Anisio Martins dos Santos

A big bullfighting poster from Spain in the living room, picture frames of New Delhi in the hall, and post cards from Germany scattered on the dinner table. These are a few of the items you see if you walk around Professor Anisio Martins dos Santos’ house.

Traveling all around the world in the search for a better future is certainly a good way to keep life interesting.

When you are born in a third world country such as Brazil, you are never sure of what your future will be like. Government corruption, poverty and lack of job opportunities are only a few problems Brazilians face. Santos, a Spanish professor at GC&SU, said these problems motivated him to leave and seek a better future.

After his parents’ death, Santos, 39, decided to leave Belo Horizonte, a large metropolitan city in Brazil, to study overseas. He first went to India and worked as an English interpreter at an iron and steel production factory.

“I learned English in Brazil during my early 20s,” Santos said.

Santos said he spent two years in India, and his experiences there were unforgettable.

“Everything was a bit dirty – the city, the people and especially the food sold in the middle of the streets. Three years in India was enough for me,” he said.

He then moved to Germany, where he had always wanted to study. Furthermore, the potential for a brighter future would be higher in Germany. Santos studied geography and achieved his master’s degrees in urban planning, education and romance languages. In Germany, Santos was able to take a variety of Spanish courses.

“Spanish was easy for me to learn as it is really similar to Portuguese, the language we speak in Brazil,” he said.

Santos lived in Germany for more than eight years, and he was able to become a legal German citizen.

“With a German passport, I can enter in all European countries,” Santos said.

In 2000, Santos came to the United States on vacation and heard about GC&SU from a friend. Since the university had a job opening for a Spanish professor, Santos said he did not think twice about moving to yet another country.

“I was available at that time, and I thought this could be a great experience for me,” he said.

Santos said that there are significant differences between working in the United States and working in Brazil.

“In the United States, I am much more motivated to work. I am frequently rewarded and recognized for my good work,” he said. He added that salaries, stability, political correctness and a stable economy are significant factors that make his job easier in America.

Santos said he wants to stay in America for a long time. He is very comfortable in Milledgeville, and he enjoys living in a small city.

“Working at a small university, I am able to interact with students and colleagues and work close to them,” he said.

Teaching small classes is another advantage.

“It would be sad to teach students for an entire semester without remembering their names,” he said.

Besides living in Brazil, India, Germany and the United States, Santos also has traveled all around the world. While living in Germany, Santos visited Turkey, Egypt, Mexico and most of Europe.

“The two most beautiful and interesting places I have ever been were Portugal and Spain. It has a lot to do with the Brazilian culture,” he said, explaining that Brazil was colonized by Portugal during the 15th century.

All of these experiences helped him to learn new languages. Santos speaks Portuguese, Spanish, English and German fluently, and he also knows intermediate levels of French and Italian. His accent is appreciated by some students.

“Professor Santos’ accent is adorable. He speaks a very good and formal English,” said Melissa Wessinger, a history major and former Spanish student.

Santos does not really miss Brazil. As his parents passed away, he became less attached to his roots.

“I lost contact with pretty much all my friends from Brazil,” Santos said. “I only intend to go to Brazil on vacations.”

He has been living by himself since he left Brazil in 1993. His house, only two blocks away from GC&SU campus, is all well organized and incredibly clean.

“Living on my own makes it easier to keep it nice,” he said.

Santos enjoys his privacy. He spends his free time improving his cooking skills, doing photography and listening to classical music.

“I used to sing in a chorale in Venice, Italy,” he said.

His personality traits tell a lot about his lifestyle.

“I have a hard time socializing with people,” he said, with a shy expression on his face.

According to students, his timidity goes away every time he steps into a classroom to teach a Spanish lesson.

“Professor Santos is a lot more introverted outside the classroom than he is when he is teaching,” said Ygor Wind, a computer science major.

According to Santos, what he enjoys the most of all his traveling experiences is the friendships he has made in all the countries he has passed through. Santos said he keeps in touch with some of his European friends.

“I have met a lot of interesting people from several different countries. It is just amazing to me to get to know people with different cultures,” he said.

Santos, who came from a working class family in Brazil, achieved his goals and now has a comfortable life. He sets a good example for students, especially those who come from similar backgrounds.

“I have Professor Anisio Santos as a role model to me,” said Erick Siqueira, an international student from Brazil. “I also left Brazil with the purpose to acquire a good education and accomplish my goals. I hope one day I can be as successful as him.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 4 2005. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry