Language

It's a very humbling experience to travel to a country that speaks the same language as you, but yet you have an insanely hard time understanding them.

I feel like such an idiot when I have to ask people to repeat themselves, like 5 times.

True Shetlanders have an even stronger accent than mainland Scotland. I could understand most people in Aberdeen, but ever since I arrived here in Shetland I have been struggling.

I was at the bus stop today trying to figure out what bus I need to be on to get up to the Northmavine area, and nobody was working in the bus station. I must have looked confused, and painfully American, but a man who was sweeping the streets outside the door walked it and said:

"You look a bit lost, can I help you?"

And those were the last words he spoke that I actually understood.

I explained to him that I was needing to get to Brae, and for about 3 minutes he went on about a few things, was laughing, while I smiled and nodded, accordingly, where I saw fit. I think I pulled it off like I knew what he was saying. Who knows...

Sigh...I still am not sure about the bus system here. But as best as I can understand, I am to get on a bus at 2:00 pm to get up to Brae and get off at the stop with a co-op super market.

In the meantime I am hauling my massive luggage around and contemplating sending at least half of it home by post. I wasn't expecting to check out of my hotel room until 11:00 because that's what I was told and what it said in the welcome book, but at 9:00 this morning the cleaning lade waltzed into my room, and said that it's usually before10:00 when people check out. I was kind of annoyed because none of the shops here open until 10:00 am so now I was having to haul my luggage around with me.

I swear, yesterday I hauled my suitcase up at least 15 flights of stairs total between the place I stayed in aberdeen to the place I stayed here. It's awesome to stay in these cool old buildings, but it can be a long haul if you are up a few floors.

Next time I travel I am bringing half of what I did this time.

Okay, I'm just finishing up my tea, and then I am going to go find a spot with wifi and then head to the bus station to try to find someone who doesn't have as thick of a Shetland accent to explain it to me. :-)

Location:Scotland