Cady and Peter in Mongolia!

Barack Obama: A 5 Paragraph Essay

2008-12-07T17:19:00.000-08:00

(On the left) Jessica and (on the right) Dana

This semester, my students were to write 2 5 paragraph essays. One was about a famous person. There other was about a country of the world. I am proud of all of my students because they gave a good effort and because they are learning how to compose an essay.

My favorite quote from the essays is from Jessica who drew a comparison of an aspect of her own culture to that of Italian culture: "Just like Mongolian airag, Italian wine is rated as a traditional and unique drink."

The best of the essays is below. I highlight this for two reasons: 1) the content and 2) the quality of her writing. Dana, the author, received a perfect score. I think you'll agree, she should be very proud of her work.

Name: Dana
Class: Grammar and Vocabulary English, ES306
Date: 05.Decemeber.2008
Assignment: About Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Great change is coming to America. Barack Hussien Obama overcame very difficult life when he was a child. Obama candidate Presidential election of the United States because he was honest and responsibility person. He elected 44th President of the US. He came in the world to change all Americans.

Barack Obama’s childhood was difficult. Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. When he was two years old, his parents divorced. His father died in an automobile accident. His mother died of ovarian cancer. Because of that he used marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol when he was high school. He obtained a lot of experiences when he studied in famous universities.

Using his abilities, he decided to candidate Presidential election of the United States. He stressed the issues such as ending the Iraq War, increasing energy independence and providing universal health care. His campaign held successfully. Supporter of Obama was still increasing. How did he find confident of supporter? That was incredible. Of course, his family helped him a lot. Soon, it was become evident that he absolutely win.

Barack Obama won Presidential election of the US. Obama became first black President. All Americans voted for their 44th President. He will live White House officially on 20, Jan, 2009. His victory will bring change for all Americans. They hope that he never repeat Bush’s mistakes again. That’s why all American voted for him.

Now he need to prove he can change all America. Although his childhood was a difficult, he overcame his life problems. His election campaign became successfully. President of America is Barack Hussien Obama. If somebody has true mind and ability, maybe, you can reach your great purposes and change the world.

Works cited: Newsweek.com Jan, 14, 2008
Rollingstone.com July 10-24. 2008
www.google.com
www.america.gov

Meet Cady's Counterparts! (Old and New!)

2008-11-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

It's time to put some faces with the stories you hear-- and I thought you might enjoy seeing who I spend a majority of my time with here in Mongolia, my counterparts! My agency has undergone a lot of transition in the time I've been here, starting as CHF's GER Initiative, moving into a local NGO, Development Solutions (still implementing the GER Initiative), and in April, they'll start a NEW Mongolian Agrobusiness Support Program (MASP).

These are the friends and Mongolians who have made my work here so enjoyable and rewarding.

My current supervisor, Suvdjamts (Sugi) and I celebrating the beginning of the new Development Solutions NGO.

Peter with Bagana, my first supervisor in Darkhan, now the Deputy Director of the program and still my really good friend.

All the wonderful women I get to work with everyday enjoying some cold weather at our all staff meeting in October! Mooni, Aidya and Zolbo are three of my newest female counterparts.

My counterpart Ataraa, who along with Sugi, keeps us in stiches. He and I are always laughing, speaking MongLish.

Khulan, our current Administrative Officer and Translator, who makes sure I always understand what's happening and helps me with everything. I couldn't survive here without her!

Gereltzam, a former business advisor just left our office to start a new job. It's not the same without her!

Ulzii, our former Administrative Officer has also left recently to start a new job. She was amazing to work with, and Peter and I were very lucky to have her handle all of our housing and settling in! I miss her!

Amaraa, who left recently to study abroad was wonderful to work with! (We're making the standard Mongolian photo pose with the Peace sign!)

It's a great office, so much energy, motivated and hardworking! I know I'm a very lucky PCV!

Ninja Halloween

2008-11-07T01:25:00.000-08:00

I’m generally not a fan of holidays, especially when I’m required to dress up, but this year I really did enjoy Halloween with my students. My 28th Halloween was their first.

The day before the class as a whole was sure they’d be unable to get costumes. They explained they’d never done Halloween before and that outside of the capital there simply weren’t any costumes for the finding. In their minds, a costume was a purchased item. Calming their fears, I told them they’d need only to be creative and paint their faces, use clothing from home. It’s more fun, I explained, when you’ve created your costume.

The next day, I showed up to class to discover a room full of pirates and mummies and gangsters and superheroes and masked ghouls and women of devilish dispositions. Faces were hidden behind paint, masks and ear to ear smiles. As I entered the classroom, they swarmed me, yelling: “Boo!” and “Wa ha ha!” I doubled over in laughter.

Not yet disguised, partly in dread fear of my own humiliation, they asked: “You do not wear costume, Mr. Gerlach! Why?”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. I have a costume. It’s in the teacher’s room next door, but I won’t wear it until later.”

You’d think I’d just told them that Chinggis Khan was Chinese. “NO! NO!” they roared. “NOW! YOU MUST PUT ON NOW!”

Caving in to peer pressure, I went across the hall and changed. When I re-entered, I was greeted by a roomful of uncontrolled laughter and flashing phone cameras. “What are you?” one student asked.

“I’m a ninja” I said, as I let fly my tinfoil-clad cardboard sword. Somehow I don’t think it was my weapon that caught their attention. It might rather have been the black, almost skin-tight long underwear get up covering me from head to toe.

I had to go with it. I got into character and attacked the pirates. The students loved it.

“Now what should we do?”

“We scare other classes!”

And with that, our dark army entered the hallway. We gathered and readied ourselves and then charged into a nearby classroom taught by one of my counterparts. Lightly pushing each other, we screamed them into confusion. I, on the other hand, knowing that if this was a one time deal, was going to make the most of it. As the students’ scares softened, I ran about the room swinging my sword, calling out: “Hee yah! Hee yah!” I went after sitting students. I chopped down my counterpart.

On our way out, we parted with: “Happy Halloween!”

That attack plan repeated until we’d scared all of the classes on the third floor. I couldn’t stop laughing.

Next was apple-bobbing. Seventeen of us, students and teachers alike, put our faces into the cold water to retrieve the apples. The event brought to their faces a genuine, childlike joy, a Halloween innocence that I’ll never take for granted again. I stood back and thought: now this is a great Peace Corps moment. I might have an undependable memory, but those smiles are going to be hard to forget.

After exchanging a little candy, we cleaned up the party and I went back to my office.

Twenty minutes later, as I was chatting with my counterpart about Halloween, there came a rap on the door. It was the students, sans costumes. “What’s up, everybody?” I asked. Instead of a reply, they all looked at each other and giggled. I lowered my head and continued whatever I was working on. I heard camera clicks. I looked up and gave a perplexed smiled. Arms extended, half of them were clicking away. I felt like a celebrity. Then, a few stood behind me. Cameras flashed again. Finally, they collectively gathered round me and asked Suvda, my counterpart, to take a group shot. I gave her my camera too.

To this day, the students haven’t explained to me the post-party photo shoot. Whatever their reasons, that picture is one of my favorites of me with them. I’m really going to miss them when I go back to America.

A World to Admire

2008-10-31T01:06:00.000-07:00

At last I have finished the world map. A project I expected would take 4 days when we started, took a little over 40 hours in 6 days to complete. Due to the scale of the map and my own perfectionism, I grew quite familiar with that wall, spending days of 9, and even 11, straight hours drawing, painting and fixing mistakes. I look at it now and think about all the time and effort we put into it.

It stands 6.43 feet in height and stretches 12.86 feet in length along a well-chosen hallway in my school. It is in a spot where students pass by each day.

As far as I know, 3 other PCVs have done a similar map project in their former schools. Some are bigger, some smaller. Some are more accurate, others not so much. On over all aesthetic appeal, ours is hard to beat.

I, and the student and faculty general population, owe a lot to those who helped me with this project. 19 people, in a variety of roles, worked to complete what is now a beautiful and well-used map of the world, a gift to our school for students to use for decades to come.

Each of the four corners gives a little something extra to the map. In the top left, the school’s logo, and in the top right, the Peace Corps logo. In the bottom left we put a compass and in the bottom right the signatures of those who participated in the creation.

When it was all finished, I had a small opening ceremony. I gave my thanks to those who worked on the project, talking about the many stages and the long hours. Next, each person who helped me (including the cleaning ladies who put the first coat of light blue down and the security guard who helped edge the perimeter in black) signed the map. Finally, I played a slide show on my computer of the 50 plus pictures taken over the last 6 days set to R. Kelly’s “The World’s Greatest.” Sure, it’s Kraft cheesy, but everyone seemed to enjoy it.

I often stand at a distance and watch students point to countries in all corners of the planet. Each time I stop by, it’s a different group of students whose faces read the gamete of expressions: excitement, confusion and pride. Its accessibility and easy-to-use nature makes the educational value more than apparent. Yeah, I’d say the 20 bucks and week’s work was well worth it.

A Countryside Wedding

2008-10-25T20:26:00.000-07:00

As I walked home after work, I thought about what I might be getting myself into. Only weeks earlier had I told my counterparts that I really wanted to see a real Mongolian wedding, a countryside affair. Jokingly, I had told the only single female of the group, Uyangaa that she has only 10 months to wed before time was up, before I’d be on my way back to America. Now one of my students was getting married. What luck! And Khugjmaa, a sort of surrogate mother figure to me, made, on my behalf, unbeknownst to me, a request for invitation to the nuptials. How fortuitous! I could not help but wonder, though, what does a traditional countryside Mongolian wedding look like? What part would I take in it? I knew that many Mongolians were now getting married at wedding palaces, either in Darkhan, or, more likely, in Ulaanbaatar (UB). That, however, was an option generally reserved for those with money and an interest in celebrating in a more “western” style, an option I guessed Dulamsuren’s (Allie’s) family never once considered. The only thing that I was sure of was that the wedding I would be attending tomorrow morning would likely be nothing like my own and that my living in Mongolia only opened the limitlessness of possibilities. As for the rest, I’d just have to wait and see.

Click here to read more!

Healthy and Happy!

2008-10-06T17:51:00.000-07:00

Cady and Peter at Empire!

(This one's for the moms!)

Cady working at the 2008 Darkhan Harvest Trade Fair

Peter teaching General English students

The First 3 Weeks

2008-09-16T02:13:00.000-07:00

The first 3 weeks of this semester have been…a familiar sort of strange. I am no longer surprised at each turn like I was a year ago. Sure, I still often pause in disbelief. I still question the logic of…well, too many things to list. I’m just thankful it’s now and not a year ago. In many ways, Mongolia, Darkhan, my school, is more “normal” than what I imagine America being like.

So far, it has gone like this:

My school again declared that the first day of classes would be one week before the generally accepted day of the opening of all Mongolian schools, 1 September.

The opening day ceremony was held one week after classes were supposed to start. I gave a speech in Mongolian. Of the 2,000 students our school has, 100 or so came.

I taught my first class 2 weeks after classes were supposed to start. Half of the students were there.

Many students have not shown up for classes, citing various reasons for their absence. Even more have not finished registering for their classes, citing various reasons for their indolence.

My teaching schedule has changed 5 times.

We have 3 new English teachers this semester. One is Malaysian. She is part-time. She started last week. One is Mongolian. She is part-time. She started last week. One is Russian. She is full-time. She hasn’t come yet.

I am now team teaching. This is new for us all. I am teaching 3 different classes with my 3 main counterparts: Technical English with Khugjmaa, Grammar and Vocabulary with Suvda, and General English with Uyangaa. The first 2 are with the above-mentioned seniors. The 3rd class is one section of (dare I say) upper level general English students. The planning sessions were great. The actual teaching together has been great.

I am learning how to teach English to an entire class of very beginner English students. Surprisingly, I haven’t had to do that yet. It’s like being back at host site during training. It’s been a lot of fun.

After one week of classes, all the 4th course (senior) Interpreter Engineering students (the group of 15 that I taught the most last year), are now on a two-week break. With no preparation, they are doing Teaching Practice. They will be teaching English to various schools around Darkhan. 1 student has very limited teaching experience. The others...well...

I put a new sign on the door above which reads: “please knock on the door before you enter” on our English office. I also switched desks with one of my counterparts. I was getting really annoyed by all the students opening our office door, peeking in for no apparent reason and closing the door again. How many times can a person say “khaalag togshoroi” (please knock on the door)? It’s one of the few things I still haven’t gotten used to. The project has had mixed results.

I have found a new way to commute to school. It’s a great 15 minute trek. While I walk, I read and listen to music. With the way some Mongolians look at me, you’d think I’d just stepped out of a space ship. He’s not looking ahead while he’s walking. He’s reading…a book. Crazy white man.

I have been “interviewing” students starting for an English club that will begin on 1 October. The club will be for good speakers looking for an outlet to improve their abilities. About half of the interested students have been stumped by: “Please talk about yourself for 1 minute.” Many, though, have been rather impressive.

I met a new and fascinating Mongolian. His name is Buren Scharaw. He lives and works in Germany. He has been there for the last 34 years. He speaks amazing English (and Mongolian and German)…with a thick German accent. Many Mongolians I talked to think he is very un-Mongolian. He manages a water supply and treatment project in the UB/Darkhan area. He comes to Mongolia every month or 2. On his next visit to Darkhan, in mid-November, he has promised to bring bratwurst and perhaps even sauerkraut for a grill-out at our place. Pardon me as I drool.

I am an English teacher in Mongolia. By my calculations, since school “began” 22 (well, 16, if you don’t count weekends) days ago, I have taught 10 classes. I “should have” taught 33 by now.

I wonder what the next 3 weeks will (or won’t) bring. Hmm…

Thankfully Some Things Don’t Change

2008-09-16T02:12:00.000-07:00

Brett Favre may not be our quarterback anymore, but round 2 of Peace Corps/Mongolia Green Bay Packers football is definitely on! I knew it was back because last Tuesday for the first time in months I was back at it, in my Darkhan office glued to the computer watching little moving green and yellow and purple and yellow lines moving back and forth across the screen. Monday Night Football. Packers. Vikings. Lambeau Field. Last second victory. Rodgers, the hero. 24-19. Relief.

Last night I went to bed with that familiar nervous itch. This morning I woke to the I-just-gotta-knows. I had set my alarm for 8 a.m., but at 7:14 I decided I could wait no more. I got up, got dressed and got myself to a computer. Another familiar feeling: the all too long computer loading process. Logging in. Typing nfl.com. Loading nfl.com. Waiting. Nervousness. Scanning the scores. Jubilation. Packers 48. Lions 25. But, of course. Rodgers is the hero once again.

It amuses me to think that this is the most “normal” thing I will experience in my office or at my school all day long. Thank God for the Packers.

I Hate Mosquitoes

2008-09-06T23:10:00.000-07:00

It all began when I was a trainee. I had this funny thing about flies. I hated them. I invested time, effort and even money to kill as many as I could. And, I didn’t have to go out of my way to find them. They found me. Mongolia, and my host family’s house, has more than its fair share of the winged fiends. Even as I write now (I am in my office at my university) there are 3 buzzing about making this entry all the more appropriate. Anyway, every night last summer I had a ritual. I would encircle the room, swatter in hand and vengeance in my heart, looking for the next opportunity to strike! I circled the room dozens of times for up to an hour each night before lying down for bed. For keeping me up and waking me early in the morning all too regularly, I learned to kill with precision and with what is probably an unhealthy sense of excitement and satisfaction. It kept me going, kept me bloodthirsty. I had the time and I certainly had plenty of motivation. Over the course of the summer I got quite good at it…and talking about it. My site mates recall numerous days and one particular evening when I carried on with a drunken diatribe about flies, how they knew what they were doing, that they enjoyed messing with me and how my battles with them were nothing short of epic. To this day, I get somewhat regular text messages from people sharing their own displeasure for and encounters with flies. I console them and give advice. You might say I’m somewhat of an authority on the subject. Sadly…and amusingly…flies are one of the things I remember most about my time as a trainee.

Moving forward...

Since moving to our new apartment I’ve found a new foe. Sure, there are still flies, but their numbers hail in comparison and they don’t keep me from sleeping. I see it like this: the game is the same, the opponent has changed. I still encircle the room but now I am looking for mosquitoes. They’re smaller. They hide better. They bite. And when struck they sometimes explode (can you see the smile spread wide across my face?).

The other night, I had a particularly epic battle with the skeeters in our bedroom. I was a man obsessed, spending countless hours staring at walls and ceilings in hopes of finding those vampiric little freaks. I was now well beyond a before bed ritual. I was now well beyond hoping for colder weather that would kill them all. I had now been woken from my sleep several times, thinking each time that I had assassinated the last one. It was as if they had either risen from the dead, popping off the walls and ceilings, or they were waiting in line, the next one waiting 15 minutes until I’d turned the light off again and gone back to bed to make his strike. More likely, of course, there was an entry point I had since left unaccounted. When I first turned off the light and laid down it was 11:00 p.m. I’d spent a half hour making sure the room was clear of mosquitoes. In the last 2 hours, then, the stats were as follows:
30 minutes of bad sleep
90 minutes of trying to calm down and fall back asleep
4 times getting up, turning the lights on and clearing the room
11 dead mosquitoes
1 pissed off insomniac.

I’d had enough.

You might be asking, Why did he let it get so bad? Why didn’t he get up sooner and figure out a better plan? Well, in previous nights it has sometimes taken 2-3 rousing to extinguish the threat. And, in my delirium, I didn’t know what time it was or how long I’d been at this.

In 2 and half hours I was over the double digit mark. 11. That’s just too damn many in one night, in one room.

I killed 2 more. 1 on the wall behind the bed. 1 on the ceiling near the door.

At 1:30 Custer made his last stand and decided to change history. I opened the bedroom door (moving the stool that is there at night to keep the door closed…yup, ah huh) and retrieved a roll of scotch tape and a scissors. I came back in, returned the stool to its post and threw open the curtains. I proceeded to tape up the windows, taping every conceivable entry point. As I taped I could see my reflection the window. A dark smirk stared back.

Just then 3 mosquitoes swarmed me. The jig is up! I’ve never seen mosquitoes move like that (I exaggerate not…well, a tiny bit, but it was crazy how they encircled and swooped around me). My training in the fly wars came back to me. I retaliated. I located my holstered swatter, unsheathed it and took to combat. 1 down! 2 down! Ha, ha, take that! 3 down!

I finished up the taping, double and triple checking my work. The perimeter was secure.

Next, I checked every wall and the whole ceiling for more access points. Nothing.

By 1:58 a.m. the bleeding had stopped.

I went back to my side of the bed (oh, Cady was asleep in the living room...we both had colds and didn't want to make the other sicker...I probably should have mentioned that earlier...anyway), placed the tape and scissors on the end table and the swatter just beside the bed on the floor (its nightly locale…always at the quick and ready). I sat down and looked at my pillow. To my chagrin, but more so to my satisfaction, there was a bloodstain on my pillowcase. I thought back, smiling, Yeah, I remember killing that one.

