Journey One: The story begins on Christmas 1988. The protagonist Alonzo/Alonso is riding on a bus crossing the Andes into Argentina from Santiago, Chile. He is traveling to San Francisco (Córdoba) to visit his exchange-student host family for the first time in ten years. During this journey, he is confronted with memories of joy and sorrow from the past through a continuous series of flashbacks. These include growing up black in a racially divided Chicago; the mystery surrounding the marriage and separation of his parents; having seven older siblings yet never connecting with them emotionally; the lingering effects of a violent sexual assault at ten; attending Purdue University and writing for the independent student-run newspaper; living in Madrid, Spain, for two years, the first year as a study-abroad participant at the University of Madrid while teaching private English classes; and his first visit to Argentina as an American Field Service participant, arriving to the town of San Francisco on his host brother's birthday and a day before Argentina won its first World Cup soccer championship. The first part ends when his host brother Sergio is smitten with a beautiful young travel agent assisting them in rearranging Alonzo's return ticket to the States. Sergio announces his intentions to someday marry the woman. Journey Two: Alonzo returns to Argentina after one year and three months to be his host brother's best man; Sergio is marrying the young lady who assisted them in the travel agency. Alonzo's week-long stay and, in particular, Sergio's wedding day, are highlighted. This section ends at the Córdoba International Airport with Alonzo giving his good-byes to his host parents and wondering if he'll ever return to Argentina. Journey Three: The final portion focuses on specific events from 1994-2009 in the protagonist's life. It begins in July 1994 with the death of Alonzo's mother, followed eight months later