Author Lina Meruane: Lina Meruane teaches Latin American Cultures in the Liberal Studies Program at New York University, USA.Translated by Andrea Rosenberg: Andrea Rosenberg translates literary and academic texts from Spanish and Portuguese. Her translation of David Jiménez s Children of the Monsoon was recently published by Autumn Hill Books. She is currently working on a novel by Leopoldo Brizuela with the support of a Fulbright grant.

• Beginning the Journey PART I: LOGBOOK OF AN HIV-POSITIVE VOYAGE PART II: VIRAL VOYAGERS 1. Itinerant Infirmity 2. The Comings and Goings of the Infectious Tourist 3. Back to the Nations of Death 4. Female Disappearance Syndrome 5. Happy Hour? or, The Cocktail Era