Zurich, Switzerland
2013

Around the tram station, I look out my window and see two men in Robin Hood costumes. Shoes, hat, tights and all. Green and brown. That same week or month, driving back when I stop for some pedestrians crossing. It doesn't click until after they have fully walked across, that these two guys are in robes, in the middle of winter, with some rain boots on.

Zurich, Switzerland
May 2013

Driving from the dry cleaners I believe, I look over to my right some guy is standing and waiting for the bus. He has a red clown nose, no big deal.

Zurich, Switzerland
May 2013

Got on the train, this is probably the time I rushed to catch the train and did not finish painting my nails. So I did them at the train station, outside, in the dark. There was one lamp post. When I got on the train I could not believe what I saw. Let's just say, Miriam never do this again. This is the second time I have painted my nails and it looks like a baby did them.

I sat down and across from me there was a couple. They were not making out, they were not reciting poetry to each other. The girl was combing her boyfriends' hair. He had such long, luscious blonde hair. You know those Romance books old ladies read? The cover always has some overly buff guy and he has long hair and is standing on some sort of cliff or boat and it is blowing and slightly wavy. Yes, that hair.

At first I thought it was kind of weird, but they were cute in a way as well, and he got very shiny hair because of her help.

Rome, Italy
June 2013

A good Samaritan. As I mentioned before, getting around the city was pretty simple for the most part, however things always come up, and sometimes you need a direction or help.

I got to one station and I placed my ticket in but it would not come out. I could not cross to the other side, and would have to buy another day ticket. Some lady noticed and called one of the Metro security over to help me. He tried but nothing happened and let me come to the other side. But I told him it was a day pass not a 100 minute ticket.

So then 2 people standing by saw, and passed over their ticket to try to push it through. Did not work, the other one took out a heavy duty xacto knife, because we all walk around with those in our bags, and it did the trick! They missed their first train unfortunatly, but were very, very kind people. Kind people still exist.

Rome to Zurich
June 2013

Taking the plane back home, was a bit tired from the day and just wanted to finish my book and relax on the short flight home. A man sat beside me but left a space in between and in that seat put his bags. Or man purse.

But at take-off he moved to the middle seat. And doesn't matter if you're reading a book, listening to music, picking your nose, people will still talk to you. So he begins by saying if I am from Switzerland and if I liked Rome.

Then on and on about his life, how he has been in Zurich for 3 years, how he likes it better. How old am I? Why am I not married? Why do I want to not live in Canada...

My book has like 3 pages left, come on!

And the best question for last, this is where the conversation stopped.

Do you like disco?

What??

Do you like to go to disco?

No.

Headphones in, Sean Paul till landing.

Rome
June 2013

I had just left the place I was staying at and headed for the Metro to go into the city/new place. I get there and see there gates are closed? Strange, head to the next one and realize the LED sign saying Strike! On just the line I need!

But no worries, bus is along the route. Luckily I realize I am on the right side of the road/direction. I get to the stop and ask a man about how to get to the city. He speaks on Italian so somehow we manage to understand each other. I really don't know how this always happens. I have learned a lot this year through hand signals and basic words...surprising how long these conversations can go.

So, when he tried to explain as much as he could he asked the other lady who was waiting at the stop if she spoke English. She said she spoke Spanish too, I told her the one Spanish line I know (ok there are more..) but this didn't help.

More people arrive, some don't bother to wait, one girl takes a taxi others just start walking towards the city.

So we waited..and waited..more people came..a lady..a lady with a baby..a guy talking on his phone nas trying to hitchhike after waiting..3 buses passed with deposito! I was ready to just grab a taxi. After waiting over an hour and 15-30 minutes a bus came! We all sighed with relief, I was ready to say Mamma Mia right here..and guess what. It is packed! Like a can of sardines!

But no way the lady and the man from the start we try to get close to the door. Then the man grabs me and the lady and people from behind start to push us in. But we are on the edge of the bus, the doors cannot close. There is a man telling the people in the back to move back more. We made it! The poor lady with her baby/carriage did not or the others.

I have not stood this close to people in public since 2002 after World Youth Day in Toronto. It was hot,  you could not even fall over because there was just no room to fall over and I had my bag. The people that were at the stop waiting for us we collected along the way! They had walked so far from the stop! There was also the smallest, cute lady ever.

