Gave me a laugh

I seem to always be in a situation that is awkward or funny or uncomfortable. And sometimes all three!! I try and write them down because they always bring more laughs when you need them. SO here are some that have happened in the past few weeks that I can think of, hopefully you get a laugh like I did when they happened.

June 16, 2018: While in Spain, I have followed some fashion trends - the most recent being platform sandals. AND THEY ARE SO CUTE. However, I wouldn't describe myself as someone who is good at walking taller than I actually am. While walking up a hill on cobblestone in one of the neighboring pueblos, I rolled my ankle in front of the 10 people in this town and almost went all the way down. BUT I caught myself, but my friend and I could not stop laughing hysterically. 

May 17, 2018: When my grandparents came to visit, we only had a few hours to squeeze in so many things and people... so when I realized we had to make the next bus, I said, "we gotta run" and man, did we run. We had to sprint to make some buses. SO shoutout to those guys who seriously ran to make it. Y'all are killing it. 

 My dad's only request after hearing this story was that when he visits that he doesn't have to sprint for any buses.

May 13, 2018: I met some friends in Copenhagen, Denmark for a weekend trip. We joked about making shirts for the trip to be obnoxious Americans, but nothing was ever planned. Once I got there, a white shirt was given to me. The front said, "Culture Me", and the back said, "American and Single". Our jackets were on the entire time, except we died laughing taking pictures in our matching shirts.  

  

April 21, 2018: I lost a bet on who could win more games of pingpong, bowling, and pool. The loser had to wear a monkey costume around the city on a date the winner planned. I didn't see any of my students, luckily, but I did hear a lot of "que mono" and lots of pointing. But I got a delicious meal of jamon, queso and red wine. 

March 23, 2018: Today, CJ and I went to pick up our numbers for our half-marathon tomorrow. There was a place to take pictures. This was our conversation, the man: "Are you running the race tomorrow?" My immediate answer, "Unfortunately." He laughed, but I was serious. 

 

March 18, 2018: Packing for a 12 day trip is hard enough, whether it is summer or winter, when all you want to bring is a backpack. But winter is a different story, I'm currently packing for a trip in a week which is not anywhere as close as difficult as when I was packing for Budapest and Prague. I found a video I sent my family of how I pack - which is basically to wear as many layers as possible.  

  

March 8, 2018: Quick story: today I was riding my bike and it was super windy. Like it probably would've been faster walking. So this bikes seat was pretty high when i got it and my laziness and tardiness convinced me I should just jump up there and start riding. And it worked until I had to stop at a stoplight. Then my overeagerness convinced me I could just jump up again, but I was in the open road with the wind winning our battle. I basically fell off and then noticed the 3 bikers behind me. WHO WOULDN'T JUST PASS ME. They had to awkwardly wait for me to try and jump up again and again. Fourth try was the winner. But made it to school on time #mylife

March 3, 2018: My 6 year old host brother was caught giving advice to his younger sister, "If you don't like the food, then just throw it under the table. But don't throw it under your chair. You have it throw it under your brother or sisters chair, so your parents think it was them and not you." Brilliant.

The Mastermind

February 28, 2018: Life in a few words, "I got pulled over while riding my bike". I somehow got out of a 200 euro fine. I was lectured about riding my bike on the sidewalk and how I should ride on a street - with the insane Spanish drivers. (but I didn't get a ticket, so life is still good.)

February 8, 2018: "What is teaching English as a foreign language?" Or "what is it like having fifteen 11-12 year olds in a classroom?" Well here it is captured on accident while filming their theaters. Be prepared to hear a stressed twenty-three year old say, "no", "sit down", and "stop" more times than she ever expected. 

Most Days: So for some reason most kids in primary school are super concerned with my love life, seriously it's one of the first questions I'm asked!! "Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?" Currently I am giving different answers to every kid to keep them on their toes, but whenever I open my laptop there is a sticker of Tim Riggins (courtesy of Alexis). Which immediately gives them the idea that this must be my boyfriend and I don't like to tell them no, so most think I am dating Tim Riggins... spread the word!!!   

January 18, 2018: Today was a very relaxed day at school with my 5th and 6th graders playing football, basketball or dodgeball tournaments for most of it. At the end of the day the teachers were doing a tug-of-war against each other. I was happily ready to watch them pull it out, however I somehow ended at the end of the line supposedly being the "strongest". My team lost (I wouldn't say I was helping us) and after two of my 5th grade boys told me, "Liz, you need to go to the gym".... hahahaha to be fair I have no arm strength and I am okay with that. I did appreciate my cheer leaders chanting, "Liz! Liz! Liz!" 

December 29, 2017: So traveling on a budget means staying at hostels in the cheapest room, i.e. a mixed room of 10-20 people. My bed was a chairs distance away from the next bed (like an arms length = not far enough!!!) So after a long day of traveling I was the first asleep in this hostel, I rolled over in the middle of the night after all the partiers had returned and passed out. I slightly opened my eyes and noticed this boy next to me, completely knocked out, on top of the covers, wearing only a speedo. It was too much to see at 4 in the morning and I quickly rolled back over. The rest of the night was spent on one side facing the wall because it would've been too much for us to both wake up and looking into each other's eyes. hahahahaha 

December 6, 2017: Flights are always interesting and never easy for me. I love flying, but I always have that strange luck that isn't actually lucky. One reason, I never can go through security without being stopped. Seriously, every time I have to unzip my backpack where everything that is stuffed in rolls out. Or I wear lots of layers and then you have to take off your belt and my favorite baggy jeans fall every time. Two, I always get seated next to difficult travelers. I had one man pull out a bag of three boiled eggs to eat... add that to also sitting in the row next to the toilets. What a flight.

