Suriname

I didn’t know much about Suriname before I arrived. Its capital, Paramaribo, immediately stood out with its unique blend of Dutch colonial architecture and South American culture. I stayed at a small boutique hotel where, by chance, I was the only guest. The owner, Ron, welcomed me like a friend and even spent some time showing me around the city.

Ron knew I wanted to see more of the country and arranged for a fishing boat to take me to some of the riverside villages outside the capital. Shortly after I was dropped off, a torrential rainstorm rolled in. As I ran through the mud looking for shelter, an elderly man named Brian called me over and invited me into his simple tin-roof home. Without hesitation, he cut open fresh coconuts for me and even offered me a place to spend the night. Despite his limited English, we shared stories as we waited for the rain to pass, and afterward he showed me around his village. Brian reminded me that some of the people with the least are often the quickest to share what they have. It’s a lesson in generosity and humanity that I’ll never forget.