No job is shame for successful Brazilian immigrants in Boston.
By Ioannis Papadopoulos
Whenever the black Lincoln limousine stops outside the New England College of Optometry, Paulo Seller is the last man you expect to get in.
Seller is the owner of the school's cafeteria. He is a hard-working immigrant from Brazil who has spent the last six years in the United States washing dishes in restaurants and serving costumers at McDonalds and Dunkin' Donuts.
But when the limo parks at 424 Beacon St., Seller is the only one who touches its leather seats.
Like many successful Brazilian immigrants who live in Boston, Seller is a celebrity in disguise. He works part time as a television producer for Brazilian networks. In the last six years he has covered the Oscars twice and he has interviewed President Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and the Pope. But at the same time, Seller runs the cafeteria at the New England College of Optometry, a Monday-to-Friday job that helps him chase his American Dream.
"In Brazil, I used to drive a Mercedes Benz, I owned a penthouse duplex and I always wore suit and tie," Seller said. "In Brazil, you are what you wear, where you live, what kind of car you drive. But in America you can be whoever you want no matter what you do."
Seller has a degree in marketing from Brazil and he is accredited with a foreign press pass in the United States. He named his cafeteria "Media Cafe" and said he makes $6,000 a month from it. He said his dream is in the entertainment business, an unreliable and shaky market.
"I took a break from the television about six months ago," he said. "The producers started holding the money because of the bad economy and I couldn't find sponsors for my trips. The only reliable business is this cafeteria."
Max Santos, a Brazilian immigrant, works part time at "Media Cafe." Like Seller, Santos has learned to dream big and never hesitates to do any job. He has worked for four years in American restaurants. Today, when he is not making sandwiches at the New England School of Optometry, he works as a promoter organizing events and parties in Massachusetts.
"Brazilians cannot just sit and watch TV," he said. "You have to find a way to pass your time and make money."
Santos' events usually attract from 400 to 2,000 people and can pay him thousands of dollars. When Brazil's national soccer team played against Mexico in Boston last year, Santos rented four buses to bring 200 people to the game. At the stadium's parking lot, he offered them free barbeque. It was all part of his promotion plan for one of Brazil's largest beer brands.
"It's not like Brazilians are starving in their country. Our life there is great," he said. "We just come to the United States to make more money fast. If you work hard you can do it."
Seller follows the same philosophy.. He wants to work one day for MTV, but until then he knows that his present lays on "Media Cafe."
"My daddy told me never to be an ordinary man. He told me to be the best I can. Whatever I do," Seller said.
Watch a video of Paulo Seller interviewing the Aerosmith in Boston:
1 Comments
Ioannis!!!
Man, this is very nice, Im very impressive you got a talent my friend. Thank you a lot to make me part of you Website.
A day soon i hope, maybe we cam work together.
Best wishes, paulo seller
Seller is the owner of the school's cafeteria. He is a hard-working immigrant from Brazil who has spent the last six years in the United States washing dishes in restaurants and serving costumers at McDonalds and Dunkin' Donuts.
Ioannis!!!
Man, this is very nice, Im very impressive you got a talent my friend. Thank you a lot to make me part of you Website.
A day soon i hope, maybe we cam work together.
Best wishes, paulo seller