Field Notes

  • Who do you think you are?

    Who do you think you are?

    The day before I boarded the ship, I was in the lobby of a hotel in Punta Arenas, doing what I do in hotel lobbies: eavesdropping. Two older men were talking nearby. They had the easy confidence of people who have covered a lot of ground and are comfortable telling you about it. One leaned…

  • An act of refusal

    An act of refusal

    During my last morning briefing, I stood in front of the staff and cried. No composed delivery, no careful framing. Just the truth of it: that I was an emotional wreck, that I was deeply grateful, that they had shown me something about care and belonging I would carry with me. My body knew before…