Introduction

Two star crossed testicles, both alike in dignity, in Rio where I lay my scene

I shall set the scene. My name is Afsheen Joseph Panjalizadeh Marseh, Or Af for short. I am 29 years old and a lad that loves sports, parties, adventure, making people laugh and generally taking the piss. I grew up in Weymouth, Dorset on the south coast of England with a mixture of seaside life crossed with countryside sluggishness. I studied Sports Science at Brighton University with a mixture of seaside life crossed with university sluggishness. I charmed my way through a degree making some excellent friends along the way. The aftermath was 6 years living in Essex working within boxing and youth work teaching boys and girls about boxing and lifes challenges.

In the summer of June 2016 I left my secure, well paid job and comfortable lifestyle for a 3 month job in Rio de Janeiro to work at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Then I would go on the adventure of a life time and travel South and North America on my lonesome to find a potential wife, career or new place to live.

It really was as good as it sounds. ‘Living the dream’ Facebook friends would comment. Working at my second Olympic games, in boxing the sport I love, plenty of beer, parties and Instagram posts. When the Olympics finished I had an apartment that was 50 metres from Copacabana beach by post 5 which I had friends come and stay with me to join the fun times. My biggest decisions of the day was which beautiful mountain to climb, what stunning beach to lie on or if I would drink beers or cocktails that evening.

I was planning to leave Rio to travel the rest of Brazil, then across South America and all the way up to Canada as I had met many friends from all over the world as a result of working at the games. The only thing stopping me from leaving was this 24 year old Brazilian lady that you can imagine straight out of any Copacobana tourist board pictures. Brunette, dark skin, beer drinking, football lover, amazing dancer. You know the ones you see on music videos walking along the beach wearing a tiny g-string thong bikini and drinking from a coconut. Yeah I ended up extending my stay 3 weeks longer than I intended.

It was four glorious months spent in Rio and my journey was about to begin with a first stop to Iguazu falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina. Somewhere I had always dreamed of going from seeing on google images. I had booked a cool looking hostel that had a good rating for single 29 year olds travelling alone and I couldn’t wait to meet new people.

That was the intended journey. To go get lost in South America. “If you never get lost, how can you ever find yourself”. My last big adventure before I think about taking life more seriously when I turn 30, and starting to do the more grown up adult things and ‘choose life’ as trainspotting would describe it.

My flight was booked for 3pm on Friday 9^th September. However I was about to find out something that would give me a totally different journey, another mountain to climb. And this one involved everyone around me.

Welcome to my story, we are going on an adventure!