I took out a pad of paper and a mechanical pencil (they’re the only ones I’ll use…just a side note). Before I would forget the night’s events I sat down and wrote a few details. I’m definitely writing a blog about this.

I looked at my alarm clock. It read 2:18. I got up, turned off the light and climbed back into bed.

I slept soundly for the remainder of the night…dreaming of conquest, I’m sure.

Home, Sweet NEW Home

2008-08-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

We have moved to...the other side of town...

Actually, we are really rather pleased with our new home. In a way it's as if we've earned an upgrade. And, this place is an upgrade:

- A real entryway
- A kitchen with lots of cupboards (at last, storage space)
- A kitchen sink with an additional water filter tapper
- Real wood floor hallways
- A nook large enough for a small office space
- A 2nd bedroom (which is now our gym equipped with bench, weights and Gazelle)
- A real toilet with push-button flushing action and a real 2-part toilet seat
- A real sink that has its own faucet
- A bad ass shower with a high-power shower head
- A better location:
3 minutes from the post office
2-5 minutes from Darkhan's best restaurants
Peter is now 15 minutes from school, not 50 (Cady still gets driven to work in the CHF jeep)
1-10 minutes from Darkhan's best grocery stores
- Out of an apartment owned by the craziest Mongolian we have ever met

There's only one thing we really miss from our old home: the comfy furniture. Well, there's also our wonderful local delguur (store) owner and the great neighborhood kids. They will be missed.

A little history/info.: this apartment was used by Peace Corps programmers this last summer during training. Knowing that our landlord was only going to give us 1 month to vacate, we visited this apartment the night we checked out all the soon-to-be available apartments we knew of in Darkhan. It wasn't even our plan to stop by, but it was recommended to us along the way by a Mongolian friend. What luck. We found out that this apartment was owned by the director of the nicest bank in Darkhan, a man with quite a bit of social clout.

We are both very happy to have a fresh start for year 2 and we are excited to finally be in our new home. After a month of waiting, we are finally moved in and almost ready to take photos to share with all of you.

And I'm back...

2008-07-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

The PCMO (Peace Corps Medical Officer) gave me a whole lot of stripable free weights from his personal gym this past weekend. I'm working out at home now, but I'm back in business...

Gym No More

2008-07-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

Today is a sad, sad day. I was told that I can no longer go to my gym. The owner came into gym 15 minutes into my session and notified me that the lease has run out on the woman who runs the gym. I didn't even ask if the gym would be re-opened with him as manager or someone else because he made it very clear that I should not return. What can you say to that?

The most difficult part of all this is that going to that gym has been my mental health outlet. I have really relied on that gym.

The other difficult part is that I thought that the woman who ran the gym (one of Cady's clients) and I were friends. We had such a good relationship. She came into the gym a week ago with another man who was clearly a potential buyer looking at the equipment. She told me that everything was fine and that I shouldn't worry. My guess is that she could not afford the gym anymore. She recently took out a very large loan and I don't think that her regular clients were really paying regularly. It was business venture that was just too large and complicated for her. I wish she would have told me this herself.

I've spoken with our medical officer here and he is going to give me some dumbells to use at home. Coupled with a home work out dvd I hope to be getting from America, I think that I will be just fine. The sessions will be different, but that's okay. I will just have to be a little more creative now.

The Thrill of the Chase

2008-06-13T04:09:00.000-07:00

I recently learned a very valuable lesson about life in the Mongolian countryside.

It was the last day of English Language Vacuum Training #2 (see previous Vacuum Training #1 blog entry if unfamiliar) and my PCV cohort, Brody, and I decided to go on a hike with the participants. Well, the teachers (as many Mongolians do) preferred to stroll out a bit, find a nice spot, sit down and relax with a little alcohol and some food. Brody and I, however, were up for a little more challenge. So, with our summit looking right at us in the distance, he and I went on ahead.

We were having a good time, talking about previous hikes we'd been on. We were making good time. We went quite a ways away from the others, making our way down a deep gully, then up again and then across a wide valley and onto a worn path to the top of a ridge. At the base of the ridge, on the other side, I honed in on two things: the base of the mountain where we would begin our ascent and a pretty well-developed ger and hashaa. Brody turned the other direction to gaze out on where we had come from and to see where the other teachers had stopped on the distant, first tall hill we'd crossed 45 minutes before. I was about to go for my camera when I saw imminent danger.

"Hey, Brody, turn around for second. Look down there."

"What?"

"Those dogs are coming for us...and fast!"

"Oh, sh*@!"

With the speed of a Mongol horde, 4 large dogs were racing from the hashaa, across the valley and up the ridge we had been standing on. Immediately Brody and I took off running. We could see that we could not match their speed and that within seconds they would be on top of us. We were running for our lives, frantically looking for sticks and rocks. There weren't any. We continually looked back to check their progress. We braced ourselves for the worst.

In the time that we ran 50 yards, the dogs had probably covered a distance of about 400 yards. They were big, fast and had a single thought on their minds: attack.

As we fled down the long ridge slope we continually looked at each other with equal dread fear and inextinguishable excitement. There are few times in my life when I thought I was going to die. This was one of them.

Just as we discovered a few frail sticks we noticed that the herder, riding on his horse, had topped the ridge. He'd called off the hunt.

Now safe, Brody and I could not help but laugh at our good fortune. How close we had come. It was terrifying. It was exhilarating. It was even...fun?

Whatever it was, it was intense and it has opened my eyes to how life really is on the steppe.

One YEAR!

2008-06-02T00:54:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it! It's been a year (TODAY!), and we're so happy to share with all of you that we are happy, healthy, and time has been flying by! It's hard to believe that only one year ago we knew very little about our future home, spoke no Mongolian, and were flying by the seat of our pants. Today, we speak a little more Mongolian, know more about our current home of Mongolia, although we're still flying by the seat of our pants!

Trafficking In Persons

2008-05-13T00:38:00.000-07:00

One secondary project I spend a lot of my time on is "Trafficking in Persons," or "TIP", related issues. I sit on the TIP committee for Peace Corps Mongolia, put together training materials for other PCVs to use, give trainings around town to different groups, and work with Mongolian NGOs focused on TIP issues to improve PCV collaboration.

In March, another PCV, our Mongolian counterpart, and I had a hugely successful event-- over 600 high school students attended a training at the local theater, sponsored by the Darkhan Student Union and Women's Union. There was the traditional Mongolian pomp and circumstance, many speeches preceeding our training, a giant sign with logos, and all the traditional Mongolian "event" makings. It was fantastic to see such a large audience reached and awesome to think about making that many people aware of the topic and increasing their awareness of TIP, travelling abroad, and making smart decisions about work/study abroad opportunities.

One of the many speeches preeceding our training

But today, on a smaller, but possibly more effective scale, today I gave a training to 50 college students studying to be social workers. There was no stage, no bright lights, and certainly no speeches by the aimag governor. But these social workers will be the people placed in local government houses, local schools, and hospitals. These women and men will be the ones who can have a direct and real impact on the people and communities they will serve. They were engaged, interested, and feverishly taking notes. They will be the people who can identify vulnerable and at-risk youth, and now armed with the information about TIP issues in Mongolia, hopefully they can make a difference.

It's times like today when I realize scale isn't important-- it's the quality and capacity for development and improvement of those involved.

A "Rocky" Moment

2008-05-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

Usually when I run to the gym I am met with wide eyes and dropped jaws. I may as well have green skin and 3 heads. Some people pivot their heads and watch me run passed. Some stop and watch in awe or bewilderment. Some, usually those in front of me, clear far out of the way. Most of the amazed and confused are older people, though the ages really range.

Generally, I waive to the children as I run passed. Usually, I get a smile and a waive back. The young people are the ones who are entertained and/or genuinely interested/intrigued by the large, white running man.

Yesterday, I had a "Rocky" moment. You remember from the original what happens when Rocky Balboa is full into his training and running through the streets of Philadelphia? That's right. Kids excitedly ran alongside and behind him. Now, I didn't have a mob, but I did have two boys, middle school-aged, who, when they saw me, picked up their pace and ran with me all the way to the gym. This is a good 10-minute run, some of it downhill and some uphill. A couple times in the past I've had kids run with me before, but never for this long.

Occasionally I even see others running for recreation. Hmm.

Cady tells me that every once and a while clients entering her office mention that they saw the large, white running man running by and isn't that her husband?

Yup, jog fever appears to be catching on!

Watching Mongolia Go By

2008-05-06T23:42:00.000-07:00

After running home from the gym or coming back from a long run in the hills, I like to sit on the steps leading up to the doorway of our apartment building. Listening to my iPod, I take at least 15 minutes just to watch Mongolia go by.

Whether cold enough to see my breath or warm enough to strip layers, I look forward to getting home, to cooling down and taking in those few stolen minutes out of the day when I can think about anything and nothing.

It gives me an opportunity to “stop and smell the roses.” Or, the smoke from a dozen or so fires set to remove the weeds around the nearby school. I can relax and enjoy the sun and cool breeze. Or, I can nervously anticipate which kid will plummet to his/her death climbing and jumping from one tattered building top to another. I can enjoy my music in peace. Or, the incessant horn-honking as one car impatiently awaits someone who doesn’t seem to be coming can rattle my cage. I never really know what’s going to happen.

I waive to the kids, smile at the young people who pass by and say “Sain bain uu, ta?” to the older folks approaching the doorway.

I gaze out, passed the many apartment buildings, on the mountains in the distance. In the other direction, looking west, I can watch as the sun sets behind the towering white Buddha.

And in my little corner of Mongolia, early morning, mid-afternoon or night, this really is one of my favorite places to be, one of my favorite times of the day.

Student Compositions (#2)

2008-04-30T23:54:00.000-07:00

These are some more homework responses from my students. Enjoy!

Why is Mongolia a special country? What is good about Mongolia? What is bad about Mongolia?

Allie – 31 Mar

I lived in Mongolia. Mongolian is the pride of my. The Gobi Desert occupies almost 30 percent of our country vast terriotory. The Mongolian Gobi has high mountain, cold springs, evergreen forest gold sands, Suhkbaatar square is one the beautiful place in UB. The national holidays are celebrated Sukhbaatar. Bad – Mongolian is no grape, appicot, plum

If you could travel back in time to 1597 in England (When Romeo and Juliet was written), what would you ask William Shakespeare? Why?

Ashley – 8 April

I would ask Why are you killed Romeo and Juliet at the ending of the movie William Shakespeare. Because its question very important for me. I watch a very much this movie on TV. I like Romeo and Juliet.

Rachel – 7 Apr

I would ask William Shakespeare why did you kill the Romeo and Juliet in play. I think that they must live. Because their death is stupid.

Dana – 8 April

First, I would see him very carefully. I would introduce myself and mention about Mongolia. I am lucky one. Because god gave me a chance to meet you. I am very glad that. And then I would ask him “Why were you write play which is call Romeo and Juliet?” “Why?” “Was it your love story or not…?” “Why were you decide to die main characters?” “Was Juliet beautiful woman appeared like movie?” Was it real story or not…?”

Jessica – 8 April

I’d say William Shakespeare that you are the greatest writer of all period and I’d want to become his apprentice. After I’d talk to him about his famous plays. I’d be together with him during his writing period. But I won’t disturb him. Because I want to know about his writing style and inspiration.

Emily – 8 Apr

I would say William Shakespeare, you are an very talented author and I appreciate you. So, I would say to ask write about my life. Because I work together with him. After study from him lots of knowledge, I expect that would become the famous author. I wish people read the plays, written by myself.

Anni – 8 April

Shakespeare is very famouse not only in Europea but also all around the world people knows about Shakespeare. If I meet with him it will be golden chance for me. I will ask from he. Why do you know about other places? you never been there. Are you real or not? Do you write by your self or somebody help you? Why Rome and Juliet should die? Why they don’t need to live long together?

Why is telling the truth and being real difficult?

Emily – 1 Apr

It is very difficult to lie someone because I don’t want to suffer my parents heart. I can’t tell lie because of afraid from someone. I like tell truly to people anything. Never! Don’t be lie.

Why is slavery good?

Dana – 8 Apr

I think it is false/wrong question. Because slavery is very bad word. Slavery is very bad thing. It violates of human and person’s right. It is an oppression to someone labour. I heard it before from American Early life/maybe latin America. Some slave is almost black people. I read about the book, called “Half-caste woman.” Slaves lived bad environment and do many difficult works. At the end, I want to tell again, slavery is not good thing.

What is your worst nightmare?

Alicia – 19 Apr

My worst nightmare is about die. I was walking desert ground. However I suddenly to fall in hole. Just when have a dangerous and terrible me. How awful!

Vacuum Anyone?

2008-04-29T00:06:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, I came back from a week in the countryside.

A couple months ago, my director asked me if I would lead a week-long English language training for the teachers of my school. She explained that 12 teachers would attend, two from each department. She also explained that this seminar would be called “Vacuum Training.”

Being that this seminar was seven days long, I decided to enlist the help of two other PCVs. The first, Rachel, came for Monday and Tuesday. Chris came later in the week, staying from Thursday until Saturday midday. Needless to say, I am more than thankful that I got a little help from my friends.

When we arrived at the site, Zulzaga, I thought I had just landed at a vacation spot. Forest. Hills. Trails. Sunshine. A cool breeze. And then we went inside. After seeing what I had seen many times before (the lobby and the cafeteria), I saw what I’ve never seen in Mongolia. The manager had led me to the computer lab, a room of 21 brand new computers each equipped with speakers and Windows Vista 2007. Additionally, the room had a projector hanging from the ceiling and a large screen set along the front wall. In the middle of know where, I had at my disposal the perfect set of classrooms, indoors and out. Ooh, buddy!

We watched American movies, we played games, and we went for lots and lots of walks. We talked about family, education, controversial issues, nature, politics, international relations, health, genocide and culture. We covered listening, writing, reading and most importantly, speaking and thinking. We spoke formally, but more often, informally. We learned words like “nuh uh,” “virgin” and “euthanasia.” We even had a gen-u-wine Mongolian birthday party fit with circle dancing and “Peter’s cocktail,” a new brand of Mongolian alcoholic beverage I’d shown them consisting of vodka…with juice. Who knew? We gave the teachers the most unorthodox training they’d probably ever experienced.

In their free time, teachers spoke mostly English. In their free time, teachers asked for more grammar instruction. In their free time, teachers studied and practiced the previous day’s lessons.

In my free time, I took naps. I went for runs through the forest. I watched half of the first season of “The Wire” on the 22nd of the new 2007 Dells, the one in my room.

By the end of the week, we were all exhausted and ready to go home.

On the ride back to Darkhan, teachers weren’t only speaking in English, but they were laughing in English.

Since we got back, I’ve had several people asking to be put on the list for the next Vacuum Training. One teacher even said she would pay her own way.

Yesterday, my third course students asked me if they too could have a Vacuum Training…during their summer vacation.

English is high demand these days.

It's like playing a game of Oregon Trail...

2008-04-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

Remember Oregon Trail? The old Apple IIE game, where you got to be a pioneer on the Oregon Trail? Hunting for your food, fording the Mississippi with your oxen? The funniest part of the game was how along the way (it never failed) you would inevitably lose some of your traveling party to diseases we had never even heard of, or thought were only back in the 1800s... like Cholera, the Plague, Dysentary, and other countless odd diseases. We'd laugh and laugh, "Oh Jennifer, you got Dystentary!! Haha!" Little did I know that one day I would be living this game.

I've decided living in Mongolia is like playing a game of Oregon Trail. We still have diseases like Cholera, Bacillary and Amoebic Dystentary, Giardia, Tuberculosis, and the Bubonic Plague here-- we have to "hunt" for our food in delgors (try making dinner out of Russian cookies, onions, and white rice!) and traveling to UB, it wouldn't suprise me if we had to ford the Xaraa River in our mikr bus.

For the last two weeks, I've been out of commission-- got a really bad bout of food poisoning that turned into a bacterial infection bordering on Dysentary. I never thought in my lifetime I would ever see these diseases, but unfortunately, in Mongolia, I have. I know multiple PCVs that have had Giardia MORE than one time, people that have had Dystentary and Cholera. It's literally like playing a game of Oregon Trail here, where you slowly lose members of your travel party to odd diseases. Fortunately, I'm not one of them! I'm on some good antbiotics now, and it seems to be on it's way out. Slowly, but surely. It's always an adventure here.

Wegetables Gone Wild

2008-04-08T02:26:00.000-07:00

We're getting out of Darkhan lately, enjoying the warming weather, wind, and beautiful countryside. Last weekend, a small group of us headed out to a small (maybe the smallest I have ever seen!) soum/village to visit another PCV who was having a birthday. It was wonderful to relax and see the Mongolian "hudoo" (countryside) again, and he may have the most beautiful view from his ger door in all of Peace Corps. You step out of his ger, look across the valley filled with trees and a river to a gorgeous mountain. He wins the prize of best view. Not counting our view off the balcony of the old Soviet apartment blocs in Darkhan, of course! There were livestock and herding action a plenty, including recent calf-births and live action castration. Not such a pretty sight. We enjoyed our trip though, and had fun attempting to cook as a large group in a ger with very few electrical outlets and no running water.

Today I travelled to the Selenge aimag to conduct a training on "Uncommon Vegetables" for some of our agriculture clients. We spent the morning discussing composting, broccoli health benefits, and how to plant Catnip to deter pests (Catnip translates into Mongolian as "Cat's Green Vegetable"). I love travelling with my counterparts, as they are always quick to share stories and Mongolian folklore. This trip we stopped at the "Eej Mod" or Mother Tree to leave some offerings and well wishes for our friends and families. Apparently Eej Mod has proven quite powerful, since you can see her spirit shaking the tree branches every dawn, and when the Socialist police came to burn down all Buddhist relics and altars in the early to mid 1900s the officer's family that burned the Mother Tree all came down with a sickness and passed away. Not a spirit you want to mess with! It's a phenomenal sight with altars all over, ceremonious scarves, with milk products and vodka scattered among the tea leaf and candy offerings. It's one of my favorite places in Mongolia to visit, and I hope to keep giving the Mother Tree offerings over the next year and a half so she can keep blessing us with such a wonderful experience.

The Mother Tree

Student Compositions

2008-04-03T01:24:00.000-07:00

At the end of each American and British Literature class, I ask my students a critical thinking question based on the period we have discussed that day. Below are some of the better, more read-worthy responses.

25 Mar – Anni
Describe your religion.

I'm buddist. My parents and brodres also buddist. In the world have so many kinds of religions. I think religions are locate only in persons heart. Some people say I believe only byselfe or father, mother and I don't belive any god. Buddist is very beleieable religion. Actually I never read Buddist book. I hope the Buddist. I know buddist's power. Every evening I pray to my god and I turn on the "eul" "zul" It means one kinds of candle, If I pray to my god before go out this day's everythings are shining, every works are great. But actually I don't know is it really buddist power or do I think like that. In the world everything is secret.

