I say HELLO!!!

I'll be home for Christmas!!! That;s right folks, I am heading home. It was not an easy decision, but I fell it is the right one. I will miss many things about Mongolia, especially the firends I have made here and my cat. But the time has come, the walrus said. I leave Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday morn and arrive in Rapid City, Rapid City (TACO JOHNS TACO JOHNS!) on Tuesday night. Weirdly enough, I fly out of South Korea and land in Denver at the exact same time on the exact same date. It's freaking me out a little bit. I hope to see more of o sooner than expected and wish you all happy holidays. I cannot wait to see my baby sisters!!!!!!!!

love, C

Holy Ridiculous Awesome Week Batman!!!!

For those of you who do not know Camber Carpenter, people as far away as Mongolia and Texas feel sorry for you. Camber was here for a week and we had ever so much fun. She arrived laden with luggage, which proved to be mostly full of carbs and presents for Caitlin. Apparently she was afraid of starving. Don't worry Mrs. C, she did not. We immediately shared a panini at Amsterdam cafe and then shortly after that we went to Veranda and had pasta. Camber ordered fish which was risky, but I think she liked it. Jenny I shared meaty spicy pasta. And there was some wine. Then we slept, which was boring.

Day 2

We went to Terelj National Park and Camber rode a camel with 88 Bikes volunteer Jenny and sang show tunes. We ate at the hotel I had Mid-Service Training in and they were just as rude as before, so that was fun. I had rice and egg with itty-bitty bits o' peppers, camber had rice and raisins and a tomato and cucumber salad, and Jenny had gross fishy tofu, and we all shared some bing, which is like hard tortillas only not as delicious. I like talking about food. We saw the rock shaped like a turtle and looked for the rock referred to as "Old Man Reading a Book" and may have seen it but it looked more like a lego man without a book, unless it was the stuffed horse licking a foot looking rock. Who's to know? Then we went back to UB and ate at Hazara's. Camber and I shared murgh makhan, or butter chicken, which was awesome and we all ate a crap ton of nan. Then we slept again. also boring.

Day 3

In which our two stalwalt friends head of on their whirlwind Mongolian hoodoo adventure.

After waking up quite early, Camber and Caitlin bid Jenny adieu to yieu and yieu and yieu, and head to Dragooon Tov and board the bus to Tsetserleg, Arvkhangai (the Switzerland of Mongolia) without incident. Well, not really, there are always incidents, but nothing major. Camber got sat on and harassed to buy long underwear while Caitlin taught her things about Cyrillic. Much laughter. For lunch we stopped at Sansar, otherwise known as the Pig Stop, and ate manto (steamed dough) and drank milk tea. And bought awesome cookies that are not gross, mom! Even Camber likes them!

We got to Tsetserleg around 3 and met Tim, another PCV who used to work with Camber's mom. It's a small world after all! We ate at Fairfield, the wonderful inn and restaurant owned by people who know what is delicious. Carrot bread, cake, steak sandwiches, burgers, burritos, cappuccino. I would say "UNFAIR!!!!", but I am a grown-up, so instead I say, "It sure is nice that this is here for you folks." Then we went to Tim's nice apartment and chatted for a while. Then more food. Chicken Kabobs at another restaurant!! Then more chatting. Then the boring sleep time.

Day 4

Coffee! Oatmeal! Then more conversation. Then more Fairfield. Just cake and more coffee though. And some bread to take to Marissa. Then we negotiate for a car. And by we, I mean me. I felt very proud of my minimal language skills. Don't worry Camber! I will not let drivers rip us off or take us anywhere we do not want to go!!! Yea!!! So after waiting an hour or so for more passengers, we were off! We stopped once and Tim ran around like a crazy person. He likes running. Ask him about it. He's good at it. Then we ade it to Kharkhorin, but alas, the meeker would not take us to Marissa's ger, despite my pleas and boasts of being volunteers. So Tim ran after a car to see if they would be our taxi, and fell in a ditch full of snow that looked like ground, but was in fact a ditch full of snow. But he jumped out very quickly and was barely even covered in snow and persuaded a police man to call us a taxi. Meanwhile, Marissa had started walking towards us, so we picked her up on the way. She had to sit on Tim though. We had a lot of baggage. At Marissa's ger we laughed and cooked soup and Mama's Fried Potatoes and played Password which Tim is very good at. Except when he is not. Then we got out Marissa's crack den mattress for Camber, and I made Marissa share with me, and Tim was left to find the softed bit of floor. Poor Tim.

Day 5

It was pretty cold in the morning, but Camber was a trooper and a big helper. Marissa made us breakfast and her Mongolian Dad went to find us a car (What a nice guy!!) and we played more Password! Then the car came and for a minute I was like, "wow! We will not be squished!!" Then I realized that was dumb. Our driver took us to the monastery (Erdene Zuu) and drove off will our stuff. I was completely confident he would come back...almost. We looked around and I bought a Buddha necklace and some pretty earings because my hair is still pretty short and I wear earrings to be more girly. Tim bought a really old prayer book. I told the lady who sold me my necklace to wear gloves, so she put some on. I am a good influence. Then we went outside the compound to wait for the car and discovered some Mongolian dogs are nice and giant wood doors to a Buddhist temple are fairly decent heat conductors, and feel awesome when you put your face on them. Also, it makes Mongolian laugh. Then our car came with 4 more people in it and we will off!

After some Password in the car and much giggling which I am sure Tim appreciated being in the middle of, we stopped and dropped off one of passangers on the side of the road, and Tim moved to the back to sit next to Stinky McDrunkerson. Once in Arvaikheer, we dropped all out stuff of at my ger and went to sitemate Babila's apartment for a 5 course meal. Yum. He bought an exercise bike that I look like a midget riding. All 5 resident PCVs were there, plus Erin from a tiny soum, Marissa and Tim. Most of the VSO volunteers, and a few Mongolians. Much fun was had by all.

Tim, Camber, Joyce, and I took a cab to Joyce's apartment to get Babette la chat, then continued on to my ger, sans Joyce. Then we had to go on a wood hunt adventure and found wood and coal! Yipee!

Day 6

It was not cold in the morning due to the coal. I made french toast and then the 3 of us went to climb up to the Russian Friendship Monument, which was pretty, and windy. After climbing down and finally finding a taxi we had to convince the bus man to sell us tickets for the bus the next day, which he did not want to do. But did eventually. More food at Loving Hut and much more laughter ensued before once again boring sleep.

Day 7

Tim got up early was driven to the bus station by our good friend Oyunchimeg so she could explain that he only wanted to ride as far as the Pig Stop. I was confident in his ability to fanangle a ride back home. Which he did no problem. Camber and I went to Bookbridge which was closed, my school which was boring, and the museum which was awesome. Then more food at the new fried chicken place. And back on a bus. This time for lunch at the Pig Stop we ate the Spicy Thai Tuna thing my mom sent me with crackers, which was awesome. And bought more awesome cookies that are delicious and not awful.

We arrived in UB around 8 and ran into my monk friend Baatar (MONK HERO!) who gave us a free ride to Mongol Steppe guesthouse and helped carry our bags up the 3 flights of stairs! He really is a monk hero. We dropped our crap and immediately went to American Burger & Fries (AB&F) for some american burgers and fries. And ice water. ICE! Back at the guesthouse we showered and exchanged significant looks at the weirdness of our fellow guesthouse guests. Not a fun weirdness like we possess but more like I hope he doesn't kill us in our sleep weirdness.

Day 8

He did not kill us in our sleep, which is good, because Day 8 is

CAITLIN AND CAMBER'S DAY OF FUN!!

First:Coffee. Need Coffee. Just me though. Camber needs no coffee. But I like her anyway. And PANCAKES! We both need pancakes. Then Peace Corps. Then Chingiss in the square, which my mom says is more of rectangle. Then an art gallery and a drunk man who said he was the artist, but we did not believe him. Then souvenir shopping. Camber bought postcards and magnets. I bought a hat to remember are time together and to keep my ears from falling off.

Of course, then it was time to feed again. Salads for both of us at Granville Irish Pub and then foot massages, which Camber treated me to, because she is extremely generous. Yea Camber!

We looked around the market for a bit and took some funny pictures by the Beatles and b a penguin and polar bears. A little more shopping and it was time for PIZZA, Camber's last meal in Mongolia and probably Caitlin's 837th to last meal in Mongolia. That's math! Then for desert we had apple huushuur, a traditional Mongolian food, except for instead of fat and mutton, there are apples and cinnamon, with ice cream on the side. Perfection! Thus Camber's visit ended, not with tears at the sorrow of parting, but with the laughter of ridiculous girls. Excuse me: Ladies.

love, C

Just a quick update friends!

88 Bikes stage 1 of Mongolia villages project is complete. I was really nervous that everything was not going to be perfect and it all would fall apart around my ankles and it would be all my fault, but of course it didn't. It wasn't quite perfect (bikes held up in customs) but it was pretty darn close.

100 kids in my town got bikes! Each child had to photographed at least three times, holding their 88 Bikes donor card with the pic of their bike donor, and the bike number had to visible in the photos. Also, donors like it when the kids who get the bikes look happy. This proved to make everything extra fun because Mongolians do not traditionally smile in photos. All my training with CB Photo from high school came rushing back. Someone had to explain to the kids who the funny Americans were on their cards and show them on the back of the card where America is on the world map and where Mongolia is. I learned very quickly (and very poorly) how to say, "This person gave you this bike. They live in America. You live in Mongolia. See?"

Some of these kids helped to paint 4 murals which were then hung up near the center of town on a large, 4-sided billboard.

ok, now ir is time to go to UB, so I will finish this later.

love, C

PS Jenny, the 88 bikes volunteer is AMAZING!

by Robert Rauschenberg. No, just kidding. by me.

Instead of talking about how busy I am and what is stressing me out, I am going to talk about going to bed. It's my favorite part of the day. Well, going to bed, sleeping, and getting up are actually my favorite parts of the day. Maybe later I will tell you about getting up for the day, but probably not today, because this hard stool is already making me not want to sit here anymore and my coffee is almost gone. I will not tell you about sleeping because I am assuming you have done it before.

The "Going to Bed" process ideally starts around 9 pm. I love sleeping. Especially now that it is cold. What is the point of doing pretty much anything else? Step one is make tea. I just got chamomile tea in UB when I was there, but I also like peppermint. While the tea cools, I fill up my dipper with the rest of the hot water from the water boiler and poor it into the the reservoir above my sink. The reservoir is basically a small metal bucket with a faucet mounted above the sink. Hey look, running water! I wash my face with my Deep Clean Neutrogena Face Wash that my Aunt Sue sent me with the warm water that is a result of the freezing water left in the reservoir mixing with the boiling water just added.

Then I put the first layer of my pajamas on. They are the silky long underwear that are way to big that m dad gave me before I left. At first I did not know what to do with this 3XL long underwear set and was worried that my father either thought I was a giant or was unfamiliar how long underwear worked and thought perhaps it should go over the snowsuit. But then I realized they were prefect for sleeping. Ideally I would also have a small fire going at this point, probably for the last several hours. This is when I start letting it die (sorry fire, but if I go to bed when it is too warm I don't layer properly and then start to freeze around an hour later) and hang pajamas layer deux on the line next to fire between the two ger poles. Huge Mongolian faux pas, btdubs. Never supposed to have anything between those or hanging off of them. This makes for rapid reorganization if any Mongolian people who might be offended drop by. But by that time they are probably already offended as my door is locked when I am in it and that goes against the spirit of hospitality. Sometimes, not understanding it is locked, people will just pull and pull on my door thinking it is just stuck until I am afraid they are going to pull the whole thing down.

So anyway, with pajama layer one on and tea now a perfect drinking temperature, I read and drink tea while listening to my mellow "reading" playlist of iTunes, which consists of mostly Emmylou, Edith Piaf, Nanci Griffith, Jewel, Thelonius Monk, Sting's more mellower songs, and Belle & Sebastian. This is not the time for Rebel Hearts: Journey within the IRA's Soul, but something light and not at all scary. Currently I am reading the Little House collection that Aunt Casey sent for Book Bridge. Although sometimes they make me mad because Mary is so damned good, and poor Laura thinks she is so naughty. Also because they have things that I don't. Like an oven built in their wood burning stove so Ma can bake cakes. And an ice house. And Pa to chop the wood and build stuff and play the fiddle. *sigh*

By the time the tea is drunk, the ger has started to cool. So I convince myself not to have a 2nd cup of tea because I will regret it around 3 am when I can see my breath, brush my teeth, pee in bucket (don't judge me, it's cold!), check email and go offline on Skype and Facebook, and don pajamas layer deux,which are slightly warm from the fire. Layer deux is flannel pants and my Prairie Home Companion long sleeve tee. (As an aside, cool that I am reading Laura Ingalls Wilder and wearing a PHC tee, right? I miss SD.) I also put on giant man's socks my dad sent me (really, he must think I am a giant) and my grey hoodie, we'll call this pajama layer deux.5. I then carefully move sleeping kitty Babette and get into bed.

