A Solo Trip and Unexpected Experience

I love to travel the world and usually go on trips with a travel partner or a group, but I’ve discovered exploring a new place as a single traveler allows me to focus on my own experience and better feel and rely upon God’s guiding presence. Last March, I went on my first international solo trip from the United States to Brazil, and it turned out to be a transformational experience.

Day One: Protection

I was waiting in line outside the cruise port in Rio de Janeiro to begin a four-day cruise that would take me to various landmarks in Brazil. Several months before the trip, my friend and traveling partner told me she wouldn’t be joining me due to a scheduling conflict. I had traveled alone within the U.S. before, so I decided to go on the cruise alone. I told my family and friends not to worry and assured them I would be safe. I felt confident before I left for the trip, but the reality of feeling out of place hit me when I arrived at the embarkation point. A woman speaking Portuguese gave me a sticker with the number 23. I entered the port and saw hundreds of people. I walked toward the one sign I could read. It bore the English word Check-In, but the man near it was making announcements in Portuguese. I glanced around and realized no one looked or sounded like me. Fear kicked in because I felt lost and overwhelmed.

I could feel my anxiety level rise before I noticed a family standing near me holding a sticker with the number 20. I approached them and explained I spoke only English. The teenage boy attempted to explain the check-in process to me in English. I felt compassion from his father, mother, and little sister as they smiled and nodded their heads. When the family’s number was called, I thanked them and prayed I wouldn’t miss the number 23.

After approximately 30 minutes, I saw the boy walking in my direction. It turns out he had spoken to the announcer on my behalf and told him I spoke only English and that my number was 23. The man looked me in the eye and nodded his head.

I was astonished the boy came back to help me. I shed a few tears thinking about God’s protection. I was thousands of miles away from home, but God was with me. I felt God’s protecting presence through this boy and his family who were looking out for me. I didn’t see them again while I was on the cruise, but I continued to feel blessed by meeting them, even as I understood our paths might not cross again.

Day Two: Gratitude

On this day of my trip, I was surrounded by images of Jesus as I toured the island of Ilhabela. I visited the main church, Nossa Senhora D’Ajuda e Bonsucesso, which was built in 1806. Upon exiting, I was captivated by a steel monument of the crucifixion. On the ride to the Água Branca Waterfall, I was in awe to see other steel monuments of Jesus carrying the cross. I thought about how Good Friday was three days away and felt grateful to God for this spiritual journey, especially during Holy Week. The tour ended at Curral Beach, one of the most famous beaches in Ilhabela. Tears came to my eyes as I stood in the ocean with my toes in the sand and watched the waves roll in. I felt overwhelmingly grateful, understanding how special it was to have the blessing of the experience and for the life and resurrection of Jesus. Before I left, I wrote the word grateful in the sand.

I found God in the good-hearted people along my path who were genuinely concerned about my well-being.

Day Three: Contentment

The excursion I had scheduled in Santos was canceled. In the past, I would’ve been disappointed, but I have been seeking God’s guidance to be content in all circumstances, especially when my plans fall through. I decided to remain on the cruise ship and spend the day at a place that always brings me peace—the spa. Upon entering, I felt an immediate sense of calm. The low light, soothing music, and plush robe and slippers brought me peace. This restorative retreat revitalized me from head to toe. The peace and serenity I found while reading, reflecting, and simply exhaling at my happy place gave me so much joy. I enjoyed each amenity and spent unhurried time in this tranquil oasis.

Day Four: Obrigada!

On the last day of the cruise, I woke up to a cloudy morning in Rio de Janeiro. I had hoped for better weather, but I was determined to see the Christ the Redeemer statue, the main purpose of my trip. After I disembarked, I muscled through the crowd of passengers and waited about 30 minutes for an Uber. It began to rain on my ride to Tijuca National Park where the statue is located. Upon arriving, we drove up a steep hill on a winding road for about 10 minutes. At the entrance, I joined a group of tourists and took another 10-minute ride in a sprinter van traveling upward through the forest. I was in awe of how high we traveled by automobile. The final step was an elevator ride to the second floor where I laid eyes on the Christ the Redeemer statue—one of the New Seven Wonders of the World—as the rain poured down.

I realized it was Maundy Thursday, the day commemorating the Last Supper. Being in the statue’s presence was the perfect culmination of my experience because it is a symbol of peace, protection, compassion, and salvation—all the ways I was transformed on this trip.

After seeing the statue, I had only a few hours to get to the airport for my flight home. As I walked through the terminal searching for the security checkpoint, I was surprised to see the boy who had helped me on the first day at the embarkation port. We embraced as though we had known each other for years! He translated for his mother that she had been looking for me the entire cruise. I shared a text message my mother had sent me: “Tell the family I thank God for them and tell them to keep doing good deeds. God has a blessing for them and the young man. I will keep them in my prayers.” The last words the boy translated for his mother were, “God works in mysterious ways.” My tears fell as I gave thanks for this full-circle moment.

My time in Brazil affirmed God’s greatness and reminded me of humanity’s goodness. Even though the language barrier was challenging, and I didn’t have a travel partner to help me, I found God in the good-hearted people along my path who were genuinely concerned about my well-being. So many were willing to help—the boy and his family, the excursion representative who scheduled my activities at each port, and the traffic control worker who searched for my ride in the crowded streets of Rio de Janeiro.

Obrigada is one Portuguese word I learned on my trip that simply means thank you. To all the strangers who helped me along this journey, I say obrigada!