Xmas-NY times...

New Year's Party

@ Xanadu Gallery
31st December 2009

The beginning of the night,
Sirak, Alberto, Monika, Antonio & Mikel

The couple of the year!

The traditional 12 grapes at midnight
(In Spain and many countries in South America it is a tradition to eat 12 grapes with each bong)

Where is Wally?

Who said we liked group photos?
Stephania, me, Monika, Mateo, Antonio & Zaagii.

We tried to apply different traditions, champagne is v common, even in Eritrea!

Smoky girls... we dont smoke (??) but the photographer does!

Xanadu migrates to Stephania's flat...

Alberto the architect at 4am turns into a cook...

Valencia & Andalucia reunida!

Can you please stop filming!



APDC's New Years Party
26th December 2009

It is a tradition in Mongolia to have a work celebration for the New Year...
With colleagues, some members of the board and a couple of parents we spend the eve dancing, drinking (a lot of that) and basically having a good time...
It's a bit strange to start cheering for the new year on the 26th but after a few vodkas it's all normal!

Another tradition is the dresses, it's THE day of the year you get to dress as a princess

I couldnt not do it, so had my shiny outfit!

Some dancing

Some chatting and laughing

Some gossiping...

With Deegii, my boss

Xmas Eve and day

A very special Santa!

dear me!

Dear lord! I was having a look at older posts and it feels so long ago and so close! It is surreal to re-read thoughts and feelings of that time! it's like living everything back...

You can adapt to anything, I had a lucidity moment the other day walking to work. Suddenly I stopped (my mind not my feet) and looked around, and it came back: I am in Mongolia! These are my last few months, and life is a routine, you don't notice the ice, the cold, the frozen lashes, drinking tea with salt is normal, mutton : I have it for breakfast everyday! (joking, but only just!) and the smoke (well no! the smoke and pollution you can not not noticing it!) but it's just there and is normal, even people blowing their nose in the middle of the pavement, on the pavement! and the spitting, although i still hate it madly, it is just normal...

Some things are miles away, some are so present. I look at some trips I did that feel like it was yesterday but it was more than a year ago!

Then I wonder why does still surprises me when i remember my real age!! I was 21 just yesterday i swear!

Facebook is out!

Some people didn't believe when I said I was going to stop facebook, but is done! I also said I'll try to make it up through the blog, so here I am! I've been saying I'll upload the latest photos this weekend but i doubt I will... I've been working endless hours without managing to be ready for the deadline, so I will unfortunately have to work this weekend!

Yes! is my blog you are reading! Yes! me Sophie working until 9 pm and weekends!

I'll tell you all about it very very soon!

Till then XXXX

Xmas - New Year mass email...

I have just sent this... I'm very aware of the lack of creativity, imagination and so much more... but here we go! the good old copy and paste!

Francais plus bas! enfin!
Espagnol mas abajo! al fin algo en espagnol por aqui!

<<------>>

I had this tradition were i used to send a Xmas-New Year msg... It was usually a mass email... And as i'm sitting by the window in my Mongolian flat (the only place where i can steal internet), and is probably -27 something outside if not less, I thought I should start it again...

It is true, it is to make it easier for myself that I do it in a mass. BUT it is also because even if for most of us there are millions of miles of separation, you still in a way or an other in my mind, and most probably as a "happy" memory or an active part of my world... For either of those, you still present in here (index pressing the side of my head).

Anyway, all this blah blah to tell you, to send you the best of the best of this festives times, may 2009 bring you all you wish and even more! well... let's not be too gready!
And if you are on a beach somewhere, or somewhere warm, could you please start blowing east so that the warm wind gets here?! Thanks!
Loads and loads of love!
Soph

