Sorry my updates have been few and far between of late. I haven't even been busy - that's the problem. I mean, yes - I have been busy. But I haven't had things organised for every minute of every day. Which means I've been doing other things, like writing letters to people, buying things for the house, eating at different restaurants to find my favourite, baking things to get the ingredients right. Those sorts of things.
So - to describe my week: language classes at our house at our dining table, til lunch time. Lunch at home or at a local cafe to test out local cuisine. Afternoons: writing letters, practicing Mongolian language, reading things for my new job that starts on Monday, organising house. Etc etc.
Today I made dinner. Our Mongolian friend whom we met in Canberra came over for dinner and we had a stir fry (a little too hot; not enough colour; not enough cashews; slightly overcooked in part) and then an apple pie (pastry too thick; apples too dry - note to self: Mongolian apples need to be stewed with extra sugar before being baked as they are not moist enough to make their own pie mince). But we drank some vodka, chatted, laughed, played a board game (and was yet again reminded of why I should always follow my rule of playing board games and card games with only family including the Stokes'........ I am so impatient and bossy).
It was really lovely! Now it's midnight and I'm still away. Bugger.
Also: find of the night. Ryan was looking for a 'drain snake' or something of the sorts to unblock our sink, and found a very random collection of pornography - not very well disguised and definitely not belonging to us! I didn't believe him (so naive - I know). I do now. It's definitely what he says it is. And it can go right back in the cupboard it came from! But, good story.
Re: our weekend in Terelj. The ger was SO hot - the fire was SUPER efficient. Especially with the pre-cut pine that was the only wood available. So it would light, go absolutely CRAZY, almost cook us and go out within a few minutes. Horseriding would have been fun if he let go of the reigns and actually let me do my own thing. I did find two really cool rocks though - gypsum with what I could only think would have been obsidien underneath it (but of course, my lack of technical geological knowledge is well know). It could have been anything. But it was cool.
While we were waiting for our horses, two school students got in a fight over a girl (who was also hit, kicked, punched and slapped in the course of the fight) - that was broken up by a school teacher who came racing in and elbowed one of the students in the head. Owch.
So - re: the no-mercy massage. Sarah and I finally got around to getting a massage today. It was INSANE. So much poking and prodding and pulling. I had fingers in my ears, deeper than any wet-willy should go. I was sat on so much that I couldn't breathe. You get the drift.
But you know what - I feel great!
Oh. I didn't mention the no-mercy bit. WHOLEY DOOLEY it was painful! And when it was painful, she just used more force the next time. An elbow instead of a thumb. OWCH!
We're going horseriding again this weekend. I can't wait. And there's about 6 of us meeting in the square on Wednesday night to take some night time photos. I'm going to teach some people how to take long exposures. If I can put my patient boots on, it'll be great. I'm sure I can - that's what my anti-stress tablets are for! :)
I have a constant sore throat. If it stays at that, I'll be happy.
Work on Monday. I'm excited but scared. Same same as a normal job. The fact that I have a job to go back to in Australia is such a relief though. It just makes me feel that a year isn't that long. And I haven't said goodbye to the lifestyle (and friends!) that I love. And that my career isn't at a standstill - it's being helped along. It kind of just feels like I'm on a massive holiday. Which is all it is up til now. I haven't worked since April 1. That's 1.5months of holidays before I actually start work again! It's going to be a massive shock to the system. Especially with the lack of flexibility that I so loved at Origin. I guess it will make me appreciate it that much more.
Much more to say; must get some sleep. xox
