Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
frustration
I love mongolia and I'm sooo glad to be out here.
I am constantly presented with new frustrations. New obstacles to overcome in order to be successful in the Peace Corps. I am confident that these frustrations will persist throughout my entire Peace Corps service and I can only hope that I will find the correct ways to deal with all the random situations that come up....
I am constantly presented with new frustrations. New obstacles to overcome in order to be successful in the Peace Corps. I am confident that these frustrations will persist throughout my entire Peace Corps service and I can only hope that I will find the correct ways to deal with all the random situations that come up....
Monday, October 22, 2007
thoughts on religion
The following is something I wrote one late night in my apartment. It has not been edited, except for a few minor spelling errors, for fear of losing the essence of the thought I was having at the time. It is no composition and may be hard to follow. That's ok. It does not necessarily define my belief about religion, but it is more food for thought. It is what I was thinking at the moment. All thoughts regarding the topic are welcome and even encouraged. It is good to work you mind every once in a while. Here it is, take it for what it is.....words on a screen.
What is religion? Religion in it’s most basic form consists of 4 components. A common belief in an idea, traditions, spirituality, history. These four components are often accompanied by some unifying source of knowledge that conveys the way you are supposed to act. Now, let’s break it down. “a common belief in an idea”, this is something that for many people is somewhat bendable. It is perfectly healthy and natural to constantly be questioning this idea. In fact, I feel sorry for those who accept it matter of fact and do not take the time to look further into what they are basing their whole belief system off of. This is where the “unifying source of knowledge” comes in. These books that some people base their belief system on and accept as the word of a higher power are all written by man. This is not to state that they do not have every possibility of being complete fact, it is just to say that many of the stories in these books date back to a time before written documentation. This means that many of these stories were passed down through word of mouth until someone decided to write them down. If you have ever played the ‘telephone’ game, you know that things that are passed through word of mouth are easily changed and misconstrued. This being my least favorite game to play with kids, it can actually teach a valuable lesson. Don’t believe everything you hear just because it was told to you. Many people believe in this philosophy, but they throw it out the window when it comes to religion. Now, that I have expressed that I don’t think ones beliefs should be set in stone, let’s move on to traditions. Tradition is one of the core and most important part of identifying to a religion. Your belief is something that exists within you, tradition is something that is on the outside that you use to express openly your identification to a group. It is still important to consider why you do what you do, but when it comes down to it, you do it because your people have been doing it that way for generations and it is a beautiful thing to be a part of something so withstanding. Tradition is the carrying on of culture for many years and possibly for eternity. I know I am going out of order, but the randomness of this coincides with the randomness of religion and of life. The next topic I want to touch on is history. The history of religions does not only rely on that unifying source of information, it includes anything from ‘way back when’ to the present. It often speaks of religious persecution and religious triumph. Here, by ‘religious’, I mean as a group of people. For many years people have been persecuted for having different beliefs, or different skin. The fact that a people has persevered past such iniquities and remain united, often through their traditions is something to be proud of. Finally, I want to discuss, possibly the simplest yet most confusing aspect of religion. This is spirituality. On one hand, I don’t even want to include it in the necessary aspects of religion because it is something that defers from person to person and it is something that is so personal that you can not really attribute it to a group of people. On the other hand it is completely necessary for someone to believe in “something other”, without just accepting the word somebody else told them. Spirituality is religion through experience. It can not be left out of the list of key components of religion because it is, in my opinion, the most important aspect. Without some kind of spirituality and experience of the world’s multiple layers, it does not even matter what you believe. It is through spirituality that love for religion is formed. Spirituality can never really be put into words. People try, but it is one of those things that someone could never read on paper and fully understand. Spirituality can be anything from someone’s artistic inspiration to someone’s drug induced epiphany to the feeling someone gets when they smell the ocean and listen to the waves. It can be experienced anywhere from this peaceful beach setting to the room full of mingling young adults. Someone can experience the height of their spirituality when connecting to many different kinds of people, or when connecting to one person on a special level, or when they are left alone in to the thoughts in their own head. Spirituality is something that is truly unique to each person. It can never be quantified, compared, or lumped into a group.
Ok, this is pretty off topic, but another thought I've been having. I have recently noticed the amount of friends that I have that have become religious. I feel this is good for them, if they feel it is right, but I have one question..... Why is there such a need to change your name? Does the name change simply signify a new part of your life? Does make you feel more jewish to have a jewish sounding name? Does is offend your parents, saying your name is not good enough? When you are looking for a new name, what are you looking for? What difference does a new name really mean?
I do not mean to offend, I am just curious. I may cynical, but I don't mean to. I am just trying to understand another way of thinking.
What is religion? Religion in it’s most basic form consists of 4 components. A common belief in an idea, traditions, spirituality, history. These four components are often accompanied by some unifying source of knowledge that conveys the way you are supposed to act. Now, let’s break it down. “a common belief in an idea”, this is something that for many people is somewhat bendable. It is perfectly healthy and natural to constantly be questioning this idea. In fact, I feel sorry for those who accept it matter of fact and do not take the time to look further into what they are basing their whole belief system off of. This is where the “unifying source of knowledge” comes in. These books that some people base their belief system on and accept as the word of a higher power are all written by man. This is not to state that they do not have every possibility of being complete fact, it is just to say that many of the stories in these books date back to a time before written documentation. This means that many of these stories were passed down through word of mouth until someone decided to write them down. If you have ever played the ‘telephone’ game, you know that things that are passed through word of mouth are easily changed and misconstrued. This being my least favorite game to play with kids, it can actually teach a valuable lesson. Don’t believe everything you hear just because it was told to you. Many people believe in this philosophy, but they throw it out the window when it comes to religion. Now, that I have expressed that I don’t think ones beliefs should be set in stone, let’s move on to traditions. Tradition is one of the core and most important part of identifying to a religion. Your belief is something that exists within you, tradition is something that is on the outside that you use to express openly your identification to a group. It is still important to consider why you do what you do, but when it comes down to it, you do it because your people have been doing it that way for generations and it is a beautiful thing to be a part of something so withstanding. Tradition is the carrying on of culture for many years and possibly for eternity. I know I am going out of order, but the randomness of this coincides with the randomness of religion and of life. The next topic I want to touch on is history. The history of religions does not only rely on that unifying source of information, it includes anything from ‘way back when’ to the present. It often speaks of religious persecution and religious triumph. Here, by ‘religious’, I mean as a group of people. For many years people have been persecuted for having different beliefs, or different skin. The fact that a people has persevered past such iniquities and remain united, often through their traditions is something to be proud of. Finally, I want to discuss, possibly the simplest yet most confusing aspect of religion. This is spirituality. On one hand, I don’t even want to include it in the necessary aspects of religion because it is something that defers from person to person and it is something that is so personal that you can not really attribute it to a group of people. On the other hand it is completely necessary for someone to believe in “something other”, without just accepting the word somebody else told them. Spirituality is religion through experience. It can not be left out of the list of key components of religion because it is, in my opinion, the most important aspect. Without some kind of spirituality and experience of the world’s multiple layers, it does not even matter what you believe. It is through spirituality that love for religion is formed. Spirituality can never really be put into words. People try, but it is one of those things that someone could never read on paper and fully understand. Spirituality can be anything from someone’s artistic inspiration to someone’s drug induced epiphany to the feeling someone gets when they smell the ocean and listen to the waves. It can be experienced anywhere from this peaceful beach setting to the room full of mingling young adults. Someone can experience the height of their spirituality when connecting to many different kinds of people, or when connecting to one person on a special level, or when they are left alone in to the thoughts in their own head. Spirituality is something that is truly unique to each person. It can never be quantified, compared, or lumped into a group.
Ok, this is pretty off topic, but another thought I've been having. I have recently noticed the amount of friends that I have that have become religious. I feel this is good for them, if they feel it is right, but I have one question..... Why is there such a need to change your name? Does the name change simply signify a new part of your life? Does make you feel more jewish to have a jewish sounding name? Does is offend your parents, saying your name is not good enough? When you are looking for a new name, what are you looking for? What difference does a new name really mean?
I do not mean to offend, I am just curious. I may cynical, but I don't mean to. I am just trying to understand another way of thinking.
Fires!
I have been reading about the fires all over California, and specifically the Santiago Canyon fire. I send my thoughts of well being to everyone in the area. It is crazy to be so far away and knowing the fires are so close to home. (the definition of home is never finished)
I hope everyone stays safe! And if you need to be evacuated, just remember possessions are simply that, possessions. They can be replaced, but your health and your life can not.
I hope everyone stays safe! And if you need to be evacuated, just remember possessions are simply that, possessions. They can be replaced, but your health and your life can not.
top left: that's arvaikheer (where I live) from the top of a nearby mountain.
top right: Dogs in the snow by the playground near my apartment
bottom left: snow is beautiful!
bottom right: I was waitin for TWO DAYS to see some kids playing in the snow!!! My friend told me I've been watching too many movies. I can understand that. You should should hear the things people have to say about LA, CA, and orange county!
Left: my 'spiritual rebirth' at the monastery. It really is like a rebirth, you just feel different knowing you fit in that tiny space. i crawled in there, stood up as much as I could, did three circles and crawled out of that tiny space you see there.
Right: That's what happens when you take a southern california girl out of the beach and into the snow. It may not look like it, but I'm actually warm.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
boring...
10-16-07
Life in Arvaikheer has been going pretty good. I am happy with my site placement and feel it leaves lots of room for movement. The people I work with are great. They really care about their work and seem like they would be very willing to get involved in the different things that I can conjure in my head. I often find my mind reeling with ideas of things to do…in due time…
I was sad to find out today that one of my coworkers will be going to the capital to study for four months.
I am sad to report that Tony (my dog) has had a rough time since I gave him to somebody else. I see him every once in a while, and feed him whenever I can.
Stoney (my cat) is doing good. He is a little crazy and is a lot of fun to watch. I bought him a mouse toy that he absolutely LOVES and his other favorite toy is a box that I received a package in. It is so entertaining to watch him jump in the box, jump out, grab the mouse, jump in, jump out, and repeat over and over again. I took a video, maybe I will post it one day. He’s such a sweet cat with interesting tendencies. I think he learned a few tricks from Tony….like biting. I’ve never known a cat to bite things the way he does. So, he can be a pain sometimes, but he usually provides good company.
Many people that I speak with ask about the weather…..so here it goes. If you read my other posts, you know that it snowed. I was soooo excited and it was beautiful! The days since then have been surprisingly warm and the snow is just about all melted. I have heard from some people that this is one of the longest falls they have had in a long time. Fine by me! According to Mongolians, I live in one of the warmest places in Mongolian, which is also ok with me. Of course, I must keep in my, it’s still Mongolian, and I will freeze my ass off come winter.
I have found myself becoming extra interested in reconnecting with people I haven’t talked to in a long time. I love hearing from old friends, family friends, and of course all my extended family, so keep the e-mails coming!!!
On that note, I miss you and love you all!!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Life in Arvaikheer has been going pretty good. I am happy with my site placement and feel it leaves lots of room for movement. The people I work with are great. They really care about their work and seem like they would be very willing to get involved in the different things that I can conjure in my head. I often find my mind reeling with ideas of things to do…in due time…
I was sad to find out today that one of my coworkers will be going to the capital to study for four months.
I am sad to report that Tony (my dog) has had a rough time since I gave him to somebody else. I see him every once in a while, and feed him whenever I can.
Stoney (my cat) is doing good. He is a little crazy and is a lot of fun to watch. I bought him a mouse toy that he absolutely LOVES and his other favorite toy is a box that I received a package in. It is so entertaining to watch him jump in the box, jump out, grab the mouse, jump in, jump out, and repeat over and over again. I took a video, maybe I will post it one day. He’s such a sweet cat with interesting tendencies. I think he learned a few tricks from Tony….like biting. I’ve never known a cat to bite things the way he does. So, he can be a pain sometimes, but he usually provides good company.
Many people that I speak with ask about the weather…..so here it goes. If you read my other posts, you know that it snowed. I was soooo excited and it was beautiful! The days since then have been surprisingly warm and the snow is just about all melted. I have heard from some people that this is one of the longest falls they have had in a long time. Fine by me! According to Mongolians, I live in one of the warmest places in Mongolian, which is also ok with me. Of course, I must keep in my, it’s still Mongolian, and I will freeze my ass off come winter.
I have found myself becoming extra interested in reconnecting with people I haven’t talked to in a long time. I love hearing from old friends, family friends, and of course all my extended family, so keep the e-mails coming!!!
On that note, I miss you and love you all!!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Mongolian Wedding
10-15-07
I am told one of my counterparts is having a wedding. I could have sworn he was already married, but apparently he’s not. We meet at the office to go to a house warming party and to the wedding. I definitely didn’t know what I was in for…
We drive outside of the main part of town and pull up to four small white houses that don’t seem to fit anywhere in Mongolia. Later, I find out they are the habitat for humanity houses. That’s a different topic. We walk into one of the houses and meet with one of my coworkers. This is the house warming. I’ve been to a house warming in Mongolia before, but it was NOTHING like this. We immediately start shoveling food into our mouths. First it’s the candy, next the salads, and then the soup. And when I thought I couldn’t fit anything else into my mouth I am presented with a small plate piled high with khorac (I don’t know how to spell it in English, but it is the Mongolian word for any fried mixture of things….ex eggs, meat, carrots, potatoes, cabbage) and rice. I eat a little and set it down on the table in front of me. At this point the drinking of airag and Mongolian vodka wine has begun. Then the bottles of vodka are cracked open. Mongolians have a very specific way of drinking. One person sits with airag, fills a bowl and passes it to someone in the room. The person takes the bowl drinks and when they are finished, hand it back to the server. He adds airag to the bowl and hands it to the next person. All the drinks were served this way. It started out slow, but before I knew it, I was in a whirlwind of Mongolian vodka wine, red wine, airag, and vodka; Shots and bowls being handed to me from every direction. I was praised for my airag drinking skills and knew when the vodka got to me they would not be so impressed. This went on for a while, everyone socializing and drinking, and offering the liquids to the sky. Drinking in Mongolia is much different than the states. You would never see someone in the states offer part of their drink to the sky in some spiritual movement. The closest we thing we have is ‘pour some out of the homies’, this is much different. Throughout the day, I was playing with my counterpart’s absolutely adorable little girl. There’s something about Mongolian children; they are all beautiful. She was asking me how to say different parts of the face and body in English, and then she’d run to her mother and tell her, who then would repeat it and you could really tell she was trying to remember it. She started playing with my earrings. I was wearing these really nice gold hoopy earrings that my mom gave me before I left for Israel. The little girl pointed to them and started screaming ‘black girl’ at me in Mongolian. All the adults in the room told her to be quite and gave her a discearning look, unsure if I could understand. She ran to her mom and said it one more time before listening to them. At first I was completely confused. It took me about ten minutes for me to realize that she has only seen black people through MTV and when she sees gold hoop earrings, she thinks only black girls wear them. Keep in mind that she is about 4 years old. We can discuss the effects of MTV on the rest of the world another day. There came a point where they filled a different bowl of airag and passed it around the room. This bowl was like a baton, whoever held the bowl made a speech and sang. As the bowl was passed back and forth between the server and each person in my room, the tears started to fall. There came a point where I looked around the room and there wasn’t a dry female eye, except mine of course. My counterpart explained that the women had spoken about her deceased father. I don’t know what she said, but it must have been emotional. The crying went on through about three speeches and three songs. The entire time, I was enjoying the songs and wishing that I had learned a song during training. I officially think learning a song needs to be a mandatory part of Peace Corps training in Mongolia. It comes in handy much more than you would think. I was nervous for the bowl to come to me, so I had arranged to have my director sing Ainee Shovod, (sp?) a well known and very popular song, that happens to be the only one I know the name of and perfect for the occasion. She agreed, but when the airag bowl was passed to me, she looked at me and told me to sing ‘yesterday’. I was a little confused, then she sang the first word and I joined her. We sang a little bit of the song, and the people in the room were pleased. I made her sing Ainee Shovod afterwards, that way I had a Mongolian song too. After people sang, my two adorable counterparts sang another little tune that is something they sing after someone sings well. In case you don’t know, it’s impossible for me to sing well, but I appreciated the gesture. After a lot of singing, we went next door to the wedding. There were many people sitting around a table eating and singing. Weddings in Mongolia are more like a social gathering where people eat and drink a lot. It is informal and held in the person’s home. Looking back, I think the whole experience was for the wedding. Most house warming parties are full of eating and maybe a little drinking, but every wedding has airag, vodka, and Mongolian vodka wine. It was definitely an interesting experience that I really have trouble putting into words. Mongolians are definitely some of the most friendly and hospitable people. Sitting in a room where I did not understand much of what was said, I never once felt alone, bored, or uncomfortable. Sure, there are the awkward moments that come up, but I have basically gotten used to being a little awkward from time to time and I find it more amusing than anything.
