Crispy leaves

You know in autumn, when the leaves fall to the ground and go all crispy - and you go out of your way to stomp on them just so they crunch under your foot? There are SO many leaves falling. They're almost finished and most people spend a lot of effort sweeping up the leaves (only to have more fall).
Pine nuts are also the flavour of the month. People crack open the shell of the pine nut and spit it out on to the floor. The nuts are also really cool and crunchy to stomp on.

Kicking around the autumn leaves

I have also noticed that when people get married, they get their hair chopped off (girls, I mean). Afterwards, after they're married - their hair disappears. I dread the day I even consider chopping my hair off. I love my long hair! (which, by the way, is slowly recovering from the hack job the Mongolian hairdresser did)

Hockey is on tonight and I will definitely be wearing my mouthguard. After last week's ice hockey episode, I'm not taking any risks. Bugger losing another tooth - it's way too much effort. Especially in Mongolia!

I had bacon and eggs this morning. I am so close to becoming a vegetarian. Maybe even a vegan, maybe. I couldn't stomach the eggs and I didn't even finish my bacon. That's very unlike me. Me and bacon are usually best friends.

I'm actually starting to get really anxious about leaving. I know I made this decision to leave, but now I'm thinking - what if I'm leaving too early? Maybe I do like doing NOTHING all the time...... Maybe I do want to experience the winter, and meet all the new volunteers that are turning up just before I leave. Maybe I don't want to go back to full time work......

Let me tell you cool things I've done lately:

• helped a friend's boyfriend get a geo job in Mongolia
• helped a Mongolian friend contact and get quotes for importing drilling rigs to Mongolia
• made a yukky, but peaceful decision to help a puppy with no future
• been offered to have a reference written to my boss' boss' boss' boss (in Australia) about me
• Sold my sewing machine and also helped a Mongolian lady increase her income by giving lessons to the lady whom I sold the machine to
• Found a really cool job in Sydney that I really want
• Forwarded on some great information about Mongolia's CSG potential, that will be forwarded again to more important people!

Mongolia's the only place I've been to where the word for 'mum' and 'dad' are significantly different to that of 'mum/mom' and 'dad/papa'.

Mum = eigch

Dad = Owh-oh