Living as a foreigner in a city where you don't speak the language definitely has its challenges. One of those challenges is public transportation, especially when you've never lived in a big city before. Today, I was expected to get home by myself, using the subway and bus system from the FLEX Abroad office. My host family thought that I would be home by 6:00pm.

I got lost.

I was home by 8:30pm.

First, I couldn't find the way into the metro (that huge sign with the entire staircase that leads underground), so I spent 25 minutes taking laps, searching for this ginormous entrance. After I reached the subway doors, I found the correct metro, and even got off at the right stop! But then a few more mistakes were made. To get home, I had to find bus number 709.

I couldn't find bus 709.

In fact, I spent 1 hour "navigating" my way around google maps, only for my host sister, Zuza to text me: "Margaret... you're walking in the wrong direction." It took 3 different calls and walking past the same group of people at least 4 times to reach bus 709, which was to the right of the metro the entire time. But I was finally on the bus! Yay! There was plenty of space on the bus, so I took a seat and made sure to keep an eye on the stations and when I need to get off. Then I got a call from Zuza: "Hey did you get off at the stop?"

Me: "No. What are you talking about. My stop hasn't stopped yet. I'm literally staring at the screen."

Zuza: "Margaret... you missed your stop." We both burst out laughing. I know I definitely received a few side eyes for laughing at myself in the middle of a bus that I now have no idea where it's going. I then got off at the next stop, walked to another bus, which finally took me home. Once I got off, I was flooded with the biggest wave of relief as I saw Zuza standing at the stop, her cheeks red from laughing at me so hard. It was definitely an adventure, but I would be content if I never have to experience it again!