Riding the Struggle Bus

I had always thought the phrase "riding the struggle bus" was just a saying, but of course that was before I tried navigating the public transportation system to cross the Hudson River. I'm sure choosing my first day solo on the trains to also coincide with the polar vortex was also probably a poor decision on my part in hindsight.

My commute is probably one of the easiest around. It's pretty much just hopping on the bus, switching to the PATH train, and then a two block walk to the office. Waiting for the bus stop, the lady next to me (who served as a landmark when I asked the guard at the gate where the bus stop was, sometimes it's just easier to look like a foreigner and ask for directions) struck up a conversation about how she's going back to school and her daughter was super proud of her. People here are so surprisingly nice. I spent months bracing myself for the stereotypical "New Yorkers" but so far, everyone has been ridiculously nice, and fingers crossed I never experience that famous hostility. Anyway, according to Hop Stop, my trip is supposed to be about forty minutes. Of course if there is anything possible to screw up, I always manage to find a way it seems. Le sigh... I turned what's literally turning around at the bus stop into a full-on sweep around the block my first day. Whoops! But I managed to make it on the train and survive the walk while only being a little late to work, which I thought was pretty decent considering what all could have gone wrong that morning. I had every intention of the return trip going a million times better considering I know had a clue what I would be doing, but that was before the NSE coordinator, Matt, texted me to tell me afternoon classes had been cancelled. I looked out the window of the intern lounge and sure enough it was snowing like it was nobody's business. Cue dramatic interlude.

I made it back to the path station no problem - high fives all around - and watched the person in front of me swipe their card only to have the gates close just in time for me. The worst voice I've ever had the displeasure of hearing came over the speakers to announce this train was no longer running due to the weather. Wait what? Despite the voices in my head screaming "But then how the hell do I cross the river?" I overheard two girls in front of me say they were just going to take the train from the World Trade Center then... literally the only other part of town I was even somewhat familiar with. Hallelujah. At this point I may have sort of followed these girls. The point is, they were dressed in pea coats just like mine and that makes them good people because that's how the world works, right? Right.  I felt super creepy but I made it to a different station and a train that was actually running.

I knew there were other ways to get home, but of course it didn't occur to me to re-map a route until I was already underground and there was no service. And barring an appearance by Rivers Cuomo himself, there was no way I was heading upstairs, cashing in my metro card AGAIN, and braving that whiteout. So it was time to improvise. I remembered there was a route that ran through New.... something. So I hopped on the train that FINALLY came and was heading to Newark.  As soon as the doors closed I checked my phone only to realize I had meant to get on the one to Newport. In the middle of my panic attack they announced the next stop was Journal Square. That's right... I got on the right train by accident. I'm considering making that last sentence the title of my upcoming autobiography. Just kidding... but seriously.

In the end, what should have taken me forty minutes ended up being three hours. THREE. LONG. HOURS. But I made it, because in short I'm basically invincible. When I explained that in those exact words to my mother she told me that I scare her when I say things like that. Woman, please.

But that's just how it goes. Public transit can be a gamble. There are days it goes perfectly and I manage to rock that journey in only an hour and a half, and then there are days like yesterday where I wave at the bus driver as he just drives on by me in eighteen degree weather. You take the cards you're dealt.

Assuming I survive the train, I'm gearing up for some more touristy adventures tomorrow! I'll cover all the fun I've been having here in my next blog - I just really needed to vent about my hard times underground. You stay classy, audience.