Trip to the Yurt/Stoyanka
Since Jesse is getting increasingly lazy in doing these blogs :) I guess I will try to do them (sorry). The only thing we have been up to other than the usual language studies is our trip to a stoyanka (ranch) about 2 hours outside the city. Our coworkers David and Erin (Privyet blog linked to the right) have been out there for about 3 weeks helping out with the sheep and cattle, in an attempt to better understand T culture. It was interesting to see how they have been living as they don't have electricity or running water. It really makes you appreciate the simple things (like bathrooms and stoves).
We were only out there for 2 days and got so dirty and smelly. The people who live out there all the time only take baths and do laundry once a week but if you had to haul the water up to the banya (like a sauna) and spend 4-5 hours cleaning yourself, your baby, you grandmother, your little girl, and wash laundry by hand you would only bath yourself once a week also.
The lady spends her day either cooking, hauling water, cleaning, or taking care of her baby and little girl. It is quite a life to observe. If you want to just boil water you have to start about an hour before building the fire getting it hot enough, and then waiting for the water to boil. Imagine how much time it takes when she needs to feed several men (the workers on the ranch) every day for lunch?
The men, of course, spend all day herding cattle and sheep. Our friends got to help with this. Once the regulars there found out David was willing to help they started coming for him in the mornings. Our friends found out then that a cultural difference between them and the T people was that they don't believe in knocking. They will just come on in! 
Of course, most of time their door was opened because it was so hot in the cabin. When you have to basically keep the stove hot all day it can get a little warm in the one room cabin (the windows didn't open). There are several advantages to being there (especially with kids). I was able to just let the kids go outside and run around without supervision. There was a gate around the yard so they didn't get far. Even if they found their way out of the gates I would still be able to see them for a few miles every direction. They loved playing in the dirt and climbing the fences. It was paradise for them.
Jesse was able to help with the sheep and cattle while I helped Erin with the household chores. We did take a break to walk up a mountain which I think I enjoyed more than Jesse. In between we just sat around talking and relaxing. So, here are some pictures we took from the trip:
And, as one final bonus, Jesse found the following rope up near the summer yurt. Can you guess what it's made out of? (No points if you already saw this on facebook.)
