2023.02.09-14. - Everyday life in Mongolia

These few days were spent without anything special going on - but pretty busy, thus my late posting and brief entries.

2023.02.09-10. – To finish the workweek off

Thursday: Taught 2 classes, came home to chill and cross some things off my to do list. Also had to pay bills (both for this apartment and for the old one, bc we just got the internet bill for that one for October). Chilled (scrolled on FB and YT) for most of the afternoon-evening. And watched the last two eps of Sandman.

Friday: Taught a class, had a convo with Otgontuya, then the assistant, then Wen. Nobody knows the exact days off for Tsagaan Sar yet.

There are cables hanging everywhere in this city - this random window is no exception.

Went to LovingHut (which seems to have been rebranded to Foody) for a chocolate cake in the afternoon, bought vegan stuff too and some bread in the store in Department Store. Scratchy throat and not feeling that great bc of my period. Bit tired too. Crossed some more things off my to-do list though and now it’s getting to an almost manageable level, finally.

Getting warm! (well, warmer)

They disassembled some of the ice statues and just deposited them in the park at Sukhbaatar Square.

We've seen some new pastries around as Tsagaan Sar is approaching - maybe this is one for the holidays as well?

2023.02.11. – Feeling old yet?

Had swim practice in the morning (-27 on the way there, -14 on my way home; kinda crazy how it can get 13 degrees warmer in under 3 hours). Someone from the team (Alimaa, I’ve written about her before) asked about my age and when I said “25, well, I’ll be 26 this year” she said “oh, so 3-6?” and I was like ‘what, no, that’s 2-5’ and thought to myself ‘Do I really look 36? Rather than 26?’ Even 26 feels old. And then people go around thinking I’m 36. Just yesterday, one of the new teachers at the office said she feels like her students are getting younger and younger and she is old compared to them, as they were born in 2004 and she in 2000. So that made me feel old too. What the heck, people?

2023.02.12. – Typical Sunday

Spent the morning lesson planning, the afternoon chilling.

These vegan eggs are life-changing (only really hard to come by)

2023.02.13-14. – My Valentine

Teaching in the morning, doing little work and mostly chilling in the afternoons/evenings. Celebrated Valentine’s Day by staying at home (after my class and some lesson planning in the office), cuddling, ordering takeout, watching Young Sheldon, and just existing next to each other; pretty much like most days (with a bit less work or pressure to work), but we love our life as it is.