The news goes live
It’s officially official because we are telling everyone about this project, starting this week. The news is out in my newsletter and across social media. Plus we have plane tickets.
Most importantly, I have my first connection. For those of you who know my work, you know that I like to start with one connection, a single person who can welcome me and get me started along a trail of stories. Well, that connection came in yesterday, when I got a message from D.
“I am very honored to find your message. I am looking forward to have a cup of tea and talk story with you. Aroh ia rahi.” – D
It’s that simple. A cup of tea to begin the story that will range across the ocean. (I’ll tell you more about D. when I meet her in Tahiti.)
And here’s the announcement I’ve sent out to the world:
The South Pacific
The title says it all! This June, a new chapter of my cultural storytelling begins in French Polynesia (insert endless exclamation marks here). I’ll focus on the Marquesas, the most distant island group in this part of the Pacific, and a very interesting cultural network. I’m calling the project South Pacific Stories, I’m still pinching myself, and yes, I’m likely to burn to a crisp. I will continue posting to social media via @meetthenorth.
While I have loved exploring the north—and I will return to Norway, Greenland, and Nunavut this year—my passion is for personal stories and their power to build cultural understanding. With that commitment, it’s time to visit somewhere new, to be an outsider all over again, and to be curious & listen.
I’m very happy that my three-years-and-counting collaboration with Eric Guth will continue, and I’m thrilled to welcome filmmaker Matt Mastrantuono to the team.
My sponsorship from Lindblad Expeditions enters a new phase in a landscape of palm trees, sharks, coral … and more stories you will only find by following us!