My bed is hilarious, I laugh at it every day. Originally it is basically a wooden frame with a piece of fabric over the wood. I can literally knock on it. It reminds me of that super thin carpet on the really hard floors at like a hospital, or a daycare. It resembles a bed only in appearance. So on the back half of the bed is what I actually sleep on. My "mattress" consists of a Mongolian bed pad which is like 1/5 of an American futon, 2 comforters, 3 emergency Peace Corps blankets, 1 wool blanket, camp pad my dad sent me (not giant but normal sized and awesome), and a ripped open sleep sack for a sheet. This creates a sleeping surface that is about 2 1/2 feet wide 6 inches off the "bed". I might be more comfortable with some of the blankets, especially the wool on, on top of me but they are not mine and I have no idea what has happened to them in their life before they met me and they give me the skeeby jeebies.

Ok so I move Babette, and wiggle into my sleeping bag. It is rated for -40F, but that must be just keep you alive at -40 and definitely not comfortable at -40. I move one of my extra pillows (that I made a pillow case for because of the skeeby jeebies) under my head turn on the rechargeable emergency torch the Peace Corps gave me which hangs from the hammock frame behind my bed. I settle in and read until the rechargeable light loses power and goes off, or I get tired, usually around 10:30. The pink microplush blanket gets put over my top half as I zip the sleeping bag up all the way, up over the pink blanket and over my head, and Velcro the top of the zipper together, to prevent accidental skin exposure. Then I have to slink one arm out and pull the top thin blanket up the rest of the way, which is tucked around my "mattress" tightly to hold me on the mattress and prevent the draft that comes through the zipper of the sleeping bag. The other arm replaces the cold one outside the covers to retrieve Burt's bees chapstick from hanging on the light switch directly above my head by it's duct tape holder for one last application. The hoods of both the grey hoodie and the sleeping bag are drawn up. If I am not tired enough or if I am too cold to sleep I pull my book and flashlight in with me and read one last chapter. Babette makes her way into the sleeping bag with me and settles in under my chin. I fall asleep while fighting my conflicting impulses to burrow down to the warmth and keep my nose exposed to breathe fresh air.

The whole going to sleep operation takes about 2 hours. 2 hours going to bed, 9 hours sleeping, 2 hours getting up and getting ready leaves only 11 hours to do other things. -3 hours for cooking/eating. -2 hours walking to and from my ger and any other place. -3 hours on the Internet. My useful day is basically 3 hours long.

Books I've recently read:

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot ****

Although a little too scientific at times for my taste, it was broken up by the adventures of the author in search for the truth alternatively aided and hindered by the Lacks family. I generally liked it and felt smarter just carrying it around. Loaned to me by Amy, our wonderful Peace Corps Medical Officer.

Popism: The Warhol Sixties by Andy Warhol and Pat Hackett **

A strange string of anecdotes that makes everyone look shallow and crazy, especially Warhol, who seems to think he is superior because he is the only one not strung out. Funny a moments but left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Bridget Jones 1 and 2 **

Funny at times, but once i looked up what a stone was and realized that most of the book was her complaining about her weight without justification, I was just annoyed.

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins *****

I love Tom Robbins. This one and Another Roadside Attraction alternate being my favorite depending on which one i most recently read. Did anyone else hear him on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. Perfect.

love, C

PS The capris you left me mom are so flippin' comfortable I refuse to stop wearing them because it is winter. The boots you sent cover the part of the leg the pants don't anway.

PPS Sorry I made fun if the giant clothes you gave me dad. I really do appreciate them and I think you are swell!

Sitemate Joyce and I hanging out at VSO volunteer Ihab's birthday party.

Last night we had our second meeting of the Advanced English Book Club. Around 15 people participated, which was an increase from last week's 8 or so. Last night we finished chapter 1, The Boy Who Lived. Everyone took turns reading aloud and everyone seemed to get what was happening. Even people who originally claimed to be too shy eventually were peer pressured into reading. This is one of the things that I am really excited about here in the beginning of my second year. We hold the club on Monday evenings in Book Bridge Library at my friend Uugaana's NGO, the Youth Development Center. The library has 4 copies of the first book. 2 are the American editions and 2 are the british, which doesn't make much a difference beyond a few word changes. During the club, 3 or 4 people gather around every book. So if you know anyone who had to buy a copy of the HP books for each of their children so they wouldn't have to fight over a single copy, but now really only need 1 around the house, we could definately use some more. It is so amazing to have a group of people come to something that you organized and want to be there and participate.

Other things I am excited for include:

88 Bikes Project! 100 Bikes have been ordered for kids in Arvaikheer and will arrive around Oct. 15s to be given out end of October or early November, when a rep from 88 bikes can come. A second project in Hojirt soum is already being planned.

Monglish Night:

Tuesdays at Loving Hut Vegan Restaurant. People can come and practice English and we (PCV and VSO vlounteers) practice our Mongolian (sort of!) Good food, good relationships, fun times.

Site Mates:

Awesome people!

love, C

In which Four Redmond Women head off on a whirl wind Mongolia Palooza encountering a secret monastery, interesting smells (which some may describe as horrible, but as you see I have characterized it as interesting), a surprise forest, a waterfall, and the tolerance threshold of time in a meeker.

Seeing someone else see Mongolia is quite an enjoyable experience. It is comforting in many ways:

1. It demonstrates that you are not alone. Everything that you find difficult and/or strange will be met with similar reactions by relations. And they are grown-ups.

2. You realize how far you have come. You are easy breezy and have adapted actually quite nice thank you very much. What smell? What bumpy road? What unbearable noise? What intolerable cold? Hahaha! You laugh in the face of discomfort!

3. More people who understand more about your life is nice.

I am going to ask the three lovely ladies to write guest posts about their time here. I think they will do a better job than I. Look for those posts coming soon! One thing I wanted to mention was the waterfall. It was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen and I grew up next door to Mt. Rushmore.

love, C

oh dear, I have been a terrible blogger. I am a sad Tigger, a sorry Tigger, a I'll-never-neglect-my-blog-so-bad-again Tigger. In my defense, I have been ever so busy and important. 2 children's camps totaling more than 4 weeks in addtion to no internet in the ger, not to mention Naadam and extreme laziness. Here is my attempt to catch you up:

Camp in Bayan-Olgi: June 11-July 3

Super fun! Tons of work. 7 hours of English Teaching a day, but the kids were great. It felt kinda weird to be telling kids when to go to bed and what to do, almost like being a grown-up. I am really glad I went and really happy I got a chance to see western Mongolia without taking a 60 hour bus ride, which may have killed me. Kazakh Mongolia is a lot like the rest of Mongolia but with some differences. Mostly people speak Kazakh, but a lot of people know Mongolian, as well as Russian and/or Turkish, with a smattering of English. The food tends to have a little more spice than traditional Mongolian food. Two thumbs way up for spice!! The majority of people are also Muslim, though not as strict as I would have thought. It was really interesting being in a part of Mongolia that was really different from both my life in America, and my life I have gotten used to in Mongolia.

After camp in Bayan-Olgi I flew back to Ulaanbaatar, stopping for gas in Moron in Northern Mongolia on the way. (Me: "Where are we? This isn't UB!" Stewardess: "No, we must stop in Moron for more petrol" Me: "Well, of course we do.") In UB I was able to celebrate Independence Day in true style. No, not by blowing up aliens with Will Smith, but by eating a sub sandwich and drinking wine coolers and harassing tourists.

Camp in Ovorkhungai, near Hojirt: July 12-19

Back in Arvaikheer a few days later, it was time to prepare for our camp a couple hours away near Hojirt. We took 75 kids to camp, 35 of which had a full or partial scholarship from funds we had applied for and received. Half way to camp on of the buses broke down so all the kids got onto one bus, then off again once the driver decided the othere could be fixed, then on again when that hope was proven false. The bus would have fit 25 people comfortably. We rode with around 80.

Tunga, my counterpart, and I led HIV prevention sessions everyday at this camp, with the help of one of the older more experienced campers. These sessions were about an hour long with a game to wrap up the sessions. The weather was chilly and rainy and the kids really just wanted to relax with their friends. I only brought 2 books with me. Huge mistake. I ended re-reading the enitre HIV prevention book, and reading one of the books twice. It did not warrant a second veiwing. So I wrote a little, played yahtzee, UNO, and poker with anyone who would, sometimes alone, and annoyed teenagers and Tunga's kids. Too much free time, no computer, angsty kids coupled with pretty terrible food made this not my favorite week. However, there were some highlights. Walking a couple miles to find a wider deeper part of the stream to bathe outside, with the sun shining, the birds chirping, the flowers nodding. Red Rover, Wheelbarrel Racing, and an awesome crazy active group version of rock, paper, scissors called Princess, Monster, Man. Good times were had, but when I was told we couldn't have a session on sunday, our last day, and there was a car going back on saturday, I jumped at the chance to go back a day early. Which turned into a whole new adventure...

I ended up riding home with one of the teachers from my school that I don't know really well in a super nice SUV in a caravan of 5 vehicles. It was one of his classes 20 year reunion. I thought it was really cute that they invited two of their teachers to their reunion and they all seemed to be having a really good time. However, after our second stop to play games and drink vodka, I stopped thinking anything was cute. After it started hailing, we stopped for the 4th time during which the driver of the car I was in vomited and jumped back in the driver's seat. Needless to say, I was super happy to get back to my little ger. I went to bed with thoughts of chilling in my hammock the next day and decompressing with The Gilmore Girls and crotcheting my blanket. Ahhh, the best laid plans.

All PCVs are expected to text Naraa, our Safety and Security Officer, whenever we change locations. So when I arrived home, I texted Naraa, who is great btw, and mentioned that my ger was still pretty wet. Since I had asked her a few weeks before what I could do to stay dryer, she knew it was an ongoing problem. So in the morning, she told my regional manager Baagi, who called me, at 9 am, and said he would tell my haashaa family. As things happen slowly in Mongolia, I figured I would just wait until Monday and talk to my counterpart and firgure out how to get more plastic. I am not really sure why, but about 15 minutes later my haashaa sister came over and told me all of my things needed to be moved outside. And then the roof started to come in. I was still in my pajamas. It was back up by evening with minimal permanate psychological damage done.

UB days July 25th-Aug 2nd

I went to UB to meet with the new CYD volunteers and impart my massive amount of wisdom to them. I was great meeting them and telling them funny stories. I also had my mid service medical exam and dental check-up, whcih bith came back with a clean bill of health, minus the fact I apparently clench my teeth when I sleep which is making my gums recede. The dentist asked me if I was stressed. I replied with the fact I live in a tent. She laughed.

My next post will highlight the visit from my mother and aunts and the adventures we found. Stay tuned!

love, C

My summer is filling up! I recently recieved an email informing me that the camp I volunteered to work at in June would love to have and will, in fact, fly me out! It is in Bayab-Olgi, which is far west Mongolia. Seriously pul up Google Maps and check this place out. It's not space, but it's a pretty fine frontier. They speak Kazahk and the population is mostly Muslim. I am really excited to see such a different part of Mongolia. And really excited they are flying. 2 hour plane ride vs. 55 hour bus ride. Hugely Awesome. Ok so here is my summer:

JUNE:

3-5 UB (meetings, a concert, cheering friend Josh at the Marathon, greeting the new volunteers at the airport, eating food, taking showers...)

6-10 or 11 Erdenet (visiting friend Katie, eating food, taking showers, meeting her cat, seeing Erdenet: The Boston of Mongolia)

10-11-12? UB (Get on the plane. When? How much luggage can I bring? Are there showers at this camp?...)

12-30 Bayan-Olgi (CAMP!, hopefully as close to the independant film as possible.)

30-1-2? UB (fly in, get back to Arvaikhher, spend as little money as possible)

JULY:

1?-11 Arvaikheer (Laundry, prepare for Overkhangai Life Skills Camp, Naadam!)

12-24 Hojirt Soum (CAMP! Part Deux!)

25-30 Arvaikheer (Laundry, rest, hike?)

31 UB

AUGUST

1 UB (Mother and Aunts Arrive! 4 Redmond Women of on a Whirlwind Mongolian Adventure! Look out!)

2 UB (See UB briefly, rest)

TOUR!!!

Day 1 8/3. Bagagazariin chuluu

Day2. 8/4 bayanzag and Temeen shavar

Day3. 8/5 Khongor sand dune

Day4. 8/6 Full day Camel trip around Khongor sand dune.

Day5 8/7 Ongi Temple

Day6 8/8 Orkhon water fall

Day7 8/9 Arvaikheer

9-13 Arvaikheer Hang out and see where Caitlin lives, works, and plays. Hike?

14-15 UB last sights, say goodbye

16-26 Arvaikheer (cry, laundry, Greet the new Arvaikheer when the come after they Swear-In on the 20th.)

