Rajko Writes and Sketches:
One-Man Dodge Ball
We actually stayed the night in a tiny town halfway to our location (Mongolia) in a funny little hotel. It was a great evening! It started with the funniest little scene involving Jason, Corey, Richard and me playing a game of one-man dodge ball. Basically, I said to Jason that he could have three free shots at me with the volleyball as long as I could cover my balls and my face with my hands — and as long as I could have three shots at him. So he stood 10 meters (10 yards) away and launched one of them right in my face! It was only luck that my hand was there, so all that happened was that my hand slapped me in the forehead. Then I pounded him in the stomach and the arm. But it was just a funny game to play and typical of Jason and me. But it got really funny when Corey thought he’d get some close-camera footage by positioning himself right behind Richard, who himself was about to get pummeled. So there was Corey, peeking out behind Richard’s shoulder and Jason was preparing to launch one at Richard. As destiny would have it, the ball spun through the air and picked out Corey’s head with absolute precision! And before he could duck out of the way, he had an eyeful of video camera and the fastest black eye I’ve ever seen.
Mongolia
My sketches get better and better. I know why I didn’t take art too seriously in school. Anyway, this
sketch shows pretty much everything there is in Mongolia: mountains, goats, yurts (i.e., tents) and nothing else. But literally, to get from the yurt that I share with Jason over to Brad and Rich’s where we train each day is a good 30-minute walk … and that’s our closest neighbor after Mark and Corey. They understand the idea of space here.
Mongolski Nadam
What an interesting day, but what a painful one! In fact, as I write this diary, my injured rib is horribly painful — in almost all positions. I guess that is the consequence of ignoring pain and wanting to prove something and being a “tough guy.” Frustration, I think, was the main feeling — frustration at being injured, frustrated at not being able to prove myself at wrestling, and frustration at not being able to do anything against the lard-a** in the ring with me. And now the frustration of having to begin recovery again — but enough moaning! I made the decision, so I’ll deal with the consequences. I’ll train, eat, sleep, ice, train, eat, sleep, ice … and somehow get ready for the next phase. But I’ve definitely disappointed myself and it's going to take a grand miracle to be 100 percent fit in 10 days — but I’ll do my utmost. What choice do I have?
Memories of Trip
Wrestling in pants
Fresh goat's milk and cream
Going to the toilet (rock wipes)
Open-door policy in yurt (friends and neighbors always welcome)
Children, capable/hardworking, still kids!
Relaxed/peaceful people
Rosy cheeks
Fresh mountain stream
Fresh air
Brad’s Take:
All of our hosts definitely had us kind of like trophy stepchildren, especially in Mongolia. I mean, me and Rich were living together and we went back home and there were 20 cats chillin' in our little hut. I didn't even think the hut could hold 20 people, so me and Rich go in and make 22.
So they're taking shots of vodka and they just wanted me to come in and take my shirt off. They're feeling on me. And I've never had so many men touch me in my life. It felt really uncomfortable but then I'm like, you know, they're not doing it in a weird way, just relax, man. And then the chicks got up and started feeling my hair and telling me my hair is beautiful and I'm just thinking, “This is twisted. But, you know, go with the flow.” And me and Rich had a couple shots of vodka and we're feeling good. Everybody's chatting it up. I don't speak Mongolian. Rich doesn't speak Mongolian. Honestly, we don't know what the hell is going on the whole time but we're just going with the flow.
Then I get a cat that calls me outside and this champion comes from three villages over just to see me and challenge me to lifting a stone. You can't challenge me at my own sport, man. And he got the stone six times. I mean, he picked it up, pressed it overhead six times. I got it 18. Now what? Now he wants to wrestle me. I didn't know he was a champion but I went at it anyway and tore his pants. And he ended up beating me three times. But I beat him in the stones and I tore his pants.
But through the whole thing, it's kind of like, not only within our village, not only within my hut and within my village, word spread through other villages and they actually traveled to come see me and the others before we even competed.
Corey’s Lesson:
Patience
Mark and I were so grateful for the hospitality of our hosts. But six people living in one tiny yurt was just too much. Even finding a little space to breathe was a task -- not to mention trying to sleep, eat, train and maintain hygiene. As the days passed we became more and more annoyed with each other and our surroundings until we snapped and winged at every inconvenient detail. The funny thing was Mark and I were only visiting a cramped yurt for a couple days, while our host Strong, his wife and their two kids LIVED there. During our entire visit they never shared a cross word, not even once.
Our patience is tried the most with those closest to us, but it is these relationships that are the most important. Strong shared with me that the small things don't matter and everything is a small thing in the long run. He taught me to always have patience with my loved ones unconditionally, all the time, no matter the circumstance:
It’s easy enough to be pleasant
when life flows by like a song
but the one for me is the one who'll smile
when everything goes dead wrong.
For the test of the heart is trouble
and that always comes with the years, but
the smile that is worth all the praises of the
earth is the smile that shines through tears.
