDS AND TO DISCOVER A DIFFERENT KIND OF EDUCATION. ___ Jacques: It was exciting because I got to know how the education in the US was. It’s not the same as in Africa we are used to. Because here I saw that teachers are familiar with the students and want to help them. And they were very good, even if you can’t pronounce something, they are not making fun of you, they are trying to help you get there and I liked it because at the beginning it was so hard for me to say things. And I saw the engagement, I saw the sacrifice, I saw the love from the teachers and I appreciated that because it helped me a lot to be confident at school, wanting to talk to other people, and at school I made a lot of friends from other countries. It was very good. And I had to spend a lot of hours at school in the morning, from 7am to 1pm, 1:30pm I should be at school. I had to wake up in the morning, and by 6am I had to take the subway to go to school. Yes, it wasn’t easy but I liked it.  —- I CONFESS THAT I WASN’T EXPECTING JACQUES TO BE SO IMPRESSED WITH THE LEARNING METHODS HE EXPERIENCED IN HIS ENGLISH SCHOOL. AND THAT’S WHY I STARTED WONDERING: WHAT WAS HIS STORY AS A STUDENT IN BURKINA? ___ Jacques: The interaction between the students and the teachers is completely different because in my country the teacher, they only master of class. When he comes to class, you have to stay quiet and listen to him until he finishes. And after that, they are not available to help you if you want them, and it’s not easy. There is a distance between students and teachers. I don’t see this gap in the US. Instead, students and teachers, they have become friends, very helpful for someone who is learning. Because the fear you had toward your teacher, there’s no more fear, and you can talk to him as your friend, you can call him by his name. And the way they teach, it’s a way that pushes you to think by yourself. You don’t have to receive everything from the teacher, it’s like an interaction. You say something, you discuss the thing, what is your opinion, you say your opinion and the teacher adds something to just, he is leading you to do right, the right spot, and I love it. —- AFTER UNDERSTANDING HIS STORY AS A STUDENT IN HIS COUNTRY, I REALIZED HOW I TOOK FOR GRANTED MY SCHOOL YEARS, IN WHICH PROFESSORS WERE NOT SO AUTHORITARIAN. I ALSO NOTICED HOW STUDENT-CENTERED EDUCATION IS FUNDAMENTAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LEARNERS, AS IT WAS KEY FOR JACQUES TO START A NEW CHAPTER IN HIS LIFE. ___ Jacques: So I started my English classes in 2016 to 2019. Raquel: Oh, so you did not study during the pandemic, right? Jacques: No, At that time I was in college. I was graduated from college in last May, 2022. Raquel: Nice. Where did you study? Jacques: At Grant College, Minessotta. I requested for the OPT, so that’s why I had to come to New York City.  — JUST AS A REMINDER, OPT STANDS FOR OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING, WHICH IS A PERIOD THAT UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS WITH F-1 STATUS ARE PERMITTED TO WORK TOWARDS GETTING PRACTICAL TRAINING TO COMPLEMENT THEIR EDUCATION.  – Jacques: I am working with a branch of the CMA, the Christian and the Missionary Alliance, a mission branch that is called Envision. The mission and the vision is to reach out least people from West Africa with the Gospel. They don’t have the opportunity to hear the Gospel because they don’t speak English, so they can understand what is the love of God for them, so because I speak the language, I can, like, help them to understand the meaning of the gospel and to help them receive salvation from Jesus. Raquel: You accomplish your dream, right?  Jacques: Yes. Raquel: Do you plan in staying in the US or do you plan in returning to Burkina? How are your plans? Jacques: I’m planning to return but I want to have some experience in the US, so… I have a lot of skills, and experience in how to help people grow in their spiritual life.  And the way, the teaching style, and how to decide for people, all of this I have to get a lot of experience, so I can out help people. — IT SEEMED TO ME THAT JACQUES HAD ACCOMPLISHED HIS DREAM. HOWEVER, HIS SACRIFICE WAS EVEN HIGHER THAN I THOUGHT. — Jacques: Yes, I was married in 2002. And in 2014, when I was coming to the US, we had three sons, and the youngest was just like six months. And when I came, it was seven years later, in 2021, my family got the opportunity to join me in the US, here. Because of the F1 visa, they allowed me to apply for F2 for my family members. So God has inserted prayers for them to come join me here. They stayed with me in Minnesota until I finish my studies, and now we are together in New York City Raquel: Wow! And, and how was their adaptation to New York? Jacques: Not easy, but… my wife, she doesn’t speak English and it’s not easy to go to stores or visit places, so I always have to help her and help the kids too because it’s not easy to walk around in New York City. — Raquel: AT THE END OF OUR CONVERSATION, I ASKED JACQUES TO SHARE HIS ADVICES. – Jacques: My advice is that if you have the chance to come to the US, I want to tell you to dream big. Because the US offers great opportunities to help you make your dream become true. If you are persistent and you keep doing what you want to do, doors will open for you. So, for international students, don’t give up. In the first time, you are going to go through difficult time, specially for those who need to go to ESL classes, it’s not easy to learn English, improve your English and everything, but you need to continue, you need to be hard worker, to be persistent like I said, as you continue to make, like, efforts, to accomplish your dream, you will see that it will be easy for you later. I say that for me it wasn’t easy, but because I didn’t give up, people that I lived, they were telling me to give up from studying, but I said no, I won’t give up, because this is the only opportunity that has been given to me. If they allowed to become an F1 Visa, so I will continue until I see a door open. And, yes, God has opened the door for me, so… ___ Raquel: THIS WAS THE STORY OF JACQUES, A MISSIONARY FROM BURKINA FASO WHOSE TESTIMONY SHOWS HOW PERSISTENCE AND FAITH CAN MAKE YOU GO FAR. IT ALSO PROVES HOW STUDENT-CENTERED EDUCATION IN ESL SCHOOLS IS FUNDAMENTAL, NOT ONLY FOR LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE BUT ALSO FOR PROMOTING SELF-CONFIDENCE, ENGAGEMENT, AND CARE. IN CASE YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LEARNER IN NEW YORK CITY OR HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST, PLEASE SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US. WE WANT TO GIVE YOU VOICE. SEE YOU IN TRead More »Ep. #2 – Jacques: How Student-Centered Education Can Open Doors

]]> 558f02f38f7257b74cc5fc8127308d32 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/910767/ Thu, 23 Mar 2023 00:19:38 -0400 c6b0a7b78aa681037a8cbb6201696562 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/909509/ Thu, 16 Mar 2023 20:58:10 -0400 c366f93fcb975aa68da7c5e4fdf437fa https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/899773/ Tue, 07 Feb 2023 22:40:22 -0500 35822779882baed19c2251f1678c41f5 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/874380/ Fri, 11 Nov 2022 20:25:10 -0500 2a445711d119acf48eab7b9de019ec9f https://manhattantransfer.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=201 Fri, 28 Oct 2022 21:33:11 -0400 858f8ffcdd5eb33a7c75610d33630432 https://manhattantransfer.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=152 Mon, 24 Oct 2022 16:39:31 -0400 cc5e4e234685ae3094061eba431768dd https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/870519/ Mon, 24 Oct 2022 14:14:32 -0400 adfa90ee9552b8f7f010b1d5e3dad495 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/869273/ Tue, 18 Oct 2022 00:56:35 -0400 366f4688053ec41b5126ada50a2f74cd https://raquelneris.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=148 Thu, 06 Oct 2022 18:07:11 -0400 https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=1x9ifQ5LOXhI4y6KWXd0Htghy8-6JaiHMYfos2CEaBiQ&font=Default&lang=en&initial_zoom=2&height=650

]]> a3f0c4d7923bcc4bc1a594545bae7ce5 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/855196/ Tue, 23 Aug 2022 17:39:35 -0400 33eda60e053f91f984e5039955582870 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/833984/ Fri, 25 Mar 2022 13:58:34 -0400 158850956855e977a38e3998a46e9dcd https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/828839/ Mon, 07 Mar 2022 01:39:08 -0500 afea7abd193b0b8f95fe61ed81fdd1d0 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/820699/ Tue, 08 Feb 2022 15:51:03 -0500 4dc3deb427678da14475e12a3e07825e https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/818460/ Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:35:47 -0500 729f6480a6f3245d0711ca8b82b4bfc8 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/818011/ Wed, 02 Feb 2022 16:21:36 -0500 da0faf3dcfbca6c9ca18f960b8e34dfb https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/798642/ Thu, 04 Nov 2021 14:21:34 -0400 @joebisz I really enjoyed yesterday’s workshop and I’m looking forward to join CUNY Games Conference 2022! 🙂 I entered the website, however, and could’t find the link to enroll. I only found this one: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWt1Fu2QQtoIr7ZBzXmGEAlU3PmuC0WuGHz-PlDR0zk9PutA/viewform. Can you send it to me if you have it? Thanks!

