Taking a deep breath, I feel the warm onshore breeze gently whisking through my hair. For a second, I almost forget I’m not alone. I am shaken back to reality by the joyful laughter. Who knew people from different corners of the world could have so much in common, yet be so different all at the same time?

As we sit at the abandoned white house, or casa blanca as the locals of Santa Catalina, Panama call it, on top a cliff, we watch the waves coming in. I am breath taken by the beauty of the wave gracefully breaking with a loud roar. The view gives me chills; I had always thought moments like this only existed in movies. Surrounded by friends, I look out and see the sun beginning to set. Igniting the sky, we watch it set flame to the world. Colors of orange, red, and yellow fill the sea, almost as if the artist of the sky carelessly let his paint run down into the ocean's deep blue. Sitting in awe, we take in this timeless moment as the sun seeps behind the horizon, allowing another beauty of the sky to appear. The stars twinkle across the slate of black, brighter than any night sky I’ve ever seen. With the nearest city over an hour away, there are no lights to counteract the stars’ beauty.

Thus ends our day of perfection in paradise, with a night under the stars, new friends, and a contentment like I’ve never felt before. With moments like this, Santa Catalina, Panama can hold your heart forever, make you crave more… never leaving you the same.

Carleigh Pierce is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program

Photo courtesy and copyright Carleigh Pierce