What is your opinion of the Ann Wigmore Institute in Puerto Rico?

In a message dated 4/22/03 2:53:37 PM, Alma writes:

Hello Rhio,

about 16 months ago a friend introduced me to your book and raw food and l got hooked..... l have recommended your book to lots of people since.... what l like most about your book is that you state how long something will keep.... plus lots of great recipes...

l am about 85 to 90 o/o on raw.... my current lifestyle does not let me be 100 o/o as of yet... but l will get there.... l set the goal..

l introduced my 37 year old daughter (l am 59) to raw food 3 months ago... she owns a cafe/bar in Queens, NY and she just told me she order a wheatgrass juicer and wheatgrass and l am delighted and so she called me for my birthday yesterday and said she is inviting me to go to Puerto Rico to the Ann Wigmore Institute for one week but she does not want to take lots of classes but just enjoy the food and beach and rest..... so here is my question.... what is your opinion on the Ann Wigmore Institute is it worth going .... is it a clean and nice place.... somehow l get the intuitive feeling that it is .... people who are that healthy are usually very spiritual....

l would appreciate hearing from you .... and thank you so much for all your inspiration.

Blessings,

Alma

Dear Alma,

I'm so glad that your friend introduced you to my book and that it resonated with you and got you "hooked" on something great! Thank you for the input.

And now your daughter too - wow - looks like you're taking some people along with you on this wonderful adventure.

I have been to the Ann Wigmore Institute in Puerto Rico many times and I love it. It's not fancy or anything. I would say that it is clean and basic. It is right by the ocean and the weather is wonderful which, of course, is an advantage. There are lots of tropical fruits, as well as their basic healing menu of wheatgrass juice, rejuvelac, energy soup, sprout salads and blended seed cheese and sauce.

What you will receive there is a wonderful teaching in a warm, friendly and spiritual atmosphere imbued with love. The two co-directors, Lalita and Leola, set the tone. I cannot say enough about them or the Institute.

With blessings and peace,

Rhio

In a message dated 7/30/04 5:13:03 PM, brian writes:

Dear Rhio:

I went to Ann Wigmore in Puerto Rico and wanted to let you know so you could "pass the information on" about what people should expect. The institute, unfortunately, is poorly managed. I don't know if I got there on an "off" week or what, but no one was there to greet us when we arrived. All of the managers had taken the day off, etc...

In addition, we had called the office seeking transportation (because the buses decided NOT to run that day, somebody was sick) and all we got the entire day was an answering machine. It was very frustrating. We actually had one client leave after the first night. The fact that one of the employees was screaming in the bathroom did not help her feel in more secure than the rest of us at that point.
I, too, thought about shortening my stay, but felt better as the week progressed and stayed the entire 2 weeks. It was a little unnerving to go all that way and be treated that way. I think people would benefit from having an expectation of what to expect. Sundays there are kinda of an off day, but it's also the day for arrival. So, you literally walk in and no one is there. Hope this helps.

Brian

Dear Brian:

I'm sorry you had such a frustrating experience at the Ann Wigmore Institute, but also glad that it got better as your stay progressed. Poor management, on occasion, has been a problem at the Institute because they lack the funds to get the proper help and must rely on volunteers doing work/exchange programs for many (but not all) of their services.

Thank you for letting me know and I will post your letter on my website under Real Letters from Real People section; subsection; Miscellaneous; subsection: What do you think about the Ann Wigmore Inst. There is already one letter there and I will post yours as well. I know it will, unfortunately, discourage many people from going there, but in the interests of transparency, people should know what your experience was like. I have been to the AWI many times and have enjoyed it thoroughly, but also cannot deny that situations like what you describe do occur occasionally.

Thank you for letting me know, and I will also pass your letter on to the Institute.

With blessings and peace,

Rhio

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