I am told one of my counterparts is having a wedding. I could have sworn he was already married, but apparently he’s not. We meet at the office to go to a house warming party and to the wedding. I definitely didn’t know what I was in for…
We drive outside of the main part of town and pull up to four small white houses that don’t seem to fit anywhere in Mongolia. Later, I find out they are the habitat for humanity houses. That’s a different topic. We walk into one of the houses and meet with one of my coworkers. This is the house warming. I’ve been to a house warming in Mongolia before, but it was NOTHING like this. We immediately start shoveling food into our mouths. First it’s the candy, next the salads, and then the soup. And when I thought I couldn’t fit anything else into my mouth I am presented with a small plate piled high with khorac (I don’t know how to spell it in English, but it is the Mongolian word for any fried mixture of things….ex eggs, meat, carrots, potatoes, cabbage) and rice. I eat a little and set it down on the table in front of me. At this point the drinking of airag and Mongolian vodka wine has begun. Then the bottles of vodka are cracked open. Mongolians have a very specific way of drinking. One person sits with airag, fills a bowl and passes it to someone in the room. The person takes the bowl drinks and when they are finished, hand it back to the server. He adds airag to the bowl and hands it to the next person. All the drinks were served this way. It started out slow, but before I knew it, I was in a whirlwind of Mongolian vodka wine, red wine, airag, and vodka; Shots and bowls being handed to me from every direction. I was praised for my airag drinking skills and knew when the vodka got to me they would not be so impressed. This went on for a while, everyone socializing and drinking, and offering the liquids to the sky. Drinking in Mongolia is much different than the states. You would never see someone in the states offer part of their drink to the sky in some spiritual movement. The closest we thing we have is ‘pour some out of the homies’, this is much different. Throughout the day, I was playing with my counterpart’s absolutely adorable little girl. There’s something about Mongolian children; they are all beautiful. She was asking me how to say different parts of the face and body in English, and then she’d run to her mother and tell her, who then would repeat it and you could really tell she was trying to remember it. She started playing with my earrings. I was wearing these really nice gold hoopy earrings that my mom gave me before I left for Israel. The little girl pointed to them and started screaming ‘black girl’ at me in Mongolian. All the adults in the room told her to be quite and gave her a discearning look, unsure if I could understand. She ran to her mom and said it one more time before listening to them. At first I was completely confused. It took me about ten minutes for me to realize that she has only seen black people through MTV and when she sees gold hoop earrings, she thinks only black girls wear them. Keep in mind that she is about 4 years old. We can discuss the effects of MTV on the rest of the world another day. There came a point where they filled a different bowl of airag and passed it around the room. This bowl was like a baton, whoever held the bowl made a speech and sang. As the bowl was passed back and forth between the server and each person in my room, the tears started to fall. There came a point where I looked around the room and there wasn’t a dry female eye, except mine of course. My counterpart explained that the women had spoken about her deceased father. I don’t know what she said, but it must have been emotional. The crying went on through about three speeches and three songs. The entire time, I was enjoying the songs and wishing that I had learned a song during training. I officially think learning a song needs to be a mandatory part of Peace Corps training in Mongolia. It comes in handy much more than you would think. I was nervous for the bowl to come to me, so I had arranged to have my director sing Ainee Shovod, (sp?) a well known and very popular song, that happens to be the only one I know the name of and perfect for the occasion. She agreed, but when the airag bowl was passed to me, she looked at me and told me to sing ‘yesterday’. I was a little confused, then she sang the first word and I joined her. We sang a little bit of the song, and the people in the room were pleased. I made her sing Ainee Shovod afterwards, that way I had a Mongolian song too. After people sang, my two adorable counterparts sang another little tune that is something they sing after someone sings well. In case you don’t know, it’s impossible for me to sing well, but I appreciated the gesture. After a lot of singing, we went next door to the wedding. There were many people sitting around a table eating and singing. Weddings in Mongolia are more like a social gathering where people eat and drink a lot. It is informal and held in the person’s home. Looking back, I think the whole experience was for the wedding. Most house warming parties are full of eating and maybe a little drinking, but every wedding has airag, vodka, and Mongolian vodka wine. It was definitely an interesting experience that I really have trouble putting into words. Mongolians are definitely some of the most friendly and hospitable people. Sitting in a room where I did not understand much of what was said, I never once felt alone, bored, or uncomfortable. Sure, there are the awkward moments that come up, but I have basically gotten used to being a little awkward from time to time and I find it more amusing than anything.
SNOW!!!
10-12-07
Yesterday, I was lying in bed, counting the minutes until I really needed to get up. My cat was trying to convince me it was time by walking on my chest, playing with my draw string and meowing incessantly. Then, I got a text message. It read "It’s snowing, what a beautiful day". I immediately jumped out of bed, quickly slipped on a jacket and put on my crocks (of all shoes) ran downstairs and walked outside. The snow was falling and there was white barely covering the ground. I decided I wanted my camera. I ran upstairs, tested all the batteries I have, until I found some that would give me enough juice for a few pictures. I only got a couple pictures in before my camera completely died on me. As my toes started to freeze, I went back inside and began to get ready for work. I found myself taking longer than usual due to my constant staring outside at the snow. Finally, I was ready for work and started my walk. I walked to work, completely amazed by the snow. It’s such a funny feeling! Totally different than going to the mountains. I live in the snow. I have never lived in a place where it would snow, and on this day I found it very difficult to dress for work. I had no idea what to where!!! I walked to work and surprisingly didn’t freeze my ass off. Upon arriving at work, I continued to stair out the window. It just kept coming. I would go outside every once in a while just to see how deep it was and to enjoy it while it was falling out of the sky. It was so beautiful!!! I arranged to borrow my friend’s camera so I could take pictures of my first snowy day. After lunch, I walked into my work and we skipped the English lesson to drink airag, and eat boodz and araal. I made sure to leave work early so I could take lots of pictures before the sky grew dark. People definitely looked at me, thinking I was a tourist. Even my peace corps friends thought it was funny that I wanted to take pictures and play in the snow. This is what happens when you take a southern California girl and stick her in Mongolia….
Yesterday, I was lying in bed, counting the minutes until I really needed to get up. My cat was trying to convince me it was time by walking on my chest, playing with my draw string and meowing incessantly. Then, I got a text message. It read "It’s snowing, what a beautiful day". I immediately jumped out of bed, quickly slipped on a jacket and put on my crocks (of all shoes) ran downstairs and walked outside. The snow was falling and there was white barely covering the ground. I decided I wanted my camera. I ran upstairs, tested all the batteries I have, until I found some that would give me enough juice for a few pictures. I only got a couple pictures in before my camera completely died on me. As my toes started to freeze, I went back inside and began to get ready for work. I found myself taking longer than usual due to my constant staring outside at the snow. Finally, I was ready for work and started my walk. I walked to work, completely amazed by the snow. It’s such a funny feeling! Totally different than going to the mountains. I live in the snow. I have never lived in a place where it would snow, and on this day I found it very difficult to dress for work. I had no idea what to where!!! I walked to work and surprisingly didn’t freeze my ass off. Upon arriving at work, I continued to stair out the window. It just kept coming. I would go outside every once in a while just to see how deep it was and to enjoy it while it was falling out of the sky. It was so beautiful!!! I arranged to borrow my friend’s camera so I could take pictures of my first snowy day. After lunch, I walked into my work and we skipped the English lesson to drink airag, and eat boodz and araal. I made sure to leave work early so I could take lots of pictures before the sky grew dark. People definitely looked at me, thinking I was a tourist. Even my peace corps friends thought it was funny that I wanted to take pictures and play in the snow. This is what happens when you take a southern California girl and stick her in Mongolia….
Ulaanbataar
10-5-07
I had a conference in UB (Ulaanbataar) last week. Upon having the knowledge that I will be traveling to the city, my mind automatically starts forming a list of all the things I want to buy while I’m there. I was a little nervous knowing this would be my first time traveling in Mongolia on my own. I boarded the bus at 8am after it was completely packed with containers of airag. Immediately, I could pick out the people who would be staring at me the whole ride probably thinking "where are you from? Why are you here?, etc…" all the normal questions.
There was one point in the trip when I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. I often see my life as a movie, here’s the scene:
A small Mongolian bus packed with people. There’s jugs of airag and luggage filling the isle, so whenever the bus stops people climb over the luggage and each other to get out. The bus is a little cold due to the open windows, letting in the dust from outside. The landscape is that of beautiful fall in Mongolia, mostly brown hills, and frequently passing hearders with their animals. People are bobbing up and down with the bumps of the unpaved road. In the front of the bus, there is a row of five people facing everyone else. One Mongolian man keeps his eyes fixed on the only white girl on the bus, who is seated only a few rows in front of him. She sits silently, obviously by herself. She puts down her headphones for the first time in the trip and reaches into her purse. She pulls out a book, "Genghis Kahn: the making of the modern world", of course. So this girl sits in the bus packed with Mongolians, the only white girl, completely oblivious to the fact. She is concentrated on getting to her destination and passing the time as best as she can. She sits reading about Chingis and the history of the land and the people that she finds herself immersed in. The bus bumps, she looks up from her book, looks out the window, looks at the man that has been starring at her since they boarded the bus, looks back down at the book in her hand and can’t help but smile at the cliché she has just created.
After about 10 hours of mostly offroading, and one lunch break, we pulled into the "Dragon Center", which is the main bus station in UB. Why it’s called that? I don’t know. It’s a pretty intimidating name for a parking lot. About 5 taxi drivers wanted to take me all at once. After discussing the price with them, I got in a "taxi", which is really just a car and made my way towards the guesthouse where I planned to stay. I’m really not good at getting around big cities, but I was lucky to have someone on the phone telling me how to get where I needed to go. After checking in, I met up with some of the other peace corps volunteers. The next few days were filled with delicious food, spending lots of money, going to bars, my conference, visiting with friends, and wandering around the city. It was nice to see the people that I trained with and to discuss our sites and our jobs. It was also comforting that EVERYONE’S Mongolian has gotten worse…if possible. UB is an interesting place. I found myself in restaurants trying to squeeze by with my Mongolian, only to realize that I didn’t have to. There are so many foreigners that pass through UB that being foreign is not weird there and you don’t experience people practicing the only English they know (hi) on you. I was actually amazed by the amount of people that knew really good English. All the people in Arvaikheer that "know English" say they studied in UB, but something must have went wrong, because the people I encountered in UB really do know English.
After a while, UB gets tiring due to walking all over the place trying to gather the things you’ve been dreaming about. For me, once I got there, my list of things I wanted to get went out the window. I had my mind on three things, good food, beans, and movies. These were all things with a purpose. I wanted to eat non-mongolian food and was SUPER excited when I was able to get a chicken Caesar salad, delicious Indian food, close to real pizza, and many other things I can not get anywhere else in Mongolia. I wanted to get beans for their nutrition value. In Arvaikheer I don’t cook meat at my home because I do not have a refrigerator. Technically, I could buy single portions of meat from the market, but I don’t know how much that would be and the meat market is pretty intimidating in itself. I only eat meat when I go out to eat or when all the Americans get together on Fridays to cook dinner. And, finally, Movies are an absolute necessity around here. There is a place where you can purchase bootleg DVDs for equivalent to about $1.50 US dollars. Of course, I am not using American money, so it is a little different, but they are still very cheap. Basically, one movie is just under the price of a beer. They also let you view them to make sure they are a good copy. I should have paid more attention while I was there, but after sifting through all the movies to find ones I was interested in, my patience level was pretty low. Anyway, I bought 3 movies which will serve to be a very good investment.
After being in UB for about 4 days, I was more than ready to head home. It was funny because I was talking to someone online and I said, "I just wanna go home" and I realized I had to clarify, "…to Arvaikheer".
In the past, I have discussed with people the meaning of the word "home". The way I see it, ‘home’ is where my things are. It’s where I don’t have to live out of a bag. Arvaikheer is my home for the next two years. I still refer to anywhere in California, or even the U.S. as ‘home’, but it is a different meaning. This meaning of home is of a place that I am familiar with and know the language.
After the longest 10 hours bus ride of my life, I arrived back in Arvaikheer. It was this bus ride where I learned the importance of getting up early to get a ticket for a good seat the day before departure. I went at about 11 am the day before I left UB and got the last available seat on the bus. It makes sense that it was definitely the worst seat on the bus. By the time I got home, I was excited to get off that bus and get to see my animals.
My dog literally doubled in size over the course of those 4 days!!! After realizing that he’s going to be a huge dog and watching him chew at my walls, my feet, and my phone, I made the tough decision to find him a new home. I knew I had to get rid of him, but I couldn’t just put him back on the street where I found him. He came to work with me and ended up going home with ‘the driver’ (I don’t know what his job is). Tony (my dog) is going to be given to Zorgoo’s (that’s his name) brother and is going to become a khudoo (coutryside) dog. Yesterday, I went home for lunch, only to find Tony waiting at my door. At first I was confused, but it only took me a minute to realize I had given the dog to a Mongolian, which means he will always be outdoors now. I brought him in for food, he played with the cat, and then he started to get rowdy. I made him go outside when I left. At first I thought he was going to walk with me to work, but he stopped at the end of the stairwell. I was hoping he wouldn’t be there when I got home last night. He was. He ran down to meet me and started walking up the stairs with me. I can’t help it, I got a soft spot for the little beast, and I was going to take him in for the night. He got distracted by some people walking down the stairs and followed them out. He disappeared after that. I am at work now. I wonder if he’ll be there when I go for lunch. We’ll see…..
Ok, so that’s what’s been going on over here. Sorry to say, nothing real exciting. Mostly my days just consist of going to work. However, I have found that I actually enjoy work. I like the things that I work on, and on the days that there isn’t much to do (today), I still don’t mind being here. I have had a cold since I got back from UB. In California, with the slightest hint of illness, and I would call in sick to work. Here, I had things that I had to get done and was eager to do. I came in to work, did what I needed to and left a little early.