27-29 UB/Outside of UB Mid-Service Training!

And soon after that my bike project event happens. Busy busy summer full of fun travel! I am so excited. And I hoping there won't even be too big of a letdown at the end of the summer because of the 88Bikes project and the new volunteers. I am going to make them be my friends by winning them over with my delightful personality, infectious sense of humor, and persistance! And if neccasary tying them up in my ger and making them play Uno with me. Just kidding! ...mostly...

I hope you all will have as good of summer as I am going to have. Although propably with more swimming and bbqs and grass. Blarg.

love, C

Last night, walking home, we were hit my some sort of supernatural thunder ice storm from outer space. It was pretty crazy. It was like Zeus thought Percy Jackson stole his lightning bolt and was hurtling ice kernels down at us mere mortals in anger. Or something. When I got home, I had a handful of ice in the pouch of my hoodie. Awesome as I am, I had made a huge fire before leaving for dinner so my ger was warm and cozy upon our return. Epic win.

This weekend was a nice break. There were a ton of volunteers in town and we ate a lot of good food. This week all the M19s need to go into UB for their COS (close of service) conference. So, in addition to our regular 5 PCVs in town, we had our soumers Kristen and Marissa from Kharkhorin and Brandon from Hojirt. And just because Arvaikheer is the bee's knees Lindsey and Josh came too. Ihab and Alberto, new VSO volunteers stationed in town were awesome enough to hang out with us a little too. Needless to say very little Mongolian was spoke all weekend.

Friday night Karaoke fun was had along with some group games. Saturday we ate at French Toast and Loving Hut and exchanged so many tv and movie files we all should be good on entertainment for many months. That night was the going away party for one of M19 sitemates for her counterparts and other people. She is officially gone from Arvaikheer, but is staying in UB another year as one of our PCVLs (volunteer leaders). It will be nice to have her still be around, but a little sad that she is all moved out. The bright part of the evening was teaching my friend Khandaa the "awkward turtle" sign. Hahaha!

Sunday all the M19s left for UB. Marissa, Josh, and I watched The Shining and I made Spicy Thai Peanut Chicken Pasta. (I will eat the leftovers for dinner tonight and I am already thinking about it. Yum Yum) Just as Marissa's car came to take her home, (that sounds way fancier than it actually is) Ihab came over. Josh, Ihab, and I played Uno while we waited for our Loving Hut pizza to be made. Walking home from dinner was the ice kernel storm from outer space. Crazy weekend!

It is amazng how hanging with friends can make my life seem so normal. I really forgot that I live in a tent without plumbing in a country where I barely speak the language. Not that remembering is a bad thing, but it was nice to have other things to focus on. Movies and food and friends and fun.

In work news, I have finished my first draft for the 88 Bikes proposal. The project is really coming along, but there is so much left to do. One step at a time. My grant was approved for the summer camp project. We will have enough funds for 37 scholarships for disadvantaged youth as well as money for supplies to conduct HIV/STI/AIDS prevention trainings will the campers. This will take place in the middle of July and I am super excited.

It is cool today, but I am still wearing one of my new skirts. I found a second hand shop and bought a couple to extend my wardrobe a little. Of my pants, only one pair jeans really fit anymore and I can't wear those to work. I also bought some teal knockoff converse shoes. I think the combo looks pretty awesome!

Shannon, I hope this makes you happy. I will try to do better with keeping my blog updated.

I miss you all. Congrats to all my friends who are graduating! I love you all!

love, C

"Go to the people, Live with the people. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build on what they have. But with the best leaders, when the work is done, The people all say, "We have done it ourselves." Lao Tzu

ok.

I had a couch surfer come stay with me last night. She is from France. (Really from france, not like those Coneheads.) I went to meet the bus when it got here yesterday, but then ended up having to rush back to school with my new friend in tow, to an English Tournament. An hour later, there was a short awards ceremony for previous compitions and then the competition I was supposed to judge at got going. It was decided that I should be more of the MC for the compitition and others would judge. However, one of the judges ended up not being able to come, so my new friend was told to judge. Hahahaha. Welcome to Arvaikheer, please be a judge for a competion for people who speak a language you don't know that are learning a language that is not your native tongue, nor your second language, but actually your Third language. She was a trouper!

She did not like the night in the ger though, so she is off again today. I am sending her to Bayankhongor to stayy with some appartment dwelling PCVs there. Oh well, ger life is not for everyone.

I am sure i have mentioned before about the never ending "hi! how are you?"s all day. This is shouted at me everywhere I go. Well, a few days ago I got a surprise. After the customery "Hi how are you?" and my reply "I am fine thanks. How are you?" The young girl replied, to my astonishment, "I am fine also. What do you think of air pollution?" whith a barely a breath between sentences. Wow! We ended up having a good conversation about pollution in Mongolia. What a good student she must be!

I let Bill out late Saturday because he was being so loud and I could not sleep throough s meowing. When I woke up on Sunday it was snowing and had been for a few hours it looked like and he was no where to be found. I was ever so worried. However, I had some guests coming over for brunch. I spent the morning getting reading and calling for kitty out the door every couple of minutes, but to no avail. When I walked out to the street to meet my guests, I still had not found my cat. As soon as we got to my ger and I opened the door, he seemed to appear out of nowhere and streaked through the door and proptly went and layed down next to the fire. Stinker. I made french toast which was a delicious and funny because one of my guests was French and he had never had it before.

Today is beautiful outside, I could barely see my breath this morning. No light dusting of snow either. I know it is not warm for good, but I am certainly enjoying it today. I just need to remind myself not to get complacent. Last year it snowed in June.

Well, not much else going on here. I might be getting my hammock frame this week and next week I am buying a desk from a fellow PCV who is moving to UB. I also found a small handheld vacuum (I hope it's a vacuum, the lady made a sucking noice when I asked her what is was!) so hopefully soon my ger will have a few more furnishings and less dirt.

I miss you people muchly much! Take care and don't forget to miss me!

love, C

A few weeks ago I heard a man named Dan Austin on my Rick Steves Podcast. He was talking about a book he wrote about pilgrimages in travel and how to make any trip more meaningful by making it a pilgrimage, which doesn't need to be about religion. He also talked a little bit about his organization called 88 bikes. 88bikes is a micro-philanthropy project that gives bikes to kids in developing countries who are challenged to be their own heroes. Well, I thought to myself, I am in a developing country!

So I got Mr. Austin's email off the website and told him a little about my situation. He emailed me back the NEXT DAY! So a few emails later and they would like to roll on the project. They are interested in doing a large endowment, possible 500+ bikes! There are still many logistics to work out and a lot of work ahead, but I think we can make this happen!

I am really REALLY excited about this. Alot of the work I do here is great, but pretty vague in the final impact aspect. I feel this is something measurable and sustainable and really needed that I could help achieve for the kids here.

The organization is really great. They don't keep an office or a staff, so all the money goes to projects. It is only $88 to sponsor a bike. The kid that receives your bike will get a postcard that shows the Sponsor, a world map, and the Sponsor’s hometown. Photos and film of the project are made available to the Sponsors, and each Sponsor receives a thank-you letter with a photo of the child who received their bike.

I will keep this updated as the project progresses. They want to get this going this summer! Also, they want to set up the bike shop in a ger!!!

love, C

(www.88bikes.org)

PS. His email is coulditbepossible. I love it!

Well I made it back from UB! I was going to wait until tomorrow to come back, but decided to leave early so I could meet with some VSO people in Arvaikheer tonight. It was canceled. Oh well, it is cheaper to be in Arvaikheer than UB anyhoo.

My trip to the city was super fun. The first night I met up with a few PCVs and we ran into I think the entire population of ex-pats in UB who were on a St. Pat's Day Pub Crawl. A few of us joined in and much fun was had. The night wrapped up on a good note with me winning 2nd place, and a pair of NEW socks, in the Irish Jig Contest! It is my heretige after all.

Khongor, the guest house I usually stay it, was under construction and perhaps not the best choice of places to stay, but some of us did anyway. It is going to be amazing when it is done, but walking from the shower to the room, avoiding the wet cement and the workers was a little awkward. Hahaha

Sunday, I finally got to Michelle's, the French Bakery, but alas, the owner was not there so I did not get to practice my French. I did get to practice my Mocha drinking and Panini eating, but I have always been a star at those skills anyway. I probably would've embarassed myself with the French owner and thrown in some Mongolian. Mon Deau!

Later I may have gone to see Avatar again with a group of people. I mostly went for the popcorn. Which was awesome. That night a bunch of us PCVs tried to go to a Thai restaurant, but it was closed, so we ended up at an Indian place. I had gone there in December for a PCVs birthday, so I tried something new. We also got to sit under a tent on cushians araund a table, so that was super cool.

Monday morning we headed to Nukht for the seminar. I woke up really nauseaus, which wasn't helped by the bus ride there. Two hours and about a gollon of water later I felt much better. The week was a bit of a blur. We had example life skills sessions and practice seesions for our Mongolian CPs. We also got started on our grant proposals for doing these lessons at camp and continuing it on afterwards. Our camp in Overkhungai Aimag costs about 50,000 Tugruks per camper. That is about $35 and pays for a week of food, lodging, everything. We are applying for a grant mostly for scholarships for disadvantaged students who normally can't go. The rest of the grant funds will go towards supplies such as flip chart paper, markers, pens, notebooks, and maybe some stools for the youth development room at my school. It is really hard to do life skills when everyone has to stand the whole time. I am really excited about this project and really want to keep it going after camp and after the funding. I want to train peer trainers so that my CPs Tunga and Tuul and the peer trainers can carry on after I go back to the land of refridgerators and MTV. (I want my, I want my...)

Of course, the week wasn't all work. We played games in the evenings and watched several episodes of GLEE. I took a few baths (ahhh!) and a bunch of us went sledding one evening. WE didn't have sleds, so we used plastic bags and the folders we were using to keep all our handouts in. It was great fun. Some of the Mongolians were really fearless, trying to ski down on folders and pushing each other to go faster.

Friday afternoon we headed back into UB. On the bus everyone had fun making fun of me for not knowing any famous sport people who are not retired and decided what to eat for dinner. After getting various errands done at Peace Corps (Paul, I need Dramamine!) we dropped our stuff of at UB Guesthouse. This was my first time staying somewhere in UB not at Khongor. UB GH is nice, although I still love my Khongor. The showers are bigger at UB and the dorm beds are softer, but it is 2000 T more a night and then make you make your own bed. I never got the duvet cover on my comforter, it was too hard. Also they have a lot of rules. No TV after 11, no one other than paying guests allowed in the dorm, the door locks at midnight so don't be out after then... They are too bossy. I will be happy when I come to UB again, (end of May?) and can stay at Khongor. Plus they know and like me and are running the tour for when my mom and aunts come.

Ashlee and I went shopping before dinner. At Mercury I bought lemon juice, tabassco sauce, curry powder, and BACON. At Good Price I bought Teddy Grahams, which I am eating as I type this. Ashlee said he had to buy Listerine and for a minute I couldn't think what that was. It is mouthwash, not toilet bowl cleaner. That would be dumb, they don't have a toilet. Although, in my defense, they are the same color.

Ashlee and I went to Millie's for dinner. I had never been there and it is her favorite place. I wanted to go t American Burger and fries, but eventually gave in. We ended up sitting there for a long time because we thought other people were going to meet us. They were waiting for us at the guest house. Long story short, I drank expensive coffee and we read boring magazines outloud to each other, ate Teddy Grahams, and finally ordered without them. It was actually fun and they other people ended up elsewhere, so all was well.

Saturday I was able to get a seat on the 8 am bus back to Arv. My iPod had been running all night and was out of power. Sad story. However, after the seminar and being UB, I hadn't really slept well in about a week, so I was pretty much passed out the whole time. At one point I did wake up to the Lambada music video playing on the bus tv. I grew up with that song as the house cleaning song and had a few seconds of "where the heck am I and what year is it" feelings. Very Twilight Zone.

Today was laundry and climbing a mountain and finally sitting down to write this blog. Also, I have been trying to distill water all day. I hope it isn't broken. Whatever will I drink? Yesterday, my toaster oven wouldn't work, but I fixed it. Maybe I can fix the distiller as well. In the mean time I am drinking orange fanta. The 45 degree weather and the triple peanut I found were the best things that happened to me today. How about you?

Also, some pics.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2125020&id=116500167&l=21c535b3c2

love, C

For those of you who do not know Miss Gabrielle Baldwin, she is amazing and your lives are sad without her! Her friendship is the best thing to come out of college. (yeah, knowledge is great and all, but this girl is fab!) I love Gabb to much and am so pleased we are once again the same age. Now Jennie and I and Gabb are all 24 and all is right with the world again!

