I never have travel “plans.” I usually just impulsively book a flight somewhere.
I had heard about the ABC islands—Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao—and I knew this was a trip I wanted to take. Among the three islands, Aruba always stood out to me. While I must admit that the island has received a lot of negative attention due to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, this does not deter people from visiting. Aruba has always had a thriving economy based on tourism. The island’s fine white sand beaches, scarcity of rainfall, warm temperatures, and cooling breezes on hot summer days are, in my opinion, what makes Aruba appealing. 
I didn’t need much convincing to visit Aruba. I was only staying for four days, so I knew I had to make the most out of my trip. Other travelers who visited the island reassured me that four days would be enough. After all, Aruba is quite small—only 19 miles long and five miles wide. 
Whenever I plan on visiting a new place, I usually ask for recommendations from other travelers in a Facebook group I am a part of. This time around, Emma, another traveler, reached out to me with recommendations and offered to give me a tour. Usually, when I travel, I love to get lost exploring and having to figure things out on my own. Being in a foreign land, not knowing where to go or what to do, is both scary and exciting to me. It’s scary because it forces me to get out of my comfort zone and exciting because I know I have nothing else to do but explore. It’s a great feeling when I stumble upon a beautiful place or view that I know I wouldn’t have found if I wasn’t lost.
However, I was thrilled knowing I would have Emma. Since that first message, we were in constant dialogue. Though strangers, we were able to connect in a very amiable way. As time passed by, I felt closer to her. Looking back, our friendship grew into one of the best things that has happened to me.
Emma and I finally met when I visited Aruba. She was exactly how I pictured her to be—kind, caring, respectful, full of life, happy, and generous. Emma had a busy schedule, but she never missed a beat whenever it was time to pick me up and drive me around. 
I went to withdraw money on my last night on the island but the ATM stopped working. I couldn’t retrieve my debit card. I was worried because it was the only card I had and I didn’t have any cash left. Thankfully Emma loaned me $20—just enough to pay for my taxi ride back to the airport. It was getting late, so we said our goodbyes. A couple of minutes later, I got a text from Emma saying she was outside. Perplexed, I went outside to meet her, and to my grand surprise, she handed me a bag full of fruits and a bottle of water. “You have a long day tomorrow,” she said and smiled. I almost teared up. People who are genuinely caring are far and few between. 
We laughed our hearts out, made good memories, and talked about everything and nothing. It didn’t feel like she was someone I just met for the first time, but rather like a long lost sister. Despite being strangers mere months earlier, we were having some of the best times of our lives as if it had always been that way. Just like love, friendship transcends culture, diversity, sexual orientation, gender, and all differences. 
Finding and building meaningful friendships can be a daunting task, especially when friendships tend to be superficial. Traveling has helped me find a few deeper human connections. Now, I can connect better with others and I also become more attentive to their needs. Emma was just another reminder as to why I love traveling: not all strangers are dangerous, and that makes the world a beautiful place.