It's the little things

Today I felt SO proud of myself!

There is a public bus system in place here. Unfortuntely it is completely unorganized and drives me crazy!

In the mornings it's pretty simple - I stand on the street and flag down any bus that's heading toward town. I can handle that one.

It's the getting from work BACK home that has caused me to take many detours and to see a lot of town!

One day I rode the PKS bus into work, I got out at the 'end' and took note of where it was parked. After work that day I went back to the exact location, the same line number 3 was on the bus. I got on, waited for the bus to full - then we were off. 10 minutes in I realized this was NOT the bus I was suppose to be in....I ended up on the 'highway' scared to get off cuz I would be totally lost. 2 hours later I had ridden the bus all the way back into town - then got in a 'taxi' to take me home! I apparently was on Line 3. Line 3 goes to Paran. PKS can have any line number on it it wants...cuz no one looks for that. Eessh.

Since that experience I've been taking the bus that I know will drop me by the Peace Corps office, and walking it home. I'm was a little gun sky of this bus stuff.

Today I sucessfully found the PKS waiting area. (Again first I rode til the end of the line. Ironically a different location then the previous time...) After work, I went back to that area- got on the PKS bus - even asked the driver 'are you the PKS, going by Choi' - 'yes ' he replies. I get in the bus. There is just one lady in it with me. After 15 minutes of sitting there alone....the driver starts talking to me in Dutch. I explain I don't understand Dutch. 5 more minutes later the lady turns to me - she talks in Saran tongo - asks me what I'm doing on the bus. I say I'm waiting for it to take me home - and I tell here where I'm going. She replies that I am in fact on the right bus. BUT....this bus is not going anymore today. She was the wife of the driver. She tells me that if I want to take the PKS bus thats running I have to walk over to the market - look for the Line 5 (but don't get on Line 5) infront of Line 5 I will see the PKS bus. Those are the buses that are running.

I thanked her -walked over to the market, saw the Line 5's walked in front of them. And just like she said there was a PKS bus almost ready to go! I took a seat only waiting a few minutes for the rest of the bus to fill...off we went.

A huge smile crossed my face as I saw Choi, pressed the button - and got off exactly where I wanted....success!