Today was the infamous 12 HOUR BUS RIDE to Lisbon! And you know what? It actually wasn't too bad. You know why? Because I had the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone pdf on my phone and finished the entire book (plus the first two chapters of another book) during the ride. It was a magical time indeed.
Tom and I also talked to a guy from Osaka, Japan for a little while, which is where my roommate from last year slash one of my best friends is studying abroad for the year! When the old Japanese man got off the bus, he gave us a very official business card and we felt special.
After we got off the bus at 9:45 (8:45 local time- who knew there was a time change? Probably most people, but, as we all know, I am not most people), Tom, two girls we met on the bus, and I tried very hard to figure out a) where the metro was and b) how to use it. Eventually we figured it out (team power!), and were on our way.
When Tom and I got off at our stop, however, we had trouble deciphering the directions to our hostel. A young man offered to help us, which seemed very kind. PSYCH TURN OF EVENTS HE WASNT KIND AT ALL ACTUALLY HE WAS PRETTY MUCH THE OPPOSITE.
Not only was he extremely rude to us AFTER telling us that Americans are all very rude (which I didn't mind as much as the fact that he was extremely rude to us by way of being "funny" or "friendly"), but he also would not leave us alone even when we insisted that we were fine. Furthermore...
After the man made me extremely uncomfortable by making remarks about my appearance and gender, he apologized to Tom because he "didn't want to offend you, man, for coming onto your girl".
Let me be clear: it is incredibly sexist to apologize to the MAN a woman is with for being rude to the WOMAN because the WOMAN "belongs" to the man. Respecting the man more than the woman you are actually offending is very problematic. Even if Tom and I were anything other than two friends platonically traveling together, it does under no circumstances count as an apology when you are not actually apologizing to the right person. Nor, for that matter, does it excuse or make up for your sexist comments. Grow up unless you want me to punch you in your sexist mouth so you'll have a much harder time offending people in the future.
*mic drop*
IN OTHER NEWS we made it to the hostel and are safe and sound! Free breakfast tomorrow morning yayayay you know me, always excited for free food aka the best combination of things!
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