I long to feel the pangs, the beauty, the nature of change that being in a new environment brings. My Citoyens du Monde Weekly Newsletter. — It’s hard to believe that I’m leaving Lisbon next week; my European adventure continues, but Lisbon has impacted me profoundly. For the first time, I’ve lived in a walkable city after realizing that a city is what I want to live in during this chapter of my life.

There’s no correct way forward, but there is a way. — I sit at one of my favorite lookout points in Lisbon, the Miradouro de Santa Catarina. The viewpoint looks out upon the Tagus River, its port bustling where the river meets the sea. The April de 25 Bridge crosses the vital European waterway and connects Lisbon to Almada on the…

It’s not a title. It’s what we are intrinsically. The first edition of my revamped newsletter Citoyens du Monde. — * * This story is part of my weekly newsletter, Citoyens du Monde, sent out every Friday morn. Join Citoyens du Monde to take part in the journey.❤️‍🔥 When I first heard the term citoyen du monde several years ago, the beautiful sound of the words stitched together resounded throughout…

We’re not here to keep up, but to embrace every second of this gift called life — On Sunday morning, I laid in bed and listened to the rush of rain hitting the cobblestones in the alley. The peaceful sound of falling water coming from the sky grew stronger, until it fell in one, nourishing pour. This made me smile. I looked forward to stepping outside and…

A day in Lisbon that made me question what’s truly important in life. — * * This story is part of my Weekly Insights Newsletter, sent out every Friday morn. Want this newsletter delivered to your inbox on Fridays? Join my Weekly Insights to take part in the journey!** Today, I stood beneath the statue at the Praia do Torel, a tucked away pool in the heart of Lisbon, and felt the water rushing through my hands.

Isn’t that a thought, that we’ll one day become the earth that the moon looks upon and smiles — Two black socks hang from plastic clips above the Travessa da Cruz do Torel, an alleyway in Lisbon. I cut through the Jardim do Torel on the way to my favorite park. Yet I’ve never been this way, turning right instead of left when exiting the garden. I lean upon…

Its size doesn’t determine its potential, but how high it’s willing to climb. — A black bird the size of my hand hops between the rusting iron gates. It considers, steadies, and leaps. The black bird swoops upon a red-tiled roof that wears the guise of abandonment. Perhaps by people, but not by creatures with two wings, for roofs like these lacking a congruent…

I wonder if it’s enough just to be alive, to everyday find meaning from cherishing that fact. Inspired by The Book of Disquiet, by Fernando Pessoa. — Lisbon, I’ll miss you greatly when I leave. This feeling overwhelms me as I climb the road beneath the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara. It’s the early evening; the air is warm and the shade is soft. This time of day contains what we did, where we’ve been, who…

A short story on facing my fears from Ericeira, Portugal. This week’s Weekly Insights — I’m currently writing from Ericeira, a beach town on the coast of Portugal. I’m staying at a small surf hostel; there are two others guests besides me, and after two days, it’s become a sort of home. On the first night here, I got a message in the hostel group…