Surviving Chicago Winters and Becoming a Global Citizen: Sheyla Ventura, May Alum of the Month
Sheyla Ventura, 28, is a journalist and project manager in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2006, Sheyla traded the Brazilian sunshine for Chicago snow to work at Sterling Works, a jewelry company, through the CIEE Work & Travel USA program.
When she arrived in Chicago, Sheyla was only 18 years old; the freedom and independence of living in downtown Chicago, alongside other Brazilian and Argentinian exchange participants, was both exhilarating and challenging. She says that one of the most surprising aspects of her Work & Travel USA experience was the cultural diversity of Chicago. “I learned so much about different cultures, and looking at the other side of the U.S. was really empowering for me,” she explains. “I didn’t know I was really into hip-hop!”
Sheyla says that her time in the U.S. was a formative experience both personally and professionally. Although her work in the jewelry shop was not directly related to her career path – Sheyla was in law school at the time – she notes that the training she got during her job contributed to her professional development. She says that receiving feedback from her American coworkers was significantly different from her experience in Brazil, and that her English improved during her time abroad.
“You’re going to feel like you’re not just Brazilian anymore, you’re more of a world citizen, and it is really amazing.”
Sheyla has advice for anyone considering working abroad: just do it! -- and maybe check the weather before you go. She says that her American friends were helpful in her process of adapting to American culture and learning English, and that her program changed her outlook on the world. “Once you return home, you’re going to feel like you’re part of the world,” she says. “You’re going to feel like you’re not just Brazilian anymore, you’re more of a world citizen, and it is really amazing.”
After Sheyla returned to Brazil, she decided to focus her career path on journalism; inspired by her experience and independence in Chicago, she decided to move to Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil. Sheyla returned to school for journalism, and went on to earn an MBA in digital marketing. In the past ten years, she has worked in public relations, journalism, and social media. Sheyla is currently working for a startup in product development and project management, and plans to eventually pursue a career in Silicon Valley, California. “It will be a second challenge to go back to the US,” she laughs. “It will be like I’m 18 again!”
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Do you have a story about your CIEE experience? Email alumni@ciee.org.
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