This morning I was startled awake by a phone call at 4:25 a.m.
It was Remy, the fisherman in Bandial, Senegal, who welcomed us into his village ... He wanted to say hello.
He speaks about four words of English and I speak about 3 of French, so not really sure what was happening but it was so heartwarming!
After the line went dead, I realized I had no idea what he was saying. Maybe he was in jail and about to be executed. Or was capsized ... I actually have no idea.
I know it wasn't, he was calling to say hello and it is really touching that this guy, thousands of miles away, who stays up all night fishing off the coast of Africa by flashlight and the moon woke up today and thought enough of me to call and say hi, despite knowing we can't actually talk in the usual sense.
But travel and making connections will show you over and over that while language lets you communicate how you wish, with words you choose, it doesn't need to be an obstacle.
It doesn't need to matter at all, and that is my most favorite gift in traveling: making connections and finding family and friends and loved ones anywhere, with actions and intent and spirit.