Reflections

This last post is not really about Mongolia, but personal thoughts. I started reading a book written by a Peace Corps volunteer who was also in Mongolia titled, "When Things Get Dark." It gave me the eerie feeling of watching a movie that I myself was in. There is definitely a dark side to being in Mongolia and I am not immune to it completely. Some moments, I think back to being only one month removed from Mongolia and wonder to myself if all that I went through really happened or if it was just a dream. My language only allowed me to be a shadow of my real self. I definitely did exist, but that person that Mongolian people had interaction with was only like a imprint of me and I was probably like a dream even to them. The other side of the coin is that I feel like a ghost in America too. I visited the area where I grew up and it gave me the sense of time moving along but nothing really changing. I don't have a lack of language as an excuse, but I think there are very few people in there that know much about me here either. Life in Mongolia is in my past, and my life when I was living in America before is also in my past. So now I feel like my new identity is about to begin. I am moving to a new place, going to find a new job, and have a normal life for a while. I absolutely have no regrets about my Peace Corps adventure but I don't know if travelling is something I will ever want to do again. I am going to spend more time with some of my hobbies such as reading, watching movies, and making music. It will be the first time I will be completely on my own and not studying formal education, and I'm already 28 years old. I think it will be good to spend some time on developing myself instead of being driven by other forces for a change. Hopefully this sudden independence will bring me beyond anything previously instead of to a dead end.

өнгөрсөн!

In Mongolian, this word means "the past." Even though I have not left yet, its basically over. Even though I have been aware that these two years have been passing by, it became sudden when I realized that I will leaving my site for the last time within only a few weeks. My school wants to have a new volunteer and I know that whoever replaces me will be able to take these students and teachers much further than I was able to. For the future volunteer that comes here, this town is not glamorous and your work situation will be far from perfect, but the school here has gone out of its way for me and I am really happy for the friendships that I have made here. They are looking forward to meeting you, Good luck!

behavior change and capacity building

If you would have asked me before I came "What will be the biggest obstacle for development/improvement during your project here in Peace Corps?" - I probably would have said language, or maybe culture, or possibly resources. Even though language, etc. are very apparent differences, they are minor compared to the basic principle of changing habits.

For example, I have had people tell me hundreds of times that they want me to teach them English. My follow up question is always, "When do you want me to teach you English?" Then I get a shrug of the shoulders followed by an answer like "I don't know - sometime." People don't always think about how much time and effort it takes to learn a new language. I have an advantage here in learning Mongolian because there are Mongolian speakers everywhere, but it still takes effort on my part to learn Mongolian. It doesn't just "happen."

Another silly example not related to English is the concept of sharing. In a lot of ways, Mongolians share more than Americans do. At the workplace, when a teacher is eating something like cookies or drinking juice, they are expected to share with everybody. People share cups and pass it around to everyone in the room. Often people borrow each others phones. But for some reason, toilet paper is guarded as if it is some kind of precious treasure. I don't know why, because it is really cheap. Nevertheless, everyone carries their own with them, and it is unheard of for there to be a roll of toilet paper sitting around in a bathroom. Moving on, Mongolians often share their homework or even tests. Most people call that cheating, not sharing, ha ha. In their language "cheating" is not even a harsh word. The word people use for cheating basically means copying information. As long as someone is not caught cheating, most people do not see it as a bad thing. They think of it as a way to help their friends as well as making their class look good by having high scores. I can tell people about the differences between my culture and theirs, but I have little control over actually making a difference in areas like these.

Back to the teaching part of my life here, I have told my teachers how important it is for them to speak English during class. Even though my teachers know how to give instructions and ask some questions in English, they often say those things in Mongolian because the students won't understand or because they simply forget to. Anyways, one of the teachers (that I initially had a lot of difficulty working with) all of the sudden started asking her students during every class, "How are you? What is the weather like today?" and "What did you do yesterday?" Simple changes like that have made a huge difference. Before, the students did mostly translation-type activities. If the teacher uses English in a way that requires an actual response, the students have to listen, understand, and then speak. It is a much more interesting and practical way to learn.