Internet in my ger is amazing! Although, I need to find a happy medium between using it an doing other things, like dishes and feeding my cat. This was the first weekend with it and I am hoping I can utilize more self control during the coming week. I got to speak to my dad and see him through his webcam briefly, which was great. I am looking forward to when my mom can get hers set up. Amazing friend Dylan has agreed to help her! What a nice guy. I am also uploading pictures to facebook and will put the link to them here, so even if aren't a facebook junkie you can see my goi (beautiful) pictures!

Thursday and Friday, sitemate Esayes, together with WorldVision, put on a great seminar for school social workers. My counterpart Tungaa and I attended and I think everyone got some good ideas and pointers on how to improve their work. Props to Esayes for organizing, Amber and Molly PCVs from UB for presenting, and another sitemate of mine who presented and I know did a good job, even though I missed that presentation. I missed it to accompany Molly and Amber to a few of Arvaikheers prime attractions. We visited BookBridge Library and ran into PCV Terrence who was stopping in Arv on his way to Hojirt to visit PCV Brandon. Brandon and Terrence are our "soumers." The live in soums, or small towns, ouside of Arv and come in for supplies and socializing periodically. We also have 3 girls in our Aimag that live in Khorhorin, but it is just a easy for them to go to UB, so we see them less. Soumers have been described as the red-headed step children of those of us who live in Aimag centers. Hahaha Anyway, so then the four of us headed to the museum. I hadn't been there yet, so I was just as excited as our visiters. Once we got them to come and open the door for us, it was even more awesome than I imagined.

Saturday we visited the Horse Monument and the Russian Friendship Monument. It was my first visit to the horse monument, which has a huge statue of the horse Arvaikheer is named after. What a famous horse. The Russian Friendship Monument was great. Really windy and cold, but it so beautiful up there. I also felt really friendly towards the Russians as usual.

Sunday, today, I am just hanging at home soaking up my new technology. I got to talk to my dad briefly and to the birthday girl, so I am happy. I need to eat the chicken breasts I bought in UB before it gets much warmer, so I am feasting on blackened chicken tonight. Then a shower and some reading and I am ready for the week!

I love you all! love, C

I now have internet in my ger. Thank you for everyone who helped make this possible. It took all afternoon, with 4 Mongolian men trying to hook it up, but it is here. So many new possibilities, I don't know what to do with myself. Woohoo!

In other news, I had a small grease fire on my stove last night. And then today, in the midst of the internet hook up, my stove pipe got clogged and my ger rapidly filled with coal smoke forcing everyone to evacuate. This gave the 4 four internet dudes something else to work on, and soon all was well. My mother recently reported that she has been smelling something burning at random times recently and we think it is because that is when I am making a fire. My friend Caroline called it maternal sinus symbiosis. She reports that when she farts, her mom gags. HAHAHA She is a person that I like.

Seminar this week at 1st school with a few PCVs presenting. I will let you know how it goes.

Also, the package was from my dear Aunt Casey with canned food and a magazine and coffee. Yum Yum. Still waiting for the duct tape purse with much anticipation.

I miss you all so much. If you have skype, send me your contact info. If you don't...get it! I love internet! love, C

Quick update: I came to UB to see the medical staff and learn more about my cough and breaathing. Several tests later, everything seems ok, if not great, but I burn coal so what are you going to to. I am heading back to Arvaikheer tomorrow. I am very happy to go "home."

Ok there was the "quick" with more on this latest adventure to come later. Now I have to go to bed. But first, I found a book of jokes in the PC office so here is the "dirty."

Bob : "I know my wife is lying to me"

Tom: "How do you know that"

Bob: "She said she spent last night with her friend Sarah."

Tom: "So?"

Bob: "Last night, I was with Sarah!"

ok, that was terrible. sorry, love, C

when your sick and don't get out of bed and just sleep, read, and watch tv all day. Which is what I pretty much did last Tues -Fri. Gross. I am tired of being sick. Boo! complain. Boo.

I did feel well enough to climb the mountain (small hill) behind my ger yesterday. With some goats. I was tired afterward, but was it great.

Not much else going on here. I am trying to decide when to go visit Bayanhongor, which, like Rapid City, has a dinosaur park. It also has people I like and a vet. mmm, maybe March.

This a a dull blog. All sick and no play makes Caitlin's blog dull.

I love you all! You are the LIGHT of my LIFE! love, C

The bus back from UB was not the party bus. However the rows were really close together, so we were all pretty cozy. We got started late, stop frequently (although not for lunch), Patrick and Brandon were concerned about not recognizing scenery (for a while we wondering if we were going to Bayonkhongor), but somehow we made it to Arvaikheer about a half hour before we usually do. I swear time does not flow the same way here. I immediately met Allison, I got Toulouse (my cat, we are trying Toulous now), and took a cab home. I haven't done much since getting back besides work and rest. I am still coughing a lot and am exhausted all the time. poo poo

I am so entertained right now. I got some new tv show seasons from friends on my external hard drive and picked up a couple new books in UB. I thought I would start to make a list of what I am reading/watching and a short review. Mostly for Miss Madeline, whom I adore.

TV:

30 Rock- funny, although I am still mad that it came out at the same time as Studio 60 and doomed it to failure, even though Studio 60 is smarter. The best part is really that everyone here is watching it, so we have inside jokes about it. Also I like Tina Fey and that Jenna girl from Ally McBeal.

Arrested Deveopment- I don't think it is as funny as other people do. It has it's moments and can be nice to watch after something scary (Dexter) before bed...but only since I finished Scrubs.

Big Love- Perhaps my favorite thing discovered since coming to the frozen tundra. I find polygamy really facinating and I really like what's his face and the third wife. They have really nice houses though, so sometimes I get sad. Like when they get ice out of the ice maker in the door of the fridge. :(

Carnivale- I am a little bored in the second season. But the first was really good. And I like Clea DuVall (Madeline, remember that episode of Buffy she was in where she turns invisible and gets to work for the CIA? That was awesome!)

Dexter- Makes me miss my dad who watches it and is too scary for me to watch in my ger. But I do it anyway, then I have nightmares. But not as much if I watch something light like Arr. Dev. or The Simpsons before bed then read a chapter from the british Harry Potter books that the book bridge library has. More on that later

Entourage- Another bit of awesome. Although since it features famous people in hollywood they have a lot of things I don't have. Like showers.

Extras- Hilarious, especially the 1st season. Kate Winslet advising how to have good phone sex while in a nun's habit may be the best thing that has ever happened on british television. (distinction due to Aaron Sorkin, hahaha!)

Firefly- AMAZING! No, this is my favorite show discovered in Mongolia. Joss Whedon is awesome. A big thank you to Madeline for teaching me about Joss. You are even more awesome.

Freaks and Geeks- good show, although I can kind of see why it was cancelled. Seth Rogen is really boring in it though, he got better with age. What happened to the girl? She is good.

Glee- I just started it. Why did my High School not have glee? I love it alot. I wish I was watching it with Jordan. I sing along through most of it.

Rome- Really good, although again a little too scary for my ger. They had indoor plumbing., which gives me some pause here in the hoodoo. I watched it all while during laundry, so now I need a new laundry show. Maybe Dexter would be better then...

The Simpsons- Great for after Dexter watching. I feel a little behind the times just watching it now.

The West Wing- yes I watched it again! I miss Jennie.

I just found out the Brandon is downloading Studio 60 for my birthday! Woohoo!

Books:

Currently reading:

A Year of Living Biblically: A guy tries to live biblically for one year. Funny, kind of annoying, makes me think i should write a book about living in Mongolia. He writes it just like a journal, and people say they like my blog, hmmm...

Wizard and Glass: 4th? installment of Steven Kings's Dark Tower Series. It is hard to keep track of all that happened in the 1st three and I think I have 3 more to go. Sometimes too scary to read in my ger, plus I don't have the next one here, so I am going really slow.

Harry Potter: I am re-reading HP because the library here has the British edition of the books. I like finding the differences from the American versions. The first one is called HP and the Philosopher's Stone. Dudley learns the word "shan't" as a baby (as opposed to "won't") and they spell color with a u. Also, I am a nerd.

Lion of Ireland- I got bored after 2 pages so I put it on hold considering I am reading about 7 other books at the same time.

Pope Joan- I just picked it up in UB at Greg's house. He let me take it, I didn't steal it! Just finished the introduction. I have heard good things.

What Dreams May Come-I haven't checked this book out, but I read it when I am at the library. It's pretty bad. I didn't even like the movie. Why am I reading this?

Recently finished:

Mere Christianity, CS Lewis- I prefer Narnia and felt it was rude that he could give me his side but he wasn't around to hear my arguments. Still I feel more cultured, so that's something.

Water Music, TC Boyle- I generally liked it. They talked alot about how hot it is in Africa, which was sometimes frustrating. I am reading it while in my sleeping bag freezing to death, but whatever. The descriptions of the enourmous queen were amazing.

Twilight-I hate myself. It's a disease! Sometimes it is good to just have something mindless to do. Plus Patrick read them with me so there!

I am really hungry, so I am going to go home now. I will add more later if I forgot some. love, C

The rest of the H1N1 shots for us Peace Corps Volunteers finally came in. This means anyone volunteer that hadn’t already received the shot due to their remote location or size or medical issues, had to come to Ulaanbaatar last weekend or this weekend. So Thursday morning, Patrick, Terrence, and I headed to UB on the 8 am party bus. The party bus is something other people had experienced, but this was my first time. It featured disco and laser lights as well as the most amazingly ridiculous music videos from a band called Modern Talking. 80s hair, keytars, and then later they added a rapper, I assume to help bring them into the next decade. At about 9 the karaoke started. Interestingly, at about 1030, the karaoke and music stopped, ridiculous Mongolian TV came on and apparently the party was over. I think once the sun comes up, the party is pretty much over. We arrived at about 2 pm and I headed to the PC office. Later that night we headed to Twilight bar for a few hours. It is really nice to hang out and see people I usually don’t get to see.

Friday I went back to the PC office for my H1N1 shot and ended up having to get Hep A and Hep B as well. Then a bunch of us went to Avatar at one of the two movie theatres in UB. It was an amazing movie and really fun. The screen was huge and there was popcorn, so I was really happy. Later I spent some time online and then went to Ix Mongol Restaurant and had a couple of beers with a bunch of volunteers. There are a few M19s that are getting ready to leave, so it was nice to see them before they head out.

So far on this morning, I came to Nayra’s café, had pancakes and bacon and OJ and have been trying to get some research done on the Internet. Where should I go to grad school? What should I go to grad school for? Hmmmm.

1. Eastern Orthadox Christmas meal with dishes from Eritrea was awesome. I love food and it is really funny to watch Mongolian taste spicy dishes. They no likey.

2. In 2 hours I will sing Popular from Wicked in front of my whole school. I needed a song without the words, Karaoke style, and this is the only solo I have. I wish I was Kristin Chenoweth.

3. Ate at Luving Hut again today. yum yum

4. Apparently my counterpart Tungaa wants to curl my hair for the occasion.

5. It is Andy's birthday today. I am so happy you were borned and that Canada exists so you could be from there. Happy Birthday!

5 1/2. It is cousin Kim's birthday. I am also glad you were borned. And glad I was born first. HAHA! Have fun celebrating in Steamboat! Happy Birthday!

6. Facebook gave my parents a C- for naming me Caitlin. I give facebook a D+ for being called facebook. It's so trendy like celebrity kids names. Apple, Pilot Inspektor, Zoltan, and the like. On the other hand if Sarah Palin was my creator my name would be Loin Falcon Palin. http://politsk.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah_13.html

7. I have a pot of water on my stove at all time to humiditize my ger a little. It was suggested that is I put in yummy smelling esential oil type drops in the water, my ger would smell nice. It is being added to the list to your left.

Sorry I have been so neglectful. I just have not really felt in the mood to update. I still don't really, but we shall see where this goes.

Last week my school had "monita." Which is essentially a secret santa gift exchange coupled with a sort of awards ceremony. I sang "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" which was terrifying and funny considering the event was on New Years Eve. Many teachers received cakes and champagne and placks from the director and another teacher dressed up as Santa, only wearing blue and white, which I think comes from Russia. Mongolian New Years has a lot of christmas elements. In fact most people seemed shocked and a little jealous when I explained that we have both. Americans don't get Tsagan Sar which happens in February this year, so I guess that makes up for it. It was fun, although it started late, ended late, and I was freezing the whole time. I got a package of goodies (juice and chocolate) from the school and an awesome picture from my "monita." The picture has 3D qualities to it and is of the 4 friendly animals. (Dove on a Rabbit on a Monkey on an Elephant, which I think comes from Buddhism.) I gave my "monita" a card I made for Loving Hut restaurant Dinner for Two.

