Our bowling experience

So, last night, Joe, Nick, Sandy and I decided to take advantage of the base's 1/2 price bowling. The one thing we get told over and over is that when you live in another country, you need to adjust to their culture and ways. No problem. But bowling? Really? Now, I'm no professional bowler or anything but my grandmom is kind of a bowling junkie and I practically grew up at Thunderbird Lanes. So I'm no stranger to etiquette. I know, be very surprised, that I stick to etiquette! =)

Well, there I was on my 6th frame, bowling a better than normal game for me, waiting on my third strike in a row, hoping for my turkey. Imagine my surprise, when about 15 people took over our whole area of the bowling alley. The four of us only had one lane and were situated on the 2nd to last lane from the wall at the end. The bowling alley allowed these 15 people to share ONE lane. And what's worse... 12 of them were kids between the ages of 8-12. Within minutes, they were in our seats, crowded all over the balls, selecting even ones we were using.

I'm used to deferring to the person next to you to bowl, not standing on the wood unless it's your turn, staying seated unless you're behind the score keeper chairs and definitely NOT moving past the black line when you bowl. Apparently, in Spain, they make up their own rules.

It's very difficult to bowl when you go up to get your ball and there are 12 teens to your right all on the wood, just chatting it up, and on the left of you, there is a father standing half way down the lane with his camera taking pictures of his 6 year old two lanes over bowling solo. Really? It was mayhem in the world of bowling and was more than distracting. It was difficult to sit, move, talk, anything!

Now, like I said before, when I go to a bull fight, I expect to blend in and do things the Spanish way. When we play soccer in America, we don't just change the rules! So imagine my surprise when I go to bowl and all the guidelines of etiquette are thrown out the window. My grandmother would have been very upset. After all, she was upset when we circled wrong during the chicken dance at the wedding!

It was a far cry from Thunderbird Lanes. Needless to say... I didn't get my turkey.