November 28, 2017: In my 5th grade classes, the kids are learning the phrase "I am good at..." and "I am not good at..." and so I was practicing speaking and writing with each team of 4 or 5 kids at a time. One specific kid, who loves loves LOVES to mimic me, gave his example. "I am good at football, but I am not good at listening to Liz." It was the perfect example. I couldn't help but agree.

November 15, 2017: I have been craving an American breakfast. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love pancakes, like anytime anywhere. So after a friend found a place and sending me the address, I made plans to go less than 24 hours later... a 20 minute walk from my school - a friend and I walked during our 2 hour lunch. One could say, we were ready to eat. After ordering the largest plate on the menu, the waiter brought it out to us. A couple minutes later (9 to be exact) he walked back and all he said was, "oh ok, so ready for dessert?" You could say he was a little taken aback at how quickly we ate all that food. But then he gave us cake and I think his mind was blown even more. Just wait until he spots us there AGAIN tomorrow.

October 31, 2017: Happy Halloween - Today during school, I was having a difficult time controlling one class (like normal) so i allowed the trouble makers to go to the bathroom once they asked in English. I didn't notice when one came back, he had blood running down his leg..... A few minutes later all of his friends (also troublemakers) called me over and he was on the floor holding his leg. They're all panicking and telling me how he needs to go to the nurse and how they all have to carry him. (At least that's what I got out of all the rapid Spanish being yelled at me by 10 year old boys). I told him to go to Laura, the English teacher, and then all of a sudden he was insisting he was fine. ((They all know that when they are sent to Laura -- they're in serious trouble)) then they all burst out laughing --- I was so ready to send them all to Laura. Then a bright red tube was pulled out of this boys pocket, as they started chanting, "Happy Halloween". I couldn't help but laugh and feel like a teacher getting pranked.

October 27, 2017: Today, on the bus to school, I had a lady ask for the time in Spanish.Thankfully, I know that phrase so I showed her my watch because I wasn't ready to butcher the time when I tried saying it in Spanish....... however, I completely forgot my watch is 7 hours behind (because I am unsure how to change it) so I got the most confused look from her and I quickly realized my mistake. I then showed her the correct time on my phone and I got a "muchas gracias" in return. 

Casually causing panic attacks before 9am, my apologies Valencia!!  

September 23, 2017: A spontaneous decision to go to Riomaggiore (the first town of Cinque Terre) before heading to the hostel had me stepping off a random train to pouring rain and a group of Italians who non parlo inglés (do not speak English). My backpack has a rain poncho and I pulled on my rain jacket and started walking "up the hill to a roundabout". THIS WAS NOT AN ORDINARY "hill". It was like a mile walking almost vertical carrying my overweight pack and dragging a suitcase.

Now rewind, on the previous train I decided to change my clock on my phone to military time...

I arrived at 15:15 in Riomaggiore and my shuttle to the hostel was coming at 6pm. After putting on all my rain gear it was around 15:35. I had 7 minutes to make the shuttle to my hostel, or so I thought... It stopped raining maybe a minute in to my walk, but the damage was done. The humidity and heat had my drenched with sweat falling down my forehead. BUT I made it to the top of the hill by 15:55 and I was beaming with pride. I had 5 minutes to spare. 

(Do you see my mistake?)

16:10 - no shuttle and I was starting to worry I missed it, so I rechecked that I was at the right roundabout and started rechecking my math with the military time conversions... 16:10 is only 4:10pm. I had 2 hours to kill until the shuttle actually came!! I had rushed up that hill for no reason - so I causally walked back down to the town, found a café, and got myself a delicious plate of pesto pasta and a glass of wine. 

** Lesson learned: no need to rush and don't change the clock to something you aren't used to seeing because you'll make a mistake

Pesto pasta and wine - Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy

October 13, 2017: So at my Spanish school, the teachers and all the children have the same bathroom. This is fine for me, but naturally I was nervous to use it because I didn't want to run into children. I found a time when all the kids were out on the playground, so I ran to the bathroom! AS I am washing my hand a custodian speaks loudly and in an confronting tone in Spanish - so I have no idea what she is saying. With a look of confusion, I stutter, "No hablo español". She repeats whatever she said in Spanish, SO again I have no idea what she said. I just stare... still confused. She then says in English, "Secondary bathrooms upstairs". She thought I was a high schooler using the primary kids bathrooms instead of my own. I finally got out, "English teacher"while pointing at myself. (So even when I am on a floor for kids ranging from 7-12 years old, I am being mistaken as a student -- this gives me a lot of confidence to be seen as their supervisor/superior) 

**one of the downsides of not traveling with friends or family is not having someone there to laugh uncontrollably about the experience right then

September 17, 2017: When my mom, Alexis and I were leaving Pellestrina Island, we had to take a bus from Ten's house to the ferry station. The bus is one where everyone stands and if you are lucky you can grab one of the poles to keep you from being thrown around. A few stops before ours Alexis let go of the bar for a few seconds to grab my overweight backpack -- at the exact time the driver decided to slam on the breaks.... so naturally she was thrown into a crowd of Italians! They either did not find it funny or were holding back their uncontrollable laughter to be polite - I prefer to believe the latter. Alexis and I, however could not hold back our laughter.