Afterwards, All the PCVs in town got together at Esayes's new apartment. (His previous one got flooded.) I had one drink, waited until midnight, and went right to sleep. Esayes and Brandon stayed up to watch LOST, but not this kid. I like sleeping so darn much. Although, my wallet went missing earlier that night, it was a pretty good New Years. (In spite of the fact I was too tired to jump off the couch at midnight)

The next morning, I got up super early and walked with Brandon to the bus stop. I sent him on his way to UB and headed home. It was a long cold walk to take so early in the morning, so I took a nap to reward myself.

That weekend I made more christmas cookies and took some to the post office after they called to tell me I had a package. They seemed to like them and the package from my glorious mother had food coloring in it, so the second half of the cookies had red and green frosting, while the first half only had white and vaguely brown, from chocolate powder.

This week has been fairly univentful. Patrick came back from his American holiday, which is nice. I also found out from my friend Melinda who is a VSO volunteer from Australia that a Mongolian man she knows is interested in building a frame for my hammock. I really hope this happens. It would be so much fun to have my hammock up in my ger, plus it would mean having guests without sleeping on the floor.

Tonight is Eastern Orthodox Christmas, so we are heading over to Esayes's again for some traditional Eritrean dishes. I twisted my knee yesterday walking home. It was already feeling a little sore, i think from all the squating I do, and now it hurts alot. poo poo Tomorrow apparently is some sort of competition that I am expected to sing an English song at. oh boy!

I miss you all so very much! love, C

PS It is very funny to me what is happening on Facebook right now between PCVs here and their friends at home. Their friends keep posting how cold it is in America and the PCVs are getting a little haughty about it. Things are being posted like, "YOU THINK THATS COLD!" and "YOU HAVE CENTRAL AIR YOU WEENY!" and "it's NEGATIVE 35 here and all I have is coal and a stove!" HAHAHAHA!

Christmas Eve

I spent the majority of the day trying to find a sugar cookie recipe. I did not bring mine and Steph had lent her cookbook out and the internet was down. I was eventually able to call Ashlee in BayanOlgi and she read the recipe off to me. And so I began making cookie dough. I watched Miracle on 34th Street, the 1990s John Hughes version and Home Alone. (Interestingly enough, also from the 90s and John Hughes…and now he’s dead) Once the dough was made and Steph was home from work, it was time to go to Modern Nomads, a restaurant in Darkhan that was western food choices.

Five M19s came (Garrett, Matt, Christiana, Katie, and Tyson) and five of us M20s were there (Claire, Meridith, Steph, Ryan, And I). M19s came to Mongolia in May 2008 and are the group I was originally supposed to be a part of. I really like meeting them, because most of them remember that I was originally one of them and it makes me fell famous. Hahaha I ordered a Chicken Club Sandwich, a cocktail, and a Mocha Cake for dessert. It was fabulous. Afterwards, most of us headed over to Christiana’s apartment for fun and games. We played charades and other group games and had a lot of fun. Steph and I did not make it back to her apartment until around 4.

Christmas!

The next morning I was up early and ready to start baking cookies. It didn’t really feel like Christmas, so I thought I would watch It’s A Wonderful Life, my favorite movie of all time, while I got to baking. Thank you so much, btdubs, to Ryan and Steph, for letting me use their computer. My power cord is experiencing some technical difficulties, but I am hoping my sitemate Patrick is able to bring one back from America and be my hero. Steph and Ryan’s oven was a little interesting working with. On the temperature knob there are only 2 numbers, 50 and 250. So I just had to put it somewhere in the middle and home for the best. I only burned about 10 cookies, so I am pretty proud. After It’s A Wonderful Life (and some tears) I put in Love Actually. I did not have any cookie cutters so I made several round cookies and tried to make some shapes just with a knife. I made candles, Merry Christmas wreaths, trees, stockings, a gingerbread man, stars, and moons that all turned out fairly well. Cookies that did not work out were the sleigh, (which I ended up turning upside down and decorated like a phone) baby Jesus, once candle, (looked like the male genital organ) the fish, (just a blob) and another gingerbread man (more of a sumo wrester, which is actually kinda fitting, considering where we are). Since I didn’t have any food coloring, the icing only came in white and chocolate. I think the decorating went a lot faster with just two color choices, although, I did finish Love Actually and switched to Elf. There was not enough room in the kitchen to lay all the cookies out to let the frosting harden, so most of the round cookies I made, I turned into sandwiches with the icing in the middle. By this time Carolina had arrived and her and Steph needed to start making their food for the party in a couple hours. Carolina made mashed potatoes and Steph made little pizza calzones. I helped a little. Steph is really good at folding the calzones, me, not so much. I heard Phoebe meowing in the living room, so I went to see what her deal was and ended up laying down on the couch next to her to just have a little Christmas snuggle, and totally fell asleep. Luckily, I had already taken a shower and was almost ready to go, since I only woke up about 10 minutes before we needed to leave for Christiana’s.

Christmas at Christiana’s was tons of fun. The Darkhan girls had planned a secret santa exchange, so everyone had a gift, and Levi even turned up in a santa suit he had found at the black market. There was tons of food and drinks and games and presents. All in all, it was a great time. One of our favorite games had everyone write down three people’s names on slips of paper. They had to people everyone should know (famous people mostly, though some Peace Corps staff and a few fictional characters). There are two teams and the first round people from each team try to get their teammates to say the name on the paper they pulled out using any means without actually saying the name. Each person gets through as many as they can in 45 seconds, then the next person goes. Once all the names have been guessed, all the names go back in and round 2 begins. This time, you can only use actions to get your teammates to guess the name, but as they have all heard the name at least once, it is a little easier. Round three you can only say on word. This game is very funny. Pamela Anderson went from a several sentenced description to miming running with big boobs to just the word “boobs!” My stomach hurt from laughing so much.

The next day I slept in a little bit, said hi to Ryan’s family on skype, called my parents briefly, and took another amazing shower. We ordered pizza, which was delivered, (seriously, Darkhan is like another country!) and borrowed a projector and made a screen on the wall using 4 pieces of pasteboard. At about 4 we started watching Twilight and then at about 6 we watched New Moon. Then, since I am a nerd and have read the books, I gave a brief summery of what happens in the next two books to those interested (um…everybody, especially Tyson).

Sunday

Sunday, I woke up at 8 packed everything up, said goodbye and thank you, and headed to the bus station. I found a meeker and we left with only 16 people, so I was doing pretty well. En route, I managed to convince my friend Aleta (M20) to come to Arvaikheer with me. She was taking the week off, but didn’t have any definite plans as to where to go. Unfortunately the bus to Arvaikheer had only one seat available, but she did manage to convince the driver to let her sit in the aisle, while I wedged myself in the last row next to the window. There ended up being about 5 people sitting in the aisle, so the bus was definitely slow. The people sitting around me were all drinking vodka and getting pretty rowdy. A little over half way we stopped for food. I brought my cat in her bag into the little guanz (café) and set her on the floor between my feet. One of the women that had been sitting near me on the bus evidently thought I was putting meat on the floor, when I was actually putting it in Phoebe’s dish in her bag. The woman got very agitated and aggressive, even after someone explained to her I was feeding my cat. The women eventually sat down and continued to yell, but I wasn’t fussed. I have two younger sisters and can therefore ignore people for days. (No offense, girls, I love you to pieces!) Eventually we made it to Arvaikheer and to my ger with all our finger and toes and very sore butts and went to sleep. What a day!

I love you all! Take care and happy holidays! love, C

brace yourselves, this one is going to be a doozy

Wednesday: I woke up at 6 am, got all ready, and headed over to my hashaa family's house to see if they would give me a ride to the bus stop. After communication was established, they agreed and invited me to sit in the kitchen until departure. The door of the house opens into a little entry way of sorts which has two doors leading off of it. The door to the right opens up into a room about the size of a standard hotel room minus the bathroom. At least 3 adults and 2 children sleep in that room. The door to the left opens to the kitchen, about the size a king sized bed. Two doorways (sans doors) each lead to a small room, think the length of a hotel room, but the width of a large hallway. The room straight ahead leads to a 3rd bedroom. On this side of the house sleep 7 adults and a baby. It was amazing to see all of these people get ready without getting in each others way or on each others nerves and without a bathroom. Seeing my director kiss on her grand baby was pretty much the cutest thing ever.

Anyhoo, they drove me to the bus, I got my big backpack put in the undercarriage compartment, and got my seat, which was right up front since I bought my ticket so early the day before. Then a teacher from my school got on the bus and had something she wanted to communicate to me, i think about her bag she brought, but I am not really sure. All through this she is standing next to my seat and I have my cat in a cat bag on my lap and people are trying to get past her to get on the bus. She keeps leaning over me/almost sitting on me, while I am trying to figure out what she is talking about and trying to prevent the squishing of said cat. It is also dark and freezing. Eventually everyone gets to their seats and the bus departs.

The bus always stops around halfway between Arvaikheer and UB, either at a small town or at a hotel/restaurant a little ways outside of the small town. Wednesday it was the hotel, which I like better, due to the indoor toilets mostly. I got a fried egg and a small bowl of meat for my princess kitten. After I ate, we went outside so she could eat. This attracted much attention, mostly good, from the men milling around, smoking and peeing, outside. Soon we were all on the bus again. Since the door was still open and it was very cold, I put Phoebs the Cat in my sweatshirt with her little head poking out. I thought departure was eminent, but then large Mongolian man, a wrestler? the proprietor?, came out of the establishment with a traditional blue scarf (Hatdeg, i think they are called) and some other items and evidently wanted to present them to someone. Most of the men get off the bus again and one of the waitresses is sent on the bus to get me. Unable to stow Phoebe back in her bag before I was pulled of the bus, she remained in my shirt. The man then presents two decorous metal objects and the scarf to the driver and many pictures are taken. The large man and the driver, the man and a group of passengers, the man and me, the driver and me, a little boy, possible large man's offspring, and me, the man and my cat, the boy and my cat. After some small chat in which I stun the men by telling them i live in a ger, we re board. As everyone shuffles past my front row seat, they touch the nose of my cat. Finally as the bus starts rolling, a man across the aisle puts his finger in his mouth and then puts the finger in Phoebe's ear.

Upon arriving in UB, I shake off around twenty drivers trying to get me in their cabs, grab my bag, and head into the ticket office to procure a bus ticket to Darkhan. I discover that they are not selling tickets right now, but a bus leaves to Darkhan every hour and I can purchase a ticket once I am on the bus of my choosing. I then put my trust in a nice young Mongolian girl to watch my bags while I run to toll toilet. 100 tugruks to use, another 100 for toilet paper. Thankfully, by bags, including the one with my cat, are still there when I return. I find a cab and head to the peace corps office.

At PC, I find that a PCV who accidentally took my flip flops back in August, has placed them in my box. (woohoo! Thanks Amanda!) I drop off some paperwork and say hi too the people working and ask for suggestions on food that is nearby, fast, and yummy. One of the Mongolians I ask offers me the half of her sandwich she couldn't finish for lunch. What a peach! It was a chicken club and it was very nearby, fast, and extremely yummy! Best thing to happen ever.

A little while later I walk with fellow PCV Alice to the duty free store to make a Christmas purchase and then to the main road to get a taxi. She heads to Big Burger and I get a cab and head back to Dragon Center to hopefully find a bus.

Taxis in Mongolia are everywhere. Almost anybody will pick you up and take you to your destination, not just people who drive for a living, but really anyone if they have the time. And if you are a foreigner, especially one with bags, people really want to get you in their cab. The trick is to confirm that they will charge you 500 tugruks a kilometer and now approximately how much you should be charged for the trip. Dragon Center to around PC is about 4000 tugruks. It also helps to speak Mongolian and let them know that you live in Mongolia and are not just a wealthy tourist. It is alot easier to convince them of this in the middle of December. I always ask them if they live in the city, ask them how their job is, ask them if they know Overhunghai (my aimag...like a state), tell them I live in Arvaikheer, and then clench it with telling them I live in a ger. They love this. A woman living in a ger alone never happens and a white girl doing it is hilarious. They usually ask me if my ger is cold and if I am an English teacher. Not only does this usually prevent hassles about the charge, but they usually help with my bags and are really nice.

Arriving at Dragon Center is hilarious. About 15 guys are trying to get me to go to wherever their vehicle is headed. Once I say Darkhan, a few grab my bags and head towards their meekers. A meeker is a small van type vehicle that are everywhere here. I try to insist on going on the bus, which are a safer bet, but they tell me a bus isn't leaving for another few hours and the most insistent driver tells me his meeker will leave in 40 minutes. So I have my first traveling by meeker for more than an hour experience. It actually was fine. We were not that crowded (only 15 people, I rode in one this summer with 22) and the we made no stops along the way. There are many stories of drivers stopping in the middle of the countryside at a ger for some socializing, vodka, and what not. About an hour in the guy sitting next to me with two large boxes between his legs turns to be and asks in English if I am going to Darkhan. He turns out to speak fairly good English and is a very nice young man. About 2 hours in the weather starts to turn bad. Blowing snow and high winds. I want to tell the driver that, from someone who grew up in South Dakota, it is actually better to not have your brights on during blowing snow since it just reflects off the snow and makes it even more difficult to see, but my Mongolian isn't nearly that good so I just had to hope for the best. It turns out that my meeker friend lives across the street from Steph and Ryan, so we were able to share a taxi and I finally made it to their apartment. 6 hours on a bus, 3 1/2 in a meeker, and Phoebe and I arrived! woohoo!