26 Feb – Jessica
What kinds of stories do you like? Why?

I like to read the legends. Because they are interesting. There are many interesting legends. I like to read the legend about vegetables. Because I am a cook. Three years ago, I graduated the Professional Training Center. I also like to read history. Because I want to be knowlegable. Both of the history and the legend are non-fiction. When I was seven, I used to read fairy tales a lot. Children like to read fairy tales.

27 Feb – Rachel
What do you think about the American Colonial Period?

People that came from Europe to America were so brave. Because they went so long way, they might be dead in the way. This people open new things for themselves. This people opened new world that now called America. I think that American literature started in this time, when people came to America.

10 Mar – Melody
Why is Mongolia a special country? What is good about Mongolia? What is bad about Mongolia?

Because Mongolia is a special country. There are many historical and cultural heritage in Mongolia. Mongolian hase special custom and traditional There are four season in Mongolia. Mongolia is well known for blue Mongols.

It has a big lands. Few people live in Mongolia. Mongolia has liverstock and many animals. There are many lake in Mongolia. People are very helpful.

Mongolia has air pollution. Many people hasn't got job. Many people live poor. Some Mongolian can't drink mineral water.

27 Mar – Holly
What does war do to people (good and bad)?

The war is very harm to people and many people died. Many children became orphan, so all world covered in tear. I hate the war. Because I think the world must more peaceful. The war bring us bad results. In XXI century we fight not by force but by knowledges. I want this world become peaceful.

Foolish Day!

2008-04-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

April started with a bang in Mongolia, yesterday! Mongolians celebrate "Foolish Day" or "Joke Day" (Hodlaa Odor) pretty similar to how it's celebrated in the US... by playing jokes and teasing each other all day!

We had a great time setting up pranks with, for, and on our counterparts and fellow PCVs yesterday. I say we, but mostly I mean, I did it, and Peter was a victim in our plots! :) The best part was at the end of one of my "pranks" my counterparts were cracking up, and telling me that I should "go to Hollywood" and the best question I got was "How did you know about this great Mongolian holiday?" So it ended up being a cross-cultural exchange about how lots of cultures and countries do practice some form of April Fools' Day.

Happy Spring!

Class Visitors

2008-03-30T18:51:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, for my “Let’s Speak English”/Language Practice class, I invited five students from School #19, a.k.a. “The German School” (as there are four Swiss teachers that teach there) to help me teach my lesson.

Side Note: School #19 is known for being one of the better schools in town to send your kids if you want them to have good English. Additionally, I am good friends with one of the math teachers at the school (she, Naraa, is also the Peace Corps Host Family Coordinator during the summers and has incredible English). Recently I have gone to participate in Naraa’s English book club. Of the students that attend the weekly class, five have amazing English, English that exceeds almost all of my counterparts.

To begin class, I had the three 8th graders and one 9th grader (one was not able to come) introduce themselves. As they each took their turn, I watched the expressions of my attentive students. Their reactions were mixed. I could see most thinking, these are the visitors Teacher said would come to class today?

When each of the girls had finished speaking, I broke the class into 4 small groups. I divided each group of 4, placing each of my stronger students in different groups. Our visitors then chose a group at random to join. As they got to know each other, I wrote four questions on the board:

1) What are the best ways to learn English? Why are these ways good?
2) What do you need from your English teacher(s) to improve your English? Explain.
3) Is it better to study English alone or with friends? Why?
4) Why do you study/practice English? What do you want to do with English?

I assigned a question to each group and explained that, with our 8th and 9th grade visitors as leaders, they were to discuss their question using as much English as possible.

As I walked around the room, listening to conversations, I noticed quite quickly the reactions of the students. The group’s leaders were doing a great job of keeping my students on task, but my students had varied responses to the exercise. Some were excited and active. Most, however, as I had expected, were either shy or embarrassed. My two male students gave me the strongest reactions. One had completely shut down and the other was insulted. Both looked at me as if I had betrayed them.

Of my four best students, three thrived in this environment (the fourth was the insulted student (he eventually turned his frown upside down after I spoke to him in private that he should act like the class leader he knew he was)). Another quarter of the class also took advantage of the opportunity.

About half of the class was just confused why I would bring in 14 and 15 year olds to help me teach and went along with it because they had to.

After fifteen minutes, I brought the groups back together. As we discussed the four questions as a class, I was again impressed with the way that the four younger students took charge, how they employed critical thinking skills and how comfortable they were with their second language. As for my students, most participated, many reluctantly, some eagerly. A few even, who have of late been excelling, gave moments of inspired speech.

After class, as we walked back to my office, the four girls expressed their opinions about the lesson and their frustrations with my students. I listened attentively as they explained that my students need to relax more, that they shouldn’t be so shy when speaking English. Each had explained to her group that speaking English shouldn’t be difficult; it simply requires practice and confidence.

What is your favorite English word?

2008-03-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

I begin each class with a question. On one particular day, these were my students' responses to the above query:

Snappish
Amazing
Change
Fantastic
Oh, my God
Smile
Don’t ever give up
Scorpion
Wonderful
Beautiful
Encouragement
Powerful
Comfortable
Don’t panic
Now or never
Oh, shit
Learn, learn and learn again

33 Million Livestock...

2008-03-23T19:51:00.000-07:00

Interesting article about the Mongolian herding lifestyle-- attributing one of the country's major issues (urban migration) to climate change.

National Geographic Article

"There are 33 million livestock in Mongolia today, more than ten times the number of people."

Wind....

2008-03-16T22:57:00.000-07:00

We've decided that the Mongolians are right. There ARE 4 seasons in Mongolia! Really Hot, Rainy and Dreary, Really Cold, and Really Windy. We don't mean to complain-- the weather's really not that unbareable... but it'd be nice to have some more "moderate" weather days... but since arriving, there have been 3. June 4, September 18, and March 9.

All weather issues aside, life has been good. We're busy with work projects, community projects, and the like. The days seem to fly by pretty quickly, and there is never enough time to accomplish what we want to do!

Advice?

2008-03-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

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.

Thank you, Brett Favre

2008-03-06T22:28:00.000-08:00

Today, Thursday, 6 March 2008, our legendary and beloved quarterback retired from the NFL. As a fan, owner and admirer, I am saddened that he will no longer suit up, but I am happy that he has finished his career on top, the greatest player in history. After 16 years with the Packers, we will always remember the great games, the memorable moments, and the amazing finishes. We will remember the Super Bowls, the championship games, the playoff appearances. We will remember the records. We will remember the leader, the team player,the iron man and the hero. We will remember how he inspired us. For me, however, what I will remember the most is how he played because he loved the game, and how I loved the game more because I could watch him play it.

Thank you, Brett.

(Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Mongolia? China? Where the heck are we?

2008-02-27T19:54:00.000-08:00

It's time we set the record straight! Since arriving in Mongolia-- we've gotten lots of questions and emails from friends, family, and people interested in where we are, what were doing, and how we do it!

One issue that seems to consistently pop up is our location and language. Many people think that we are living in the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia-- while we are in fact living in the very independent, very much separate country of Mongolia. The Chinese population sometimes refers to it as "Outer Mongolia," but this in fact is pretty offensive to most Mongolians.

Most recently, we recieved our alumni magazine from Ripon College. We eagerly flipped through the pages, very much interested in all things Ripon, and all the amazing construction and improvements happening! When we came to the Class Notes section, however, we noticed a glaring mistake in the information about us. In the magazine, it says that we are "of Mongolia, China." This is simply not the case! Any information blurring our residency, specifically between Mongolia and China, is a bit of sensitive subject for us, because we very much want information regarding our Peace Corps service location, and our location in life, in general, to be accurate.

The problem is that, for some reason, many people have already confused Mongolia with China. Yes, it is true that Inner Mongolia is a region of China sharing a name, and distant ethnic history. It is also true that our mailing address includes "via China," as mail in this part of the world is generally routed through China. We are, however, very much living in the country of Mongolia, a developing, large, landlocked country in Central Asia, sandwiched between Russia and China, with a population of only 2 million. They have one of the oldest used languages, Mongolian, with many dialects and written scripts. We live in the city of Darkhan, and really enjoy the work that we do here, and the Mongolian people have shared an immense amount of culture and their heritage with us, and we have grown sensitive, like them, to Mongolia being forgotten or mixed up with the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia.

Into the Winter Fog

2008-02-12T04:59:00.001-08:00

I recently recalled my most vivid memory from the summer. I went out for what I thought would be a short run in the hills. The -20 plus temperature and the fresh snow were all the more incentive to get out into the sun of the late morning. The opening to the hills, just across the street from our apartment, the gateway to the best running space of my life, welcomed me yet again, this time a good three weeks since I’d last entered it.

After about twenty minutes, I decided to venture off the paths, paths with which I felt too familiar. I turned into a great valley and set my sights on a hill in the distance, a summit I’d many times before considered making. On the white steppe there was an open space between two herds, one of horses, the other sheep. I split them, crossing over the vast land, dipping down in to and out again of crevasses. With a stone in my right hand I jogged onward, looking around every so often for wolves and wild dogs. In the distance, off to the North, I could see two herders on horseback in their winter dels (Mongolian traditional clothing) surveying their flock. The air was cold but fresh. This was as far off a path as I’d ever been in Mongolia. There was nothing to keep me safe but the stone in my hand and the legs keeping me moving. I had no water, no phone, but I was dressed for the occasion, I had my music keeping me going, and, as always, I was ready for the next adventure.

I was exhilarated and already exhausted! I felt great. I thought about Mongolia, how I didn’t want to go back to work, how I’d never been anywhere like this before. Despite wearing three layers of socks, I hoped the snow, at times to my ankles, wouldn’t make it through my tennis shoes. Always searching for the best places to step, the snow much deeper in some spots than others, I, slowly but surely, crossed the wide valley.

After an hour or so, I had reached the base of my destination. I stopped and looked up. Summit wasn’t that far, but could I really run to the ovoo (sacred rock piles marking sacred locations and stops along roads and paths)? The face was stony, like most of the smaller hills here and similar to hikes in the Rockies. I began my ascent determined to hop my way to the top. Finding the footing too inconsistent and my breath shorter than usual, I hiked the remainder of the rough face. Keeping a steady clip, I moved quickly up the hillside.

As I reached summit, I felt a new kind of cold. Now at the highest point in the area, I could see not only the openness, but I could feel it too. It was beautiful. This was my first winter climb in Darkhan. All was white and quiet. When I began my run, I was entranced by the majestic white fog that hung in the distance. I made it my goal to get there. There was something mysterious and wonderful, and, with the way it was pulled and pushed by the wind, even tempestuous, about the whole scene. For a time, the sun seemed to stay away, waiting for the whisking whiteness to settle itself. I’d seen these hills in all of their autumnal beauty, but nothing in that season was quite as inviting as this. Once at hilltop, I placed the rock in my hand atop the ovoo and circled it three times, offering prayers for a safe journey and a Packers victory on the upcoming Sunday. I found a seat on a flat rock and I took it all in. As I gazed outward, the mist hanging everywhere else, yet not enough to keep me from admiring grand valleys, hill spines and mountains far off, I felt I knew exactly why I was supposed to be in Mongolia – for moments like these. I estimated that I’d probably been gone around three hours now. The frigid wind on my face, above my nose and beneath my eyebrows, was intense, even painful, burning. My legs were sore. My shoulders ached. The quickly cooling sweat on my back beneath my layers, my gloves sticking to my Shuffle reminded me I hadn’t as long up there as I would like. I was completely at peace, in just the place I knew I was meant to be at that moment. I closed my eyes thinking of the ease with which I could breathe, thinking that despite the rigors of my life in the last six months, there were moments like these.

In this place, I recalled my most vivid memory from the summer. The heat was oppressive, keeping me still and unwilling to move. Shaded beneath the outdoor kitchen on the lone bench outside the house of my host family, I sat silent and alone with my eyes closed enjoying an unfamiliar cooling breeze. On break between lessons at the school and awaiting what would undoubtedly be a hot lunch and tea prepared by Eej (Mother), I sat leg-stretched thinking about where I wanted to be exactly at that moment – right there. The invigorating air swept over my skin and re-enlivened my mind. For the first time in weeks I was able to think clearly. I hoped that across the field dividing us Cady had found a cool spot too. I thought about language training, cross culture, my new friends, how much everything had changed in the last month. I thought about Mongolia and how right it felt to be there. I smiled as I thought of home, wondering what everyone was doing and if they were all as happy as I was at that moment. For twenty minutes the air was different, the heat was gone and I was in a different Mongolia, in a different place in my life that I hadn’t known existed.

Sitting atop my unforgiving hilltop, I considered how special a moment this was, this, not just another summit, this, not just a new space, but rather, this, another different place, a different Mongolia, a different me. I was humbled. I was thankful. And I was cold. Looking out, I mapped out my route back home – scale down the southward spine, meet up with a herder’s trail and take it all the way across the valley and in to town.

With my left hand covering my face, I made my way down the hill. I moved again into a jog, watching carefully my footing as the rocks were loose and unstable. With each step, I quickened my pace into a run so that by the time I reached the base I was in a decent sprint. The cold was manageable again.

I felt the exhaustion of my journey thus far but felt inspired by the long and open road ahead of me. A well-traveled, well-worn path, this trek had most certainly been taken by many a herder and his flock. Free from the snow of the surrounding everywhere else, I was able to move quickly through the extensive and beautiful valley. In the distance to either side, tall chains of hills kept my focus forward to where in a long way off I could see where they might end. Recalling confrontations in trips past with guardians of these hills, I slowed my clip every quarter of a mile, spun around and once again surveyed the open land for wolves and wild dogs. There were no threats in sight. In point of fact, I was more concerned with my endurance. I was not sure how much further I would need to go and I was really starting to feel the arduousness of my journey.

After another mile or so, I came to a fork in the trail. I took what I thought was a direct path into Darkhan. After another quarter of a mile, I reached the ger districts (peri-urban areas on the outskirts of cities predominantly lined with gers (traditional Mongolian yurts) that are overcrowded and have limited access to running water, sanitation or proper heating). I knew that I was now at the furthest point on the opposite side of where I needed to get. I was saddened to no longer be where I was, but encouraged to be that much closer to home. The dichotomy was great. The hills were a winter wonderland of steppe and snow, the furthest point from any pollution I had been to in Darkhan. Outside of the area of industry, the “Drunken Hill” ger district is one of the most polluted locations, with its coal-burning gers and wooden houses, an area of great poverty.

As I made my way into this part of town, I slowed to a walk as exhaustion and poor breathing air got the best of me. And because I had never before been there, I was struck hard by the quality of living, the contrast between this side of the hill and the other. This, I could only imagine, was a harder life. It was certainly a slower pace of life. I thought about my students. I thought about how it was possible that many of them lived in districts similar to this one. I should consider this more when I am teaching, I thought. I cannot push my agenda on them, but rather I need to consider their needs, their abilities and their perspectives more seriously. I must narrow the gap which most certainly exists. And here I could really see that gap. I was greeted with more “unwanted attention” than I had been accustomed to in Darkhan. To those who stared in my direction, I simply did not fit in there. I, too, was struck by my unfamiliarity with this place. How different it was than where I had just been. How different this was than the Darkhan I knew. In many ways it reminded me of my host community in Bagh 5. Yet its greatest difference was just how large it was. It is said that somewhere around 100,000 people live in Darkhan. Walking around the city, one would be hard pressed to believe this. Now I did.

After walking quite a distance and not yet getting to the other side or locating any place familiar in the distance, I decided to take a hard left and head to higher ground where I could get a better look around. Passing by delguurs (small stores which sell groceries, clothing and/or other goods), hashaas (fences, but also the areas enclosed by those fences) and wild dogs, I felt like I was in a maze. I could not simply go straight up as hashaa walls forced me to wind my way before continuing higher. I was growing concerned, as my impeccable knack for getting myself lost seemed to be rearing its ugly head once again. I was relieved then when I made it to the edge and the only thing before me was the hill over which I was hoping to see Darkhan.

I first made my way down into a trench and then upward again. When I reached the top of the hill, my greatest fear was realized. I was lost. I could see nothing in the distance, the fog was too thick. What little I could see, I did not recognize. For a minute, panic overtook me. It was beginning to get dark now, I hadn’t had water in probably well over four hours, and I did not know how much further I could travel in my fatigued state. Up higher on the hill, I saw a herder and a flock of thirty or so sheep and goats. Considering my options and fearing I had simply gone too far into the ger district passed Darkhan, I made my way to him. My plan, I thought, will be to explain my situation to him and ask for directions. How could this have happened, I thought? I began waving to the herder. Why does this always happen to me?

And then, just as quickly as the panic had come over me, a wave of clarity hit me. I stopped. I turned around. I cleared my mind. I think I know where I am, I thought. And sure enough, I was exactly where I needed to be. In fact, I was on one of my old and more familiar running trails. With hope restored and a last little bit of energy mustered, I began to run again. I was running on fumes, but I knew I how close I was. I could be home in another thirty minutes. By now my black gloves were colored a heavy white. The exterior of the black Loki covering my face was also thick with ice. The interior was soaked from the perspiration of my breathing and sagging down below my nose. So wet and heavy, it had held up brilliantly. The air I was breathing was still warm. My Shuffle was, more or less, glued to my glove. But, the music played on! The layers closest to my body were heavy with sweat and the outer shells were just barely keeping out the cold.

Running down that last short hill, home less than a hundred yards away, I reflected on the run, that the best part was how each turn came as it did, how it took me on a journey through my own backyard, and that all along the way, I still enjoyed the wind on my face.

Festivus

2008-01-04T15:40:00.000-08:00

If you’ve seen the Seinfeld episode you’ll remember that Frank Costanza explains to Kramer that instead of celebrating Christmas he prefers a “Festivus for the rest of us” free from commercialization, pomp and pageantry. Festivus, he recalls, is threefold: 1) instead of a Christmas tree and tinsel, there is a single aluminum pole, 2) instead of expressing well wishes, there is an airing of grievances and 3) instead of opening gifts, there are feats of strength.

Inspired by Frank’s revolutionary holiday, we, the 13 or so PCVs, 1 German volunteer and 1 VSO volunteer, decided to have our own New Years Festivus celebration. 3 apartments were chosen to host different legs of our moving Darkhan Festivus. Beginning at 3:00, at the first stop, we began with a feat of strength: drinking local "Kick-a-Poo" brand juice with pickles and eating tofu hushuur followed by taking a shot of vodka.

From there we walked to the market and hired 3 horse cart drivers to take us from one end of town to the other (a “tradition” begun last year). As we huddled together for warmth, drinking our homemade Kahlua, we were greeted with mixed Mongolian reactions, some yelling “Happy New Year!,” and most just staring dumbfounded.... It could just be that we were singing "Star Spangled Banner" instead of more traditional, jolly carols.

