So, I guess for my first birthday out of the country it was decent. Some of the highlights... The night before my birthday some friends sang happy birthday to me in at least three different languages at the same time (Czech, Mongolian and Japanese). Then Wednesday evening I went out for drinks with some of the Fantasticks cast before practice. Which then led to the four of us being late and slightly tipsy for rehearsal. Oops. One of the ladies from the play made me cupcakes and so the cast sang Happy Birthday to me and we devoured cup cakes. And, the other lady who is doing tech crew with me brought me a bottle of wine. After wine and cupcakes most of the cast and I went to go watch a jazz jam session at The Square. The band even started one of their jams with Happy Birthday. I ended up going home early because I was tired and being a butt. The end of my birthday was pretty good, but it was just a really long, tiring day.
It's challenging to figure out how to celebrate when you can't use any of the traditions you've used in the past. This is less for birthdays, although still applicable for lots of holidays and celebrations. It's not the just the date that makes a day special, it's everything else that happens before and during that little black number on a calendar. Is it really a birthday without cake and presents, friends and family? If no one sings happy birthday, how can it be a happy birthday?
And, then there's Christmas. Because I tend to think that organized religion is a bunch of phooey, Christmas is not completely about the angels and wise men for me. It's about people being nicer to each other. It's about getting together with friends and family and appreciating the good things in life and the past year. It's about believing in the impossible whether it is Santa Clause or peace on earth or flying deer or good will towards all men. For one brief blink in time the impossible seems possible. It's about having faith in people again. About believing that good things can and do happen. It's about showing that you care about somebody, letting them know that they matter.
Of course it's also about Christmas cookies, and pie, and Christmas movies, and making wreathes at your grandparents house, and decorating the tree, Christmas music, and waking up at 4:00 in the morning to sneak downstairs before your parents wake up. Even at 21, I had to set an alarm to wake up before my mom to sneak downstairs. Although I'm pretty sure that she was already awake. What is Christmas without that overwhelming scent of pine that will always bring me back to my grandparents workshop when I would help them build wreaths? What is Christmas without phone calls from family and text messages from friends wishing a Merry Christmas? What is Christmas Eve without Scrooge and snacking all day? What is Christmas without a tree?
I suppose it will have to be an opportunity for new traditions. For making new friends into family.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Snow and Salsa
So, it is probably an understatement to say that things have been crazy around here. Chaotic, mind-blowingly hectic, topsy-turvy, yes. Those are closer. But, eventually rewarding.
I've been running recruitment for the last two weeks, and it should be officially over next Saturday. While I enjoy meeting new, potential members, and seeing the next generation of AIESECers at the very start of their journey, it is still an intensely draining process. Doing interviews was a fascinating process. It was fun to watch the current AIESECers learn how we wanted them to interview and then have them interview and evaluate potential new members. It was also impressive to watch the interviewees stand up under the pressure of being drilled about AIESEC. Although Gina and I may have been more intimidating at the start because we don't speak Mongolian, we were definitely the more lenient interviewers. Some of our members, Adiya and Boldko, were pretty damn tough. Although, it had to be difficult for them too to interview in English (which they both speak well), but had to do it and not let the interviewee speak in Mongolian - which several of them wanted to. But, they did pretty awesome...
I'm also working on pushing AIESEC Mongolia to take shape and have leaders and such - which is interesting. Some people that the MC had thought would be good for leadership positions are not interested and all, and then there have been some surprises for people who are interested who we didn't think would be. As long as the people who eventually end up in leadership can be reliable and communicative, I think we'll be in decent shape.
Mostly, I've been slowly climbing a pretty respectable learning curve. Work ethic in college is completely different from the work ethic required for running a nearly brand new NGO. The hours are wonkier, the days longer, and the level of adaptability required to keep sanity is through the roof, as is the ability to bullshit believably. With possible members, potential partners, current partners, complete outsiders, current members asking all kinds of questions you never thought of or thought you would have to answer - it helps to be a little quick on your feet to assemble enough of the truth with just a hint of bull and a dash of eloquence (more or less used to obfuscate the language than anything) to convince the questioner that you actually do know what you're talking about. College so did not prepare me for this - then you could offer to answer with prepared BS, or just write it down in term paper format with a well cited list of people who did know what they were talking about. Here, it's all original. Thank you, thank you I'll be here all year.
Anyways besides working my little brains out recently, there has been a sneeze of social life. The play that I am tech crew for is slowly chugging along and hopefully will live long enough to make it to production. Meeting more people from the ex-pat network which is nice to have people to share experiences with. I re-attempted shopping. It went better this time. Still not great, but better. Slowly accumulating more acceptable clothing. Slowly. Finally found shoes that fit, and a few shirts, but I'm going to have to locate a tailor to get pants. Also, Saturday it snowed and I went to a fund-raiser salsa event. The whole eventing was kind of a cultural conundrum - It was at an American bar called American Ger'll. My group drank red wine (while salsaing), ate pepperoni pizza, and danced to salsa music - in Mongolia. Sounds more like a night in Athens than Ulaanbaatar.
Also, you should probably watch this http://vimeo.com/15041403
It might not make a lot of sense if you don't know Mongolia. But, it's pretty fun. (And, I know them.)
