Experience, travel – these are as education in themselves. — Euripides
Friday, May 11, 2012 (DAY 68)
Reluctant to crawl out of bed after an exhausting week of Spanish, another dorm mate and energetic Aussie, Dan, wouldn’t take no for an answer and insists that I join him and four other girls for dinner. After a few seconds of contemplating this, I am out of bed, half dressed, and ready to go. Deciding that my self-imposed curfew can be lifted since the weekend is the only break from classes that I receive and my attempt to be unsocial by being focused like a laser is also causing me to become the weird smelly kid in the hostel, I give in quite easily. Ok, well we all know that’s not true, because pretty much every backpacker has some type of rockin smell permeating from them, whether it’s their bag full of unwashed clothes, a half-eaten pollo plate from two-days ago that was being saved for later, or the typical amount of shame for being gringo’d from earlier in the day, the smells of life on the road are an adventure in and of themselves.
Reluctant to crawl out of bed after an exhausting week of Spanish, another dorm mate and energetic Aussie, Dan, wouldn’t take no for an answer and insists that I join him and four other girls for dinner. After a few seconds of contemplating this, I am out of bed, half dressed, and ready to go. Deciding that my self-imposed curfew can be lifted since the weekend is the only break from classes that I receive and my attempt to be unsocial by being focused like a laser is also causing me to become the weird smelly kid in the hostel, I give in quite easily. Ok, well we all know that’s not true, because pretty much every backpacker has some type of rockin smell permeating from them, whether it’s their bag full of unwashed clothes, a half-eaten pollo plate from two-days ago that was being saved for later, or the typical amount of shame for being gringo’d from earlier in the day, the smells of life on the road are an adventure in and of themselves.
Introductions are made in the colorful lounge area of Zoola’s that later, we are convinced seems to be decorated as if it were an opium den. The first pair of girls that I meet are two blonde Americans living in San Francisco, Ashley and Heidi, while the second traveling pair, is another Canadian invasion. Once again I find myself with a pair from British Colombia that could very well be much cooler than the last pair that I met from Winterpeg. Bold statement? Well, when all of America’s top hat bursts in to civil war because of me, just do what I do and blame Canada, period. I’m almost expecting Emily and Krista to hunt me down for the previous comment by showing up in Atitlan for a battle royale, but I’m quite certain that the girls from Victoria, Lindsay and Michelle, could hold their own in my orchestrated Maple leaf domestic violence throwdown showdown. Ding, ding, ladies. Ding. Ding.
Arriving at the restaurant, The Buddha, we have also added another outcast of Little Israel, a solo traveler from Denmark, Kenneth. Our group of seven now has representatives from most of the world continents and the miniature United Nations session has come to order. The first order of business, ordering quickly since the kitchen is about to close. After indulging in a family-style communal dinner complete with spring rolls, pad Thai, curry, and a variety of other dishes, the contest for the largest food baby fails to declare a winner as everyone is quickly falling in to a food coma. I love that everything has taken to a slower pace of life, especially meals with new friends.
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