English translation
Translated from Portuguese and lightly edited for clarity. The original text is preserved below.
London, Monday, 15 March 2004.
Well, here I am. After three hours of struggling to fall asleep, I give up. I am definitely not sleeping tonight. This deafening noise will not let me. No, it is not coming from the Princes Albert, the pub on the first floor of my building. Nor is it the neighbors. I think Notting Hill is the quietest place I have ever lived. And certainly not my quiet flatmates. If only it were, because that would be easy to solve. The noise is inside my head: millions of simultaneous, unfinished thoughts keeping me awake.
The final blow to my night’s sleep was remembering what my brother Felipe said before returning to Brazil: “Whenever you feel something new, write about the experience. Record it!” Some things cannot be captured in photos, and to truly record this trip, I will have to follow his advice. I tried telling myself there was no point, because I really do not know how to write. Then I remembered what my friend Ferrer said when he heard that argument: “There is only one way to learn to write: by writing.” After that, sleep was impossible.
So here I am, in front of the computer, recording and sharing with my friends the emotions I am experiencing.
Today I think I learned the true meaning of saudades. It is not that I have never missed anyone or anything. But today I feel that longing on a scale I did not know existed. I have missed a friend who goes away, a love after a relationship ends, a place full of good memories, food someone used to make, and a loved one whom life has taken far away. But nothing compares to missing all those things at once.
Let me be clear: this is not a letter of complaint. Quite the opposite. It is a declaration of love for all the people, things, and places I miss. Please do not think I am unhappy or lonely. Definitely not! These past few months have been among the best of my life, and that is why I want to share them with the people I love.
There are so many thoughts to put on paper that I do not know where to begin. I think what brought this on was how often this month I heard friends say: “It was great. The only thing missing was you.” Anyone who has lived far away knows how much that can hurt sometimes.
Again, the number of times makes a difference.
Hearing it once is one thing. Hearing it about carnival in Santa with The Kinkers, the neighbors from Aldeia do Galeão, and the gatherings with little Akdov shots at the Fiori family’s home; family barbecues with pool tournaments and Bobi’s crazy rules at Grandma Helena’s; the graduations of former classmates and dear friends Tiaguinho, Siegmann, Joe, Alemão, Adri, and Lêti; those unforgettable birthdays of Bernas and Tiaguinho; and the achievements of Intelimen, my company, which my partners André and Eugenio are running in a way that makes me proud, is something else.
That is not one pang in the heart, but many.
I never thought I would miss my friends’ hugs as much as I do. Every time I hear from you, through emails, Messenger conversations, or phone calls, I am happy. It feels so good to know I am still present in the lives of people who matter so much to me.
Being here is more than a trip. It is one of the big projects of my life. I did not come simply to spend some time abroad and have a few new experiences. Those who know me know I do not like small challenges. I came to make the world part of my life and my company’s life, and that is a little more complicated. There are difficulties, and I want you to know how important your words of trust and encouragement have been. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I know I said I had many things to talk about, but I will leave the rest for other emails. Perhaps I can make this a habit and finally learn to write. I also do not want this to become one of those enormous emails that people never finish. To those who made it this far: thank you.
In any case, the most important thing has already been said: I love you all very much. Even far away, you remain very present in my heart.
With love,
Gabriel Engel
P.S. Forgive me for the times I overwhelmed your inboxes. Sending photos is a way to feel that I am still present in your lives.
