So, after my bout of poisoning, I was wary of eating anything that didnt come out of a packet, was soaked in dettol, and had been boiled for at least three days. But after a few days of nibbling buscuits and feeling miserable, I realised that - oh my gosh - I actually felt hungry. Which was good, as Cos and Theo were leaving (boo hoo) and I was going for a meal with them. I had steak and rosemary potatoes, it was goooood.
The rest of the week was quiet, just working, teaching, and doing laundry, as well as nearly flooding the place AGAIN. Yeah, so my computer died on the monday, from a virus, so I was a bit bereft, there is no computer at work, so I was working from VSO which was nice, as it meant I could hang out with some other VSO's.
Thursday was the pub quiz (we came third, poor show!) and the arrival of the "out of towners" for a big VSO meeting.
I didnt attend the meeting as I was at a very lavish ceremony at the hospital, to celebrate the 10 year aniversary of the Nursing Department.
I was also interviewed for mongolian national radio, and got very flustered with the interviewer, at one point I think I actually said, "I dont bloody well know!" or words to that effect. I also said that we didnt do anyhting for nurses day in britain, but looking on the NUrsing Times website, I have just seen loads of stuff for nurses day in Britain....oops. Spreading false information to the furthest reaches of the world, thats me.
After the ceremony, in which there was a dance performance aswell, (it was like strictly come dancing, only on some weird kind of acid. Eight couples doing a cool dance to a medley of different styles of music. They were pretty good, but didnt have enough space, so kept standing on eachother, and sometimes the dance called for them to fling out an arm, which nearly always caught someone else in the face - but like true professionals they just carried on regardless).
I went to meet VSO's for a meal, and then dancing. Found a cool club with foreign DJ's so music was pretty good. Kate and I made every guy in there dance with us, even a very taciturn, 6foot7 german guy, who said he wouldnt dance as he didnt like the music, so we asked him what he would dance to, and then went to the DJ to request it, "we have a well boring german dude over there that wont dance" we said, "oh really" said the DJ "I am also german". oopsie. But we got Jeorg dancing in the end.
The police were trying to raid the place at one pont, so they had to turn off the music for a while, but soon the police were bribed to go away and the party resumed.
The rest of the weekend was cool, and life just kind of ticked along, went to a cute little park, but it was snowing, so we went to a cute little cafe instead.
Wednesday the 12th May is International Nurses Day ( I am afraid I had never ever clicked this, bad nurse) as it is the aniversary of Florence Nightingales birth. They go in for it in a big way here, and were planning a big party, so the week at work was kind of a write off, all my lessons were cancelled at the hospital, so me and Zolo were just kind of bumming around, she read the paper and told me what my horoscope said, and we discussed various racist myths the mongolians believe and propagate about the chinese (apparently they eat babies). She also got me up to speed on the crazy love life and vodka fuelled antics of her friends. I swear, I have no need for soap operas or celebrity gossip magazines, Zolo's social life is my gossip manna.
(pssst, I totally didnt mean that about the gossip mags, if anyone wants to send me a copy of the national enquirer I will be well happy - aparently Anjelina Jolie is pregnant again! And apparently Jennifer aniston is going to have a baby with Gerard Butler! And OMG have you seen Heidi Montag lately!!!???)
Anyway, I did mnage to do a lecture on vital signs at Chingeltei, which was really good, and we got a free lunch too, bonus.
That evening was the posh do for nurses day, it was at a hotel, and was one of the fanciest things i have ever been to. My pictures didnt really capture it clearly, but you get the idea...
There were dancers, singers (a woman who had been a big pop star in the 60s and 70s, kind of like a mongolian Lulu, sang) a comedian (I think he was, people kept laughing, I was completely confused), a competition, which was quite alarming for me, not understanding the mongoian preamble. There were some lucky tickets hidden under some of the chairs, this was explained in mongolian, so the first I knew of it was when everyone jumped up at once and tipped their chairs upside down, which, when you are not expecting it, is quite a fright!
There were big bottles of vodka on each table, and we al had a glass of vodka (OMG, when i arived i thought it was water and took a big sip! Oh how they laughed) which we had to toast with - like - every four minutes, stand up chink glasses with everyone at the table and knock it back. Now, I was - for once in my life - very sensible, and every time there was a toast, I merely touched the vodka to my lips. But my colleagues were chucking it down their throats, and soon almost everyone in the room was pretty drunk. this was quite funny.
Also, there was almost no men, so all the nurses were dancing with eachother, and it was a very curious and charming visual to see all these fancy dressed mongolian women walzing with eachother, as an old lady in a full length silver coat belted out asian pop ballads among them on the dance floor........
Then there was a display by two contortionists, as we ate our 3rd course of a 4 course meal, and yet more vodka was imbibed. At about 9pm I tried to leave, but my boss was having none of it, and dragged me onto the dance floor, so I danced for ages, being pulled this way and that by curious drunk mongolians, before I eventually managed to get away, after being kissed and hugged repeatedly by my workmates.
The next day was so funny as they were all very hungover, Khulan couldn't remember much of the evening, and had lost her earrings and necklace. Work was very quiet, and everyone left early. I went to the pub quiz, and WE WON! Our prize was, as well as the money in the pot, 2 pitchers of beer, so we invited some kiwi's at the next table to join us.
Friday I went with Kate and the Sarahs out for fancy cocktails, we got all dressed up, it was really fun, but I wasnt so happy the next day when I could barely move. But the bar we went to was v posh and had great views of the square:
Last night I stayed in and watched this very sedate irish film called "Once" which made me really sad for some reason.
Today I am sittingin the cafe again, my usual sunday haunt, having trundled into town through the sunshine and dust, past the ripped up road, in my flip flops, that the mongolians think are the weirdest thing ever, and my floaty summer dress.
No one seems to be around for socialising, so I am all by myself, which always starts to spin me out after a while. I have been reading this surreal book, and thinking lots of different thoughts.
I love mongolia, but the next place I live has to be realy greeeeeeeen, I miss grass and trees and flowers. I bought myself a couple of plants, and am dallying in sprouting seedlings, but what I really yearn for is Regents park, in the sunshine, on a blanket, with snacks and a couple of bottles of cold cold beer, and some friends, and maybe a frisbee.........Dream on Caffers.
Very interesting Uncle Si
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