I kept refusing — I didn’t want to be a burden, and I had almost no savings. But my son insisted. He said he would pay for everything: the flight, the hotel, the food. And I believed him.

It was my first time traveling abroad. I was nervous, everything felt unfamiliar — the language, the people, the airports. But Eric’s family seemed to hardly notice me. During the entire trip, I walked around alone so I wouldn’t bother anyone.