Yellow Machines

| Author: Bujin |

I was dreaming of eating a big bowl of homemade beef soup, which I have been dreaming the last four days, when the 5:30 am call to prayer woke me up. But I can’t complain; at least I don’t have pet pigeons on my window. Then I got up and looked for my yoga mat I have brought all the way from Seattle (#NewYearsResolution). After few minutes of struggling to do yoga poses, my “major mates” invited me to jog with them in the nearest park. I was excited because I have never jogged before. Whenever some American says she jogs, I always pictured her walking in a funny way, but it turned out jogging was basically running a little slow. Then we went into the ladies only exercise area. It felt so familiar yet different because there were the same bright yellow exercise machines I saw everywhere in Mongolia, where I grew up, but there were Indian ladies instead of elderly people. One lady even taught me how to properly use a machine. 

It has been only 4 days since I arrived here, but I have discovered so many things:

- A bucket is a tiny bathtub. 

- A water hose + toilet = Luxury Japanese Toilet seat

- If a waiter gives you warm water with lemons and limes, you don’t drink it; you put your hands in it. 

- It is okay to work out on the yellow machines even though you are not eighty.