The Holiday

Katie is sick of her job. She's sick of her city, car, surroundings... Sick of herself. So she does what every other person does in those moments: pours a glass of wine and scrolls mindlessly through the internet.

While scrolling, Katie runs into an eye-catching ad on Instagram: it starts off with a dark screen, then quickly transforms into a dynamic holiday video. A phrase shows up in the end: "It's time for a break. Experience another life with Holiday L-Exchanges today!"

Katie never clicks on ads, but this time, she felt a sudden urge of desperation. She needed to try something, to feel something, anything. It felt like that was a decisive moment in her life.

Katie decides to follow her curiosity and clicks on the link. She gets prompted to fill out a form and a couple of waivers, which she quickly gets through, skimming through any required reading. Who ever reads these tiny prints, anyways?

It looks like a home swap, and it better be a good one. Their fees are anything but cheap. cheap. Within a few minutes, Katie gets connected to a potential match for her holiday exchange: Amelia. After some chit chatting, Katie goes straight to the point:

So, have you done this before? This is my first time trying out this app. I'm a little nervous but excited too! Maybe I can tell you more about my place and you tell me about yours?

I haven't, I am not fully sure how this works either. But here it goes: I live in an island on the south of Brazil, it's called Florianopolis. I live in an English-speaking community with lovely neighbours from around the world, surrounded by the nature. What about yours?

Katie feels butterflies in her stomach. Brazil? She has never been to such a place before. It could be strange... But it could be perfect too. She eagerly types back:

This sounds perfect. I'd love to experience such a different place. I live in Toronto, Canada. It's a busy city, so there's always something happening here.

After exchanging a few messages, Katie and Amelia agree on moving forward with the swap. There are a few instructions in the app, and it's decided that they will start the process on the very next day.

They are each scheduled to receive a package from the L-Exchanges app in the morning, with some gear they'll be needing for their trip. Katie goes to bed in awe of her upcoming adventure. She will pack her suitcase first thing in the morning. Who would've thought!

The next day...

Katie wakes up with the doorbell ringing and jolts from the bed. Opening up the door, she notices a package has been left there, with "Holiday L-Exchanges" labeled in it.

Katie checks in with Amelia and confirms that she has received her package as well. The instructions had said that they were both supposed to put on the gear at the same time.

Inside the box, Katie finds some VR-looking gear: regular-looking VR glasses, a bodysuit with a bunch of pins, a soft hat, and some comfy slippers. She puts it all on and then turns the equipment on.

Katie opens her eyes to find herself in a strange-looking place. The sun is coming in through the windows and illuminating the few pieces of furniture in a simple yet elegant living room. It feels so warm and she can hear birds chirping outside.

Katie moves around a bit and notices a basket of fresh fruit sitting on top of the kitchen table with a note saying "welcome". Could this be it? What is going on?!