One of those days

Sometimes bad things happen - yesterday, alot of bad things happened

1. When I came back to my home, my ger was changed. it was almost the same, except my door does not shut and the skylight windows were gone. Did I mention that it was really cold?
2. I was very short on money, and when I went to the bank it was closed.
3. My foot was sore, so I didn't feel like walking at all.
4. When I was in the middle of cooking dinner, I realized the power was out.
5. My class for English teachers was cancelled for the 4th consecutive week.
6. I was very low on water, and the well was closed.

Looking back it seems pretty funny, but I was pretty flustered at the time.

Things to check off my phobia list

September 15th

You probably know this already, but I am naturally an introvert. I don't like crowds of people, and don't talk very much at all when I meet someone for the first time. Beneath the surface I have many anxieties, but since I have come to Mongolia I have gone through a lot. Looking back, I have less reasons to be afraid of anything. For example, I have already experienced -


trying to get to know my sixty-some fellow M23's during orientation days
meeting my Mongolian parents for the first time. The only word that I new then was “hello”
going hiking alone
eating everything served to me (including the popular sheep intestines)
constantly meeting new people
tasting vodka
singing a solo in Mongolian
getting harassed by drunk people
supervising a group of junior high kids that don't speak English
giving a speech at my school in Mongolian
getting lost at night with a dull flashlight
teaching an English class by myself
surviving in the Gobi desert

Some of those things I never want to experience again, but some of the fears that I have had are not there anymore. There is a certain part of me that likes to overcome obstacles – if I see a mountain, I want to climb it. Hopefully that quality will help me in my quest to be a more sociable person.

Mongolian People

September 6 A lot has been going on, but I haven't been writing that much. I'm going to use some words to describe some of the people that I interact with everyday.

Spontaneous – At a moments notice, people will change their plans and an an adventure ensues...

Friendly – People have stopped me in the street and start talking to me. I gave a speech in Mongolian at my school and it wasn't that great, but everyone was applauding. Being an American makes me somewhat of a novelty here, so people get excited to see me when I come to teach their class.

Hospitable – Family and friends visit each other very often, and food is always served.

Hard-Working – The week before school all of the teachers put on dust masks, sunglasses and head wraps, and we all carried rocks/dirt together. Normally, teachers wear dressy clothes, so it was funny seeing them transform into construction ninjas.

What is personal space? - If there aren't enough chairs, have 2 or 3 people sit on the same chair. Family and friends will randomly visit your Ger and hang out with you. Kids will take you by the hand and walk with you wherever you are going. You may think of these things as a nuisance, but it is a way to get to know people better and it also removes the typically shy nature of the Mongolian people.

Traditional – Many things have changed, but there is still some amazing culture here. I really like when people start singing songs. Once one person starts, everyone will join together and it sounds beautiful. Music is one of my main interests, and getting to see the horse fiddle being played or watching traditional dances is really fascinating.