In the course of one's life, it is wise to say yes to random propositions by one's friends to meet up at 7 the next morning to hop on a train to another city for a day of fun.
Especially when they offer this to you at midnight. Who needs sleep anyways?
It's true, my life has seemed a little bit like "Yes Man" the past few months.
Kebabs at 2 am?
Barcelona for reading week?
Red pants?
Foster The People concert?
Homemade colombian food?
Rock and Roll dancing lessons?
The question is never why, but why not?
Of course, one must keep a certain sense of how drastic to be in order to experience life in another country. Learning the how to fend off creepy men (see story below), get past pissy train ticket sellers, make friends and still get an average of 7 hours of sleep is difficult.
But I get my homework done, find time to "study" by watching youtube videos of french rap songs, and bake brownies for my house family. Taking a gap year has taught me (with my semi-anal perfectionist ways) that at the end of the day, it is about passing. You can't do it all perfectly.
Learning this, before going into a hyper competitive environment with grades, tests, boatloads of homework (Yuuuuuck) and freaking out peers, is excellent. I suggest everyone tries it.
Today I went (indeed at 7am) to Angers with my friendsies. We passed a lovely day of mixing up five languages (English, French, Spanish Italian and German), seeing a chateau and hanging out in random parks. Awkward, uncomfortable and rather amusing incident happened with a "draguer" (someone who creeps on you/hits on you) on the train. This man of a certain age boarded the train with a certain eye towards all the ladies in our group. He then proceeded to try and take photos of some of us (was told off very sternly). He still stared and made creepy faces at us.
Friend: I don't like it. I am a very territorial male, I protect members of my herd.
<3
As we got off the tram he gave his number to a friend and started smoking. We realized that a spectacular opportunity had been missed. She should've asked for a light and burnt the paper with it.
But alas, we can't do it all.
Note to my parents: Can you email me the recipes for the two lasagna's that we use to conquer the world?
Funny story I forgot to tell a while ago. So I was sortiring with a group of my english speaking friends and we were overheard by some less-than-sober french guys. They immediately asked us...
Bourré: Where do you come from?
Friend: Oregon.
Bourré: Where is that?
Friend: Above California. (huge explosion of joy at this statement)
Bourré: AH, California, avec les gros seins!
California, forever more known as the state of big boobs.
Showing posts with label bar adventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bar adventures. Show all posts
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Tardiness
One thing I wish I was is more confident.
One some levels I pride myself on being extraordinarily confident. In finding various programs and opportunities for my gap year, networking and asking around become like a second nature. I had at least twenty ideas of what I was going to do, slowly narrowing it down. Funnily enough I'm still working on the next piece anyways.
But an experience I had yesterday was a bit of a wake up call. I was waiting at a bar where one of my best friends here works, for another friend to meet up with me. She was late. (Side note: this friend is German... my sense of stereotypes was very befuddled, since she is ALWAYS late).
I chatted a little with one of the british bartenders, who was extraordinarily nice. We bonded over gun violence in our respective cities (Minneapolis, Birmingham) and drinking age laws. Other than that, I took a post by the door and said nothing. So I was a little nervous, speaking good enough french and understanding most things, but surrounded by people I don't know and succumbing a little to negative thoughts.
I think I should go home.
It's not worth it.
I'm so boooored.
Everyone is staring at me, do I have something on my nose? (This is a valid fear. I have had things on my face for HOURS without knowing it. Once I ordered train tickets from the station with chocolate smeared across my chin. Was told a full 40 minutes later by some buddies. Sad day.)
Everyone was staring at me, because I was a pretty funny sight. A young student age woman standing stiffly by the door in a packed and jovial bar, speaking to no one.
Was finally rescued by some Colombian guys, who invited me to sit with them while we waited for our respectively late friends. Our friends showed up two minutes later, together. Turns out my friend got lost and asked for directions from their friend.
The rest of the evening wasn't too eventful. I discovered I'm not much of a nightclub person mostly because I prefer dances with a partner. I'll stick with salsa, merengue, bachata, le rock and swing. Not random gyrating movements.
I had to leave the club early with said German friend so she could catch a bus and me so I could get walked home by a friend who was getting off work. I ended up staying at the bar where he worked and chatting with the owners and fellow bartenders.
Moral of the histoire: Be willing to go out on a limb and chat with people you don't know. Dont be the awkward blonde girl sitting on the corner without friends.
One some levels I pride myself on being extraordinarily confident. In finding various programs and opportunities for my gap year, networking and asking around become like a second nature. I had at least twenty ideas of what I was going to do, slowly narrowing it down. Funnily enough I'm still working on the next piece anyways.
But an experience I had yesterday was a bit of a wake up call. I was waiting at a bar where one of my best friends here works, for another friend to meet up with me. She was late. (Side note: this friend is German... my sense of stereotypes was very befuddled, since she is ALWAYS late).
I chatted a little with one of the british bartenders, who was extraordinarily nice. We bonded over gun violence in our respective cities (Minneapolis, Birmingham) and drinking age laws. Other than that, I took a post by the door and said nothing. So I was a little nervous, speaking good enough french and understanding most things, but surrounded by people I don't know and succumbing a little to negative thoughts.
I think I should go home.
It's not worth it.
I'm so boooored.
Everyone is staring at me, do I have something on my nose? (This is a valid fear. I have had things on my face for HOURS without knowing it. Once I ordered train tickets from the station with chocolate smeared across my chin. Was told a full 40 minutes later by some buddies. Sad day.)
Everyone was staring at me, because I was a pretty funny sight. A young student age woman standing stiffly by the door in a packed and jovial bar, speaking to no one.
Was finally rescued by some Colombian guys, who invited me to sit with them while we waited for our respectively late friends. Our friends showed up two minutes later, together. Turns out my friend got lost and asked for directions from their friend.
The rest of the evening wasn't too eventful. I discovered I'm not much of a nightclub person mostly because I prefer dances with a partner. I'll stick with salsa, merengue, bachata, le rock and swing. Not random gyrating movements.
I had to leave the club early with said German friend so she could catch a bus and me so I could get walked home by a friend who was getting off work. I ended up staying at the bar where he worked and chatting with the owners and fellow bartenders.
Moral of the histoire: Be willing to go out on a limb and chat with people you don't know. Dont be the awkward blonde girl sitting on the corner without friends.
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