So happy :-)

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So I must confess that I am pretty 'effing pleased with myself at the moment. After getting back from my first day at the office, reading materials in hand, I stopped by the house, dropped off my stuff and blazed out toward the marketplace. I felt a certain lift after having walked home from the office and surviving so my courage gave me strength to finally seek out some food. I was also very impressed that I remembered where this particular market was, considering it is quite a complicated voyage from my apartment and I've only been there once. My memory is serving me very well thus far and I have not gotten lost yet, tho in saying that I guess I've just jinxed myself.

Anyways, I got to the market and I was very nervous but more than that I was HUNGRY. I wandered around for a bit and found a woman who I knew could tell me prices since I had purchased from her previously. Feeling buoyed by the small success of buying apricot jam from her (for 800T) I tentatively approached a few of the other women who all, thankfully had calculators and tho not all could tell me the price, they certainly were able to punch it in and then show me the subtraction based on the amount I gave, metering out correct change. This was a huge relief that i cannot even articulate in so many words. This basic form of communication will ensure me food and that alleviated a great sense of fear I had had at the beginning of the day. So with my tummy much fuller and happier, I am filled with a sense of contentment.

I even wrote my first paper called Of Warriors and Shamans; the Women of Mongolia and the Eurasian Steppes. Catchy huh? :-) It was actually a good paper and I enjoyed writing it as it was synthesized from a wonderful book called Women Warriors, which, although it is largely an archaeological book, is written in such an accessible and encompassing manner (incorporating mythology, historical references, and literary documentation) that I really think anyone with an interest in history and women of the ancient civilizations would really enjoy it.

I also finished reading CHRD's annual reports for 2005 and 2006 which gave me a good idea of what they have thus far accomplished (which is a lot) and how I can go about structuring my own project that Urna asked me to contemplate. So, having some preliminary information to bring to the office tomorrow and at least an informational template for their 3 departments, i feel that it's been a super productive day, filled with a rough morning and a much better evening.

Some notes before I forget....
*People here drive both vehicles with the wheel on the left (like America) and on the right (like Europe.) it is absolutely astonishing that these two different types of driving can co-exist relatively peacefully in UB. The wheels on the left are Korean, the ones on the right, Japanese.

*Cars will cream you if you're not careful. Being quick on your toes is the key to crossing traffic and luckily, there seems to be no statutes against jaywalking so you can get a little creative.

Now the only thing I'm a bit disheartened about is taking pictures. I feel supremely uncomfortable wielding my nice camera around cuz nothing says “Hey I'm a tourist and an idiot, please take my money,” like flashing pictures right and left. i feel as though i need to be with someone native so as to deter pocket picketers and more sinister criminals. This is especially difficult because I discovered that my route from my apartment to the office takes me by gers, a movie theater, a monestary, and very interesting architecture, all of which I want to take pictures of! But as none of these things will be running off any time soon, I will exercise some patience until either someone takes pity and comes with me, or I develop a backbone and go at it alone.

I also discovered at my office that they have IM and it was nice to get to talk to Carl and Desiree for a little bit. Knowing that I'm not cut off completely is nice and having free unlimited access to the internet is good too so I can still conduct business and the like.

Oh, another thing to plan for is that I will only be working at the organization for 6 weeks, giving me two weeks at the end of May (when it should be getting warmer) to hopefully plan an extended excursion into the countryside. I really want to find a camel and there's a nearby national park that apparently has horseback riding and where you can go for a day with a guide for around $20, according to Lonely Planet. if so, that would be awesome though a more adventurous part of me wants to take the Trans-Siberian rail down to the edge of the Gobi and mess about there. It will come down to finances at the end but if I don't stay in this apartment next month and find a cheap hostel near the office, I might be able to save enough to go mucking about. So time will tell but if i can keep my food costs down to $20/month that will help a lot. Diet anyone?

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