Year 2, New Beginnings!

Hey all! How’s it going? So it’s been forever since I’ve last written a blog. I don’t even think I know how to write well anymore since it’s been so long. A lot has happened so I may not be able to recount all of the details in regards to what happened within this year. But anyway this blog is going to be about my fun but short summer experience and my new found perspective on life in Mongolia as I go into my second year of service. With one year down I finally believe that I have a better grasp for being in the Peace Corps as well as living in Mongolia.

            School ended for me on June 6^th of this year. I was on a plane headed to America on June 9^th. I knew I was going to miss America while being in Mongolia, but I didn’t think I would be so desperate to return to the country that I chose to leave behind. When I went home my family had a small surprise gathering to welcome me home. Everyone was close to tears when they saw me. Being separated from your loved ones you don’t realize how much you’ve missed them until you are reunited. Entering my home I was greeted with a dozen helium filled, metallically colored balloons, smiles from ear to ear on my family member’s faces, and delicious Guyanese cuisine.  Going back home in June was also the first time in over 5 years that I was able to see one of aunts again. It was great to see her as well as my cousin. Everyone was happy to be united with me once again but moments after settling down my mother had hinted to me to take a shower. I guess my Mongol funk greeted them as soon I walked in the door. I was unaware of my new interesting smell because it became normal to me.

            Anyway, my time in America was great but went by very fast. One of the best things that I was able to do was drive my car again. I missed driving when I was in Mongolia and I yearned to have my hands strapped to a steering wheel driving down the paved New York City streets. I drove everyday, everywhere. I journeyed through all 5 boroughs and Long Island. Another great thing about being home was the variety in everything. This included culture, cuisine, shopping centers, outdoor locations, etc. I engaged in eating almost every kind of food imaginable and spending my Sundays laid out on the shores of Riis, Robert Moses, and Far Rockaway beach.  I didn’t realize how much I missed the coast until a stuck my feet in the cool, semi-opaque waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. I reminisced about the times before that I went to the beach growing up and I felt very delighted to be home. Although the feelings of nostalgia began to engulf my memory again, I realized that I’d outgrown the desire of being a New York City girl.  After 4 weeks of being in America I was more than ready to head back to the place that had been my home for the past year.

            Coming back to Mongolia was not nearly as difficult as I had imagined it being. I was ready to get back into the swing of being the foreign girl that lived in a town of 10,000 people. I also was anticipating reuniting with my fellow cohort that I had grown to love over the past year. I was back in Dundgovi for about 2 weeks until I embarked on my next adventure into Darkhan city and later Selenge aimag. In both locations I participated in English summer camps with 4 other Peace Corps volunteers. It was a pleasant experience to work with Mongolian students and adults from different regions of the country besides Dundgovi. I honestly feel like having interactions with family and other Americans during the summer was a release and a good seg-way into the upcoming school year. I do not regret for one moment my decision on not being at my site for an extended amount of time during the summer.

            That being said I am more than ready to see how my final year in Mongolia will unfold. I intend on traveling a little bit less and using this time to focus more on my community and continuing to build relationships with the new volunteers present as well as the faculty and staff members at my school. Going into year two I have more of an upper hand because I know what to expect. I also know what triggered me to spiral into different emotions, happy and melancholic, and I think I will be able to better control my “destiny.” I’m ready for you year two! Let’s make this one a good one! Until next time…

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

            I hope all of you brought in your New Year with your loved ones! For those of you that celebrated New Years alone, I hope this year brings you all the happiness and aspirations you plan to accomplish. I brought in my New Year in the South Gobi aimag of Mongolia. I’ve also been in Mongolia for 8 months! Wow! Time feels like its slipping out of my hands.

            Not much has occurred since I last blogged. I’m still forging ahead while combatting winter in one of the coldest countries in the world. The temperature has dropped tremendously since October. Although Mongolians claim that this is one of the warmest winter in years, there have been days when the high in my town has been 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowest temperature thus far has been -17 degrees Fahrenheit. Nothing can describe the feeling of the bitter cold air greeting you as soon as you step outside. After walking for about 15 minutes, I feel as though 1,000 daggers have sliced my delicate face. My nose hairs freeze and icicles form on my eyelashes. I’m usually walking with an upbeat speed because I want to get to my destinations as quickly as possible, resisting frostbite.

            Besides the cold weather being a pain at times, it is the holiday season! Tsagaan Sar (Buddhist New Year) is around the corner and I am looking forward to that. I intend on visiting my host family from the summer in Selenge aimag. I have not seen the bulk of my Mongolian family since the summer and I miss them dearly. I know that it will be a time of celebration including a lot of buuz (which are Mongolian dumplings), gifts, and lots of alcohol. I am going try my best to sustain from drinking as much as possible because I do not enjoy drinking vodka.  