Cady and Peter after horse cart ride

When we reached our destination, stop number two, we watched, for collective edification, the aforementioned Seinfeld episode. Afterwards, we were treated to an edible multi-faceted diorama of food representing many of Mongolia’s local "intricacies" as "witnessed" by the present company. When the picture had been consumed we moved into the next feat of strength: leg wrestling. There were many rounds, many winners and a lot of laughing. Equally hilarious was the airing of grievances that followed. On a sheet of paper we each wrote those things which had grieved us in the past year. Needless to say, most of what everyone wrote down was seconded by the confirming fits of laughter among the others in the room. It was decided, after reading every grievance, that the leaves of paper should be set ablaze.

Melinda explains the edible picture

Kevin and Peter Leg Wrestle

This one's for you, Grandpa!

So, by foot or taxi we all moved to our final location where our first act of business (if you don’t count the pizza that I and a few others wolfed down before everyone had arrived) was to burn our grievances. With the grill a cookin’, we fried the brats a friend had brought back from Germany, ate pizza and ravioli and drank homemade piña coladas and Kahlua, vodka and beer. And with the empty beer cans we were finally able to construct the last component of Festivus – the aluminum pole. We hung out, drank, made balloon animals and toilet seats, and performed the final feat of strength: wall squats. We rang in the New Year standing around the Festivus pole. With drinks in hand and music filling the room we began 2008 with a dance party.

Cady about to "drop the ball" just seconds before the strike of midnight

Ahh, Festivus...

First picture of 2008!

Gold's Gym Mongolia

2008-01-03T03:34:00.000-08:00

2 days ago I joined one of Mongolia’s few workout facilities, a small room in a building near the market near Cady’s office, about a 15 minute run from our apartment.

3 days ago I ran to the gym intending to “join.” When I arrived, however, the door in the front lobby leading to the stairway leading to the gym on the 3^rd floor was locked. I was told by the jijuur that I would have to wait 40 minutes until the gym opened at 5:00 p.m. Okay, whatever. So I ran the 3-story steps leading up the back side of the building. I was getting bored after awhile so I went back to the lobby to check the time. 4:40. The jijuur was gone. I sat down on the lone bench. I waited for another 10 minutes. As my impatience was growing thin, a man in full camouflage gear walked passed me, a guy who clearly looked like he worked out. So I followed him. This time the door leading to the hallway was open. A good sign. As I reached the second landing, G. I. Dorj flew down passed me. He looked annoyed. Why? When I reached the gym I discovered why. The room where the equipment had once been (as I had once been there to check it out) was completely empty. I called Cady. She didn’t know why. I called Cady’s translator, a member of the gym. She said: “Tomorrow gym will be open 1 to 8. New Year’s party was there. Maybe tomorrow you will come back.” I ran home.

2 days ago I ran to the gym intending to “join.” This time I arrived well after the jijuur’s suggested opening time, covering all bases. When I reached the gym the equipment was still gone. In a nearby room, however, I heard voices. Inside I saw the owner (one of Cady’s CHF clients), her assistant, two young men and all of the exercise equipment. In Mongolian I asked if they needed help moving everything back into the bigger room. Yes, she said. And so began my 15, 000 per month T membership, carrying dumbbells, straight bars, plates, benches and carpets. By 6:30, I had started my workout.

Yesterday I ran to the gym. I worked out.

Tomorrow I will run to the gym…

High Above IST

2008-01-01T13:47:00.000-08:00

Taking advantage of the great hiking and climbing, Jacob and I took it upon ourselves to explore the mountains around our IST (Peace Corps conference in mid-December) site. It was one of my favorite days since coming to Mongolia.

Jacob and Peter

A herder overlooking the valley below, the mountains in the distance

Just before our descent, a picture-perfect sunset

Going Home Again (Visit to Sukhbaatar)

2008-01-01T04:32:00.000-08:00

Just after IST, a Peace Corps conference held just outside of UB, Jacob, Dwan, Cassandra and I visited our host site. We went by each home and even saw our Mongolian teachers. Below are a few pictures from the trip:

Peter at sunset

Peter's Eej, Aav, and Doo

Dwan, Peter, Cassandra, Tsetsgee (Our LCF), and Jacob

English Homework

2007-12-04T22:29:00.001-08:00

I spend anywhere from 1-5 hours per week with my coworkers working on English, business English, everyday English, and just practicing pronounciation and spelling. They are all so interested in learning new expressions, and learning more English so they can communicate and most especially, use the internet!

Here's a small glimpse into what one of my counterparts did for homework. I find the answers really telling about how committed they are to the work we do and how it helps Mongolia. Some are just really great to read and make you smile.

"Expressions About Me"

I worry about for my country's development
I dreamt about my country is rich country
I am proud of my country's big land
I am interested in sport
I am afraid of China annexation Mongolia.
I don't believe in China
I am good at Basketball
I am poor at machine
I have to develop my country.

---

Post Office + Peanuts + Packers = Perfection

2007-11-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

What's a dedicated Packers fan do in Mongolia? It's 10:58 a.m. I'm in the Darkhan Post Office computer lab tuned into nfl.com, eating trail mix and listening to my iPod. I got here at 7:00 a. m. The post office has the fastest Internet in the city.

Green Bay at Dallas. It's halftime. Dallas 27 Green Bay 17. Favre is out after hurting his elbow. I'm nervous.

For someone like me who hangs on every play, this is pretty difficult. The time delay and the fact that I can only see lines of movement and descriptions of each play make not being able to "watch" the game nerve-racking, especially when we are down and not playing well like today. But beggars can't be choosers. I love my Packers and I don't have to work today. Where else would I be?

So, now I nervoulsy await the second half. I am hopeful that Favre will come back into the game, that we will overcome the deficit and win the game.

Many people think that American football is too slow, has too many pauses. I've always said that it is a game of execution and anticipation. As fans, we are not waiting but anticipating. Well, this pretty much defines that. It's almost too much anticipation. Ahhhhhhhh!

GO PACKERS!

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-24T20:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had our big Thanksgiving celebration in UB. Lots of PCVs came in from around the country. We drank lots of wine and beer, ate good food (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn bread, etc.) and caught up on our lives these last few months. It was a great time.

So, following in Cady's footsteps:

I am thankful for:

- The Green Bay Packers 10-1 start!
- Making pizza at least once a week.
- Having a great host site that only seems to be getting better and better.
- A great first, and a little bit more, year of marriage.
- Packages from America.
- The best family and amazing friends (thank you all for being so good about communicating!)
- Students who answer test questions like this:
Q: What do you do at the end of a sentence when speaking English? (Correct answer (and we went over this many, many times): Pause.
Student Answer: I eat apple.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T22:45:00.000-08:00

Small joys and things to be thankful for this year:
- My counterparts discovering a bag of holiday decorations and letting me decorate the whole office with tinsel!
- Family. No matter how far we go, they keep us close and are never more than a call away.
- Montou: The best steamed bread ever!
- Care packages!
- Learning new words and reading in Mongolian. I feel like a kid reading for the first time! It's a whole new world.
- Winter Silks long underwear. Wheeee! I feel slippery soft!
- Good friends, in Mongolia and halfway 'round the world.

Өвөл муухай хүн байдаггүй!

2007-11-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

Өвөл муухай хүн байдаггүй! Or in English, "Winter Ugly Person Is Not There" -- or as it was interpreted for me, "In Winter, Everyone is Beautiful" is the new Mongolian phrase I've learned this past week. Since returning from my Pork Production Value Chain Adventure, or "Fall Break 2007 -- Pigs Gone Wild" as I've started calling it, my coworkers have decided that I am in fact a crazy person.

This started about a month ago, when the winter really began to settle in. I got a cold-- and to the shock and dismay of my counterparts, continued to drink my average 3 liters of "cold" (room temperature) water per day-- and even drank more than that during my worst days! Everyday I heard, "You will not get better if you drink that water! You need to drink hot tea, hot milk tea, and garlic soup!" Well, I did get better-- thanks to Mucinex and lots of water and rest. And if you ask them, that bowl of garlic soup I ate for lunch.

For IST (In-Service-Training) coming up in December, my counterparts were asked to fill out a questionnaire so that Peace Corps can tailor the training to our needs. One question asked was, "List 2-3 things your American counterpart has done that is confusing to you." Their answers were really interesting-- one of course, related to my avid water drinking habit, and the second was "Our American doesn't wear enough warm clothes! Doesn't she know that when she doesn't wear a hat and layers of long underwear her eggs will freeze?!"

The second was the most interesting to me, and we had a really good conversation about it. I explained that I am feeling pretty warm with the layers I have been wearing, and that in fact, I am more worried about the 30 and 40 below temperatures ahead, so I am adding layers as it gets colder, so I can actually feel warm when it's REALLY needed, especially the pants long underwear. I'm only wearing one layer right now (it's about 17 below, and I'm feeling pretty comfortable and thankful for smart wool!). During our conversation they explained that if I don't start wearing more layers even when I feel warm, my өндөг (or "eggs") will shrivel up and my kidneys will hurt. So, I brought that back to the first point, and said if I don't drink my 3 liters of water, THEN my kidneys will hurt! :) But, to appease them, and my ovaries, today I wore the full long underwear, my warmest hat, gloves, and scarf. I will just have to triple layer when it gets to be 30 below. Because like the Mongolians say-- it's not about fashion in the winter... It's about being warm, because in winter, everyone is beautiful.

Fall Break 2007: Pigs Gone Wild

2007-11-14T18:46:00.000-08:00

I'm back to site now, getting settled back in, and continuing to finish up a little work on our Pork Production Value Chain Analysis. I've learned a lot about pork farming in Mongolia the last few weeks-- and I've learned a lot about the difference between "provider" and "facilitator" of development services. My placement agency has a lot of work to do in the next few years in terms of transitioning into a sustainable NGO, and this Value Chain analysis was a good first introduction into these ideas.

But back to the good stuff! Pigs! I met some of the most interesting people in the last few weeks! My favorite is one of the small scale pork farmers I met in our first round of interviews. We visited her farm, and after we got over the initial "oh my gosh, your hair is blonde!" discussions, she taught me about how she makes her pigs "smarter" buy playing them classical music. They love it she says, and they are much smarter than other farmer's pigs. I felt bad that those smarties ended up the same place as the "less than average IQ" pigs from down the road, but it was interesting none the less. We also uncovered what seemed to be something that resembled a pork mafia -- one wholesaler seemed to have a monopoly of sales channels between the farmers and processors, and kept it that way (or so we heard).

Pork production is a growing industry in Mongolia-- and hopefully will continue to grow, especially with some of the market solutions we've begun to help facilitate. I'll keep you posted, but in the mean time, please continue to only eat pork that has the "This Pig Listened to Mozart" stamp of approval.

On the Road Again...

2007-11-06T23:56:00.000-08:00

I'm still out traveling-- and have been since late October! I just learned that I will finally be back to site by November 12 or 13th. I feel very lucky to be seeing so much while we're here in Mongolia, and as a CED volunteer, I've gotten to travel a fair amount!

This trip has been a little different than my past hudoo adventures-- I have an international NGO as a Host Country Agency (HCA as Peace Corps calls them), and they've been so generous. I've been in a very nice hotel-- with a fuzzy wonderful robe, and EVEN American TV shows! The seasons are one behind American seasons-- but beggars can't be choosers, and I'll watch it! It's a very traditional Peace Corps experience, you know-- sitting in my terry cloth robe, eating bon bons, and watching The Office. I'm not sure what bon bons even are though. The other two are true!

Completely aside from working -- I have had so many "small world" experiences lately. I found a laundromat in UB this weekend (WITH DRYERS!!!) and the machines they used were none other than Speed Queen out of Ripon, Wisconsin. After a little nostalgia for Ripon which lead to nostalgia for home, I realized how clean and wonderful smelling my clothes were! It has been at least 6 months since my clothes have been this clean and fresh.

I've been working with the GER Initiative country-wide team to develop a Value Chain Analysis. The team of business advisors working on the analysis are top notch in their field, and I feel lucky to be learning so much from them! Recently, after learning about how to conduct the selection and analysis process, we've begun our analysis on the Pork value chain in Mongolia. If I never eat processed pork ever again, it may be too soon.

Cady at the Darkhan Crossroads

I put up a picture that my counterparts took of me at the Darkhan-Uul Aimag border crossroads. This is the border you cross to go anywhere outside of the Darkhan aimag-- our CHF drivers drop me off there, pick me up, shuffle me into other vehicles, and I feel like I've seen those crossroads these past few months than I have my bed! Whenever I see that billboard, I strangely feel more relaxed and I can finally breathe deeply. It's starting to feel like home!

I'm holding up well though, enjoying the adventures as they come, and learning a lot about Mongolian businesses and how important they are for the development of Mongolia. When I return to site, it'll be time to get ready to head back to UB for Thanksgiving, a short return back to site, and then back again for our In-Service Training. Maybe next year I'll get all those ideas turned into secondary projects. . . the two years are just flying by too quickly!

баяртай, Lucy!

2007-11-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

17 days after little Lucy came into our lives she is gone. Last night, I took Lucy to her new owners, the parents of the boyfriend of one my counterparts. She will live in a ger haasha very near the Haara River. There she will have two older male dogs to protect her and to show her the way. The parents seem very nice, especially the mother. I was told today by my counterpart that Lucy is a welcomed addition to the ger, that they are happy to have new entertainment in their home. Also, the family has decided to keep calling her Lucy.

A text message (a very popular mode of communication here, much cheaper than making calls) last night from Lucy’s new mom: “Hi. Lucy is good. I will feed her in the mornings and at night. I have a pretty dog. Thank you for your present.” The best part about this message is that she didn’t have to send it. I think we can confidently say that we have found Lucy a good home.

Over the last two and a half weeks the three of us had our ups and our downs, but Cady and I are better people having known her. She leaves us a happy puppy and we know she will live a happy life and grow to be a happy dog in the countryside. So as they say goodbye in Mongolia-- Bayartai! (or more like баяртай!).

Her last photo!

A Mid-Morning Off-the-Balcony Snow-Swept Mountain View

2007-11-05T20:27:00.000-08:00

Darkhan after the first real snowfall!

Zza-licious Indeed!

2007-11-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

The days of eating only sandwiches are over. Tonight’s dinner: pepperoni and diced onion pizza topped with oregano and other Italian seasonings.

Never fear, pizza is here!

Let's speak English

2007-11-02T20:23:00.000-07:00

My 3rd course students are my best students. As a class, they have a lot of potential. They are active. They are interested. They are quick learners. They continually surprise me.

Yesterday, as I was prepping the blackboard for class, a few students entered the room. One of them, Holly (her English name, of course), held a rolled up blue sheet of paper, held rolled by purple ribbon. When she saw that I noticed what was in her hand, she quickly hid it beneath her jacket, saying: “Teacher, will you stand outside for a minute?” As the rest of the class came in behind her, I, confused and chuckling, asked: “You want me to go outside?” Excitedly she replied: “Yes! Yes!” So, I exited the room. I stood outside for a good 2 minutes wondering what it was they were up to.

“Okay, come in!” said Holly grinning from ear to ear opening the door. As I looked ahead I saw a rolled up blue sheet of paper tied closed with a piece of purple ribbon, held to a strand of black string hanging from the ceiling. Hmmm.
“What is this? Is this for me?” I asked them, all sitting, giggling, anticipating. “Yes. Yes. Read, Teacher!” So I pulled the paper from the ribbon, the ribbon now dangling at my shoulder, and I read:

Thursday,
November01,
2007

Dear Teacher
Well, we are happy to write this letter to you. We always admire you. So we are very lucky students. We have known a lot since you began to teach us. We really aim to speak English fluently. So we are organizing the curriculum named “Let’s speak English” after lesson. We would like to learn more. We want to cooperate with you closely. We are expecting that you will promote this new, important outdoor activity and it would become efficiently to study English.

* This activity has the following goals:

- To improve speaking ability. To express own opinion precisely.
- To cooperate with you closely. To strengthen cooperation between teach and students.
- To exchange bilateral culture of two cultures.
- To improve listening ability. To pronounce right and to learn from civilized cultural communication.

* There are organizing procedure and operation:

- By the rule of questions and answers.
- To use pictures, photos and books.
- To collect and prepare interesting news…
- Unexpected surprising from a teacher and from a students every week
- To ask any information what everyone wants to know.

This activity will be held for out class. So please promote this activity. We are expecting we can cooperate with you and we hope you will devote us your leisure time. Can you write your reply in three days? We are looking forward to hearing you as possible as.

Sincerely, Your students

“Who wrote this? Did you all write this together?” I asked. “Yes, Teacher, we did. You will tell us what you think?” Today I was told by one of their Mongolian teachers, one of my counterparts whose English is quite good, that the only instruction she knows they were given was her own, a few words of advice in Mongolian, nothing in English.

What can I say? I’ve never once mentioned the idea of an English club.

What can I say? They continually impress me.

What can I say? Yes, let’s speak English…

Teacher and Now "Administrator"

2007-11-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote an entry about my duties here at the university. Well, as of today I can add something along the lines of "administration advisor."

I had a meeting today with the director of the school. I met with her to discuss several issues, personal and professional. The bulk of our time was spent discussing two very serious school issues: early semester attendance problems and student fees problems. The last 15 minutes we discussed the terms of my involvement with such larger institutional issues. I asked if I could attend weekly director/department head meetings. My weekly department meetings just aren’t enough. I would like to be in the room with the people that make the decisions and hopefully take part in some of the decision-making. She (the director) was very willing to extend an invitation.

After an hour and a half of discussing various topics, I began to realize that I want to do more. I want to be more active. In addition to wanting to improve the quality of English instruction at my school I also want to join in on discussions of how the school is run, to talk about what the real needs are. After all, if certain administrative problems are not addressed and/or corrected, it makes teaching English, teaching in general, extremely difficult.

I really feel that being a good Peace Corps volunteer is more than just teaching English classes. Being a good TEFL UT PCV is improving the quality of education at my school, in and out of the classroom. If I did any less I’d leave here after two years thinking I did less than my best. The experience of working with the administration is mutually beneficial. These new challenges are both overwhelming and invigorating.

From my meeting, then, with the director today, we have begun problem-solving steps to correct current issues. I have already written one proposal: "A Proposal to Remedy Early Semester Attendance Problems." Because the director had already approved the document, we've moved to the next step. A committee has been formed, people selected by myself and the director. Leaders from the administration, of the teachers and the student organization, myself and a translator will all meet as many times as is necessary to have a draft ready for the start of next semester. Our first meeting will be next week. We will prepare a proposal that is ready for discussion during the director/department head meeting on the 14th. Many of the same people, including myself and my translator, will be at that meeting as well. From there we will discuss the attendance committee’s proposal for a document that will be ready for the beginning of the spring semester. A copy of this document (as well as other new school policies and general university information (all projects I will be a part of) will then be sent home to the students' families. A second copy (along with information regarding new student fees regulations (for which I must now write a proposal) will be given to every student at the beginning of the spring semester during a mandatory all-school meeting.

It appears as though all of the initiatives I have begun are in full swing. Partnership, change and progress after only 2 months is a pretty good start.

A commitment like this means more of everything. More hours at school. More work outside of school. More work in general. The thought is exhausting as I already feel I am working a lot of hours and investing a lot of myself in this school. On the other hand, I know that I am only here for two short years and this is an opportunity I can’t pass up. It’s why I am here. It’s why I love my job. It’s yet another reason to love the ivory tower, Mongolian or otherwise.

