Thursday, February 17, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Sometimes, you just meet the most interesting people...
It's no mystery by now that I am awkward...
... I mean, why else would I have created this blog?
However, my life also highly demonstrates my potential of getting into awkward situations and meeting other awkward people in very interesting ways. Here's more proof of this:
I ride the bus everyday to and from the office. As I was waiting for my bus to arrive yesterday, this guy walked up the the stop and stood directly behind me. Pretty weird in general, because anything behind you is a blind spot. I kind of glanced around and then turned back to face the street again. Another minute passed and he moved up right next to me. "I wish there was at least one bloody cloud in the sky," he said without really looking at me. I just did my awkward pity laugh that I do when I don't know anything else to say. Then I remembered, oh yeah, Kiwis LOVE to talk about the weather (fact... they do... probably because it literally changes DRASTICALLY each day... not kidding)... so I decided to just keep talking about the weather. About how hot it was on that particular day, how rainy it was the day before, and how I am glad I am not back in the States where Chicago seems to keep getting blasted with all the crazy snowstorms. He started asking me all sorts of questions about America: What are the people like, job opportunities, cities, the party scenes... etc... I then asked him where he was from, and at this point, this kid just starts RANTING and spilling his guts to me. Telling me how much he didn't get along with his family, how he moves every couple of months just because he is bored, how he has no interest in finding a job because he has government benefit money to hold him over for awhile, and about the new flat he found for $110 a week.
At that moment, I was pretty excited when my bus showed up. But as soon as I stood up, he stood up with me and continued talking, I realized that this must have been his bus as well. Once I got on the bus, he kind of paused from talking. No one was really on the bus - PLENTY of open seats around me - and he comes over to me and says, "This seat taken?" And sat right now next to me. I thought to myself, 'Alright, just 15 more minutes and you're all good.' Our conversation on the bus? Him asking me, "OKAY, guess how old I am? I bet you can't get it right... Everyone thinks I am a lot younger than I look." To me, this guy looked about 30, but going off of what he said, I replied, "Hmmm... 23? 24?" He just starts laughing, "NO! I am 19!" WHAT?! No way... maybe like 10 years ago... So I decided to test him as well since 'how old are you?' is one of the most common questions people ask me. He thought I was 16. Big surprise there. Then he started talking about how he smokes and chews tobacco (hence one reason he might look so old) and then we started debating on why someone should or should not smoke.
I was extremely relieved when I saw my stop in the distance. I asked him where he was headed (since my stop is one of the last few on the route) and he responded, "Oh, no where really... I have nothing really to do until my mate picks me back up at the mall later..." Soooooo he just decided to ride the bus with me because he was bored? Alrighttttttt kind of creepy, but whatever. Needless to say, I got off the bus rather quickly...
I found out his name was Ryan... so I may or may not be seeing him around... he DOES know my bus stop, so I wouldn't be surprised after THIS encounter...
... I mean, why else would I have created this blog?
However, my life also highly demonstrates my potential of getting into awkward situations and meeting other awkward people in very interesting ways. Here's more proof of this:
I ride the bus everyday to and from the office. As I was waiting for my bus to arrive yesterday, this guy walked up the the stop and stood directly behind me. Pretty weird in general, because anything behind you is a blind spot. I kind of glanced around and then turned back to face the street again. Another minute passed and he moved up right next to me. "I wish there was at least one bloody cloud in the sky," he said without really looking at me. I just did my awkward pity laugh that I do when I don't know anything else to say. Then I remembered, oh yeah, Kiwis LOVE to talk about the weather (fact... they do... probably because it literally changes DRASTICALLY each day... not kidding)... so I decided to just keep talking about the weather. About how hot it was on that particular day, how rainy it was the day before, and how I am glad I am not back in the States where Chicago seems to keep getting blasted with all the crazy snowstorms. He started asking me all sorts of questions about America: What are the people like, job opportunities, cities, the party scenes... etc... I then asked him where he was from, and at this point, this kid just starts RANTING and spilling his guts to me. Telling me how much he didn't get along with his family, how he moves every couple of months just because he is bored, how he has no interest in finding a job because he has government benefit money to hold him over for awhile, and about the new flat he found for $110 a week.
At that moment, I was pretty excited when my bus showed up. But as soon as I stood up, he stood up with me and continued talking, I realized that this must have been his bus as well. Once I got on the bus, he kind of paused from talking. No one was really on the bus - PLENTY of open seats around me - and he comes over to me and says, "This seat taken?" And sat right now next to me. I thought to myself, 'Alright, just 15 more minutes and you're all good.' Our conversation on the bus? Him asking me, "OKAY, guess how old I am? I bet you can't get it right... Everyone thinks I am a lot younger than I look." To me, this guy looked about 30, but going off of what he said, I replied, "Hmmm... 23? 24?" He just starts laughing, "NO! I am 19!" WHAT?! No way... maybe like 10 years ago... So I decided to test him as well since 'how old are you?' is one of the most common questions people ask me. He thought I was 16. Big surprise there. Then he started talking about how he smokes and chews tobacco (hence one reason he might look so old) and then we started debating on why someone should or should not smoke.
I was extremely relieved when I saw my stop in the distance. I asked him where he was headed (since my stop is one of the last few on the route) and he responded, "Oh, no where really... I have nothing really to do until my mate picks me back up at the mall later..." Soooooo he just decided to ride the bus with me because he was bored? Alrighttttttt kind of creepy, but whatever. Needless to say, I got off the bus rather quickly...
I found out his name was Ryan... so I may or may not be seeing him around... he DOES know my bus stop, so I wouldn't be surprised after THIS encounter...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Metro Mega Fall
Since I am too scared to drive on the left side of the street (and too cheap to get a car for 6 months), my choice of transportation is the Metro bus. I have notice a DRASTIC difference between the public transportation system here in ChristChurch versus that of Omaha or even Chicago... It is SUPER nice. Really really clean and almost everyone takes it. It's pretty cool, actually.
So, I was on my way to work this morning, and it was my official first day of taking the bus all by myself so I could get used to the system. I was really excited, because I got on my right line at the right time and I arrived at my stop. NO PROBLEMS. I was so proud.
Then came the matter of getting OFF the bus. Rule here is: People get off the bus first and then let everyone else at the stop on. Well, I was toward the front of the bus so that basically meant I was the first one responsible for getting off. I stand up, walk off... and TOTALLY underestimated how far the footpath (sidewalk) was from the bus... and ate it. And of course, the bud stop was totally full of people trying to get on and a lot of people on the bus waiting to get off because it is a really popular stop.
Luckily, people in NZ are way nicer than people in the states and a couple people helped me up. I brushed off and after thanking people, I walked quickly to the office.
Just because I am on the opposite side of the world doesn't mean that my awkwardness didn't follow me here...
So, I was on my way to work this morning, and it was my official first day of taking the bus all by myself so I could get used to the system. I was really excited, because I got on my right line at the right time and I arrived at my stop. NO PROBLEMS. I was so proud.
Then came the matter of getting OFF the bus. Rule here is: People get off the bus first and then let everyone else at the stop on. Well, I was toward the front of the bus so that basically meant I was the first one responsible for getting off. I stand up, walk off... and TOTALLY underestimated how far the footpath (sidewalk) was from the bus... and ate it. And of course, the bud stop was totally full of people trying to get on and a lot of people on the bus waiting to get off because it is a really popular stop.
Luckily, people in NZ are way nicer than people in the states and a couple people helped me up. I brushed off and after thanking people, I walked quickly to the office.
Just because I am on the opposite side of the world doesn't mean that my awkwardness didn't follow me here...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)