Maria clutched her purple backpack, her long brown hair falling over her shoulders as she glanced nervously at her two little sisters, Rosa and Mikaela, trailing behind with wide eyes. None of them spoke English, but their faces were bright with excitement and the hope of new adventures. Their parents smiled encouragingly, pointing out the giant kangaroo statue near the exit, a first glimpse of the animals they'd soon come to love. "Look, girls! Maybe we'll see a real one soon,"

Maria pressed her face against the glass, mesmerized by the strange trees and the flocks of bright parrots swooping overhead. Rosa giggled, pointing at a sign with a funny animal that their mother explained was a quokka, while Mikaela babbled and waved at every passing car. The city felt huge and mysterious, but also full of promise. "Everything is so different, but maybe it will be fun,"

They stop by a pond where black swans glide across the water, and Maria kneels to pick a tiny, purple wildflower—her favorite color. Rosa chases after a butterfly, while Mikaela toddles unsteadily, laughing at the magpies hopping nearby. The warmth of the sun and the peacefulness of the park make their worries melt away for a moment. "I think this could be our new secret place,"

Maria leads her sisters down the beach, their toes sinking into the soft sand as they hunt for seashells. Rosa squeals with delight upon finding a spiral shell, while Mikaela plops down and begins to build a lopsided sandcastle. The ocean's salty breeze tangles their hair, and the laughter of newfound friends floats on the wind. "Let’s collect a seashell for every new day here,"

Maria hesitates at first but soon joins a group of kids playing tag, her sisters close behind. Even though they don’t speak the same language, laughter becomes their bridge, and soon they’re running and shouting with everyone else. One girl hands Maria a purple hair clip, and they both smile shyly, understanding each other without words. "Maybe we can be friends even if we talk different,"

Their parents join them, and together they laugh, sharing stories of the day with animated gestures and smiles. The uncertainty of the move fades away, replaced by the comfort of togetherness and the thrill of discovery. Maria looks at her sisters, her heart full of hope for tomorrow. "Home isn’t just a place. It’s us, together, wherever we are,"