Weekend update

It looks like my days of free wi-fi at the apartment have come to an end. I never understood how I was getting it, anyway, but I haven't been able to use it for several days. My guess is that it came from one of the internet cafes around my building and that they have finally caught on that they've been giving away service because there now is a firewall around it. Right now I'm at one of those cafes (although they don't serve any food or beverages here, so how is it a cafe?) and will need to come here on weekends from now on, I assume. Boo!

Friday I got a taste of Mongolians' appetite for nightlife. Monday (tomorrow) is International Women's Day, and in honor of it the men in the office prepared dinner for the women. My class was over at 6pm and I assumed that we'd be having dinner around 7pm because I saw all the men being very busy making things and preparing rice, etc. Around 8pm I finally asked one of the receptionists when we might be having dinner and she said it would probably be around 9:30. She was right, and the women sat down for a nice meal at 9:30 with the men acting as waiters. After we had eaten the men ate and then it was time for champagne, toasts and gifts. Our "bartender" kept moving around the room and when he'd come to me I tried to shoo him away since I still had something in my cup, but everyone insisted that he couldn't and that I HAD to finish up my cup and try the next drink. I drank up twice (anyone ever try to guzzle champagne?), but on the third go-round I just put my hand over my cup and made him pass me by. Then we had cake and they talked - in Mongolian, of course. I sat there as long as I could, but the effects of the late hour, guzzled champagne and sheer boredom got to me and I moved quietly into the faculty office so that I could use my computer and play some games, at least. Finally at 11:30 the party began to break up, but they announced they were going out for karaoke! I made my excuses and went home.

As I said, tomorrow is Women's Day, so school is closed. I may not update this blog again until Tuesday.