On one of my days of in Brazil I had the opportunity to learn more about the city. Throughout my travels I met an interesting couple by the name, of Renato and Heather. He was a soft spoken Brazilian showing his friends the city, and she was an eccentric doctor on a mission to help a girl with a rare genetic disease and reduce childhood diabetes in Brazil. We talked about our opinions on various topics regarding politics, and the general welfare of the world. They were a well of knowledge and as I departed I felt slightly amiss at not leaving a means of contact.
But even if I had, what would become of it? Again I had come upon the traveler's dilemma, the idea that though one travels and meets people; it is impossible to keep in touch with them and they will fade away (also that one keeps search for the perfect location will end in vain because as your knowledge of locals increases each will be less and less perfect, but that isn't my point now.)
The world is becoming more and more international; its becoming increasingly common for a friend to just be a picture on a computer screen. Does this type of friendship spark the same neurons as the traditional one? Is it worse? Better? Or is it just a natural change in society? That's a darn good question, and while I don't know the answer, I do know it is just something we all will have to deal with.
