This post was composed on a massage table (7/10)

From time to time my dad warns me of the evils in the world. The advice he gives serves to open my mind up to he possibility of vices I had not previously considered, and is a useful tool in guiding me to new sins of all kinds. It's not that my mind is naturally clean, it's just that I'm not very creative.
When I told my dad that I was planning on trying out a massage / health complex near the school, he warned me that there were about 10 places in Asia that offer legitimate massage, and the chances of finding one of them in Mongolia was slim. So, with his fatherly caution in mind, I headed off to the massage place, my young male mind focused entirely on the health benefits I was about to get from a highly trained, professional masseuse.
I was slightly disappointed therefore, when I found that the staff were indeed highly trained, professional, and (for the most part) over 40.
Ok, ok, that was a joke. I read all about the place before I left, so I wasn't surprised at all.
I got to the Gobi Sauna complex, and discovered two things I hadn't expected. The first was that no one spoke English. The place had been so highly recommended on the internet that I had just sort of assumed someone would speak a little English. The second surprise was the European influence. There was a communal shower and sauna (for the men, I assume it was the same for the women) with clothing discouraged and shoes prohibited in all areas.
After the shower and sauna, I was given a light cotton t-shirt and shorts and told to go upstairs to the main saunas. There were three saunas: Amber (40 C or 104 F) Amethyst (44 C or 111 F) and Salt (54 C, 129 F or blaaaaa....). After the series of saunas there was the "Oxygen Room" where oxygen bubbled through water, creating an atmosphere soaked in both oxygen and moisture. It was all quite lovely, but there was one downside. After going through the series of saunas, I wasn't sore any more. This would usually be a good thing, but I had been looking forward to having the soreness removed more forcefully.
Still, it would be kind of dumb to go to a massage place and not get a massage, so I decided to press on. There was a choice between a "Mongolian" massage and a Thai massage. I chose the Mongolian massage for the simple reason that it was $5 cheaper and I didn't have any money left in my wallet.
The massage was good, though it would have been better if I had needed it. It definitely said something about the current state of Mongolia though. Many things here are advertised as "Mongolian", but there's nothing particularly Mongolian about them. Mongolians are re-defining themselves, and writing the script as they go along. Something is called "Mongolian" when a Mongolian person creates it, not when it has any significant ties to Mongolian culture or tradition. It's just as well. To my knowledge the Mongolians have no great tradition of massage.
The massage was hard, but not too hard. The only downside was that it was designed for someone with no significant body hair. The masseuse used some kind of mild muscle rub, and from time to time she would press down while rubbing vigorously. This was all well and good on my back, but on my legs it felt like a thorough waxing... I think, I've never actually had a thorough waxing, just accidental partial ones. There was also a wonderful foot rub (uniquely un-Mongolian concept) and general just about everything else one would expect. I think next time I go I'll go on a Friday, when I'm good and sore. That, and I'll pay the extra $5 for a Thai massage. The Mongolian massage kept on making me feel like I was a batch of dough being kneaded for horshur or bolds.

For the next week I'll match donations out of my sallary (up to the goal amount). Really, this is a need. My Bible study class has grown from a starting group of two church members and now includes six non-church members, or about a third of the first-term (new) students.