Proposals. Committees. Meetings. All in a day’s work for an English teacher.

She is a Mongolian Puppy

2007-10-28T21:27:00.002-07:00

After some long and difficult conversations, Cady and I have come to a decision. Because Lucy is a Mongolian puppy we feel it is best to make sure that she stays a Mongolian puppy. By that, I mean we have decided to begin looking for a good, new, Mongolian home for Lucy.

When we brought her into our home we agreed that we didn't know how long she would be with us. Our only goal that night was to give her a warm place to sleep and a little bit of love she probably had never had. Each day Cady and I have talked about what we will do. Do we keep her for our 2 years here? Do we keep her through the winter? Do we keep her until her strength returns and until we can find a good, Mongolian home? We have finally made a final decision. We have decided to post signs and begin looking for a family that needs a haasha puppy.

Lucy is, after all, a Mongolian dog. The longer we keep her the less prepared she will be to live like Mongolian haasha dogs do. We cannot soften her up. We cannot domesticate her.

Thank you to those of you who have gotten Lucy gifts. I'm sure she feels your love and appreciates it. As to whether or not you should send them? Well, I can't tell you how long she will be with us. She may be with us another couples days. She may live with us for weeks or months. We just do not know. We hope that we can find her a new home as soon as possible. Therefore, we leave it up to you what to do with your gifts for her.

Cady and I both love Lucy and have found this to be a very difficult decision. We believe that Lucy has come into our lives for a reason. She has given us much as we have given her much. It will be hard for us to say goodbye, but we believe that it is necessary, that it is best for all of us.

Lucy!

2007-10-26T01:20:00.001-07:00

More on these photos later... but here's our new friend Lucy!

Sandwiches again?

2007-10-24T01:01:00.000-07:00

When Cady is out of town on business, there’s only one person to feed. I don’t need to make big meals. And it’s not that I can’t cook, it’s that I’m so good at making sandwiches. Besides, this way I’m saving the good food, the good meals for when we can both enjoy them. I don’t want to be selfish. And, it’s only four days. Mmm, sandwiches….

Traveling a lot!

2007-10-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

I've been in and out of site for business travel for the past couple of weeks since my birthday-- lots of interesting trips, including an all staff meeting in the beautiful Terelj National Park, and a trip to a cooperative development informational meeting in Bulgan aimag. The Bulgan trip was my first adventure out -- and I learned a LOT about cultural communication and being patient and prepared for everything! This next week or so, I'll head to UB, the capital for a two-three week training with our advisors on Value Chains.

The Terelj all staff meeting was a great experience. I got to run a couple of sessions, including, "How to Utilize Your PCV" where we discussed some possible work plan ideas and expectations we had of each other, and for fun, a team building exercise called "Touch the Can" -- You can see from the photo below how much fun our advisors had doing the team building activities... however none of them are touching the can! We had 4 team building exercises that were "cooperative" games-- and in true competitive Mongolian fashion, we turned them into competitive games with scoring and a champion team at the end. We had fun though-- the 3 other CHF placed PCVs had a good time catching up, and it was nice to do some capacity building training with our advisors.

Homemade Zza!

2007-10-22T00:59:00.000-07:00

The other night we had incredible pizza. Thanks to the spices we’ve received, namely Italian seasonings, and Cady’s creativity, we had what tasted like restaurant-style pizza. So, so good. It put store-bought, restaurant, and delivery pizza to shame. It’s a true slice of Americana. It’s the best pizza I have had in Mongolia. And believe me, I’ve searched for it here. Mongolians just can’t make pizza like Americans can.

Indecisive No Longer: “Maybe”

2007-10-20T00:57:00.000-07:00

When I was in AmeriCorps, one of my teammates, Jessica, and I were paired for a team-building activity. We were to come up with up with a name for our team. We couldn’t decide on one. When it came time for us to say our name all we could think of was “in” and “decisive.” I’m still not sure who was which.

I think I have always felt a little indecisive.

Since coming to Mongolia, and particularly now after being at site, however, I can firmly say that I am more direct now than I have ever been. I attribute that in large part to the word “maybe.”

Maybe, it seems to me, is as much a part of Mongolian culture as anything else: Are we going to have a meeting today? Maybe. Why did students not come to class today? Maybe it’s because they think classes are boring. When will the heating problem be fixed? Maybe tomorrow.

Sometimes I just want to know if it will or if it will not, if the answer is yes or no, if we can or cannot. Sometimes, then, I just need to say, because no one else will, that it won’t, that the answer is yes or that we can.

I knew before I came here that Mongolian people are lax, that being on time, for example, does not meant the same thing here as it does in America. Being hours “late” is the same thing sometimes as being on time. Waiting is customary. Waiting is expected.

Sometimes I just can’t wait. Sometimes it is important to do. Sometimes someone just needs to get the ball rolling. At work, that person is usually me. It’s not a role with which I am very accustom or necessarily comfortable, but it’s feeling more natural each time I do it.

Other times it is okay to wait. Maybe it’s not always necessary to have an answer to know what’s going on.

Site: My job at MUST of Darkhan

2007-10-17T00:52:00.000-07:00

My job at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST) of Darkhan has many parts. First, I teach English to students. All of my students are studying to become English and Russian translators. Their focus, then, is language studies. I have recently learned that this translation studies major at MUST schools across Mongolia was 2 years ago discontinued by the Minister of Education. Therefore, the two grades of students I have are some of the last of their kind. I have 3 classes. 2 of those classes are with 3rd course students, a.k.a. juniors (the same group of juniors) and the other is with 4th course students, a.k.a. seniors. With the 3rd course students, I teach Spoken English and Grammar/Vocabulary. With the 4th course students, I teach Spoken English. Oddly enough, the 3rd course students have stronger English language skills and are all around better students. As a result, I have been told that most of my time here in Darkhan will be spent instructing the 3rd course students, those who are most willing to work with a native teacher and those with the most potential to capitalize on their instruction. From my end, I am thankful for this. The 3rd course students have thus far been a pleasure to teach.

Second, I observe the other English teachers. These teachers have a range of language skills capabilities, methodological styles, and teaching abilities. Their desire, as with all teachers, is to become better at what they do. There are 5 other English teachers. They are all women. In fact, all of my 11 counterparts are women. The longest tenured English teacher has 10 years experience at my school. Each of these women has a Master’s degree. So, in Mongolia they are all qualified to teach college English. In my observations, I note their strengths and weaknesses, how they can improve and what new teaching styles would be of benefit to them. I work with 1 teacher each week. I observe 3 classes each week. After I have worked with each teacher, I begin again the rotation. My general assessment thus far is that each teacher needs improvement, but more than that, the curriculum is in need of changing. The greatest problems I observe is that students 1) regardless of level or ability are being too quickly moved along by their teachers and are not given adequate time to learn what they have been taught and 2) the content is not optimal for beginning learners or for long-term learning. Both of these are problems not particular to Mongolia; they exist everywhere.

Peter with some of his counterparts at Opening Ceremonies

Third, I am preparing my colleges for the TOEFL IBT or Teaching of English as a Foreign Language Institutional-Based Test. It is a modified, more basic version of the international-recognized TOEFL exam. I am preparing 7 women (5 of which are the aforementioned English teachers) for the exam I am told they will take in the next couple weeks. For the most part, I teach strategies for question-answering. I assign them homework, sample tests, and then twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, we work through them together. After two weeks of preparation, it is apparent to me that language skills of even the better teachers require a lot of work. They all do, however, have the desire to improve. It was their idea to receive homework daily. We talk about answering such things as detail questions, main idea questions, inference questions, etc. And what we’re really talking about, as much as it TOEFL preparation is just as much about critical thinking.

Finally, the last big part of my job is to act as an advocate or an advisor for all things university-related. When I am asked or when a situation requires it, I give feedback on a variety of issues. Some of my recent interjections as an advisor have been about the format and content of student presentations. The 4th course students are required to present on a three-week language practice they conducted over the summer as well as a recent two-week teaching practice which pulled them from all classes earlier this semester. I sit in on these presentations and share my impressions with the department chair and the other English teachers. I find that I am more openly honest and constructively critical than I think I have ever been. I realize the absolute importance of my candor and therefore don’t hold back. I genuinely want these activities to be of the most benefit for the department and for the students. That requires, in my professional opinion (I’ve always wanted to write that), changes in procedures and attitudes. These same things are sometimes required university-wide, as is with the case of a proposal I have been working on that I will turn in to the school director on Monday. This proposal discusses the very serious early semester attendance problem, in which many students do not arrive until the 2nd, 3rd and even sometimes 4th weeks of classes. I have taken it upon myself to interview teachers and student representatives, compose a document for change and to bring it before the administration in an effort to improve an existing university problem.

The University Building

So far, I have really enjoyed this job. I spend a lot of hours lesson planning, developing relationships with co-workers, giving advice on any number of topics (sometimes this comes in the form of seminar presentations), assessing my work environment and thinking about what it all means. It is challenging. It is rewarding. It is the kind of Peace Corps assignment best suited for me.

Following the Packers

2007-10-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

I’ve done this one before. While in AmeriCorps there was a time or two when I had to check the games via the web. At times I would even “watch” the whole game on nfl.com. Thankfully, there is a feature which allows a person to follow the game play by play with the use of a self-updating feature, updating itself every few seconds. This way I could anxiously, nervously rock back and forth in my chair, wondering: ‘but what did that play look like?’ It has its pros and its cons. Worse yet, when living in London in 2000, I had to go the better part of the season tracking the Packers exclusively from the Internet. I was now 7 hours ahead of Packer time, a.k.a. Central Standard Time. In my flat we had a TV that had maybe 4 channels. Somehow I was, however, able to watch Monday Night Football on Tuesday mornings. I guess it had something to do with the fact that I was in London and not, say a developing country half way around the globe.

I realize now that all of that was just practice. Now I am 13 hours ahead, twice as long in time as I’ve ever been from Brett Favre, Lambeau Field, the heartbeat of Packer Nation. These days I go bed Sunday nights anxious, nervous and wake up the same. I hurry to work, praying to God that the Internet is working that day. I wait a full far too many minutes for nfl.com to upload. Then, I let out a jubilant yelp that the whole school can probably hear or a “Shit!” that only the people in the room can hear. As I see it, this is exactly what Peace Corps is talking about with their second goal: bringing American culture to my host nation.

You might be asking yourself, what is Peter doing from Mongolia to ensure victory? After all, I’m a superstitious about this as I always have been. I know that being a shareholder just isn’t enough. So…when doing laundry, for example, I use the appropriate number of green and yellow-colored clothes hanging clips. This past week we played Chicago. We were 4-0 going into the game. And as logic would have it, I placed 5 clips on my Packers t-shirt, making sure to lay the shirt upright so that the gods would see what I have done. Another example? Sure. Well, let’s see. My superstitiousness also carries through when I go running. I run in the hills behind our apartment. On top of the higher hill tops are owoos, traditional rock piles placed by passers-by asking for safe journey (see photos). A person passing by must walk 3 times clockwise around the rocks. So, when doing so, I lay the appropriate number of rocks. A couple of weeks ago, we played the Vikings (a game in which, I might add, Brett Favre broke the all-time TD record). We were 3-0 at the time. I laid…that’s right, 4 rocks. We won. So, sometimes it works and others it doesn’t. My game plan now, however, is different. I have come to realize that I can’t do the same thing every week. What sense would that make? After all, the Packers don’t prepare for each team exactly the same way. They still prepare, though. And as long as the Packers prepare, Peter too prepares.

GO PACKERS!

PhD Party

2007-10-08T00:54:00.000-07:00

First, a little background…

In America (here I go beginning a comparison…exactly what I shouldn’t be doing) getting an advanced degree is usually a lot of work. To get my Master’s degree it took me two somewhat grueling (and at times, very grueling) years. I would not, however, say that the completion of my degree was necessarily an American cultural event.
Now, on to the party…

Last week Thursday I was told: “Tomorrow night you’re going to be busy.” Seeing as how I didn’t have any plans I was wondering how they knew something that I didn’t. They told me that I was going to go to a celebration for a teacher at my school who just received his PhD. In Mongolia, I was told, when people get their PhD they usually get a big party that is a lot like a wedding. The party is held in a reception hall, or in this case, a hotel (ironically, this is the same hotel where we always came as trainees when would have sessions in Darkhan. It was trippy to say the least.). There is cake, dinner, people give speeches of congratulations, singing and dancing, and, of course, plenty of drinking.

I arrived at the hotel a little before 7:00 p.m. We (every teacher from my school was invited) waited, as is customary, in the lobby about a half an hour before we went into the large banquet room. Then, word came that were should enter. What I saw was the most elegant presentation of tables I have seen in Mongolia. The room was a rectangle. There were two very long tables along the sides. There was another long table along the back (furthest from and facing the door as is customary in Mongolia) where the honored guest and his wife sat. Also at this table was the director of the school and other honored teachers. Down the center of the room were four round tables. The table at which I sat was closest to the stage.

Each table was beautifully decorated with plates of appetizers, glasses, bottles of vodka and juice, cans of beer, a bowl of fruit, and a cake. My counterparts told me that such a party costs a lot of money. I could see why. In fact, we each gave 6,000 Tugricks.

First, we sat down. We waited. More people came. We waited. Then, the lights went down low, music that could have been from Rocky came blaring through the speakers, and the man of honor and his wife entered the room to the voice of an announcer who you would have thought was calling a heavyweight boxing match. We all clapped and cheered. When everyone took their seats the first bottle, the best bottle, at each table was opened and each person’s shot glass was filled.

For the first time, I was a table with all of my counterparts. It was me and 11 Mongolian women. Ladies, all the ladies…. To take the first shot there is a traditional order: honored guest first, then the oldest man, then the other men by age, and then the women by age. As the only man, I was to begin. In order for the next person to begin drinking the person before them must finish their drink entirely. What was I to do? I took the shot in one swig.

I guess you could say that it was all downhill from there…

While my harem drank one-by-one, the first performance came to the stage. Somehow, lucky for this social commentator and general Mongolia enthusiast, our table was directly in front of the stage and my seat was closest to it. In Mongolia, most celebrations begin with the playing of the traditional musical instrument, the horse fiddle, a beautiful sounding two-string instrument. They played two songs, both of which everyone in the room knew and sang along to except myself. And so there you have it, the perfect Mongolian celebration recipe – drinking and singing. Interestingly enough, it almost always seems like everyone Mongolian in the room can sing. People in this country are very talented.

Next, dinner was served. Soup. Mongolians have this thing about soup. It has to be scalding hot. And no matter the temperature outside, soup is the meal of choice. It takes me back to the summer during my training when temperatures peaked into the low 100’s and still they would serve shuul, soup. Can you imagine that? In fact, the host family of one of my closest friends, Jacob, served him schuul for 90% (not an exaggeration) of every meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Really rather amazing when you think about it. It almost drives a PCV to madness. I doubt highly that Jacob will ever look at a bowl of soup the same again. So, what did I do? I shook my head, smirked, and thought to myself: “Of course, schuul.” To make matters worse, I was wearing a white dress shirt and the soup was colored red from beets. A few shots in me, I slurped and splattered. I knew I shouldn’t have worn that shirt. Unfortunately for me, it was the only clean, this-event-presentable-ish one still hanging in the closest.

As we ate, a cute little girl, the niece of the announcer came to the stage and sang a song in Japanese. Random? Maybe anywhere but in Mongolia.

Following that, the lights were brought down low again, the Rocky music and the announcer’s booming voice returned. “It’s time to cut the cake!” He calls to the front Erdenbat, one of the school’s most well-respected and longest-tenured professors. He is also our department advisor. Erdenbat is far and away my favorite counterpart. He and I became good friends at the department picnic a month before. Erdenbat may as well be a comedian because 1 out of every 4 things the man says gets a laugh from everyone within earshot. Edenbat is asked by the announcer to cut the cake. Regrettably, he says, he is too old and not experienced in the ways of pastry dissection. He calls to the front, to the cake, the head of the Food Science department (yes, that is correct). I’d like to tell you that he did a masterful job, that the first slice was cut like something out of a movie. I’d like to tell you that. The piece was put onto a plate and brought to the rear of the room where the guest of honor received it, said a few words of thanks and took the first bite.
Mongolian cake…. Hmm…. It’s not American cake. It looks the same, but the taste is a little different. I’d like to note here that the small cake in the center of my table stayed untouched the duration of the night. Maybe the ladies know what I know.

Anyway, Erdenbat. Erdenbat, with microphone in hand (I think they knew what they were doing with this move) continued his act. He calls my table to join him in a song. The first name filling the room – Peter. Erdenbat has this way of making you do anything that he wants you to do. You simply cannot say “no.” I don’t know how he does it. So, my table and I stand and join him. They sing. If I knew the words, I would have too. I did, however, stand with my arm around Erdenbat, his arm around my back. When our 13-part harmony stuttered to a close, we took to our table. Erdenbat and I exchanged a hearty handshake and broad smiles. One of the ladies gave up her seat for “the man,” who sat next to, you guessed it, yours truly. And what would you guess we did know? If you’re thinking: “Fill up those glasses!” then you are correct. We all raised our glasses, Erdenbat began, we all followed. I took it in a full swig.
And then it happened.

Erdenbat did this thing he seems to always do when he drinks (always meaning, the one other time I have drunk with him, the picnic). When he drained the clear sneaky punch in his glass, he turned it upside down and put it on the top of his head. He looked at me with perhaps the biggest smile I’ve ever seen a person wear. We all started laughing. The ladies asked for my camera. We took a picture. We laughed heartily. We drank more. Indeed, it was the highlight of the night. You see, Erdenbat does not speak English. Well, that’s not true. His vocabulary includes: “Yes,” “No,” “Thank you,” “Good bye,” and “Peter.” It doesn’t ever matter though. I always have a translator. And even if I didn’t, the man says everything he thinking with his face, his body. I almost never wonder. Besides, he’s always happy.

Peter and Erdenbat at the party!

One by one, each department made its way to the stage, gave some words of congratulations, sang a song, laughed at the end and took their seats again.
Then, the tables were pushed back and the dancing began. We (yes, I include myself, the non-dancer) danced traditional Mongolian dances. I had two dance partners. Both of them led. Both of them were thoroughly amused. I couldn’t stop laughing.

After somewhere around 10 Mongolian-sized vodka shots, two bad Mongolian beers and a night packed full of true Mongolian culture, I decided to call it a night.

Happy PhD!

