The initial plan

I was fortunate to have had a childhood with a great deal of adventures. Much of that time was spent on a large area of land near our home in Brazil, where the native vegetation remained mostly untouched. There were lots of big trees and dense shrubbery. We would play games and explore areas where we imagined no one had set foot before us. This sense of wonder stretched out beyond our neighborhood, inspired by books, movies, my siblings and our parents' continuous teachings on many subjects including geography and politics. I remember certain things more vividly, like when my father brought home a giant world map and hung it in our living room. We'd spend time together, learning about distant lands and imagining ourselves visiting them. Alongside this, my mother would often share her dream of traveling by car through the Americas. Many years later, she would make a portion of that dream a reality by embarking on a cross-country journey by car and train across the United States.

In my early teens, our family moved to Oregon, further expanding our knowledge and our exploring spirit. A few years later I began considering the possibilities of becoming a pilot. Not only would it provide financial stability, but it would also allow me to travel the world. However, it was during this time I learned I was color blind and that I wouldn't be able to pursue my wings. In hindsight, I believe this worked out for the better. As time went on I learned that those in the airline industry have it quite rough. A great deal of responsibility and exhausting schedules with compensation that is not justly matched. My travels and adventures continued in small doses over the years; but I always hoped to do more someday.

In April 2022, my father passed away. It all started unexpectedly in early March with random lapses and episodes that seemed like seizures. After a few grueling weeks of these episodes, unanswered questions, and a battery of tests, it was confirmed he had suffered a stroke. By then his state had greatly deteriorated and not much time was left. I was fortunate to have been able to be with him throughout those weeks. It also opened my eyes to the mechanical and broken nature of the healthcare system. Even with our means to pay for more expensive private care, the process felt robotic and calculated where each professional played their part and passed it onto the next. It is very efficient and cost-effective, but also quite inhuman. It made an extremely difficult situation even worse. However, it was also where I met some of the most caring and compassionate people in my life. It was an important reminder that even in such a place such people can exist. I dare not imagine what it would have been like without them. Equally indispensable was the support from all of our family and friends. Like most human experiences, hearing or reading about it is never quite the same as experiencing it firsthand. It made me appreciate life that much more, and imprinted deeply how fragile we are and how quickly it can all go by.

About a year later, I was faced with my toughest physical challenge to date. My lower back, which had given me problems over the years, pinched a nerve, causing severe pain down my left leg. While my pain paled in comparison to others', it took a toll on me nonetheless. After various tests and exams, I received the good news that there were no serious complications. The tough news was that it would take some time to heal. For about a year, I experienced nerve pain down my left leg oscillating between various levels. With the help of family, friends, and professionals, I was able to slowly recover and strengthen my body close to what it was before. I’m especially grateful to my partner for her caretaking and encouragement throughout that year. There were days when I wondered if I would ever be able to move about without pain.

I share these events because they shaped the beginning of a life-changing decision to travel the world. As with any substantial resolution, when ideas begin to take shape, many aspects need to be evaluated. For me, the most important aspect I needed to consider was parting from my loved ones. My brother and his family, who were key in my decision to move to Boulder 10 years ago. My sister and her family who, after months of planning, moved to Boulder just as the Covid pandemic started - a transition that has continued to be a challenge. And the most difficult part, separating from my partner of 10 years. After many caring and respectful conversations we reached the difficult conclusion that it was the best way for both of us. Staying together when we each wanted a different path could have led to resentment and regret. We didn't want those feelings to be a part of our union. We care a great deal about each other and wish each other all the best.

And so with much processing, communicating, and evaluation, I will be leaving work and beginning my adventure. I haven’t set an end date. Instead, I hope to travel as long as I can with the budget I’ve set aside. As I’ve thought about this phase, I wanted to evaluate if there could be more to it than only sightseeing and visiting different countries. Amongst other things, I found that understanding my needs, something I learned from Nonviolent Communication, was very helpful. I concluded that my journey will focus on people. This will include: visiting and spending time with family and friends, making new connections and volunteering with organizations whose goals are centered on helping people. In order to facilitate this, I plan to travel at a slower pace and stay in one location for a few weeks at a time.

My trek will primarily focus on southern Europe and Asia. Before I cross the Atlantic, there are a couple of things I’d like to do on this side of the globe. Starting with New Orleans then making my way to Florida. We recently learned that our great grandfather resided in Pensacola, so I will be staying there next. From Florida I will leave for Cuba before moving on to Europe. Here is an image of the rough path that I hope to take.