I had a conference in UB (Ulaanbataar) last week. Upon having the knowledge that I will be traveling to the city, my mind automatically starts forming a list of all the things I want to buy while I’m there. I was a little nervous knowing this would be my first time traveling in Mongolia on my own. I boarded the bus at 8am after it was completely packed with containers of airag. Immediately, I could pick out the people who would be staring at me the whole ride probably thinking "where are you from? Why are you here?, etc…" all the normal questions.
There was one point in the trip when I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. I often see my life as a movie, here’s the scene:
A small Mongolian bus packed with people. There’s jugs of airag and luggage filling the isle, so whenever the bus stops people climb over the luggage and each other to get out. The bus is a little cold due to the open windows, letting in the dust from outside. The landscape is that of beautiful fall in Mongolia, mostly brown hills, and frequently passing hearders with their animals. People are bobbing up and down with the bumps of the unpaved road. In the front of the bus, there is a row of five people facing everyone else. One Mongolian man keeps his eyes fixed on the only white girl on the bus, who is seated only a few rows in front of him. She sits silently, obviously by herself. She puts down her headphones for the first time in the trip and reaches into her purse. She pulls out a book, "Genghis Kahn: the making of the modern world", of course. So this girl sits in the bus packed with Mongolians, the only white girl, completely oblivious to the fact. She is concentrated on getting to her destination and passing the time as best as she can. She sits reading about Chingis and the history of the land and the people that she finds herself immersed in. The bus bumps, she looks up from her book, looks out the window, looks at the man that has been starring at her since they boarded the bus, looks back down at the book in her hand and can’t help but smile at the cliché she has just created.
After about 10 hours of mostly offroading, and one lunch break, we pulled into the "Dragon Center", which is the main bus station in UB. Why it’s called that? I don’t know. It’s a pretty intimidating name for a parking lot. About 5 taxi drivers wanted to take me all at once. After discussing the price with them, I got in a "taxi", which is really just a car and made my way towards the guesthouse where I planned to stay. I’m really not good at getting around big cities, but I was lucky to have someone on the phone telling me how to get where I needed to go. After checking in, I met up with some of the other peace corps volunteers. The next few days were filled with delicious food, spending lots of money, going to bars, my conference, visiting with friends, and wandering around the city. It was nice to see the people that I trained with and to discuss our sites and our jobs. It was also comforting that EVERYONE’S Mongolian has gotten worse…if possible. UB is an interesting place. I found myself in restaurants trying to squeeze by with my Mongolian, only to realize that I didn’t have to. There are so many foreigners that pass through UB that being foreign is not weird there and you don’t experience people practicing the only English they know (hi) on you. I was actually amazed by the amount of people that knew really good English. All the people in Arvaikheer that "know English" say they studied in UB, but something must have went wrong, because the people I encountered in UB really do know English.
After a while, UB gets tiring due to walking all over the place trying to gather the things you’ve been dreaming about. For me, once I got there, my list of things I wanted to get went out the window. I had my mind on three things, good food, beans, and movies. These were all things with a purpose. I wanted to eat non-mongolian food and was SUPER excited when I was able to get a chicken Caesar salad, delicious Indian food, close to real pizza, and many other things I can not get anywhere else in Mongolia. I wanted to get beans for their nutrition value. In Arvaikheer I don’t cook meat at my home because I do not have a refrigerator. Technically, I could buy single portions of meat from the market, but I don’t know how much that would be and the meat market is pretty intimidating in itself. I only eat meat when I go out to eat or when all the Americans get together on Fridays to cook dinner. And, finally, Movies are an absolute necessity around here. There is a place where you can purchase bootleg DVDs for equivalent to about $1.50 US dollars. Of course, I am not using American money, so it is a little different, but they are still very cheap. Basically, one movie is just under the price of a beer. They also let you view them to make sure they are a good copy. I should have paid more attention while I was there, but after sifting through all the movies to find ones I was interested in, my patience level was pretty low. Anyway, I bought 3 movies which will serve to be a very good investment.
After being in UB for about 4 days, I was more than ready to head home. It was funny because I was talking to someone online and I said, "I just wanna go home" and I realized I had to clarify, "…to Arvaikheer".
In the past, I have discussed with people the meaning of the word "home". The way I see it, ‘home’ is where my things are. It’s where I don’t have to live out of a bag. Arvaikheer is my home for the next two years. I still refer to anywhere in California, or even the U.S. as ‘home’, but it is a different meaning. This meaning of home is of a place that I am familiar with and know the language.
After the longest 10 hours bus ride of my life, I arrived back in Arvaikheer. It was this bus ride where I learned the importance of getting up early to get a ticket for a good seat the day before departure. I went at about 11 am the day before I left UB and got the last available seat on the bus. It makes sense that it was definitely the worst seat on the bus. By the time I got home, I was excited to get off that bus and get to see my animals.
My dog literally doubled in size over the course of those 4 days!!! After realizing that he’s going to be a huge dog and watching him chew at my walls, my feet, and my phone, I made the tough decision to find him a new home. I knew I had to get rid of him, but I couldn’t just put him back on the street where I found him. He came to work with me and ended up going home with ‘the driver’ (I don’t know what his job is). Tony (my dog) is going to be given to Zorgoo’s (that’s his name) brother and is going to become a khudoo (coutryside) dog. Yesterday, I went home for lunch, only to find Tony waiting at my door. At first I was confused, but it only took me a minute to realize I had given the dog to a Mongolian, which means he will always be outdoors now. I brought him in for food, he played with the cat, and then he started to get rowdy. I made him go outside when I left. At first I thought he was going to walk with me to work, but he stopped at the end of the stairwell. I was hoping he wouldn’t be there when I got home last night. He was. He ran down to meet me and started walking up the stairs with me. I can’t help it, I got a soft spot for the little beast, and I was going to take him in for the night. He got distracted by some people walking down the stairs and followed them out. He disappeared after that. I am at work now. I wonder if he’ll be there when I go for lunch. We’ll see…..
Ok, so that’s what’s been going on over here. Sorry to say, nothing real exciting. Mostly my days just consist of going to work. However, I have found that I actually enjoy work. I like the things that I work on, and on the days that there isn’t much to do (today), I still don’t mind being here. I have had a cold since I got back from UB. In California, with the slightest hint of illness, and I would call in sick to work. Here, I had things that I had to get done and was eager to do. I came in to work, did what I needed to and left a little early.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
snow!
I know I need to do some serious writing on this. I promise, it's coming soon. Today it is snowing!!! It's sooo exciting! I live in a place where it snows!!!
I want to post pictures but blogspot is too slow and they won't load. sorry, i tried
I want to post pictures but blogspot is too slow and they won't load. sorry, i tried
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
quick update
I feel like I should write something, but I really just don't have much to write at the moment. Here are the things I have been up to:
1. I got a cat and a dog
2. I completed a 4 day training for teen volunteers who will work with disabled youth
3. I started what will be a 10 week radio program on child labor
4. started english club for english teachers
5. I have successfully combined Mongolian food with American food. Delicious!
none of these things are done on my own.
sorry nothing more in depth or interesting for now. I'll make an effort to write something better soon!
Monday, August 27, 2007
some pictures
the horseman...serving airag
always beautiful!
the end of Sukhbaatar's Nadaam...the rode was closed
what does that look like to you?
countryside
site placement
My Mongolian Familypictures
I would put pictures up, but blogspot is not uploading anything right now.....
sorry guys...gotta wait
sorry guys...gotta wait
My first friday at work
Blog #11 Friday "work" 8-27-07
I was informed that Friday morning, my director was going to come meet me at my apartment at 10am. I thought she was going to take a look at my door, which broke (and was temporarily fixed) Thursday, but when 1030 came around and she told me to come downstairs, I realized this was not the case. I walked outside and saw the Russian jeep that had originally brought me to Arvaikheer with the backdoor open, but no sign of my director. The driver (who also drove me from UB) instructed me to get in and that Sanchir (my director) was at the delguur (corner store). Minutes later, Sanchir showed up with snacks in her hands and we drove to the children’s center to pick up two more people and two fancy bottles of vodka. At this point the only information I had was that we were going to the khudoo (countryside) to an ‘oldman’s’ camp and that Arvaikheer’s Nadaam was the next day. I confirmed that I would be back that same day and just waited to see where the day would take me. I often find myself in these types of situations, where I don’t know exactly where I am going, what I am doing, or when I will be back. This kind of thing happens a lot in Mongolia and you have to just sit back and take things for what they are. It is really the ‘show up and see what happens’ mentality that you have to adopt in order to sit and see where the day takes you. It’s funny because you know everyone around you knows what’s going on, but the language barrier and certain cultural differences create a situation where you are the only one in the dark. I actually think it’s kind of fun. Anyway, we start driving out of Arvaikheer, through the beautiful countryside and the only information I get is which road goes to khovd (another province). Eventually we come to a place where there are a bunch of cars lined up in front of a body of water and people in Dells (traditional clothing) are standing around talking. We join the line of cars and the circles of people speaking in Mongolian. I am introduced in Mongolian to a few people and then my director instructs me to stay there and wait for her. I don’t understand much of what is going on around me, but I manage to hear one man tell a young woman to come talk to me. Shortly after, I am approached by this lady, who has excellent English and she explains to me that the people around me are all social workers, the man is their boss, and there is a mini-Nadaam going on and the horses should be coming soon. She also explains that the rest camp that’s visible in the distance is celebrating their five year anniversary today. I finally found out what was going on, which was refreshing. I still don’t know what to expect, but I do know that I am in for a day of Mongolian and awkward situations…this, I can prepare for. She also explains to me that the horses racing at the moment are two years old and it is good luck for the men to see their dust and this is the reason half the people are leaving…they’ll be back. A little while later, we can see the horses in the distance and everyone lines up to watch them finish the race. The children riding the horses are very young and the horses look exhausted. After the race, we chase down the winning horse and feel his sweat for good luck. Everyone piles into the cars and heads for the oldman’s camp, as my director puts it. We arrive and drink a little airag and vodka (I don’t drink the vodka), sit in a room and listen to a million people speak and give gifts to the owner of the camp, followed by some awesome performances. It has been relatively consistant in my time here that the people are extremely talented, but nobody has mastered the sound system. My favorite performance is always the guy playing the morenhor (sp?...mongolian instrument) and throat singing. Mongolian throat singing is absolutely mesmerizing and awesome to hear. There was also a female singer and a Korean guy with an awesome voice….mostly drowned out by the fuzzy background music. During all the speaking, all I could think about was lunch. By this time of the day, I was starving and wondering if we were going to be fed or if the snacks we brought would be the days rations. After the performances, I was informed that we were going to drink more airag. We went into one of the gers and sat around playing the Mongolian finger game to see who has to drink. We ended up drinking a lot of airag before we left the ger. Everyone was impressed that I knew the finger game and that I drank the airag. I also got a chance to look at a flyer for the camp and finally got a real idea of what kind of place this was. The pamphlet had English and Mongolian and explained that the camp was a place for physical health and rejuvenation. They offered mud and spa treatments and always had doctors on hand. There was a picture of a bunch of old people wearing traditional Dells, but looked like they were out for a jog….an interesting site. After drinking the airag was lunch time! Sweet! For the first time since I’ve been to Mongolia, the airag made my head feel a little funny. Airag is a Mongolian milk alcohol that is not very potent, but after not having much to eat and drinking a lot of it, I felt it’s effects. Many people go through their entire stay in Mongolia without feeling anything from airag other than the guaranteed stomach ramifications. We went to the room where the speaking had been, but was now filled with tables, chairs, and the delicious smell of Mongolian food. We filled up on soup, soyvan (Mongolian noodle and meat plate), and soote tze (Mongolian milk tea). After lunch everyone hung around for a while. My director and I started talking to this old couple who she explained the woman as a Mongolian hero. What she meant by that, I’m not so sure, and it wasn’t the right time to ask. We started walking around the camp, and my director had to deal with the aftermath of drinking airag, which means many trips to the outhouse. I started talking to the older man and we strolled around the camp, speaking in Mongolian. Throughout the day, I had been trying to use as much of the Mongolian, that I hadn’t used over the past few weeks, as I could remember. I started up many awkward conversations, that I always started with…what’s your name? This man took a liking to my sorry attempt at Mongolian and as we talked to the other people at the camp, he told everyone that I was American and that I was speaking Mongolian. Eventually we met up with his wife and my director. They invited me to their house and disappeared into one of the gers to rest. My director disappeared for a while; I assume to smoke a cigarette, and I was left with one lady that I knew and a few people I had just met. We spoke in my limited Mongolian and then I got up to watch the wrestling. I was excited to see the wrestling because I hadn’t been able to see Sukhbaatar’s Nadaam and was curious what it was like. After the wrestling my director found me and asked if I wanted to leave. I told her I was indifferent and she expressed that she wanted to go home. We rounded up our car load and had dinner and (they drank) vodka. Some of the people we were drinking and eating with tried to get me to take a shot of vodka, but those who know me know that I NEVER take shots. This was no exception. I was surprised that over the course of the day, I had seen 2 bottles of vodka drank and they were both the worst kind. By this time, I had realized the fancy bottles that I had seen before were going to be gifts. After dinner we went to the car and my director went to give the gifts. She had us waiting for a long time, which was annoying, but I was thankful because I was dealing with the aftershock of the airag. Finally, she showed up again. We got in the car, she looks at me and in a completely serious tone, she says "I am drunk"… I figured. We head back to Arvaikheer and my mind wanders. I stare out the window into the beautiful scenery of the Mongolian countryside. The clouds and sky are amazing shades of pink and purple, accented above the dark purple mountains. I sit there feeling the bumps of the rode, my mind piling one thought on top of another. The thoughts are like a bubble getting bigger and bigger, until it bursts and vanishes into thin air. I am snapped back to the Russian jeep when my director starts coughing and the jeep stops. At this point, I have no idea how much she had to drink and am afraid she is going to throw up. I see her reach for a beer and I quickly grab my water and hand it to her. She doesn’t accept and instead takes a sip of beer and hands it to the old man in the front. The driver is a number of feet away, relieving himself and she goes, I assume, to do the same. The driver comes back and opens a beer and hands it to me; I hand it to Puje (a lady I work with). He then opens another beer and hands it to me, I try to refuse, but he explains that it’s open and he’s driving and can not drink it. As a non-beer drinker, I have been testing out different types of beer since I got to Mongolia and am slightly curious what this one tastes like. I take a few sips, but am too full to drink much of it and try to pass it off to Puje after she downs hers. We put the cap back on, everyone piles back in the jeep and we continue on our way. At this point, I am stuck in a state of thought and I look back out the window thinking about the crazy day I have had and the, always amazing, Mongolian sky. We arrive in Arvaikheer, I spend a couple moments in my apartment, and meet up with some of my Peace Corps friends for a mellow night of English speaking. The day was exciting, fun, tiring, awkward, and full of experiences. At this point it is nice to sit down, drink tea, and my mind is calm.
