With poor prospects for college or broadening her horizons, Irani left her family farm in a remote part of Brazil in 1994 to join her brother and sister in the States. Her initial plan was to earn money and return to Brazil to buy a home there. Plans changed when she met her husband and settled into a busy life in Boston, eventually starting her own cleaning company. Caring for three children and running a full-time business left her little time to learn English, but she persevered. Her homeowner dreams have changed continents, especially after becoming a naturalized U.S. Citizen, an accomplishment she and her family are proud of.