First Posted: 10/5/2014

Being busy rarely equates to productivity these days. Facebook statuses chronicling self-proclaimed achievements and ineffectual adventures are shot out to the world of social media like machine gun bullets. Even someone on house arrest can appear busy. Too often, we only know someone by how they want the world to see them on social media platforms. (Let’s be real. People are more dimensional than their ‘gym selfies’ on Instagram characterize them to be.)

It’s been said, to truly understand someone, you must spend a day walking in their shoes. Since using someone’s shoes other than your own would be grossly unsanitary during an Ebola outbreak, Weekender decided to start getting to know people in northeastern Pennsylvania better by following them around for an entire day. First up, Allan Souza of Dunmore, who is busy, productive and living the American dream.

Morning

“I wake up every morning at 6 a.m.,” Souza said. “I’m a very routine person.”

Souza starts his day off with a healthy breakfast, usually egg whites with tomato or organic oatmeal with bananas. Then, it’s off to Studio LA in Dunmore, a fitness facility Souza owns and operates with business partner Lisa Lavelle of Scranton.

Once Souza is at the studio, he often has personal training sessions before instructing his infamous Zumba classes and personally designed Brazilian Fit.

“I realize not everyone wants to dance to get into shape. That’s why I created Brazilian Fit. It’s a high-intensity workout focusing on your arms, legs, butt and abs. It’s so intense that I challenge anyone to go through the entire class without being able to stop for a pause. If they can go through the entire class without stopping, I’ll give them a one-hundred dollar bill. So far, I haven’t met anyone who could do it,” Souza said.

Afternoon

Souza’s afternoons are spent studying business marketing at Penn State Worthington Scranton.

“Going to college is important to me. It’s what I came to America to be able to do,” he said.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Souza moved to the United States with his immigrant parents in search for a better life at age 11 and settled in Scranton.

“I came to America on January 25, 1997. That date is very important to me. It’s the date that changed my life,” Souza said while showing off his bar code tattoo containing the numbers of the date he arrived to the land of freedom and opportunity.

Even though he already owns his own business, Souza hopes a degree will help him acquire skill-sets to grow from owning one business to many businesses.

Night

“I’m usually in bed by 10 p.m. every week night. The weekends can be another story,” Souza said.

When the fitness instructor has the chance, he enjoys socializing with his clients outside of his fitness classes.

“My students are family to me. We go through a lot together and we get fit together. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to live the life I am living,” Souza said.

Without his clients, according to Souza, he wouldn’t be able to live the American dream.