I was informed that Friday morning, my director was going to come meet me at my apartment at 10am. I thought she was going to take a look at my door, which broke (and was temporarily fixed) Thursday, but when 1030 came around and she told me to come downstairs, I realized this was not the case. I walked outside and saw the Russian jeep that had originally brought me to Arvaikheer with the backdoor open, but no sign of my director. The driver (who also drove me from UB) instructed me to get in and that Sanchir (my director) was at the delguur (corner store). Minutes later, Sanchir showed up with snacks in her hands and we drove to the children’s center to pick up two more people and two fancy bottles of vodka. At this point the only information I had was that we were going to the khudoo (countryside) to an ‘oldman’s’ camp and that Arvaikheer’s Nadaam was the next day. I confirmed that I would be back that same day and just waited to see where the day would take me. I often find myself in these types of situations, where I don’t know exactly where I am going, what I am doing, or when I will be back. This kind of thing happens a lot in Mongolia and you have to just sit back and take things for what they are. It is really the ‘show up and see what happens’ mentality that you have to adopt in order to sit and see where the day takes you. It’s funny because you know everyone around you knows what’s going on, but the language barrier and certain cultural differences create a situation where you are the only one in the dark. I actually think it’s kind of fun. Anyway, we start driving out of Arvaikheer, through the beautiful countryside and the only information I get is which road goes to khovd (another province). Eventually we come to a place where there are a bunch of cars lined up in front of a body of water and people in Dells (traditional clothing) are standing around talking. We join the line of cars and the circles of people speaking in Mongolian. I am introduced in Mongolian to a few people and then my director instructs me to stay there and wait for her. I don’t understand much of what is going on around me, but I manage to hear one man tell a young woman to come talk to me. Shortly after, I am approached by this lady, who has excellent English and she explains to me that the people around me are all social workers, the man is their boss, and there is a mini-Nadaam going on and the horses should be coming soon. She also explains that the rest camp that’s visible in the distance is celebrating their five year anniversary today. I finally found out what was going on, which was refreshing. I still don’t know what to expect, but I do know that I am in for a day of Mongolian and awkward situations…this, I can prepare for. She also explains to me that the horses racing at the moment are two years old and it is good luck for the men to see their dust and this is the reason half the people are leaving…they’ll be back. A little while later, we can see the horses in the distance and everyone lines up to watch them finish the race. The children riding the horses are very young and the horses look exhausted. After the race, we chase down the winning horse and feel his sweat for good luck. Everyone piles into the cars and heads for the oldman’s camp, as my director puts it. We arrive and drink a little airag and vodka (I don’t drink the vodka), sit in a room and listen to a million people speak and give gifts to the owner of the camp, followed by some awesome performances. It has been relatively consistant in my time here that the people are extremely talented, but nobody has mastered the sound system. My favorite performance is always the guy playing the morenhor (sp?...mongolian instrument) and throat singing. Mongolian throat singing is absolutely mesmerizing and awesome to hear. There was also a female singer and a Korean guy with an awesome voice….mostly drowned out by the fuzzy background music. During all the speaking, all I could think about was lunch. By this time of the day, I was starving and wondering if we were going to be fed or if the snacks we brought would be the days rations. After the performances, I was informed that we were going to drink more airag. We went into one of the gers and sat around playing the Mongolian finger game to see who has to drink. We ended up drinking a lot of airag before we left the ger. Everyone was impressed that I knew the finger game and that I drank the airag. I also got a chance to look at a flyer for the camp and finally got a real idea of what kind of place this was. The pamphlet had English and Mongolian and explained that the camp was a place for physical health and rejuvenation. They offered mud and spa treatments and always had doctors on hand. There was a picture of a bunch of old people wearing traditional Dells, but looked like they were out for a jog….an interesting site. After drinking the airag was lunch time! Sweet! For the first time since I’ve been to Mongolia, the airag made my head feel a little funny. Airag is a Mongolian milk alcohol that is not very potent, but after not having much to eat and drinking a lot of it, I felt it’s effects. Many people go through their entire stay in Mongolia without feeling anything from airag other than the guaranteed stomach ramifications. We went to the room where the speaking had been, but was now filled with tables, chairs, and the delicious smell of Mongolian food. We filled up on soup, soyvan (Mongolian noodle and meat plate), and soote tze (Mongolian milk tea). After lunch everyone hung around for a while. My director and I started talking to this old couple who she explained the woman as a Mongolian hero. What she meant by that, I’m not so sure, and it wasn’t the right time to ask. We started walking around the camp, and my director had to deal with the aftermath of drinking airag, which means many trips to the outhouse. I started talking to the older man and we strolled around the camp, speaking in Mongolian. Throughout the day, I had been trying to use as much of the Mongolian, that I hadn’t used over the past few weeks, as I could remember. I started up many awkward conversations, that I always started with…what’s your name? This man took a liking to my sorry attempt at Mongolian and as we talked to the other people at the camp, he told everyone that I was American and that I was speaking Mongolian. Eventually we met up with his wife and my director. They invited me to their house and disappeared into one of the gers to rest. My director disappeared for a while; I assume to smoke a cigarette, and I was left with one lady that I knew and a few people I had just met. We spoke in my limited Mongolian and then I got up to watch the wrestling. I was excited to see the wrestling because I hadn’t been able to see Sukhbaatar’s Nadaam and was curious what it was like. After the wrestling my director found me and asked if I wanted to leave. I told her I was indifferent and she expressed that she wanted to go home. We rounded up our car load and had dinner and (they drank) vodka. Some of the people we were drinking and eating with tried to get me to take a shot of vodka, but those who know me know that I NEVER take shots. This was no exception. I was surprised that over the course of the day, I had seen 2 bottles of vodka drank and they were both the worst kind. By this time, I had realized the fancy bottles that I had seen before were going to be gifts. After dinner we went to the car and my director went to give the gifts. She had us waiting for a long time, which was annoying, but I was thankful because I was dealing with the aftershock of the airag. Finally, she showed up again. We got in the car, she looks at me and in a completely serious tone, she says "I am drunk"… I figured. We head back to Arvaikheer and my mind wanders. I stare out the window into the beautiful scenery of the Mongolian countryside. The clouds and sky are amazing shades of pink and purple, accented above the dark purple mountains. I sit there feeling the bumps of the rode, my mind piling one thought on top of another. The thoughts are like a bubble getting bigger and bigger, until it bursts and vanishes into thin air. I am snapped back to the Russian jeep when my director starts coughing and the jeep stops. At this point, I have no idea how much she had to drink and am afraid she is going to throw up. I see her reach for a beer and I quickly grab my water and hand it to her. She doesn’t accept and instead takes a sip of beer and hands it to the old man in the front. The driver is a number of feet away, relieving himself and she goes, I assume, to do the same. The driver comes back and opens a beer and hands it to me; I hand it to Puje (a lady I work with). He then opens another beer and hands it to me, I try to refuse, but he explains that it’s open and he’s driving and can not drink it. As a non-beer drinker, I have been testing out different types of beer since I got to Mongolia and am slightly curious what this one tastes like. I take a few sips, but am too full to drink much of it and try to pass it off to Puje after she downs hers. We put the cap back on, everyone piles back in the jeep and we continue on our way. At this point, I am stuck in a state of thought and I look back out the window thinking about the crazy day I have had and the, always amazing, Mongolian sky. We arrive in Arvaikheer, I spend a couple moments in my apartment, and meet up with some of my Peace Corps friends for a mellow night of English speaking. The day was exciting, fun, tiring, awkward, and full of experiences. At this point it is nice to sit down, drink tea, and my mind is calm.
a complete update
Blog 10 8-22-07
It’s been a while since I really sat down and wrote anything about life in Mongolia. I will make an attempt right now, but I make no promises. I feel like I have been incredibly busy for the past month or so.
Saying goodbye:
Our last few days in Sukhbaatar were filled with packing and saying goodbye to our first Mongolian friends. It was actually sadder than I expected it to be. On my last night in Sukhbaatar, my friend and I cooked food for his family. They are really some of the sweetest people I’ve met. I then went to my house where my Doo (Mongolian for younger sibling), Unroe, had cooked amazing food. My Ech (Mongolian mom) and my Av (Mongolian dad) gave me a Dell (Mongolian traditional clothing) and some matching Jewelry. My Doo gave me a photo album with a picture of her and her little brother in it. After dinner, we played Rummicub, which is always a good time. I didn’t expect to feel anything when leaving, but I was actually a little sad to leave my Sukhbaatar life. After hanging out with my family for a little while I went over to my friends house and took a million pictures with her family and two other families. These people were so nice and fun to be around in Sukhbaatar and it was actually kind of sad to say goodbye. It’s kinda a funny connection that goes on between the Americans and these people. They are our first real impression of Mongolia, and they really made a good one. Its funny because there are people that I can’t even remember their name, but when I go visit Sukhbaatar I’ll definitely stop by to say Hi.
Final Darkhan Days:
The last post I wrote was while I was in Darkhan. I don’t remember what I wrote, so sorry if I’m repeating myself. I know I’m skipping around a little, but I haven’t really sat down and taken the time to really write in a while. I know I mentioned about site placements. This was a very interesting experience, but what was more interesting was observing the interactions for the rest of the time our group was together. We knew we were all going to different places soon, and you almost value your time together that much more. The knowledge that you are about to begin something that is going to be exciting and difficult, and is something you have been looking forward to for such a long time; and you are all going to go through it, just not in the same place. In Darkhan, we had family appreciation day, which was a blast. All the host families came to Darkhan from their respective towns to see their host children/brothers/sisters for one last time before they free us to explore Mongolia on our own. I got lost on my way to the gym for the big day…surprise, surprise. That was my second time getting lost in Darkhan, and now I really don’t have to ever go back there again, if I don’t want to. Anyway, once I got there, it was a really nice day. All the Americans were wearing our Dells that had been given to us by our families. We also performed cultural performances that we had learned at our training sites. The Mongolians loved seeing us ‘be mongolian’. To wrap up the day, there was an intense volleyball tournament, delicious food, and of course, a zillion pictures. It was nice to have one last day with the families. Who knows when we will see them next.
Ulaanbataar:
Following Darkhan we loaded onto a large bus and a little bus to head to UB, the capital of Mongolia. This was the same set up we had on the way to Darkhan at the beginning and was almost a way of finishing our training the way we started. Halfway through the trip the little bus had some tire trouble. The story is that the spare tire fell off and hit the wheel, breaking the tire. Some do not believe this because the big bus was behind and nobody saw a flying tire. It could just be that the driver didn’t have a spare tire…it will always be a mystery. Everyone from the smaller bus piled into the bigger bus and we continued on our way. UB days were full of people running us all over the place, showing us this and that. Really, it’s all a blur. I’m really not good with directions and it easy to get lost in UB, so I made sure not to go anywhere by myself. There were a lot of M17s (M17=Mongolia, group #17, I am M18) in UB and it was a nice time to get to know the other Peace Corps volunteers and a chance to meet people who have been at our sites for a year now. UB has ‘real’ bars and different kinds of food, so it was exciting to experience these things, knowing we won’t get the chance for a while. I enjoyed Mexican food and chicken wings, among other foods while I was there. We swore in on August 18, 2007 and became official Peace Corps volunteers. (Amy’s birthday!) UB was a tiring week because we had our schedules packed for us, we wanted to buy things to get ready for site, and to say goodbye to our friends all at the same time. I felt somewhat in a daze by all the activity going on around and within me. We met our directors and got to discuss our jobs for the first time. Also, I GOT A PHONE! Hurray! I’ll admit there were really nice things about not having a phone, but there are a lot of nice things about having one too. If you want the number and want to call me, just ask!
Saying Goodbye:
Finally, it came time to say goodbye to the people we have spent the past three months with. The goodbyes were tainted with excitement and nervousness for what was to come…
Getting to Site:
Of course, it had to rain. I was picked up in a Taxi around 930 am. We barely fit all my stuff in to the car and drove to another spot, where we met up with our driver. My director and I went into someone’s apartment while they repacked all my things into a Russian Jeep. Amazingly, it all fit in the back so we could fit everyone that was coming with us. I was exauhsted from the past few weeks and once in the Jeep, I fell asleep. I woke up to my director asking if I wanted to buy any food for the trip. We were still in UB! I fell back asleep. I woke up to us getting gas….still in UB! I fell asleep. I woke up to my phone….a text message from my friend asking how the ride was going. I looked around…WE WERE STILL IN UB! I fell asleep. I woke up to the screeching sound of the horn. I looked around and saw the amazing Mongolian scenery and a herd of cows in the middle of the rode. This felt better. Through the long ride, I was woken by this horn a number of times…horses, goats, sheep, and cows. I fell back asleep. I woke to the crying and gurgling of the adorable little baby sitting on his mother next to me. He was throwing up all over her. We stopped in the middle of nowhere for a bathroom break and so she could clean up. By ‘the middle of nowhere’….this is really what I mean. It was beautiful, the rain had cleared, the clouds were like a painting, the mountains in the distance and the wide open spaces created a beautiful scene. I just stood and stared at the beauty around me while everyone else scattered and squatted. We piled back in the Jeep and I fell asleep. We stopped a few times because the engine would overheat, and the driver would get out, walk to the river, scoop some water, poor it and we were on our way. We ate lunch in a little town and continued on our way in the same manner. The rode was bumpy, but I kept falling asleep anyway. We finally arrived in Arvaikheer, Ovorkhungai at about midnight and made a group effort to pile all my things into my new apartment. My director’s mother had made me a bucket of Hosher (Mongolian food) and had left me a jar of pickles, a few spices, 2 sprites, and a bucket full of Airag (Mongolian Milk alcohol). Everyone came in for some airag and then were on their way. I thought about setting up my place because I had gotten a lot of sleep throughout the day….instead I rolled out my Alaskan sleeping bag (the best sleeping bag I’ve ever seen…thanks to Peace Corps) and passed out.
My apartment:
My apartment is pretty big. I’d say it’s about the size of the apartment I grew up in, but it’s all to myself. I had been a little nervous about living by myself, but so far it’s going well. I have a kitchen, a balcony that is closed in with windows, a toilet room, and separated bathtub/sink room. I have a bedroom and a huge extra room, that I have made my art/fun room. This is where I will paint, write, and do anything else that’s not sleeping or reading. I still need to buy a ton of things for my apartment, but I will soon. I have a 1 burner stove, a fire stove, a bed, a couple little desk/storage spots. The best part about my apartment is that it is right near the main road and the square, which means it is really easy to find!
Living by myself:
I was really nervous about how I’d like living by myself. So far, I’m really enjoying it. This could just be because I really haven’t had much "alone time" in….well, a really long time. I am pretty good at keeping myself busy, and am not worried about getting lonely. I have been keeping in good contact with some of my friends who are far away. The other night some of the M17s (that’s the group who came last year, I am M18) were in town at one of the other volunteer’s apartments, so I went over there to hang out and they cooked some awesome tofu Mexican food. Who’d ever think I’d eat tofu?! I have learned…if it’s cooked right its good. To be honest, I’d still pick meat. This was only my first FULL night here and I made sure to have people to walk home with, as I always do. Two of my friends walked me home, helped me fix my door, and then were on their way. We all are new to this area and they both had trouble finding their Ger’s. One finally found it, and the other called and asked if he could crash at my place until morning. Of course I encouraged him to make it to my apartment safely. I kind of felt bad because they had walked me all the way to my door, making sure I was safe, and then had gotten lost themselves.
