Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolina Villa Nakata
Carolina, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I moved to the US from São Paulo, Brazil in 2017. I moved because I received an opportunity to pursue my bachelor’s degree while playing soccer. I was thrilled; this had been a dream of mine for a while and I couldn’t believe it was happening. However, homesickness hit me like a truck and I didn’t know how good I had it until I moved! On the other hand, moving was a blessing in disguise– it had sparked a passion for international students such as myself. During undergrad, I got involved in the International Student Association and became one of the leaders. And then two years after I graduated, when I felt stuck in my career and didn’t know whether or not I’d be able to stay in the US due to my visa expiring, I found International Friendships, Inc. (IFI). They showed up on my LinkedIn one day as I was searching for jobs and I was immediately hooked. An organization whose mission is to provide hospitality and friendship to international students out of reverence for Jesus and whose vision is to equip and empower international students to do the same– I was totally sold! They were exactly what I needed during my time in college and I knew I had to jump on their staff. I applied to a couple of positions and I got offered the most unlikely one out of the three: the National Content Writer position. I had graduated with a psychology degree, not English or writing! But God paved the way and showed me I had what it takes to fill the position. Two years have passed and I’m still working with IFI! A little has changed role-wise to fit my strengths and passions, as I am now part-time National Content Coordinator and part-time Campus Leader at Cleveland State and Kent State. I love what I do and feel spoiled to work in an organization like this!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As said, it was not a smooth road. When I moved to the States, I experienced extreme homesickness, struggled to find authentic community, and tried my best to navigate cultural differences. During undergrad, I also held the tension and grief of my parents filing for a divorce, which was super hard mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And then COVID happened, which had me go back home and stay stuck there for the last bit of my junior year and the majority of my senior year of college. Then I experienced one of the darkest years of my life after graduating, as I dealt with deep depression and anxiety. Once I got back on my feet, I then navigated my options as an international person in the US, searching for jobs that could sponsor a visa while also looking into graduate programs. When I was ready to give up and finally surrendered my plans to God, I found IFI and a great community in Akron, Ohio that surrounded me in love and took me as I am. Oh, what a journey it has been! God is good all the time, even when we face bumpy roads!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Other than being passionate about international students, I am also passionate about music and photography!
Since little, I enjoyed listening to music and singing, sometimes even creating my own songs (not great but they were a start haha!). Now, I continue stewarding this gift of music, trying my best to get around to open-mics and booking gigs around town. It has been a joy to express myself through writing my own music; when talking seems to fail, a song has the power to encapsulate all that I feel or have felt. I also volunteer to lead worship music at my church on Sunday mornings.
Photography has also been there since I was young. I was always fascinated by the way a lens could capture a moment in time and transport you back to that memory. It’s still sort of a hidden talent and I do it more as a hobby because I enjoy capturing the little things in life, but maybe someday I’ll try moving it in a more professional setting.
If you want to follow any of my creative pursuits, you can access them via my site: linktr.ee/cvnofficial
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Success to me is putting God first in my life and letting Him be in control. I want to be in-tune with His rhythms of grace and walk in His easy yoke, looking to Him for guidance on how I should live. Success is becoming a person of love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/cvnofficial
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nakatacarol/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.nakata.1
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@cvnaks?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