            Aside from that, life has been the same. I am still teaching and living my day-to-day life as an American in Mongolia. I have improved in the language and I am still eager to learn more.  It’s a good feeling when you can understand conversations and talk to people with somewhat of an educated response. When I first arrived to my site I was sounding very primitive and using mainly hand gestures and other form of charades to communicate my thoughts and feelings. My Mongolian dictionary was also within my clutch at all times. But anyway, I will stop rambling! I will post pictures and share experiences about Tsagaan Sar after it has past. You will be hearing from me soon. Take care friends and family!

Today Was a Good Day

            I’m feeling like Ice Cube in his video It Was a Good Day. Why do you ask? Well for one my regional manager and the new DMO of Peace Corps Mongolia visited my ger today. It was good to be around Peace Corps staff. We engaged in two-hour conversation and some of the topics we discussed related to my ger, safety, security, and other Peace Corps top-secret information. It was quite amusing how annoyed they were when my stovepipe kept rattling back and forth from the monstrous wind. Prior to the visit I thought it was normal for my pipe to talk back to me when the wind angrily shoved it around. Guess I was wrong! What made my visit even better was when my DMO gave me some presents from America land. The items were simple, but being in Mongolia, the simplest things have the most significant meaning. She rewarded me with a roll of Charmin toilet paper (the stuff I’ve been using is literally tree bark, ha!) and a box of Kraft’s macaroni and cheese. I oozed joy when she presented me with these two items. I never thought that I would be so excited to see a box of mac and cheese, but Mongolia will do that to you.

            Furthermore, I finally received my package that my mother had sent to me. I thought I was never going to get it. I impatiently waited three weeks for my package to arrive and to finally receive it feels like I’ve been sent a bar of gold. My mom treated me to a lot of things that I missed and needed dearly. It was like my personal pre-winter kit. The package included tea (vanilla spice, ginger, apple cinnamon, etc.), Vicks vapor rub, tights (I think I’ll be using these next year because I will morph into an icicle if I walked outside wearing mesh tights), leggings, long johns, candy (kit kat and snickers), hair products, tide to go (oh how I missed thee), eyeliner, blistex, an external hard drive, Ugg boots, and much more. Nonetheless I was as happy as a baby with a pacifier.

            I truly needed this good day. It is the start of the week and I am now optimistic for the rest of the week to unfold. I’ve been feeling a world wind of emotions and its good to finally feel on top again. I know that this journey is an emotional rollercoaster but that's what makes the process all the more worth it. But before I get mushy on you all I will stop at just that. Winter’s a coming and I’m ready for it! Currently its 16 degrees Fahrenheit and I’m living in a home made out of felt. Sometimes I wonder if you have to be slightly insane to do what I am doing. But I’m taking in ever moment, good and bad, and experiencing Mongolia through my own eyes! Have a great night and a great week everyone!

Some of the contents in my care package.

Ugg boots. Thanks Mom!

It Was A Good Day - Ice Cube

Наєр

So first and foremost I would like to apologize for not writing many blog entries. It’s so easy to get caught up in the events going on around you that you forget to let the rest of the world know what’s going on. In this blog I will focus on an experience that has had an impact on my life within the past couple of weeks. I will be discussing Mongolian house warming parties (Наєр).

            For the past couple of weeks the teachers at my school have been attending Наєр (Naer transliterated). In Mongolia when a person or family purchases a new home, whether it is a ger, house, or apartment, they have a Наєр, also known as a house warming party. This event is to welcome coworkers, family members, acquaintances, etc. to one’s new home and it also serves as a blessing to the household. In America we have Наєр’s as well but in Mongolia they usually play out in the same fashion. So far I have attended 2 Наєр’s and they have comprised of the same agenda. When you first arrive to the person’s house you take a seat and usually wait for other guest to be fully seated. When you walk in you are greeted by a décor of dried fruit and candy, fashionably displayed on coffee tables. Also there are bottles of vodka and an abundance of plates and bowls that are used for airag and food. Then phase 1 begins.

                        Phase 1 entails being served salad (fruit or potato, sometimes both), airag, and a shot of vodka. Once everyone receives their salad, airag, and shot of vodka, we move on to phase 2, which is composed of the main course. I cannot generalize, as I’ve only attended two of these house-warming parties, but the main course is shul (soup in English). The soup contains potatoes, carrots, meat, tomato flavoring, and noodles. Not to digress, but I have to say that Mongolians are very good at making soup. Although their ingredients are modest, the flavoring leaves you craving more after you are finished. When all of the guest are finished eating the true festivities begin.

Phase 3 entails drinking numerous shots of vodka and airag and singing a Mongolian song. This is when everyone relaxes and engages in conversation and when people begin singing, everyone chimes in. Unfortunately for me I did not know the full length of any Mongolian song. I did know the first line for one song so when it was my turn to sing I harmoniously sang the first line with all of my heart and soul and lip-synced the rest of the words. I’m pretty sure that the schoolteachers knew I was faking my knowledge of the song but they still sang with joy. The singing is usually the ending to the Наєр but sometimes guests remain and engage in conversation until the feast is concluded.

I am not too sure how many more of these house-warming parties I will be invited to but I am glad to accept any invitation upon request. Free food and spending time with your coworkers! What more can a girl ask for? In other news the weather is starting to get a bit chilly. There are still nice warm days in between when the bright sun kisses my amber cheeks. I am looking forward to winter! Well… until next time.

Road Trip to the Countryside and My Birthday.

            Last weekend I traveled to the countryside with the teachers and administrative staff. I had gone to the countryside prior for the first day of school celebration, but this time I was with them for 3 days and 2 nights. Overall it was a fun trip and it was worth the 35,000 tugriks ($20) that I paid. During our short vacation with one another we visited other soums, the river (the only one that exist in Dundgovi), one of the highest mountain peaks, and an old monastery that was destroyed during the Soviet Union reign. It may seem as though this was a simple weekend but there were many complexities that cannot thoroughly be described.

Mongolians most certainly know how to have fun. I vividly remember maybe 20 minutes into the ride being offered a porcelain bowl filled with a shot of vodka. How could I refuse the offer? I indulged in the shot that was given to me and let the vodka pleasurably burn my esophagus. I was not worried about the journey but rather the destination of feeling more relaxed. During our ride the teachers sang Mongolian tunes, cracked jokes, and made a few rest stops to stretch legs and drink airag, more vodka, and eat candy.

Traveling in Mongolia I’ve realized that the natives do not have an urgency to get to their destination as we do in America. A typical 6-hour ride usually turns into a 12-hour ride. This occurs because of the frequent stops, cars breaking down, and other occurrences that are all apart of the traveler’s destiny. Nonetheless I embraced the journey and relished in being around my fellow peers. I wish I could describe to you all word for word everything that occurred during my weekend voyage to the countryside but I do not want to bore you with a 10-page essay.

Mongolia Vodka (left) and Airag (right)

Sea Buckthorn (really yummy by the way)

View of the mountain, halfway towards the peak

            Furthermore, I celebrated my 23^rd birthday yesterday (September 18^th). It was my first birthday and I was worried that I would be filled with grief. Generally I would bring in my new year of life with my friends and family. When I saw that my friends and family back home were posting comments on my Facebook wall I was consumed by sadness. The teachers at my school transformed my sadness into joy by being just as happy as I was that it was my birthday. They took me to my favorite restaurant in town and we ate delicious Korean food and then they presented a few gifts. I appreciated that they acknowledged this special day for me. While giving a toast, I told them that they were going to be my new family for the next two years and that I was excited to create many memories with them. After the food and gifts we engaged in some Mongolian karaoke. The songs were in Mongolian so I could not sing my heart out but I still participated!

Blowing out my candles.

Cheers!

            Overall my first month at site has been very good. There have been highs and lows but I am beginning to feel a sense of ownership towards my new position as a teacher and also I look forward to creating close relations with people who want to see me prosper and do great things for their community!

First Impressions

I am finally at my site and I must say that there is beauty in this small aimag center. I like the size and the available resources. I am also living in a Mongolian ger, which is a traditional living arrangement that is sacred to the nomadic culture. I was terrified about living in a ger prior to moving and I must say that I like it so far. My favorite part is creating my own fires. It’s a strange feeling to acknowledge that my life will be literally in my own hands during this winter as I try to stay warm.

I have been hanging out a lot with one of my counterparts. She is awesome! She basically took me under her wing and she has showed me this beautiful aimag center, Mandalgovi. I am looking forward to working with her for the next two years. My other counterparts and hosha mother that I have met are very pleasant people as well. I will have more detailed updates when I am able to get my Internet up and running.

Bayartai!

My Ger

Morin Khuur - Mongolian musical instrument

My awesome CP - Bumaa

Me (It was really windy in this pic, hense the hair lol)

A nice view of some of my aimag center from the Black Hill (Khar Ovoo)