Some people will never learn.

Moving to a new country always poses lots of threats to the lifestyle you were used to. It means you can't buy the bread you like for lunch, you can't go to the restaurant that serves delicious cheap Vietnamese pho, you can't go to the cheap movies around the corner or know who to trust to buy a car. Likewise, you don't know what shampoo to buy. I've trialled a few and nothing's made my hair shine. I purchased a more expensive organic shampoo a couple of weeks back thinking it was doing the trick. My hair had finally almost come back to life.
Until I saw the dandruff. Climbing the roots of my hair like I've dyed it and got white regrowth. Bugger. Now I have to find anti-dandruff shampoo to get rid of it and then find a new shampoo.

Yesterday was hot, today is cold. I'm not even sure if it's officially autumn yet but it feels like it.

A friend of a friend arrived in Mongolia. He's staying at our place (which conveniently has running water now - both hot and cold). It's really, really nice to have someone new around - especially when they're willing to talk about rocks and rigs and stuff.

I just dumped my report I've been working on for the last week on the table of the guy that asked for it. With no content asked for I had to wing it. There's some controversial stuff in there (e.g. Mongolian's are lazy at work during work hours, the project needs to follow up and audit all implemented funding, I don't fit in at work because I don't know what's going on). Hopefully it sparks something and I might actually be used. Who knows.

After arguing with my boss the other day about teaching English lessons (the program I am here on does not fund us to teach English, we are here to build the capacity of our workplace), nothing came of my work schedule except to know that all everyone thinks I am here to do is sit around and teach English. This is entirely untrue. I spent an entire month full time, writing my application to get this job where I am suppose to be doing pastural management.

Now I'm apparently heading out to Arkhangai, west of UB next week to attend a conference designed to teach 200 nomadic pasturalists a thing or two. It sounds fantastic except I have no purpose to be there. Next week we have a meeting with our program organiser and she's got wind of the lack of work I have. So maybe - just maybe - when I attend this trip, I might have a purpose. It's ridiculous. I get to go on cool field trips without the essay/report at the end. I get to just enjoy it and probably learn more because of it. BUT I want homework. I vaguely remember asking primary school teachers for more homework because I didn't get enough. AND I'M DOING IT AGAIN. Some people will never learn......