Night out MBA-style

So, I apparently chose correctly when I decided to study public diplomacy. I don't think I can keep MBA hours--I got to the club around 12 and didn't leave until 4:00 am!

So the night started out with me swearing I could make it to the club and back before the metro stopped at 1:00 am. That most definitely did not happen. Ryan had called and told me where the club was at, that he was already there, and to call if I needed anything. So I got off the metro, asked a girl standing nearby where Bar-Hat was, and she said she didn't know, but would find out. So she started asking random people on the street, assuring me we would find it. Very sweet of her. Turned out it was right around the corner, so it didn't take long to find. I thanked her and headed off to the club.

After asking a security guy if this the club was up the stairs and finding out that it was, I went to stand behind two Russian girls who were already at the gate waiting to get in. The bouncer motioned to me, opened the gate, and told me to come in. How convenient, I thought. Being so obviously American-looking has its advantages!

Then it came time to go in. I thought I'd press my luck and see if I could get in for free. I did. I walked on passed, only to hear the man taking money say to the guy behind me, "For you and the girl, it'll be..." He replied that he hadn't come with anyone, so the man taking money turned to me and said I needed to pay. "Really? I need to pay? My friends, the ones from Los Angeles, are already inside." "Um, you know, don't worry about it. You can just go in." Then he turned to the girl standing by security and told her to go ahead and give me a bracelet to get in. Sometimes these things just work out.

I went and checked my coat, then headed off to the dance floor/bar to find Ryan and the rest of the students. No where in sight. I tried calling. No answer. Sent a text, and decided if I didn't find them in the next bit I'd just head home and say I tried. About two minutes later, I ran into Ryan. He's about 6'6" and you can tell he served in the army. Not too hard to spot here. He came and gave me a hug, then said they had a VIP table upstairs and that he'd get me a bracelet so I could come up. We tried to find some of the other guys, hoping they could get me in. Nothing was working out, but then they remembered I spoke Russian and had me talk to the guy. I think I could have gotten me in for free, but when the guy said he'd only charge me 1000 rubles instead of 3000, Aziz said he'd pay for it and get a couple of extra bracelets so they could bring people up.

So I went up stairs to find a table already full of bottles. "We're all drunk. We lost the phone," Ryan had told me when I first ran into him. I could see why. Honestly, at this point, they were all holding it well. Four hours later would be a different story...

So I was introduced to the MBA students I didn't know, and got a couple of, "Wow, your English is really good! So you're from Moscow?" "Umm, I'm American..." Surprised look. "I know Ryan--we're from the same apartment building in LA, I go to USC." I totally should have just let them think I was Russian. Next time.

So we ended up dancing quite a bit--sometimes all together, and sometimes just a couple of us would go down. I probably danced the most, as one would ask me down to be followed by another wanting to dance. We even salsa danced a bit!

Upstairs, I got offered more than one shot. "Come on--just one!" "Oh, no, I don't drink. At all." I replied, along with "Do you know what that would do to me?" One who was especially drunk at this point (like I said, the others were mostly fine up until this point) asked me to take his shot--"Really, I've had enough, I'm really drunk." So I took it to give to someone else, only to find three guys there thinking I was in on the next shot. Boy were they surprised to look up from their shots to me holding mine, still full. Ryan leaned forward and said in my ear, "Hey, it's cool--you don't have to drink," and took it from me and set it down. Always nice to have someone back you up :)

I had to laugh when at one point Ryan said, a little out of the blue: "Hey, you're really cute. But I have a girlfriend." "Oh, you're totally fine. That's okay. Thanks. No worries." We agreed I would help keep him in line. I oddly respected that.

So the night went on, and when it was time to go home, I agreed to help round everyone up. As Joe said, "Trying to get 10 MBA students together is like herding cats!" They were pretty wasted, and it took a bit of effort to get them all out the door at the same time. I finally had to go back in for one of them--turned out he had lost his number to get his coat back, so I ran back upstairs and found it so he could get his coat and leave. He being the last one out, we were ready to go get a cab. Mark was the only one who speaks Russian, so he and I worked on getting cabs for everyone. Mark, Joe and I ended up in a cab together. Joe was still doing fine and coherent (in fact, he offered to take the extra cab ride to my place and then back to make sure I was okay--I told him I'd be fine, and he said--really, if you aren't sure you'll be okay, let me know--we're going to get you home safe). Mark, however, who was directing the driver on where to go, passed out. So it was up to me to try and get us there, as Joe didn't know where there hotel was, and Mark kept saying the wrong direction when we finally got him up. Just to let you know how things went, I ran into Mark the next night when Eli and I were at Red Square, and Mark said, "Hey, so were you able to get a cab and go home last night all right?" Odd, I thought, I rode with you. Oh, what a night.

I also received a call from Ryan the next day to see if I had gotten home all right. "I have a picture of you on my camera last night leaving the club, so I know you were with us." I told him it was fine, that I had taken a cab with Joe and Mark. It looks like everyone made it home safe and sound!

So, for my first clubbing experience in Russia, I think I handled it pretty well! I have a feeling I will not be staying out at clubs again until 4 am--fun, but once was probably enough.