Awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, Sophie Barbasch lived in Fortaleza, Brazil for a year, photographing the Transnordestina, a railroad under construction in the Northeast that ties the desert to the sea. Traveling throughout Ceará, Piauí, and Pernambuco, Barbasch explored a country in a persistent state of flux. This project stemmed from both intellectual curiosity and a personal connection: introduced to Brazil at a young age by her stepmother, she made frequent visits to the country, growing familiar with its language and culture, all the while wondering if she was an insider or an outsider.