Lost between borders

"Perdido entre fronteras"
Spanish C1 writing exercise

Alejandro recounts a chaotic solo backpacking trip across three countries that tested his limits.

Pay attention to the hints!

Some vocabulary you may want to look up before or during this exercise: "to set off / to head out (on a journey)", "border crossing", "to run out of (money / battery)", "makeshift (improvised solution)", "to hitchhike", "to come to terms with (a situation)" and "to wander aimlessly".

I’ll give you some sentences to translate into Spanish

  • I’ll show you where you make mistakes
  • I’ll keep track of what you need to practise
  • Change my choices if you want
Start the exercise

Here's a preview of the text for the writing challenge, when you're ready click the start button above:

It had always been my dream to backpack through Southeast Asia. So last summer, I finally set off alone with only a backpack and a vague itinerary. Within two days of arriving, I had already run out of cash and my phone was dead. I had not even contemplated the possibility of something going wrong so fast. I wandered aimlessly through the streets for hours, not knowing what to do. A local woman came to my aid and helped me find the border crossing. It turned out that the border had been closed for three days due to a political dispute. I had no choice but to come to terms with sleeping rough that night. Using a makeshift shelter built from a tarpaulin and some rope, I managed to stay dry. The following morning, I decided to hitchhike to the nearest town rather than wait any longer. A truck driver who happened to be heading that way agreed to take me as far as the capital. During the three-hour journey, he told me stories about the border that sent shivers down my spine. Had I known it would be this difficult, I might well have chosen a different destination. Yet, looking back, I would not change a single moment of that chaotic adventure. It was precisely those moments of uncertainty that shaped who I am today. I returned home not only exhausted, but utterly transformed.

I'll be right with you...