Mentally and physically fatigued, my legs were stumbling along the uneven road. There had been no time for sleep. I had been walking for two days, with just a few breaks for tea, bread, and fruit from local trees. The sky was beginning to lighten and the stars faded one by one. Rays of light began to pierce through distant clouds in the east, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I was nearly there. I had done it. I was as free as a girl in a red dress and scarf could be. My legs naturally quickened their pace, and before I knew it, the sun was warming my cheeks as I approached Jonton. My wet eyes stung as I smiled. I had really done it.

The blue cafe where I met Josh was just opening as I approached. I went in and ordered beans on toast, with juice and coffee. As I ate and drank, I did something that I believed all normal people did – I read the local newspaper. In all my life I had never read the local news. I had never paid attention to local names. I was ignorant to local government matters. And now I would be able to be an active member of a community. This idea felt as fresh and novel as sitting in a cafe without a boss to answer to.