My Job:
I have only had a few days of my job and they have been pretty relaxed. Today was actually the first day where I felt like I did something. My director and counterparts have walked me around, showing me things like the postoffice, the government building, the police station, etc… Yesterday I went with them to the monastery that is nearby. I will write more about this in a minute. I am working at the Aimag Children’s Center. This is a central place for youth activities, among other things. I will be doing many different things from teaching English to my counterparts to capacity building with child’s rights workers. I will also be working with youth who volunteer with disabled children, doing an information TV and radio program on child labor, a radio program on child abuse, leadership training and youth participation with the youth council and scouts leaders of the community. These are the things we discussed today. I will probably work a lot with the child labor stuff because it is a big problem and the government has proposed an action plan, but needs help carrying it out. (and I’m interested in it) I am replacing a volunteer who left recently, and I finally got to read her report of the projects that she started. This was nice because it helped clarify what I am getting myself into and what will be expected of me. Sometimes it is hard to replace somebody because you are expected to be like them, but I am excited to replace someone because her report helps give me some direction in an area that can be really hard to get started. I plan on continuing some of her projects, which helps to jump right in and get started. It can be really difficult to get a feel for things and to get started, but I feel like replacing somebody has made it easier because she had 2 years to assess some of the needs of the community and I can build off of what she already started. Getting these projects re-started is still going to be awkward and not so easy, but right now I am feeling really good about my placement and I think I will be able to make the next two years productive. I am afraid that if I don’t feel productive, I will question my being here. I’m loving Mongolia and the Peace Corps, so I hope to make the best of it. It’s funny because as I write this, I wonder if this is me being naïve. Today was actually pretty frustrating due to language barriers, but I felt it was a good day because I was able to make a calendar with my counterparts, so I can know what to expect for the next month or so. Some things took longer to communicate than others, and there was a point where I couldn’t understand what Ishe (my counterpart) was trying to say to me, so I asked her to try it in Mongolian. AND I UNDERSTOOD!!! This was a good feeling. Since I got to site, I haven’t been able to use my Mongolian very much because the people I work with always want to practice English and the one who doesn’t know English wants to learn. It is hard for people to realize that I know a little bit of Mongolian and if you speak slowly, it might be easier than them trying to say it in English. I still need to find a Mongolian tutor, but I need to meet more people before I get my hands on one. It’s interesting that now that I’m at my site I am SO eager to get started, but at the same time I know I need to ease myself into it. I got off easy these first few days. My director and counterparts really eased me in. I have friends who were thrown into an intense work day right off the bat. School doesn’t start until Sept. 3, so my job should be relatively slow until then.
Monasterys:
I’m pretty sure that I already wrote about the Monastery I went to in UB, where I saw a 60 foot statue of one of the buddhas. I really enjoy visiting the monasterys, but I had decided that I didn’t want to go to anymore until I knew more about Buddhism. That didn’t work out. My first day with my job, my director told me she was going to take me to the Monastery the next day for a special ceremony. I told her I enjoy visiting monasterys and she got excited and asked if I was Buddhist. I told her I was Jewish and she didn’t really understand. So, I looked it up in my dictionary. There was no word for Jewish, but there was a word for Jew. I pointed to it and she asked me if I was protestant, I said no, she asked if I was Christian, I said no, I’m Jewish. She said ok, but I don’t think she knows what Jewish is. I tried looking up the direct translation for the word that was in my dictionary for Jew, but couldn’t find it. The word is pronounced evreh khoon (it’s really hard to write Mongolian in English), it means ..something..person. Anyway, the following day, I went with them to the Monastery where there was a small crowd gathering just inside the gates. The most explanation for this ceremony that I got was that it was for the good fortune of the people. There were all sorts of rituals and chanting followed by 3 dancers with masks. One was wearing an old man mask with a white beard and white hair, the other two were smiling skeleton masks. I tried my best to interpret the dance. It was interesting because instead of the old man dancing to the music, it was more like the music was being played to his dancing. He did some dance steps and eventually got slower and slower and appeared to be losing his strength, he fell into the arms of the skeletons, they did a small dance and walked him away. What this meant can be interpreted how you want. There was more chanting and rituals and then there was a decorated vehicle holding the 3 dancers and maybe more people that drove down the steps and out the gates of the monastery. There was more celebration in the street right outside the gates. I found this entire experience interesting. Not just the rituals, chanting, dancing, attire, and instruments, but also the reactions by those watching. I don’t mean to knock on the people, but many people were answering their phones and chatting loudly. I scanned the audience, trying to find one person not involved in the actual ceremony that looked spiritually effected, but couldn’t find it. This is not to say that nobody was spiritually into this event besides those studying at the monastery. I am not one to judge what people do, but I was surprised when the guy wearing the old man mask walked into a delgoor (store) and bought an icecream and ate it in the middle of the celebration in the street. I wasn’t even watching him anymore, my director and counterpart were laughing at him and pointed it out to me, and then they decided it was time to leave. Before we left, we took a moment and walked into the main temple of the monastery. This was a whole different atmosphere. People seemed more focused. I say this again….I’d like to learn more about Buddhism before I visit another monastery, but who knows what will happen…
Alright, that is a complete update, it can’t get much longer than that. We’ll see what happens next. I have a new address now, so if you want it, e-mail me and I’ll tell you it. Remember…mail is always welcome!!! Internet mail is almost just as good!!!
It’s been a while since I really sat down and wrote anything about life in Mongolia. I will make an attempt right now, but I make no promises. I feel like I have been incredibly busy for the past month or so.
Saying goodbye:
Our last few days in Sukhbaatar were filled with packing and saying goodbye to our first Mongolian friends. It was actually sadder than I expected it to be. On my last night in Sukhbaatar, my friend and I cooked food for his family. They are really some of the sweetest people I’ve met. I then went to my house where my Doo (Mongolian for younger sibling), Unroe, had cooked amazing food. My Ech (Mongolian mom) and my Av (Mongolian dad) gave me a Dell (Mongolian traditional clothing) and some matching Jewelry. My Doo gave me a photo album with a picture of her and her little brother in it. After dinner, we played Rummicub, which is always a good time. I didn’t expect to feel anything when leaving, but I was actually a little sad to leave my Sukhbaatar life. After hanging out with my family for a little while I went over to my friends house and took a million pictures with her family and two other families. These people were so nice and fun to be around in Sukhbaatar and it was actually kind of sad to say goodbye. It’s kinda a funny connection that goes on between the Americans and these people. They are our first real impression of Mongolia, and they really made a good one. Its funny because there are people that I can’t even remember their name, but when I go visit Sukhbaatar I’ll definitely stop by to say Hi.
Final Darkhan Days:
The last post I wrote was while I was in Darkhan. I don’t remember what I wrote, so sorry if I’m repeating myself. I know I’m skipping around a little, but I haven’t really sat down and taken the time to really write in a while. I know I mentioned about site placements. This was a very interesting experience, but what was more interesting was observing the interactions for the rest of the time our group was together. We knew we were all going to different places soon, and you almost value your time together that much more. The knowledge that you are about to begin something that is going to be exciting and difficult, and is something you have been looking forward to for such a long time; and you are all going to go through it, just not in the same place. In Darkhan, we had family appreciation day, which was a blast. All the host families came to Darkhan from their respective towns to see their host children/brothers/sisters for one last time before they free us to explore Mongolia on our own. I got lost on my way to the gym for the big day…surprise, surprise. That was my second time getting lost in Darkhan, and now I really don’t have to ever go back there again, if I don’t want to. Anyway, once I got there, it was a really nice day. All the Americans were wearing our Dells that had been given to us by our families. We also performed cultural performances that we had learned at our training sites. The Mongolians loved seeing us ‘be mongolian’. To wrap up the day, there was an intense volleyball tournament, delicious food, and of course, a zillion pictures. It was nice to have one last day with the families. Who knows when we will see them next.
Ulaanbataar:
Following Darkhan we loaded onto a large bus and a little bus to head to UB, the capital of Mongolia. This was the same set up we had on the way to Darkhan at the beginning and was almost a way of finishing our training the way we started. Halfway through the trip the little bus had some tire trouble. The story is that the spare tire fell off and hit the wheel, breaking the tire. Some do not believe this because the big bus was behind and nobody saw a flying tire. It could just be that the driver didn’t have a spare tire…it will always be a mystery. Everyone from the smaller bus piled into the bigger bus and we continued on our way. UB days were full of people running us all over the place, showing us this and that. Really, it’s all a blur. I’m really not good with directions and it easy to get lost in UB, so I made sure not to go anywhere by myself. There were a lot of M17s (M17=Mongolia, group #17, I am M18) in UB and it was a nice time to get to know the other Peace Corps volunteers and a chance to meet people who have been at our sites for a year now. UB has ‘real’ bars and different kinds of food, so it was exciting to experience these things, knowing we won’t get the chance for a while. I enjoyed Mexican food and chicken wings, among other foods while I was there. We swore in on August 18, 2007 and became official Peace Corps volunteers. (Amy’s birthday!) UB was a tiring week because we had our schedules packed for us, we wanted to buy things to get ready for site, and to say goodbye to our friends all at the same time. I felt somewhat in a daze by all the activity going on around and within me. We met our directors and got to discuss our jobs for the first time. Also, I GOT A PHONE! Hurray! I’ll admit there were really nice things about not having a phone, but there are a lot of nice things about having one too. If you want the number and want to call me, just ask!
Saying Goodbye:
Finally, it came time to say goodbye to the people we have spent the past three months with. The goodbyes were tainted with excitement and nervousness for what was to come…
Getting to Site:
Of course, it had to rain. I was picked up in a Taxi around 930 am. We barely fit all my stuff in to the car and drove to another spot, where we met up with our driver. My director and I went into someone’s apartment while they repacked all my things into a Russian Jeep. Amazingly, it all fit in the back so we could fit everyone that was coming with us. I was exauhsted from the past few weeks and once in the Jeep, I fell asleep. I woke up to my director asking if I wanted to buy any food for the trip. We were still in UB! I fell back asleep. I woke up to us getting gas….still in UB! I fell asleep. I woke up to my phone….a text message from my friend asking how the ride was going. I looked around…WE WERE STILL IN UB! I fell asleep. I woke up to the screeching sound of the horn. I looked around and saw the amazing Mongolian scenery and a herd of cows in the middle of the rode. This felt better. Through the long ride, I was woken by this horn a number of times…horses, goats, sheep, and cows. I fell back asleep. I woke to the crying and gurgling of the adorable little baby sitting on his mother next to me. He was throwing up all over her. We stopped in the middle of nowhere for a bathroom break and so she could clean up. By ‘the middle of nowhere’….this is really what I mean. It was beautiful, the rain had cleared, the clouds were like a painting, the mountains in the distance and the wide open spaces created a beautiful scene. I just stood and stared at the beauty around me while everyone else scattered and squatted. We piled back in the Jeep and I fell asleep. We stopped a few times because the engine would overheat, and the driver would get out, walk to the river, scoop some water, poor it and we were on our way. We ate lunch in a little town and continued on our way in the same manner. The rode was bumpy, but I kept falling asleep anyway. We finally arrived in Arvaikheer, Ovorkhungai at about midnight and made a group effort to pile all my things into my new apartment. My director’s mother had made me a bucket of Hosher (Mongolian food) and had left me a jar of pickles, a few spices, 2 sprites, and a bucket full of Airag (Mongolian Milk alcohol). Everyone came in for some airag and then were on their way. I thought about setting up my place because I had gotten a lot of sleep throughout the day….instead I rolled out my Alaskan sleeping bag (the best sleeping bag I’ve ever seen…thanks to Peace Corps) and passed out.
My apartment:
My apartment is pretty big. I’d say it’s about the size of the apartment I grew up in, but it’s all to myself. I had been a little nervous about living by myself, but so far it’s going well. I have a kitchen, a balcony that is closed in with windows, a toilet room, and separated bathtub/sink room. I have a bedroom and a huge extra room, that I have made my art/fun room. This is where I will paint, write, and do anything else that’s not sleeping or reading. I still need to buy a ton of things for my apartment, but I will soon. I have a 1 burner stove, a fire stove, a bed, a couple little desk/storage spots. The best part about my apartment is that it is right near the main road and the square, which means it is really easy to find!
Living by myself:
I was really nervous about how I’d like living by myself. So far, I’m really enjoying it. This could just be because I really haven’t had much "alone time" in….well, a really long time. I am pretty good at keeping myself busy, and am not worried about getting lonely. I have been keeping in good contact with some of my friends who are far away. The other night some of the M17s (that’s the group who came last year, I am M18) were in town at one of the other volunteer’s apartments, so I went over there to hang out and they cooked some awesome tofu Mexican food. Who’d ever think I’d eat tofu?! I have learned…if it’s cooked right its good. To be honest, I’d still pick meat. This was only my first FULL night here and I made sure to have people to walk home with, as I always do. Two of my friends walked me home, helped me fix my door, and then were on their way. We all are new to this area and they both had trouble finding their Ger’s. One finally found it, and the other called and asked if he could crash at my place until morning. Of course I encouraged him to make it to my apartment safely. I kind of felt bad because they had walked me all the way to my door, making sure I was safe, and then had gotten lost themselves.
My Job:
I have only had a few days of my job and they have been pretty relaxed. Today was actually the first day where I felt like I did something. My director and counterparts have walked me around, showing me things like the postoffice, the government building, the police station, etc… Yesterday I went with them to the monastery that is nearby. I will write more about this in a minute. I am working at the Aimag Children’s Center. This is a central place for youth activities, among other things. I will be doing many different things from teaching English to my counterparts to capacity building with child’s rights workers. I will also be working with youth who volunteer with disabled children, doing an information TV and radio program on child labor, a radio program on child abuse, leadership training and youth participation with the youth council and scouts leaders of the community. These are the things we discussed today. I will probably work a lot with the child labor stuff because it is a big problem and the government has proposed an action plan, but needs help carrying it out. (and I’m interested in it) I am replacing a volunteer who left recently, and I finally got to read her report of the projects that she started. This was nice because it helped clarify what I am getting myself into and what will be expected of me. Sometimes it is hard to replace somebody because you are expected to be like them, but I am excited to replace someone because her report helps give me some direction in an area that can be really hard to get started. I plan on continuing some of her projects, which helps to jump right in and get started. It can be really difficult to get a feel for things and to get started, but I feel like replacing somebody has made it easier because she had 2 years to assess some of the needs of the community and I can build off of what she already started. Getting these projects re-started is still going to be awkward and not so easy, but right now I am feeling really good about my placement and I think I will be able to make the next two years productive. I am afraid that if I don’t feel productive, I will question my being here. I’m loving Mongolia and the Peace Corps, so I hope to make the best of it. It’s funny because as I write this, I wonder if this is me being naïve. Today was actually pretty frustrating due to language barriers, but I felt it was a good day because I was able to make a calendar with my counterparts, so I can know what to expect for the next month or so. Some things took longer to communicate than others, and there was a point where I couldn’t understand what Ishe (my counterpart) was trying to say to me, so I asked her to try it in Mongolian. AND I UNDERSTOOD!!! This was a good feeling. Since I got to site, I haven’t been able to use my Mongolian very much because the people I work with always want to practice English and the one who doesn’t know English wants to learn. It is hard for people to realize that I know a little bit of Mongolian and if you speak slowly, it might be easier than them trying to say it in English. I still need to find a Mongolian tutor, but I need to meet more people before I get my hands on one. It’s interesting that now that I’m at my site I am SO eager to get started, but at the same time I know I need to ease myself into it. I got off easy these first few days. My director and counterparts really eased me in. I have friends who were thrown into an intense work day right off the bat. School doesn’t start until Sept. 3, so my job should be relatively slow until then.