Wow, this is a long post. Descriptions of Christmas festivities will have to wait. Happy Christmas I love you all! love, C

PS thanks for the note Camber's mom! Happy Holidays!

Hey, just a quick notice to let my peeps know I made it to Darkhan. The weather sucked for about the last hour or so, reminding me opf good old South Dakota, only I was in a meeker with 15 mongolians. I made cookie dough today and will make cookies tomorrow. No food coloring, but I am planing on making some frosting chocolate and some vanilla and having a black and white theme, hahahaha! I wi;ll let you know how it goes. I watched Home Alone and Miracle on 34th St, so that's. More to come about the trip later. Some highlights include being dragged of the bus so the proprieters of the roadside diner could take pictures with the white person and some old guy giving my cat a wet willy. Hahaha! Happy Christmas Eve! love, C

Friday, was quite the day! I have a club scheduled on 11 am that I have been calling theatre club for lack of a better name. We have been playing games mostly, but they have been asking to dance, so Friday I granted their requests. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I made a playlist on my iTunes of "rock out" songs, as Claire would say. We ended up not being able to use the bid speakers, but some computer speakers worked fine for us. There also happened to be some balloons in the cultural room that we played around with while dancing. I don't know where they came from and this is only the second time I have seen balloons in Mongolia. We "circle danced" for a while, did the train, and then I taught everybody a couple of jitterbugging moves that I learned in college. (Thanks Kat and Alex and Ceres and Farmhouse!) We finished off the hour with some trust falls, which are always a lot of fun. One student stood on the stage and fell backwards into our waiting arms.

I was told that later that day there would be a staff karaoke contest. I totally think this is something I need to bring back to America. I can just see the staff at Robbinsdale Elementary School...it would be brilliant! I showed up a little bit before 5, but it ended up not starting until about 7:30. There were 5 groups of staff members that sand together and then about 8 solo acts. The judges would then hold up their score, 1-5. The only downside was the quality of the speakers and the intense volume. Kate, you never would have survived. After all the official acts they asked for more people to sing while the judged tallied the score. My counterpart Tungaa made me get up and sing the one Mongolian song I know, which is about a mothers milk tea. Unfortunately, it was not on the karaoke machine, so I had to sing it a cappella. They then wanted me to sing an American song. I picked the first song I knew, but they must have put the number in wrong, because what actually came on was Blue Suede Shoes, but no worries, I rocked it. Then I stood in front of the judges and cleared my throat, like they should give me a score too. Everyone laughed and the judges gave me two 5s! It was a good time, but I was very happy to go home.

Saturday I woke up early and did laundry (see previous post for description of this venture) while I watched Zombieland. Two thumbs up for that, (not too scary, funny, and just the right amount of blood). Then I had went to Loving Hut to meet a Mongolian woman Patrick knows who is moving to Canada and wants to learn a little bit of French. She ended up not being able to come, but Brandon and Esayes were there, so I didn't have to eat alone. Brandon and I then ran some errands (ATM and Bombat grocerie store) and then went back to my ger. He had some new movies and tv shows to give me. (Almost Famous, Bolt, Ice Age, Freaks and Geeks, and Summer Heights High (think The Office but set in a school in Australia with one guy playing the three characters that are the focus of the "documentary" It's pretty funny)) Then our friend Khandaa came over and we watched Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Thank you so much Aunt Kte, huge hit. We watched it with the subtitles on so Khandaa could catch everything. I honestly don't think she needed them, her English is so good.

Sunday I did dishes and took a shower in the morning. Here follows a PG description of my shower time routine.

Step one: fill water boiler and plug in, make roarin' fire. Watch episode of half hour show, i.e. Scrubs, Freaks and Geeks, Summer Heights High...)

Step two: fill 1/3 solar shower (again, thanks Aunt Kate!) with now boiled water, trying not to burn self (fail) fill another 1/3 of solar shower with cold water (which has to be put in the water boiler after the hot water is emptied, because that is the only way to get the water into the tiny solar shower whole, unless on day I break down and buy a funnel)

Step three: hang from ger pole and position blue plastic tumpen under. LOCK DOOR! Nakedness is eminent, you do not want Hashaa family/random Mongolians coming in.

Step four: Kneel next to tumpen on jacket and wash hair. The water need to be turned off whenever not using or it will run out before cleanliness is achieved. I use Shampoo+Conditioner, but do it twice so I am not really saving anytime. You just can rarely find conditioner. Wrap head in tiny camp towel.

Step five: crouch in tumpen, avoiding soaking the floor as much as possible, cleanse self.

Step six: wrap up in huge scratchy bio-degradable towel (Again! Thankd Aunt Kate! You rule!)

I hope the towel doesn't bio-degrade on me! hehehehe

Lately I have be braiding my hair right after I shower, which makes it easier to re-braid in the morning, and the morning after that, and the morning after that. Then it is shower time again. Braided hair looks nice with hats, which I wear all the time nowadays. I usually shower on Sundays and Wednesdays. I actaually don't get as dirty as I thought I would, or maybe my standards have just changed. Arvaikheer (my town) does have a couple of shower houses available. I haven't used them because they cost around 3000 tugriks and after I am clean I would have to go outside to walk all the way home. I prefer my way which lets me avoid going outside with wet hair, although maybe this summer I will indulge myself.

Sunday afternoon, Brandon and Esayes and I ate at Loving Hut again (they now have pizza and burgers and apple pie and doughnuts~all vegan!) and then Khandaa gave us a ride to what the mongolians refer to as the "vatican" It is a very large haashaa (yard) with a nice building, 2 huge gers, and 2 small gers, a basketball court and soccer field. We met 2 Itallian priests and three sisters. They were very nice and gave us coffee cake (it made me miss my Grandma in Brookings!) I would like to go to mass once in a while if I can. It is in Mongolian and in one of the huge gers. It would probably be about an 80 minute walk for me so maybe I will wait until it gets a bit warmer.

Not much happened today (Monday) I made some calls to America this morning. My mom made it back to Rapid with my sisters, my grandmother, the dog and two kittens. Grandma will move into the assisted living place on tuesday, so I hope that all goes well. Kate will be going to Rapid with her truck and more of Grandma's things on Wednesday, so I hope the weather holds for her. Everything went well for my Grandpa Bill's funeral and the weather was nice so the roads were good for everyone who came. I also got to talk to my dad, my Aunt Sue, Aunt Casey, and my most wonderful third grade teacher Mrs. Dickschat. I had an English Club this morning, did some teacher training on project design, ate at Loving Hut again, (ok ok I can't cook!) had another English Club cancelled this afternoon and wrote this massive blog. (Blogzilla?) (Does this blog seem to have more parenthesis than normal? Is it excessive?)

I also had several homemade iced carmel machiattos over the past few days. Thanks Aunt Casey!

Tonight I hope to finsh my presents for the Darkhan secret santa and do more to get ready to go. Tomorrow more of the same, buy my bus ticket, maybe visit the ATM again. I leave Wednesday bright and early to go spend Christmas in Darkhan. I haven't been able to work out getting my cat to the vet, but I am taking her with me in hopes of maybe getting her seen on the way back. Mostly I just don't want to leave her on Christmas. Not that she knows, she is Mongolian, so probably a buddhist cat.

It's Michelle's 44th burthday and I got to talk to her yesterday. (sorry hun, you already put your agwe online, I though it would be ok.) I am sending you all the good feeling I can muster here in this frozen tundra I live in. Michelle told me yesterdsay that she checks my blog twice a day. I think more people read ym ridiculous ramblings than I imagine...

I talked to Brad, who had to return home for medical reasons. He is back in good old Rapid City, SD and is doing well and meeting with a surgeon soon (no mom, I didn't ask who, I am terrible.) Good luck Brad! I hope you feel perfect very soon!

I feel crappy today, not sure why. Probably has something to do the water, or the food, or the coal filling my lungs. "I think I've got the black lung pop! cough, cough"

ooops, time for an English Olympic Training. That's right, I train people for the Olympics! jealous? I thought so...

love, C

I watched It's A Wonderful Life this weekend for the first time this year (definitely not the last!) and watched Elf while I did a TON of laundry last night. I thought I would describe for you my laundry routine.

1. First I need to make a fire. I get really excited when I can get a fire going with only one match. Last night was not the case, more like 10 matches were required. Then I need to fill up my metal tumpen about half way with water and place on the stove to heat up. Then I fill up my water boiler and plug that in. The water boiler holds about 8 cups of water. Then I sort my clothes. This is a very complicated system where items are sorted based on colors that bleed (ie Walmart dresses which turn things in the water after them purple-ish) and filth. You don't want to watch a work shirt after you wash ger pants that go to and from the outhouse. I like to do 2 loads. The first starts with the dresses and then moves to blacks which includes most of my long underwear. Should I need jeans or my brown pants or my sweatshirt washed they would also go in this load. The second is work shirts followed my khaki work pants as needed, then going to ger shirts, ger pants, pajamas, socks, and undies. Should a dirty item be discovered after its turn has passed, it most likely is headed back to the Water Distiller box I am using as a hamper, better luck next time.

2. So, once the water is hot in the metal tumpen on the stove, I add more wood to the fire, put the tumpen on the floor, press play on my laundry movie of the week, and get to washing. The trick it to wash fast so the water doesn't cool down too much before you are done with the load and to not pay too much attention to the color of the water. Yes it is dark gray color after the 1st, or if you are lucky, 2nd, item of clothing, but I swear it will be cleaner than when you started. Or at least, wetter and more wrinkly. Every item after being washed is thrown in the blue pastic tumpen awaiting the rinse cycle.

After the first load is washed, I dump the water into my dirty bucket. The bucket is called dirty, not because of it's roguish sense of humor, but rather because it resides under my sink to catch the sink water. It is where all used liquid goes and so has to be frequently taken out into the street and dumped. Since winter has come someone arranged the snow in a 3 wall barrier with a hashaa fence making the 4th wall, and this is where people are apparently supposed to dump water so as to not make the whole street a slippery cesspool but rather have one concentrated area. Like a disgusting miniature outdoor skating rink. Hopefully by this point the bucket is only about half full, so I don't have to go dump it yet. I then put more water in the metal tumpen and put it back on the fire, to which I add more wood.

3. At this point I turn to the blue tumpen. I add the no boiling water from my water boiler and some cold water from my water barrel. I rinse and wring out the clothes again and hang on my fancy collapsible clothes rack which I place close to the stove. Again, try not to pay attention to the fact the water is a dark grey. Afterwards I dump the rinse water into the dirty bucket and now have to take it to the street. This involves pulling on sweatpants, sweatshirt, hat, and my slip on brown manly shoes my dad bought me, over the shorts and tank top I wear to do laundry as i gets my ger up about a nice 89 F.

Come back in, take off outer clothes and, just like the song, repeat steps 1 through 3. After ll clothes are hanging up to dry the tumpens dumped, dirty bucked dumped, and water wiped up off the floor, it is time to lie down exhausted.

I really like that my blog spellchecks tumpen and wants to make it tampon.

Patrick leaves Arvaikheer tomorrow. Both he and Amber are going to America! for christmas. Amber left on Friday, so Thursday night I had all 4 of my sitemates over to my ger for Blueberry Pancakes (both Vegan and not-so-much) and French Toast (with syrup!) and a few coctails. The good thing about hosting is you don't have to walk home in the cold afterwards, the bad part is dishes. All in all, a good time was had by everyone!

It looks like I am for sure going to Darkhan for Christmas. A big thank you to Steph and Ryan for hosting! I am psyched. I will only be gone about 5 days, but it will be a nice trip. I might try to take my cat to the vet to get fixed in UB on the way there or back.

10 points if you know where this blog title came from.

I miss you all! A big hug to my Redmond relatives! Sorry I can't be there. love, C

My grandpa died. My school internet won't work, otherwise I would post a pic of him. I wish I could go home. I wish i could be with my mom. I love you all. love, C

Thank you Dr. and Donna Burns! I love the long underwear and the magazine and the peanut butter and the calender and the notecards and EVERYTHING!

Thank you Aunt Casey! one word: COFFEE! Thanks also for the hat and the scarf and the battery charger and the converter and the adapters and EVERYTHING!

Thanks mom for old pants! And the granola bars and garden burgers and Velveeta! and EVERYTHING!

You make me so happy! love, C

Wow, is it good to be back in Arvaikheer! I am so happy to have my little kitty and my little ger. Not that my bug city adventure wasn't fun...

