Life is very hectic over here at the moment, but since most of my friends have left the country I should have more time to update now. I keep planning to then other stuff gets in the way, sorry bout that.
Oookay trying to pick up from last time, Scott left the country a week and a half ago on the monday morn (on the designated day, incredibly). I had little time to do anything that week because Linda and I were tasked to getting the #18 School debating team up to scratch for a competition with some other schools that Saturday and Sunday.
So in all our free time we were researching the topics and we spent several hours after school each day practising with the team (1 boy, 4 girls, all 11th grade). The topics were issues such as biofuels, mining in the Antartic, cancelling third world dept, genetic modification etc, etc. Linda was fantastic and spurred us all along with her enthusiasm and knowledge and I tried to make input where I could. When the team saw the list of teams they would be up against on Saturday, they were terrified! All the teams were from private schools where they speak english in all classes at school (including maths, science etc) and the #18 team only spoke it for 4 or 5 hours a week. Despite all this they came up to me on Monday, thrilled; they had beaten the russian school and the 'Hobby' school (the school where the competition was held) and made it through to the rounds on Sunday which was a huge achievement since they had no teachers supporting them and all the judges were from the other competing schools. Unfortunately they were beaten by the american school on the Sunday but one girl was offered a place on the Mongolian debating team to compete internationally!
Last week after I had 'inherited' the bed off Ann, I discovered the sheer horror of bedbugs. I kept waking up to my arms, face, back, neck and feet being covered in bites, akin in nature to blisters and so bloody itchy that even midgie bites paled in comparison. Grrrrr I was not so happy. I managed to keep the worst effects at bay by medication from the lil goody bag my dad packed for me but on Monday I gave up and went to Chimge for help (I didn't really want to say and embarrass her) and she got some spray yesterday. Apparently the instructions were along the lines of "Spray the bed and room then evacuate the flat immediately for at least half an hour". So I had a lovely bite free night last night :). Sheer bliss.
Anyways, I had a very interesting and fun weekend. On Saturday the teachers had a day out to a mountain with a (Buddist) deity on the summit- a creature with an eagles' head eating a snake, with the volunteers invited. It turned to be all the female language teachers (although I have yet to meet a male language teacher now that I think about it), some retired female language teachers (one lady was the only female Mongolian to climb Everest and something of a celebrity), Linda, Grits (the German, German teacher) and myself.
Linda and I turned up at the school in time for the 9am get away on the mini bus, although (as Chimge predicted) we didn't actually leave until after 10am, typical Mongolian style. Again Mongolian style we crammed into the bus squeezing the extra bodies on the back seat eventually set off down the bumpy road out of the city, as the numerous vodka and wine bottles were passsed around to be held seperately to avoid breakage and several teachers got started on the beer. About an hour/ hour and a half later we pulled into a tourist gher camp beneath the mountain on a beautiful sunny day with a bitingly cold breeze. While the renting of a gher was negociated the rest of us took advantage of the toilet facilities, two old wooden cubicles with no doors facing away from the camp with a spectacular view looking down the valley, a long drop between the wooden floorboards and a really really nasty stench (fancy that!).
The gher however was lovely, a huge, ornate table in the middle next to a wood buring stove and four beds round the walls which seated the 15-20 people in our party comfortably. The teachers came very well prepared and immediately started preparing lunch on the table; Mongolian salami, cucumber, tomatoes, bread, a strange smokey, salty cheese and rice and they fried fat and meat on the stove. During lunch the first vodka bottle was passed round and poor Linda (who hasn't touched alcohol for 3 years) found that "No thanks" wasn't an accepted answer. Then we split into two groups, some teachers stayed in the gher while most (including the volunteers) went to climb the mountain which was going to be a 4 hour trek. As it happens in Mongolia things never turn out quite how you plan them, so instead we had a 6-7 hours leisurely wander up and down the 'mountain' which was really more of a hill. We stopped every few hundred metres for short breaks where we drank red wine and the Mongolians all sang songs (and they could all sing quite beautifully) until they decided that the volunteers should also perform, starting with me. I played along and raised my horrific singing voice to "Auld Lang Syne" thinking that I wouldn't have to be embarrassed as everyone had to sing, but somehow Grits and Linda managed to avoid the sing-song. On top of the mountain the teachers paid their respects to the shrine (huge and covered with strips of blue cloth) by throwing milk ("milk?! is that MILK?! where did they get the milk?!) onto the shrine and placing offerings of food and sweets at its base. Then we had a lengthy photographing session before realising it was soon going to be too dark to get down the mountain. When we eventually made it back to the gher after dark, the teachers who stayed behind had prepared dinner (same as luch except this time there was sausages and a watery soup made out of boiled animal bones) and more vodka was passed round and more singing ensued. We eventually got home around 10pm to collapse into bed.
