What's happened since October? A beautiful think called...Paranoia!
Because of H1N1, the swine flu, the city first shut down restaurants, pubs, clubs after 9pm. First week. Then, after that, they started closing down the public schools, first elementary, then primary and secondary. Two more weeks. Swine flu cases kept on rising. In their 4th week of panic, the government then decided to ban public meetings of more than say....8 or 9 people. Public gathering places were closed, museums, cinemas, gyms, sporting places, internet cafes, etc. And ish kept on hitting the fan. So then they just went ahead with the quarantine, where you couldn't leave the city for about 4 weeks. Trains and buses from the countryside were stopped; could only leave by way of planes. But that's finally over now.
I have to say, I think I've become quite popular recently. Shoutout to Alyssa for the glasses, they are the only reason why the Asianses like me.
But on Sunday we had a Christmas Party (they call it New Year's Party cause it's a Buddhist country, even though they have all the xmas decorations and Santa) and although none of the English teachers wanted to go, it turned out pretty nice. I even did a little rap performance with one of my students (Mario's "I don't wanna know" feat. p. diddy--I was Diddy).
(Pictures on Facebook)
It was a long night, but it was a fun night. Too bad I had to work the next day. Mongolia is looking better now and on Monday I'll be rolling out (literally) to Russia by way of the Trans-Siberian Line. I do tend to go to these obscure places. Siberia is where the Russians used to send prisoners of the state. And I go there on vacation. So we'll be rolling out to a city called Irkutsk, and then from there we'll go to the world's largest or second-largest fresh-water lake, Lake Baikal, by a little town on the lake called Listvyanka.
However, recently our plans were changed; all the hotels in Listvyanka are now booked. So now we have to stay in this secluded island called Olkhon in the middle of the lake that is supposedly even more beautiful than where we were going to go.
Olkhon Island, Summer
Olkhon Island, Winter
God finds ways to make things better. Do I deserve it? Do any of us? Probably not. But, I accept and thank.
Second thing on my mind, and's been starting to bug me lately: where is my father? Who is my father? Easy question (I know him, of course), but, in-depth, a tough one (I might not really know him). I send emails to all my family about updates, etc., including Pops, but still no response. Your son travels half-way around the world and in three and a half months you don't care to contact him? One thing my parents taught me was to let no one treat you like trash, I guess even when that person is your own parent? C'est la vie the French say. As you get older your problems don't get harder they just get longer, because you dwell on them more. These are some sticky issues because you can't shake off your father just as you can't shake off your skin; cut off a limb. Blood is blood. But, in this Christmas-time I wish him the best, as I wish everyone the best, always, even the people that I don't know well, and the ones I thought I knew. But, dramatic. Mongolia's going well.
Other thing: some Mongolian girls are tricky: if it ain't the money, then it's the English. They want one of those things from you, or sometimes both. I'm willing to give free English, as long as they feed me. Money? Ha. Ha. They stay with their parents until they get married. Then they stay with their husbands. They're very educated, just...small in a way. Small-minded or small-ambitioned. Very timid. And the ones I meet, the ones my age, are just really ready to get married. They get married young here I guess. As for moi? Are you crazy? I'm too young and too fly to be settled down. Especially here. But, more to come on that.
Next time I post I hopefully will have lots of good things to say about Siberia. Until then, bayartai!
So I finaly caught up with the blog, and with you. Were you the dreamer of the dream about your grandma? Hope you hear from your dad- there's some father-son stuff to talk about which should happen sooner rather than later...
ReplyDeleteSort of getting to know you, I find a lot of resonance in what your write about yourself- I majored in English while studying for my law degree - tutored English for 3 yrs, that's how I paid for my studies. However, about a year after working at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission I couldn't read fiction, or anything not work-related as much as I used to- still struggling in fact, but I catch up on blogs - still trying to read the odd novel, brought 2 home to challenge myself before going back to work on the 4th - guess I'm waiting for inspiration... well, there's still a lot of places I'd like to see too- found myself one day reading entries about the best places in Turkey to walk, go for coffee, the best bread, etc, and really desiring to see Istanbul one day! Couldn't believe it myself:) Anyway, hoping to come to the US in March next year- praying hard I'll be selected to spend a month at US Congress on a Legislative Fellowship Programme. My interview was postponed till early January 2010 and I hope it will be the start of me being propelled into exploring less familiar horizons...here's to new experiences!