What a Bus Ride!

Some time last week, I was taking the bus home alone after a grueling workout at Baruch’s gym. I was exhausted and wished for the bus to arrive on time so I can go back to my dorm room and collapse on my bed.

www.lightrailnow.org

The bus just so happened to be late, and I cursed silently at the dysfunctional New York City transportation system. I boarded the crowded bus, paid my fare, and headed towards the back. At that moment, I realized that my iPod was out of batteries. This was possibly the worst thing to happen, since the chatter of the people on board and the noise they produced made my headache worse. As I looked around for an empty, comfortable seat in which to sit in, I realized that would be impossible since it was rush hour. Instead, I look towards the very back section of the bus and see six people who were conversing loudly. Two of the individuals spoke French, another two spoke Russian, and the last two spoke German.  This experience surprised me because I’ve never experienced three different languages being spoken at the same time within the same group. Additionally, these same individuals were communicating with the others in their own language, even though the other person spoke a completely different one. This amused me to a high extent, and for the rest of the bus ride I would eavesdrop on their conversations. Even though I had no idea what they were saying, it was just an amusing event that entertained me.

Looking back, I was lucky that I got to experience something that was truly rare, and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to witness a cultural encounter like this one. Since then, the only mode of transportation I take to and from Baruch is the bus.