Monasterys:
I’m pretty sure that I already wrote about the Monastery I went to in UB, where I saw a 60 foot statue of one of the buddhas. I really enjoy visiting the monasterys, but I had decided that I didn’t want to go to anymore until I knew more about Buddhism. That didn’t work out. My first day with my job, my director told me she was going to take me to the Monastery the next day for a special ceremony. I told her I enjoy visiting monasterys and she got excited and asked if I was Buddhist. I told her I was Jewish and she didn’t really understand. So, I looked it up in my dictionary. There was no word for Jewish, but there was a word for Jew. I pointed to it and she asked me if I was protestant, I said no, she asked if I was Christian, I said no, I’m Jewish. She said ok, but I don’t think she knows what Jewish is. I tried looking up the direct translation for the word that was in my dictionary for Jew, but couldn’t find it. The word is pronounced evreh khoon (it’s really hard to write Mongolian in English), it means ..something..person. Anyway, the following day, I went with them to the Monastery where there was a small crowd gathering just inside the gates. The most explanation for this ceremony that I got was that it was for the good fortune of the people. There were all sorts of rituals and chanting followed by 3 dancers with masks. One was wearing an old man mask with a white beard and white hair, the other two were smiling skeleton masks. I tried my best to interpret the dance. It was interesting because instead of the old man dancing to the music, it was more like the music was being played to his dancing. He did some dance steps and eventually got slower and slower and appeared to be losing his strength, he fell into the arms of the skeletons, they did a small dance and walked him away. What this meant can be interpreted how you want. There was more chanting and rituals and then there was a decorated vehicle holding the 3 dancers and maybe more people that drove down the steps and out the gates of the monastery. There was more celebration in the street right outside the gates. I found this entire experience interesting. Not just the rituals, chanting, dancing, attire, and instruments, but also the reactions by those watching. I don’t mean to knock on the people, but many people were answering their phones and chatting loudly. I scanned the audience, trying to find one person not involved in the actual ceremony that looked spiritually effected, but couldn’t find it. This is not to say that nobody was spiritually into this event besides those studying at the monastery. I am not one to judge what people do, but I was surprised when the guy wearing the old man mask walked into a delgoor (store) and bought an icecream and ate it in the middle of the celebration in the street. I wasn’t even watching him anymore, my director and counterpart were laughing at him and pointed it out to me, and then they decided it was time to leave. Before we left, we took a moment and walked into the main temple of the monastery. This was a whole different atmosphere. People seemed more focused. I say this again….I’d like to learn more about Buddhism before I visit another monastery, but who knows what will happen…
Alright, that is a complete update, it can’t get much longer than that. We’ll see what happens next. I have a new address now, so if you want it, e-mail me and I’ll tell you it. Remember…mail is always welcome!!! Internet mail is almost just as good!!!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
lil update
Tomorrow I will meet my counterparts, which will be very interesting. I only have a few more days in UB until I leave for my site. I am excited to live somewhere!! Everyone has been enjoying all the things that are available in UB, such as food that's not Mongolian, and free internet at the peace corps office. Yesterday, we visited the Prime Minister's building, the U.S. Embassy, and a few other places. Today, I went to a violence shelter and a Monastery. I love visiting the Monastery's and find them fascinating. I got to experience part of their "service" and take a look around. No pictures this time. In one of the buildings there was a 60 foot tall gold statue of buddha. It was intense, but amazing. It is interesting to walk around a place that is filled with people praying. There is a calmness in the air. I'm going to make an effort to learn more about buddhism before I visit another Monastery.
I don't really have a solid train of thougt right now, so I'm going to end this post.....
I don't really have a solid train of thougt right now, so I'm going to end this post.....
Friday, August 10, 2007
placement
The past few days have been pretty eventful! I left my host family, packed my things, and took a Micre (taxi-mini van size) to Darkhan. I reunited with the rest of my group, which is always interesting. After a few sessions, it was time for SITE PLACEMENT! The moment we've all been waiting for! I can now say...I know where I'm going to be living for the next two years. I am going to be in Ovorhoungai (sp?) in the Aimag center, that I can't pronounce yet. I'll find out how to spell it and let you know. I will be working at the Aimag Children Center doing.....well we'll see exactly what it is. I have a whole packet explaining my job, but it is still a little vague. The first few months are going to be filled with observation and adjustment. For site placement, they roll out a huge map of Mongolia and anounce one job at a time, followed by the persons name. You stand where you are on the map and watch everyone else. It was a very suspensful and emotional moment. I didn't expect the emotional part, but it is kind of sad seeing everyone being separated and being placed so far away from some of my best friends out here. I was one of the last people to be called. i need to hurry this up, but I will be going to Ulaanbataar in a few days and will swear in (on Amy's birthday)! After about 5 days there, I will pack my things and head on my 7 hours ride to Ovorhungai. I have 5 other volunteers in my area. Ok, i promise, i'll write more soon! i hope everyone doing well!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
...
Blog 7-27-07
I haven’t really had much to write lately. I have 1 week left with my host family and then I’m off to new places. First I will be in Darkhan and then in Ulaanbatar, where I will swear in. I kinda wish I could just skip ahead to site placements. I am tired of people asking me what I expect and then telling me not to have any expectations. I really don’t have many expectations, so I want them to stop asking and just tell me where I will be and who I will be working with. I’m also curious to find out which Americans will be in my same area. Other than this stuff, I really don’t have much to say. I am wrapping up in Sukhbaatar. I have been trying to go hiking as much as possible because I don’t know where I will be next and I don’t know if I’ll have the mountains like I do here. My ech (Mongolian mom) made me a beautiful dell (Mongolian traditional clothing)!! It’s almost finished and I am so excited. It is an awesome shade of blue. Don’t worry; I’ll post pictures up when I have it.
Sometimes I find myself torn between thought and experience. I don’t want to think too much or try to analyze things because I feel like this is the time to experience everything around me and just go with the flow. I need to make sure to find the balance.
8-1-07
One sweltering hot day, we took a trip out to the country to visit a Buddhist monastery. It was really neat to see the beautiful painting and all the different Buddha figures. I enjoyed walking around, but I think I would have gotten more out of it if I knew more about Buddhism in
8-1-07
I really don’t have much to say lately….so what do people do when they have nothing to talk about? They talk about the weather…or baseball. Well, I don’t get to watch ANY Angel games, so the weather it is. I have decided that I love Mongolian summer! You really get the best of both worlds. It will be sunny and beautiful for a while, which leads into a hot spell. And right when you think it can’t get much hotter, it does! Only to be followed by a few days of refreshing rain, leading right back into the beautiful, pleasantly warm days. Here, one month covers the full span of weather change that we get in a year in Southern California.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
safety....dont' worry i'm safe
Before coming here I had heard about the female peace corps volunteer in the phillipines who went hiking by herself and was kidnapped and killed. I used to think to myself how stupid this girl was for going by herself. I now realize why she went by herself. In the peace corps there are times when you want to just go off on your own and be in your head and there are other times when you want to be with people…but who will you go with? I went hiking by myself today, and this girls story popped into my head, and I ended my hike earlier than I wanted. I was hiking in a safe area that was completely visible to the whole town, but where I wanted to go would have been much higher and not as visible. I was bummed that I didn’t go, but I felt like it was worth it. I don’t think anything would have happened, but I need to start adjusting my actions to being in a place that I do not know. One of the hardest parts about being here is reading people. When I’m in California, I usually feel relatively safe and when walking around long beach at night, I do not feel threatened. This is due to my ability to feel out situations and read people. Here it is a different story. Because I do not know the language and am still learning the customs and cultures, I can not read situations the way that I can at home. I can not understand most of the language that I hear when walking the streets of Sukhbaatar. It has been an awkward adjustment to go from my hardass long beach self to this vulnerable American in Mongolia. I feel like I can manage myself a lot better at home because I am accustomed to the way things work and can use my intuition to feel out a situation. Here, it is simply guesses. When I go out at night with my friends, I won’t go home unless a strong male walks me home. Luckily, I have one who lives right near me. Even when I am with someone walking home, it is a nervous walk every time we pass by a group of guys or any drunk guy. We are obviously foreigners and everyone around here knows there is a group of Americans around. People automatically assume that Americans have money and want to talk to us or mess with us. Luckily, I haven’t had too many scary encounters, but it is just a weird feeling to always have your guard up. If something is going down in long beach, I know how to remove myself from the situation or how to avoid it all together. Here, I have to rely on watching the people around me. I am probably making Sukhbaatar seem to be more dangerous than it is, and I don’t mean to freak anybody out at home about my safety. I assure you, I am safe.
Another interesting observation from Mongolia is the way they view people of different races. Mongolians are not racist, they just don’t have the knowledge. As a group of Americans, we are made up of people of all different backgrounds and ethnicities. Any black male volunteer is expected to be Michael Jordan, a few of the Indian volunteers have been mistaken for African, anybody from America without white skin is misunderstood. A Vietnamese volunteer is told over and over again that she is Mongolian. I was talking to a Mongolian yesterday (who knew excellent English) and he was telling me about when he was rejected for his US Visa. He said, “maybe it’s because I’m Asian,” I assured him that it has nothing to do with the fact that he’s Asian, as there are many people of Asian origin in the states. People around here say they know what it means to be Jewish, but I have heard from other volunteers that they really have no clue. I really feel lucky to have grown up in a place of such diversity. America is a beautiful place with all the people of different backgrounds coexisting and sharing their knowledge and culture with others. I am not going to claim America to be perfect, but I am grateful for the opportunity to have my eyes open to all different things at one time.
We are really fortunate to have access to the American way of life. I have now visited met people in Israel, Costa Rica, and Mongolia who have wanted to get visas to the US and have been denied. I do not know anything about how to get a US visa or the selection process, but it seems to be difficult.
Another interesting observation from Mongolia is the way they view people of different races. Mongolians are not racist, they just don’t have the knowledge. As a group of Americans, we are made up of people of all different backgrounds and ethnicities. Any black male volunteer is expected to be Michael Jordan, a few of the Indian volunteers have been mistaken for African, anybody from America without white skin is misunderstood. A Vietnamese volunteer is told over and over again that she is Mongolian. I was talking to a Mongolian yesterday (who knew excellent English) and he was telling me about when he was rejected for his US Visa. He said, “maybe it’s because I’m Asian,” I assured him that it has nothing to do with the fact that he’s Asian, as there are many people of Asian origin in the states. People around here say they know what it means to be Jewish, but I have heard from other volunteers that they really have no clue. I really feel lucky to have grown up in a place of such diversity. America is a beautiful place with all the people of different backgrounds coexisting and sharing their knowledge and culture with others. I am not going to claim America to be perfect, but I am grateful for the opportunity to have my eyes open to all different things at one time.
We are really fortunate to have access to the American way of life. I have now visited met people in Israel, Costa Rica, and Mongolia who have wanted to get visas to the US and have been denied. I do not know anything about how to get a US visa or the selection process, but it seems to be difficult.
just a lil fun
The world works in mysterious ways
I walk around and try to figure it out
But I am left in this curious haze.
The earth turns so fast,
I have trouble simply counting the days.
My mind moves and moves
But only leaves my eyes with this over glaze.
I wander through this life,
Searching for the end of the maze
But I think half the fun is the complicated chase
Maybe only death will bring the end to this phase.
If this is truth, I choose to stay in this curious stage.
One day I will find myself reading the right page.
For now I am content with my meager wage
While I am acquiring the tools to break out of this cage.
I walk around and try to figure it out
But I am left in this curious haze.
The earth turns so fast,
I have trouble simply counting the days.
My mind moves and moves
But only leaves my eyes with this over glaze.
I wander through this life,
Searching for the end of the maze
But I think half the fun is the complicated chase
Maybe only death will bring the end to this phase.
If this is truth, I choose to stay in this curious stage.
One day I will find myself reading the right page.
For now I am content with my meager wage
While I am acquiring the tools to break out of this cage.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Labor Camp
7/9/07 Labor Camp
I just got back from spending about 3 days at labor camp for Mongolian children. Labor camp is not as intense as it seems. The kids do work in the fields, but it is not like this is all they do and the work that they do directly benefits them. This was my first time being in the deep country. It was absolutely phenomenal. The scenery, the kids, the energy, it was all amazing! There was the ‘horse man’, the goat and sheep hearders, a miners rest camp, a customs rest camp and the camp that I was at. This camp was used as a part of my training and a time to do life skills presentations, practice games in Mongolian, practice teaching English, and a chance to hangout with the kids. These are all the reasons the peace corps sent us there, but I got way more out of it than these aspects. I went on an AMAZING hike though one of the thicker forests of Mongolia, I tried airag, and I had mares milk while it was still warm from the horses body.
Mongolias forests are thinning out, due to everyone cutting down the trees. It is something that is sad, but you can’t explain to somebody why it’s not good to cut all the trees down when cutting these trees is his lively hood. It’s how he eats, how he builds his home, how he stays warm in the winter. My stomach was bothering me that day and I almost didn’t go on the hike. At the last minute I decided to suck it up and do the hike because I didn’t know when I’d be back in this country paradise. For the record, I’m soooo glad I went on the hike and got to see a view of Mongolia that can’t be duplicated! We started out filling our water bottles in the river (fresh mountain water). It was this moment that I knew the hike would be amazing. There was no trail, the destination was up. We picked our way through bushes and around trees, finding our footing wherever we could. This hike was not as hard as I was expecting, due to the soft ground, covered in green nature. On the way up we picked strawberries and ate them right off the plant. They were tiny strawberries, but were amazing! As we continued the climb, we ran into a pack of wild horses. It’s funny, the hearder puts a bell on his horse and then falls asleep. They graze and when he awakes he rounds them up again. I snapped a few photos and appreciated the beauty of this scene and we continued on our hike. When we reached the top, the view was amazing and worth the swarms of flys around our heads. We sat and talked about peace corps for a little while and then headed down, eating strawberries on the way.
There is a guy in this part of the khudoo, that is known as the “horseman”. Every summer a horse hearder brings his horses here and the horses are milked every two hours. During one of these sessions, we walked over and watched the horses being milked. There is a lady who sits a little further away with a bucket of the milk and people from the mining rest camp walk out to get a glass of milk. I was a little nervous, but I tried the milk anyway. I don’t really like milk, but it was seriously the best milk I have ever had. Mares milk is really sweet, almost with a hint of coconut flavor. The milk was still warm from the horses body, which wierds me out when I think about it too much. If I could just take some of the milk and stick it in the fridge, it would really be the best refreshment!! After drinking the milk we were invited into the family’s ger where we sat around and drank Airag. This is a Mongolian alcoholic beverage. It is not very potent and is given to children on a regular basis. The customs of drinking alcohol with Mongolian are interesting. They had a beautifully carved pail that the airag was in. The horseman filled a wooden bowl with the white substance and handed it with his left arm crossed, and right arm extended to the oldest male guest. At this time, the guest drinks as much as he wants and passes it back to the horseman. Even if the guest only takes a sip, the horseman adds more to the bowl and hands presents the bowl to the next guest. I had been warned about the effects of airag on your stomach and was not feeling well that day. I took a few sips and was surprised that it was not as sour as I was expecting. We sat and enjoyed the airag with the horseman and he told us that his horse had won a Naadaam race. The prize? A washing machine. It is interesting to be in the middle of the country, in a ger, and see a washing machine. You can tell by the amount of horses that this man is well-off.
