Mr. & Mrs. Vandebilt + kids

I’m writing this story for a couple of reasons. One is to remind myself for the future, just in case I decide to become a heartless person and second because it’s the only thing of any consequence that’s happened to us so far.

As I mentioned before, we were originally supposed to stay in our apartment for two nights with the American girl, Jacquie, that I’ll be replacing. Jun dropped us off at the apartment gave us the key and said that she’d be home in about an hour. We really only had a chance to check our email and let our parents know we’d arrived before she got home.

When Jun arrived back with Jacquie the American she was visibly upset. Wiping away tears because she changed her mind and wanted the space to herself to spend her last couple of days with her boyfriend. Now, I can appreciate that it would be both a little weird and a little inconvenient to have us staying at the apartment with her for her last couple of days, but, what I can’t understand is how she didn’t see our side of it.

We’ve just landed after an exhausting trip on the other side of the world where we know no one. I would like to think that if the situation was reversed I would gladly welcome her into our home and try and help her out for the next couple of days. Simple things that we’re really struggling with like where to get food, how to take the garbage out, how to get the internet hooked up she could have easily let us know about. Instead, she wanted some alone time. Apparently Americans are still inconsiderate on this side of the world even if you are clearly exhausted and have no idea what you are doing or where you are.

We saw her twice again today and she barely managed a hello. A polite smile seemed to be all she could muster. I hope I never make anyone feel as alone and as unwelcome as she managed.