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1001Stories

Walking in the Nights

Throughout each profound and magnificent night, I've shared moments with strangers who've crossed my path, listening to their stories and unfulfilled desires before death. Thus begins a journey of 1001 such nights.

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Gabriel, 54, Retired Policeman

Buenos Aires, Argentina

"I want to travel to both North and South Poles before my last day."

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Altair, 17, Street Peddler

Luxor, Egypt

"I wish to ride a submarine and reach the deepest ocean before I die."

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Alexander, 23, Graduate Student

Tours, France

"I hope I will be able to grasp French and get fluent before my deathbed."

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Qi Chen, Fisherman

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

"Being able to speak a third language looks cool and it opens a new world to me. I wish I can learn more languages and talk to the people using those languages before I die."

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Idris, Linguistic Professor

Cairo, Egypt

"I am trying to record some of the vanishing languages in human history and I wish I can at least save one before I die.

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Hamza Brothers, 33 & 35, Business Owners

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

"We wish to try a profession in a different field if I am still young and it is not too late before my death."

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Malik, 14, Jobless

Kandy, Sri Lanka

"I want to be a comedian that brings people laughs before I die. (Translated from Tamil)"

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Jai, Street Peddler

Kathmandu, Nepal

"I want to become someone who is kind and continues to be positive no matter what situation I am in."

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Tono, 36, Street Peddler

Jakarta, Indonesia

"I wish to complete a whole marathon before I die. And winning a medal or two won't hurt too."

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YI Fan, 31, Toy Shop Owner

Shenzhen, China

"I am always fascinated by how the people at old people's house work, and how they deal with death on daily basis. I wish to be a helper at the nursery home before I encounter my own death."

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Samir (on the left), Photographer & Backpacker

Tunisia

"I wish to have a perfect body shape before I die."

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Manon, 59, Freelance Writer

Lyon, France

"I am suffering from severe diabetes and I do hope I can get rid of it someday and truly enjoy life before I die."

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Dache, Tibetan Monk

Lakhsa, China

"I want to complete a triathlon before I die. It's been my childhood dream."

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Chima, 33, Boxer

Atlanta, USA

"I want to become a professional F1 racer before I die."

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Asahi, Business Analyst

Tokyo, Japan

"I wish to become a well-known athlete who is able to inspire others before I die."

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Chung-hee, 29, Work in the Movie Theater

Seoul, South Korea

"I am trying so hard to lose weight lately, so becoming slim and agile should be good before I die."

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Zola, Farmer

Ethiopia

"I wish to try snorkeling at the Red Sea before I die."

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Naya, 42, Housewife

Chennai, India

"I wish to go skiing in the wilderness far in the North before I die."

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Kenya, Street Peddler & Mother

Nairobi, Kenya

"I want to win a prize at a top international ice skating competition before I die."

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Galang, 68, Running a Plantation

Bali, Indonesia

"Before I die I want to become the champion at a darting competition."

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Xiu Hui, Restaurant Owner

Panang, Malaysia

"I want to walk onto the Great Wall of China before I die."

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Diya, Street Peddler

Chennai, India

"Let me die in peace. That's my biggest wish, nothing more. (Translated from Indian local dialect)"

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Fan Seng, 41, Tibetan Monk & Farmer

Qinghai, China

"I wish to try skydiving one more time before my last day comes."

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Dalila, 23, College Student & Clothes Designer

Hurghada, Egypt

"I want to trek the Inca trail before I die and communicate with the vanished civilization."

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Paula, Shepherd

Bolivia

"I want to see the Pyramids in Egypt before I die. If conditions allow, seeing it under the milky way is awesome. (Translated from Spanish)"

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Zero, 46 or 47, Street Violinist

Fez, Morocco

"I always dream about diving from a cliff. I hope I can actually do it once before I die."

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Jose, 55, Ranch Owner/Farmer

Lima, Peru

"I want to see my horses giving birth to babies before I die."

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Luis, 22, Freelancer

Berlin, Germany

"I want to have my own horse sometime before I die."

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Akio, 28, Soon-to-be Cartoonist

Sapporo, Japan

"I wish to experience a true near-death event and live each day of my life on purpose ever since, before death finally arrives."

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Wei Li, Fisherman/Farmer

Fuzhou, China

"I want to conquer Everest before I die! (Translated from Mandarin)"

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Ara, 27, Performer, Jeddah

Saudi Arabia

"I want to talk to an alien before I die. If that is hard to achieve, observing a phenomenon done by aliens should be good too."

