Tango

Every week, SOL Hostel comes alive with the sultry beats of tango. The weekly event was a chance for travelers like me to try their hand at this passionate and captivating dance. As evening settled, the familiar strains of tango music filled the air, beckoning everyone to the dance floor. Rolando, the tango maestro and my roommate, started the dance with a flourish. His every move told a story, and the hostel's living room became a theatre.

I was content watching from the sidelines until Charlotte, with her French grace, extended an inviting hand. With a mixture of hesitation and excitement, I took her hand. Far from being a proper tangoist, I learned the basic tango steps from Rolando. The rhythm took over, and we moved as one. Each step and each turn mirrored the journey I had embarked on -- uncertain at times, exhilarating at others. As the music ebbed and our dance concluded, I returned to my seat amidst cheers from the audience. They were no longer just hostel mates but friends who had become family. That tango night gave me a memory that would stay with me long after I left SOL.

Every step a beat, every turn a memory,

each pause its own small chance.

In the tango I found the trip itself---

the meetings, the partings, the friends who became family.