Six months had passed since the events in Guatemala and, consequently, in Colombia. I had finished my tour around my favorite Spanish-speaking countries, had learned a great amount of Spanish, gathered more unforgettable experiences, and decided to come back home to Brazil to kick-start my life. I made my way to Belo Horizonte, reconnected with my roots and my family, and started looking for a fresh start. I was searching for a new career path, trying new things. Even my diet

After the 23 hour long hike up the Acatenango volcano, Erwin and I went down to the halfway point, then hiked up the volcano of Fuego, back down to the halfway point, up again to the camp at Acatenango, and then all the way down to the village. The four of us were exhausted, all we wanted to do was get home and rest. We hit some traffic on the way back. We were all torn between wanting to sleep and needing to eat. Hunger and exhaustion blended into one feeling. I had even mor

A sudden explosion shook the streets of Antigua, Guatemala. I spun around, heart racing. “What the hell was that?” I asked my friend. “Fuego,” he said casually. “The Volcano of Fire. You can see the smoke if you look closer.” Smoke. Explosions. A live volcano. My pulse jumped. I had never imagined Guatemala hiding something so alive, so dangerous, in plain sight. “And it is just there? Is it dangerous?” Never in my life had I imagined being so close to an active volcano. I ha

Thailand was a dream destination for me, until I seemingly stepped off the airplane with the wrong foot. For some reason, I was the unluckiest person in my travel group, and I already wanted to get out of there. It’s our first day. Our tour guide instructs us to leave our belongings at the hotel, and our initial exploration of Bangkok involves a boat tour. The capital boasts a river that cuts through the city from end to end, similar to many cities around the world. As I step

Trying new food, for me, is a personal game. I look for places with no tourists, only locals. Sometimes, the dirtier, the better. I used to say I wanted to eat where the “rats eat.” Writing this now, I realize how disgusting that sounds, but I promise it’s funny in Portuguese, especially when I say it to my parents. My mom completely freaks out every time, which honestly just makes it better. I could try to explain the phrase, but maybe it’s best not to. The point is simple:

After my two-year Mormon mission, I return to Brazil, trying to get my life going, but I'm feeling pretty lost about what to do next. When that happens, my first instinct is: I need to travel and find myself. I save some money, make some phone calls, and get a flight to Lyon, France, a place I had lived before when I was 15 to learn French, and again head back to France to brush up on my language skills. But this time, I add a twist. I plan to study for a month and then backp

I really wish I'd known better. But now I do. On my first full day in Marrakesh, a quiet Sunday, I'm wandering around the Medina. Sure, I seem a little lost, but that's my style. I'm not truly lost, just open to whatever comes my way. A friendly guy strikes up a conversation in French. He's nice and offers to show me around the city for a few minutes. My gut says to just say goodbye and move on, but I decide to roll with it. After a nice chat, he invites me for some homemade