]]> 77a58f35a844ae9f21a036dbf644e8f7 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/798641/ Thu, 04 Nov 2021 14:18:58 -0400 822466dd25f8b46f26d6596b170513a7 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/775251/ Wed, 18 Aug 2021 20:43:06 -0400 5de90f0e1601941fe6b7965c3f4b2f4b https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/775213/ Wed, 18 Aug 2021 03:28:13 -0400 d217107f2e4f9d93079219e119aa7683 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/775202/ Tue, 17 Aug 2021 21:36:22 -0400 5e351c6abdf28aaf18282979ff29caf5 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/775201/ Tue, 17 Aug 2021 21:34:41 -0400 44571769d2f8af9b57ed109645004233 https://commons.gc.cuny.edu/activity/p/774548/ Wed, 04 Aug 2021 21:59:51 -0400 c43d93df46cc622ff48573abb0a22cf7 https://elnycpodcast.commons.gc.cuny.edu/?p=1 Thu, 18 Oct 2018 23:18:27 -0400 Ep #1 – Grayce Kelle: From English Student to Real Estate Entrepreneur In this episode, we have the story of Grayce Kelle, a Brazilian entrepreneur and single mother that came to New York in 2020, right before the lockdown. With a successful career left behind, Grayce came with the focus of giving better opportunities to her son and having a fresh new start in life. Episode transcription Grace: Nobody calls me as in Brazil: Graici Kelli or Graici. I hate it. __ THIS IS RAQUEL NERIS, AND YOU’RE LISTENING TO ENGLISH LEARNERS IN NEW YORK CITY. IN THIS EPISODE, WE HAVE THE STORY OF GRAYCE KELLE, A BRAZILIAN ENTREPRENEUR AND SINGLE MOTHER THAT CAME TO NEW YORK IN 2020, RIGHT BEFORE THE LOCKDOWN.  WITH A SUCCESSFUL CAREER LEFT BEHIND, GRAYCE CAME WITH THE FOCUS OF GIVING BETTER OPPORTUNITIES TO HER SON AND HAVING A FRESH NEW START IN LIFE. NO MORE TALKING. LET’S GO TO THE STORY. __ Grace: I’ll present a little bit of the beginning, I’m from Brazil, I’m 39 years old with a 18 years-old boy. I’m living in America three years, so, I arrived here February 7th, 2020. Just inside the pandemic. I could never imagine what I was about to, what I would live with my kid, and I was just arriving in New York to live forever. That, that is my intention, that was my intention, you know. So, I was very scared by what I was facing. So, I moved here with my son. I’m F1 VISA, my son is F2, my dependent, 18 years old now, but when he arrived he had just turned 15, no actually he was 14 still. But, ah…, it was very challenging because once we finish the F1 process in Brazil, and then you arrive here, it’s completely different. And I did everything myself, I never had any help from any agency or those people that sometimes they do have help, like, they hire somebody to do all the process.  __ GRACE IS TALKING ABOUT AGENCIES THAT HELP PEOPLE APPLY FOR A US VISA. MINAS GERAIS, THE STATE WHERE GRAYCE CAME FROM, WHICH BY THE WAY, IS FAMOUS FOR BEING THE BRAZILIAN REGION WITH THE GREATEST MIGRATION MOVEMENT TO THE US, HAS A LONG LIST OF BUSINESSES THAT OFFER THIS SERVICE. THIS FACT MAKES US REALIZE THAT APPLYING FOR A US VISA IS DIFFICULT FOR MOST PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE KNOWING ENGLISH. IN ADDITION TO THE VISA FEES, PEOPLE WILL PAY FOR HELP ORGANIZING DOCUMENTS AND FILLING OUT THE FORMS. NEXT, GRAYCE TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES THAT INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE FACE WHEN TRYING TO RENT A PLACE IN NEW YORK. __ Grace: I started in a hotel, very fancy, beautiful, right? Dear, I jumped to an airbnb because I couldn’t rent nothing! And when I was checking about rentals and everything, oh my Gosh, I thought it would be much easier. I had no idea what I would face! So, I started in a hotel, I jumped to an airbnb, and I couldn’t rent nothing. I jumped to a hostel, YMCA, I am very grateful… and everyday going to mess, praying, for God, asking him, you know, to help him, and help… because I was so afraid, you know, I took my son out of a country that we had a great life, a beautiful family, right. I and ah, I was always alone, because I used to raise him in a big big city, so, no help from my family and no help from his fathers, grandfathers, you know, grandparents as well, but, it was completely different because his father at least was in the same city that I used to live and here, you know, he was alone. And plus, I told him, go to this English class, because I already spoke English a little bit because if you see my mistakes, my grammar mistakes now, dear… when I arrived here it was even worse. __ MOVING TO A NEW COUNTRY AS A SINGLE MOTHER IS NOT EASY, SPECIALLY IF YOU ARE NOT SO CONFIDENT IN SPEAKING A NEW LANGUAGE. BUT FOR GRACE, IT WAS ALL WORTH IT. AND WHY WAS THAT? ___ Grace: I stopped another business that I had with my ex-business partner that when I saw a lot of