I'm enjoying this trip from Canada to Brazil more than I expected. In California, Arizona, Mexico and Guatemala, I've seen a lot of cool things, including some amazing cars: a Maserati, a Hellcat, even a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Little moments like that remind me how different every place is. Sometimes these cars go by the window, sometimes I spot them on the street. Whenever I can, I take a picture, and we keep going.
I've also met people who helped us when we needed it most. At our first Mexican toll booth, we got a scare: all we had were cards and US dollars, no 'efectivo' or pesos. And backing up the Going Merry in the middle of a highway isn't exactly simple. Toño and Susy, who were strangers until just the other day, and their kindness paying our toll made me really happy.
Some things have changed closer to me, too. Maya, my dog, doesn't sleep in my bed anymore. In the Going Merry, my bed is way up high, above the driver's cab, and it wouldn't be easy getting her fur out of there. She's only a few steps away, but I miss having her right beside me.
But honestly, the part that's stayed with me most is something I was afraid of before we even left: I thought I'd lose most of my friends on this trip. I imagined distance would just do what it usually does, quietly.
That's not what happened. I still talk to them on Snapchat and iMessage whenever we're connected (which, weirdly, isn't all the time). And they really ask: how the trip is going, what we've seen, how I'm doing. Knowing there are people on the other side who care, who are still there, means more than I expected.
The cars go by. These people stayed.
And now I'm looking ahead, curious about what's next: what school will be like in Brazil, who I'll meet. New people, new friends, a new version of "normal." I don't know exactly what it'll look like yet, but I'm excited to find out.
If you've ever been afraid that distance would take someone away, or if you're curious about the trip from my point of view, tell me in the comments.
Miguel Loureiro
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