<<------>>

J'avais une tradition.... une tradition qui ennuyais certains, meme si je suis sure qu'au fond ils adorent... une tradition ou a cette periode de l'annee j'envoyais un mail commun, tres impersonel certes! Et me voila, assise a la fenetre de mon apart Mongol (c'est le seul endroit ou je peux choper l'internet du voisin) il fait dans les -27 degres dehors si pas moins, et je me suis dis: et si je recommencais cette tradition?...
Voyez vous... ouais c'est vrai cela me rends la tache bien plus facile, un mail en masse c'est vite fait, mais cela prouve aussi que vous etes ds ma tete pour une raison ou pour une autre, on se trouve peut-etre a des millions de bornes les un des autres, mais pour moi vous etes la (j'ecris ca en mettant l'index sur ma tempe!)
Donc voila! c'est beaucoup de bla bla, pour vous dire, vous envoyer tout ce qui a de meilleur dans cette periode de fete. Que tout ce que vous souhaitez et bien plus s'accomplisse!
Et aussi, j'ai un petit service a vous demander! si vous etes sur une plage ou quelque part ou il fait chaud, pouvez vous commencer a souffler en direction "est" pour que la chaleur arrive ici!?
Je vous embrasse tres tres tres fort
So

<<------>>

Hubo una epoca, un tiempo donde escribia durante estos momentos del anho un mail para las masas... Una tradicion que molesta a algunos (aunque en el fondo les cuesta aceptar que les gusta y que les calienta el corazoncito!) Y aqui estoy sentada en mi apartamentico Mongol a la ventana (el unico lugar donde puedo robarle el internet al vecino) hace unos -27 grados afuera, casi todo esta blanco (mas que todo hielo no realmente nieve) y pense que deberia empezar de nuevo!
Veran, es verdad que escribir a las masas es la opcion facil, lo admito, pero es tambien mostrarles que aunque esten a millones de kilometros los tengo en la mente... mostrarles que me encataria estar en contacto mas amenudo con ustedes pero mi inabilidad no me lo permite! creo que se llama alergia a el boton "send"... y a travez de esto logro comunicarles mi msg! que siguen en mi mente y que siguen siendo importantes!
Bueno, mucho palabrerio... les queria decir, escribir, mandar, desear lo mejor de lo mejor en estas fechas festivas, y que el anho 2009 les traiga todo lo que desean y mas, bueno tampoco hay que ser muy glotosos!!!
Y una ultima cosita, si se encuentran en una playita, en un lugar caliente, podrian por favor empezar a soplar hacia el este, a ver si el viento tropical llega por estos lares???
un abrazo y beso gigante
Sofi

Felt Making (20.12.08)

We thought it would take us a few hours to make a felt scraf, it took us all day!

It was great though!
To go through the whole process makes it worthwhile.
And when a wear that scarf i do feel the childish pride I had when I made my mother a pasta neckless!


Getting the wool ready... It's a long process...

Getting the shape and decorations

Watering the wool

And soaping

A lot of soaping

A lot of soaping and rubbing

drying, well spinning

Giving shape

Some of the results...

The group, wearing the beautiful work

plus the (the very patient) teachers

What I've been up since I came back... Other than Beijing!

A weekend stroll (06.12),
With Ann, Peter and Sarah

We wanted to go to Sansai valley but ended up somewhere else... Beautiful though! It's getting harder and harder to go for walks, that day was a clement one, only had around -10-15*...

You can see the smog of the city
Little picnic

Made it to the top, hence the Owoo

The white landscapes have started oh! yes!

Sledging can sometimes be imposed!

and when there's snow and is soon xmas, there's also snow angels

and 1

and 2

and 3 snow angels!

Gachuurt for the day (09.11)
With Violaine, Michel and Manon. Monika, Sirak and Sarah.
A stroll by the river, and a picnic

Manon got to sit on the Mongol Empire!

All get to have some fun!

Even then the river was already starting to freeze

It is tiring!

Picnic, hiding from the freezing cold wind.

Nadia's Last night (07.11)

Just realised I missed Alberto and Vanchigma's Bday (14.11)... Well, as i can not control this blog thing that well, I am not going to be able to upload the photos anymore and put them on the right order, so, just check facebook for them!


Halloween (31.10)
3 angels and 1 devil
maybe Charlie was dressed up like one?