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Ajay, 29, Street Peddler

Delhi, India

"I want to become a respected teacher before I die. Imparting knowledge to someone else feels good."

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Rayan, 50, Shop Owner

Chefchaouen, Morocco

"I want to tell my family how much I love them before my last breath."

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Yasir, Camel Feeder

Petra, Jordan

"I want to discover/invent something new and helpful to humans before I die."

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Juan, Farmer

Peru

"I want to reconcile with all the people I used to hate or the people who still hate me before I die. (Translated from Spanish)"

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Tenzin/丹增, Actor/Freelancer

Tibet, China

"I wish to earn enough wealth and prove it to my parents who deserted me when I am young."

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老沈, Hawker Stall Owner

Singapore

"I wish to be free from earthy agonies and difficulties before my last breath."

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Julien, 28, Tatoo Artist & Var Owner

San Francisco, USA

"I want to design my own version of the Age of Empire before I die, where I can create civilizations that have never been seen before and technologies that only exist in the future."

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Omar, 44, Naan Maker

Muscat, Oman

"I wish to be able to forget myself and gain eternal peace before I die."

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Kavi, Street Peddler & Farmer

Delhi, India

"I want to earn a good life for my kids before I die. I owe them too much. (Translated from Indian dialect)"

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Nur, 31, Street Peddler

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

"I want my wife to find someone good after my death, and start to live a new life."

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Boshay, 11, Primary School Student

Lukla, Nepal

“I wish to gain my professor designation before I die.”

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Zayd, 37, Work in Oil Company

Muscat, Oman

“I wish to become a father that my kids will remember when I die.”

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Hiroto, 61, Restaurant Owner & Chef

Sendai, Japan

“I wish to live every day of my life fulfilled and loved. If every day is an unachievable goal, then let me simply do my best. ”

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Rafi, Work in a Perfume Shop

Aqaba, Jordan

“I wish to start my own perfume business someday before I die.”

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Aadan, 16, High School Student & Amateur Basketball Player

Vienna, Austria

“I wish to have a chance to study aboard.”

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Kanan, Retired

Luxor, Egypt

“I wish to ride in a hot-air balloon before I die.”

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Daivika, 72, Temple Housekeeper

Sri Lanka

“I want to volunteer my retirement life to something meaningful, like subsidizing a kid to school or buying clean food for the refugees.”

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Rachel, Guitarist

Venice, Italy

"I wish to become a mother that my kids are so proud of when they talk about me before I die."

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Sahil, Coachman

Kathmandu, Nepal

"I want to die with my family present. (Translated from Nepalese)"

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Joe, 25, Just graduated from college

Toronto, Canada

"I wish to become an entrepreneur like Elon Musk before I die."

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Kannika, Street Peddler

Chiangmai, Thailand

"I wish to start a business that does good things for the planet while making a living on it before I die."

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Shaquille, 34, Businessman

Chefchaouen, Morocco

"I wish to do canoeing in the Amazon River before I die."

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Hong Bin, Student

Chengdu, China

"I want to become an enlightening singer and sing to the ones I love before I die."

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Zola, 49, Farmer/Street Peddler

Nairobi, Kenya

"I want world peace before I die."

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Denpo, 14, Tibetan Montk & Secondary School Student

Namche, China

“Before I die I want to drink as much as I can. Life is short, so why not?”

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Choi, 42, Chef

Bangkok, Thailand

“I want to listen to Ode to Joy before I die.”

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Abhisit, Street Peddler

Bangkok, Thailand

“I want to spend my retirement life in rural places, where I can run barefoot and sleep till noon.”

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Sabik, Imam

Aqaba, Jordan

“I want to see each beautiful sunrise from my window before I die. I am doing it right now.”

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Dawa, Tibetan Monk

Lukla, Nepal

“I wish I can live a life that is freer and more spontaneous. I should be able to dance in the rain without caring about people's judgments.”

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Chesa, Work in a Vocational School

Sichuan, China

“I want to see the Northern lights before I die.”

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Alioth, 31, Model/Freelancer

Istanbul, Turkey

“I want to witness a solar eclipse before I die.”

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Ming Da, Chef

Xi'an, China

“I wish to die in a camp where I can see all the stars above me. (Translated from Mandarin)”

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Eymen, 28, Studying Agriculture

Ankara, Turkey

“I want to die in the wilderness where I am the only living thing.”

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Kareem, 76, Craftsman

Cairo, Egypt

“I want to die after my cats, so they will not have to endure the agony of loneliness.”

