Life has been well for Marcus Vinicius Silveira. A five-year degree in computer science has led to Silveira in ownership of a computer store in his home country of Brazil.

He recently received his two-year Associate of Arts degree from Crowder College in business and is now working on his bachelor’s in international business at Missouri Southern.

Silveira decided to attend Southern because of the international program.

“It makes our lives as international students very easy,” he said.

His hometown of Teresina, Piaui makes room for its more than one million inhabitants. Being one hour from the coast and in a tropical area, Silveira and his friends were able to go swimming at anytime throughout the year.

Being a world traveler, Silveira has visited most of South America, England, France, Holland, Portugal and Spain.

“I think it’s my nature [to travel]”, he said.

He enjoyed Spain the most, especially liking its culture, art, and architecture.

“They’re so friendly,” he said. “They have fun.”

Silveira speaks Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish and English. He said this advantage will assist him when seeking a job.

He has a cousin in Tennessee, but most of his relatives still live in Brazil.

“It’s kind of tough for them,” he said on him living in the United States. “It’s tough for me too.”

He manages to return home once a year. This time he will be heading back for Christmas.

Choosing a school was not difficult for him. He has several friends who were attending Southern at the time he decided to move to the area. They already had homes, cars and a settled life, he said.

“There is no doubt the infrastructure here is so much better,” he said.

Silveira started learning English at 8 years old. He attended a regular school during the morning then went to an English private school in the afternoon.

“There’s a difference in having the knowledge and actually speaking,” he said. “It’s tough. It’s a challenge; I would say it’s a challenge.”

One main difference he sees with Brazilian culture compared to American culture is in the food. He said that in Brazilian meals, rice is always served.

“Without rice, the meal is incomplete,” he said.

In Brazil, all meals are eaten at home with the family; meals that require certain ingredients not found in the United States. When he goes back home, he brings back certain ingredients that cannot be found in this area.

After his stay at Southern, he intends to get a job in his international business career while working on a master’s degree.

He wants to either move to Florida or Texas where he can obtain a job with a company that trades with South America.