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“I can not do this, if I jump right now, I would die”. It was the summer of 2019 and I had for the first time in my life travelled alone abroad. For reasons unknown that became clearer with time, I chose Egypt as my destination. Dusky and dark, I fell in love with the way the wind in Cairo brushed against my face with its warm but chilly touch. One of these evenings chasing the wind and strolling through the lively and bustling streets of downtown, I got struck by a trip leaving for the Red Sea—yacht cruise and snorkeling. Having spent my entire life in a city with no beaches and sea, I was at the same time thrilled and excited to take this trip so without thinking I booked it. I did not give much thought to planning before the trip and for this very reason I had only packed a pair of cargo shorts and a dry fit shirt that too I borrowed from a friend since I did not own a swimsuit. The cruise had to leave at 9 in the morning and of course I overslept, the organizers had to knock heavily on my door to wake me up. At this point, I grabbed anything I saw and put it in my backpack and left for the cruise. The entire ride to the sea, I felt disoriented and misfit for the trip. I did not have proper gear, I had never been to a beach before in my life and to top it all off, I overslept. For all these reasons, I felt anxious and unsure of what I was doing. However, all these feelings faded once the yacht started to sail across the heavy sea with its big but calm waves. As the waves rolled in, all I could hear was the snoozing, sluggish and slumbering sound that they made. From the sky to the coast, I could see different shades of blues that consumed me and made me forget about my estrangement. Soon the yacht was a sight of hustle bustle in the calm and tranquility of the vast red sea. People started to prepare for their snorkeling and scuba-diving adventures. At this time, I realized that I have paid for something that I am incapable of. Having no prior experience in swimming coupled with a mild fear of water, what was I thinking when I booked this trip? Well, the cruise staff on board was too encouraging and motivating and convinced me into wearing my gear. I looked like an absolute fool wearing a full-face mask and flippers with no idea of how snorkeling was a sport even before I booked this trip. That feeling of apprehension engulfed me again. For 20 minutes or so I kept stuck to the ladder leading into the water, envying all those people having the time of their lives floating, swimming and diving. I felt like a total idiot who impulsively got herself into this situation until a friend of mine pushed me into the water. Being a green for swimming, I thought I would drown. Panicking and screaming for help, I returned to the ladder. This time my friend did not leave me alone and said, “let go”. His words struck with me and I reminded myself, “you have come this far and if you don’t do this, you’ll only go home with regrets”. With this thought in mind, I took a leap of faith and jumped. The friend kept holding my hand and what came next was the most surreal and incredible experience of my life. It was like exploring an unknown world. Letting go of myself, I finally felt the fish, the colorful coral reef and marine life overwhelm me but in the most transformative way. The cold seawater, the blinding sunlight, and the warmth from hand holding made me snorkel over the feelings of disorientation and perplexity. I felt small and vulnerable in the big sea pulling me in but the peace that came with that experience made me realize the right reasons for which I had come to Egypt—overcome my fears and go back home with no regrets.