Today was quite possible the worst day of my life. I am dieing without internet! The group of teachers are emailing events back and forth and then I will get a text 5 mins before the meeting saying “Hey are you coming to dinner?” No! I didn’t get the memo! Then it’s “oh just take the 334 to the k115 to SeaWorld, they will know what you mean if you say Sea World, it’s a huge fancy area.” Well how about I just cry in my room alone because that was actually happens.
So I text my contact teacher and say I am going to SeaWorld and just wanted to double check my directions.
And she texts back “this is not possible.”
Thanks for clearing that up, do you know the best way to get there?
“22”
I hate texting! 22 from where? Which direction? How long dose it take? Is there a McDonalds? These are the answers I was looking for. So I walk down to the bus stop and see if maybe there are signs or something. Oh there are signs alright, in all Chinese characters, none of which include the 4 characters I learned. So I figure I will just ask the bus attendant when I get on. So I get on the bus and sit down when I realize there is not attendant to pay and everyone else used the front door and paid the driver. So I sit there contemplating when is the best time to stand up and risk my life walking up to the front of the bus as he speeds through pot holes and over curbs. I see him look at me in the mirror and figure I better go now before he kicks me out. So luckily we are at a red light and I run put the money in the box and say “to SeaWorld” He looks at me like I am crazy and says something I don’t understand. So I stand there looking pitiful for a while and then say “Ok, I’ll figure it out. xie xie!” and scurry back to my seat. I see some water and the driver pulls off into this construction area and turns around and yells something at me. So I figure he must have understood me and this must be the way to SeaWorld! So I say thank you and get off. This is not SeaWorld. It is smelly and dirty and deserted. I look around for someone to follow and the only other lady in sight is carrying fish guts in a bag on her back and wearing knee high boat shoes. This can’t be a good sign! So after what seems like years I wend my way back to the street and the previous bus stop, now going the opposite direction. So I pretend to study the signs that I can’t read and after chickening out a 3 times , I get the courage to ask these 2 young girls in my best Chinese. “SeaWorld, this way? Take 22?” they understood the 22 part and pointed to the sign I didn’t understand. Then they discuss with each other for a minute and say, in their collaborative English, “ not this 22 that one(pointing across the street).” Which is the bus I had just gotten off. So I truck back across the busy street, another death defying experience. And I remember from my previous bus trips that only the buses with AC have a attendant to take your money, otherwise I don’t think you can get change for the driver bc well he is driving. And I had just used all my change for the first trip to the fish guts lady. So I decide to wait for the AC bus for what seemed like forever. I saw plenty of 22 buses all with no AC so I finally gave up figuring it was an hour after everyone was suposta meet for dinner and they were probably all gone. So I start walking back retracing the bus’ path. Half way back to my apartment I find a KFC and get a little teary eyed thinking about getting my potato fix. So its crazy busy and I become a tourist attraction getting looked up and down every where I look and I kick myself for confirming the stereotype of the fat American in the KFC. At least the waitress answered me in pigeon English. So unlike America the seats are super small and the tables are literally on top of each other. So I rub up against a million people and end up sitting practically on top of 4 girls studying together. I wonder if these maybe my students, after a few minutes they switch to their English homework and my ears perk up! It is so good to hear English again! But after a few sentences they look at me and giggle apparently nervous to speak English in front of me and decided to pack up and move on. Maybe bc I was the creepy lady smiling while ease dropping on them. Normally I wouldn’t think twice about it but Today it was salt in an open wound. I took a bite of my mashed potatoes and almost spit them back out! No salt! No butter! No milk! What was this! I might have cried a little in my inedible potatoes. I had to hold the tears back all the way back to the apartment aware of the stares from everyone I passed with the echo of “wai ren or foreigner.” I got inside my burning hot apartment and let the tears out. I ran and sat on my bed and “boom!” that’s right as if this day couldn’t get any worse the bed frame broke. I might have yelled a few profanities comforted that no one who heard would know what I was saying. I threw my clothes soaking wet with sweat in the washer and decide I am never changing out of my PJs again. The icing on the cake, my clothes come out with a mysterious blue ink stain across the chest and back. FML
So I text my contact teacher and say I am going to SeaWorld and just wanted to double check my directions.
