Almost ten years ago, I embarked on a life-altering trip that reinforced what I truly value in this world and unleashed a passion for travel which will keep me trotting the globe until the day I die.
It was the summer of 2013. A few weeks earlier, I graduated from Seattle University with a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership. In the months leading up to my capstone presentation, I knew I wanted to reward myself for achieving a major milestone. At first, I considered Greece as a destination. Then I spent a few weeks flirting with the idea of Sydney. Then, out of a clear blue sky, Christ on a mountain revealed himself, and I landed on Rio.
Before touching down in Brazil, all I knew of Rio were cliches and the film, City of God. I didn't know where to stay, how to get around, or what to do after I arrived. I should also mention the fact I cannot speak Portuguese. There was so much I did not know when I booked my flight, but I set my heart on having an experience that would test my boundaries, push me beyond my comfort zone, and, hopefully, change me for the better. This is a tall order for a travel experience, but I found myself open to all the possibilities before me.
My journey to Rio was not a smooth one. I missed a flight out of Houston thanks to a weather delay. I found myself rerouted through Caracas, Venezuela, and then Sao Paulo before arriving in Rio. Unfortunately, I also arrived two days before my luggage. This meant a flurry of phone calls with United trying to track down my bag, buying clothes, and replacing toiletries. Arriving a day later than I intended in Rio and late at night, I found myself filled with regret and disappointment. It took a few days to shake this frustration.
My hotel was near the water where Copacabana and Ipanema beaches meet. The next morning, walking outside of my hotel, I caught sight of Rio and all its splendor for the first time. Strolling along the beach, I walked toward a stand selling coconut water served in an actual coconut. Staring at the Atlantic Ocean, I relaxed.
Over the next nine days, I would spend countless hours exploring the city alone, meeting up with new friends from across the globe thanks to the Couchsurfing app, and stepping way beyond what I had believed was possible. I would explore Christ the Redeemer as the sun set over the city. I walked through beautiful gardens, snapping photos without a care in the world. Sitting on the beach, drinking beers with locals and fellow travelers from Australia, Germany, Britain, and France, we talked politics, religion, and a deep desire to explore. I danced the Samba until almost dawn at a party that spilled from a bar onto the street. I explored countless museums and tanned on a gay beach. I ate new food, drank new cocktails, and cherished every single moment. I wrote, read, and relaxed.
It is true, and it is a cliché, but travel changes you. Wandering the streets of Rio, I faced extreme wealth and entrenched poverty. I attempted to make sense of a city that would soon welcome the Pope, World Cup fans, and Olympians from around the world. I came face-to-face with human trafficking and sexual exploitation. I encountered a Catholic country attempting to come to terms with a growing LGBTQ+ population. I saw a city growing and evolving as I was growing and evolving alongside it.
Nearly 10 years later, I still try to make sense of this trip. My passport has fewer stamps than I would like. I have limited my travel over the last decade to my own country for financial reasons. I am still attempting to capture the high I experienced in Brazil. Traveling alone had a profound impact on me, but made me long for a shared experience. I am now 38, engaged, and longing for more travel. My partner and I have big plans for our honeymoon but have committed ourselves to the idea of a domestic trip every even-numbered year and an international trip on the odd-numbered years. When I retire, I want to buy a conversion van and travel the country visiting all the national parks. In so many ways, the wanderlust and need to experience places other than those I call home were born on this trip. As I reflect on this defining moment in my life, I cannot help feeling a deep sense of appreciation. Rio changed my life. Now, onto the next life-changing destination.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
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