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12 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MARCH 2021 you are in your 60s, inside your mind you are still that 24 year-old? I thought I fit in just fine with my youthful classmates! I still recommend this experience as the best way to learn another language. Classes were four hours each morning, and after class I took advantage of my past experiences in Madrid to explore, to find a new restaurant for lunch each day, and to see if I could remember how to find my way around, and how to use the metro. If you want total immersion to learn a language, I definitely recommend taking advantage of using the language as much as possible and trying new things and exploring new places. By late afternoon, I would make my way back to my flat for a late dinner. No English is spoken, there are other students staying in the same flat, and you are forced to practice your Spanish no matter how tired your brain is at this point. After two weeks, it was time to make my way to Avila for my next adventure. I chose Avila because I had great memories of my experience in the language school there, ahem, 20 years ago. It is not a school typically known by Americans, so you are not tempted to fall back into English when it gets difficult. It is a beautiful, well-preserved walled city with a small-town feel and few tourists. I stayed with a young host family. What I did not plan well was the time of year. By the time I reached Avila it was November. Avila is at a higher altitude than Madrid. I had to buy some boots and some warmer clothes. We're talking snow. When I got to the school, would you believe it? The same teacher who I had classes with over 20 years ago was there! He sort of remembered me. Things had changed now. Twenty years ago the other students were from other European countries such as Germany and France. This time all of the other students were from China. Apparently it is a great way to get a good job in China if you can also speak English and Spanish. I walked to classes every morning as there was no metro in Avila. During the break the students would go together to find a quaint bar for the best coffee ever, along with a small bite of something featured that day. Traveling solo is really the only way to have this kind of flexibility and variety of experiences that, to me, is the essence of why we travel. It is the best way I have found to be able to explore and experience a country, not just as a tourist, but as immersed as possible. There was one year that a friend wanted to go with me on one of my trips to Spain. She was a Spanish teacher, a professional flamenco guitarist, and had roots in Spain. I thought it might be nice to have someone like that to travel with. Once we got there, however, she wanted to spend most of her time shopping, buying souvenirs to bring back for friends, and finding the perfect angle to get a good photo. I couldn't cover the ground I'm accustomed to, so that was the last time I traveled with someone. There is nothing to fear about traveling solo, and there are many advantages. It has become much more popular so many companies have special arrangements and prices for solos. It can cost a bit more, but worth it, especially if you like having your own room! Sandra and Stan have been Four Seasons residents since 2015. They share their home with four lovable pets. Sandra was chair of the Communications Committee and a member of the Communications Board. She is currently the chair of the Canine Corral Council. You may have seen her in Performing Arts Club events, around the tables with the Ping Pong Club, at Curly Cues Billiards, and kicking up a storm in line dance classes. ~ Elizabeth Westbrook Walk in Van Gogh's footsteps in Arles, France Hotel room in Florence Madrid Puerta del Sol famous statue of bear with the madrone tree Oso y el Madroño Ducking into a cafe to escape a cloudburst in Madrid in Puerta del Sol

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