American Odyssey, 2024

A year full of political anticipation made me spend most of my time away from home exploring unknown landscapes. Talking to strangers, wading through roadside rivers, ignoring ‘no trespassing’ signs to climb through the barbed wire anyway, and driving over 7,000 miles across America. We governed ourselves and felt complete control over our own bodies. We admired kids, envied their innocent ignorance. Post swim goosebumps, mosquito bites from the mountains, scraped knees from climbing, and the soft comfort of finally arriving home. That is what our American odyssey felt like. It smelled like gas stations, citronella, sweat, and something sweet. It sounded like traffic and heart-to-hearts. I found my friend’s first grey hair and I yanked it out with my fingernails. But when I found my first one, I decided to keep it.