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Kamil, 83, Retired

Luxor, Egypt

“I want to plant as many trees as I can, so my offspring can enjoy the shade.”

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Madoka, Cosplay Lover

Tokyo, Japan

“I have been practicing writing, my goal is to publish at least a book before I die.”

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Kadeem, 43, Homeless

Liverpool, the United Kindom

“I want to become someone who is firm and warm, who brings people lights in the dark.”

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Oudom, 27, Barber

Cambodia

“I want everyone I know to take comfort in my being ready for death. They should celebrate my passing away with a wild party.”

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Tenzin, 15, Tibetan Monk

Tibet

“I wish to live a wild life where social norms become no limit to me.”

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Lucas, 29, UX Designer

London, UK

“I wish to spend all my savings on a camper van and start traveling to the places I have been longing for. I shall do this till I ran out of all money before I die.”

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Chad, Work in a Bakery

Philadelphia, USA

“I want my grandsons to inherit my vineyard and my tomb should be placed right next to it so I can see them harvest and drink from their own fruits.”

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Femi, 68, Farmer

Nairobi, Kenya

“I wish to see my children have their own families before I die.”

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Lulu (seem to be), 8, Help Dad in Workshop

Rio, Brazil

“I want to die in the arms of my loved ones. (Translated from Spanish)”

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Farouk, 62, Shepherd

Morocco

“I wish to send my kids to college and earn them a good life before I die.”

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Khalid, Street Peddler

Fez, Morocco

“I wish to die in the music of pianos before I die.”

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Ike, 24, College Student

Angola

“I want to gain economic independence before I die.”

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Darsh (man standing), 48, Secondary School Teacher

Bangalore, India

“I want to cycle around India before I die.”

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Dung, 72, Street Peddler

Hue, Vietnam

“I want my family to be happy and healthy, nothing much I would ask for.”

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Asuka, Homeless

Kyoto, Japan

“I want to grasp kung fu before I die. It looks so cool.”

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Imani, Craftswomen

Somalia

“I want to become an enlightening dancer and take dance as my life pursuit.”

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Mohammad, Businessman

Cairo, Egypt

“I have never left this country in my entire life. I wish to go aboard once before I die.”

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Abidemi, Craftsman

Somalia

“I wish to spend my last days knitting and dozing off near a fireplace.”

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Santhananda, 32, Hindu Monk

Colombo, Sri Lanka

“I wish to take a road trip from the northmost point to the southmost point of the American continent.”

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Ichiro, 28, Dance Teacher

Tokyo, Japan

“I want to do backpacking, stay in cheap hostels, and travel to as many places as possible before I die. ”

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Richard, College Student

London, UK

"I want to set off for a random location with no itinerary and let the people and places I met on the road surprise me."

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Sergio, 43, Farm Owner

Buenos Aires, Argentina

"I want to hitchhike all the way from Europe to China."

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Ajay, 12, Street Peddler

Delhi, India

"I want to publish my own film before I die, a film that I am truly proud of. (Translated from Tamil)"

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Ice, Social Worker

​​Barcelona, Spain

"I want to donate my savings to marine life protection before I die so that someone out there can carry forward my unfinished deed."

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Fang Fang, Restaurant Owner

​​Beijing, China

“I want to have a place that I can call home before I die.”

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Nila, 17, Help Family

Kathmandu, Nepal

“I want to celebrate every birthday with my kid before I die.”

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Nala, 18, Street Peddler/Entrepreneur

Chennai, India

“I wish to see snow before I die.”

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Amar, Street Peddler

Delhi, India

“I want to fly a kite one more time with my loved ones. It was the best time of my life.”

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Jian Shuo, 26, Banker

Vancouver, Canada

Before I die I want to release my own music album, an album about my life and time.

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Nyoman, Street Peddler & Father

Jakarta, Indonesia

“I want to get featured in the media for something I am truly proud of before I die. It is been my childhood dream.”

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Eliott, 24, Homeless

Lyon, France

I want to have smoked duck and salmon with caviar sauce as my last meal before I die.

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Ceba, Tibetan Monk

Tibet, China

“I wish to fall asleep on grassy plains where the Sun is warm and the breeze is mixed with flower smells. (Translated from Chinese dialect)”

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Choden, Mother

Xining, China

“I wish to die in a place where I can live through 4 seasons of the year.”

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Anjali, Craftswomen

Mumbai, India

“If I became really sick when I am about to die, I will unplug all the tubes and do whatever I feel like. I want to die with dignity.”

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Yuusuf, Craftsman

Nairobi, Kenya