Cancun,Mexico

I have been writing since I was a child. However, the first piece I ever wrote that I can remember was when my mother, stepfather, and I went to Cancun, Mexico. I am not sure of the exact year. I want to say about 1995-1996 we traveled down there.

It was my first time on an airplane. We traveled from St. Louis Lambert International airport. Here I was a teenager from the city who never imagined she would fly on a plane, let alone leave the country.

With my notebook in tow, I began by making several journal entries about the plan ride. The plane took us down to Fl. where there was a layover. I want to say we flew into the Fort Lauderdale Airport. The thing I most remember was the palm trees in Florida. However, we were not there very long.

From there we flew into Mexico. I just remember the way the clouds looked from the view, inside the plane. I remember how the humidity dramatically changed and I knew I was entering unknown territory; needless to say, I was excited!

Once we got to Mexico I just remember the beautiful colors of turquoise and blue. We stayed in a resort, and it was the first time I was introduced to a "peso".

My stepfather didn't speak a lick of Spanish, but he knew how to count those peso's. I must say I was impressed when he took us for dinner at a fancy restaurant and paid for the food.

During my trip I searched for others around my age to engage with, but to my dismay, the teens I saw were working at the resort. While relaxing in the room on our downtown, I started writing a love story called, "The Moon in Cancun." I was 16 years old.

Basically the story described the sights and sounds on the beach we visited. It also spoke of a character, (myself), finding love. I wrote the story based on wanting to experience true love in a different country.

I cannot remember the story verbatim. But, what I do remember is how I carried that note book everywhere I went; writing down all the wonderful things I was seeing.

For example, I remember going to the La Isla Paradise Experience Mall. One thing I remembered clearly was riding the escalators there. It's funny in regards to the things one can remember.

We also visited a KFC in Cancun. I was absolutely amazed that they had American restaurants there. I must say that the chicken was good, but it did taste slightly different from what we were used to in St. Louis.

I also remember swimming in the pool at the resort we stayed at. Once again, I put my pen to the pad to describe the scene.

I still remember that promise I made to myself in the hotel room I shared with my parents. I said that if I ever fall in love and get married one day, I liked to have my honeymoon in Cancun. When I wrote the story, I fantasized about the perfect man escorting me on a trip as my stepfather had done with my mom and I.

That was a long time ago. I am 43 now and never been married. But I keep my fingers crossed hoping that my true love will sit on the beach with me and watch the moon....in Cancun. Maybe one day, just one day, I'll get my wish.