Two days ago I woke up with a cough, and that morning marks the first time I’ve been sick since I began traveling just over a month ago. I don’t get sick very often anymore, so when I do get sick, I tend to get very whiney about it.
So here I am, sitting in Budapest, whining about being sick.
It’s days like today that make me realize just how far away I am from the comforts of home. Just minutes ago I was in a local coffee shop, getting something warm to soothe my throat and caffeinated because a girls gotta work and the DayQuil I just popped isn’t quite cutting it. I ended up having about a 5 minute misunderstanding with the barista who thought I said I wanted ice cream* when I wanted rice milk in my cappuccino.
Normally, this sort of interaction wouldn’t phase me. I’d laugh a little bit, give a smile, and move on with my day; understanding that these sorts of interactions are going to happen literally all the time as I’m traveling internationally. Today, however, in my DayQuil induced haze, it’s more difficult to get through the small things.
It made me stop, think, and appreciate the little things that you don’t think about when you are living in a new place where you don’t speak the language. Like how the simple act of getting coffee can be one of the most confusing parts of your day.
* Side note, getting a create-your-own cappuccino with a double shot of espresso and ice cream is totally a thing in Europe and it’s amazing. Just not quite what I wanted today.