Peace Corps: The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love

2007-10-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

We all know the Peace Corps slogan. I’d read it, heard it many times. But how tough could it actually be? Before I first applied to Peace Corps over 5 years ago I had this idea that I’d be living on a tiny island in the middle of the South Pacific. In point of fact, that’s exactly where I was supposed to go. I thought to myself: “Now this is going to be the real Peace Corps experience. There’s going to be no Internet. There probably won’t be TV. Sending letters, not knowing when they’d arrive or when I’d receive them, will be the mode of communication. It will undoubtedly be hot as hell. The weather will be unpredictable. One day it will be sunny. Another day, torrential downpours. Then, for months straight it will be sunny, almost too much sun. Teaching English will be the primary job assignment. It’s likely that there won’t be a blackboard, and if there is, there probably will only be a very limited supply of chalk. It’ll be lonely. Most days there won’t be many, if any, native English speakers. The housing will be minimal. Will there be running water? Will there be plumbing? It’s definitely going to be remote. It will certainly be man versus nature. It will be community-building at its best. It will be a real Peace Corps experience.”

Wherever they send you, Peace Corps is going to be tough. It’s going to be physically demanding. It’s going to be mentally exhausting. It’s going to require every inch of your being to survive. And every so often you’re going to ask yourself: “How can I do this? Maybe it would just be easier if….”

This is not my reality. Well, the whole Pacific island thing isn’t and it wasn’t then either. I declined the Invitation, deciding to do AmeriCorps instead. Over 5 years later, I reapplied, was again accepted and myself accepted the Invitation. I’m in Mongolia. I don’t live alone; I’m married. It’s not the heat that supposedly lasts for endless months. I have the Internet, a TV, reliable mail (regular packages even), a blackboard and plenty of chalk, running water, plumbing, and yes, a significant and already rewarding host-national community. I’ve only been at site a month and a half and I know now that what I used to think of the Peace Corps is both still true and not. The difference is that I am no longer assuming.

The view from our apartment

Staying healthy, being sound in body are the physical demands. It’s not as easy you might think. Medical care is different, to say the least. Being your own doctor, and by that I mean being cognizant of your own health, is paramount. Should you fail yourself or should your body fail you, your Peace Corps service may likely end early, like it or not.

The mental exhaustion is the daily cultural and language differences. This, I have found, is the most difficult part of being a Peace Corps volunteer in 2007. Often times, I find myself wanting to compare life in Mongolia with life in America. Sometimes that works, but usually it doesn’t. This just isn’t America. Not being able to understand or be understand can be exhausting, especially in the beginning. It’s as if you’re speaking a foreign language and acting like you’ve come from a distant land.

As I was told by numerous Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), the key to survival is not to have expectations. Disappointment does not make for a healthy or productive two years. The highs will be high and the lows will be low. Really, though, where isn’t this true? The same can be said for life in America. I know I’ve asked myself many times, especially in grad school: “How can I do this? Maybe it would be just easier if….”

I can only imagine what life as a PCV would be like on a Pacific island. I can, however, tell you exactly what life is like as a PCV in Darkhan, Mongolia. Expectations aside, I’m beginning to think that this job is one of the toughest I’ve ever had. And, yes, I do love it.

My First 25 Year Old Adventure

2007-09-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I am 25 now! The birthday went well, I think! My office shared a bottle of Jonnie Walker Whiskey (which was nice, because usually in Mongolia celebrations include vodka!) and Peter met us at the local nightclub, Queen. We had lots of fun, dancing and laughing.

The next morning, I think I was a little exhausted still, and my office offered to send me on a trip to go to Bulgan and Erdenet (a neighboring aimag and city-aimag) for cooperative development training meetings. Come to find out later-- the trip was already started, and the car was on it's way from UB (the capital city) to pick me up in less than an hour! Also confusing the matter was the length of the trip. I was told it could be anywhere from 1-3 days! Packing NIGHTMARE! So I run home, pack enough underwear to carry me through a week and the car takes me to the Darkhan city crossroads where the UB car is waiting to pick me up.

Of course, the group that invited me has a full car, and there is no seat for me in their already packed car that is waiting at the crossroads. They ask me to go on this trip, and then there is no seat!! So we cram in the CHF suv. Halfway to Erdenet, the driver realizes that there is a seat in the trunk he can pull up, so we pull over, rearrange, and we're on our way again, much more comfortably. We stop for lunch in Erdenet, and then we continue on to Bulgan, where we meet the local governor, and get settled in.

We end up staying in the nicest hotel in Bulgan. Which means when you are that removed from the city, that it's part of someone's house with three bedrooms. Of course, they have no heat yet in Bulgan, and it's beginning to snow. So luckily I packed a scarf hat and gloves-- put them on and hunkered down for the night. I have never been so cold in my life!! Lesson learned. I am bringing long underwear and wool EVERY trip from now on. I just assumed heat was turned on across the country!

The next day we go to this cooperatives meeting, where there was very little I understood-- I'm still learning so much about the way the Mongolian government develops and supports cooperatives, and how my agency assists in the process. Afterwards, we get in a russian jeep-- and someone says, "we're going to Erdenet" -- Do we go to Erdenet? Nope! We go to a soum, a small village, in the opposite direction off a dirt road 35 km to visit a cooperative. When we get there, they offer us a bucket of airag each (fermented mare's milk, um yeah-- we can talk about that later) and then eat buuz (mutton dumplings). This isn't the crazy part. After we're done eating, we end up having to pay money airag and buuz I didn't want to eat in the first place!!

And THEN we're on the way to Erdenet finally-- where I find I have no hotel room, and end up staying with Salomon, another volunteer that lives there. After that debacle in Bulgan, I was just happy to sleep in a room that had heat!

The next day, the counterparts from UB office that were on the trip said that maybe I should take a BUS back because they were too crowded in the car on the way here. I'd like to point out this is probably going to be even MORE crowded on the way home, especially since they bought 40 Liters of airag to take back to UB! I was a little surprised, but after some breaking down of communication barriers, we finally agreed I would ride in the SUV, even if it meant I carried the airag on my lap. :)

I get home later that week after continuing my trip to UB for a PC meeting, and find Peter had only eaten SANDWICHES while I was gone! I kid you not. Only sandwiches with salami we found in the market, tomatoes, and onions. We usually cook together, but maybe the idea of eating sandwiches for a week appealed to him.

Lessons I learned: Pack warm, watch out for airag, and make sure Peter has enough bread for his sandwiches before you leave!

Expectations: Mongolia

2007-09-28T00:46:00.000-07:00

When we first found out that we were going to be going to Mongolia, Cady and I were excited. We opened our Welcome Packet in the lobby of the International Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington, DC. It helped, of course, they we lived in the city. We gave each other a high five and then fervently read the enclosed information, sparse as it was, about our host country and our jobs. We were to leave in a month and a half. Needless to say, not much time.

For the next 40 or so days I read about Mongolia. I read what I could about the people, the culture, the landscape, the history, the language. I practiced, I realize now, more so than I would need to have, the Mongolian language.

I was almost always never nervous, only excited. I’d done the nervous, apprehensive thing 5 years prior. It was a different time and I was a different person. It didn’t work out then, but this time, this time it was going to work out.

What I discovered was that Mongolia, of all places that I could be sent, was, for all intents and purposed, a “perfect” (note the quotes) location for me. It is much like Colorado in that it is at a higher elevation. Therefore, the skies are almost always blue and sunny. The air is thinner. The landscape is covered with hills and mountains. Also, Mongolia is infamous for its cold winters. Unlike Thailand and Cambodia (other potential Eastern Asian Peace Corps locations), Mongolia would not have the heat and humidity, the bugs. And after growing up in Wisconsin, the cold is no big deal.

Mongolia

The national religion in Mongolia is Buddhism, a religion which I already interested in learning more about. Beyond that, though, and more interestingly, most Mongolians, I read, believe that nature is as true a religion, as true a spiritual being as any that exists. How perfect. For as I believe, I am no closer to God than I am when I am at the summit of a mountain.

The people of Mongolia, I read, are welcoming, respectful, peaceful and genuinely interested in cultures beyond their own. Because Mongolians are so, they also do not pose a likely disruptive political instability for which PCVs would have to evacuate. Who wouldn’t like this?

Mongolia, as I read, has a formal culture. People like to look their best. They may not have as many outfit options as Americans, but when the occasion calls for it their personal presentation is second to none. I can relate. I generally prefer to go to work in a dress shirt. I like to throw on the ole suit and dress to impress.

The best thing about Mongolia, I knew, was my attitude about it. I was going to have no real expectations. I wasn’t going to decide how things were going to be. I wasn’t even going to guess. I was just going to take things as they came. My excitement alone was enough to keep me going. Well, that and the fact that we only had a month and a half until our entire lives were going to completely change.
I expected only that this experience would make me a better, smarter, more capable person. To be so I would be challenged in ways I could not think of at the time. I would meet new people, see new places and learn new things.

One of my closest friends once told me something that I will never forget. In fact, it has become one of the philosophies by which I live my life. I had only recently arrived in Colorado and would soon begin my graduate work. We were driving to Rocky Mountain National Park. As we wound our way up higher and higher we talked about what we thought was most important in life. On one point we were in complete agreement. Justin said to me: “Just think of all those things that you are most proud of in your life. I’d bet that they were things that you took a chance on, things that you had to take a risk for, things that weren’t easy, things that might have been scary, things that you knew weren’t going to be easy and things that took a lot of work to get through. The things that we are most proud of in our lives are the things that challenged us the most.”

Writer’s Block

2007-09-20T00:27:00.000-07:00

In a course I am teaching, Spoken English, for my 3rd course students (a.k.a. Juniors), I am using the American movie Stranger Than Fiction to teach all sorts of things. I am using it for speaking practice, for reading, writing and listening practice. I am using it to teach critical thinking skills, something greatly lacking in my students. It has been a great teaching tool and it’s great entertainment. Will Farrell is great and Dustin Hoffman is brilliant. Anyway, if you haven’t already seen this film, you should.

One of the characters, Karen Eiffel, is an author struggling to finish a book she has been working on for the last 10 years because she suffers from writer’s block. But this is beside the point, too much pretext. Like Karen, I too have suffered from writer’s block.

Since arriving in Darkhan, I have found it extremely difficult to make time for myself to think, to write. I was good about this at my training site, Sukhbaatar Bagh 5. Needless to say, the differences between training and site have been vast. Here in Darkhan I have been mentally swamped. I have many times wanted to just sit down and write, a practice I have always found comforting, freeing and even therapeutic. My university life, the new scenery, the transition to yet another culturally significant location has, until now, created quite a sizable mental block. Just trying to live here has been so much work. It has been exhausting.

There are simply too many things getting in the way. How could I stop to write, to catch up on the recent events when I am still trying to catch up on life itself? I told myself many times before I came that I would be good about journaling. That worked for a little while. What changed was my reality. Training was fun. In many ways it was like camp or a vacation. The stressors, though real, didn’t feel a real kind of real. Now things are real. What I am doing now is why I came here. The work I am doing now is the work I am most passionate about in this world – university life. Sure, it’s different than it is in the states. It’s what I was expecting completely and yet not at all. It still is, though, a university. Whether in America or Mongolia, I see a career, a life in this world very clearly. I am fascinated, I am challenged, I am confused, I am confident, I am lost, I am happy, I am overwhelmed, I am completely invested.

Like Karen, but for different reasons, of course, I am freed from the trap that is writer’s block. I have been here long enough to get lost in my thoughts for too long but also long enough to know when I need to just stop, drop and write.

Training: Sukhbaatar Bagh 5

2007-09-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

This past summer was an amazing one. It was like a cross between summer camp and Spanish class, throw in a little bit of AmeriCorps and a lotta bit of something I have never experienced before. It was radically different from how life is now. It was perfect.

What follows is the most authentic voice from those days, some journal excerpts:

6 June 2007, 7:15 a.m., Wednesday (my very first entry)

I do not know how often I will make entries to this journal, perhaps only when it feels right will I do so. This morning marks such a time, the first time. Much has happened, too much to fully recount. In brief, however, we’ve thus far been on a constant move. From Denver to Atlanta to Seoul to Ulaanbaatar to a ger camp (“ger”) to where we are now, Darkhan. To say that I am tired of hauling luggage around is somewhat of an understatement. Our accommodations, with each new location, have grown less comfortable (though none bad – far from it actually) – the Atlanta Hilton = American comfort at its finest and the Darkhan Hotel = Mongolian comfort. There is quite a difference.

Mongolia. This is such a beautiful country. It is also a country very much in need. The current PCVs see this place through an already time-colored lens. They see Mongolia, its people, its good and its bad for what it is – Mongolia. The ger camp, as pictures show, had all the comforts of the good life. We arrived there late in the night, a night as dark as dark can be. The stars were stunning and the excitement from all of us, my class of 48, readily apparent. We are finally here. We’ve seen these people we’ve waited so long to meet.

A morning hike. Deodorant. No enough sleep. Hite beer. Water. Blue sky. Mountains. Poverty. Change. Formal Clothing. Ambassador Minton. Sunlight at 4:30. Heat. Sweat. Sain bain uu. Mutton. Uncertainty. Relaxation. Hope. Inspiration. Questions. Fewer real answers. Planes. Buses. Walking. Exploration. Beginning. Sadness. Happiness. One day at a time.

10 June 2007, 6:20 p.m., Sunday

Today has been one of those momentous days – today I moved in with my host family.

The day began like several before it. I woke up in my single bed across the room from Cady. I took a shower and got ready. After breakfast we all packed our things, loaded them into Meekers (mini buses) and headed North to Sukhbaatar (10 mi. from the Russian border). Again, the sites were breath-taking. The mountains were beautiful in the morning rain and mist. Including our driver, the 8 of us (Julie, James, Cassandra, Allie, Chris and I) passed gers, horses (wild and otherwise), sheep, goats. What a magnificent morning drive.

When we arrived in Sukhbaatar Bagh 5, our host families were awaiting us. At the school where we will attend daily language, culture and job technical classes, in a small classroom, we aw for the first time the family members with whom we are to live for the summer. A sign above our heads read, “welcome to our school” in English. Now joined with the other half of our group, we all sat along a bench looking excitedly at a group of parents, siblings and grandparents.

First, one by one, we stood and took, from a young girl, a sip of milk tea (tsai) in a traditional metallic cup. We each sat after we sipped. When done, one of our language teachers called our names one by one to stand and meet our “family.” Now, with our families, we went back outside, unloaded the meekers, gathered our own things, said goodbye to one another for now and droves off to our “homes.”

Peter and his host mom

12 June 2007, 10:12 p.m., Tuesday

I’ve been told not to climb the highest peak in Sukhbaatar. Jacob and I will make our assent Saturday! Supposedly there are bears and wolves. How this is possible from looking out at it is beyond me. On the other side is Russia. I’ve also been instructed not to take photos of Russia as there may be soldiers there. Now that I believe. Bears and wolves? Not so much. Saturday!

14 June 2007, 9:45 p.m., Thursday

CADY STOPPED BY LAST NIGHT!!!

15 June 2007, 8:01 p.m., Friday

I think I am really fortunate to have gotten the group that I have here in SB5. Today after class a bunch of us (Dwan, Jacob, James, Rachel, Philip, Cassandra and Allie) went to a del guur (store) and got some liquor and beer and sat out on some stone slabs in a field behind a haasha (fence/family property) and talked. It was great to hang out. We certainly didn’t have much to drink and not everyone drank, but it was cool to hang out and celebrate the completion of our first week at our training site. …

3 July 2007, 6:42 p.m., Tuesday

Well, here we are, going back to Darkhan again. That hotel used to seem run down and a bit disgusting. Now all I think about is SHOWER, SLEEPING WITHOUT FLIES (p.s. just killed 2 in one swat!!), NO FAMILY RULES. Ahh, the little things.

Things to legitimately piss and moan about just because: 1) the holes in the screen in my window letting in countless dive-bombing flies (particularly irksome during the wee morning hours. 2) the inability to power (or charge) my beard trimmer and hair clippers. 3) Forgetting the rechargeable batteries and re-charger in the winter baggage.

30 July 2007, 1:50 p.m., Monday

The heat has been oppressive and debilitating. It’s been two weeks of this. There just hasn’t been much to say. The heat and humidity cloud all else. I’m told this is a hotter than usual summer. Lucky us.

29 August 2007, 10:16 a.m., Wednesday

This is truly the end of the magical mystery training tour. Time with friends is now limited. For that reason the tours [of UB] are more fun than might ordinarily be. In a matter of days we will part ways, spreading across the vastness of Monglia. Jacob and Dwan both to the Govi, different areas, of course. This ride has been a great one.

People begin to leave. We stay. More leave. We remain. Cady works. I hang out. I read. I eat. I walk. I eat. I watch movies. Internet. Cady works. I don’t.

Home. Wow. … This place is great. And compared to the other, really nice, too. We meet our landlords. … We get the tour, some family background. The father, living in the huudo (where the mother will live as the 17-year old daughter moves to UB for college) is a wolf hunter. They say we are welcome to visit them, that I can join in on a hunt. Ooh, buddie! This just gets better and better!

Pictures and More...

2007-09-18T00:49:00.001-07:00

Well we've uploaded a LOT to shutterfly and facebook... and I hope you can look at them! And just in case you've forgotten what we look like, here's a teaser:

Facebook Photos

Cady at Ambarbaisalant Monastery

Peter, the largest Mongolian!

It's Cold!

2007-09-16T21:02:00.001-07:00

Friday was 85 degrees Farenheit... 30 in Celsius (we're trying to get the conversions down). And now today, Monday it's 5 degrees Celsius, or 40 Farenheit. We're already on our way into winter, and I'm not really sure how it's going to be manageable. We'll get through it somehow, I suppose!

We've begun to upload lots of pictures on Shutterfly-- you can view our albums at cadyandpeter.shutterfly.com. And for those of you that haven't seen our wedding shots on there, they're fun to look at too!

We met the Hudoo (countryside) PCVs in town on Friday and Saturday and had fun catching up and hearing their adventures. We spent all summer living in places like they do, but now we have heat and running water-- they've got to build fires to keep warm and take sponge baths. We're pretty lucky in terms of services we have in Darkhan, I suppose. You never really think that heat and running water are luxuries, but they are in Mongolia, and we've got 'em! We went to the local "dance club" and had fun experiencing the cultural differences seen even there. Mostly, men are the big dancers in Mongolia, and the tend to dance in the American 1970s style -- this is probably mostly because they've listened to Abba their entire lives!

Our new address is posted below in a previous blog. We'll send out an email tomorrow with the new address and photo website once it's completely ready. We can't wait to show you all what we've been up to.

Here's some photos we have borrowed from other PCVs of one of the performers in our Welcoming Ceremony. He sang for us while the girl pictured below danced. The children performing were beautiful and we may be imagining things, but it seems like everyone is so talented in music and arts. We think it may have something to do with the fact that winter is so cold and you just stay inside and practice!

Hopefully it stays cool for awhile before it dips into freezing. We need time to adjust! We miss you all and can't wait to hear from you.

Random Things!

2007-09-13T00:04:00.000-07:00

Our "Harvest Days" Trade Fair was on Friday - Sunday and our clients made over 7 million tugriks (about $7,000) in total. It was a really successful fair, and our clients had learned a lot about marketing and promoting your products. One client even packaged her vegetables as "salad in a bag" with a recipe!

Sliced bread is a new thing here.

