Living in a country not my own, I have come to the conclusion that you have one of two options you can either enjoy the unexpected, or you can not. I have for the most part chosen to go with the flow, and appreciate the unanticipated aspects of life here.
For example, in the last two weeks there have been 6 days when the Metro did not run all the way to my stop for school. So instead of being frustrated I took the opportunity to find new ways to get to class and home again. And now I can safely say that should there be a Metro problem again, I will have alternate ways of making it to my school! Or when my friends were here they needed to be at the main Metro/Train station at the crack of dawn, which is obviously a time of day I try to spend under my sheets not on the streets. But it turns out that Rome is actually much cooler and more peaceful at 5:30 am! And the sun rising over the city lighting it in ways I had not yet seen took my breath away. Plus, I decided to take the few extra hours I had before my school began to spend some time with God, and on my way to my favorite coffee bar I discovered joy in the form of a fresh pastry that tasted like french toast, but was filled with cream like a doughnut! Deliciousness that I would have never experienced at later hour.
On Sunday, after church I took the tram, and as I was riding the lights flickered, then the air stopped, and then the tram lost connection with the power lines thus we came to a stop. This could have been annoying, and I could have rushed over with all the other people to catch the next tram, and been packed in like sardines, (replace the oil in the can with the sweat and you can more fully grasp the idea). Instead I chose to walk a little ways and catch one a bit further down, where I got a seat. And when I reached the Train Station made it just on time for my train home, which made me just on time to meet up with a friend to catch a ride to a picnic!
And then there was today. I was heading home from school as I do almost everyday, but today I decided to stop at a bookshop cafe for lunch and to do my homework instead of sitting at home alone to study. So I got off the Metro, walked to the bookshop only to find it is closed for the month for a remodel (note to friends in Rome, La Feltrinelli Bookshop near Piazza Repubblica is closed ) I was about to give up and just head home, but then decided that a nearby cafe looked like an equally good spot. I took a seat and not long after was joined by a gal from Mexico who sat at the next table. We struck up a conversation, and I discovered that she was here in Rome on vacation all alone, and not having a great time of it. So I offered my services as tour guide and friend for the afternoon, and we both got to enjoy having some company and conversation. I made it home just two hours later than normal, but feel much more refreshed and blessed. And my homework is already done! So I had time to update this blog!
Hope you are finding joy in the many surprises in your life.
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