WandersAndWonders

The enigmatic travel world portrays a wayward nomad, clad in backpacking gear and a coy, betraying smile. The foods he’s tasted, the hills he’s climbed and the roads he’s walked etch lines of a map into his face. His roots twist deep and his shoes wear thin, but his eyes lock on new voyages. He drags a red line through each top sight in his travel book, neglecting that threads of culture intertwine majestic monuments with trips to the market and bowls of rice. The significant moments linger in the people whose stories bind these fibers together into a lasting tapestry. Many stories are the same; travelers following dotted lines, with the same skewed views of a new route. But often the painfully real stories create changes in our hearts, giving inspiration to keep moving and searching. Six months ago, I moved to Thailand to teach English. Here, one chance encounter transformed my experience. In the deserted lobby of a local school, I met Lukungu Muzamilu, a teacher from Uganda. Muzamilu entrusted me with his story: a tale of adversity and perseverance, more captivating than any novel. I reawakened to reality, struggling to find equilibrium. I traveled through Uganda as a scared orphan with little luck, but great hope, refusing to surrender. Sacrificing his own schooling to provide his brother with an education, Muzamilu held hope that fate would throw him a lifeline. When the chance arrived, he seized an opportunity that coursed him on a path to education. Some narratives plague your thoughts with images of the past, refusing to let go until you correct the injustices. Rooted in our greatest fears and wildest dreams, they move the soul to action. Today, Muzamilu sends me pieces of his story to share. Between soaring mountains and seamless beaches lie dormant stories, lost in their realities, waiting for a traveler with a pen to write them across the world. Only the traveler can put on someone else’s shoes, fasten the straps and sprint off into the folds the unknown.