Don and I have been riding the bus and the subway (several blocks from the Casa where we’re staying) a lot to learn the best route to our school which starts this coming Monday.

We heard the rush hour on the bus is crazy packed (there are something like 5 million people riding the bus or the subway every day). So we’ve been experimenting each day leaving at various times of the morning and at quitting time. The buses are actually two buses connected with the accordion connection in the middle. They’re super packed but a direct shot south to the school. It normally takes about 25 minutes at non peak times but can take one hour during peak times.

The subway is less crowded but not as direct. Time will be our enemy as class goes from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and several nights goes ’til 9:00 when we will be teaching or observing others teach. Then there’s several hours of homework preparing for the next day. It’s brutal. There is a rumor – ha! that on the second week, the students cry.

So, this morning we were at the dining table when it opened at 8:00 a.m. and hurriedly ate a quick breakfast with choices of eggs, fresh bakery bread, fruit, cereal and coffee. Leaving the Casa at 8:20 we headed for the nearest bus station stop.

It was amazing what the term “really packed” means!! We let several buses go by since only one or two riders got off and there where dozens of us waiting to get on. When we finally got on (pushing our way a bit), we were standing up, body next to body – like sardines in a can. At one point I was in the middle of the crowd and didn’t have a bar to hold on to so I just grabbed on to Don and we swayed in rhythm next to the others. I looked at Don who had his hand resting on a woman’s shoulder for support and whispered in his ear, “Do you think you should have your hand on her?” He quickly removed his hand as he didn’t even realize it was there – he was using her shoulder for support! People are smashed up against the glass doors as they open and close. It’s quite a experience!

We also noticed that the first car is reserved for women only (and handicapped).  They too had to push and shove to get on!

Then we discovered that we weren’t able to get off the bus at our stop!  We were too jammed in! The stop is also the subway hub and a “million” more people jammed onto our bus – so we rode it to the next stop and knew now to push our way out. We walked back up the several blocks.

Tomorrow we’ll do it again – this time moving to the front of the doors at the end station so we can jump off before the flood pours in!  More later time on the women’s section and the pink seats …