Sometime ago I read in a book called ‘In to the Wild’, that happiness only makes sense when shared. The book is now a movie, a movie about an American boy from a well to do family who decides to cut his strings with his family and society a go in search of himself and the supposed existential truth. It is a true story with a sad end, the boy realises too late that the interaction with other human beings is an inevitable part of who we are, and for good or bad, an existence in isolation, especially when one is exposed to the arbitrary acts of nature, can be a gloomy one! (Well at least this is the conclusion I take from it )
It’s now less than two weeks for my departure to South America, a long dreamt journey where I will also somehow cut some of the strings that attach me to many things, specially the comforts of western life, that I feel make me somewhat drowsy with a fake sense of security. When I first came to England I was lucky to have met a Portuguese fellow that had an enviable amount of stamps in his Passport – Nuno. The marks of these stamps were scattered all over his council flat in Stockwell, the photos on the walls, the objects found in his place, each one of them told a story of a remote place and opened the imagination for other stories. In one of the walls there was also a window for a dream – a world map as ‘big’ as all the journeys there projected. How many conversations were had between those 4 walls, with many different people from many different parts of the world? That map was the silent intermediate of many conversations: many travel routes were designed there (some happened, some will happen, and some never will happen), many political and social debates were discussed. When you have the world map as a background it is easy to forget your limitations as a human being and dream, dream that you can achieve, that you will be there, and when you least expect the dream is no longer a dream, it is your reality!
I have asked myself many, many times why I have this need to travel, this need to integrate myself in other realities, this need of not attaching myself to people or places? Maybe I inherited this from my grandfather José whom I never met, he travelled and lived in Brazil and Africa, and was, according to those who met him, a charismatic person, ahead of his time and who never conformed with life’s predictable routine. Even my late found passion for bikes may have come from him since he used to be a cyclist. Where this willingness to travel comes from I still don’t know, but it is to strong for me to ignore it, it is part of who I am!
Now, standing in front of the computer, a few days away from starting my journey to South America I evaluate what my life has been in these last few years and I get to the conclusion that everything I have done ( it feels sometimes I went the long way around) would bring me inevitably to where I stand now- the departure point!
A new phase in my life is about to start. I intend to unravel South America riding my bike, or my donkey as I prefer to call it, and also to do volunteer work – I want to feel closer to those, who unlike me, may not have the choice to leave their lives and go travelling. I wish to participate, to contribute; I don’t want to be a mere tourist taking photos and hoping on and off a bus full of other travellers – I wish to be part of things, to experience and question them, not for the pure sake of entertainment but for the realization of whom I am. To break yet another glass dome that has formed created by the ‘fake comforts of the western world’- this how I perceive the true meaning of life!
As I was saying above, the happiness that I now feel would certainly have a different taste if I couldn’t share it and if I didn’t recognise that there were people without whom this new stage of my life wouldn’t have been possible:
My Mum, who probably would rather have me safe and sound close to her planning a family to fulfil her needs of becoming a grandmother but who despite this supports me unconditionally and gives me strength to go ahead a pursue my dream!
To Ian my friend and partner, who despite not accompanying me on this journey has given me his support, his patience and has run with me several times in my attempts to prepare myself to the physical endurance that awaits me.
To my family and friends and all of those who don’t know me but who are already supporting me and sending encouragement messages!
I need to pack up my things, take the last vaccines, work a few more days, do my farewell do … And I promise that I will be back in touch soon from Quito, Ecuador to tell you all about my adventures in Inca lands!
All my love to all of you and thank you for being part of my Constant Movements!
United Kingdom, London, 27th Novemeber 2007
Joana Oliveira
Subscrever:
Enviar feedback (Atom)
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário