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Kristi
The Boy, 2 Muttleys and I have finally realized our dream of living 1 mile from the Lindt Chocolate Factory. Leaving Atlanta (the World of Coke) for Zurich (the World of Chocolate) hasn't come without challenges, incredible fun or giggles. Follow along as I chronicle our adventures as we acclimate to this new Swiss lifestyle.
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Thursday, January 21, 2010

Do You HAVE to Let it Linger?

So word on the street is the Swiss stare. I can't confirm that the Swiss in general stare, that would be like saying all Americans are fat. Only 68% of Americans are fat. What I can confirm is an older gentleman was squeezing my zits with his eyes yesterday on the bus...ok, that was too graphic, I agree, but I want you to understand the gravity of this situation. Perhaps he was a dermatologist or facial technician and I was his muse. I can tell you this, whatever he does for a living must involve looking at stuff, because he was very good at it. And no, it wasn't a "hot for teacher" stare, you did see the "me love meat" picture below, right?

In the States this behavior would warrant a call to the coppers or at the very least it would lead to this particular chain reaction of events: get all wide eyed (cuz someone is staring at you), do a military about face and forward-hut the frack out of there, all the while grabbing hold of your rape whistle and/or pepper spray, just in case.

Does it make me uncomfortable? Hell yeah it makes me uncomfortable. I am uncomfortable for so many reasons, even one as silly as worrying that this guy was about to get a bad case of dry eye. I have heard that it is quite a horrendous condition. Will I get used to this staring bidness? Highly unlikely, but at the very least I do recognize it to be a rather benign behavior here.

Finally, if you hadn't noticed a trend with my post titles, well then you were born after 1989 and/or your family didn't own a radio. I take great pleasure in the fact that at least half of you will have the Cranberries song "Linger" stuck in your head for the next week or so. Oh and yeah, I am going to do my best to song title all my posts. The 80's were good for something.

6 comments:

Chantal said...

Oh, no! I've had people stare at me here too, and when I'm wearing my big fat American running shoes, maybe it makes sense. But otherwise, like yesterday, when I was on the train dressed all in black, and a guy was staring at me while I stared at Blick am Abend, it's just weird.

Kathy said...

Yes it worked. That @#!# song is now in my head. Evil. Pure evil!

Elisa @ Globetrotting in Heels said...

Have you tried staring back? Usually they stop.

And thank you for the earworm, BTW. That song will be in my head all week. In fact, I might as well go play the CD right now.

Kristi said...

Chantal, I find it funny that they seem to dress us with their eyes vs. undress us ie. why is she wearing running shoes? She should be wearing something more tragically hip, like puffy coat boots. I have seen them and they are offensive.

Kathy, bwawawawa!

Elisa, I haven't the confidence yet to stare back. I will need to practice at home, on my dogs.

Unknown said...

Hi Kristi and Dave,

We love your blog and hearing of your adventures. Thanks for sharing in such a fun way.

Love, Uncle Charlie and Aunt Barbara

Jen said...

ha! i still have that CD... in my car no less. so i will just have to play it. i don't like being stared at that way either. i once worked with someone who would stare at me in a way that made me feel like a cheeseburger.