My journey to Claire began in my hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where I attended the Milwaukee High School of the Arts, following in the footsteps of my sister and brother. Even back then, I was drawn to traveling, exploring new places, meeting people, and discovering cultures from around the world. I first met Claire through mutual friends. It was a brief but unforgettable moment: between classes, outside the gym, we talked about Portugal; where it was and what it was like. Her curious, genuine gaze stayed with me long after that day. That moment was over 15 years ago, so the details are blurry now, but I never forgot it. We stayed loosely connected on social media, and over the years, I admired her incredible photos and stories. I’ll admit, I had a little high school crush on Claire, which probably explains why she stayed on my mind. Years later, I decided to send her a message. It was a bit awkward; I said something like, “Hey, how’s life going? I don’t know if you remember me, but for some reason, I was thinking about you the other day.” It wasn’t the smoothest opening line, but it worked. We started chatting here and there, and when I graduated from university, I decided to take a leap of faith and travel to Europe to hike the Camino de Santiago. I made plans to meet Claire in Portugal. There were no expectations, just a hope to reconnect with someone extraordinary and experience the incredible place she calls home.