Keeping an Open Mind Allows for Growth
Tired and aggravated, I stumbled off of the bus. A tidal wave of heat came crashing down upon me. Critical thoughts blazed through my mind: would the rooms have an air conditioner? What will the food be like? My team and I snatched our gear out of the bus and scrambled to the hotel in hopes of finding a safe haven from the 35º C weather, at midnight. As I clumsily ran, I glanced at my surroundings. A towering hotel dead ahead, a night club to my left, a KFC behind me, and a supermarket to my right.
Between gasps for the hot, soupy air, I managed to spit out, “Who here speaks Spanish?”
“Don’t worry, there ought to be someone around here who speaks english,” my coach explained.
We were greeted by a younger gentleman, “Welcome to Guanajuato, Mexico! Follow me and I shall allot you your room keys.”
I was impressed. The white marble walls and floor gleamed as we trailed behind the young man, while my coach and staff headed to the service desk to complete some paperwork. I told myself not to be so narrow minded, and to live with what would be provided. When we finally reached our room, I dropped my luggage and made a prayer for an AC.
I teased one of my heavier friends, “Try not to have a stroke tonight,” realizing I wouldn’t fair any better than him if an AC was absent. I slid the room key into the door and turned the knob.
` I had walked into an oven. Globules of sweat covered my face as I discovered a busted AC and ranted, “What kind of place is this? Didn’t these idiots know we were coming tonight? We’re going to die in here!”
“Lighten up, will you? Maybe there’s a remote or something,” my friend exclaimed. After little effort, a remote was recovered and the AC roared to life. Once again I told myself to keep an open mind, and not to jump to conclusions. We fell asleep in sub-zero temperatures within minutes of diving into our respective beds.
The next morning I woke up shivering and with a stuffy nose. I turned down the lovely air
Between gasps for the hot, soupy air, I managed to spit out, “Who here speaks Spanish?”
“Don’t worry, there ought to be someone around here who speaks english,” my coach explained.
We were greeted by a younger gentleman, “Welcome to Guanajuato, Mexico! Follow me and I shall allot you your room keys.”
I was impressed. The white marble walls and floor gleamed as we trailed behind the young man, while my coach and staff headed to the service desk to complete some paperwork. I told myself not to be so narrow minded, and to live with what would be provided. When we finally reached our room, I dropped my luggage and made a prayer for an AC.
I teased one of my heavier friends, “Try not to have a stroke tonight,” realizing I wouldn’t fair any better than him if an AC was absent. I slid the room key into the door and turned the knob.
` I had walked into an oven. Globules of sweat covered my face as I discovered a busted AC and ranted, “What kind of place is this? Didn’t these idiots know we were coming tonight? We’re going to die in here!”
“Lighten up, will you? Maybe there’s a remote or something,” my friend exclaimed. After little effort, a remote was recovered and the AC roared to life. Once again I told myself to keep an open mind, and not to jump to conclusions. We fell asleep in sub-zero temperatures within minutes of diving into our respective beds.
The next morning I woke up shivering and with a stuffy nose. I turned down the lovely air