A language barrier is a great culprit for humiliation! Still on my stories from traveling in France.... this story takes place in a metro (subway). Still not knowing how to speak French and traveling in France, I was lost 90% of the time. In my small hometown of 800 people in Northern Colorado, we didn't have a single stoplight, much less a metro. The biggest problem I found with having to read the metro map is having to know where you are at in the first place. Once figuring out where you are and where you are going, that is half the battle.
After closely revising the map for the umpteenth time, I confidently walked down the stairs. I waited for a good 15 minutes. During that 15 minutes, I felt awkward, like a zoo animal, being stared at from the 30 or so people waiting on the other side of the tracks. "Go ahead, stare at the funny American and her funny way of standing and waiting for the metro," I thought to myself. Finally, the metro pulls up and I breathe a sigh of relief as I step inside and take a seat. As if to purposely torture me more, there seems to be some kind of delay....
Sometimes these delays happen. You have to be patient and wait. Usually the announcer comes on the loudspeaker and says there is a problem of some kind and to stay seated. The announcer just kept repeating and repeating.... Finally, I understand what they are saying. "Madame, please get off of the metro. This is the end of the line."
To my humiliation, the 30 people on the other side of the tracks all witness my stupidity first-hand. I had a good laugh at myself, along with everyone else, and made it over to right side.
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