The Thanksgiving meal at Star Apartments was very nice. The food was great as was the company. I sat by Paul, our medical officer extraordinaire, his wife and their charming daughters. The little girls are so sweet, it made me miss my baby sisters ever so much. The new Ambassador sat with us for a while as well. He enjoyed the corn I brought. He will probably be talking about it for years to come. After the meal, a bunch of us PCVs went out, but as everything closed at 9, in accordance with the Swine Flu restrictions, nobody could get too wild. ;)

Sunday morning I went to Cafe Amsterdam for some internet and Pain Au Chocalat with a Mocha. I them preceded directly to Nayra's for lunch with some PCVs. I ran some errends in UB and later watched The Proposal at another guest house.

Monday we had to be at the Peace Corps office at 7:45 am to leave for IST (In-Service Training). I ended up getting there at 7:30 so I could check my mailbox and what-not, but the bus wasn't ready until 9:30, giving me time to read half of Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul. I hate those books. bleh!

IST was a great opportunity for us to spend time and learn the samethings as our CPs (counterparts). My faithful CP Tungaa came, and I feel like we got a lot of good information. It was an exhausting week though. Everyday we started at 8 and didn't finish until 6 and then often had another session at 8. Our sessions ranged from Language to Experience Sharing to Self-Defence to Project Design and Management. The hotel was nice and every room had a bathroom with a bathtub. I took a hot bubble bath everynight we were thee and actually woke up at 6:15 on our last morning so I could take a final bath before we left. My poor PCV BFF Katie had a cough all week and poor Caitlin shared a room with her. Hahahaha I am still feeling a little sleep deprived.

Our last night at IST, our CPs oragainzed a dance for everybody. It was alot of fun. It was hilarious to see the Mongolians trying to circle up to dance (which is how all groups of Mongolians dance-in one big circle) and the Americans trying to prevent this from happening. About every 15 minutes or so, the music would suddenly stop and the lights would come on and it would be time to play a game. This got increasingly more hilarious to the Americans who would be dancing and suddenly have no music and be in a brightly lit room. The games included a race between teams to get certain articles of clothing including a belt, a sock, a bra, and a pair of man's underwear. Another game had a pen tied to a string hooked to the back of the particpants pants who had to try to get the pen in a beer bottle on the floor. All very hilarious. We also had 3 of the male CPs dress in thier black long underwear with towels around thier waists performing a quick ballet. It was very entertaining night.

Saturday I had some more errends to run in UB, ate a Twilight with about 15 PCVs around a tiny table and stayed back at Khongor guest house. We left a 7 am Sunday morning and were able to get seats on the bus back to Arvaikheer. We arrived at around 2:30 in the afternoon. Last night I did a little laundry as everything I own is now dirty, unpacked, and got ready for the week. I watched PUSH, a movie I bought in UB, which was bad and gave my smelly cat a bath and then comforted her for hours. I am looking forward to going to Loving Hut for lunch and picking up my package from the post office! All in all, I am very happy to be back. I miss you all! love, C

Hey, school should be back later this week. I am still here and enjoying my free time, but feeling pretty useless. A better update to come when I have my internet back. Love, C

Well, I guess it was actually the day after the "jinkin" (Mongolian for true) wedding, but who is counting. It was me. I was counting. I was counting 35 people in one ger. There were two men refusing to take no for an answer when offering airag (fermented mare's milk), vodka, or the more potent Mongolian vodka. And there was one American, whose actions were all very amusing to everyone else there. I ate some soup. sang a Mongolian song, drank the mandatory 3+ shots of vodka, got airag spilled all over my pants, and watched a friend pour her vodka on the floor behind her chair. When someone tried to give me some Mongolian vodka, I figured it was time for me to announce I had to leave and high-tailed it out of there. It wasn't until the cool air slapped my face and I saw the incredible sunset that I realized it was 7:15 and I was pretty intoxicated. This, on top of the fact I wasn't exactly sure where I was, was sure to make my walk home pretty enjoyable. Imagine my relief a mere 15 minutes later when I realized the road I was approaching was in fact the road that runs to my house. At least I got of easy, some weddings are in the countryside and can turn into affairs that last for days. The bride, by the way, is one of my school's staff members. The couple have been living together for some time and have two sons. I am not sure why this was deemed the time to have the actual celebration, but I am glad I got to be a part of it. Even if I did have a pretty big headache in the morning.

Madeline, I hope you have a fun weekend. Please be good! Go to Fort Fear, Dylan will scare the pants off you! I miss you bunches and love you tons!

Claire, I am pretty sure I know you right! Silly goose. Mongolia is good, although not great because you are not here! It is starting to get cold, although I have heard it will get a lot colder! Princess Polly Potato is great. She thinks it is funny to play in the coal bin. If it gets too cold at night she bites my ear, so I get up and make a fire. Thank you for your support. It means a lot to me. I miss you tons and love you bunches!

My counterpart just told me we will not have class until next Friday. The school will be closed for a week to prevent the spread of swine flu. I have no idea what I will do. Or when I will be on the internet again. Or what else will close. Exciting!

Anyway, miss you all a lot and love you even more! love, C

I am getting better and better at chopping wood. I do much better when I don't have Mongolians watching me, which makes 6:30 am a very good time. The sun is just coming up, the air is crisp and cool (ie freezing, but lets stay positive!) and my spirits are up. I have really come to love mornings here. (Please still be my friend Gabb, we can like different things...)

I drank the last of my Horizons Organic Vanilla Milk boxes on the way to work today. (listening to Elvis Costello and smiling at the sunshine) It was so good I couldn't even be sad it was the last one.

I broke my extension cord today. My sunglasses were all fogged up and I stepped on the plug. Oh well, off to the market I go.

One of my school's staff members passed away today. I didn't know the person. Without sounding too self-centered, I really hope I don't do anything culturally inappropriate.

Anyway, I love this having internet thing! And I miss you all.

love, C

I wonder what length this one will turn out to be. We shall see.

I got sick, again. I hope it is not the flu, I feel like I have been sick 60% of the time since I got to site. Also, I feel guilty burning coal, but I have this attachment to all ten toes.

I have been watching quite a bit of tv since I have felt under the weather. Extras is brilliant, Entourage is great, Bad Boys was awful yet entertaining, Be Kind Rewind was odd, but not terrible, Talladega Nights was predictable but the outtakes were great.

Polly gets angry when she is not fed. I must remember to feed her at night so she doesn't wake me at 6 am.

I chopped a bunch of wood. I felt really tough. hahaha Like Buffy.

If you are in the Rapid City area, you should go to Fort Fear, by Reptile Gardens. I wish I could.

Ate at Loving Hut again today. Had some pea,bean,tofu,delicious soup and some no-fish sushi. It was delicious. I ate with Melinda who is a VSO volunteer from Australia. Her partner just got here and is hiking around, but will be back in town next week. He is French so I plan to embarrass myself by speaking some horrible French with him.

Leslie and Nathan are in America until next Wednesday. Nathan may bring me back a shooter of Malibu Rum which would of course elevate him to God among en status. The villagers would sing his praises for years to come.

Did I tell you I burned my hand. I was making toast to put peanut butter on. There is no gain without loss. It is all scabbed over, but Polly keeps scratching it. Then it bleeds. Serving my country is riddled with dangers.

Claire, remember when you got your ears pierced? I have like a hundred pics of that. You are pretty cute. I miss you!

Madeline, Don't grow up to fast without me. I miss you!

I miss you all! love, C

2nd post in one day! Why? please see title.

I am not sure why this is italisized, just accept it. Unless it isn't on your screen, the just accept it not being italisided.

Run down of my day

0630 Polly bit ear. Why? who knows. Got up and peeed (is that how you spell that, really?) in a bucked and turned on my space heater as I was running out of wood. Tried to go back to sleep.

0645 Polly not leaving me alone. Went for run.

0715 Running is hard. It makes me tired. Eat breakfast (Instant MACcereal, peanut butter toast, and Instant coffee...it's really starting to grow on me.) and get dressed while watching 2 episodes of Enterauge, awesome show. (I get some sort of sick pleasure from watching people swim in a pool that is in their house and drive ridiculous cars whilst I live in a tent. ) Feed Polly, kiss Polly, and bundle up)

0840 Leave for work. Rocking out on my ipod, drinking organic vanilla America Rules! milk, with a spring in my step. My last stretch of my commute goes along a road with a semi-intact curb. This is exciting because I walk down the curb like a very-bundled, huge backpack weilding tightrope walker. This gets me no more stares than walking like a normal person, so I say what the hell.

0900 Arrive at work. I had recieved a interesting text message from my counterpart that deffinately had the word internet in it, which made me hope that today might be the day we get internet inour office. Also, yesterday, my office was locked with a new lock that I don't have the key for...I was interested to see what this day would bring.

0915 found counterpart Tungaa. She took me to our new office. It was Dent's office and now it will be Tungaa and Caitlin and Dent's office. It has internet so I am pleased. I am not sure how pleased Dent is.

1100 Must stop using the internet to have Theatre Club. We played theatre games that mostly deteriorated into chasing each other around. Which is fun so again, what the hell! Lets run around. PLus most of the physical education seems to be marching in place, so games are good.

1200 Walk home. Comfort Polly. Get wood from haashaa family, woohoo! I love making fires! Take off a shirt, it is starting to warm up!

1245 Walk to Loving Hut restaurant. Vegetrian restaurant I can't get enough of. Eat with sitemates Patrick and Allison. Mostly discuss the end of the world 2012? or not? and how awesome my internet office having is. It is

Legen ~wait for it~ dary!

1345 Meat sitemate Esayes for coffee and quick convorsation. He is about to turn in his grad school applications so congrats are in order.

1430 Leave for work. See above for curb walking discription. Dodge marching PE students, which is easy, because they march in place.

1440 arrive at work. 10th grade dance is cancelled due tyo Swine Flu threat. Everyone is wearing cloth masks. Most are white, but some really cool kids have colored ones. Well, in my head they are the cool kids, i actually have no idea what the student social hierarchy is like. I could only find a white one, but colored it purple with a crayon from my patient appointment center BFFs. I think the crayon will add an extra layer of germ protection and I wanna be cool at at least one high school before i die. hahaha

play on internet, since no dance.

1530 Internet goes out. I don't care though. I have an office that is conected to the internet when internet is available! Hours and Hours of internet lie in my future. Read Lord of the Rings and brainstorm things to do on the internet that are relevent to my job.

1650 Internet back on! Write seconf blog post of day rather than do the things that were brainstormed to do that would be relevant to my job. And here we are!

My plans for the rest of the day are as followed.

1800 Team teach Life skills class. This is our first session with these students, so it will be an introduction. We had are first session withthe tuesday group on ...um...Tuesday. It went really well. There was a draw a piture thing that i am not really sure what the goal was of that, i think it was apicture of the hopes and dreams. I hope todays goes as well.

1900 Go to Amber's house for some mixed drinks and Settlers playing. Settlers is the game to play in Peace Corps Mongolia and I have never played so I need to learn before Thanksgiving, when there will be undoubtedly a tournament. Amber has also promised cookies and brownies, bless her pointed little head.

Amber, if you are reading this, 1. you need more to do and 2. that is just an expression of my mothers, not a slight on the shapre of your head. I have personally always thought you had a fine shaped head. My mother is just a kook, what can I say? Mom, I bless your pointed little head and all the pointed little heads of your offspring. Hehehe That kinda makes it sound like your offspring have multiple pointed heads. Camber, GrammarGirl! how do I fix that grammatically so that everyone is aware that we, her offspring, only have one head. A piece that is, not one head all together. Oh, bother.

Time unknown- walk home in the freezing cold hopefully while thinking it is toitally worht being this cold for some good company in my native tongue. Make a fire while complaining loudly to Polly of the cold. As if she doesn't know, been alone since noon with no fire, what a bad mom I am. If only I could teach her to make a fire, that would be the hot sauce on the meal of life.

Goi to bed while listening to my audiobook.

Saturday I will do laundry, which I am starting to love. I watch Rome and use warm water and it makes my ger smell nice. I have a fire going to heat the water and it is so warm and cozy anbd it makes me think of Charlie Buckets' mother before he finds the golden ticket. I will also have my first English Class at Dandaa monastery across from my haashaa. I am goping to teach Mongolian Buddhist monks english. Thats a gonna make a good story, who gets to say they did that? um..just me. Other weekend plans are as of yet nonexistent. I imagine eating at Loving Hut, sweeping, and watching a movie may occur. Until then, I hope you have enjoyed this production of a Day in the Life of an American Peace Corps Volunteer Social Worker Youth Development Good Will Worker Person. It was supported by a grant for the Katherine T. McArthur Foundation and from Readers like you! love, C

PS Wish List has been updated.

I have internet in my office! I am so happy. Actually, we moved to the office with internet and now I share with two other people, but we have internet so I am thrilled.

