Globetrotters Writer Spotlight-Maceo Cabrera Estévez
New to Portugal and love to travel-This is not a dating app profile.
¡Hola Globetrotters! My name is Maceo Cabrera Estévez. It is pronounced Mah-say-oh.
My parents are Cuban and immigrated to the United States in the 1970s; I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY; I moved to Oakland, California, in 2005 and left in August 2021 to live in Central Portugal.
Growing up in NYC, I learned I could travel the world just by getting off at different stops on the subway. It’s incredible how you can experience various cultures in one place.
Exploring was something I enjoyed doing even as a young child. I liked to try different foods and learn about the cultures represented in Brooklyn, Queens, and Upper Manhattan.
I love to travel because there’s much of the world I want to see. I also learn something new about myself with each trip. Being out of my comfort zone adds to my personal growth.
I have been traveling to Miami since I was a baby to see family and a couple of trips to Cuba to spend time with relatives there. Since then, I have traveled to 38 US states and have lived in 4; gone to Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Spain, France, The Netherlands, and now live in Portugal. I thought I would have traveled more by now, and I am thankful I can still try to travel the world.
My number one travel activity is pretending to live full-time in each place I visit.
I own an online bookstore specializing in Spanish and bilingual books in the United States, and I am slowly closing it down and pivoting my work to be in the service industry.
Currently, I am finishing up a certification program to be a Book Coach working with BIPOC writers to get their books ready to be published.
I will begin offering writing workshops for writers with ADHD and expats and immigrants in Europe who want to write their stories about traveling and living abroad.
The best place I’ve been in is the Amazon Rainforest in Venezuela.
I had just turned 21 and was living in San Fernando de Apure for a study abroad program. I met two Swedes and two Norwegians in town, and we convinced my host mother to let me go to the Amazon with them.
It was amazing! So beautiful, and I got to see every star in the sky. Over 20 years later, I still remember clearly.
In my spare time, I like to learn, go to new places, and spend time with friends and my children. I am newly divorced and finding my groove again.
I enjoy listening to live music, eating at new restaurants, taking adventures, and being spontaneous.
Travel Tip
As a Muslim traveler in predominantly non-Muslim places, I have to be very careful of where I go to eat. Before going to a destination, I type “halal” (permissible) in Google Maps in the location I will be traveling. Hopefully, there are halal restaurants in town. I even do this on the road when we must stop and grab a bite.
If I can’t find a halal place, I search for vegetarian. It’s much easier than going to a place and then realizing I don’t want to eat anything they offer.
Check Out Another Travel Tip
My children are still young, and they want to have a place they call home. They miss Oakland tremendously. If it were up to me, I would move around the world.
I would love to live in Morocco, Zanzibar, Mauritius, Senegal, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Malta, Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Colombia.
My favorite way to travel is with the best deal. I like going off-season and not being around too many crowds. I prefer to fly because of the speed.
Three lessons I’ve learned from traveling are:
1-Traveling is a privilege. Some people have never had the opportunity to leave their neighborhood.
2-I would rather travel alone or with my small family than with a group. I like to be on my schedule and have little patience for group decision-making.
3-There is so much I do not know. I strongly believe in lifelong learning. Traveling humbles me.
