My favorite movie

A couple years ago my workplace assessed the English skills of all employees.

The teacher was really kind and professional. When she interviewed me she started with an innocuous question: What's your favorite movie?

Sounds like an easy one! But not for me :( I was totally unprepared for personal questions like this at the time.

Here's a rough translation of what went through my mind:

• A favorite movie should be something I've watched multiple times
• Could it be a movie from my childhood? Disney movies sound like good candidates
• Nope, they aren't. What was the last time I've rewatched them? Not recently for sure
• There are some good movies I've seen recently but none that I've seen more than once
• Nothing comes to mind...
• Why can't I answer this simple question? Do I even know myself?

Note that this was all in my head, I haven't uttered a single word. I was so lost in my thoughts I haven't even realized I've been silent for half a minute.

After I made the situation as uncomfortable as possible, she patiently asked me a new question and we moved on to the rest of the interview (where I tried to prove that I'm not actually a brick wall - despite all evidence to the contrary).

I have better social skills now, but this awkward moment is still imprinted in my memory and it keeps me up at night.

Hayley, if you're reading this: I don't know, I don't have one. What's yours?