This is a typical day in my life right now. Enjoy!
6:15am: Alarm beeps. I hit snooze. (Repeat every 8 minutes)
7:00am: Stumble into the bathroom. Turn shower on. Praises - there is water today!
7:03am: Water turns off while my hair is full of shampoo.
7:05am: Water comes back on in drips. Finish shower ASAP.
7:55am: Prepare to leave apartment. Turn off lights. Grab keys, bus money, school books, dress shoes, and purse.
7:56am: Forgot my cell phone.
7:57am: Got cell phone. Leave apartment. Lock door.
7:59am: Building manager stops me as I'm heading outside. She points to a sign in Mongolian and makes indiscernible gestures. I smile. She nods. I say "thank you" in Mongolian and leave. Still don't know what happened.
8:03am: Arrive at the crosswalk by the bus stop. Wait for a native who dares to cross the street. Run behind them so if the cars don't stop, I won't be the first person hit.
8:05am: Wait at the bus stop. Pass up a few potential buses because I have no idea where they are going. Get some looks from the other commuters. Shrug.
8:09am: Push my way onto a bus. (Don't worry, that's how it's done.) Hand over my 400T to the conductor. Find a railing to hold onto and say a quick prayer that this is the right bus. Hold my breath as we go through the intersection. Okay, sweet, this bus is correct.
8:13am: Bus lurches. Everyone stumbles. Someone steps on my foot. They turn, grab my arm, and say "excuse me" in Mongolian. If you step on someone's foot it's polite to shake their hand or touch their arm.
8:20am: Is this my bus stop? I can't tell. Did we pass the green building yet? No, not that green building...Wait! Yes, this is my stop.
8:21am: Ugh. Totally not my stop. Walk a block to the next bus stop and take a right to get to campus.
8:28am: Walk into my building. Take a look in the large mirror in the hallway. Lookin good girl.
8:30am: Turn my computer on and put my purse on my chair (Mongolians never put their bags on the ground). Change my shoes. Check email and Facebook.
9:00am: Remember to take vitamins. Breakfast? Find half a Snickers bar in my bag. Cha-ching!
10:20am: Time for coffee. Grab money and head to the cafe in the building next door. It's called Tree By The Stream, and they have delish lattes.
10:40am: Step into my classroom. Open the window.
10:41am: Students arrive. Someone shuts the window.
10:42am: Open the window.
10:45am: Class starts. Best part of my day.
12:20pm: Class ends. Take materials to my office. Lunch time!
12:30pm: Stand in line in the cafeteria with my co-teachers. Survey the two lunch options. I don't know what this is, but it kinda looks like meatballs...
12:35pm: Sit down and say a blessing. Everyone says, "Enjoy your meal!" and starts to eat.
1:00pm: Back to the office for a staff meeting and some prep time.
3:45pm: Afternoon class starts.
5:20pm: Class ends. Drop materials off in my office, change shoes, and head home.
5:30pm: Meet up with some students walking home. Talk about weather, music, movies, and how it's too cold for me to not wear a winter coat : )
5:50pm: Cross the intersection by my apartment. Students pull me across the street, convinced I wouldn't make it without their help. Love these people.
6:00pm: Climb the five flights to my apartment. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...
6:30pm: Head out to dinner. Several good Mongolian, Chinese, Russian, and American places nearby and a meal costs about $4.
8:00pm: Climb the five flights to my apartment. Again.
8:15pm: Buzzer rings. Someone knocks frantically at the door. Must be a Mongolian.
8:16pm: Through charades I guess the building manager is concerned because our door doesn't have a handle. It fell off a couple weeks ago and we haven't bothered to fix it, because the lock still works. I smile. She nods.
8:30pm: Roommate comes into my room to chat and work on lesson plans.
9:30pm: Finish prepping for class tomorrow and get ready for bed. Try to adjust bed foam for maximum comfort (generally unsuccessful).
10:00pm: Say thanks for another day and fall asleep to the city's lullaby of traffic cops eager to blow their whistles, honking cars, screaming drunk people, and a buzzing fly that can't manage to find it's way out of my open window.
12:00am: Wake up to banging next door. Are they building Noah's Ark over there?
12:10am: Fall back asleep. And do it all again : )
