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 6th of this year. I was on a plane headed to
America on June 9th. 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…
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