Please read the following phrase:

/)=%·””$%&/)=)(Y%$DTF(U)/T$·W%FPL_:P:UBTFD$!·”$·/(===

Could you? If yes, you are a liar.(haha)

I guess that’s how a person who cannot read see the language we are familiar to read .

The other day, I was on a flight back from Colombia, and a guy who sat next to me was from Haiti who asked me so many times how to turn on movies on the screen. I thought it was the first time for him to get on a flight and was not familiar with the system.

Given that he spoke French and some Spanish, I explained with my poor French and Spanish how to use the machine so that he could enjoy the flight. After many questions, I figured out that he could not read.

Besides, when flight attendants gave us the forms of custom and immigration, he asked me to fill them out. He couldn’t write either. As I had never filled such important forms for a stranger, I felt so responsible and sad at the same time.

In that moment, I appreciated my parents for having educated me. Even though we know that there are many adults who cannot read nor write, it is shocking to see one in person.

The other day, I saw a movie called “The illiterates (Las Analfabetas)” which was about a adult lady who cannot read nor write, but her pride as an adult prevent her from admitting that she is illiterate.

Finally, one letter which her deceased father left motivated her to learn. I think, like this case, if there is a motivation to learn, one can dedicate himself to study (instead of imposing grammar and vocabulary first).

It is never late to learn. But sometimes it is no that simple.

Trailer: Las Analfabetas