difference between our ethical way of, you know, move on at the company. I said to myself, Grace, it’s time to stop this thing and you know, start something brand new. But, I thought I could do it, once you are already here, it’s very hard to jump to this way. Unless you are in another country and you don’t have a plan B to follow. That was, you know, my strategy. Gustavo said be at that time, mom, I feel shame, I’m so sorry, I feel shame, you know, to go…I’m sorry. I said I do understand your heart, I deeply understood him at that time. And I said, can you imagine for mama, with MBA, you know, ex-entrepreneur, restarting again, ex-executive of Santander bank, you know, all my background, all the miscarry that we put to other people so they can think, oh, she’s big, but, and what? Big and you know what is important? Is to pay your bills, honor your principles and go do what you need to do at that moment, because there is a reason for all the ups and downs, so… So I said, alright, let’s start in another country. For that happen, I came here, showing him how was New York, you know, as a tour visit, and he said mom, it’s too fast, I can’t stop even to take a picture! And I was deep in my heart, that’s exactly what he needs. __ GRACE MADE A COMMITMENT TO START A NEW LIFE NOT ONLY FOR HERSELF BUT ALSO FOR HER SON. BUT BECOMING AN ENGLISH STUDENT IN NEW YORK WASN’T SO EASY AS SHE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. __ Grace: Here was a very different thing. Plus, all the situations that, when an immigrant arrives, you know, we gotta do. Number one, about the school right? So, we have different people, new people to meet, and different accents, my God, remember? Especially people from France. My God! And, no, and those Japanese people, their English is, is, is very different, you know, so. [LAUGHTER]. It was, it was so beautiful. But then everything locked down, with all the challenges. So at that time, I could rent finally a place that was furnished. And I could have a place to live but still bringing money from Brazil. We continued to study the English and then I finally could, you know, find an agency that I could finally try to get some money because F1 cannot work here, so, you faced that problem as well.  Raquel: Yes. Grace:  And then it started to get a little bit calmer.  __ ADDING A FACT CHECK OF GRAYCE’S COMMENT, F1 STUDENTS CAN WORK, BUT WITH A LIMIT OF 20 HOURS/WEEK AND ONLY FOR THE SCHOOL WHERE THEY ATTEND CLASSES. WHILE ENGLISH SCHOOLS USUALLY DON’T OFFER THIS OPPORTUNITY, THEY ARE COMMON IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. STUDENTS CAN ALSO REQUEST AN OPT (WHICH STANDS FOR OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING), THAT ALLOWS THEM TO WORK OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL FOR ONE YEAR IN A FIELD RELATED TO THEIR AREA OF STUDY. YET, AS BECOMING A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY STUDENT REQUIRES HIGHER INVESTMENTS AND SKILLS, THIS IS NOT AN ACCESSIBLE OPTION FOR MOST INTERNATIONALS. AS A RESULT, MANY CHOOSE TO START INFORMAL JOBS. GRAYCE WASN’T DIFFERENT. __ Grace: I went to Costco, and I bought many ingredients to sell, to make hamburgers and to sell hamburgers. And that day I discovered something in my personality that I could never imagine, that I am very shame. And I could never imagine me, Rachel, that, you know, Grayce Kelle, shame? Dear, you have no idea.  __ WHILE STRUGGLING TO PAY THE BILLS, GRAYCE WAS ALSO HAVING A HARD TIME TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE.  __ Grace: And then this girl came back to Brazil and I had to leave the apartment. And I was trying to find another place. At the same time, I was trying to run, to open a truck business because I met somebody at that time that, you know, I had some money to invest, and I’m like, alright, I need to make money. Let’s try something. And then, you know, I studied the numbers about the truck business. Gustavo was going with the person, checking all the backstage. I went to XPO too, I went to Amazon office, and I could see that here, my love, there are mafia too! But the mafia here is much more organized! Do you think that it’s only in Brazil they, oh, here, 200 per week if you put me ahead of the others. Here it exists too, so.  