The Storyteller of the Island

by Rafael Oliveira (Brazil)

I didn't expect to find Brazil

He was recording videos of others and talking to them. Going to an island a day after taking a Japanese proficiency test maybe it would be a virtuous way to relax. Expecting to contemplate wonderful beaches and sand banks, I saw more than just places to enjoy. At the seaport, he was interacting with the foreigners and taking shots of them. Kindness and good-humor overflowing in his smile was being contagious even though the travel hadn’t really started. In the boat, Brazilians and foreigners were dancing and having a lot of fun together with the famous Brazilian dance called “Samba”. We were enjoying the time while the wind was passing through us and balancing the boat and the beautiful woman’s hair. Black, blond and red contrasting with the colors of the white and blue boat. He was there too. Concentrating in your camera, an extension of his body. Man and technology as only one being. Passing through the crowd, as an invisible fish sailing in an ocean of happiness, going to the bow and going back to the stern, he was there capturing every smile, gesture and look. English, Portuguese and Spanish together in the boat deck. All of them surrounded by the Samba. A special felling overcoming in our faces that made the moment unforgettable in my mind. I discovered that we are constructed by moments at that time. Happiness, sadness, anxiety and a lot of other feelings make our days special, memorable, gloomy, etc. An infinite list of them makes us human beings. An incredible complicated creature made by the moments. He was there. He could capture the moment an American was dancing with a Brazilian child; an old Spanish couple was holding their hands and kissing. He was there taking to him a piece of a puzzled. Then something surprised me. Very concentrated in how he was collecting these unique moments in his body extension, he captured me too. I was caught in my thoughts’ crimes. While I was staring at him so amazed with his job, he shot my surprised face that was a little petrified by the human being understanding experience. After a few seconds looking at me in a frozen time, he was able to break the tension with a beautiful smile. Then I smiled too. A human being ability about being connected with the others even though unknowing them by gestures as smiles. I felt happiness at that time. Not about travelling to new places as I used to thought before the trip, but experiencing new moments with other human beings. Arriving at the island, with a lucky sunny day, we went to the beach and we had our dazzle of nature. We were so connected with it. It was calling us to enjoy the time so we did it. Felling as we’ve been there since we born, we spent a wonderful time on the ocean. With no waves as a pool and a crystal water as glass, I spent one of my favorite days in my life together with the nature. Looking at the forest behind the restaurants, I felt part of that place. He was there too. Talking to people and capturing our enjoyableness. He came to me. Even though I was a little ashamed, I talked to him and I could see through his words about the beauties of being a storyteller. Words full of satisfaction and pleasure. Doing what he really likes to do. He told me that moments are special and we have to valorize them. We are forgetting about how moments can be unforgettable and enrich our souls. After the conversation, I was thinking how wonderful would be if someday I can capture moments too. My moments, my family moments and others moments. The rest of the day passed as fast as the flapping wings of a hummingbird. I guess the affirmation “Good moments pass fast” is unquestionably true. A trip to relax after a test became a precious day in my life. Moments are building us every moment in our lives. Through the storyteller, I could discover it. I hope he still capturing and telling stories in somewhere in this world.