the METRO

So public transportation here is awesome. There is an underground Metro that takes you anywhere in the city...you just have to figure which number line you want to jump on (there's 9)...and then magically, you never have to wait more than 3 minutes for a metro to come and pick you up.

Here are the unspoken rules:

1. Don't talk to anyone.
2. Seriously, don't talk to anyone.
3. If you chose to ignore the previous, you're on your own.

So, I tried making small talk with a nice old lady who was sitting next to me yesterday. bad idea. Not only did she not acknowledge my presence...she moved seats at the next stop. HOW RUDE!

However, there are expections to the rule. A couple days ago I smiled at the woman sitting next to me...and she started telling that she was from Romania and her husband had passed and how she was in Madrid working as a health aid for a man who was very ill. Her eyes teared up as she talked about missing her husband and feeling alone. Her spanish was just as poor as mine...but good golly did I want to hug her and give her hope! I said that I was away from my family as well and that my faith was holding me together and giving me strength. I have no idea if she understood what I said, but I will for sure never forget her.

I am in a totally different country and culture, but I am realizing that all people need the same thing. hope.