Advice?

I'm starting to get some emails from "incoming" Mongolia Peace Corps Trainees! How exciting, and astounding, actually to think we've been living here for almost a year!

Some answers to commonly asked questions and things I wished they had told us!

1) Yes, you do need to pack the VERY best long underwear money can buy.

2) If you're taller than 5'10 -- bring ALL the clothes and shoes you could possibly need for 2 years. You'll be wearing capri pants with 3/4 length shirts and plastic house shoes otherwise.

3) Don't spend your time at home studying the language. Peace Corps language training is pretty comprehensive and intense your first 3 months. Spend your time eating salad and deli subs and drinking slurpees and visiting with family and friends!

4) Prepare to be stared/gawked at. You will stand out here, regardless of how well you try to integrate. Babies will cry when they see you (ok, this only happened to me once), and women and children will want to touch your hair. It's endearing at first, gets a touch annoying at times, and eventually you grow to accept it as an everyday part of your Mongolian existence.