In exasperation and outrage, you harumph back to your room... where you meticulously exfoliate your face red for the next couple of minutes.
The frustrating thing about this interaction is that you do take good care of yourself, or so you thought. As a person in medical training, you advocate the importance of having great hygiene. No one has ever commented on the particularities of your skin.
Maybe, it's the travel and jet lag. It can be drying to one's skin. You look at your reflection in the mirror once again while dabbing just a bit more moisturizer.
How dare this man treat you so poorly! What did you ever do to him?! Now, you're seething as you brush your teeth with hateful gusto. Perhaps, it's best to just avoid him and focus on the wonderful friends you have meet so far.
Francesca insisted that you go shopping tomorrow so you can have things to wear that are more "vibe appropriate" as she called it. Pierre and Paulo will be checking out a potential investment property in a nearby town. So tomorrow is going to be a girl's day out.
By the time Mr. Fritz Fischer enters the room, you are well tucked into bed pretending to be asleep. It is best to minimize your conversations with him, you resolve to yourself. A couple of tears may have quietly fallen before you fell asleep- a testament to how upset you are.
You wake up the next morning to find that Mr Fritz Fischer had already left for the day. So you take your time getting ready. Your sleep has significantly improved. You're much acclimated to the time difference which puts you in a more cheerful mood.
You join Brad and John in the kitchen who are in the midst of preparing breakfast. Apparently, they are leaving tomorrow so they are just taking a slow day today taking in what the city has got to offer. You volunteered to make your fancy avocado toast which they were more than happy to partake in. John brews coffee, while Brad takes out the quiche from the oven.
"Eat up, guys!" Brad says while he slices sizable pieces of the dish to each of you.
"Heck, yeaah!!! Who knows when we will get hot breakfast this good while on the road?!" John enunciated poorly mid-chew.
"Oh my god! (Name), this is the best avocado toast I have ever had and that's saying something since I'm from California!" Brad stated while intently staring at the toast in an effort to identify every visible ingredient.
"I can tell you what's in it but you have to promise to make me this quiche again next time I see you." You wink back at him.
"You better let us know if you ever in our neck of the woods!" John demanded.
The rest of breakfast was a rundown of the many places the brothers have already been in their backpacking trip through Europe. You also learned that Brad is the older of the identical twins by 3 minutes. The two recently have graduated from UC Berkeley and have decided to spend the summer having one last big adventure before they parted ways: John to Georgetown for law school and Brad to his graduate program in International Global Policy and Administration at Columbia University.
"It must be difficult to have spent so much of your life together and now have to live apart." You say.
"It's precisely why we wanted to do one big hurrah, you know. We will be going off to do our own thing and it's both scary and exciting." John somberly admits.
"Come on, bro! It will be great. Aren't you always complaining that you're sick of me?" Brad jests with a light misting in his eyes. His fist hits John's shoulder with a gentle thud.
Clearly, this summer is a drawn-out ritualistic farewell of sorts for them- to the life they have always known, to the person they so easily take for granted but miss dearly once their gone, and to embracing the unmarked paths of one's quest to reach actualization.
"In case I don't catch you guys tomorrow before you leave, I would just like to say thank you. I, too, am in a middle of a crossroads and seeing you guys bravely stepping into adulting is giving me hope and inspiration."
You find yourself in tears for the second time in 24 hours. In many ways, the twins remind you of your brothers. The ones who have been blowing up your phone checking up on you.
The rest of the conversation turns into more cheery topics as Brad and John impart anecdotes and important lessons of backpacking through Europe.
One quick selfie was had before you leave to meet Francesca in the lobby.
"Bon Jour! Are you ready for a day filled with shopping?!" Francesca greets warmly. By now, you have perfected the double cheek kiss. She hooks her arm around yours and playfully drags you with her. "Come, come! We have so much to do!"
"We don't have a lot of time so I'm thinking we should focus on getting you a capsule wardrobe. It will be great for when you are traveling and will keep your pack light. I'm thinking 3 jackets, 5-ish tops, a couple dresses, a pair each of sandals and ballet flats, and perhaps a shawl.
"We can't have you wearing running shoes." She points at your feet. "It's so tragically functional. You are with me now, darling. When I'm through with you, you will be tres chic. That, I can promise you!"
You tacitly agree as she pulls you into the first of many stores. This is such a welcomed deviation from your normal. You didn't really have anyone to show you what fashion is growing up. You had three brothers who couldn't care less about what they look like. Your school friends were more concerned about extra curricular activities, getting into the best schools, pursuing resume builders, and joining the least physical sport that's technically still a sport. Only Taylor, your neighbor and childhood best friend, used to do this with you until you went to separate universities.
While Francesca is busy rummaging through the racks, you resolve to explore all these parts of you that you have taken for granted, parts of you begging to be nurtured and given a chance to grow and shine.
"I contain multitudes."
You manifest this earnest wish to find out who you are outside of people's expectations, outside of your prodigious intellectual reputation, and outside of the fear of fully inhabiting yourself.
"Let this trip be the springboard from which I come into my own. No longer to be defined by anything other than myself."
A new more adventurous ME.
Your friend pokes her head through the curtain and raises a dress on a hanger. "Look, I brought you options. Both would look great on you. This one is more your vibe. It is a flow-y dress with a creamy floral pattern."
Then, she raises the other dress, a blue number with a form-fitting silhouette "This one is a bit more... daring." She twirls both waiting for your input.
You smile, as you point to the later of the two.
"That one, definitely that one!"
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The Erasmus Hostel Chronicles
قصص الهواةWelcome to the Erasmus Hostel!!! A bustling intersection of stories creating a tapestry of random encounters, life changing experiences, and perhaps a legitimate chance at finding the one.
