https://youtu.be/f1OsOEm71Wo

In the morning, she pulled open the silky curtains in the room and was awestruck: Cartagena was a whole new world, no two worlds, in the daytime. Her hotel was surrounded by modern buildings that towered over the colourful, older buildings further away - like trying to preserve an old city but still keeping up with the advanced world. 

The sun shone high above, complementing the energy of the city. The pool underneath was a striking blue and glistened in the sun's rays. The palm trees swayed in the mild breeze and hotel workers skittered here and there with towels and trays in their hands. Some tourists were already making their way to the many pools and others enjoyed breakfast sitting outside the various cafes dotting the peripheries.

Elena looked in the mirror at herself. She felt oddly renewed. Like she wanted to try all over again. She stared at herself in the mirror a bit longer and straightened her back. She managed a small, crooked smile and pulled her dark brown hair behind her ears. Her dark olive skin looked pale and her face was always puffy in the morning.

Dr. Jennette had told her to film her trip with a camcorder she had brought along. She pulled it out of her suitcase and turned it on. The bottom of the screen read the date in bright green letters and numbers: January 11, 2001. She hit the record button and thought of something to say.

"Hi, um, this is Elena...I'm seven months sober...And this is my vacation rehab," She said blandly into the camera.

She snorted and burst out laughing. She put the camera back and shook her head.

"Let's not do that," She told herself aloud.

She took a quick shower and got dressed. She let down her brown, wavy hair and wore her sun hat and glasses. Glasses always made her feel comfortable. They were like shields to protect her from judgmental stares. For good luck, she kept Oda's notebook in her backpack.

Elena headed down to the lobby. The housekeepers smiled and greeted her along the way. She made her way to the hotel's provided telephone booth and made an international call to her mom who had been worried sick. After assuring her mother she was fine, Elena paid the man at the counter and went to the breakfast area. After eating, she waited for the shuttle. It would take her to The Old City of Cartagena: her first destination on this trip.

It was still an hour until the vehicle would arrive so, in the meantime, Elena walked outside taking in the fresh air. She came across the hotel's small garden and took a stroll through it. She walked down the paved sidewalk and saw striking colours of roses and sunflowers in bloom on one side. On the other side were marigolds and geraniums. A gardener was watering them. Elena watched her as she focussed on watering each bunch carefully and gently. Elena politely greeted her and began to leave when the gardener walked over and tapped her on the shoulder. She handed her a geranium.

"For you," she said in her thick, Spanish accent. "For joy."

The gardener genuinely smiled wide through her leathery, flushed skin and then resumed watering the plants.

"Thank you," Elena called out quickly, looking back at the gentle and cheerful woman.

Elena inserted the geranium into the ribbon of her sun hat. She headed to the entrance of the hotel to wait for the shuttle where she was met by another couple. The woman walked up to her beaming from ear to ear.

"Hi!" She cheerfully said to Elena. "Where are you visiting from?"

The woman was striking with dark eyes and light-coloured freckles spread across the bridge of her hooked nose. Elena spun around to the woman's approaching voice.

"Canada. And you?" Elena replied.

"Ohio," The woman grinned, showing off her straight, white teeth. "Is this your first day here?"

"Yes," Elena replied. "What about you?"

"It's our third day here!" She replied excitedly. "We spent our first two days on the beaches. They're beautiful. You need to check them out. Are you here with anyone?"

Elena hesitated. "Uh, no. I came here myself."

I'm here because I'm mentally unwell, Elena sarcastically thought to herself.

She wondered if the woman could see right through her shallowness. She had no enthusiasm when she talked. Instead, the woman looked at her as if she had spoken in a different language. Elena was about to make up a lie when the woman's eyes lit up. To her surprise, the woman looked as if she had just had a great idea.

"That's great actually! I think the best way to become independent is to travel solo."

She thinks I'm doing this to be independent, Elena laughed to herself.

She was relieved that she wouldn't have to explain herself, though. How odd was it for an 18-year-old to travel alone?

The woman continued. "I did a lot of that when I was younger. In fact, once I ran away from home to live with my boyfriend, now my husband. He lived in a different state."

She said that proudly, smiling back at her husband who was clearly uninterested in the conversation.

"Best decision ever! And now I'm happily married," She grinned and flashed her wedding ring at Elena that was so bright under the sunlight, it almost blinded her.

"Well, that's great then," Elena answered, a little taken aback by this woman's extraordinary energy.

