Paulo Costa Trio Entrevista - Tarcísio Araújo
Paulo Costa Trio Entrevista
Paulo Costa Trio presents a new series of interviews with Brazilians, Latinos, and people connected with the Brazilian culture who live in Cleveland, Ohio. Our mission is to build a stronger community among Brazilians living in the city, telling their histories, promoting their work, and helping new members to feel welcome in Cleveland. We will post one new interview every week! Every guest will have an opportunity to sing a song with us. We hope you all enjoy it. - Paulo Costa, Felipe Brito, Davi Lira
Interview with Tarcísio Araújo
June 5, 2017 | Cleveland, Ohio
Tarcísio Araújo
Tarcísio Araújo came to the United States following his heart. Learn more about his story and why he left Boa Vista, Paraíba, and moved to the United States.
Where are you from in Brazil, and why did you move to the United States?
I’m from a city called Boa Vista, in the countryside of the state of Paraíba. I've been married to an American since December of 2015. He is from Cleveland, but we met through the internet in February of 2014, and we talked for a couple of months. He came to Brazil to meet my family and me, and he stayed for a month. The first time I tried to come to the United States, I wasn’t approved for a visa. But after I tried again, I made it, and I came here in 2016.
Both of you guys wanted to stay in Cleveland?
No, I intended to stay here only for 3 months, meet my husband’s family, and then return to Brazil and finish school. But I changed my mind since we were already engaged, I decided not to come back. I stayed here, and we got married in December of that same year. Everything was very quick.
You told us before that you had a hard time at the airport when you first tried to come here. Is that true?
Yes! Well, most Americans have a tough time saying my name, “Tarcísio.” They can’t say it right, so when they write it, they write something different, and it became kinda similar to “Ciso.” When I first got here I didn’t know any English, so I had a tough time at the airport. I spent almost 5 hours trying to explain to the Immigration officers my story, but we couldn’t understand each other. My phone wasn’t working, and I couldn't communicate with anyone outside. I don’t know-how, but in the end, everything worked out (laughs).
We all have stories like that (laughs).
Well, I have another one—actually, a couple.
Really?
When I tried to get my driver’s license, I kept being denied. They said I looked way too young to have a car, that I was 17. I’m actually 27 (laughs).
Something similar happened when I tried to register for a class at the local college. I brought all the documents and went alone. When I got there, they kept saying that I had to go back to high school and asked me, “Where are your parents?” and I justified saying that I was 27 and showed my documents. They looked at them and told me to come back the next day with a responsible adult (laughs). The next day, I came back with my husband, and they told him, “Your son confused us!” (laughs).
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