El Colectivo!

In Paraguay, everyone uses the bus. Okay, yes, some people have cars, motorcycles, and bikes but I am guessing that more than half use the public bus as their main source of transportation. The buses here look like they were transported from the 70's. They are really colorful and and just have this way about them...I am not very good at explaining, so here are some pictures:

Each number bus has its own design. For instance the bus that I take to get home is number 45 and it is green. It really nice when you can just say look and be like "Oh that giant green bus coming towards is mine"  Instead of having to wait until the bus is close enough to see the number in the window, and right as you realize it's your bus, it passes you. Not fun because the chances of the bus you need to take coming by again soon, is slim to none.

(This is the bus I take!!!)

I have taken the bus a handful of times.

Four with my spanish class

Once with my family

and as of today, three times by myself.

During my excursions on the bus, I have come to learn many important lessons. However, it hasn't been without trial and error. But lucky for you it makes for some pretty interesting stories.

I rode the bus for the first time with my Spanish class about two weeks ago. I hadn't heard much about the buses, and I just expected it to be similar to those in the U.S.

I honestly don't know why I thought this. Since arriving in Paraguay nothing, NOTHING has meet my expectations. I feel like I just need to stop having them, because things always turn out differently.

Since I am guessing most of you aren't familiar with the bus system here, I will briefly explain how it works. And then if you ever come to Paraguay, hopefully you won't be confused!

1.) Stand on the side of the road, it doesn't really matter where. I believe there are a few bus stops, but people usually just get on wherever they want to. IMPORTANT: not all buses pick up on every road. So know before hand if you need to switch buses to make it to your final destination.

2.) Stick your hand out or wave to the bus when it gets close enough. It is similar to hailing a cab.

3.) As soon as you step on the bus, grab onto the railing because the bus starts moving immediately. Also, know how much the fare is before you get on or else you may sit down before the driver gives you your change.

Also just something to note: the doors never close, remember how I said to hold on to something when you get on? Well the alternative would be flying backwards onto the street. Your choice.

4.) Find a seat as close to the front as you can because I have heard some weird stories about things that go on in the back. (I'll explain later) If there isn't a seat, which happens often, grab onto a handrail. Either on the ceiling or on the back of the seats.

5.) When you realize that the bus is close to where you need to get off, get up and head to the back of the bus.
Running along the ceiling is a rope. When you want to get off, pull it, and the driver will stop.

6.) And, walah you are now that much smarter!

So this sounds simple enough, right?

Well maybe for your average person.

However, not being the best at spanish, at having no sense of direction. I have found myself in some pretty...interesting...situations.

Let's start out with the day my host sister and dad decided to show me how the buses work.

Our story begins on Tuesday around one o'clock. We boarded the bus and I took a seat next to Jackie.

When my host dad signaled that it was time to leave we got up and slowly began walking to the back. I wasn't really paying attention and my hands were only slightly gripping the railings when, all of a sudden the bus stopped and I was thrown backwards and onto some guy. Not only that but I took Jackie down with me.

Now, when things happen really quickly I have a tendency to start speaking in English. So I began apologizing in English, which I'm sure made me look even crazier than I already did.
He just started at me, actually everyone was staring at me.

When we stepped off the bus, we all burst out laughing. Yes, laughing at my pain and humiliation seems to happen a lot here.

Now, we skip ahead about a week. I am on the bus by myself, for the first. I have followed my host parents instructions and all I can think is "Please let me be on the right bus." Luckily I had gotten a phone earlier that day, so I could have called my parents if I had gotten into trouble, but luckily it didn't come to that.

My host mom kept checking in on me making sure I was okay.

However, about 30 minutes into the ride I had no idea where I was. Nothing looked familiar, and I wasn't sure I was even in San Lorenzo. I was going to ask someone for directions but then I remembered "I don't speak spanish well enough to ask for directions, and even if I did, their answer would have no meaning to me."

So about 5 minutes after I decided that I was lost, my host mom called, She was talking really loudly and kept saying the same thing over and over again. As you may know cell phones don't always have the best reception, so add:
The loud noise on the bus+the bad reception+my limited knowledge of spanish= Me understanding nothing.

I kept telling her that I didn't understand and I was asking her if I needed to change buses but nothing was getting through. It was like we had a one way radio, and I was starting to freak out.

At this point I noticed that the bus had come to a complete stop and everyone was staring at me. I started to think "Why is everyone looking at..."
However my thought was interrupted by this:

"Erin, What are you doing?!?! You passed the stop 10 minutes ago!"

I turned around and saw my host mom standing in the back of the bus. Apparently she had been waiting for me and when the bus passed by she followed it.

I got up from my seat and I could feel my face turning red. Thank goodness I will never see those people again!

However my family found the story hilarious and decided to tell it to everyone we encountered.

Not sure I am ever going to live that down.

When I got home, my host dad showed me how to use the navigator on my phone, so I won't get lost...again.

And as for the weird things that happen on the bus...I will talk about them next time because this entry is already reallllllllly long.


Buenas noches! :)