In the Azores, you’re always one conversation away from a cousin.

The Azores isn’t just nine islands. It’s nine interconnected social networks pretending to be geography.

You can meet someone for the first time in Lisbon, Toronto, or Boston. Five minutes into the conversation, you find out they’re from your island. You don’t know them. But wait. Their uncle works with your cousin. Their mother went to school with your aunt. Their brother dated your neighbor.

Give it two more minutes and someone says, “Ahhh, então conheces o João da Rua de Baixo?”

And that’s it. Connection established.

On small islands, nobody is fully a stranger. At most, they’re one introduction away from someone who knows your family, your street, or your entire childhood.

Privacy exists. Technically.

But socially? You’re always one handshake away from being related.

And yes, that’s 100 percent true.