We are back in class.
It is hard to focus, as usual, but this time because of all the
coughing. It seems everyone onboard is
sick and spreading their germs all over the few whose precious immune systems
are still kicking. I am one of those few
– for now anyway – but I am definitely paranoid of anyone who even clears his throat. At times during class, people across the
auditorium cough in unison.
Cities have been coming and going, and only now
do I have a little (I stress “a little”) time to reflect on what I’ve seen so
far in Europe. Europeans have some
twisted idiosyncrasies. For one, bicyclists
don’t wear helmets, ever. I wouldn’t
mind that so much if it weren’t for all the babies on the bikes. They will ride with a baby either strapped to
their chest or in a seat affixed to the front of the bike. What’s more, they will smoke around their
babies. In fact, they don’t see smoking
as a particular risk, nothing worse than eating red meat or not
exercising. I confronted Igor with the
low life expectancy for Russian men (59 years old, 72 for women!) and he
responded, “Why would I need to live longer?" Also, if you thought chivalry was dead in America, then it is dead, buried, and stomped on in Europe.
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