Sh*t People Say to Basketball Wives

You may remember the hilarious YouTube trend last year where various groups of people made fun of stereotypical conversations had by other certain groups. There was first "Shit Girls Say", then "Shit Guys Say", and eventually the phase had expanded across all social and ethnic groups to include  "Shit People Say to Tattooed People", "Shit White People Say to Asians" and even "Shit People Say to Asexuals". 

The video that started the trend

To a person unfamiliar with our lifestyle, I suppose it's interesting to hear about someone playing professional basketball abroad. I recently stumbled upon an other basketball wife's blog where she documented her version of "Shit People Say to Basketball Wives". I'm always asked some hilarious questions which prompted me to consult with some fellow basketball wives to write our own version of "Shit People Say to Overseas Basketball Wives".  Some are basketball themed while others I'm sure any expat can relate to. We've heard it all....

So...what do you, like, DO over there?
This one kills me. People are always asking if I work and when I tell them no, they can't fathom what I do with all my time. Deividas has two practices a day, one in the morning and one at night. Therefore, he's home with me most of the day. It pretty much rules that he doesn't have a 9-5 job where he's gone all day long so we get to hang out and explore the city together. When he's not home, I'm usually cooking, taking Lithuanian lessons, working out, talking with friends back home, and reading. Trust me, I stay busy :)

So where exactly is _______?
I get it, Lithuania isn't some huge country but nonetheless you should at least know which side of the equator it lies on. When I say "Eastern Europe", I often get a puzzled look back alongside a "so that's next to what"? I hope most Americans know how much the rest of the world makes fun of them for their abysmal geography skills.

"I'm going to _____ [insert any country in any of the other continents besides North America], is that close to you"? Geography, people.

Do they have _____ over there? [insert: cars, washing machines, dishwashers, McDonalds, malls, Starbucks, Doritos]
I know it's hard to believe, but there is "westernized" life outside of the United States and the well-known European countries. Lithuania has all the modern commodities that any large European country has and although there is much less processed food (Alleluia), you can still get your junk food fix if you're into that sorta nasty stuff.

So why doesn't your husband just play in the NBA?
Another favorite. A lot of basketball players have dreams of playing in the NBA and for the majority playing overseas, it's the end goal. Tons of players from Europe go over to the NBA every season and visa versa. I would absolutely love to live back in the states and D has always dreamed of playing in the NBA but playing in Europe has a lot of added bonuses that the NBA doesn't. European teams pay for your housing, car, insurance, agent's fees, plane tickets, etc. It's been nice starting our marriage living bill-free.

I also get:
Why doesn't your husband just play in the D-league?
For those who don't know, the NBA has a developmental league throughout the states where players can "develop" their skills and be called up to the big leagues. While this is the right choice for many players, it definitely isn't for us. We have no problem living overseas, and actually love having the opportunity to see the world. It also doesn't hurt that a month's salary overseas would equal an annual D-league salary.

Do they celebrate Christmas over there?
Dear Lord, people. Think before you speak. Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, therefore it is celebrated by Christian people. This has nothing to do with where you live and everything to do with what religion you practice. Lithuania happens to be about 80% Catholic, so yes, those people do celebrate Christmas.

Side note: Lithuania celebrates more holidays than Hallmark himself (or is it herself?). I once told Deividas this and he replied "that's not true". The following day he told me it was "grass day" in Lithuania and my point was proven. They also have "name days" to celebrate people with certain names (the most popular being Jonas Day). I laughed at how this would never work in the US, as we have people trying to get all creative naming their kids Apple and North and what not. Something tells me I wouldn't be included as well.

You're so lucky you don't have to work.
Of course I feel blessed to be in the position where I don't have to work but quite honestly, I would much rather be working if I could be. I'm always so jealous of my best girlfriends back home who are getting started in their career, and they probably get sick of me telling them how lucky they are to be working when they complain to me about the long hours, their sucky bosses, creepy coworkers, etc. Eventually I'm going to have to make some sort of career moves over here to keep my sanity, but until then, I'll just envy my friends and their working lives, while they're constantly telling me how jealous they are of my jet-setting lifestyle. The grass is always greener I suppose...

What do you eat over there?
Believe it or not, we do have grocery stores. They are monstrous and have almost anything a US store would have. Yes, it does take me at least twice the time it would take me to grocery shop in an American store, as I'm constantly translating labels and getting lost but I usually end up finding everything I need.  Additionally, we have some fantastic restaurants serving international cuisines from all over the world.

Then there are some funny remarks that don't even warrant a response:
OMG your a basketball wife just like Khloe Kardashian!!!! This one makes my skin crawl...
So how tall is your husband?
So how much does your husband make?
I'm too independent to do what you do.
Aren't all professional athletes cheaters?

Not to mention the famous: Are there any cute single guys on your husband's team? ;)

Hope this has answered some of your questions, or at least made you laugh.