Should we spend more time alone? Beatriz Flamini says she had an “excellent” time — but it was not always easy.
The woman who spent 500 days in a cave
Should we spend more time alone? Beatriz Flamini says she had an "excellent" time - but it was not always easy.
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Beatriz Flamini, a brave adventurer, started a huge experiment on 21 November 2021. Wearing a safety helmet and carrying a bag, she went down 230ft into a cave and said goodbye to the world for 16 months.
Beatriz used to teach sports. But when she was 40 and going through a tough time, she decided to live in the mountains. She lived in a freezing camper van for months without seeing anyone. During the pandemicAn outbreak of disease which occurs across a wide geographic area, as opposed to an epidemic, which is confined to a particular region., she stayed in an old hermitageA place where an isolated person lives on their own, away from society, often for religious reasons. in the mountains and loved its peacefulness.
But she wanted to spend even more time alone. So she trained to walk across the Gobi DesertThe largest desert in Asia, covering over 500,000 square miles. and planned to spend 500 days in a cave in the mountains of GranadaA province of southern Spain, and also the name of a city within it. .
A team kept an eye on her, and she read, drew, listened to music and exercised. It was not always easy - sometimes she heard things that were not real. When she came out, she was lighter but in good shape, missing roast chicken and chips.
People wanting to be alone is not new. Simeon StylitesA Syrian Christian who spent 37 years living on a small platform near Aleppo. lived alone on a pillar for 37 years. And even though Nelson MandelaA South African anti-apartheid activist who spent 27 years in jail before becoming president. did not choose to spend time alone in prison, he found that he learned more about himself.
Should we spend more time alone?
Yes! We live in a very busy world. There is nothing better than going back to your own room with your favourite things and no one to bother you.
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No! When you are by yourself, it is easy to start thinking too much and become sad. We need other people around us at least some of the time - and we need their love too.
Pandemic - An outbreak of disease which occurs across a wide geographic area, as opposed to an epidemic, which is confined to a particular region.
Hermitage - A place where an isolated person lives on their own, away from society, often for religious reasons.
Gobi Desert - The largest desert in Asia, covering over 500,000 square miles.
Granada - A province of southern Spain, and also the name of a city within it.
Simeon Stylites - A Syrian Christian who spent 37 years living on a small platform near Aleppo.
Nelson Mandela - A South African anti-apartheid activist who spent 27 years in jail before becoming president.
The woman who spent 500 days in a cave

Glossary
Pandemic - An outbreak of disease which occurs across a wide geographic area, as opposed to an epidemic, which is confined to a particular region.
Hermitage - A place where an isolated person lives on their own, away from society, often for religious reasons.
Gobi Desert - The largest desert in Asia, covering over 500,000 square miles.
Granada - A province of southern Spain, and also the name of a city within it.
Simeon Stylites - A Syrian Christian who spent 37 years living on a small platform near Aleppo.
Nelson Mandela - A South African anti-apartheid activist who spent 27 years in jail before becoming president.