It is so exciting to be learning all these different customs of Mongolian culture. Trying new things really adds an element of excitement to life that is vital to general happiness. It has become a part of my everyday life, to encounter something new and interesting. I think that when we are “home” we are in our comfort zone and often forget about the importance of new experiences. As in a Fiona Apple song, “I’m good at being uncomfortable”, it is this uncomfortable state that helps keep us on our toes. I can only hope that I will continue to constantly try and learn new things throughout the rest of my life. It is easy to fall into the comfortable and the average, but I want to take this moment to encourage everyone who is reading this to take the time to try something new….even if it’s a little uncomfortable.
By the way….I also saw my first goat being skinned while I was in the countryside. I thought it would be much more bloody and graphic, but it was almost like they were taking off his jacket.
My time in the country was truly amazing. It really is an awesome and meaningful way of life. So much of Mongolia is wide open spaces! It’s something I feel I have missed out on living in Orange County my whole life.
Labor camp was truly a great experience. I slept in a ger, got to experience the countryside and got to hang out with Mongolian kids. It’s so nice to finally be doing activities with kids. Only in an atmosphere like this would you hear an American from Milwalkee say “get your goats off my field”…..only to solicit the response, “those aren’t my goats” from a boy about 13 years old. Chasing goats and cows is actually a useful past time in the country.
I just got back from spending about 3 days at labor camp for Mongolian children. Labor camp is not as intense as it seems. The kids do work in the fields, but it is not like this is all they do and the work that they do directly benefits them. This was my first time being in the deep country. It was absolutely phenomenal. The scenery, the kids, the energy, it was all amazing! There was the ‘horse man’, the goat and sheep hearders, a miners rest camp, a customs rest camp and the camp that I was at. This camp was used as a part of my training and a time to do life skills presentations, practice games in Mongolian, practice teaching English, and a chance to hangout with the kids. These are all the reasons the peace corps sent us there, but I got way more out of it than these aspects. I went on an AMAZING hike though one of the thicker forests of Mongolia, I tried airag, and I had mares milk while it was still warm from the horses body.
Mongolias forests are thinning out, due to everyone cutting down the trees. It is something that is sad, but you can’t explain to somebody why it’s not good to cut all the trees down when cutting these trees is his lively hood. It’s how he eats, how he builds his home, how he stays warm in the winter. My stomach was bothering me that day and I almost didn’t go on the hike. At the last minute I decided to suck it up and do the hike because I didn’t know when I’d be back in this country paradise. For the record, I’m soooo glad I went on the hike and got to see a view of Mongolia that can’t be duplicated! We started out filling our water bottles in the river (fresh mountain water). It was this moment that I knew the hike would be amazing. There was no trail, the destination was up. We picked our way through bushes and around trees, finding our footing wherever we could. This hike was not as hard as I was expecting, due to the soft ground, covered in green nature. On the way up we picked strawberries and ate them right off the plant. They were tiny strawberries, but were amazing! As we continued the climb, we ran into a pack of wild horses. It’s funny, the hearder puts a bell on his horse and then falls asleep. They graze and when he awakes he rounds them up again. I snapped a few photos and appreciated the beauty of this scene and we continued on our hike. When we reached the top, the view was amazing and worth the swarms of flys around our heads. We sat and talked about peace corps for a little while and then headed down, eating strawberries on the way.
There is a guy in this part of the khudoo, that is known as the “horseman”. Every summer a horse hearder brings his horses here and the horses are milked every two hours. During one of these sessions, we walked over and watched the horses being milked. There is a lady who sits a little further away with a bucket of the milk and people from the mining rest camp walk out to get a glass of milk. I was a little nervous, but I tried the milk anyway. I don’t really like milk, but it was seriously the best milk I have ever had. Mares milk is really sweet, almost with a hint of coconut flavor. The milk was still warm from the horses body, which wierds me out when I think about it too much. If I could just take some of the milk and stick it in the fridge, it would really be the best refreshment!! After drinking the milk we were invited into the family’s ger where we sat around and drank Airag. This is a Mongolian alcoholic beverage. It is not very potent and is given to children on a regular basis. The customs of drinking alcohol with Mongolian are interesting. They had a beautifully carved pail that the airag was in. The horseman filled a wooden bowl with the white substance and handed it with his left arm crossed, and right arm extended to the oldest male guest. At this time, the guest drinks as much as he wants and passes it back to the horseman. Even if the guest only takes a sip, the horseman adds more to the bowl and hands presents the bowl to the next guest. I had been warned about the effects of airag on your stomach and was not feeling well that day. I took a few sips and was surprised that it was not as sour as I was expecting. We sat and enjoyed the airag with the horseman and he told us that his horse had won a Naadaam race. The prize? A washing machine. It is interesting to be in the middle of the country, in a ger, and see a washing machine. You can tell by the amount of horses that this man is well-off.
It is so exciting to be learning all these different customs of Mongolian culture. Trying new things really adds an element of excitement to life that is vital to general happiness. It has become a part of my everyday life, to encounter something new and interesting. I think that when we are “home” we are in our comfort zone and often forget about the importance of new experiences. As in a Fiona Apple song, “I’m good at being uncomfortable”, it is this uncomfortable state that helps keep us on our toes. I can only hope that I will continue to constantly try and learn new things throughout the rest of my life. It is easy to fall into the comfortable and the average, but I want to take this moment to encourage everyone who is reading this to take the time to try something new….even if it’s a little uncomfortable.
By the way….I also saw my first goat being skinned while I was in the countryside. I thought it would be much more bloody and graphic, but it was almost like they were taking off his jacket.
My time in the country was truly amazing. It really is an awesome and meaningful way of life. So much of Mongolia is wide open spaces! It’s something I feel I have missed out on living in Orange County my whole life.
Labor camp was truly a great experience. I slept in a ger, got to experience the countryside and got to hang out with Mongolian kids. It’s so nice to finally be doing activities with kids. Only in an atmosphere like this would you hear an American from Milwalkee say “get your goats off my field”…..only to solicit the response, “those aren’t my goats” from a boy about 13 years old. Chasing goats and cows is actually a useful past time in the country.
Darkhan Days
7/9/07 Darkhan Days
I just got back from a week outside of Sukhbaatar. This was my first venture out of my training community and was possibly my best week so far.
It started out with “Darkhan Days” or “Mid-PST”, as the peace corps refers to it. This is a time that is designated in the middle of my preservice training for all the people of my group (M18) to come together in Darkhan and do some of the administrative parts of training. It is also used as a sanity maintainer and is a good time to socialize with other Americans who have been going through all the same things. This group of people is my training group and we will continue to come together throughout the next 2 years. They are the people I came with, the people I will swear-in with, and the people I will close my service with. We got to Darkhan on July 4th and everyone was ready to be “patriotic” once night time rolled around. There was a ‘trainer vs. trainee’ basketball game, and the peace corps arranged pizza and hot dogs for dinner. Keep in mind that these were Mongolia pizza and hot dogs, and the better things to eat were the Monglian food. There were a few current volunteers that were passing through Darkhan and participated in our training and came to hang out for 4th of July. It was a good time, and it is always nice to talk to the current volunteers and hear what they have to say. It’s also nice to see different faces, other than the ones of the people I am training with in Sukhbaatar.
During these days in Darkhan, I had to give a presentation to a group of ‘at-risk’ youth. They were supposed to be involved in the Juvenile Justice system, but that didn’t work out. Instead they were from an orphanage in Darkhan. I was kind of nervous for my presentation, but I had planned it so I would have to do minimal speaking. Until I get more of the language down, this is going to be the way I do things. It’s fine by me, I’d rather do things more activity based anyway. After all the presentations, we walked the kids back to the orphanage, and got a tour of their home. This really was a nice orphanage and I was quite impressed. The kids were amazing and put on a show for us. Traditional singing and dancing is such a significant part of Mongolian culture that literally every child has a list of songs and dances that they can do off the top of their head. As it turns out, these were the kids that had performed at our opening ceremonies. After a full-on performance, we went outside to hang out with the kids. On the way to the orphanage, we had each made special friends in the group of kids and it was so much fun to play with them. I played soccer for like an hour in the scorching hot sun, until our trainers decided we had to go. They really had to pull us away from these kids! After all the classroom work and training that we do, it was soooo nice to actually get some time with the kids. Mongolian kids are AMAZING and really well behaved! These kids were so happy to have us there and we were so happy to be there. After this time with the kids, I declared this day the best day of training. It continued to be the best day, as I went back to the hotel and to a long, hot shower! The feeling of taking a shower after such a long time without one is something that can not be put into words!!! I was exhausted that night and had my roommate lock me in my room while everyone else continued to celebrate 4th of July…again. The days in Darkhan were nice, but by the end, I was not sad to leave. The people in my sector stayed an extra day because we were going to be heading out to the khudoo (countryside) to work at a summer camp. On this extra night, we saw fireworks….which was really exciting!
I just got back from a week outside of Sukhbaatar. This was my first venture out of my training community and was possibly my best week so far.
It started out with “Darkhan Days” or “Mid-PST”, as the peace corps refers to it. This is a time that is designated in the middle of my preservice training for all the people of my group (M18) to come together in Darkhan and do some of the administrative parts of training. It is also used as a sanity maintainer and is a good time to socialize with other Americans who have been going through all the same things. This group of people is my training group and we will continue to come together throughout the next 2 years. They are the people I came with, the people I will swear-in with, and the people I will close my service with. We got to Darkhan on July 4th and everyone was ready to be “patriotic” once night time rolled around. There was a ‘trainer vs. trainee’ basketball game, and the peace corps arranged pizza and hot dogs for dinner. Keep in mind that these were Mongolia pizza and hot dogs, and the better things to eat were the Monglian food. There were a few current volunteers that were passing through Darkhan and participated in our training and came to hang out for 4th of July. It was a good time, and it is always nice to talk to the current volunteers and hear what they have to say. It’s also nice to see different faces, other than the ones of the people I am training with in Sukhbaatar.
During these days in Darkhan, I had to give a presentation to a group of ‘at-risk’ youth. They were supposed to be involved in the Juvenile Justice system, but that didn’t work out. Instead they were from an orphanage in Darkhan. I was kind of nervous for my presentation, but I had planned it so I would have to do minimal speaking. Until I get more of the language down, this is going to be the way I do things. It’s fine by me, I’d rather do things more activity based anyway. After all the presentations, we walked the kids back to the orphanage, and got a tour of their home. This really was a nice orphanage and I was quite impressed. The kids were amazing and put on a show for us. Traditional singing and dancing is such a significant part of Mongolian culture that literally every child has a list of songs and dances that they can do off the top of their head. As it turns out, these were the kids that had performed at our opening ceremonies. After a full-on performance, we went outside to hang out with the kids. On the way to the orphanage, we had each made special friends in the group of kids and it was so much fun to play with them. I played soccer for like an hour in the scorching hot sun, until our trainers decided we had to go. They really had to pull us away from these kids! After all the classroom work and training that we do, it was soooo nice to actually get some time with the kids. Mongolian kids are AMAZING and really well behaved! These kids were so happy to have us there and we were so happy to be there. After this time with the kids, I declared this day the best day of training. It continued to be the best day, as I went back to the hotel and to a long, hot shower! The feeling of taking a shower after such a long time without one is something that can not be put into words!!! I was exhausted that night and had my roommate lock me in my room while everyone else continued to celebrate 4th of July…again. The days in Darkhan were nice, but by the end, I was not sad to leave. The people in my sector stayed an extra day because we were going to be heading out to the khudoo (countryside) to work at a summer camp. On this extra night, we saw fireworks….which was really exciting!
Ech Mod
7/9/07 Ech Mod
On the day of my friend’s birthday, one of the few weekend days that I actually had plans, my ech (mom) decided to take me to the ‘ech mod’. I had no idea what this was, but I made sure I’d be back in time and went anyway. I realized it was something to do with Buddhism and that is all that I knew. My ech, her son, and I set out for the ech mod, which literally translated means ‘mother tree’. This was my first visit outside of sukhbaatar and my eyes were glued to the beautiful countryside. We drove down a dirt rode, turned down another dirt road, and then another dirt rode. I haven’t quite figured out the direction system in Mongolia yet. Anyway, it was obvious when we had arrived. We drove up to this large tree that was blocked off by Mongolian holy scarves and a wall made out of packs of soil or rice, or something. We walked through the entrance, and after asking for permission, I started snapping pictures. The smell of this holy spot was terrible, but it didn’t take me long to figure out what it was caused by. As I snapped photos, I watched my ech and her son take out a bottle of vodka, a bag of rice, and a bottle of milk from their bag. The proceeded to walk around this enclosed area and kind of spray the contents of their bag onto this tree, covered in blue scarves. I put down the camera and joined in the activity. I walked around and through this tree throwing rice onto it’s scarf covered branches. My ech flicked milk on the scarves, and the son flicked vodka. Years of this practice was obviously the cause of the rancid smell of this holy tree. When looking, it is obvious which scarves have been there a while and which were recently tied on. After about 5 minutes and 3 laps around the tree, we got back in the car with our leftover supplies and drove to another tree….I cannot remember which family member it was…..either the child…or the younger sibling. It was much small, had no leaves, and only the bottom was covered in scarves. After practicing the same rituals as at the ech mod, we climbed back in the car and arrived at the second ech mod. I’m not real sure why there are 2 ech mods, but with my limited Mongolian, it was easier to just listen than ask questions. On the way to the second ech mod, I tried to ask why these trees were holy, but I received an obvious answer…..ask Unro (my English speaking doo…younger sister) when we get back. The second ech mod was large with more blue scarfes. We walked around it 3 times, tossed the remaining of our rice, milk, and vodka on it and headed back in the car to go home. During this whole ritual, my ech was telling me how good I was for tossing the rice. I’m not exactly sure what this specific ritual means, but I assume it is like an offering. When I got home I asked Unro about the significance of these trees. She couldn’t explain much, but she basically told me that a long time ago a lady died there (pregnant, I think). Not trying to confuse her, I took this answer and proceeded to my friend’s birthday celebration.
During this experience with the ech mod I was quite fascinated. I don’t know the full significance of these trees, but it really seemed like an appreciation for nature. These trees were in the middle of the beautiful countryside. I’m not sure if it was a forest, but there were other trees around. In my limited explanation, my ech told me it is bad luck to move the tree. I think of the quote from a Nelly Furtado song, “I see G-d in the earth and the trees”. The phenomenon of nature is something that is very difficult to grasp without believing in a higher power. I think whether a person believes in a higher power or not doesn’t really matter, but one can not deny nature and science. I thought it was really neat to see the appreciation Buddhists have for nature. I once asked a friend if he was religious, he responded, “I believe in nature”. I think this was a brilliant answer and is as simple as you can get, and completely makes sense. The earth’s energy is something that can not necessarily be explained, but it also can not be denied. There is something that makes this world go round and work as it does, it is this energy that is the basis of my belief in anything.
There is an energy between people and nature that is only obvious when out in physical nature. I think it is key to realize this connection even when in the concrete maze and planned out mass that we live in the U.S. In Orange County, for instance, even though every tree was planted and ever grassy area rolled out, the natural ways and energies of the world are still evident. In Long Beach and LA, where the greenness is limited, I think the natural energy is almost more obvious. The different aspects of these cities and all the different people bumping into each other create an energy that draws people’s attention and locks them in.
