Here's a typical story of how I get lost every day. I got invited to a party and I needed to take a bus route to get there. Knowing how bad I am at getting around, I planned every step out meticulously on the internet, using maps etc. The whole 9 yards. I planned on catching a 6:55 bus that's basically right outside of my house.

Here goes: leave the house, go to where I think the station is, can't find it... Freak out... Ask next person I see which is boy on bike. Turns out he's American and does not help me, great. Run up to two women who are super nice, loving the fact that I'm an American student... They even accompany me to the station! Problem is I tell them the wrong place because I'm an idiot, and so now I'm totally lost at a random tram station. Now I feel that horrible sinking feeling.

I ask two rebellious-gothic looking teenage girls; no help. What was I thinking? Walk down random street; realize I'm back on the street where I live!

I keep asking more people, no one helps. I'm trying to stay calm- I just really want to get to this party and not screw this up for myself. At this point I’m just looking for any bus stop for the bus #10. I STUMBLE upon a bus stop, which turns out to actually be the right one! Bus should be coming in 9 min. Sit. Relax. Breathe.

Bus comes, I get on - "madame you are going to “place de pierre” right???" She says "well yea, but first we're going in the opposite direction, so you're gonna be going on the whole line for nothing. You should take the other 10 bus" I say "but where is the stop??" She says "oh just right across the street." I thank her 7 times and run across the street.

Now I realize why I had seen another 10 bus passing me while I was waiting at the first bus station! Then the realization comes that the buses here go in circles! Meaning the freaking bus only has one end point destination, and it’s the same no matter which direction they're going in. Please someone tell me- am I REALLY just an idiot or is this not normal? (Either is possible). This picture shows the route of the #10 bus... it's a big freaking circle.

Turns out I have about a 15 minute wait. Get on the bus, confirm with the driver I'm on the right bus, and it turns out my stop is the next one (wow that last bus ride would've been bad, huh?) Get off, ask a woman who got off with me if she knows where the bus #4 stops. She says "I don't know..." And then she said "ask the driver." So I go to open the door, and she says "no no" and steps in front of me to do it. I let her, and then when she's done talking with him, she just walks right back into the bus!! I yelled after her "what did he say??" But she just keeps going. Frantically I ask the driver if he knows where the stop is, and he points across the street and says "right there." Awesome. But that woman was strange.

I sit down and proceed to talk to woman with baby carriage sitting next to me about how complicated the buses are. She looks at me kind of funny, but I think she agrees. Take the bus, get off at the right stop. I ask the same woman when we get off “is this street here rue de la gare??” she says “yes it is- it’s a very long street.” It looked like a freaking outlet mall strip, and I was looking for someone’s house. Nevertheless, I continued onward.

I was looking for #33. Let’s just say the numbers didn’t add up. One side of the street went normal (20, 22, 24, etc.) but then the side I NEEDED went all weird- one building was 31 and then the next was something random like 43… let’s just say I couldn’t figure it out and I was freaking out, running down random side streets in search of this house. It was getting much darker, I wasn’t even in Strasbourg anymore, had no phone or map, and was just downright miserable. And there you have it: that horrible sinking feeling.

I approach a random girl, and ask her “this IS rue de la gare right?” She says no no it’s not.. blah blah and basically I just turned around and hoped I would find my way. Turns out I did, and I ended up finding the house, going to the party and having a great time. And I am SO thankful that I was then driven home.

Conclusion: I need to work on this getting around stuff, because right now it’s really disabling my life. Konrad, I need you.t