How to muddle through and like it — Los Arcos, Spain

Today was a good day. Good, but awkward. 

It was good because I woke up feeling better, so I walked 13 miles down the road into the town of Los Arcos. It was awkward because I got a foot cramp toward the end and limped sort of sadly into town. But really, the getting to the next town was the important part.

It was good because along the way I met this Canadian woman that is kind of a mystic and we said this gratitude prayer and she told me this totally chilling story of meeting an Inuit shaman in the Northwest Territories and it was all goosebumps and awe. And I got to hear someone say this sentence: "And then she asked me to join her by the fire, and then I was like, Jesus, she's a fucking SHAMAN." It was awkward because partway through the conversation I realized she was a crazy person, and likely so was I because I was on board with everything she said. But I think making an interesting new friend was the important part.

It was good because Los Arcos has a gorgeous cathedral that has a pilgrim mass and blessing every night. It was awkward because I was so excited to take part in mass I went really really early, then got bored waiting and left before it started. But I think the quiet time I spent appreciating the cathedral was the important part. 

It was good because I got to town early and went to the store for pasta and tomato and tuna to make a little dinner. It was awkward because I was shoveling it in my mouth while a group of 15 made their dinner, and as these women were setting more and MORE plates out around the huge table to prepare for their shared meal, I kind of shuffled into a corner and continued to shovel pasta, while I pretended to look at something on my iPad, and I felt a little bit like the kid that sits at the wrong lunch table in the cafeteria. But I think the important part is that I actually made dinner tonight instead of just eating bread and apples in bed. 

It was good and awkward that I got to hear a young German man say to a young Korean woman:

"There are always so many Asian people at Octoberfest. Which is so funny because Asians can't drink. At least, they cannot drink very much. So everywhere at Octoberfest there are Asians going....ooooohhhh! Holding their heads." 

Gotta love racial stereotypes at the breakfast table. The important part is everyone got a good laugh. At all of it.

It was good because the vending machine had dark chocolate and that was something that really made sense to my soul at that time. It was awkward because after I put my money in and pressed the appropriate buttons, it got stuck. And I didn't want to shake the machine because there was stuff on top of it. SSOOO, I crossed the room and interrupted the group of young Spanish proprietors from their evening relaxation. Using hand gestures and that weird broken English idiots adopt when speaking to non-English speakers, I communicated my issue. 

"Machine...DARK CHOCOLATE...stuck...my CHOCOLATE...help?"

Two women came over, one shook it gently, to no avail. The other got the key and opened it to retrieve my snack. They were very kind, but in my embarrassment at the time I was sure the Spanish flowing from their beautiful European lips was something like, "Yes yes, get the pale squishy American her chocolate." But I think the important part is that I was able to ask for help, despite my obvious language befuddlement, instead of hiding in the bunk bed and mourning my dangling chocolate like I wanted to do. 

It was good because I got to eat chocolate in bed while I rested my feet. It was awkward because I got chocolate on the pillowcase and I feel badly about that. But I think the important thing is I saved some of the chocolate for tomorrow. Not the best lesson of the day, but it counts.

It wasn't until after I took this awkward away-facing self portrait that I discovered I was facing the same direction as the man in the wood. Like we both thought we heard our names and were like, "What?"