Mid week updates..

The updates---Mid week.

Truthful, not much to report, other than the fact that I have successfully found all 20 missing variables for my thesis (which took me to many, too many, obscure census tables and oil websites). This is step 1 of about 5 but hey, it's a start. Work has also been pretty busy with a wrap up of a VIP visit, a change over of another VIP happening next week....there is just too much to do, and ALOT of things for my brain to process in one day. Here's the jist of my week thus far:

Saturday: Was a slow day as I was at the library from 1-8pm. But managed to accomplish something-I think. Oh yes, I inputted 400 population statistics for 400 different country years. fun stuff. Saturday night the interns met up at Godor, literally translated to English as 'the hole'. in 'the hole' there is a night club, but the stairs leading down to this club, and along the outside, it just an open bar. We sat on the lawn beside this open bar with open beer. It was nice to see everyone, and get out of my steaming hot flat. I also met a couple of new interns (either just moving in, or moving out), and it was one of their birthdays. At midnight we rang it in with Jagermeister in plastic cups (can you guess the nationality?). By that point the birthday girl was, well, in no position to drive a car, nor were her Hungarian colleagues, who were more than happy to celebrate the occasion. We got there a little later on, so we sort of missed the boat, but happily chatted with all the others at various stages of intoxication.

Godor is one of those places where hundreds of people go and just sit on the lawn and drink and talk, so it's a really nice atmosphere. But there are also a lot of homeless or poor people who walk around picking up people empty cans and bottles. I am used to perhaps one or two people rooting through garbage cans back in Ottawa or Toronto (especially with the introduction of the 20cent wine bottle deposit), but never have I ever seen to many people out looking for cans than I have here. Really, it's shocking to see men and women rummage through everyone's garbage, or literally swarming areas where people have been to pick up their bottles, go through their trash, the whole 9 yards! they even come up to you in the crowd asking if you are finished so they can take the can......I don't really know enough about the social situation here to properly comment or criticize, but still...

Just as we were leaving, I got up to stretch my legs, and about 4 people came up to us looking for our cans (which, sadly, is normal), then I turned around and say that the birthday was striking up a conversation with a homeless man, then they cheered! Then I noticed that the homeless man was drinking my half empty bottle of beer.....it was slightly odd, but I couldn't help but think that hey, if these two people, a highly educated intern and a homeless man can happily have a drink, then maybe there is hope for the future! It was kind of nice.

After Godor, we went on a pub crawl to two ruined bars in Bpest. Mumuzs, and Szimpla Kert, with a intermission at a local 0-24 (their 7-11). At Mumuzs someone asked me if I was up for a shot of tequila. I think everyone will know the answer to this one.....

Then I was handed a 'tequila gold' a slice of orange and cinnamon. One intern noted 'it's Christmas'. I had to agree, but that combo was pretty nice. No exactly a margarita, but something new.

Sunday: Library. Boring.

Monday: Work, wrap up of VIP, two new projects, library. sleep.

Tuesday: see Monday. but progress made on new projects. Taught some one to use excel.

Wednesday: see Tuesday. BUT we got our train tickets to Becs (Vienna). That's where I'm headed this weekend!!!

Szia!