Star Wars has lots of Mongolian themes in it. The traditional dress is very similar, and the Ewoks even speak some Mongolian in the movie, so if you want to hear the language we are speaking/learning here-- think about how the Ewoks sounded! We're actually learning Ewokian!

I got to ride a camel on Friday! Also, in Mongolia, they play polo on camels.

Our apartment is the on the highest hill in town. When we look out of our window, we see mountains and a beautiful view of the Mongolian steppe.

Darkhan has hidden gems everywhere. I found a cheeseburger on a menu the other day! It turned out to be a mutton burger with ketchup. Not so good.

Peter's students are just beginning to arrive in Darkhan for University, even though classes started August 27th....

To say hello in Mongolian, it's "Sain Bain Uu?" If you accidentally say "Sain Bann Uu?" you've just asked someone how they are defecating. It's a very hard language.

That's all from here for now.

The SHIRT...

2007-09-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

Somewhere, somehow, someone decided it would be the best idea ever to import these old Russian Navy shirts into Mongolia. And now, because we see them everywhere we go, we have a count. Since July 1, I have seen 43 different men wearing this same shirt. There are tank top versions too, 3/4 length sleeve ones, and black and green striped ones. I only count the blue long sleeve ones though. 43. I found the market stall where they sell them! It's all they sell. Apparently the demand is high enough to warrant only selling these shirts. Peter and I may get matching ones.

Our New Home!

2007-09-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

We are now in Darkhan, Mongolia, our new home for the coming 2 years, and we've both started work and have been spending the last two weeks getting oriented with our new digs.

Here's the view (thanks for the picture, Emily!) from the drive into our city- it's a relatively small city, and within 5 minutes walk you can be in the countryside again. Mongolia is absolutely breathtaking.

We have an address! Remember to use both Mongolian Cyrillic and English so it gets to us!

Peter Gerlach, PCV or Cady Sinnwell, PCV
P.O. Box 690
Darkhan
MONGOLIA
(via China)

Peter Gerlach (Петер Гэрлах) or Cady Sinnwell (Кэди Синбелл)
Энх Тайвны Корпусын сайн дурын ажилтан
Шуудангийн хайрцаг 690
Дархан-Уул аймаг, Дархан сум
Монгол улс

We also have cell phones now, so you can call! There are relatively cheap calling cards out there, and also skype is a great option if you have high speed internet. Unfortunately on our end, skype is pretty challenging due to the speed of our internet and computers.

Peter: 957 423 41
Cady: 957 423 73

The country code: 976

Looking forward to hearing from you! We were able to post our blogs and emails from this summer, so you can catch up on what we've been up to. Also, now that we're posted at our permanent site, we'd love to have visitors.

Keep in touch!

August E-mails!

2007-08-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a batch of our e-mails from August!

August 2, 2007

I have time for a bit of an email (and a little extra tugriks burning a whole in my pocket right now... yay!) so I thought i would sneak away before traditional mongolian dance class and shoot you an email.

We have exactly a week left before we leave our host sites, and then we'll be in Darkhan and UB, and then swear in on August 18 as official Peace Corps Volunteers. My schedule has been crazy. In true Mongolian and PC fashion, they waited until last minute to tell us about these "cultural" performances we have to do, and speeches to give, etc.etc. so now not only are we scrambling to study, we have insane volleyball practice, dance practice, etc. on top of our normal schedules. Peter's bagh was more organized I think and have been learning to sing and dance the whole time. I love playing volleyball with them, and my host family calls me MONDUCK (champion) when we play because i somehow can still serve the ball pretty well! (well, honestly the net sags a bit, so it's pretty easy to hit it over hard).

It finally cooled off and rained for 2 days straight. They say winter starts in a couple weeks to a month depending on where you live, so I imagine we are in for a shock!

We still have no idea about placement... I guess we'll find out next Thursday and then run to the internet and write an email! Also on August 18 or 20 we will get cell phones, so you will be able to call us!!

I'm terribly homesick today. Reading emails has been hard, because I just wish I could be sharing my experiences with you all. I feel very proud of what I have accomplished (I was chosen to give a speech in Mongolian at our Host Family Closing Appreciation Event next Sunday!!), and I think that I have learned quite a bit, but I am very ready to be in control of my own life again in terms of food, water, refrigeration, food processing, schedule, planning, etc. Honestly today I think what maybe set me off was I also searched all over town for a delgor that had cold coke to no avail. :(

I have been going to the seamstress with my family lately because they are giving me a fancy dell!!! I am so excited. I'll show pictures.

Love you guys--- more later!
Cady

August 3, 2007

Yeah! Free Internet at the PC PST HQ rocks! I am in Darkhan today preping for our seminar tomorrow. Seeing as how they have free Internet, I jumped at the chance!

Well, the BIG BIG news here is that our slice of Mongolia has cooled off. The rain cometh and so doth the cool air! I feel human again!

I am also done practice teaching now. Yesterday was my last day. It ended nicely.

Monday is our language test. No worries.

Wednesday we all go together with our families to the countryside.

Thursday we leave our families and head back here to Darkhan and then a few days later we're off to UB for a week. Then, off we go to who knows where!

So, there's the run down.

It sounds like everything is going well with everyone. I'm very happy to hear that. I'm sorry to hear that it is so hot in the states. I can relate. I don't know how long this coolocity (not a real word) will last here, but for now, I am really enjoying it. I hope it comes for all of you, too.

I've got to run for now!
Love,
Peter

August 13, 2007

We have a home!

Training is almost complete and we have some great news to share! We have been placed in Darkhan, Mongolia for the next two years! We also passed our language tests with Intermediate-Low level scores (you only need a Novice-High to pass!).

Cady was placed in the CHF International Office at the GER Initiative (Growing Entrepreneurship Rapidly) as a Business Advisor in Darkhan. She will work with local clients to improve local business practices as well as work with CHF on its larger mission within Mongolia. CHF's GER Initiative is funded as a joint project by the US Department of Agriculture and USAID. It's a great program, great location.

Peter has been placed as an English Instructor at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology in Darkhan. MUST is one of the largest universities systems within Mongolia. The Darkhan University has 1500 students, and is within walking distance of our new home.

Speaking of homes, we have been placed in an an old Soviet block style apartment on the 4th floor of a 5 floor building (No elevators!!). The apartment buildings on the outside are not much to look at, but have plenty of character on the inside. We move in after swearing in on the 18th, so we can send pictures or finally put something on our blog later.

We said goodbye to our very gracious and hospitable host families for the last time, and they are grateful we are so close (about 1 hour) so we can see them on holidays. We were so ecstatic about our placement, and we can't wait to come back to Darkhan and get settled in!

We're off to UB (UlaanBataar) for a week of PC events and swearing-in as official Peace Corps volunteers on August 18th. We will recieve a new mailing address (the old one won't work as of Aug 18) and cell phones on the 19th. We'll send out our new contact info as we have it! We'd love to hear from you, and miss you all dearly.

Love,
Cady and Peter

Here's a Photo of Swearing In -- Cady and Emily in Mongolian Dells.

August 14, 2007

Hello! We are safe and sound in UB after surviving a flat tire blowout in the bus and sitting in an extremely hot bus ride for 4 hours frmo Darkhan to UB. We've spent the day here with our sectors (business, tefl) and exploring the city. It is a little overwhelming at first, but I think it's slowly growing on me. Darkhan is just so much more relaxed and quieter than UB-- UB is very bustling and loud and over 1/3 to 1/2 of the population lives here, so it's insanely busy.

Things are happening fast-- we'll be officially at our sites in a week! Hopefully then, things will settle down-- we hear there is boredom that sets in then, so I can use the time to catch up on emails and study more Mongolian :)

Love,
Cady

August 20, 2007

HOLY QUESTIONS, BATMAN! AHHHHH!

Ready for the answers - follow along:

She got to be on TV.
It was awesome.
Pizza Pringles.
Everything new.
Yes.
There is so much time to do a little bit of everything.
I can do just about all the things you can do there.
No Internet.
Yes cell phone (inside and out).
The weather is perfect now.
Yes, we will get snow in Darkhan.
Yes, there are vehicles.
No, camel riding. People only really do that in the Gobi.
People are VERY interested in us.
Darkhan is known for being the little brother to UB (a better, safer, smaller version, most Mongolians agree.)
Generalization statements: Most Mongolians do not get to travel out of Mongolia.
I hear a lot of English in UB, not really anywhere else.
Russian is spoken a fair amount here.
There are very few exchange programs.
Yes, they think all of us are funny-looking to some degree. That is, we don't look Mongolian.
Yes, we will be busy.
Yes, weekends off from work, sort of.
Work hours vary, especially for me.
There are a few U's in Darkhan.
Schools are okay here/.
Most U students are women. Most men work at home, etc.
School days vary.
Cady should tell you about her job as I still know little about my own.
We have a TV.
There is American TV here.
There are international stations here (primarily Russia).
Health care here is horrendous for the most part. You wouldn't want to see the inside of a "hospital."
I love to eat Tsoivan (phonetically spelled, of course).
I love to drink Juice (different brands, same general concept.)
Not sure how to say, "We miss you."

Love,
Peter

August 28, 2007

We'll send out an email update to friends and family soon with the address once we go to the post office one more time and confirm!!!

Things have been really busy here this week so far—well, my 3 days of work :)

Friday I spent the day getting to know the office and business advisors. Most of them speak English, and my direct counterpart speaks PERFECT English. I have a translator who is also the information officer of the office, and so far, because they are all so good at English, my Mongolian has suffered a bit! Yesterday I worked on my first "training" I will give the office on "Critical Thinking". Should be interesting!! Today we visited clients all day with the HQ linkage coordinator (the person who matches our supplier clients up with the larger corporations) and wow. Some are so engaged and really excited to do everything that they can to improve their situations and their businesses—full of ideas, etc. Others are not quite as excited, and want others to solve their dilemmas—but fortunately CHF/GER Initiative is focused primarily on sustainable development and capacity building, helping the clients to come up with ideas to solve their own issues, basically their goal is to "work themselves out of a job" because the ultimate goal is to finish the program and allow a sustainable Mongolian business fill these needs or have the clients fill them themselves.

Some clients and their products are interesting—the first one I met today sells smoked pork products—and now she seems to think I am going to give her a great BBQ recipe so she can walk around town at lunch and sell pulled pork sandwiches. So, yeah, I better google that one. Another has the most amazing crops—she grows broccoli and she is so frustrated because she knows how healthy it is to eat, and no Mongolians will buy her products (only restaurants, generally) because they have no idea what to do with it! She even harvests her own seeds—including the broccoli. She was quite proud as she told me today, because all of the books and experts told her that broccoli seed harvesting wasn't possible—but she did it anyway, and ended up growing the best crop yet! I am going to start work on a Value Chain Survey for CHF Mongolia pretty soon. We're picking 6-8 industries/clients to survey, and from that, pick one industry to complete the survey on. Value Chains are apparently the "new" thing in development work, and I'm excited to get started. I'll get to travel a bit around central Mongolia, and back to UB for the training portion, so I am looking forward to getting to see more of the country!

Things are good here though—busy and new, and it's starting to get chilly already (at least at night). I need to get back on the emails and start writing people back now that I have regular access. That's my goal for the slow times! :)

Love you!!
Cady

July E-mails

2007-07-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

Here's our batch of emails from July -- so you can catch up on what's been happening!

July 3, 2007

Hello!

The first thing I miss, besides YOU guys of course, is ICE CUBES. You have no idea what life is like without ice cubes. I used to think I was living a hard life in DC when we actually had to use ice cube trays. I can't wait til we have our own place and I can use our distiller to make ice cubes in our freezer. The other things I miss include: Iced ANYTHING, COLD anything, and meat that is 99% lean. I want to just make ice cubes in my families freezer but the meat here is just kept open in the freezer, so it may not be the best setting for pure water! Our fridge looks like it is from the 1800s and whirrs like kitten, I mean, like a lion being nuetered.

We have had a "mongolian life skills" lesson on Saturday where we learned to saw wood from a log, split those logs into fire wood, build a fire in an old wood stove, and then cook traditional MOngolian foods on it! It was so nice to hack with that ax. I had no idea how good it was to hack wood with an axe! LOVED IT.

We just took our halfway point LPI (language exam) and so far so good! Tomorrow we meet up again in Darkhan for a couple of days and then it's back to Sukbaatar for Nadaam, the national festival.

I remember needing to tell you about the food and our houses a little more. Our families are required by Peace Corps to have electricity and a fridge and freezer to stop food spoilage. They are even required to have one outlet in our private rooms in order to plug in our Water Distillers in order for us to have safe drinking water. The food is very bland and somewhat greasy (lots of fried foods) but pretty decent! Basically each meal consists of the same 6-7 ingredients used in different ways. Cabbage, Carrots, Potatoes, Onions, Meat (with lots of fat), Flour (either used to make noodles, fried dough, or dumplings, and/or rice. If they add yeast to the flour it makes whatever we are eating more "bready" :) Sometimes there are cabbage salads with oil and vinegar, or Xiam (Heeyamm), which tastes like bologna or if we're lucky, some of the Xiam tastes like Summer Sausage.

Money here is very odd. Their money is called "tugriks" and the conversion is approx. 1000 Tugs to 1 US Dollar. Most heads of cabbage cost 700-800 tugs, or 80 cents. Milk isn't really bought in a store, it mostly comes from someone who knows someone who has a mare or cow! :) A box of cookies, for example, costs just over 1200 tugs, or 1.20 , which is very expensive! An apple is 300 tugs, or 30 cents. Once we get to our site, we will recieve 250,000 tugs (about 125K each) totalpermonth to live on, but our families right now recieve 38000 T per week to feed us and house us.

Milk products here are a little smelly and not very appetizing. They eat yogurt that is pretty watery and tastes more like sour cream, cheese that is like a brick, and then they drink airag, a clear fermented mare's milk. THAT tastes like Saki, and as long as you don't get any fat chunks floating in it, you're good to go. :)

Safety here hasn't been to much to worry about except for drunk dodging, and making sure you look oout for open manholes. SERIOUSLY. Our biggest safety concern besides dodging crazy drunks are these massive open sewer manholes that you could fall in with one misstep! (That and Rabid wild dogs)

So far, so good. I'm very happy in terms of my decision to join the PC... the timing has been right for me and Peter and our lives/careers, and I am just ready to get to our site and figure out what our lives will be like for the next 2 years!

If you guys are thinking (or you hear someone else is) of sending a package.... maybe rechargeable AA batteries with a recharger and more books? I can pretty much find everything here that we need in terms of toilet paper (aka crepe paper) and other necessities.

More later from Darkhan, and hopefully some pictures!!!

Love you both!
Cady

July 7, 2007

Sounds like everyone had a great 4th of July. We wish we were there. We had a bit of a celebration here. We went to Darkhan on the 4th. There was a basketball game, pretty competitive, that both Cady and I played in. She was one of 3 women to play for our team. I finally got to see The Enforcer in action. Lol. I told her that now that I have seen her skills that she and I will have to play more often. After the game, we had a mock barbeque. We had "pizza," "hot dogs," watermelon, juice and desserts. It was a good time. The food was suspect, but when isn't it?

Well, we are back from Darkhan, after a mid-training 2 day training session. It was great to see everyone, and I think that might be the reason they schedule those days. We did have fun though. Cady felt a little sick from the shots we were given yesterday, but is slowly starting to feel better.

You asked about cultural differences. Well, the short of it is that they are much like what I thought they would be like. They are very accepting and very open-minded (for the most part, that is). There are the bad seeds like there are everywhere. As you might imagine, we are very noticable and we recieve a lot of stares. I think, however, that they are largely curious more than anything thing else. We are different. We do have iPods, digital cameras, video cameras, nice clothing, etc., but we are also trying very hard (I think I can say that about most all of us) to really fit in and live like they do, speak their language, follow their customs.

As for food, there is a little bit of most things. If you are thinking American standards about anything, stop now! Lol. Things here are just different. Many PCTs have gotten sick. The most common reason is the change in what we intake. The preparation methods and taste are exceedlingly better than I thought, however, that does not mean that we aren't very susceptable to getting sick. So far (knock on wood) Cady and I have not been affected. They do refrigerate some things, but a lot of things sit out. They do have spices, but these are limited. I couldn't tell you exactly what they are and they really vary from location to location and by household. Food in the winter? I'll tell you about that in a few months.

Placement sites? Hmmm. The big question. THE biggest question. We all wonder and information is beginning to make its way to us from PCVs who know a little here and there about their own locations. The problem is that rumors are as common as "reliable" (notice the quotes) information, so what is actually true and what is not is hard to judge. We will find out on August 9th for sure. After that, about a week or two later we will leave for site. I hope that is somewhat helpful.

sign bine oooh is how you say hello, Sain Bain Uu.

Naadam begins tomorrow night. We are all looking forward to it and our academic schedule has been altered because of it. Wrestling and horse riding are on our horizon. We are told that we will not get archery here. I hope that's not true. Cady and I will have to let you know how it all shakes out.

Pictures. We've taken a few hundred so far. Video. We've taken some. We're thinking now that we will send those when we get to site. As you've noticed, I'm sure, we've done little in the way of blogging. There is just so little time and we haven't the motivation.

Well, that's enough talking about us.

I love you all,
Peter

P.S. We've recieved some mail. We've gotten letters from Mama and Papa, Bettina, Al and Joanna. If there is more coming, we are always on the lookout. We will get our new address to you as soon as we can! Letters get to UB after about 10-12 days.

P.P.S. We've seen a fair number of people recieving un-opened packages from home. So, that is good. I thought it would be harder than that. As for contents, rechargable batteries would be wonderful. I think Peanut Butter is always great. Or maybe Nutella. Lol. Really anything American tasting that you remember us liking will be highly coveted. So, if you can have a hot, fresh pizza delivered here, DON'T HESITATE!

July 18, 2007

Hello!

I am finally back at the internet after 5 unsuccessful attempts the last few days and I'm hopefully going to still have internet connection when the time comes to hit send on this message! Weather, schedules, and electricity permitting seem to be the major factors in determining my communication these days.

All is well here, Peter had a happy and celebrated 27th birthday here this Sunday! Since he isn't going to be back in town on the internet for awhile (i think?), he said I can go ahead and pass along the details. Friday night, Peter and his training site mates had an impromptu birthday party at a current volunteer's house, and from the pictures and stories, it sounded like fun! One trainee's host parents wouldn't let her leave for the party without a gift for Peter, so they gave her an XXL (american sized Medium!) Flannel Wrangler shirt. It's pretty funny, but actually a nice shirt! They had it in their closet, and I'm sure were just WAITING for a time when a "taller than average" birthday came along!

Saturday, my friend Emily and I walked the 3.5 miles from Sukbaatar city to Peter's bagh in the hudoo (country). On the way, we picked up my "supplies" for Peter's birthday and a cake and got some nice farmer tan lines along the way. While Peter finished working on his TEFL lesson with another University Teacher, Emily and I walked ANOTHER 3 miles to the river to go swimming. After we returned, Peter's mom of course fed us "tea" (where the 4 of us all share one teabag and basically drink brownish teaish tasting water. We could all have our own, they are just so darn expensive for them to buy, so we try and "do as the romans do" and share a teabag) and ate some hiam (close to sausage or bologna I guess?) sushi rolls she had made.