The next morning we had a 10am start as Chimge had organised a trip to a national park. So we set off from Ulaan Baatar around 11ish with myself, Sete (a Mongolian working with New Choice), Linda, David (an Itailan I met at the embassy party, who has lived in the city for 6 years, who likes cheese and talking about cheese and other Italian foodstuffs), Katia (another Italian Linda and I met at a theatre who is working for an NGO to set up a program in the south-west) and Davids two poodles in Sete's car.
After about an hour of driving, talking (mainly about cheese and other foods) and farting on the poodles part we reached Tererlj (spelling?) National Park which has a massive rock shaped like a turtle. After 10 minutes we decided it was too touristy and we were put off by all the drunkards wandering round so we decided to go to see David's Dutch friend (who also loves cheese and making cheese) who lives 20 minutes up the road. We were stopped on the way there by a river and so had to wait for the Dutch dude to come and get us in his landrover (he said 5 minutes so we waited for half an hour). We eventually got to his place, a small, hut which seemed to have only 2 rooms, surrounded by ghers (a small sort-of-tourist camp).
Linda, David and myself went for a half hour ride round the valley (almost deserted apart from the huge herds of goats and their mounted sheperds). In the end Linda went on a half hour ride before turning back and David and I wanted to go for the full hour so we carried on. The Mongolian horses are an apsolute delight to ride, you don't kick them you say "chuu!" to make them go faster, they're quite small ponies but they're all go.
David and I carried on up the valley with our guide through a lovely wooded area till we reached the open ground and, finding that we where late (we needed to leave by 3pm and it was 2:50), simply had to gallop all the way back to the camp. Well I kind of decided that part being more experienced, as did our over-enthusiastic horses, David had never been past trot before but he did very well and managed to cling on and keep up. So we set off "chuu! chuu! chuu! chuu! chuu!!!" a lot of fun :). Arriving back at the camp we had pan after pan of potatoes and cheese (suprisingly delicious) and David and I bought some cheese. Well I didnt know I was buying it until I had to pay ("I bought cheese? When?! Why did I buy cheese?!") so I ended up with a massive chunk of delicious cheese which I have been eating for breakfast to even out the unpleasantness of the stale bread. We eventually left an hour late but made it back before a certain shop closed (Linda had to pick up a lot of pre-paid shopping). Linda stayed over at Chimge's that night so I helped with her packing and Sete arrived again at 4:30 to take her too the airport.
Not a lot else to tell, I went for a meal out with Sete and Katia last night, had a hotpot which is either Mongolian or Chinese and a lot of fun in a lovely place with a glowing tree. There was a powercut but we managed to pay and stumble out the door by the light of our phones.
Today is some sort of celebration of old, retired people so I've been invited along to something or other in about an hour, don't really know what it is, a teacher asked me along to it in a noisy crowed hall and the only part of the conversation I really caught was when she leaned in and whispered "...and drink beer!".
So I have to run, sorry to everyone who has sent me emails I will reply to them when I can.
Thats all for now.
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Sunday, 20 September 2009
NEW NUMBER
I've changed my sim card to a cheaper Mongolian one, so my number is different: 95931012
If you need to get in touch with me it might work.
If you need to get in touch with me it might work.
more happenings
I'm really not updating as much as I probally should, then I wouldn't have to do all these massive posts.
Okay I'm really loosing track of time over here, all the days semm to blur into each other, I'm so busy. Okay starting from where I left off last time (I think) the next major 'event' on Wednesday was a lovely spicy Indian with a bunch of folk who ran the Gobi marathon, so alot of crazy but very interesting people. I was there because Ann knows Scott (from Detroit I think) who drove to Mongolia in a rally from London (his car broke down along the way and he had to find other methods to get here), he arrived and heard that there was a marathon in the Gobi desert, thought "why not" (as you do!) so he invited Ann along for the dinner and I came since I'm her roomie! There where some very inspiring individuals there, one guy in his 50's who had run 180 marathons! I was sitting next to a German lady called Brigitte (Scotts staying with her) who had run and walked part of the marathon (and i think she's in her 70's!). She invited me and Ann along to a little party at the British Embassy on the Friday. Afterwards Ann and Scott and I went to the 'Great Khan Irish Pub' and discovered to our horror that last orders where at 11 and closing time was 12 and that it was the same with every establishment in the city after we wandered round in vain. So we eventually found a 24 hour Korean and Chinese and had a lovely second meal at 2am.
The next evening we called it quits at closing time and the next day there was a stuffy 2 hour car ride in the blazing heat into the countryside with Linda, Ann, Chimge and Chimge's brother to the Nomads festival. On the way we saw camels, goats, ghers etc and a massive shining steel statue of Chinguis in the empty wilderness (it seems the Mongolians do random very very well). It took us a while to find the festival as it was in the apsolute middle of nowhere and was suprisingly small. This turned out to be because a large portion of the participants where engaged in a 15km horse race. The festival was a food tent where there was some curds and fermented mares milk which I had a bowl of (its not as bad as people say but I definately wouldn't ask for it again!) two tents in which to shelter from the blazing sun, a gher were food was being cooked and a toilet about five minutes walk away and was simply a hole in the ground surrounded by a little screen (I decided to wait). The current competition was what seemed to be a 'best couples' event. They were dressed in the most beautiful finery and rode and sang (my camera was glued to my eye), before it was finished a huge dust cloud was spotted in the distance; the racers where coming back, and we watched them gallop back into the camp; all the jockeys where small children and simply fantastic riders. Then there was the archery and wrestling. Ann and I made it back in time for the little embassy party (6:30 till 9:30) which was very exclusive so we felt special haha! Then it was back to the Irish Pub and the 24 hour Korean to celebrate on Ann's 'last night' before she flew to Moscow to see her cousin. She got to the airport for her flight then next morning to find it was delayed because of weather till 6pm, then 4am, then 1pm today (I think she has actually gone now), her airline put her up in a nice hotel with free food.
Yesterday we had snow for the first time! And I had my first attempted mugging! I had just left a bank and was waiting to cross the road when some bugger grabbed my rucksack which was filled with my camera and some travellers cheques. Was not happy so I wrestled it back and screamed abuse at him till he ran away. But I learnt my lesson and am now using the smaller banks, making sure my hair is covered (I'm so blatently foreign here). Then I met up with Linda and we visited the natural history museum which was filled with the most shocking english (I really wanted to photograph the "NO FOTOS" sign), specimens which were too big for the glass cases and were stitched together quite badly. It was still very much worth the visit and the entry fee however, the dinosaur room was quite spectacular.
Then we met up with Scott and went to a theatre for some traditional Mongolian performances which was fantastic, then Irish Pub then home in desperate need of more than 3 hours sleep.
All the snow is slush today so my feet are soaking (didnt think to use my walking boots) but I've wandered round for a while with Linda and we might meet up with Scott later since its his last night.
Sorry again for the spelling haha!
Okay I'm really loosing track of time over here, all the days semm to blur into each other, I'm so busy. Okay starting from where I left off last time (I think) the next major 'event' on Wednesday was a lovely spicy Indian with a bunch of folk who ran the Gobi marathon, so alot of crazy but very interesting people. I was there because Ann knows Scott (from Detroit I think) who drove to Mongolia in a rally from London (his car broke down along the way and he had to find other methods to get here), he arrived and heard that there was a marathon in the Gobi desert, thought "why not" (as you do!) so he invited Ann along for the dinner and I came since I'm her roomie! There where some very inspiring individuals there, one guy in his 50's who had run 180 marathons! I was sitting next to a German lady called Brigitte (Scotts staying with her) who had run and walked part of the marathon (and i think she's in her 70's!). She invited me and Ann along to a little party at the British Embassy on the Friday. Afterwards Ann and Scott and I went to the 'Great Khan Irish Pub' and discovered to our horror that last orders where at 11 and closing time was 12 and that it was the same with every establishment in the city after we wandered round in vain. So we eventually found a 24 hour Korean and Chinese and had a lovely second meal at 2am.
The next evening we called it quits at closing time and the next day there was a stuffy 2 hour car ride in the blazing heat into the countryside with Linda, Ann, Chimge and Chimge's brother to the Nomads festival. On the way we saw camels, goats, ghers etc and a massive shining steel statue of Chinguis in the empty wilderness (it seems the Mongolians do random very very well). It took us a while to find the festival as it was in the apsolute middle of nowhere and was suprisingly small. This turned out to be because a large portion of the participants where engaged in a 15km horse race. The festival was a food tent where there was some curds and fermented mares milk which I had a bowl of (its not as bad as people say but I definately wouldn't ask for it again!) two tents in which to shelter from the blazing sun, a gher were food was being cooked and a toilet about five minutes walk away and was simply a hole in the ground surrounded by a little screen (I decided to wait). The current competition was what seemed to be a 'best couples' event. They were dressed in the most beautiful finery and rode and sang (my camera was glued to my eye), before it was finished a huge dust cloud was spotted in the distance; the racers where coming back, and we watched them gallop back into the camp; all the jockeys where small children and simply fantastic riders. Then there was the archery and wrestling. Ann and I made it back in time for the little embassy party (6:30 till 9:30) which was very exclusive so we felt special haha! Then it was back to the Irish Pub and the 24 hour Korean to celebrate on Ann's 'last night' before she flew to Moscow to see her cousin. She got to the airport for her flight then next morning to find it was delayed because of weather till 6pm, then 4am, then 1pm today (I think she has actually gone now), her airline put her up in a nice hotel with free food.
Yesterday we had snow for the first time! And I had my first attempted mugging! I had just left a bank and was waiting to cross the road when some bugger grabbed my rucksack which was filled with my camera and some travellers cheques. Was not happy so I wrestled it back and screamed abuse at him till he ran away. But I learnt my lesson and am now using the smaller banks, making sure my hair is covered (I'm so blatently foreign here). Then I met up with Linda and we visited the natural history museum which was filled with the most shocking english (I really wanted to photograph the "NO FOTOS" sign), specimens which were too big for the glass cases and were stitched together quite badly. It was still very much worth the visit and the entry fee however, the dinosaur room was quite spectacular.
Then we met up with Scott and went to a theatre for some traditional Mongolian performances which was fantastic, then Irish Pub then home in desperate need of more than 3 hours sleep.
All the snow is slush today so my feet are soaking (didnt think to use my walking boots) but I've wandered round for a while with Linda and we might meet up with Scott later since its his last night.
Sorry again for the spelling haha!
Monday, 14 September 2009
Week 1
Wow I have a lot to write about now, I've been very busy being a tourist/teacher I've not had time to visit an internet cafe!
Last Wednesday I went to the school and observed alot of teachers taking their classes, and met Linda, shes from Australia and started on the same day as me. The school is very chaotic your running from classroom to classroom between each 40 minute lesson. I'm always in with a mongolian teacher so its easier to communicate with the kids. The next day I was just asking the children questions until about halfway through the day in a more advanced class a teacher put a textbook in front of me and told me to take the lesson! I tried not to panic but a little warning would have been nice! Since I've got a little bit more used to teaching but the children don't always understand what I'm asking them which is very stressful. It's nice in the classes when you get more feedback and the children enjoy it. The teachers are all very nice and helpful, I just got my timetable and I'm teaching between 5 and 6 hours a day (on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays the school is open from 8 till 6:45 with different kids attending different times of day, on Wednesdays and Thursdays its a half day). I'm now taking biscuits and snacks to the school in case I get hungry (they have 10 minutes for lunch) because the caffeteria food is awful! Very greasy and gristly.
In the late afternoon and evening I wander round the city with Linda and Ann.
My birthday was really good, the work at the school was really tiring and long but Linda took me to a theatre in the evening where there was traditional Mongolian song and dance and throat-singing, which is the most bizzare thing! The costumes and performance was really beautiful. When I got home Chimge, Zula (I now know corrrect spellings!) and Ann had a huge cake for me which was very sweet.
On Saturday morning we all went to the childrens palace to see a performance put on by kids from a few of the schools which Zula was playing the violin in, it was very good all the children had some sort of talent and again were dressed beautifully. Ann, Linda and I met up with some of the teachers and students in the afternoon to visit some museums which turned out to be closed so we had lunch and wandered instead. We visited the State Department Store which was suprisingly expensive but on the top floor there is a tourist area with traditional dress so we played dress up with the crazy hats. We also went to a nice resturaunt for a big meal and what I thought was my first legal cocktail (it wasn't, the legal age here turned out to be 21! But I don't think I'll get IDed here!) when Ann and I got home we found that Chimge had made us another meal (she doesn't usually cook on Saturdays so we forgot to tell her we were eating out). We had to eat it so we wouldn't upset her but I felt like utter crap after eating so much.
Also Ann is now recovering froma parasite she thinks she picked up in the Gobi, I came home to find she'd spent the day on a drip. The medical treatment here and attitude to medication is quite alarming (apparently they have an obsession with using IV drips which doesn't work well which their terrible re-use of needles, especially syringes).
On Sunday Chimge and Zula took us foreigners to the black market which was incredible! The size of the place is unbelievable and it turned out to be a test of self control for me and Ann as we walked past row after row of really good immitation handbags for the equilalent of about 10 quid. I didn't get much cause I'm waiting for a trip to the cashmere factories.
Back at the flat Ann and I treated ourselves to tomato pasta with lots of cheese (the tomato sauce is quite expensive here, about 500T).
The crime rate here is rising quite rapidly so Ann took me to get a membership at a taxi service run by an Australian guy, Sam, who started it since many taxi drivers lock foreigners in the car and threaten them to get ridiculous fares. It still doesn't seem to bad but I'm getting hassled when I'm alone because of my hair colour so I'm now taking a beanie hat everywhere with me to tuck my hair into so I can blend in.
Thats all I can think to tell you, I'm on a break just now so I should probally get back to the school.
Love to all
Last Wednesday I went to the school and observed alot of teachers taking their classes, and met Linda, shes from Australia and started on the same day as me. The school is very chaotic your running from classroom to classroom between each 40 minute lesson. I'm always in with a mongolian teacher so its easier to communicate with the kids. The next day I was just asking the children questions until about halfway through the day in a more advanced class a teacher put a textbook in front of me and told me to take the lesson! I tried not to panic but a little warning would have been nice! Since I've got a little bit more used to teaching but the children don't always understand what I'm asking them which is very stressful. It's nice in the classes when you get more feedback and the children enjoy it. The teachers are all very nice and helpful, I just got my timetable and I'm teaching between 5 and 6 hours a day (on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays the school is open from 8 till 6:45 with different kids attending different times of day, on Wednesdays and Thursdays its a half day). I'm now taking biscuits and snacks to the school in case I get hungry (they have 10 minutes for lunch) because the caffeteria food is awful! Very greasy and gristly.
In the late afternoon and evening I wander round the city with Linda and Ann.
My birthday was really good, the work at the school was really tiring and long but Linda took me to a theatre in the evening where there was traditional Mongolian song and dance and throat-singing, which is the most bizzare thing! The costumes and performance was really beautiful. When I got home Chimge, Zula (I now know corrrect spellings!) and Ann had a huge cake for me which was very sweet.
On Saturday morning we all went to the childrens palace to see a performance put on by kids from a few of the schools which Zula was playing the violin in, it was very good all the children had some sort of talent and again were dressed beautifully. Ann, Linda and I met up with some of the teachers and students in the afternoon to visit some museums which turned out to be closed so we had lunch and wandered instead. We visited the State Department Store which was suprisingly expensive but on the top floor there is a tourist area with traditional dress so we played dress up with the crazy hats. We also went to a nice resturaunt for a big meal and what I thought was my first legal cocktail (it wasn't, the legal age here turned out to be 21! But I don't think I'll get IDed here!) when Ann and I got home we found that Chimge had made us another meal (she doesn't usually cook on Saturdays so we forgot to tell her we were eating out). We had to eat it so we wouldn't upset her but I felt like utter crap after eating so much.
Also Ann is now recovering froma parasite she thinks she picked up in the Gobi, I came home to find she'd spent the day on a drip. The medical treatment here and attitude to medication is quite alarming (apparently they have an obsession with using IV drips which doesn't work well which their terrible re-use of needles, especially syringes).
On Sunday Chimge and Zula took us foreigners to the black market which was incredible! The size of the place is unbelievable and it turned out to be a test of self control for me and Ann as we walked past row after row of really good immitation handbags for the equilalent of about 10 quid. I didn't get much cause I'm waiting for a trip to the cashmere factories.
Back at the flat Ann and I treated ourselves to tomato pasta with lots of cheese (the tomato sauce is quite expensive here, about 500T).
The crime rate here is rising quite rapidly so Ann took me to get a membership at a taxi service run by an Australian guy, Sam, who started it since many taxi drivers lock foreigners in the car and threaten them to get ridiculous fares. It still doesn't seem to bad but I'm getting hassled when I'm alone because of my hair colour so I'm now taking a beanie hat everywhere with me to tuck my hair into so I can blend in.
Thats all I can think to tell you, I'm on a break just now so I should probally get back to the school.
Love to all
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Arrival
Hi folks! I'm finding it really surreal out here in Mongolia I have to say, but its very friendly and exciting.
I arrived at the Chinquis (spelling?!) Khan Airport round about 11pm last night. Had a bit of a panic until Bayajargal approached me (recognised me from my photo I think) and drove me to meet my hosts, a lady (now I have no idea how to spell their names so I'll spell it how I say it) Chinguie and her 10 year old daughter Zoolai. Chinguie had kindly stayed up very late to greet me and made me a cup of tea. I'm sleeping on a little mattress on the floor and I'm sharing the room (its like the sitting room) with another volunteer Ann (from England, 26) who is working at the hospital.
Everyone left early for school/work and left me sleeping off my jet-lag. I hate to admit I woke up feeling lost, lonely and homesick and generally feeling a bit sorry for my self in a "what the hell am I doing" kind of way.
Chinquis work finished around 12ish and she came to take me to her daughters school (I still haven't met her daughter!) where I will be working starting tomorrow, eek! At this point I'm now very excited. I met the director of the school and had a confusing three-way conversation with Chinguis translating (her english is excellent) then we waited for her daughter who was still in a class so I went to a bank to change some money and then to a little internet cafe which is were I am now.
There! I think thats me up to date, sorry for the rushed story and possible spelling mistakes but I think I'm a bit short of time.
Oh and the journey wasn't too bad, though very stressful and a bit lonely. The Seoul airport was quite impressive (oh and mum and dad? The Hub Lounge is open from 7am till about 10pm each day- you were asking) felt a bit out of place on the posh 4th floor.
And visiting the school was quite funny, with all the similarites between my own schools I attended and this one. And ALL the children were dressed more fashionably than me, actually everyone in Ulaan Baatar seems to be fairly stylish (now I'm cursing my thermals, my sole pair of jeans and all those band shirts I packed!). XD
One other thing is I think I'm having a bit of trouble accessing my mobile me account but I got into my hotmail just fine. Gonna try facebook next.
Love to all, sorry again for my rushed spelling and the lack of photos! I'm gonna have to work out a way of getting them to you all.
Eve
I arrived at the Chinquis (spelling?!) Khan Airport round about 11pm last night. Had a bit of a panic until Bayajargal approached me (recognised me from my photo I think) and drove me to meet my hosts, a lady (now I have no idea how to spell their names so I'll spell it how I say it) Chinguie and her 10 year old daughter Zoolai. Chinguie had kindly stayed up very late to greet me and made me a cup of tea. I'm sleeping on a little mattress on the floor and I'm sharing the room (its like the sitting room) with another volunteer Ann (from England, 26) who is working at the hospital.
Everyone left early for school/work and left me sleeping off my jet-lag. I hate to admit I woke up feeling lost, lonely and homesick and generally feeling a bit sorry for my self in a "what the hell am I doing" kind of way.
Chinquis work finished around 12ish and she came to take me to her daughters school (I still haven't met her daughter!) where I will be working starting tomorrow, eek! At this point I'm now very excited. I met the director of the school and had a confusing three-way conversation with Chinguis translating (her english is excellent) then we waited for her daughter who was still in a class so I went to a bank to change some money and then to a little internet cafe which is were I am now.
There! I think thats me up to date, sorry for the rushed story and possible spelling mistakes but I think I'm a bit short of time.
Oh and the journey wasn't too bad, though very stressful and a bit lonely. The Seoul airport was quite impressive (oh and mum and dad? The Hub Lounge is open from 7am till about 10pm each day- you were asking) felt a bit out of place on the posh 4th floor.
And visiting the school was quite funny, with all the similarites between my own schools I attended and this one. And ALL the children were dressed more fashionably than me, actually everyone in Ulaan Baatar seems to be fairly stylish (now I'm cursing my thermals, my sole pair of jeans and all those band shirts I packed!). XD
One other thing is I think I'm having a bit of trouble accessing my mobile me account but I got into my hotmail just fine. Gonna try facebook next.
Love to all, sorry again for my rushed spelling and the lack of photos! I'm gonna have to work out a way of getting them to you all.
Eve
Touch Down!
A quick update from ground control (the parents) -
just heard from Eve that she managed to find her way to the right airport
(Chinggis Khaan International Airport) arrived at midnight,
and met up with her lift to her accommodation in Ulaanbaatar,
but everyone's asleep so hasn't any idea -
where she is or who she's staying with -
so not much different to usual then!
Monday, 7 September 2009
Day of departure....... Just a picture of me finally saying goodbye to all via the emails and posting on this Blog address to everyone who have helped get me to this point! Then off to the airport for final picture of me and my belongings before checking in at Edinburgh. It was 2 days work and a second visit to the Bag shop at Sterling Mills Outlet (so incredibly helpful, I wouldn't go anywhere else) to get a lighter bag in order to get my bag weight down below 20kg, after throwing out some more clothes to make room for 160 "Scottish Blend" tea bags I was ready for everything. The Bag came to 19.8Kg at check-in - collective sigh of relief from parents in background.
Next time you hear from me - I'll be there!!
Thursday, 3 September 2009
More thanks
Some more specific thank you's:
Susan Morris, Mavis and Gordon Bancroft, Richard and Audrey Bancroft, Kathleen Lumb, Michael Gotz and Patricia Collins, Colin and Helen Scott, Dorothy Barker, Morag and Colin Scott, Philip and Jean Hirst, Lloyd and Kathleen Hirst. Ian, Susan and Amy Graydon who started the ball rolling with the first donation.
The G.I. Unit nurses, secretaries and Consultant Staff in Forth Valley. The Forth Valley Hepatitis Service.
Everyone who works with the Outpatient Department at Stirling Royal infirmary who were mugged for their money by Morag Steele, and Julie, Stuart and all the customers and staff at D.S. MacDonald, Jewellers, Stirling
And a very special thank you to the Dunblane Primary School Charitable Trust for their incredible generosity.
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
before departure
Hello and welcome to my blog, which I will be updating with news from Mongolia on a hopefully regular basis for the next 12 weeks. After about 9 months of organising I am finally only a few days away from my first venture into the big wide world all on my ownsome and I’m not ashamed to admit that my current emotions keep on swinging erratically from excitement to terror.
And very special thanks to my dad, if it wasn’t for his constant and annoying nagging I wouldn’t be going at all!
I am leaving from Edinburgh airport early afternoon on Sunday 6th and will be arriving in Ulaan Baatar on Monday 7th late evening after passing through London Heathrow and Seoul in South Korea, I’m not looking forward to the flying parts but navigating the airports should be fun and/or interesting, can’t wait for Seoul- it looks pretty fancy. And there should be sushi somewhere on the 4th floor.
Till Mongolia.....
I am not really certain how often I will have access to internet, if at all, so don't worry if the blog is quiet.
I have raised funds for this trip through applying to charitable trusts and through a sponsored event, I sailed solo for 3miles round a triangular course in a double-handed dinghy at my home club at Loch Venachar (proof below):
This is my first and last post before arriving in the country so I would like to say thanks to everyone who has supported me and those generous souls who have donated towards my trip. Special thanks to: my family and friends (love to all!), everyone at the Frontier headquarters, Buffalo Systems (Adam Thomas for all your advice and the fantastic shirt which has performed beyond my expectations in the face of the horror that is Scottish weather), the Stewart Award, the Bulkeley Evans Scholarship Fund, the Lethendy Trust, the Perth and Kinross Educational Trust, The Cray Trust, The Souter Trust, everyone at the Dunblane branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland and to a lot of folk at the Stirling Royal Infirmary and the Falkirk Royal Infirmary who donated very generously in support of my rudderless sailing stunt.
And very special thanks to my dad, if it wasn’t for his constant and annoying nagging I wouldn’t be going at all!
I am leaving from Edinburgh airport early afternoon on Sunday 6th and will be arriving in Ulaan Baatar on Monday 7th late evening after passing through London Heathrow and Seoul in South Korea, I’m not looking forward to the flying parts but navigating the airports should be fun and/or interesting, can’t wait for Seoul- it looks pretty fancy. And there should be sushi somewhere on the 4th floor.
Till Mongolia.....
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