Cultural Notes
Pioneros de la casa de campo ecológica en Chiapas – short version
Ecolodge Pioneers in Chiapas, Mexico
- Remember, expect this to be challenging.
- First, read the English version.
- Next, read the Spanish version.
- Click the control to hear the audio.
- Listen several times, following along on the transcript.
- Finally, listen without looking at the transcript.
- See how many words and phrases you can pick out.
- Then try the long version.
Short Version
Ecolodge Pioneers in Chiapas, Mexico
We were studying Spanish in San Cristobal de las Casas, an old colonial city high in the mountains in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. One day the director of the school announced that a friend of his was about to open an eco-lodge in the country, and he was looking for people who would like to spend the day there free of charge. There would be food, horseback riding and hiking. The following Saturday we visited the lodge. It was a renovated old ranch house on an old hacienda. We rode horses and returned to the lodge later than planned. We ate a hurried dinner and walked down to the road only to find we had missed the last bus. We were nervous, as it was dark and the threat of roadside bandits was very real. But we flagged down a ride to the next town, and caught a taxi from there to San Cristobal and arrived back safely.
Pioneros de la casa de campo ecológica en Chiapas
Estudiábamos español en San Cristóbal de las Casas, una vieja ciudad colonial en lo alto de las montañas del estado mexicano de Chiapas. Un día el director de la escuela anunció que un amigo suyo estaba a punto de abrir una casa de campo ecológica, y que buscaba a gente que quisiera pasar el día allí gratuitamente. Habría comida, paseos a caballo y caminatas. El sábado siguiente visitamos la casa de campo. Era una vieja casa ranchera renovada en una antigua hacienda. Montamos a caballo y regresamos a la casa de campo más tarde de lo previsto. Cenamos apresuradamente y bajamos al camino sólo para enterarnos de que habíamos perdido el último autobús. Estábamos nerviosos, pues había oscurecido y la amenaza de bandidos en la carretera era real. Pero conseguimos que alguien nos llevara al pueblo siguiente, y montamos un taxi de allí a San Cristóbal, a donde regresamos a salvo.