Mongolians are sometimes bashful when it comes to asking for help. I am the opposite of intimidating, but for some people, I am the first foreign person that they have ever spoken with. Also, Mongolians are afraid to admit when there is something they don't know or understand. Of course, if they don't ask questions, they cannot learn or fix mistakes. So gradually the English teachers have started to ask me for more help with pronunciation, proofreading, definitions, and so on.

There is a lot of work to be done here. If there wasn't any need for improvement, I would never been sent here in the first place. It takes a lot of patience, but there have been a few positive changes. And I am optimistic about those changes remaining after I leave (crossing my fingers).

creative writing essays

My province just participated in a creative writing competition and I decided to share some of them with you. Some of these people are my students, some aren't. I did not edit them, you will notice mistakes and unrecognizable words. They only had one hour to write, but they got their point across and had some good and funny ideas. Enjoy

If you could be any animal for a day, what would you be and what would you do?

Hi, my name is Khulan. I could be cat. I am sleep a bed. I rainbow sky cow cat, horse, red apple, and green grass drave. I wear pink dress on hot day. I wear casual clothes in summer. My favorite weather, meat, jam, fish, and milk. My friends color’s white, browin, and black. I like play food ball. My friends is super. We are children love. I like warm day. I like ficher’s drave. I like listen to music.

 6th grade student

Pretend that you have been shrunk down to the size of an ant for a day. What do you do and see?

             If become ant for a day I will go shopping. I will eat bread apple and drink water eat cake a candy salad eat food. I see stone. I eat robbing a lot of candies. I scare people. Tomorrow I would like to become big. and people I never kill. Ants.

            7th grade student

If you could invent a candy what would it be? What ingredients would it have and what would it taste like?

            This candy is nice big, round but I sweets like. My candy name is mixed fruit. My candy name is mixed fruit. 

1. Ingredients: first.                 9. chocolate

2. cream                                10. potatoes

3. marrow                              11. red colour

4. fruit                                    12. yellow

5. apple                                 13. sun

6. orange                               14. star and

7. banana                              15. moon

8. chocolate

Then: pot to mix. and put 

Next - to take chape freeze. Next osillalate.

            7th grade

If you could make a new animal, what would it be like?

I could make a new animal. This animal is friendly, honest, generous, beautiful and very lovely. The animal’s name is Friho-Genebe. Because this name is friendly, honest, generous, and beautiful – all Friho-Genebe.

Friho-Genebe is look like people. It is no small and no big. It is small nose, small mouth, two hands, two legs, big eyes, and big ears. This animal color is pink, blue, yellow and green. Because child very like there colors. It has long and short hear. Friho-Genebe’s best friend is child. They play basketall, voleball, football and other toys. Friho-Genebe like help people. People love this animal. Friho-Genebe never angry. People and child in Friho-Genebe’s hearth. It like job. Friho-Genebe can does all jobs. Friho-Genebe very good buy no ba. I dream appear Friho-Genebe in our world. Our love Friho-Genebe.

8th grade student

What do trees think about?

            I think all thinks living. And they always thinking of something. For example trees think about people, children, and animals. Because people, children and animals are free. Trees can't move. Unfortunetally they fall in love with other tree, they can't meet, talk and hug. trees really like Spring and Summer. Because this time grow their leaves and people with they. They don't alone. Trees don't like Autumn, because their all leaves fall. it is very sad. Trees hates Winter because they very alone and very boring. And bad peoples chop they. for use chrismas tree, new year tree, make wooden things and fire.

            But trees really like living :)

            9th grade student

You are one of the first settlers on Mars. You have lived there for one year. Write about your first year.