And she texts back “this is not possible.”
Thanks for clearing that up, do you know the best way to get there?
“22”
I hate texting! 22 from where? Which direction? How long dose it take? Is there a McDonalds? These are the answers I was looking for. So I walk down to the bus stop and see if maybe there are signs or something. Oh there are signs alright, in all Chinese characters, none of which include the 4 characters I learned. So I figure I will just ask the bus attendant when I get on. So I get on the bus and sit down when I realize there is not attendant to pay and everyone else used the front door and paid the driver. So I sit there contemplating when is the best time to stand up and risk my life walking up to the front of the bus as he speeds through pot holes and over curbs. I see him look at me in the mirror and figure I better go now before he kicks me out. So luckily we are at a red light and I run put the money in the box and say “to SeaWorld” He looks at me like I am crazy and says something I don’t understand. So I stand there looking pitiful for a while and then say “Ok, I’ll figure it out. xie xie!” and scurry back to my seat. I see some water and the driver pulls off into this construction area and turns around and yells something at me. So I figure he must have understood me and this must be the way to SeaWorld! So I say thank you and get off. This is not SeaWorld. It is smelly and dirty and deserted. I look around for someone to follow and the only other lady in sight is carrying fish guts in a bag on her back and wearing knee high boat shoes. This can’t be a good sign! So after what seems like years I wend my way back to the street and the previous bus stop, now going the opposite direction. So I pretend to study the signs that I can’t read and after chickening out a 3 times , I get the courage to ask these 2 young girls in my best Chinese. “SeaWorld, this way? Take 22?” they understood the 22 part and pointed to the sign I didn’t understand. Then they discuss with each other for a minute and say, in their collaborative English, “ not this 22 that one(pointing across the street).” Which is the bus I had just gotten off. So I truck back across the busy street, another death defying experience. And I remember from my previous bus trips that only the buses with AC have a attendant to take your money, otherwise I don’t think you can get change for the driver bc well he is driving. And I had just used all my change for the first trip to the fish guts lady. So I decide to wait for the AC bus for what seemed like forever. I saw plenty of 22 buses all with no AC so I finally gave up figuring it was an hour after everyone was suposta meet for dinner and they were probably all gone. So I start walking back retracing the bus’ path. Half way back to my apartment I find a KFC and get a little teary eyed thinking about getting my potato fix. So its crazy busy and I become a tourist attraction getting looked up and down every where I look and I kick myself for confirming the stereotype of the fat American in the KFC. At least the waitress answered me in pigeon English. So unlike America the seats are super small and the tables are literally on top of each other. So I rub up against a million people and end up sitting practically on top of 4 girls studying together. I wonder if these maybe my students, after a few minutes they switch to their English homework and my ears perk up! It is so good to hear English again! But after a few sentences they look at me and giggle apparently nervous to speak English in front of me and decided to pack up and move on. Maybe bc I was the creepy lady smiling while ease dropping on them. Normally I wouldn’t think twice about it but Today it was salt in an open wound. I took a bite of my mashed potatoes and almost spit them back out! No salt! No butter! No milk! What was this! I might have cried a little in my inedible potatoes. I had to hold the tears back all the way back to the apartment aware of the stares from everyone I passed with the echo of “wai ren or foreigner.” I got inside my burning hot apartment and let the tears out. I ran and sat on my bed and “boom!” that’s right as if this day couldn’t get any worse the bed frame broke. I might have yelled a few profanities comforted that no one who heard would know what I was saying. I threw my clothes soaking wet with sweat in the washer and decide I am never changing out of my PJs again. The icing on the cake, my clothes come out with a mysterious blue ink stain across the chest and back. FML
Angel of God, my guardan dear, for whom God'slove protects me here, Forever this day be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule, to guide. Amen.
ReplyDeleteWow that sounds like a rough day!!! I'm really sorry just keep your head up things will get better in time! I will pray that will start looking up for you! <3
ReplyDeleteOh man, well, with the worst day behind you, you can look forward to everything else from this point forward! :) I know, sunny optimism is annoying when all you want to do is be mad, but look at the bright side: Now when anything else goes wrong, you can remember that day and it will smack some perspective into you! lol.
ReplyDeleteSo, it's Sept. 3rd now, how was that 1st day of class??