I've been running recruitment for the last two weeks, and it should be officially over next Saturday. While I enjoy meeting new, potential members, and seeing the next generation of AIESECers at the very start of their journey, it is still an intensely draining process. Doing interviews was a fascinating process. It was fun to watch the current AIESECers learn how we wanted them to interview and then have them interview and evaluate potential new members. It was also impressive to watch the interviewees stand up under the pressure of being drilled about AIESEC. Although Gina and I may have been more intimidating at the start because we don't speak Mongolian, we were definitely the more lenient interviewers. Some of our members, Adiya and Boldko, were pretty damn tough. Although, it had to be difficult for them too to interview in English (which they both speak well), but had to do it and not let the interviewee speak in Mongolian - which several of them wanted to. But, they did pretty awesome...
I'm also working on pushing AIESEC Mongolia to take shape and have leaders and such - which is interesting. Some people that the MC had thought would be good for leadership positions are not interested and all, and then there have been some surprises for people who are interested who we didn't think would be. As long as the people who eventually end up in leadership can be reliable and communicative, I think we'll be in decent shape.
Mostly, I've been slowly climbing a pretty respectable learning curve. Work ethic in college is completely different from the work ethic required for running a nearly brand new NGO. The hours are wonkier, the days longer, and the level of adaptability required to keep sanity is through the roof, as is the ability to bullshit believably. With possible members, potential partners, current partners, complete outsiders, current members asking all kinds of questions you never thought of or thought you would have to answer - it helps to be a little quick on your feet to assemble enough of the truth with just a hint of bull and a dash of eloquence (more or less used to obfuscate the language than anything) to convince the questioner that you actually do know what you're talking about. College so did not prepare me for this - then you could offer to answer with prepared BS, or just write it down in term paper format with a well cited list of people who did know what they were talking about. Here, it's all original. Thank you, thank you I'll be here all year.
Anyways besides working my little brains out recently, there has been a sneeze of social life. The play that I am tech crew for is slowly chugging along and hopefully will live long enough to make it to production. Meeting more people from the ex-pat network which is nice to have people to share experiences with. I re-attempted shopping. It went better this time. Still not great, but better. Slowly accumulating more acceptable clothing. Slowly. Finally found shoes that fit, and a few shirts, but I'm going to have to locate a tailor to get pants. Also, Saturday it snowed and I went to a fund-raiser salsa event. The whole eventing was kind of a cultural conundrum - It was at an American bar called American Ger'll. My group drank red wine (while salsaing), ate pepperoni pizza, and danced to salsa music - in Mongolia. Sounds more like a night in Athens than Ulaanbaatar.
Also, you should probably watch this http://vimeo.com/15041403
It might not make a lot of sense if you don't know Mongolia. But, it's pretty fun. (And, I know them.)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
backgui tom
When I first moved to UB, it didn't feel much different than moving across the country. The biggest differences were the language barrier and the time difference. And, I still maintain that feeling. Shopping in UB doesn't make me feel any better than shopping in the US. And, Ice cream still makes everything better.
However, when I do shopping here instead of having to try things on for hours and going home discouraged, now I just have to walk into a shop and they look at me and go "backgui tom." Kind translation "We don't have your size." Actual translation: "Holy shit, I don't think I've ever carried clothes or shoes big enough to fit you. You mammoth." Okay, so that might be an exaggeration. But, it still doesn't make for happy shopping trips. I've even been losing weight like crazy, so that most of the clothes I brought with me are baggy. And, usually while shoe shopping is kind to the ego - they don't really have sizes larger than an (American) 8. I wear a 10. It's swell. At least the ice cream is cheaper and still delicious enough to sooth a smarting ego.
However, when I do shopping here instead of having to try things on for hours and going home discouraged, now I just have to walk into a shop and they look at me and go "backgui tom." Kind translation "We don't have your size." Actual translation: "Holy shit, I don't think I've ever carried clothes or shoes big enough to fit you. You mammoth." Okay, so that might be an exaggeration. But, it still doesn't make for happy shopping trips. I've even been losing weight like crazy, so that most of the clothes I brought with me are baggy. And, usually while shoe shopping is kind to the ego - they don't really have sizes larger than an (American) 8. I wear a 10. It's swell. At least the ice cream is cheaper and still delicious enough to sooth a smarting ego.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Dear...
Dear Eyes,
If you start replaying any part of our last two months together I will sell you on the black market and get new ones. I don't think you understand that I need you to be reliable, and you are not keeping up your end of the deal on this one.
Love,
Bridget
Dear Eye Doctors,
If you could fix my shit the first time and not the twelve hundredth that would be super. My pockets are not deep enough to support the rent on your third vacation home in the countryside.
Love,
Bridget
Dear Internet,
You are adopted.
Love,
Bridget
If you start replaying any part of our last two months together I will sell you on the black market and get new ones. I don't think you understand that I need you to be reliable, and you are not keeping up your end of the deal on this one.
Love,
Bridget
Dear Eye Doctors,
If you could fix my shit the first time and not the twelve hundredth that would be super. My pockets are not deep enough to support the rent on your third vacation home in the countryside.
Love,
Bridget
Dear Internet,
You are adopted.
Love,
Bridget
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