Apologies

So, let's not dance around the issue. It's been an unreasonably long time since I last posted. And that's unacceptable. I'm not asking for forgiveness, but maybe I can solicit just a bit of pity. For you see, over the past couple of weeks I have been subjected to a delirious personal drama the likes of which I haven't experienced in years. I won't get into details here, but suffice it to say that it has consumed me to the core of my being, annihilating my will to write--hell, annihilating my will to do anything productive whatsoever. I know that sounds like a childish excuse; and it is. I honestly believed that I was old enough to have escaped the clutches of schoolyard romantic angst, but apparently I was sorely, sorely mistaken. I have successfully avoided any serious consideration of relationships for a solid year and a half, and have prided myself on the accomplishment. But apparently sometimes you simply can't control who walks into your life, hauls you up by the ankles, and shakes all the sense out of your damn head.

So, that being said, sorry. I've been preoccupied. Setting that aside, where to begin? The weekend before last was the national holiday, Naadam, so we all spent a good deal of time attending the events and getting sick off greasy khuushuur and airag. On that Thursday we took a van out to the countryside to watch children race horses. The spectacle was both entertaining and slightly horrifying, as we watched several riderless horses cross the finish line. It wasn't clear where their riders had gone, but we all hoped for the best. Over the weekend we went to the national stadium to watch the opening ceremony, Mongolian wrestling (which is highly chaotic and nearly impossible to follow), archery, and sheepbone flicking (look it up). I was out in the sun far too much but managed to escape without any serious burns. And now I have an obscene farmer's tan. My face and arms haven't been this dark since high school; the contrast with my belly and legs is almost nauseating. Bear in mind, however, that my skin naturally borders on translucent; thus, when I say "dark," what I really mean is that for the first time in years my face actually looks moderately healthy and normal.

This past weekend we took an overnight camping trip to Terelj national park. The scenery was even more striking than what we'd seen in Hustai. I'll post pictures on facebook if I get the chance. In the morning, we went hiking, horseback riding, and then hitched a ride over to the river to spend a lazy afternoon along its banks.

In other big news, I can officially announce now that I come August 4, I will be leaving Mongolia earlier than planned to spend a few weeks in Tokyo en route to the United States. Alice's dad has an apartment there which he has graciously allowed me to occupy, free of charge. So there will be additional stories and pictures from that trip coming soon!

One final note: not a day goes by that I don't see some kid wearing Houston Rockets t-shirt. Not a single day. Seriously.