Saturday, I slept in nice and late, and then chatted with my roommate Nina for a while. We have an ongoing Rummy tournament we play when we´re just talking to each other...I´m pleased to report that I´m winning. (By 5 points at the moment...but still, a win is a win). It´s interesting talking to Nina -- she´s a smart, nice, fun, very normal New York City girl, with the slightest hints of a Brooklyn accent. The "normal" NYC Culture she describes absolutely baffles me, though (I will not put details, as they are unfit for my mother´s ears). Her descriptions of and opinions about relationships, for example, confound me more than the culture of Spain.
...Speaking of Spanish culture shock, however, Saturday gave me the biggest dose of annoyance I´ve had since arriving. One of my friends who has studied in Latin America told me once that many Latinos have no concept of "now", or more specifically, "ASAP". Words implying "soon" (what Americans would take to me within the hour) mean "maybe tomorrow". Words implying great urgency usually mean "sometime this afternoon". The idea of your boss turning to you and saying "I need this done yesterday" (meaning, if it´s not on my desk in 5 minutes you´re fired), simply doesn´t exist.
Such was the sort of situation I encountered Saturday. Susanna had created plans to go to the beach. I knew that Susanna worked until 3, so I assumed we would meet at around 3:30, and then leave. But at Noon, Geronimo calls and tells me we´re going to meet at 1:30 at the bus station. I then talk to Wolfang, who says he and I will meet at 1 at the stop near my house to catch the city bus to the bus station. I assumed this meant Susanna had gotten off work early, and that instead of driving Geronimo´s 1980-model car to the beach, we were taking a specific public bus instead.
But no, that would be rational. Instead, I get to my meeting spot with Wolfang...and he never shows up. So at 1:30 I board the bus towards the bus station anyway...I get there, run into Geronimo, who was annoyed, because we were late. We waited some more for Wolfang...but then hopped into Geronimo´s car and drove around aimlessly running various spontaneous errands...for the next THREE HOURS. Why? Because, oh that´s right, Susanna didn´t get off work until 3:00, but she wouldn´t be ready to leave until 4:30.
I became incredibly frustrated. For the first hour I thought I was confused because I didn´t understand the plans in Spanish, or I had missed a previous lucid explanation. But eventually I realized I was confused because there simply were no plans, and the behavior of these guys didn´t make any sense. Geronimo massively started to annoy me too...(I´ll spare you the full length of the rant)...but he discovered that I hated it when he drove poorly, so he would purposefully jerk the wheel, or slam on the breaks, let the car lurch forward, and then slam on them again, just to annoy me. (He thought the involuntary glare which appeared on my face was hysterical). Oh, he also decided after discovering that my daddy was an engineer that I must be a very rich, smart, blonde, American girl...(and despite all of my statements to the contrary), started drafting elaborate plans to marry me so he could move to the US and never have to work again. I find this about as attractive as a wasp crawling across my face.
But when we finally did get to the beach, it was wonderful! Way more interesting that the one I went to with ISA...and we had tons of fun exploring the rocks around the edges. At the end of the day I plopped down and announced I was making a sand castle, and no one could stop me (they thought I was kind of crazy), but then Wolfang and Susanna joined me after 10 minutes, and we constructed an entire castle empire.
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3 comments:
A sand castle empire? I'm jealous! Did you take pictures? Can I see?
Tell Geronimooo! that if he doesn't improve his driving you will 1) not ride with him anymore and 2) he will lose his already-miniscule chances of marrying you and living in lazy luxury.
Or 3) if he continues to annoy you, show him a picture of Dad.
Also 4) Comment on my blog. I implore you. Refute my arguments! I dare you!
Maybe it's a good thing you spent last summer in London. It kept you out of New York.
Mom
P.S. The New York Times online provides a few clues as to the culture of the under-30 crowd there. Of course, we can't base our behavior on the worst examples reported in the New York Times.
Hahaha, love this entry. I've had days, and friends, like that. I just have to keep repeating to myself that, "patience is a virtue." Although there have been times when I've become so annoyed that I either take control of the situation and organize it, or go off and do something on my own. Anyway, I'm glad you had fun at the beach and that all worked out in the end.
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