lessons

This entry I sent over the weekend was also lost...so here goes again.

There's not much news; no particularly interesting experiences. I’ve just been really grateful to have the bus pass, which makes my thrice-weekly commute downtown to work much easier and worthwhile. The past couple of weeks have not yielded any particular experiences, but I’ve often been frustrated and checking myself for those feelings. There’s frustration with drivers who are cranky or who hit the brakes a little too roughly, jarring the passengers. I shouldn’t complain; it’s an important job they do, and not one I would take. I love talking to strangers, but sometimes I want to zone out and have my own space. We’ve all been there, but what’s wrong with a little connection? There are the annoyances of delays, taking the form of slow-moving cars/passengers and red lights. I have to be careful of my impatience; we’ll all get there at the same time, and I shouldn’t be angry for a few more minutes to be alone with my thoughts. Maybe it’s trite, but there’s a lot to be learned from riding the bus.

Jennifer, Student

First time user

I wrote an entry over the weekend, but it was swallowed in the internet somewhere.

I got my pass last Wednesday and have used it a few times already, and am about half an hour from other ride.  I first took it to the Wheelock Library a few blocks away.  It is quite embarrassing because it is quite close by anything but walking, but I wanted to test the card out, and will use it for the same purpose today.  That was the biggest news from that ride; the small bit of embarrassment of being the last one on and the first one out since there are only a couple stops inbetween.

I did ride the bus to Olympia on Friday [first down to the terminal then to Olympia], and that was more eventful.  I met this high school girl going to meet a guy in Olympia to drive down the Portland.  I did worry about her, but haven't seen anything worrisome in the news.  I also got a little carsick because I was reading during the ride, bad idea. 

Looking around the bus, it was full of people I wouldn't ordinarily see on campus, and it was much cheaper than having my parents pick me up from home and take me back.

Seattle Adventure

When my friends and I heard that Obama was going to speak in Seattle, there was no question of whether or not to go. The only problem was no one had a car and parking would be a nightmare. It seemed that the bus to Seattle was the perfect solution. I went onto piercetransit.org and planned out my trip from the University all the way to Key Area in Seattle. Everything went smoothly until we walked out of Key Area to find the bus back. I looked at my itinerary and suddenly realized that I had mixed up a.m. and p.m. when planning my trip. My schedule was planned for 2:30 a.m. on obscure bus routes that I had never heard of. But we had to get home. We followed the flow of people to the bus stops, asked the locals for directions, and somehow ended up in downtown Seattle. By then, of course, it had started to rain and we hadn't eaten in about 8 hours. After calling home for directions that proved unhelpful, my friend and I decided to use our heads and figure out a way home. The one place I knew in Seattle was King's Station so using our map-reading skills, we planned out a route to King's Station. Two hours after leaving Key Area, we arrived wet, hungry, but very proud at King's Station. We had made it!


Kayla, Student

Rolling late

Late…late…late…pushed it just a little too far this morning…. Lingered too long over that morning paper… one too many hugs for the four year old urchin clinging to my leg as I rush out the door.. Urgh!  Gotta head back in for the bike helmet… really gotta boogie now and get some love from the streetlights if I'm to have even a slim chance to get that 7:30 bus.  There's the yellow school bus headed at me down the street.  If its on time maybe I'm not doing so bad after all…..

First light… green.  So far, so good.   Bottom of  the hill I can see that lovely green glow… stay, stay, stay, stay,  Yellow. #@%$!  In my mind's eye my bus is slowly pulling away just a few blocks away as the evil red eye glares at me and log trucks rumble by.  Looks like I'm chasing today.  (The beauty of a bike is that it can catch you up a few stops.)  Jog left, right, up the road a bit and there it is, red light working in my favor this time.  I roll up to the stop, flag her down, load the bike, and ease into the warmth and safety of my usual seat.  Piece of cake.    Time to sit back, pop open the coffee mug and let someone else deal with the stress of the road.

Garrett, Faculty

Small World

Subject: Small World

Another venture up to Seattle, this time at a more humane hour, reminded me of how small the world really is. On my way to the University District, I ran into a guy that I started up a conversation with. Turns out, he was originally from Nepal. I mentioned to him that I was going to spend the next school year over in the Pacific Rim, but that Nepal was off limits for study abroad programs for the time being. He told me that there was nothing to worry about as a “tourist”—tourists bring in the majority of the income of many of the communities in Nepal. The conversation progressed. He currently owns a store in Seattle, but about five years ago had a similar store in Estes Park, Colorado. Oddly enough, I have a tapestry hanging in my room at school that was purchased from that very store, five years ago.

Tara, Student