A Rogue Wave, a Lost Bikini Top, and a Christmas I’ll Never Forget

Christmas in Barbados means flip-flops, not snow. Palm trees are wrapped in tinsel, and church services are sung with Caribbean Idol-level passion. My strangest holiday was at age 19. My mother took me "back home" to family. I was eager to escape British winter and university life. At a beach barbecue, I focused on one goal: flirting with a handsome local named Dwayne. I was determined to get his attention. Then, a rogue wave hit. It drenched my hair, stole my sunglasses, and swept away my bikini top. My festive mission ended in a soaked and awkward retreat. It was a Christmas lesson I never expected.