As we finished early, Cecilia (Bolivia), Olga (Colombia) and I decided to go shopping. I needed a suitcase as well as Cecilia and the closest shopping centre was 15 minutes away by car. So, we took a taxi to split the fare.
We, first, went to a Best Buy because Cecilia's laptop wasn't working well. They offered to repair it in about an hour, then, we decided to try to find the suitcases in other shops. We entered three more shop and walked 15 minutes to get to Target (a super market) where we had been told, we may find good suitcases at reasonable prices.
As I hadn't had luch, I was starving. I told the girls about it and asked them to hurry. The minute I found the suitcase, I went to the check out. However; as both of my partners are giving generous mothers they went on looking around to shop something for their children. I told them I was leaving and was to take the bus to go back to the hotel.
TAKING THE BUS ON MY OWN - FIRST TIME EVER IN THE US
When I was walking out in the street, I started to realise there was nobody to ask to. Plus, I only had 3 dollars with me. I doubtingly went down the street to find a bus stop which to my luch it was only about half a mile away. I waited for any bus in order to ask the driver which bus could take me to the city centre (downtown in American, to be exact). So I did. The driver kindly took me to the right bus stop and instructed me which one I was to take.
5 minutes later, the bus 21 appeared and I quickly jumped on it. There was nobody on the bus but the driver who was an Afro American woman. Little by little more people got onto the bus. I realised only Afro Americans were on the bus and as their English is quite difficult to understand I stupidly didn't ask where I should get off to get to the city centre. I didn't have the address of the hotel but I knew it was opposite the Main Public Library and that it was near a tall building with the name Macy's (a clothes shop) on it.
When the bus reached the city, I was attentive to any of the references I had. And there it was, Macy's on a tall building. I asked the bus to stop and got off. Have you ever heard things look further than they seem? Well, this is the case. It seemed to be half a mile away but it wasn't. I walked for about 20 minutes to get to the hotel and saw all kinds of people in the streets, not so educated I may say. In fact, they all seemed vandals. I saw a group of teenagers smoking, a teenaged girl holding her baby roughly, a group of noisy gays verbally fighting with another group of young men, beggars and much more. I admit I was a bit frightened but I also have to say that none of them tried to do anything to me. What a experience!!
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