“The border” is a familiar territory to every continent, country, state, town and village. The border exists to segregate and to protect. The question is, how did the immigrant make her way to the border, who or what inspired the move towards complete change?

Reminiscing with one another about our own personal journey allows us to connect to each other. Music could be the incidental that ties us all together. Artists created and sang songs to speak to the public, these songs bridged continents to villages by way of record and then radio. Maybe it was the song that inspired the immigrant to cross the border.

Fado songs recreate an experience for each listener. The experience is unexplainable, it just causes a reaction, it evokes emotion. The Saturdays I spend listening to the coffee shop regulars go about their routine, having conversations that are about nothing, but are genuine, allows me to appreciate how rich they are in social activity. My new friends have come to expect my Saturday visits, they ask me about my project and how it’s coming along. Even the ones that don’t know me yet, know why I am there. By just merely being present, I have changed their routine and have been the cause of conversation. I believe that just caring enough to ask how someone feels, is enough to connect us to one another. In short, through communication we collectively transcend all borders.

I have included a video of one of Fado’s most famous artists : Amalia Rodrigues , the song is titled : Strange way of life.