How I Re-learned to Share
A hotel room that is. My first experience sharing a hotel room with a stranger. On one of Women’s Travel Group’s first trips- in partnership with a university professor of Chinese, I agreed to share a room with a stranger. I had a room mate in college. I had ‘trained’ my husband. And now I was going to learn all over again how to cooperate with a room mate.
Like most of you reading this article, I was apprehensive, though she seemed quite pleasant. We flew to Beijing with the group. We checked into our hotel with the others. The room was fine; that is, until we hunted for pajamas. A hurricane hit. Not a climatic hurricane, but swirling debris from my room share’s suitcase. Note: I am a neat freak. Her clothes were everywhere.
In the bathroom, there were tissues that never made it into the basket, On the dresser was a 12 pack of diet coke. (Yes she packed 12 cans of diet coke for China).
My waspy mother would have been proud; I said nothing, smiled throughout Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai. We both generally had a great trip. When we reached Hong Kong at the end, I was a room mate pro; I learned to speak up and she learned to listen. We stayed friends.
-Please keep your stuff on your side of the room
-And pick up the tissues.
-I’m not going with you to find Diet Coke.
-I’m going for a walk in Kowloon.
-My diet is shot so I’m not eating at Spring Deer again.
Best lesson, if picadillos bother you, say something. She was totally happy when I spoke up. I was the dumb one to stay silent.
Room Share tips from The Women’s Travel Group. Join us on a trip and ask for a share, you might make a new friend like I did. Information about us is here: https://www.thewomenstravelgroup.com/tours/
Call us here: 646 309 5607.