                I remembered my first come to day in Mars. I, astronaut and scientist we are got off from spaceship in Mars. We will come to learn how to live in Mars. We lived in for one year. If we will can success this work, earth’s people shall arrive from earth. I beginning to think as Robinzon Cruzo. But I think Robinzon Cruzo is very lucky because he lived in nature. He has a food, water, and stay place, trees. But we first need food, and stay place. I think if we eat enough food, we shall respond other needs. Then, we are walking to looking around place. But, I see small black and circular thing in sand. I’m running to this thing. Then I took this thing. This thing as cocos as earth’s fruit. We slowly first smelled, looked, listened, and touched. Wee called fruit. We think this place ave many many trees. Then, we walking again. Walking is very boring. And I missed my family, my friends and love things in earth. These fruit wade in our way. We didn’t bring food because we believed to live in Mars. “I can”, I did someone shouted in outside. This voice is broke my think. He is my neighborhood. He bringed seed of cabbage from earth.  He successes to plan tiny seed of cabbage. Every day, our lifes has been growing new future. If Describe you in Mars asked me. My answer is this place is very warm.  There no season. No animal. No night. Always rise the Sun. We always eat food and fruit. This place is very nice. Because this place never bad things.

            11th grade student

If you were a superhero, what would be your weakness?

                Who is a superhero? Many people think this person has many abilities, incredible strength and fights for the loyal. But I think it’s completely different.

                For me “to be a superhero” -> its mean to be like a my father! Because he is the best man in the world. He is respectful, kind, honest, hardworking and can do everything.

                In Movies and cartoons, weakness of superheroes has been being family! Before I didn’t understand this. But when I see my dad’s activities I realized. He has never concealed something or diverged with “mother.” Everybody wants happiness and well-being for their family. I will take after my father now and in future. So that if I were a superhero, my weakness would be love for family or mother!

                Of course everybody think different things. Everybody is unique. For people whatever can be weakness. Its’ just my opinion.

           12th grade student

Peace Corps Work

So what have you accomplished in the last 2 months Will? I am working at a school, but December and January mostly focused on holidays. In Mongolia, they celebrate the western and eastern versions of new year.

I'm at a loss of words to describe the western version of new years... a pageant maybe? Students and teachers have their own separate parties weeks before the new year. There is usually a small show at the beginning, some games, food, and dancing. Have you ever learned how to waltz? me neither, but its an important thing at these formal parties. the day of, many of my teachers were scrambling to find a fancy dress to wear. I played a small song on my horse fiddle during the performance section, and was really nervous. People said it turned out okay though. On actual new years eve, families celebrate at home. I made pizza for some of my Mongolian family and friends and we watched the countdown on TV.

As opposed to staying up until midnight, for the lunar new year, people get up early and go up on a mountain to greet the first sunrise of the new year. this time I visited the small town where I spent the first summer training.

For some reason I didn't end up doing this last year, so it was a first for me. It was pretty cold in Selenge (where I traveled to) but thankfully, I had some hand warmers and toe warmers with me :) So it wasn't too bad. In this picture you can see a mound of rocks with some colorful scarves in the middle. Here people sprinkle milk, or vodka around it clockwise. Also people light incense, offer food, and leave money on it. Only the men come up to the mountain, and traditionally, only people born certain years are supposed to go. For example, I was born on the year of the cow, but this year is the year of the horse.Anyways I, got to meet my host family's sons as well as some other relatives.

 

Here's a picture of one of my host family's neighbors houses. On the table, everyone decorates a centerpiece made out of bread and dairy products and sugar. Also they place a large plate of sheep meat on the table. This holiday has no defined ending - officially it lasts for 3 days, but people may still invite you to their house to celebrate weeks afterwards.

Last week, my school had their traditional costume day. Its one of my favorite events to see all the students in their fancy clothes. During winter, everyone wears a long piece of clothing, called a "deel." They wrap it with a belt, generally made out bright colored cloth. Some guys also wear a Mongolian jacket "hurem" over their deel. As a final touch, people often wear a fancy hat made out of animal fur.

So, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, work. Its not productive to try to push projects while everybody else is busy with preparing and celebrating holidays. It can be pretty frustrating when volunteers are ready to work, but there's a lot of other stuff happening such as competitions or what not. Now that it will be March soon, me and my school will begin practicing for some English competitions coming up the following month. April will probably be the last big project month before the school year starts to slip away.