There was also some ladies that began to fight with each other, one slapped the other one over the head. I just kept laughing because I had no idea what was going on, everyone was just yelling and talking. There was a lady who kept banging on the glass to come in and even the bus driver yelled back at her, there was just no room! There was an old man who started to talk to me. The man from the bus stop and I looked at each other, he knew I knew no Italian. But I kept replying, si, si back to this old man. After he realized I could not speak.

In the end I made it to the city. Ran off that bus and onto another bus, a bit packed but not as crazy. Did not pay for any bus fares and made it to my appointment, sweating like crazy in a leather jacket.

Rome
June 2013

I was meeting someone at the train station after a morning of Flea market browsing. However, we had planned to meet at one station, it was a train station though. But we said Metro. I did not have a phone with me and somehow before leaving I knew this was not a good plan. So basically we were both going from one station to the other looking for each other. And the pay phones in Italy do not seem to work for me at all. I tried them like 10 times..

So I began asking some people for help, maybe I had mistaken where to meet? I asked some ladies sitting on a bench. Only Italian, but turns out they spoke some Eastern European language and so I spoke Polish and they tried to explain the train vs. metro. Then pointed the direction to the metro I had been at, but I understood it as something else. So then a man who was listening said he'd take me over there and show me. I found that a lot actually, people were very welcoming and took time to help, no matter then language barrier. I found a good group of people. Most people are in such a rush but they take their time and try to help in anyway. Thanks Italy.

Anyways, this was a mistake to go with this man, basically he took my hand and dragged me like a doll or puppy to the Metro kissing my hand. I forgot to wash my hands after that. And we walked by the gypsies selling things, and the clothing stalls and made it. It felt like the longest walk ever. But I told him this was not what I was looking for and said thanks, ciao.

Then asked another pair sitting on a bench but we couldn't understand each other when another man came and brought me back to where I started. I asked him if he knew how to use the phone, but then offered his phone! But my friend did not pick up. After I left him and went upstairs to the main entrance and said thank you very much for all his help. After I saw those two ladies again and they hoped everything was going to turn out fine. And then the man came back! Don't worry not the hand holding one. The other one with the phone, saying he got a call back. And then it all worked out after that. 30 minutes..actually 45 minutes later. ;)

Zurich
June 2013

Two stories in one. It has been awhile since I have posted. Mainly because I have forgotten, have no time and its harder to understand strangers when you don't speak the same language. But they still occur. Less likely in Zurich, for the most part people keep to themselves I find.

Today I went back to German school, before I went to Starbucks to see if a friend was working. I asked for a tall green tea lemonade. They understood it as a tall green tea with lemon! What! I never knew that even existed? We never had lemon flavour. Whatever it was +25 but a hot cup of tea was good, too. Iced. Come on, I worked there for how long and forgot the magic word.

On my way to the Lake to study before class there was a great, royal swam just sitting in the middle of the busy road near the main train station. I had to laugh out loud it just wouldn't move, cars honking and everything.

Then I found a nice spot on the dock and began my overdue studying. I am not very good at it. But I had got into a rhythm and was doing well. When suddenly a man comes and sits near by, and says good morning. I say it back and you'd think that would be it..no..it is never just it!

So then he begins to throw bread at the ducks (there are some weird ducks here, so colourful) right over my head. I am just waiting for a chunk of bread to fall on my head..I have yet to check my hair for breadcrumbs.

And then it begins, he sees my notes and asks about my language studying. So in my horrible German I explain that I am studying before class. Then he says, gut, and how old am I? And where I am from? Oh I speak Polish, he is from Hungary! Ok.. Then somehow he starts talking about his life. I understood maybe 65% of it. At first I thought he worked at a paper packaging company. But then he showed me a picture of Nesespresso so then I thought that. Then he said something about engineering. So still not sure what he does. But he is from Hungary and the work there was not good. When he came to Zurich 10 years ago he was happy to have left. Jobs are not good in Italy, Spain, etc. he says. He became a manager here, back home he could not get this position.

So on and on he went about his life. And about commercial brands. He showed me his Tommy Hilifger bag that was filled with his loaf of bread and a carton of milk. He says this is a good meal, no Mcdonalds' hamburgers. Then he said he doesn't need Adidas shoes, he showed me his boots, which by the way were sitting beside him, I did not notice when he even took them off. He had very wooly socks, long corduroy pants and a thick top. It was over +25! He points to all his clothes saying that none of it is brands, you need to invest. He then for some reason while pinching his clothes to show me sniffed his underarms..

I then was just tired of saying "Ja..ja" and nodding and decided to go early to class. He asked if I am around here every morning. I said no because of work. I lost a very special study spot. :(