A Fabulous Summer in Europe

Koper Shopping Mall

Ahhhhh.... The actual place we went to!

I was really sad because Mona and Joseph left; no more inside jokes, secrets handshakes, or code names. Everybody was trying to cheer me up, but it just wasn't the same. I spent a lot of my time indoors with my cousins and watching movies or playing games.

"Sarah, we are in this fabulous paradise and you are watching movies and playing games inside while you could be out and about swimming and playing volleyball." My Mom said gently.

"I know." I sighed softly as I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt.

"C'mon. I have just the thing to cheer you up! Theodora and your Aunt have been wanting to go since we came!" My Mom exclaimed.
"To go where?" I pondered.
"Well, our annual shopping spree, of course!" My Mom gleamed.

Oh, how could I forget? Our annual shopping day to Koper, Slovenia! I though to myself.

"Yay!" I shouted," Let me just find something cute to wear."
"Sounds good, we have everything packed, the snacks, drinks, and sweaters, so please hurry, the girls are downstairs." She said as she went to make final touches to the bags.

I decided on my floral print top and my high waisted shorts. I quickly brushed my hair, and slipped my sandals on.
I was ready.
"I'm coming down!" I shouted as I made my way down the infinite sets of stairs.

When I reached the car, my family was already inside. I hurriedly jumped inside and buckled my seatbelt. My cousin looked at me skeptically.
"You do realize, that no one in Europe ever wears their seatbelt.
"Uh yeah okay." I said as I slowly unbuckled my seatbelt.
Theodora sighed and slipped the earphones in her ears and stared blasting really loud music, bopping her head in rhythm to the beat.

"So much for cheering me up." I thought.

I closed my eyes getting a bit bored of the loneliness and the never ending miles of trees and brush.

Quickly, (aka an hour and a half later) we pulled into the border of Croatia and Slovenia. There was a billboard that read: Farewell Croatia!
We eased into the small area where the police officer checked our passports.
"Next." He said in a bored tone.
Leaving the Croatian customs we we to the Slovenian border.
"You're good." The man said as we sped up past him, excited to get to the mall.

A couple winding turns later, we ended up in the long line waiting to enter the parking structure. Inch by inch we made it inside and managed to find a parking on the third floor.

Bering so excited, I may have accidentally hit my cousins with the car door. Oops.

Once we entered the mall we were hit with the pizza smelling air on the left, on the right the popcorn from the movie theatre, and in the middle, the smell of clothes in a store. We immediately headed to C&A where my cousin ran to a bunch of ripped jeans while I checked out the t-shirts. I found a cute top with 3 girls in a car that read "Girls just wanna have sun!"

It was the cutest thing ever and my Mom agreed. After about 20 minutes of looking around I huffed,"Where is Theodora?"
"She's still in the dressing room." My Mom answered.
"Seriously?", I said,"I'm going to the H&M next door."

I walked in and started looking around. After a few minutes, my eyes rested on a black skirt with the outline of a floral design. It was really pretty, I just wasn't sure I liked the designs.

I looked to my right and jumped about a foot in the air when I saw the salesperson just staring at me with her eyes narrowed.
"Hi...." I said slowly in Croatian.
She stared.
"Umm so I was wondering if you like had this exact skirt but without the design, you know just a plain skirt?" I explained.

She started rapidly speaking in Slovenian.
"Please stop, I have no idea what you are saying!" I exclaimed. She however, understood very well what I was saying.
She talked again, slower this time.

"Hey, listen," I said slightly getting annoyed," I know you don't like Croatian people or their language but that's your issue. I have a question about this skirt and if you don't want to speak in Croatian then we'll talk in English." I huffed.

"Fine with me." She said in perfect English.
"Jeez, why are you so stubborn." I whispered under my breath.

"No, that's the only skirt we have, live with it, Americana." She smiled and flounced away with an extra leap in her step.

I raised my eyebrows and my mouth settled into the shop of an "o".
"Okay." I said to no one in particular as I dropped the skirt on the nearest table leaving the store. Looking at the camera I gave it my brightest smile and flipped my hair over my shoulder, "accidentally" kicking their 30% off sign that was in my way.

I met my family outside as we headed to New Yorker, feeling a bit of regret after what I did.

My cousin tried on a bunch of ripped jeans, again, as I tried not to look bored for her sake.
In boredom I look a piece of lint off a flannel and waited some more.
Finally she was done. With 5 pairs of jeans in her arms.
"Yes, food!" I yelled. After New Yorker we always went to the pizza place next door. It was packed, but I didn't care; it was tradition.

"Oh yeah, that hit the spot!" I said as I was filled with renewed energy for shopping.

After a couple shops later and other clothing stores, I was ready to hit the sack.

"I have to go to the bathroom." My cousin said.
"Yeah, after can we go home? All the shops are closing and I'm really tired." I added.

"Wow, tired from shopping, that's a first!" My aunt exclaimed.

Soon, my request was fulfilled and we were in the car and ready to go. I grabbed a snack from the cooler and filled myself a cup of iced tea. After that, I slowly leaned my head against the car window and drifted off to sleep.

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