As Dull as it Gets

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could go to Antigua, Guatemala for 3 weeks for a total immersion Spanish school, but I did.  Why didn’t it cross my wildest dreams?  Because:

I had a severe stroke 10 years ago that left me unable to walk unassisted or use my left arm

I cannot walk on rough terrain

I cannot carry my own bags

I’m often forgetful and lose things

My husband worries about me too much.

I not used to being away from Bob and my family over the holidays

I was very fortunate that the timing of my classes coincided with friends needing to be in Antigua.  They helped me navigate the terrain while in my wheelchair. (Walking was not an option when outside the school; while in the wheelchair, I had to be in a constant wheelie to get over the bumps.)My friends were wonderful and I could not have done this without them.

When I arrived at the school, I got to my room with no towels, no toilet paper, and no phone at midnight, I immediately thought, I can’t do this.  These things were all fixed by morning.  I was there to learn Spanish and nothing was going to deter me from this goal.  The cost of the program included 4-6 hours of Spanish, and 3 meals a day, and my room.   When we were not attending class we were studying, eating, playing games such as Spanish Scrabble, enjoying the Antigua nightlife: restaurants, shopping, and attending cultural events,

An important point is Central America, like many places outside the U.S. is not at all handicap friendly.  At the school’s Christmas party, one of the students walking with a cane asked me if I knew how tough the terrain was in Antigua before I visited.  I indicated, “Yes, I had heard.””  And she said, “Boy are you brave.(That was a good moment. )

Thanks to this trip I have a big time travel bug, particularly outside the U.S. Fortunately, one month later is a planned trip to Costa Rica, thanks to my sister-in-law who understands my need to continue practicing Spanish.