No matter where we are in the world as Indigenous peoples, we share a lot in common. Food. Humor. Past times. Landscapes. Struggles. As Indigenous peoples, we are doing our best at protecting our Mother Earth and strengthening our relationship with her. No matter where I cross paths with my Indigenous brothers and sisters, I'm comforted by them, the elders, the food, the songs, the ways of life, the bodies of water, the landscapes. It all reminds me of home, and just like the cliché saying goes, "home is where the heart is." Home is where we feel comfortable, connected, and that is exactly how I felt being with the Sámi. And as they continued to share their food and knowledge with me, I felt closer and closer to home; no longer thousands of miles away from the Arizona desert. The Sámi shared meals filled with reindeer and fish. They shared their knowledge of the riverways and the migration of the salmon. They shared what the riverways and salmon meant to them. They shared their struggles of fighting to be recognized by their government. They shared their fight to keep their rivers alive.

No matter where we are in the world as Indigenous peoples, we all face similar struggles. What this trip made me realize is that we are stronger together, and I am truly thankful I was given the opportunity to come together with my Sámi brothers and sisters to share our hearts, cultures, struggles, food, and prayers with one another. AND, even if I had to travel miles across the world to find Amy, Shawna, Mary Beth, and Noor, all that matters is I found them. And this trip would have not been the same without them…

One quote that stuck with me throughout the trip…"There is no secret. Keep going."