Journeys Inside My Shadow

Journey One: The Story Begins On Christmas 1988. The Protagonist Alonzo/Alonso Is Riding On A Bus Crossing The Andes Into Argentina From Santiago Chile. He Is Traveling To San Francisco (Crdoba) To Visit His Exchange-Student Host Family For The First Time In Ten Years. During This Journey He Is Confronted With Memories Of The Past Through A Continuous Series Of Flashbacks. These Include Growing Up Black In A Racially Divided Chicago; The Lingering Effects Of A Sexual Assault At Ten; Living In Madrid Spain For Two Years; And His First Visit To Argentina As An American Field Service Participant Arriving To The Town Of San Francisco On His Host Brothers Birthday And A Day Before Argentina Won Its First World Cup Soccer Championship. The First Part Ends When His Host Brother Sergio Is Smitten With A Beautiful Young Travel Agent Assisting Them In Rearranging Alonzos Return Ticket To The States.. . Journey Two: Alonzo Returns To Argentina After One Year And Three Months To Be His Host Brothers Best Man; Sergio Is Marrying The Young Lady Who Assisted Them In The Travel Agency. Alonzos Week-Long Stay And In Particular Sergios Wedding Day Are Highlighted. This Section Ends At The Crdoba International Airport With Alonzo Giving His Good-Byes To His Host Parents.. . Journey Three: The Final Portion Focuses On Specific Events From 19942009. It Begins In July 1994 With The Death Of Alonzos Mother Followed Eight Months Later By The Death Of A Sister From Cancer. Subsequent Chapters Highlight His Relocation From Lafayette Indiana To Ann Arbor Michigan (With A Month-Long Stay In Toledo Ohio During The Oj Simpson Trial Proceedings) And Finding Employment At The University Of Michigan; Traveling To Argentina In 1997 And Again In 1999 For The Last Time; And Finally Corresponding With Sergio In December 2009 From Santiago Chile Before Returning To The States After Visiting A Friend In Via Del Mar.