Whenever we visit new places, we find something special that makes us want to come back, like the food, scenery, or people. In my early twenties, I took my first flight on a big plane from Rio, Brazil to Texas, USA. I was there for an important course, hoping to get a job with an international company. When I landed in Dallas, I was amazed by the tall buildings, huge trucks, and large malls, where I planned to spend my free time since I didn’t have a car!
Being in a new country felt like a different world, even though my home country has similar things, just on a smaller scale. The main difference was that I was alone. Adapting to the new way of life was fine, but I needed time to adjust to the food and the various English accents. On the first day of class, I was so lost that I called my mom, in tears, “Mom, I don’t understand anything.” She reminded me that I felt the same way on my first day of swimming class and told me to relax.
Slowly, I found my group, so to speak. I met people of many nationalities who were there for the same reason as me, and for 4 weeks, we bonded together by visiting monuments, museums, and watching football games, of which I did not understand the rules, but still had such an amazing experience.
After a month of studying and meeting people, I realized my mission was to learn about the world. With the tests completed and everything in place, I finally had a job. But not only this, I had discovered where I belonged: to the world. When I got back home, I started reading books only in English and decided to learn as much as possible about other cultures, history, and, most importantly, people. Now, I’ve been blessed enough to have visited over 30 countries, made a couple of true friends, and learned important lessons. One of them is that human beings want to belong and to be loved, I have never met one who wants to be lonely.
A couple of years ago, when COVID hit and I couldn’t travel or meet new people, I started writing.
I ended up publishing a trilogy in only 3 months, but I did not stop there. One of my many ideas led to the creation of The Relatable Voice Podcast. I wanted to provide virtual journeys for fellow authors and storytellers, discussing their hometowns, lives, and achievements. Now, nearly three years later, I’m celebrating the 400th episode. It has been an incredible journey filled with learning, forming friendships, and building a community. Today, I can confidently say that I’m accomplishing my mission, and I’ve always held the belief that “Dreaming is good, and living our dreams should be the ultimate goal.” – Lucia Matuonto
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