Emily and Julie left, and so Peter, Peter's host mother, and I shared dinner, where she asked us what we like to do, and then she proceeded to ask me if I like to cook, clean, etc. (like a good Mongolian woman!!) and if Peter liked to work with his hands. And from out of NOWHERE, she asks if I like to milk animals. (I suppose like a good Mongolian woman would!) I said yes, and she swooped us over to the other family's hashaa next door, where we played with farm animals for an hour, and yes, I milked a cow and played around with goats. Peter was our official "photographer" (I think he might be afraid of animals!!)

The next day I suprised him with his birthday "trip" -- we hiked to a sacred Mongolian Owoo (I think after this weekend I hiked/walked 12 miles total!!!) and I gave him 5 or 6 sacred "offerings" to present at the Owoo. This owoo was the "mother tree" a GIANT owoo -- absolutely enormous and very special and a spiritual birthday I think for Peter! (He'll have to give all the details).

We returned home and made Pizza (yes pizza!! well, fried bread and then topped it with veggies and hiam!) and his family hosted a family birthday party for him where they served the cake I brought for them/him.

All in all things are going very well for us, we're happy, we're tired, we're busy as all get out, and we've been working our tushes off (literally our pants are starting to fall down).

Love to you all, and we'll catch up more this weekend once we get paid another $20 for the month and then we can use the internet more!!!

Love you!
Cady

PS-- MORE KISS KISS THE CAT DRAMA.... (well Hamar Har, the new black nose cat I brought to replace the one that was murdered!) The other morning, I woke up and he was yowling. He had stuck his whiskers in the electrical socket and was frying his face off (seriously!!) When he finally pulled it out, his face has been charred from side to side, and now his back legs don't work at all. Terrible! Hopefully this cat lives..... we'll see. I'lll keep you posted on the Mongolian Cat Drama as it develops.

July 27, 2007
Hope this finds you well! I have been having a terrible time finding any reliable internet and hopefully this reaches you without too much clicking and re-clicking...

It's miserably hot here. Just absolutely suffocating, and I'm not sure how Peace Corps countries along the equator do it. I assume come winter, Peter and I will be thankful, but until then, I will continue to complain, because we will have the cold to complain about! :)

Training is going well-- we're as busy as ever, gearing up to head out to site on August 20. We will have a new address at that point, so we can notify you then of what our address and location are. Our new site placement will have on August 9, and we'll have 9 days closing up pre-service training before then ship the two of us off into whatever sunset they have in mind...

Our family cat healed magically... i think it might be the raw mutton patty it ate every morning!!

We miss you all terribly. Getting a little homesick now and then, but coming into emails after a long absence is really helpful even if we have no time to write back. Once we get to site, we'll be more communicative, hopefully. Unless we're in the Gobi with a camel to send messages by. From our job indications however, I find that pretty unlikely. I have been told my job placement will probably have a computer WITH the internet for me to use ALL BY MYSELF! :) Not too bad as Peace Corps goes I suppose! Once we get to site we'll have more pictures, some blog postings, and actual information to give you. At this point, we're in the dark.

We'll also get cell phones come mid-August so I hope you'll be able to call us from time to time. There are some very good phone card rates to Mongolia.

Tomorrow we head to Amarbaysalant, a monastary, as part of our Culture training... 6 hour "meeker" ( micro bus that seats 8 but they shove in 24) ride... 90million degrees... not so fun!! Peter will be in Darkhan all weekend, so he may have better internet access....

This may be my last email access for awhile, but I will try my best, so please keep your letters and emails coming :) They have meant a lot to us! We'll make sure to email once we have our site!!

Love,
Cady

July 30, 2007

Okay, so I have a lot of emails today, and, as usual, not enough time. So, hello, I love you all!

As far as sending stuff here, I'd wait until we can figure out how to get things to our families. It's more complicated than you'd think. So, stand by for further information.

I'm sorry to hear that some of the contents of the package will not make it here. Those cheese crackers would have been awesome. I fantasize about eating Doritos about twice a week. Lol. I know, though, that we will LOVE to open up what you sent. I have been itching to get the package!

As Cady noted last weekend, it has been oppressively hot here...for about 2 weeks now. I really hope that it will let down soon. I think that I might be melting. It's been tough to get motivated to learn and teach. I will also be giving a presentation about writing a personal essay during a seminar for Mongolian teachers this Friday. Needless to say, it will probably still be hot. Darkhan, where the seminar is and where I was this past weekend was also very hot. It's sad that that is what is coloring this last part of our host stay. Right now it looks like it might rain and cool us off a little. about 20 degrees would be nice.

Other than that, there really isn't a whole lot to report. We are coming to the end of things here in SB. Our langauge test is on Monday next week. We leave here that next Thursday and find out where we will be going. We will go to UB for about a week and then we are off! Right now I am just trying to end PST strongly. I'm feel so so about it. My language study has suffered becuase of the heat and because I am spending the time I would be studying lesson planning. But, that is all coming to an end. It's really starting to get exciting.

Like Cady said, we will try to communicate more and better when we get to site!

Please keep sending us lots of emails. Even though we cannot respond to them all or even a lot of the details or questions, we really love hearing about everything that is going on with all of you. It's such a breath of fresh air. Thank you, thank you, thank you for keeping us so much in the loop! I spend almost all of my time at the computer reading. And I don't think that my organization of thought or grammar and sentence structure has been any worse. Lol. I love it!

Love,
Peter

June E-mails

2007-06-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

Since we can't regularly update, we decided to post some emails so you can read what's been happening this month!

June 20, 2007

Hello again!

Thank you all for your emails. It's really nice to come to the computer and read what is all going on. Things here are really busy. And besides that it takes me about an hour and a quarter to get to the nearest email access point (the Sukhbataar Post Office (SB is in the very northern part of Mongolia directly above UB and above Darkhan. We are about 20 km from Russia.)). I'm sorry that I cannot really personalize individual emails. There's just so little time. I want to tell you all, though, that I love you very much and miss you.

Everything here is still great. Cady and I see each other about twice a week. We've both been very healthy (knock on wood). The language is still quite challenging, but it is coming along. I've been taking lots of pictures and have been writing in my journal every few days. I hope to share those with you soon. We both have great families and are making good friends. I don't think that we could have a better situation. I hear about some of the comforts that other PC posts have and how Mongolia is the butt of most PC placement jokes ("at least you're not in Mongolia"), but I am more than pleased with what we have and how we are are considered one of the toughest of all PC locations.

Well, it's difficult to write these emails because there is just so much to say and I don't know where to begin. It's all been so exciting. I even made my first Mongolia summit about 12 miles from Russia!!! That's one of those milestones definitley worth mentioning. But really every day is packed full and we feel like we've been here for at least a month -- it's only been a week and a half. I guess the best for me is if you ask questions. Lol. I don't know what to say otherwise. Lol.

Please send this email on to anyone you think would like to hear about our adventures. I'm really hoping that once we get placed in a couple months we will have a little more steady email (well, at least I hope I will -- Cady lives about 15 minutes away). We'll get it figured out.

I miss you all!
Love,
Peter

June 24, 2007

Hello to all!

I just arrived in the Sukbaatar City town square Post Office, basically the only reliably quick internet...(in the Selenge province, farthest north, about 10 miles from the Russian border), fresh off a taxi from Peter's "bagh" in the city. His is living with his host family in Bagh 5, the furthest "bagh/district" in the city. It's probably 10 minutes by taxi into the city, but 1.5 hours by walking. It's quaint, with cows mooing, sheep braying, and well, not going to lie, it smells like animal dung. They have a couple of stores "delgors," a school, a small clinic, and I spent last night in his family's hashaa --it is a beautiful setting. His ejj (mom) is a sweet woman, who grows the most wonderful vegetables and makes delicious tsoivan (the only thing I can even relate this to is pad thai maybe? except it's without the spice!) She is a stereotypical Mongolian ejj and forces food down our throats and sits across from us at the tiny table and says eat, eat, eat in Mongolian and drills Peter on language, spelling, and pronunciation (seriously, Peter's knees when sitting come up to the edge of the table... for me, it's a perfect fit!!). She's a teacher at the local school and cooks with the fastest hands I have ever seen. He has two pretty stoicly quiet brothers who love the computer games that they play incessantly in the room next to Peter's, and his dad, who has the cutest gap teeth-- and by gap, I mean his is missing the front four-- and smiles when we try to speak anything to him. There are grandkids from older kids running around the house saying in English, "HELLO! HOW ARE YOU! I AM FINE THANK YOU!" and they run in and out between hashaas. All in all, his bagh is a small, quiet place, lots of animals, and a great place to integrate into the Mongolian culture and lifestyle. He'll have to tell you more specifics.

In a bit, I will head out for my bagh, Bagh 3 to go back to my family's hashaa. I live in Sukbaatar City proper (population 20K, one of the larger cities in Mongolia, the Selenge Aimag capital, and where Bagh 1, 2, 3, and 4 are located. I live right across the dirt road from my school, which is one of the largest, and "best" in the country by Mongolian standards. This means they pay their teachers reliably and have access to somewhat better learning materials. Since I live in the "big city" we don't have all of the quaintness that Peter's bagh has, but we do have more services, more stores, a large market, restaurants, the best hospital in the area, and the large police station. It looks a lot like I imagine the wild west looking like in the 1880s. Sukbaatar has a couple of old soviet block apartments, but mostly families livein small hashaas that resemble Peter's families hashaa. There are cows on the loose by my house, many hashaa dogs, and the ocassional goat. My bagh smells like the flour factory that is nearby, not animal dung. :)

Sukhbaatar Town (Cady's school)

My family is an average Mongolian family. My ejj, Chimgee, is a doctor in town, and she works from 10am until 10pm everyday. We discussed money one night, the standard how much for milk, coffee, bread, etc. in America versus Mongolia, and she was flabergasted. She makes 3000 tugriks per day as a doctor. that is the equivalent in US dollars of $2.90 per day. She is college educated, and as a "doctor" her focus is in the pharmacy, where she prescribes antibiotics, and other "home remedies" to treat disease, ie drinking urine for infection, or deer blood for flu. Doctors in Mongolia were described by our PC medical officers as havin gthe same training as medical assistants in the United States, so we are to refuse ANY treatment that they offer. :) My ejj is sweet though, very hardworking, and brings home Zairmag (ice cream) every night. She and I sit at the table and we eat ice cream, and I teach her body parts in English and she teaches my in Mongolian. I definitely have the best "medical" vocabulary of the trainees!

My father, or awv, is named Ganbold. He was an old rock and roll drummer in the 70s and 80s, and now is a driver. Although, we don't have a car, and he generally never is gone anywhere, so I think drivers, while the most "lucrative" of Mongolian jobs, might also be code word for unemployed. He is one the best awvs in my bagh I think (i might be a bit biased). He does all of the cooking in our house, and he makes the best "buuz" (steamed mutton or beef dumplings) in the city. He is a bright and sparkling personality, making jokes all of the time, and laughing constantly. The reason I think he might be the best host dad, is that he is really working hard with me on my Mongolian language and culture. We sit at the table and he drills me on pronunciation, vocabulary, and phrases, and because of him, out of the 15 people in Sukbaatar city, I have some of the better pronunciation and vocabulary in my training class. other trainees come to visit and always comment on "i wish my family was like that!" He loves music, and has taught me Mongolian songs (our "duo" performed for Peter when he came to visit last weekend) and he plays Abba songs on his guitar and my whole family sings along. They love "mamma mia" and "money, money, money" and they even have the Abba music videos on DVD and the whole family eats ice cream and we watch and sing along. Good thing I love(d) Abba. :)

I have two younger siblings, Enknaran (11 yr old girl) and Naba (19 year old boy). Naba i have only met once, he is in Darkhan working for the summer, saving money for university in UB in the fall, and I will probably only see him a couple of other times. His english is VERY good, and he loves UNO, and was VERY excited that I brought the game. :)

Enknaran is a sweet 6th grader, and is pretty quiet. I have given her many of the small gifts I brought, and she is so thankful. She put together the USA puzzle in no time flat and has left it up. She points at the states and asks me what each one is like. She likes the Hawaii picture the best, always breaking into a hula whenever possible. She had a kitten when I first arrived, a small orange cat, names Kiss kiss. (I am living it up being able to have a kitten/cat since Peter doesn't live with us!! ) She is very mature and responsible, doing all of the cleaning in the house and taking care of the Hashaa dog Baguay (means Bear) and kiss kiss. Last week was a really heard week for Enknaran because Kiss kiss was becoming more adventurous outside and walked along the hashaa fence, where the neighbor dog came out of no where and snatched the tiny cat with his teeth, crushing him. It's hard enough to handle and talk about losing an animal, but when you can't speak the language very well, it's hard to express sadness for her. She spent many days drawing pictures of the cat, she hiked into the mountains and buried him with a buddhist ritual, and was very quiet for 2 days. On Thursday, my business training class when down to Darkhan to visit clients we will be working with through the Ger Initiative (CHF) and Mercy Corps. One woman was a vegetable farmer, and while we were discussing her crops and how expensive the market stalls were, her kittens came out of no where and she started offering them to us. I thought that I would like to take one for Enknaran (if the ejj would allow it!!), so I picked the cutest one, we put it in a cake box and I brought it all the way back to Sukbaatar in a taxi. The driver was NOT amused with the meowing cake box. This kitten is gray, with a black nose, and about half the size of kiss kiss (maybe closer to the size of a softball?) I brought it to the pharmacy and asked my ejj if I could give it to Enknaran, and she was SO happy that she rushed home with me to see enknaran's face. I handed the cake box to Enknaran and said, "Do you like cake?" and she said, Of course! and then the box started meowing. She was SO excited I thought she was going to pee her pants. She let me name the cat, and I called it Hamar Har (Black nose) and everyone thinks that is hysterical. I still hear her call it kissy, though. I 'm just so glad she is able to have a companion!

We are both really happy with where we are. It's intnese, 4 hours of lanugage and 4 hours of teaching or business training per day. Not hearing ANY english at home, and trying to speak in MOngolian is a little challenging, but we're doing it! (Heck, if I can bring a kitten home and ask my host mother if Enknaran can have it, then I think I am doing okay!!)

We have a mid=-break for the 4th of July where we get 4 more shots in Darkhan and then have a day or to of PC training and then we'll be back here. I hope to keep sending longer notes when I can. We just got paid, so that's probably why I was able to spend the money on this email! (We have $30 US dollars to use to live on until July 8, so not TOO bad, although, I think that in DC would have bought us both breakfast and a coffee!!)

Cady's Training Class with Language Teachers

So far I think the mail has been reliable. I recieved a card from my mom and Peter's grandparents, and i think more is in UB waiting to come to us the next time the PC officers come up. Once we get to our site, we'll have more control of everything from mail, to diet, etc. We're excited. We have no idea where we'll be placed, although that have told us it is in an Aimag center, so that narrows it down to 21. :) We'll find out on August 9 or 10 in UB and if all goes well with the language classes we'll swear in as volunteers on August 11!

I better head home soon. I'll have a 30 minute walk back to my hashaa and I have to pee. That's another story: OUTHOUSES. (Next time....)

Love to you all! it's hard to be out of communication, but, again, like everything else, I think it will get better after our site placement in terms of us recieving our phone number, and more reliable control over things.

Love,
Cady

We're Here!

2007-06-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

After many days of travel, a day or two in Korea, a night in a Ger Camp, we are in Darkhan, the second largest city in Mongolia, and the hub of our training this summer. We are staying at a hotel for the next couple of days, learning a little survival Mongolian and basics of service in Mongolia. We'll be off to Sukhbaatar for our PST very soon. Peter will be in Bagh 5, which is located shortly outside the city, and Cady will be in Bagh 3, very close to the city center. We'll take language classes, technical classes, and do cross-cultural training-- including Mongolian survival skills-- chopping wood, tying knots in Ger rope, and cooking Mongolian traditional dishes. Our host families feed us, house us, and provide some of the most important training we recieve. We are paid about $1.25 a day for incidentals, and I think if we're lucky that will buy us a coke and snack! We'll train in Sukhbaatar until August with one mid-break back in Darkhan for more inoculations (17 this summer!) and training. We meet our host families soon, and we're very excited!

Last Regular Post for Awhile!

2007-06-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

We'll try to update when we can, but until after training, we won't have regular access to internet or email. Look for more updates and back updates come September!

Odds and Ends

2007-05-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

We're headed out tomorrow morning!

Here's our contact info:

email:
cady.sinnwell@gmail.com

and

peter.a.gerlach@gmail.com

mailing address until September:
Cady Sinnwell and/or Peter Gerlach, PCT
Энx Тайвны Корпус
Тов шуудан
Шуудангийи хайрцаг 1036
Улаанбаатар 13
Монгол улс

Cady Sinnwell and/or Peter Gerlach,PCT
P.O. Box 1036
Central Post Office
Ulaanbaatar 13
MONGOLIA
(via China)

We've been told that putting the address in both English and Cyrillic will help it get to us faster. Once we get settled in and get cell phones, we'll let you know the numbers as well.

We're off!!

Leaving DC...

2007-05-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

It's been bittersweet these past weeks as we've started our goodbyes, finished up work details, started the moving out process, and now we leave early Friday morning for our road trip heading west! Many people have been asking for more details on mailing packages and letters, so we'll post that information as soon as we have it! We will miss you all teribbly-- thank you for all of your support and assistance in making our dream possible!

Pictures and more!

2007-05-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

We're going to post pictures here at our shutterfly account! This site (cadyandpeter.shutterfly.com)allows us, and our family and friends to order prints, make projects, and so many other cool features! Now we'll need to figure out how to start a wish list!

Almost Ready to Start a Countdown

2007-04-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

We are feeling like it's really happening now! We've met and/or spoken with lots of RPCVs (get ready for the acronyms to start!), current PCVs, and other Invitees (soon to be Trainees). We have good shoes, sold all of our furniture, and we're ready to roll out of DC on May 18th heading west... still in search of good long underwear! We still have no idea really what to expect, and it'll probably be that way for awhile! As far as we know-- we're getting on a plane in Denver on June 2, 2007 heading for some US city for staging, and then on to Mongolia a couple days after-- probably via Seoul. We're absolutely thrilled at the adventurous prospects coming our way, and have done so much reading up that we're just ready to experience the real deal.

It's Official!

2007-04-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

After a long process of planning, applying and umpteen doctors and dentists, we've been officially invited to join the Peace Corps as Volunteers in TEFL-University Setting: Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Peter), and Business/NGO-Community Economic Development (Cady) in Mongolia, departing June 2, 2007.While we have NO idea what that means yet, we're excited to start our long-awaited adventure, and we hope you'll check back frequently to hear how we're doing--wherever and whatever we're doing!