Prologue

Everybody has a story.
At least one story,
that could silence a room and dare walls to talk.
Tales of great adventure, triumph and love;
and tales of great trial, error and heartache.
I hope that someday soon, I too will have such a story.

A story
that will allow me to appreciate the complexities of other great stories,
and in turn the complexities of life itself,
a story
that will lift my spirits because of the feeling of immense fulfilment it brings,
which could only come from immense achievement,
and finally, a story
that has the ability to reach into the deeps of the human soul,
touch their hearts,
and inspire others to dream and live out their own great story.

At this very moment, I am flying.
In both the literal and metaphorical sense of the word.
Literately, I am traveling from my home in Canada to exotic and beautiful Brazil.
Metaphorically, I’m overjoyed and overly calm for the amazing adventure awaiting me.

As I land in Sao Paulo,
I will leave behind my home, my country, my language, my school, my work, my family, my friends, my dog and everyone and everything I have ever known,
for one entire year.
For one entire year,
I am being completely displaced in a Brazilian journey of my own.
I don’t know how it will end, or even how it will begin,
all I know is that this,
is my story.