skills & superpowers
I’ve learned some amazing work skills out here, but I thought I’d list some of the newly found skills and superpowers I probably should not put on my CV:
1. Child and donkey dodging driving techniques (98% proficiency level…)
2. Auditory differentiation between celebratory and non-celebratory gunfire
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Darfur’s Secret War
There is a secret war raging in Darfur. No, it’s not the protracted conflict between militia, janjaweed and governments as portrayed by the media but a conflict of deadly proportions between ratis ratis and homosapiens – and it’s unfolding to a bitter climax in my compound.
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Emergency buuz and other desperate measures
Buuz is one of Mongolia’s most favourite and common foods. These steamed mutton dumplings are common fare for all Mongolians, and probably the nando’s equivalent for Mongolians who live overseas.
Yet personally, I don’t really like buuz. It’s edible, in fact it’s a lot better than some of the other country-specific cuisines out there (namely assida in Sudan, still the worst food I have ever had the displeasure of eating!), but after one or two my stomach reminds me that this stodgy overload of dripping mutton fat is not so good for the system or the tastebuds.
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Trade winds
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.
-Mark Twain
say hello to my little penguin friend…
I feel I should introduce to you one of my closest companions here in Mongolia, it is my special friend Mr Penguin the humidifier. “A humidifier?” I hear you brisbanites say. Yes, they do exist! a machine specially designed to increase the level of humidity in the air (I am just spelling this out for the folks back home who, upon hearing about this invention, may disbelieve it’s existence!).
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bubbles and admissions of guilt
Along with other aussie volunteers I visited a school and nutrition centre run by a local NGO. The whole day was organized as an Australia Day celebration for the kids of 2 local schools by my heroic friend Erin.
I remember as we were leaving and looking around, just as touristy with our cameras as the day we first arrived in Mongolia, somebody mentioned that “it’s as if we live in a bubble in the city”.
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you know you’ve been away from home too long when…
…you’re listening to the Triple J Hottest 100 and you don’t know any of the music!
So maybe it’s time to let y’all know that I only have 39 DAYS left!!!
more dog sledding photos and a WICKED video!
Sophie has just uploaded a whole bunch of photos from our trip, ones of mine that i didnt put online are included…
have a look at them HERE .
Seven fifteen
This is view through my window at 7:15 am -
That’s the moonlight streaming through my ice covered windows. It’s like the middle of the night!
A leaf from the Swanson family tree
My brother Paul recently contacted the National Archives to find my father’s immigrant ancestry to Australia. It shows the following information about our great grandfather Christian ‘Jack’ Swanson
Christian Swanson, a 29 year old Norwegian viking seaman, arrived from San Francisco to Melbourne in 1899 and moved to Sydney. The ship he arrived in was called the ‘Marjorie Craig’ (previously the Norwegian vessel ‘Hirotha’ which is the gaelicized word for ‘Norway’ ) who just so happened to have a Scandinavian goddess ‘Thea’ as her figurehead. Thanks to my brother Jeremy for the finding the following photo -
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Real adventures can’t be blogged from an Iphone
see the whole flickr set here
I learned this week that cats really are smarter than dogs- you won’t get 6 cats to pull a sled through thick snow and ice with yours-truly lurching around on the back.
After spending two days sledding along the Terelj river with a group of friends I still can’t describe the thrill and sensation of being pulled by six of man’s best friends- their paws scratching for traction into the icey river bed, their tongues and tails wagging in the sub-zero air, and their eager yelps and howls when our convoy would halt for a snack stop.
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On decision making: wisdom from the steppe
This post is dedicated to my intake 21 friends – bec, erin, ben, graham, maia and steph!
10 ‘must do’ experiences in Ulaanbaatar
While I’m dreaming of travel far far away to a sunny beach and fresh coconut in hand, travellers who intend on coming to Mongolia in 2009 should consider these ‘must do’ authentic experiences while in UB -
1. Pick up a bargain at Narantuul the black market only to have your savings pickpocketed 10 minutes later
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Merry Christmas & happy new year from Will and Tassen
Hello family and friends from around the world – merry christmas and happy new year! This is a photo of me and tassen goin for a walk on Christmas morning… maybe -20 or something? see how im gripping my left thumb… it had totally gone numb! wooo a numb thumb! I had an amazing christmas in UB with some great friends and great food! I’m loving the winter cold now, especially these beautiful blue sky days everyone had told me about, so nice indeed!
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2009: Year of Industrialization
According to Olloo.mn, the government of Mongolia has designated 2009 as the year of industrialization. At least they can’t be accused of following the crowd….
Some get it lucky
A propaganda tidbit from the ayad website makes me cringe when I look the windows of my office at the cold and bleak…
“Tina Macumber spent 12 months as an AYAD in Samoa as a Cricket Development Officer for the Samoa International Cricket Association (SICA) with the support of her Australian Partner Organisation The International Cricket Council East Asia Pacific (ICC-EAP) . While on assignment as an AYAD Tina assisted SICA to develop a women’s cricket program which also provided her with the opportunity to continue to play the game she loves.”
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flatmates
when tassen isn’t licking my face, chewing on my headphones or dismantling the christmas tree…
… he loves watching the trains go by out the window!
Good morning Ulaanbaatar
I took my camera with me on my way to work this morning…
see the whole set here on flickr
Fishing in Mongolia
Ok I dragged these photos out of archive (from October). I took my family on one of the most amazing holidays I’ve ever had. As well as 4×4 driving, hot springs, horseriding and general wandering through the splendid Mongolian countryside, our great guide and driver took us fishing as well. This was one of the few goals I had for my time here and now I can happily tick that box with some great memories, especially with my folks sharing the experience as well.
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