…I have lost my train of thought, so I’m going to stop with a simple observation…
THE WORLD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS…
On the day of my friend’s birthday, one of the few weekend days that I actually had plans, my ech (mom) decided to take me to the ‘ech mod’. I had no idea what this was, but I made sure I’d be back in time and went anyway. I realized it was something to do with Buddhism and that is all that I knew. My ech, her son, and I set out for the ech mod, which literally translated means ‘mother tree’. This was my first visit outside of sukhbaatar and my eyes were glued to the beautiful countryside. We drove down a dirt rode, turned down another dirt road, and then another dirt rode. I haven’t quite figured out the direction system in Mongolia yet. Anyway, it was obvious when we had arrived. We drove up to this large tree that was blocked off by Mongolian holy scarves and a wall made out of packs of soil or rice, or something. We walked through the entrance, and after asking for permission, I started snapping pictures. The smell of this holy spot was terrible, but it didn’t take me long to figure out what it was caused by. As I snapped photos, I watched my ech and her son take out a bottle of vodka, a bag of rice, and a bottle of milk from their bag. The proceeded to walk around this enclosed area and kind of spray the contents of their bag onto this tree, covered in blue scarves. I put down the camera and joined in the activity. I walked around and through this tree throwing rice onto it’s scarf covered branches. My ech flicked milk on the scarves, and the son flicked vodka. Years of this practice was obviously the cause of the rancid smell of this holy tree. When looking, it is obvious which scarves have been there a while and which were recently tied on. After about 5 minutes and 3 laps around the tree, we got back in the car with our leftover supplies and drove to another tree….I cannot remember which family member it was…..either the child…or the younger sibling. It was much small, had no leaves, and only the bottom was covered in scarves. After practicing the same rituals as at the ech mod, we climbed back in the car and arrived at the second ech mod. I’m not real sure why there are 2 ech mods, but with my limited Mongolian, it was easier to just listen than ask questions. On the way to the second ech mod, I tried to ask why these trees were holy, but I received an obvious answer…..ask Unro (my English speaking doo…younger sister) when we get back. The second ech mod was large with more blue scarfes. We walked around it 3 times, tossed the remaining of our rice, milk, and vodka on it and headed back in the car to go home. During this whole ritual, my ech was telling me how good I was for tossing the rice. I’m not exactly sure what this specific ritual means, but I assume it is like an offering. When I got home I asked Unro about the significance of these trees. She couldn’t explain much, but she basically told me that a long time ago a lady died there (pregnant, I think). Not trying to confuse her, I took this answer and proceeded to my friend’s birthday celebration.
During this experience with the ech mod I was quite fascinated. I don’t know the full significance of these trees, but it really seemed like an appreciation for nature. These trees were in the middle of the beautiful countryside. I’m not sure if it was a forest, but there were other trees around. In my limited explanation, my ech told me it is bad luck to move the tree. I think of the quote from a Nelly Furtado song, “I see G-d in the earth and the trees”. The phenomenon of nature is something that is very difficult to grasp without believing in a higher power. I think whether a person believes in a higher power or not doesn’t really matter, but one can not deny nature and science. I thought it was really neat to see the appreciation Buddhists have for nature. I once asked a friend if he was religious, he responded, “I believe in nature”. I think this was a brilliant answer and is as simple as you can get, and completely makes sense. The earth’s energy is something that can not necessarily be explained, but it also can not be denied. There is something that makes this world go round and work as it does, it is this energy that is the basis of my belief in anything.
There is an energy between people and nature that is only obvious when out in physical nature. I think it is key to realize this connection even when in the concrete maze and planned out mass that we live in the U.S. In Orange County, for instance, even though every tree was planted and ever grassy area rolled out, the natural ways and energies of the world are still evident. In Long Beach and LA, where the greenness is limited, I think the natural energy is almost more obvious. The different aspects of these cities and all the different people bumping into each other create an energy that draws people’s attention and locks them in.
…I have lost my train of thought, so I’m going to stop with a simple observation…
THE WORLD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS…
Saturday, June 30, 2007
footprints in the sand
I have been in a more comtemplative mood lately. On weekdays I walk to school in the morning and after about 4 hours of Mongolian language lesson I walk home for lunch. Maybe it is the peace corps strong warning about people falling in potholes or maybe its my own interest, but I find myself noticing the footprints in the sand. I see the footprint and take notice to the shoes mostly...converse, pumas, umbro soccer shoes, cleats, or hasha sandals. Sometimes I see...crocks, now i know i am the only one with crocks in this town and i know this footprint is mine. it serves somewhat as a symbolism for me. I am really just learning in Sukhbaatar, but no matter how insignificant my role, i am leaving my footprint in the sand. Everyone around here has noticed the 15 american peace corps volunteers and little kids will scream "hi, hi" as you walk by. some will even say "how are you?", but when i respond with a simple, "i'm good, how are you?" they giggle and run away. they have no idea what they are saying...they just know that it's in English. The other day we practiced games in mongolian with a bunch of mongolian kids. people as they walked by joinged our group and the kids were so excited to play with americans. they laughed as we muttered the directions and made mistakes with our crappy mongolian skills. Where this experience will lead me....i have no idea!! only time will tell. All i know is that i'm happy to be leaving my footprint in a place on the other side of the world and a place that would otherwise not know I exist. I think sometimes, in our everyday lives we forget that with everything we do...we live our footprint. In all of our interactions we are leaving an impact on the people we are sharing our lives with. People have always said....a smile goes a mile, but i think that smile needs to be genuin and it is important to appreciate all the people that walk in and out of our lives. All of these interactions make up who we are and how we perceive the world. Everything is a matter of perception and I think people would be more satistied with their lives if they realize that they are leaving their footprint in the sand. Everybody's footprint is different, but recognizable if we take the time to look.
on another note:
Today, I chopped wood and learned how to cook Mongolian food on a fire stove. it is really cool to think about when i get home....i'll be able to say "i'll cook you some bomb mongolian food"! I have been here for almost a month....i think.....but it's funny my mind still sometimes reverts to hebrew. i feel sometimes that because i went to israel before coming here i was somewhat more prepared. simply because i have gotten over the "i miss american food" stage. of course i miss the people in my life at home, but i have gotten past the innitial shock and know that the important ones will keep in touch and still be there when i get back. (physically or not)
on another note:
Today, I chopped wood and learned how to cook Mongolian food on a fire stove. it is really cool to think about when i get home....i'll be able to say "i'll cook you some bomb mongolian food"! I have been here for almost a month....i think.....but it's funny my mind still sometimes reverts to hebrew. i feel sometimes that because i went to israel before coming here i was somewhat more prepared. simply because i have gotten over the "i miss american food" stage. of course i miss the people in my life at home, but i have gotten past the innitial shock and know that the important ones will keep in touch and still be there when i get back. (physically or not)
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
blog #3
Blog #3: 6-26-07 ( I have decided to start dating these because who knows when they will be posted…I date them for when I right them)
I overheard somebody say today that I have been here for 20 days. I’m not really sure if time is going by fast or slow. I basically have NO sense of time whatsoever…..and its kind of nice. With everyday, I feel that I am becoming more comfortable in Sukhbaatar and am becoming more familiar with the area. At night, it is sometimes hard to find my way home, but I’ve got it down now. Even in the dark. Don’t worry….I always have somebody walk me home. It’s really cute, at night all the guys become super protective over the girls, making sure we are safe. If I’m walking with two guys down a street and we see people coming the other way, they automatically tense up, put me in the middle of them, and prepare for whatever may come. So far, I have not had any problems with being harassed by drunk people. I have had a few encounters with some drunk guys, but nothing that wouldn’t happen on an average night in California.
Alright…..for those wondering how I’m living over here, here it goes. I live in a 2 story pink brick house, in an Aimag center called Sukhbaatgar (near Russian border). It is bigger than anything I’ve ever lived in. I have electricity, but no running water, which is really not as bad as it sounds. The outhouse took some getting used to, but now it doesn’t really phase me. I definitely appreciate a toilet and a shower more than ever. I have to resort to spongebathing in my peace corps assigned pink tub. It’s not the best, but it gets me clean. I have decided that on those frustrating days, where I have extra money, I will treat myself to a shower at the bathhouse. I was so nervous when I went because I didn’t know what to expect, but it really wasn’t bad at all. It was not a big room of shower heads like I was thinking. Instead it was a row of shower stalls. You basically have your own shower room. The water was warm and it felt GREAT!! I live with a 13 year old girl, Unroe and her 17 year old friend, Segi, an 8 year old boy, and their grandparents. My host family is so nice! Unroe knows a fair amount of English, but I told her to try not to talk to me in English because it will be better for my Mongolian learning. Mongolian is a difficult language, but it is coming along. Due to the hospitality of Mongolians and the peace corps guidelines, the majority of the furniture in the household is in my room. I have a very nice set up and really can’t complain. Peace corps assigned everyone a sleeping bag, a first aid kit, a water distiller, and a mosquito net. So far, I only use the water distiller. I have found that one of the best games to share with Mongolians is UNO! They love it!! It is really a universal game and easy to catch onto. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a yellow 7 thrown down with so much gumption! It’s also an easy way to practice the numbers and some colors in Mongolian. Mongolians love Enrique Iglesias! My little “doos” (the Mongolian word for younger sibling) walk around the house singing “Maria…..” personally I don’t really like this song, but they enjoy it. One day I played my Avril Lavigne CD for Unroe and she was asking me what the songs meant. They all seemed to be bitter songs about boys. Anyway, my house is about 15 minute walk from the school where all my training takes place. It’s a nice walk, but sometimes the guard dogs are a little intimidating…..so I changed my path to one with less dogs. There are sooo many dogs around here! So far there are 2 things I don’t trust in Mongolia, one is the dogs, and the other is the drivers. The dogs, you can only sometimes tell the crazy ones….of course some are really nice and sweet…..but you never know. That’s just how I feel, some of my friends are more friendly with the dogs. I have two dogs…they are nice. Dogs here NEVER live inside. They roam the streets….rummaging through trash, guarding their home, playing and mating. And for the drivers…..I don’t trust them because they are always trying to avoid potholes and other bumps in the dirt roads, so if you are walking…you never know when they are going to swerve. It’s actually kind of cute to hear the little kids yell “machine” when a car is coming. When you hear that, you get off the road and wait for the car to go by.
Sukhbaatar is amazing. I live right next to the mountains, and there are plenty of options for hikes. I have done a little exploring and will continue try new hikes. The sky is amazing! I feel like, if I climbed the right mountain I could touch the clouds. For somebody who usually hates rain, I love the rainy days here. It is absolutely beautiful! It will be a bright beautiful day, and you will be able to see the dark clouds coming. Suddenly it starts to get gloomy and you feel a wind. Suddenly, you hear bits of thunder and see lightening as if it is in a photograph. It begins to rain, but only for a little while. While it is raining, you can still see the beautiful blue sky that used to be overhead. As the dark clouds move, you feel the sun warming up your skin, and the blue sky is painted with distinct clouds of white and purple. There is really nothing like it! I always want to take pictures of the sky!
I overheard somebody say today that I have been here for 20 days. I’m not really sure if time is going by fast or slow. I basically have NO sense of time whatsoever…..and its kind of nice. With everyday, I feel that I am becoming more comfortable in Sukhbaatar and am becoming more familiar with the area. At night, it is sometimes hard to find my way home, but I’ve got it down now. Even in the dark. Don’t worry….I always have somebody walk me home. It’s really cute, at night all the guys become super protective over the girls, making sure we are safe. If I’m walking with two guys down a street and we see people coming the other way, they automatically tense up, put me in the middle of them, and prepare for whatever may come. So far, I have not had any problems with being harassed by drunk people. I have had a few encounters with some drunk guys, but nothing that wouldn’t happen on an average night in California.
Alright…..for those wondering how I’m living over here, here it goes. I live in a 2 story pink brick house, in an Aimag center called Sukhbaatgar (near Russian border). It is bigger than anything I’ve ever lived in. I have electricity, but no running water, which is really not as bad as it sounds. The outhouse took some getting used to, but now it doesn’t really phase me. I definitely appreciate a toilet and a shower more than ever. I have to resort to spongebathing in my peace corps assigned pink tub. It’s not the best, but it gets me clean. I have decided that on those frustrating days, where I have extra money, I will treat myself to a shower at the bathhouse. I was so nervous when I went because I didn’t know what to expect, but it really wasn’t bad at all. It was not a big room of shower heads like I was thinking. Instead it was a row of shower stalls. You basically have your own shower room. The water was warm and it felt GREAT!! I live with a 13 year old girl, Unroe and her 17 year old friend, Segi, an 8 year old boy, and their grandparents. My host family is so nice! Unroe knows a fair amount of English, but I told her to try not to talk to me in English because it will be better for my Mongolian learning. Mongolian is a difficult language, but it is coming along. Due to the hospitality of Mongolians and the peace corps guidelines, the majority of the furniture in the household is in my room. I have a very nice set up and really can’t complain. Peace corps assigned everyone a sleeping bag, a first aid kit, a water distiller, and a mosquito net. So far, I only use the water distiller. I have found that one of the best games to share with Mongolians is UNO! They love it!! It is really a universal game and easy to catch onto. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a yellow 7 thrown down with so much gumption! It’s also an easy way to practice the numbers and some colors in Mongolian. Mongolians love Enrique Iglesias! My little “doos” (the Mongolian word for younger sibling) walk around the house singing “Maria…..” personally I don’t really like this song, but they enjoy it. One day I played my Avril Lavigne CD for Unroe and she was asking me what the songs meant. They all seemed to be bitter songs about boys. Anyway, my house is about 15 minute walk from the school where all my training takes place. It’s a nice walk, but sometimes the guard dogs are a little intimidating…..so I changed my path to one with less dogs. There are sooo many dogs around here! So far there are 2 things I don’t trust in Mongolia, one is the dogs, and the other is the drivers. The dogs, you can only sometimes tell the crazy ones….of course some are really nice and sweet…..but you never know. That’s just how I feel, some of my friends are more friendly with the dogs. I have two dogs…they are nice. Dogs here NEVER live inside. They roam the streets….rummaging through trash, guarding their home, playing and mating. And for the drivers…..I don’t trust them because they are always trying to avoid potholes and other bumps in the dirt roads, so if you are walking…you never know when they are going to swerve. It’s actually kind of cute to hear the little kids yell “machine” when a car is coming. When you hear that, you get off the road and wait for the car to go by.
Sukhbaatar is amazing. I live right next to the mountains, and there are plenty of options for hikes. I have done a little exploring and will continue try new hikes. The sky is amazing! I feel like, if I climbed the right mountain I could touch the clouds. For somebody who usually hates rain, I love the rainy days here. It is absolutely beautiful! It will be a bright beautiful day, and you will be able to see the dark clouds coming. Suddenly it starts to get gloomy and you feel a wind. Suddenly, you hear bits of thunder and see lightening as if it is in a photograph. It begins to rain, but only for a little while. While it is raining, you can still see the beautiful blue sky that used to be overhead. As the dark clouds move, you feel the sun warming up your skin, and the blue sky is painted with distinct clouds of white and purple. There is really nothing like it! I always want to take pictures of the sky!
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