Plus I told the guy that I was about to go business with that I was not available as woman, and he kind of mixed the feelings, right? Which is a little bit easy. And, hum, but at that time, I had no other choice because this woman from Brazil came back, and I had to go for his house to live there, like, five days, until I could find another apartment. And I was crazy finding apartments, do you remember, Rachel? At the class… Raquel: Yes, I remember. Grace: But thank God, God was so nice that the one apartment that I loved, that was 4G unit at 120W, 105th Street, hum… somebody get rented and I couldn’t get that rented at that time, but then, I went there again, I had the holy spirit voice: go there, check the keys. And the keys were right there. And so I called the office, hey, you said you rented this unit, but the keys are here, what’s going on, really? He said, oh Grace, you know what, the rental didn’t went through, so would you like to rent? I said yes. For today? He said yes, put the application, the deposit the money, tomorrow you can move in. Rachel, I had only one rug, and that was the beginning. So I rent the apartment with only my six or seven bags, luggage, plus this rug that thank God I bring from Brazil my Trousseau, Duvet, you know, and sheets. So we could sleep at the rug, and I never slept so so happy in my whole life. Because the say before the guy tried something with me, you know. And I was very clear, and he was like yelling at me. Of course, I was in his house for favor, five days, because I couldn’t rent nothing. So, thank God, that day, I said thank you, I’m very grateful, but you’ll never see me again, or my son.  __ AS TROUSSEAU AND DUVET SHEETS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, WE CAN NOTICE THAT GRAYCE WAS WELL-OFF IN HER COUNTRY. HOWEVER, AS A SINGLE MOTHER WITH A STUDENT VISA, HER MONEY IN BRAZIL COULDN’T CHANGE THE FACT THAT SHE WAS IN A FRAGILE SITUATION. BEING ABLE TO MOVE TO A NEW PLACE IN UPPER WEST SIDE WAS TRULY A MIRACLE. __ Grace: Right there I started renting Airbnb, as soon as I could buy the first mattress I rented the other room for Airbnb and we used to sleep at the rug for, I don’t know, for maybe two months, or three months, so for everybody else, the house was fine, but not for us, because we knew the truth. And I used to lock my room, you know, to make money and to teach Gustavo, how to host people. Because nothing comes from nowhere. And of course, I could bring my money from Brazil, but, you know what? I wouldn’t make the mistake again, to spoil my kid because I came to this country exactly to show him that one day on the top, one day on the floor, but never treat nobody the way you don’t want to be treated because everybody has the same heart, same life, same blood, same feelings, so… __ AS A REAL ENTREPRENEUR, GRAYCE PROVED TO BE VERY CREATIVE TO MAKE MONEY. BUT STARTING AN AIRBNB WAS NOT ENOUGH TO PAY THE BILLS. __ Grace: At that time I was waitressing because, you know, you gotta do something to make money, and as a parent, and I had no help from his father, so he was not supporting him or me. So, I was waitressing, and ah… believe it or not, you know, when you are waitress, and you are honest, and I was always that way, so I conquered everybody. I said, listen, my name is Grayce Kelley, I don’t have experience in this thing, so if you see me doing some mistakes, please let me know, because I want to please you, right, and I want to do the best for you. Oh my goodness, and I record everybody name in my brain, so I knew their family, I knew their kids, I called them by name, you know, so we became like friends, and they used to love me, so. And then, guess what, the tips are higher and higher and higher.  __ THINGS WERE GETTING BETTER FOR GRAYCE. HOWEVER, CONTINUING AS A WAITRESS WAS NOT AN OPTION. IT WAS A CLASSIC CASE OF BRAIN WASTE, IN WHICH HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONALS FACE WORK RESTRICTIONS BECAUSE OF THEIR STATUS. MANY GET CONFORMED TO THIS SITUATION, BUT NOT GRACE. SHE NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD. ___ Grayce: An ex-boyfriend from Brazil. He told me, out of nowhere, Grace, I had a dream with you tonight and God told me that I will visit you in your mansion in New York.  And then he told me: Follow this person here. So, she’s married to this guy that knows a lot of auction and properties. He buys properties in auction and then he sells it in a regular price. So, I followed her, Aline, and then I saw her husband, what he was doing, and then I bought the course, I started studying the thing, I bought my first property. Raquel: Can you explain a little bit how the auction business works? Grace: It is basically, when people don’t pay their taxes, when they don’t pay the taxes, the mortgage, you know, of a building or, you know let;’s say, a vacant lot, it goes back to the bank and then to the county. So, I started with vacant lots because that’s what I could afford at that time, right? And then, you know, this guy told me, Grace, you gotta build a company because a lot of people they need a list filtered, so I hired people in Brazil, I taught them how to find properties, and I was selling the list.  