She Went to a Wellness Retreat as the Only Black Woman in the Group. She Didn’t Know if She Was Going to Make it Back Alive.
She felt a lack of concern from the group, especially when she had gotten food poisoning during the trip.
Wellness retreats are sought after by those searching for a way to unwind and heal. But Malikah (@whereismalikah), an American travel content creator, went to an overseas retreat as the only Black person in the group. What was supposed to be a time for rest and healing almost took a grim turn.
“I went on a wellness retreat recently, where I was the only one, and there were several moments where I seriously thought I might not make it back alive,” Malikah told TikTok. She claimed that although she didn’t plan to tell the story so soon, the Nolan Wells case in Mississippi prompted her to share her experience.
“I often am the only one, which is why I don’t think too hard about it,” she explained. Malikah said that she grew up in a diverse community. Hence, she wasn’t concerned that she would be the only Black person on a mountain in Mallorca, Spain.
When she got to the retreat, she said she was “vibing” with the women she met. She noted that although it wasn’t too isolated, it was a difficult location to get to. To get there, the retreat organized a shuttle from the airport. Malikah claimed that even most taxis would drop their passengers off the main road. Afterward, they would have to go on a 15-minute hike up the hill to reach the retreat center.
On the first day, Malikah said that the retreat manager took the girls from the main road and drove them up the hill. This would be how they got up and down from the center. But early on during a downhill hike, Malikah spotted a red flag that she ignored.
Getting left behind during a hike
They went on a group hike downhill. Although it wasn’t a difficult hike, Malikah exercised caution. As an experienced hiker, she preferred going uphill rather than downhill. Malikah believed that downhill hikes tend to be more dangerous, so she intentionally slowed her pace down.
One of the staff members also joined in the hike to create content. Meanwhile, the Pilates instructor was out front, leading the way.
“We pause for some content, and then the girls just completely vanish. We have no idea where they are,” Malikah alleged. She said that the staff member with them was recovering from a recent injury. Hence, she and Malikah shared the same slow pace. Although they got left behind, Malikah didn’t see any problems and continued with the retreat.
She got food poisoning
“I spent about a day and a half, nearly two days, glued to the toilet.” On the second day of the retreat, Malikah stated that she got struck by what she believes was food poisoning. As her condition worsened, Malikah realized that her food poisoning may need further medication.
“By this day, the girls had arranged a tour to one of the villages. They’re doing a tour bus, then they’re going on a boat,” Malikah recalled. Since she was sick, she decided to hop on the tour bus to get medical supplies in town. When she reached the pharmacy, the lady told her to go to a doctor for a prescription. Malikah went to urgent care, had to do lab work, wait for results, and buy medication.
“They know that I’ve been sick. But like, no one checked on me, no one texted me, no one messaged me,” Malikah stated. She also alleged that none of the girls checked up on her while she was sick at the villa for a day and a half. Nobody wants to be left behind during a hike by their loved ones.
Given her sick state, Malikah may have expected more concern from her newfound group or even the coordinators of the retreat. Before heading back, she messaged the retreat manager and asked if she could pick Malikah up at the bus stop because she wasn’t in a condition to hike.
The irony of being neglected at a wellness retreat
“She said no,” Malikah alleged. She still had to climb the hill when they got back. Although the Pilates teacher and another girl tried to stay behind and help her with her belongings, they ended up going ahead of Malikah. The hike up was supposed to take about 15 minutes. But because of Malikah’s state, she said that it took her a total of 35 minutes to reach the summit.
“I would have been found by a farmer with the goats before they even thought about it,” Malikah said. She maintained that if she had passed away during the retreat and the girls were interviewed, they probably would have said that they had no idea why.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
