Fragments from our conversations and snapshots of his world in Costa Rica, captured from my perspective as an outsider, extend this dialogue into questions of place and belonging. Shared moments of familiarity and estrangement mark my effort to understand my partner’s origins and how his home, culture, and landscape may shape my evolving identity and imagined future. Personal texts interwoven with images blur the boundary between public and private, memory and performance, inviting anyone who enters this story to consider their own experiences with distance, intimacy, and the spaces in between.

Language becomes a space of rapport but also miscommunication. Our communication comes from two places: English and Spanish, along with the inevitable autocorrect errors of texting. Language, like photography, can both connect and distort, revealing how love persists even through imperfect communication.