By Patrizia D'Adamo

         No matter what our walk of life, we plan for the future, making choices we believe will lead to the life we envision. Though our choices do influence our lives, in reality, many of the life experiences that shape us are a culmination of chance encounters with people and places that end up defining us, making us who we are at any given moment in time. The combination of Jordan Salama's personal drive, choices and chance encounters paved the way for him to have a life changing experience that, through his passion and undeniable talent, he would ultimately be able to share in a way that would impact hundreds at Princeton and beyond.

         While Jordan's journey is unique to his particular interests, it is ultimately his passion and drive for creative journalism, languages, and travel that drove him to build connections at Princeton while drawing on his lifetime experiences with people and places to ultimately create the perfect scenario for "Every Day the River Changes". Through the development and support of his senior thesis, the inspiration for the book, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese is deeply honored and proud to have been a part of that journey.

         As you make your way through Princeton, we challenge you not only to utilize the multitude of resources available to you, but also to pay attention to the chance encounters that occur throughout your time here. Make those connections and visualize a path for yourself as flexible and adaptable as the Magdalena River... changing and mutating even when obstacles and challenges sometimes appear unsurmountable...she continues to flow.

         By mapping the path of Jordan's journey along the Magdalena River, we hope to make a valuable contribution to Princeton's conversation around Jordan's book. Follow along by accessing the interactive map which includes amazing photos taken by Jordan himself along the way. You can also read Jordan's thoughts on his time with SPO, language learning, study abroad and what he wished he had included in the final print of "Every Day the River Changes". We hope you will find some inspiration as you map the way for your own journeys here at Princeton and beyond.

Jordan's thoughts on...

Legend


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Places Jordan visited

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Places referenced

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Biblioburro

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The Magdalena River

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Biblioburro Route

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Jordan’s 2016 trip

Click on "view map" for a list of locations as referenced in Part I, II and III of the book and for better viewing on mobile phones.

Note: All photos provided by Jordan Salama. Click on map markers to reveal photos. Click on first photo to view additional photos for each location.

Map of "Every Day the River Changes" by Jordan Salama