And then, I moved here and I keep, I kept both things running, and then it became very difficult for me because AirBnb it’s ok but it’s not a big money and it’s a lot of, you know, troubles, because you gotta solve it right there. And so my son could not handle himself. And it was little money for a lot of head haches. I said no, I give up this one. Raquel: I’d like to know a little bit, like, why New York? Why the US and why New York? Grace: I love English, you know. My name, Grayce Kelle, so here, everybody talks my name properly, you know? Nobody calls me as in Brazil: Graici Kelli or Graici. I hate it, you know. I don’t like it. And I can’t have slow people in my side, sorry. I don’t have the patience with slow people. I almost stop and say, listen, you don’t know what you are doing, righ? So, do you need help? I can life coach you. I’m a life coach, I can help you with that, you know? __ NEW YORK FELT LIKE HOME FOR GRAYCE. IT WAS HER DESTINY, AND HER NAME WAS A SIGN OF THAT. GETTING A GREEN CARD WAS THE NEXT MILESTONE. FORTUNATELY, AS GRAYCE WAS NOT AN AVERAGE PERSON, SHE WAS CLOSER TO ACHIEVING THAT THEN SHE THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE. __ Grace: You gotta understand, F1 VISA, when you come just to study, you don’t have the social security number, and without this, you can’t do anything here. The easier what is getting married. But that, since the beginning I said, it’s not an option. I will not do that for business. And then, he told be, there is this lawyer, try to talk with him, you know, he might help. So I spoke with that layer and he told me, Grace, you’re not average person, you are very different. You are far of average and you have all the seven criterias that EB2 NIW, that is the national interest waiver, need to be fulfilled and then we can build your case, we can do it together. I said really? He said really. So, that we started and then I had like the letters of recommendation and thank God, at that time, you know, my ex business partner, I left millions at the table because I helped, you know, to finish a contract between the two biggest cities in Minas Gerais. Without my help, we would never have, so. I had to get in touch with this guy again, and the said, Grayce, I’ll do everything for you. What do you need? So he had to reprint the same contract. He reprinted, he sent  me the letter of recommendation… so long story short, you know, I got my green card in November. So now everything is coming, so… So my lawyer put my case, my green card card, in September, and I got approved November 9th, and I received my work permit authorization, social security number, ahn, you know, advance parole to travel overseas very quickly, so… do only what is right, go to the most difficult way that, you know, God will be with you, and you will be very successful because, you know, once we do that, nobody can take it from us. Raquel: What recommendations would you give for a person coming to New York as an English student? Based on your experience. Grace: Number one, never forget who you are, because you are God’s image, and you are powerful. You have already everything inside of you. Number two, do never stay with people with poor mentality, poor mindset. And believe me, when you come to this country and you put your needs first, oh my God… when it’s starting to be comfortable, you know, go to another environmental, another people. It’s time to move on. Number three, you know, put yourself in challenge, in a challenge all the time. Specially, be the most stupid at the table, if you are the smartest with wrong, you are with the wrong people. But to put yourself in there you gotta challenge yourself because the opportunities come for people that are in the right place, at the right time, and dress yourself as you don’t know what can come to you. And last but not least, you know, be careful who you let come in your life. Perhaps that’s what I learned the most. __ THIS WAS THE STORY OF GRAYCE KELLEY, A BRAZILIAN SINGLE MOTHER THAT CAME TO NEW YORK WITH HER SON AS AN ENGLISH STUDENT AND BECAME A SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE BUSINESS WOMAN. HER JOURNEY IS INSPIRING, SPECIALLY FOR THE ONES THAT COME TO THE CITY WITH THE DREAM OR STAYING FOR GOOD AND STARTING A NEW LIFE. IN CASE YOU ARE ALSO AN INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LEARNER IN NEW YORK CITY OR HAD THIS EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST, PLEASE SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US. WE WANT TO GIVE YOU VOICE. SEE YOU IN THE NEXT EPISODE OF ENGLISH LEARNERS IN NERead More »Ep #1 – Grayce Kelle: From English Student to Real Estate Entrepreneur

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