On August 19, 1998, I received in my Yahoo mail, a message from my cousin Arnallys, inviting me with all expenses paid to visit her in Bela Vista - São Paulo - Brazil, it was incredible news.
So many things were going through my mind, I had never been out of my country, but one of my dreams was about to come true, since I graduated from high school in tourism, Wow, traveling, sightseeing, although I didn't know how to speak Portuguese very well, I didn't worry so much. When my parents came home from work, I told them the good news, however, my mom said to me very skeptically:
"do you think Arnallys is going to send you money to go to Brazil, I doubt it very much, he will have a lot of money."
I felt a little disappointed by my mom's words, I thought her reaction was going to be different, however, I was still excited, I answered her:
"Well, if she is telling me that she is going to invite me it is because she has the money, don't you think?"
Mom was going towards the kitchen, but she was listening to what I was saying, she turned around and she said to me:
"how is it going to be with the passport, you don't have it?"
My father, listening to the conversation from the room, said to me:
"Maria Ramos, she works in the immigration offices, go, talk to her, tell her that you are going on my behalf, she will guide you on what you are going to do".
From the kitchen I ran to the bedroom, I threw myself into my father's arms, and said to him:
"daddy, what a wonderful suggestion, first thing tomorrow morning I am going to do those errands".
The next day, in the morning, I got up very early, got dressed and went to run errands. When I arrived at the office I asked for Mrs. Maria Ramos, I spoke to her and explained the situation, she answered:
"because you are the daughter of my great friend, I will send you a provisional passport, just to travel to Brazil, you only have to bring me two passport photos, white background and a copy of the identity card".
My adrenaline was rising higher and higher, like the race of a hare, feeling that every single thing I did was coming out in a positive way, I answered him:
"Mrs. Maria, thanks a million, first thing tomorrow morning I am here with all the documentation you asked for".
I said goodbye to the lady, and left the office. I went to do all the things she had told me to do. When I got home, I told my mom and dad what had happened to me, my mother said:
"daughter, I congratulate you for your perseverance, tomorrow you take that early so they can process your passport as soon as possible".
The next morning I went to the office, I looked for Mrs. Maria, I gave her the documentation, she told me to wait a moment, then she called me:
"daughter, this is a provisional passport, valid for one year, only to enter and leave Brazil".
Very happy, I thanked her, I arrived home, I connected with my cousin from the computer, I left her a message:
"hello, cousin, I hope you are well I am writing to tell you, I already have a provisional passport to go to Brazil, now I just wait for you to let me know when I leave for there, kisses and hugs for you."
At noon, when my parents arrived, I told them what had happened to me. They were very happy about the positive things they had achieved. Every day I checked my mail, to see if I received a reply from my cousin Arnallys, but there was nothing. My parents thought it had all been a hoax, but I didn't give up hope. A month later, in the afternoon, I received a call from my aunt, Arnallys' mother:
"hello, my niece, God bless you, over here I have a plane ticket for you to Brazil, fix the suitcase, you must come to Puerto la Cruz, tomorrow morning to leave on the American Airlines flight at 1 pm".
I was jumping like a dragonfly, screaming with excitement: "God, how wonderful, my cousin Arnallys sent me the ticket".
At that moment my parents came home from work and said to me:
"girl, what are those screams".
I, excited, hugged my parents and told them about it:
"that I am leaving tomorrow for Brazil, Arnallys already bought me the ticket and I must be tomorrow in Puerto la Cruz, the flight leaves at one o'clock".
My mother calmed me down, we prepared dinner, then we arranged the suitcase and the corresponding documentation. The next day my parents accompanied me to Puerto la Cruz where my aunt was waiting for me with my ticket. When I arrived at the airline to have my ticket checked, the lady asked me for my passport, suddenly it disappeared, I could not get it, I despaired, for a moment I felt that the world was coming down on me, my mother told me:
"keep calm, look through your stuff".
I took a deep breath, calmly looked inside my wallet, I got it, I had put it by mistake inside a purse I had in my bag. I said goodbye to my parents and my aunt, when I got on the plane I sat next to a boy, he was in the window seat and I was in the aisle seat. I was wearing a jacket, warm, as I was very tired I fell asleep, being very careful not to lean on the young man in question. However, I fell into a deep sleep, I dreamed that I had a very cozy pillow and a warm sheet, when the plane landed in Brazil I woke up very hugged to the young, my seatmate, I felt very embarrassed, I told him:
"Excuse me, sir, how sorry I am with you, I know it was a mistake on my part."
The very polite young man said to me:
"Miss, don't worry, I know you were just sleeping, welcome to Brazil."
I got off the plane, took my luggage, my cousin was waiting for me, we gave each other a fraternal hug, we took a cab to her house. I spent almost a month with my cousin, while she worked I helped her with the housework. At times we would go out for a walk, when I pronounced Portuguese by mistake it was not understood what I wanted to express, in reality it was not something that worried me.
Upon returning to Venezuela, after that wonderful experience, I went shopping with my mother, when we got on the bus, next to me sat the young man who was my traveling companion on the plane to Brazil. At that moment I made the comment to my mother about the event, the young man very smiling said to me.
"I am Jorge"
From that moment on we made a beautiful friendship, he got married, made his family, I also got married and made mine, sometime when we have met with our families, we always remember that moment.
This is a non-fiction story.
Use the deepl translator.
The drawing was made by me.
See you soon