As Jia Liisa arrived at her first destination, she felt a mix of emotions. She was excited to explore a new place, but also a bit apprehensive about navigating unfamiliar streets and making connections with strangers. She took a deep breath, gathered her belongings, and stepped out into the unknown.
The waterfall was real. Small, but fierce—a white thread unraveling from a green cliff into a pool the color of jade. Jia dropped her pack, pulled off her boots, and waded in up to her knees. The cold was a shock, then a blessing. She sat on a sun-warmed rock and ate an apple and some stale bread. No phone signal. No footsteps but her own. Just the sound of water falling and the occasional cry of a bird she couldn’t name.
