Wild Ideas Worth Living · Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Before embarking on her journey, Lucy Vanart had to learn Spanish, which she found easier to communicate with in its 'broken' form among indigenous populations. She also relied on existing wilderness survival skills and a self-rescue plan involving a beacon.
“Okay, well, the most obvious thing is that when I started I didn't speak Spanish. So getting at least a grasp of the language was helpful.”
“And so trying to communicate with two sets of broken Spanish, I have to say it was easier than talking to just native Spanish speakers because at least we understood our logic in trying to reach for the language, like we met in that broken format much better than if someone has an expectation on how to communicate.”
“So I have a beacon if I need to be removed from a remote area, that can happen swiftly. And there's a lot of comfort in and confidence building in knowing that you have a lifeline.”