The shuttle finally arrived and everyone piled in. Elena ended up sitting beside a little girl. She was quite the chatterbox and interested in talking to Elena. She introduced herself as Anna. She had bright blue eyes, and small lips the colour of a pomegranate. Her cheeks were a flushed pink and she had lost two of her teeth from the front. She was adorable.

Anna felt the need to show off her bracelet collection that she had covered both arms with. She went on about her family's vacation and the keychains she had begged her parents to purchase at the gift shops. Elena loved children and always found that kids were interested in interacting with her. She had considered going into teaching because of that. Her friends had always said that she was patient and a great listener.  Lost in her thoughts, she realized the little girl had stopped talking and fallen asleep against her arm. Elena chuckled to herself and thought it was cute. Anna's mother shook her head and smiled at Elena mouthing an apology. She tried to pry Anna off of her, but Elena assured her she was fine with it.

The driver stopped and stood up to speak. "Alright folks. We have arrived at The Old City. Feel free to explore as you wish and we will meet back here in three hours. In case you miss this shuttle, there will be another after an hour. Enjoy."

Anna was still sleeping against Elena's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," Her mother apologized as she pulled her off Elena. "She gets too friendly sometimes."

Elena reassured her it was fine.

The Old City was extraordinary. Colourful walls made it seem like a place out of a cartoon. Yellows and reds and greens were the main colours Elena saw. It was like walking through an oil painting. Churches loomed over the city while the high balconies of colourful buildings were covered in bougainvillea. The rich smell of flowers and exotic fruit filled the air. Magicians and dancers held performances on almost every street corner and the tourists gathered around and watched in awe.

Elena made her way onto a street where a young man was doing magic tricks. He pulled a dove out of a hat and everyone clapped. Elena joined the crowd in their cheering. He took a bow and then he scanned the crowd for a volunteer. Elena thought he was going to let people volunteer themselves, but instead, he decided to choose. And unfortunately, his brown, friendly eyes landed on her sunglasses. He said something in Spanish and gestured for her to come forward. Elena began to panic and started shaking her head and nervously laughing. The crowd cheered and pushed her onto the stage. He nodded and stepped towards her. He then said something in Spanish to the audience. Leaning forward, he pulled out a blue rose from behind her head and the crowd applauded. Alarmingly, he kissed her hand making Elena go red as a tomato.

Is this custom in Cartagena? She thought.

He gestured for Elena to take a bow and handed her the rose. She nervously laughed as the crowd clapped. 

Elena walked off still blushing from that experience. Afterward, a street vendor invited Elena to try out a mango biche and a raspao which was a snow cone but so much tastier. The ice of the raspao was refreshing in the hot, humid air. Elena walked through the city some more and watched other performances. The sun was beginning to dim and the horizon was turning a beautiful, pale shade of orange. The breeze brought with it the mist of the salty Caribbean waters. She stood at the corner of a street that faced the waves. The humming of music, laughter, and voices faded as she drifted into peace. She closed her eyes. The experience was surreal.

Thank you, She thought to herself and smiled.

For the first time in a long time, she felt alive. It felt as if her heart had been dormant for so long. It felt as if the fire inside of her was starting to rekindle again, just like Oda had described. She looked across the Caribbean Sea into the horizon. The waves crashing against the shore lulled her into bliss. She wanted to stop time and live in this moment forever.

"Elena," She heard her father's voice.

She opened her eyes and saw him standing in front of her. His eyes crinkled as he warmly smiled.

"You're doing the right thing," He said, nodding.

Elena frowned and her heart was beating fast.

"What do you mean, dad?" She asked.

His image was crystal clear, but Elena knew she was hallucinating. She blinked and he disappeared. Suddenly, she heard someone call her name.

"Elena!" Yelled a familiar voice behind her.

She frowned again and turned around. Anna came running with her pink dress floating around her and a flower bouncing in her blonde curls. Her right hand held a white rose. Elena lifted Anna into the air making her giggle.

"I got this for you," Anna gave her the flower.

"Thank you!" Elena exclaimed.

She took her sun hat off and bent down so Anna could put the white rose into the ribbon. Elena smiled at Anna's generous personality.

The little girl threw her hands around Elena's neck and hugged her. Elena happily hugged her back, surprised by the little girl's maturity and joyful nature. She watched Anna run back to her parents.

What a lively spirit, Elena thought.