I'll spare you all the gritty details but the past few days have been rough to say the least.
The Good
Friday night Karina, Sean and I went to the Canadian Club which is a rec club for Canadian diplomats abroad. This place was brand spanking new. Beautiful pool, gym, lounge, bar, TV, etc. Typical country club stuff. We went for a Montreal smoked meat dinner event to meet the man in charge of CIDA interns and meet some other interns.
We can get a membership to the club only because we are interns and access to the club, basically, will keep us sane. It allows girls like us to wear a bathing suit, shorts or a tank top and not be harassed or mauled! And when you need a drink drink… this is the place to come… come on…Tequilla $2.50! You can’t even get that in Canada!
So we schmoozed it up with some people who potentially could lead to jobs later… the head of UNICEF in Bangladesh, some CIDA people, etc. Somehow we met some local Bengalis who took us and some others to a party…. Yeah a party at the US MARINES compound. Yeah every stereotypical idea you have about them.. yeah I found it there. Literally I was in a frat house with a bar, big screen tv, disco ball, fooseball table, mini basketball net, on the rooftop pool table, air hockey, and ping pong. Thank god it was a dead party. I couldn't have handled anymore Jarheads.
The Bad
On Friday we decided to go shopping in the morning and not even 2 minutes after leaving the hotel a man grabbed me and when we walked away he came running after us and then started chasing us across the road and when we tried to jump in a rickshaw he tried to jump in too. It was one of the scariest things ever. Finally some other rickshaw guys chased him off as he was chasing our rickshaw. Apparently he was mentally ill. Totallllllly freaky! Not a good start to the day.
The local TTC. Yeah. I swear I'll never dis the TTC again. Alright who am I kidding.
The Ugly
We've had some problems at the hotel with staff (just think.. 2 young girls... alone) anyway... . and we don't really feel safe here anymore and are leaving. We have been looking for a new place and we have the option of a service apartment place to go for the short term or long but we would like to find something cheaper perhaps.
Well I made it to the DR....although not for my cold. Apparently I (and my intestinal tract) have had Round 1 with Bangladeshi bacteria. And I believe it won the round. Although I now have a cool Indian Elvis looking Dr. friend who can help me with the subsequent Rounds!
The Other
Yeah.. I haven't been to work since Tuesday. Hopefully I can return soon and get into a routine and actually feel like I am doing what I came to do. Oh and I am going to profile the people we work with.... If I ever make it back to work!!
8 comments:
I would be on the first flight back home! I don't like reading your blog anymore...too scary. Please be safe!
ok so you should join the canadian club asap... and just never leave, lol. and well i am sure the "ttc" there sucks but at least it doesnt tell you at college station that the subway car infront of you is having door problems and we cant leave the station then like 10-15 minutes later the cops show up and arrest some dude in the train car next to you... and then they tell you over that the door problem has been "fixed". sorry to hear about the intestinal tract, hopefully you are doing ok.... take care of yourself... and as for the crazy guy, do you know if pepper spray is illegal there or not?
hey ash i didn't know you could leave a comment, but you mom told how to do it. anyway love reading it, but not the scary things. Hope you are feeling better and stay safe.
partying with Marines! that's awesome. Justin Speier was a marine!
Boo about the crazies and sickness! I think we should send you one of those expandable steel rods that the cops carry so you can beat people off of you. Be safe!
Hope all is well with you today. Please be careful. I know you are but it is these crazies that aren't. Hope you both find a new and reasonable, close-to-work apt. Enjoy your work-outs at your new sports club. Enjoy your blogs. Keep them coming. Take care cause I care, honey!!! We all know that you are going to do a good job once you start at it. Bye for now
When you go out try to dress down more, by using a head wrap or something and try to look like a local and maybe just maybe you won't stand out so much. There are just as many crazies here as there are there. They may pick on you only because you stick out. Enjoy your stay and take all the advantages they can give, and maybe something will come of it in the end. Take care!!
Ash...glad you and Karina are safe. Please tell her I said hello. As for the men...it's because you stick out and I know it sucks but don't ever act intimidated, yell at them or ignore them (depending on what they are doing). Once you find a nice place (and I know you will) you'll both establish a routine and me more "known" around the area and hopefully ignored. Glad to see you still have your sense of humour in all of it though :) and glad you won round 1 with the bangladeshi bugs (both visible nad invisible).
How is the website going lol
Reading your posts is my favorite think these days during the long train ride back home
Write more ofter!
Cheers!
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