Friday, January 15, 2010

UB! I am so poor!

The rest of the H1N1 shots for us Peace Corps Volunteers finally came in. This means anyone volunteer that hadn’t already received the shot due to their remote location or size or medical issues, had to come to Ulaanbaatar last weekend or this weekend. So Thursday morning, Patrick, Terrence, and I headed to UB on the 8 am party bus. The party bus is something other people had experienced, but this was my first time. It featured disco and laser lights as well as the most amazingly ridiculous music videos from a band called Modern Talking. 80s hair, keytars, and then later they added a rapper, I assume to help bring them into the next decade. At about 9 the karaoke started. Interestingly, at about 1030, the karaoke and music stopped, ridiculous Mongolian TV came on and apparently the party was over. I think once the sun comes up, the party is pretty much over. We arrived at about 2 pm and I headed to the PC office. Later that night we headed to Twilight bar for a few hours. It is really nice to hang out and see people I usually don’t get to see.
Friday I went back to the PC office for my H1N1 shot and ended up having to get Hep A and Hep B as well. Then a bunch of us went to Avatar at one of the two movie theatres in UB. It was an amazing movie and really fun. The screen was huge and there was popcorn, so I was really happy. Later I spent some time online and then went to Ix Mongol Restaurant and had a couple of beers with a bunch of volunteers. There are a few M19s that are getting ready to leave, so it was nice to see them before they head out.
So far on this morning, I came to Nayra’s café, had pancakes and bacon and OJ and have been trying to get some research done on the Internet. Where should I go to grad school? What should I go to grad school for? Hmmmm.

6 comments:

kate said...

Hi Caitlin! I write from my office, as I am working this week-end. We have the Phoenix Youth Symphony joining our orchestra and women's choir for Holst's The Planets. All day rehearsals today, concert tomorrow.
I'm glad that you got inoculated. I am trying to do the same, but I don't like coming to school unless I am working, and they have these events at inopportune times.
For your birthday I'm simply going to send money to your mom to put in your account. So you don't have to be so poor. Remember your last year's birthday? Flogging Molly!? Oh, that was a hoot.

It is warm and sunny here now, in Denver. We need more snow! I went skiing in Vail last Wednesday, and it was okay, but there were some bare spots. Still tons of fun. It had dumped all the week previous.
The party bus sounds pretty hilarious. What is it with Asia and karaoke? When I worked with groups of Philipinos they were way into it.
I'm going to see the Genghis Khan exhibit on Monday (MLK day). Some friends of mine went to see it, and met a Mongolian couple who danced and played instruments. They spoke with them, and got their contact information. So I hope to meet them as well and get some ideas for our trip.
I hope your jabs didn't make you feel ill, and you and your cat are happy again to be home.
I love you!

Deirdre said...

You may be poor, but only in money. You are rich in humor, rich in trooperhood, rich in love and homeyness. And like that.

I hope you got the party bus on the way home too, because why not a party bus over any ole bus? I do think they should get a stripper pole on the bus because the Jonzey bus has one and how fun is that? I will answer that. Very fun. At least it was that one time...

My car is very comfortable. I am enjoying my weekend.

Oh, funny story. Tasha and I walked to over to get Mom for a walk and the folks were eating. So Tasha and I told mom we would wait outside for her. I kept looking for her, because I was afraid she would try to open the door, and it cannot be opened easily. There is a code that has to be entered. So I did not see her at the door and she could not get out. So she pulled the FIRE ALARM. Now she thinks the dog had something to do with it. She is very mad at me for bringing the dog in and making that alarm go off. Then we started on our walk and she asked if there was a bathroom where we were going. So we barely got a walk on top of the whole fire truck coming, the whole building being evacuated and the staff and 2 family members of residents giving me the stink eye, even though I feel totally innocent. One must be very careful when one sets out to do-good. It could end up LOUDLY and full of the stink-eye from ones own mother and various old folks and their families and even ones own co-workers. The dog did not care.

So, I love you and have clean sheets and am making ham for FNB. Someone gave me two. I am going to make your grandma's raisin sauce. Yum yum. And potatoes. And who knows what else?

Wait till you see what is in the next box! Oh, yeah, and the zen postal worker who encouraged me to relax? He also told me it looked like I filled out the customs form hurriedly and encouraged me to take more time with it next time. He could hardly read my writing. He is not my favorite. His name is Harold. Maybe Old Weird Harold. Or from now on, OWH Zen Post Man.

I love you more than raisin sauce and miss you more than bacon and don't worry, we have not forgotten you.

love, d

Anonymous said...

did Josh go with you to Avatar? it was fun to meet you on Skype! Please know I never miss an installment of your blog because if I were in Mongolia, my blog would sound a LOT like yours. Stay safe and warm....Josh's mom

kate said...

Come to DU for grad school! The international school is highly respected! Madeline Albright's father was instrumental in its founding, and Condaleeza Rice graduated from there. It isn't conservative, though, like Georgetown. The professors range in their orientation....Denver is a pretty cool city, lots going on...

Gabb said...

Hi there! Woot for internet in UB so I could talk to you! I'm still tickled pink that even though I can't hang out with you, I still get to see you every so often.
My sisters, mom, and I stopped at Scheels to look at fleece jackets since they are cheaper than cranking up the heat to compensate for leaky windows. It reminded me of the jacket that Skinners gave you as a going away gift. Sweet memories :)

I went to my first ever Pampered Chef party. I was referred to as the Pampered Chef virgin the whole time, which was funny, and I won a little knife. Much better than my first Lia Sophia party, where I was referred to as "Deb" the whole time. The hostess and I thought it was too funny to correct after the first few times; Susi didn't even notice.

Just in case you hadn't heard...Hef broke up with those teenage twins he was dating. I'm not surprised. I saw a few clips from the new season and they made Kendra look like a rocket scientist. I miss you.

Love you!
G

Aaron K said...

Oh hi! I am skeptical of this party bus you speak of. Surely, if this bus did exist, the party wouldn't end to watch TV... on a bus ride of hours and hours the party bus would be much preferred to the TV bus. But such is my opinion.
I think you should go to grad school somewhere near us and get a Ph.D. in the Art of Cool / the Art of Being Cool. That way you could tie it in with your undergraduate (what with the art) and it would only take you one semester, because you'd just have to write a paper (or story) about how you got to be so cool.
Also, I am so glad that you protected against diseases, especially the one that shut down Mongolian schools like...2 months ago...
Also also, I finally got my $15 air hockey table erected in my new apartment (after fixing it with super glue). I set Mike's stool next to it, so now I can use it as a dinner table! Ideally, I could set my plate on the table while it is turned on and my food would slide around, but I don't think that will happen.
Bon nuit!