What Europeans think of America

So my Italian roommate started laughing at her e-mail and said she had to show me it.  This is what her friends in Italy send around about americans.  Of course I translated it...

After 2 years in the United States, Michelangelo's David returns to Italy.

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Going to church is hard

Today I got ditched by the bus.  I was just about to the stop when my bus passed me.  I thought if I run I can make it when he stops. But nope, he didn't even stop, just blew right through the stop. So I wait for 30 minutes for the next one to come.  I just pulled out my scriptures and started to read (JW saw me and decided to pull out his Watch Tower magazine right next to me) I waited and waited and finally the stop said 8 minutes till the bus would get there and then right in front of my eyes it went to the bottom of the list and said it would come in 34 minutes.  My bus hadn't come or anything! I couldn't believe it.  Walking would take too long, so I flagged a taxi and went to church that way.  I made it there in time and all was well except that I had to pay more for my taxi than I did for my tithing and fast offerings combined!!! So the first week we took a car, second I walked (an hour and ten minutes) and third I took a taxi.  Can't wait to see how next week is, getting to church.

Oh the people you meet.

Today I go yelled at by a transvestite.... Yes enough said.  I was walking down the street with some friends when I saw him. I apparently gave him a smirk as he passed.  To be honest he was a terrible transvestite because I didn't think he was trying to be a woman.  I just thought he was wearing way to tight golden spandex pants.  After he passed me, my friend yawned and said "Oh my gosh"because she was really tired.

I knew right then he thought it was about him.  I didn't expect for him to turn around and start yelling.  He looked at me the whole time and not to the girl that actually made the comment.  He went on to tell me I had no respect, I didn't understand people, I couldn't tolerate the modern lifestyle and it was people like me that made it hard for him to live in this world.  I was baffled.  I wasn't even the one that made the comment.  So Yes I am fitting in just great in Dublin.

YOU'RE GUNNA LOVE THIS!!!

Oh do I have a story to tell!!!!

So a few days ago dad and I found this awesome B&B. The guy there told us that we could rent bikes for the day at the next won over. We rented bikes for a few hours and the guy gave us a map for a little trail to take.  I was so excited after seeing so many people out riding bikes during our travels.  So we set off on our adventure!  It was amazing.  I started getting tired on the hills, because I NEVER ride bikes.  We saw some amazing country side and it was probably one of the most beautiful days we have had our whole trip!!

We went really far to two cities over and then crossed over this really big river and headed up the hill.  I was DIEING up the hills.  I do not have any muscle for biking yet!  (don't worry I will with time and riding) So we get up to this beautiful green side of the dales.

Okay that is just the background but here is the story!!!

So we are going on the side of the hill and all of a sudden it starts to get muddy. and I start to slide around a bit.  I start my nervous giggle, those of you that know me well enough know exactly what I am talking about.  We keep going through and I watch dad sliding around in front of me as well.  He is hooting and hollering like he does when he skis. All of a sudden time almost just stops.  I watch my tire turn a little too much to the left and that makes the back of the bike slip to the right.  I start to see the muddy ground get close and closer so I put my arm out to catch it while an "OH NO!" comes out of my mouth and then SPLAT!! I slide unto the mud.  Dad turns around and yes whoops as he just busts up laughing at me!

I laugh it off and get back up on my bike but the fall hurt a little and now I am shaking which only makes navigating through the mud harder.  I continue to fall a few times before finally we get onto a paved road.  Then my arm feels like it is on FIRE! We find a nice lady cleaning some horses and she gets a bucket of water out so I can wash all the mud off my arms and face.  Once I am clean I look down at my arms and it has started to swell up and have welts on it.  I fall into the stinging nettle!

So we had quite the great time out bike riding and I even have some bruises and scrapes as battle wounds.  I think my dad thinks I am the most incompetent woman ever!