I was shrieking with laughter as I opened my package from the Patient Appointment Center. My cat was freaking out and jumped in the box. I fell over laughing when I pulled out the 2 year supply of taco seasoning. I want my life to be taco flavored.

I miss everyone so much, but I often really like my life here. This morning I was walking to work, drinking Vanilla Organic Milk, rocking out to my ipod, and loving my life. Then I got to work and I had internet. Praise the internet gods!

Off to theatre club. Woohoo!

Mom, we climbed up to the Russian Friendship Monument during consolidation. I felt very friendly to the Russians and watched Anastatia as a celebration.

Madeline, Remember your promise!

love, C

I just got a package from my best friends at the patient appointment center so big I will have to call a taxi! Thanks guys you are the best! Setiously, it is really appreciated, you have no idea. I can't wait to open it!

This keyboard I am using no longer has the letters on the keys. Except Q ans W.

***mini celebration of Q and W***** qwqwqwqwqwqwwqwqwwqwqwqwqwqwqwqwWQWQWQWQWQWQWQWQ

I really need the labels. This is difficult.

I also got a package from my mom on monday! It is like Christmas morning for Mary Marsh! (Well, actually more for me than anything.) I actually might get internet in my office soon! I miss talking to my friends alot!

ok, I can't take this keyboard anymore! Good night and good luck! love, C

I am at Patrick's ger for the fabled consolidation. This is the time where we practice our emergency action plan. Since it took me an hour and a half to get across town, I must be very bad at emergencies. I assure you all that I would not stop for orange juice and chocolate if it were not a drill. Drills demand chocolate. Patrick, Amber, Allison, and I are all accounted for. Esu is in UB. Brandon and Terrence are on their way. Eggs are cooking, the fire is smoldering, and life is good.

Madeline, Boys are bad. Their badness is only compounded by cars. Beware.

Kate, Glad you like the pics. I will try to figure out my battery situation and take more. Smart wool pants would be much appreciated. Tell your friends and family. Christmas is coming.

Camber. I think it is actually physics. Just so you know. Also, when will you come? I have a floor for sleeping with your name on it!

Mom, Amber's thing fell of her wall. Her nails were not strong or stiff enough. They did not go in far enough. At east, that's what she said. hahahaha

Thank you loyal readers!

love, C

Turn's out the ham that was on the plates as garnish at the vegetarian restaurant is actually soy. I thought it was really funny, but now it is just typical. I wanted to go to the vegetarian restaurant and eat ham and laugh...at least I still get to go to the vegetarian restaurant and eat. it is so good. it had been open three days and i have eaten there 4 times. yep, twice yesterday. Both for lunch. Do to the time difference... hahahaha

I just looked at the Grey's Anatomy website. Mistake. *tear*

Damn, it feels good to be a volunteer. hi Jennie.

This post is kinda fractured, sorry. I didn't really have anything to say, but I like getting comments from my posts, and I am Amber's apartment, so here is a post. I feel pretty homesick today, but still having a really good day. Does that make sense? I am really glad my sitemates, Amber and Patrick, are back. Esu went to the city, so not everyone is here, but it is nice to see those that are. Tomorrow might be consolidation, which means everyone in our region has to get together and see how long it takes us as a practice of emergency proceedure. I hope so, no work, and hanging out all day! Woohoo.

I can't believe it is almost time for my friend Andy to go back to the US. he has been in Rwanda for almost a year and is awesome. i keep trying to convince to come to Mongolia before heading to North America, I mean, it is practically on the way.

Andy, if you read this, i am proud of you! You are swell!

I miss you all soooosoooo much! love, C

PS Shout out to my wonderful sisters. I love you so much. Try not to drive mom crazy while I am gone. I prefer her at her current level of sanity. I left her that way and I expect her to be that way when I return. Take care of each other and don't forget to miss me. Drugs are bad. See, I am such a good sister. love, C

Damn you! Seriously folks, her blog is much more entertaining than mine. Every time I read it I feel intense pressure to make my readers laugh. Add more humor. Like some diabolical Ben Stiller dressed as a monkey is dancing around me yelling "Be funny, Caitlin, Be funny!" (Dance Derek Dance Monkey!) How can anyone possible compete with such wit and whim and vigor and vivaciousness and other words that start with v and w?

I just watched the first season of Big Love. Super awesomeness! Just had the opening of the youth development room at my school and the new vegetarian restaurant, not related.

Kate, get a facebook. Otherwise, IDk. The link worked for my dad.

Loves to all! C

I posted more pics on Facebook, here are the links.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2108765&id=116500167&l=a37e7d1b67

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2112421&id=116500167&l=2b066a3a14

This Pics are from swearing in as a Peace Corps Volunteer, coming to Arvaikheer, and many of my cat. She is just so darn cute! There is also a picture of my outhouse especially for you dad!

My back hurts 'cause I did a bunch of laundry yesterday by hand. But, on the upside, I have clean clothes! Woohoo. I have been watching a fair amount of movies and tv that I have on my new external hard drive, so I am feeling really entertained. I wanted to send a shout out to my best bud Dylan! He is a greatly generous young man and I love him! You rule dude!

It was so nice to be able to talk to all the people that I got to talk to on the inter these past couple of days! I miss you all! love, C

So Amber is out of town and has graciously offered to let me stay at her place and use her internet. My plan is to finish up work at 6 and be online until I can't keep my eyes open anymore. Then wake up and use a it a little more. I am super excited. I brought Polly over so she can become friends with Amber's Kitty-boo. So far, Polly who is about half Kitty's size, appears to dominate. We shall see how the night goes.

12 hours later:

I have just spent close to 6 hours on the phone and 6 hours sleeping. Whew! Internet is fun! If I didn't call you, it is not because I don't love you, but rather because I had to talk to my family for much of my time. It was awesome! The only downside is Amber's apartment is cold and I forgot my purse, so I have no money and hence no food. But being hungry and cold is worth it for so much internet.

Everything is going well here. Sometimes things are really hard or frustrating, but something great always happens to make up for it. I just had a session yesterday with teenage girls to talk about Self Esteem that was great. I don't think anyone had ever talked about this with them before and I think it really went well. I will try to post pictures later this week, I promise. Thanks for all the support! love, C

Spiders and

Brandon and people from Poland. Polly loves having the guests, including the spiders. I only like the Polish and

American varieties. My new polish friends have been staying with Peace Corps Volunteers all across Mongolia and are super nice.

Brandon is up from his soum (village) as are all the other nearby soum PCVs. I really like having guests and having my routine disrupted and I really like having my routine back when they leave. It makes me realize how much I like my life when it changes. Brandon sprung for the wireless internet, so I am using internet in my ger for the first time. This is so something I could do, but I feel like it is a giant world that is too big for my little ger, and I can always go to someone elses house or a internet cafe. I got a package today! It is from you Dad. I was super excited, especially since now I can copy all of

Brandon's tv shows. Seriously my life just became really full of entertainment opportunities. I like thinking of how I can use every part of the package. It makes me feel like the sioux with the buffalo. I will use the straps holding the blankets in a role to hang things from my rafters. I will use the carboard as kindling to start rockin' fires.

Beef Jerky bags for trash after I eat all the jerky. This week I started my clubs at school. Some were really successful, others, we will try again next week. I have English, Life Skills,

Book, and Theatre Clubs. I also tutor the English Competition level students for the upcoming English Olympics. I just found out it is almost October! Holy Cow! Thnaks for all the stateside support! love, C

I am not sure why. But not in a bad way. Plus I have FRIENDS to watch. So that is good. Short post due to the floopiness. I love you guys

So the packages have been amazing, I don't know if I have said that enough. Seriously, my sitemates have heard me say it so many times, I think they would hate me if I didn't keep giving them fruit rollups and things when they come over. I thought I could offer some feedback, so people who are the greatest and wish to send things will have more of an idea of what works and what doesn't. For examples, Gushers tend to pre-gush before reaching destination. I told them not to feel bad, it happens more that people think. I honestly could never have enough Beef Jerky and Peanut Butter. Lemon Bread sent by the g'rents was amazing. I was a fraid it would go bad so I kept inviting people over to have some, but everyone is really busy, so I have eaten most of it by myself. I am full and happy. Also, those fiber one PB and Oats bars are so so so good. They taste almost like some PB and Oat bar you used to make grandma, I seriously almost cried. They made the list, they were so good. (PLease see updated list to the right) The CDs you sent Kate are great,if not a little strange. The movie (Rear Window) is too scary to watch in my ger alone. I loved it, but had trouble sleeping. I live in a tent in the middle of nowhere people! Only movies about frolicking unicorns please! (hahaha Just Kidding!)

The packages really make my whole week whern they come! The lady who works at the post office calls my phone and I just start skipping for joy!

Things here are good. Still trying to find a routine, which may actually continue for the next two years. I have been sick this week, but saeem to be in the upswing. Fluids, rest, and Jimmy Stuart inmortal danger are the key. One of my sitemates just gave me Twilight, so I will have entertainement for a while. There is something about that movie, I could watch it over and over again. I miss you all!

ps Camber there are vehicals from UB to me i assure you!

Superstar. "everything's alright, yes, everything's fine"

Camber, come visit me! My mom is coming next summer, not sure when and I amy have to go home for Jennie's wedding unless I can convince her to wait for me, but I would love to have you visit anuother time. Actually come to think of it, you could come at the same time as my mom if that is is the time that it workss best, it just might be more fun to have two different times to entertain my favorite people. Woot!

Dad, woohoo for the package, I am psyched to get it. Also, I cut the top of my knuckle off, blood was everywhere, you would have passed out. It seems to be healing ok, so hopefully no lasting damage. I will probably have a dent though and an awesome scar. cool beans

Gabb, you are my favorite and I am glad you adopted a frog. See, you too are making a difference in the world. Hurry up and learn how to write a thesis so if I go to grad school you can teach me. Hahahaha.

Aaron-did you check with Respec? Did you name drop? Did you mention you bowl? hahahaha!

Mom- I can't remember exaclt why the sky is blue, something about the color scheme being displaced by sunlight and blue has the lowest frequency so that is the color we see. So in a sence it is not actually blue, that is just the way we percieve it.

I am sick. Sore throat and achy and tired and gerouchy. (I liked that spelling mistake, so I left it in grandpa) Brandon, who is an M19 (i.e. has been here a here)and lives in a soum (tiny town) nearby stay at my ger for the weekend. It was great fun, people came over and watched Lord of the Rings. Polly, my cat, likes company. More hands and feet to attack! Poor guy had to sleep on the floor though...not a lot of room. I am glad I usually live by myself, but it was great to have an actual person to talk to. Well, apparently skyoe is going to work on this computer, so I am going to go find another. Then go home and make some soup and eat some goldfish. (The crackers, danny!) love, C

10 points for anyone who knows where the titles of this post and the last one come from. I got two packages yesterday! Two! My heart just leapt and everything seemed so much brighter! Seriously, it was the best I have felt since I got to Arvaikheer. Not that I have been feeling bad, just normal, but yesterday I was ecstatic! I am going to update the wish list two the right based on the things I know have thanks to two wonderful aunts I have! Thank you so much Casey and Kate, the packages were wonderful. I feasted last night on fruit rollups and beef jerkey and hot chocolate and had oatmeal for breakfast and look forward to goldfish for lunch. I had actually just over lunch gone to the post office and given the woman there my number and tried to communicate that I would like it if she called or texted if a package came for me. A mere 3 hours later I got a call that had a lot of mongolian words in it, but one I recognized. Shoodan means post office so I repeated it and she said yes! Then when I got there and there was two I just about vomited happiness! The magazines and the movie and the school supplies and the nicest pencil sharpener I have ever seen and the list goes on and on!

I have been steadily trying to figure out more of what I will be doing here. Yesterday I taught to english lessons, one to my schools director and managers and one to some non-english teachers. (Like math, I think) That was exciting and kind of nerve racking. At one point that wanted me to give examples of questions using the verb "to be". One of my questions was "Why is the sky blue?" After I had explained all the questions they then wanted me to answer the questions. Needless to say that one gave me pause, until I remember it is answered in one of my favorite episodes of The West Wing, so I attempted to give the scientific answer, got a lot of confused faces and ended up going with "Because it is not raining." Hahahaha

This is the first time I have managed to get my own computer on the internet and I am very happy. Last night, I also found on my computer the first 2 episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer that Madeline and I had put on my computer one day at the library. I was able to get a program from one of my site mates to play it on and watched them last night and now I am sad I do not have more. I have been spending some time organizing the books at the new English library here and some time trying to cook. Mostly, I am just so happy to go home to my little ger in the evening that I don't want to stop at the internet, so that is the reason for the lack of internet communication. Now that I am able to get on the internet at school, hopefully I will better! I miss you, keep the packages and comments coming! I miss you all! love, C

No worries people, I am well. I am very very busy and so tired when I am not busy, but I will make a big post soon. My finger is ok, i think mom! I love you guys! I hope I get a package soon! love, C