Pierre exits the security scan at São Paulo’s airport without incident, while several others are detained by immigration officers. He’s struck by the rapid infrastructure development of the airport—a stark contrast to his home country—and briefly recalls his 24-hour stay in a luxurious hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (which makes him think this journey might actually be relaxing). His guide meets him and takes him to a house where a group of fellow clandestine travelers is waiting.

A few details catch his attention:

• The beauty of one migrant, who later introduces herself as Sharra (the two quickly bond through whispered conversations that night).

• Keneth, who never laughs and eventually confides in Pierre that he lost his entire family in the war ravaging Cameroon’s Anglophone regions.

• Frank, a talkative and overly enthusiastic man who briefly shares his past failed attempts at migrating before finally making it to Brazil.

After spending the night at the guide’s house, they set off the next day on a double-decker bus, seated comfortably. Pierre sits beside Sharra, and for two days, the journey feels almost like a tourist trip—rolling past vast ranches, sugarcane plantations, and processing factories in remote, breathtaking landscapes.

At the Bolivian border, an androgynous, heavyset woman crams them into her tiny car (Pierre realizes then that there are seven migrants in total). They drive through brushland at dusk, bribe a few uniformed men and immigration agents, and are eventually dropped off at the home of a man called Armando Pipito, their next coyote/guide.

Next episode: The story continues with their departure from Fernando Pipito’s house.

Key Themes:
🔹 Clandestine Migration – Fleeing poverty at the risk of one’s life.
🔹 Exploitation of Migrants – Smugglers, cartels, and betrayals.
🔹 Resilience and Survival – Enduring nature and human barbarity.
🔹 The American Dream vs. Reality – An ideal paid for in suffering.
🔹 Love and Solidarity – Glimmers of humanity in the darkness.