Go Mongolia! Its your Birthday!

TUVSHINBAYAR GOE SHVV DEE!!!
"TUVSHINBAYAR IS THE MAN!!!"


The entire city and quite possibly even country broke out into a simultaneous party last night at 8:30pm. The reason: A man by the name of Tuvshinbayar ("Level-Holiday"). Not only did he utterly annihilate his opponent to win the Gold, but it is the first ever Mongolian Gold!!!

Watching him on the podium, gold medal hanging proudly from his neck, his masculinity not even touched by the bouquet of flowers in his arms, singing the Mongolian National Anthem as the Mongolian Flag was raised above all other for this moment of glory, I found myself overwhelmed with joy. I even shed a single tear. It was most excellently glorious!!!

In bed last night I could hear the multitude of voices rising above the sounds of the city joined together singing the Mongolian National Anthem. And while I am now currently feeling my lack of sleep, it was well worth it. I am American, but Mongolia has been a good home to me this past year, and I hope they do well in boxing tonight and get another!!!!




Meredith you lucked out! I had been planning to write about poop and how it has infiltrated all areas of my existence. It could have been more shocking that the sheep intestines. Guess I'll have to save that for another post.

Thought I Passed My Own Shadow

I wish I lived in Ghana so I could name my son Prince Octopus too!

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Everyday as I walk from my "relatives" apartment, on my way to wherever I happen to be going on any given day, I pass by a little plot of sunflowers. They are very much like sunflowers in America. They stand at 5+ feet. They are yellow with the big black pistil (or is it stamen???). However, unlike our American sunflowers, Mongolian sunflowers do not adulate the heavenly body they are named for. Rather, they remain immobile only drooping slightly at the hottest times of day. At first this disturbed me, but then I realized that moving flowers are actually most freakadeaky.

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I confuse UB Mongolians. I'm obviously NOT Mongolian. Even if I didn't have the extremely white (and now utterly freckled) skin, "yellow" hair, blue eyes, gex met...I still couldn't pass for Mongolian. My body shape is all wrong, which in turn makes my walk all wrong. Yes I can prepare blow torched sheep's head, but I am without a doubt a gadad khun ("outside person"=foreigner). However, I don't act like a gadad khun should. I ride the bus. I cram into microbus/van thingys. I text on my cell phone while crossing the street. I eat in hole in the wall, cheap, Mongolian restaurants. I wear heels and makeup. Who is this girl??? I can see the question in their eyes. She looks like one of them, but she almost acts like one of us. Maybe this is why I perpetually get confronted by Mongolian men, especially if they've heard me speaking Mongolian (which I am told has improved greatly since my move to the soum). No, I don't want to meet you. No, I can't teach you English. No, I don't need you to walk me home. Drinks? I don't think so! Why? Because I'm on my way to meet my boyfriend. He lives in the city. He's American. He is tall and strong and has a beard. He is very handsome and jealous. No, we are not breaking up. Usually my crisp responses and "boyfriend" do the trick. However, some manage to see through the lie, or insist that its okay. (And by some I mean 4 people) For them I pull out The Picture.

This past Xmas the Fam went up to Mass to vacation. (I know, I know, I should have wrote "vacay" to keep with the whole abbrev. thing I had going but I can't stand that word!!!) Anyway, there is a picture of the entire Nomadic Weiner Crew, myself excluded. Even Bullet is in the picture. Now, I can't see it, but when Mongolians see this picture they assume Meredith is me. Even upon being told its not me, they either think I'm lying or ask if she is my twin. Like I said I don't see it. Sisters yeah, but twins...naw. Next to her stands Gregory. They also assume that Ickle Baby Greggiekins is 27 not 17 (at the time of the picture). With the full beard this is not surprising. Unless told its a picture of my family, they also assume he is not related to us because he doesn't look like us. This is crazy Gregory could have aptly named Dana Jr. but I think they cant get past that beard of his. Anyway, I like the picture, so I carry it around with me. And waahlaa! You have a picture of "Me" with my family on Christmas standing next to my "Boyfriend."

The first time I did this I thought: 1) They are gonna realize its not really me. and 2) Its kinda creepy saying Gregory is my boyfriend. But it worked. Most hilair. Now I just find it funny. Though I'd rather they not talk to me in the first place.

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My little brothers just called. "Azaa cut open his hand, I must come home quickly." The little liar. When will they realize I know all their tricks. I've pulled all their tricks and then some. Its cute. I only wish they would stop punching me in the arm, as hard as they can, when their little shenanigans don't work out as planned.

Mark asks...

Did you see the eclipse?

It was a little over a week ago...August 1st, or maybe 2nd...the day was hot. The kind of hot where all other thought is erased except for the thought of it being hot. My ger had turned into an oven, well not really and oven, more like an Easy-Bake oven. Unable to endure the heat and the flies I sought refuge in my Mongolian Grandfathers house, a blissfully cool sanctuary only 20yards away. My sister, her husband, their baby, and my two little brothers (cousins?) were home at the time. Uyanga (sis) was making food so her husband was supposed to be watching little 5month old Ermuun, however he and the rest of my brother are utterly addicted to this Korean Soap Opera "Jumong." So being the only one not occupied I took Ermuun in the little back room and we had a long giggly talk in English. I always talk with him in English. It will be interesting to see if he uses any when he starts talking. Anyway I was in the middle of explaining why Slurpees are better than Slushies when something happened that has never happened before...Ermuun pooped on me O_o. Mongolian babies don't wear diapers as they are too expensive, I've been peed and barfed on many a time, but had avoided the poopage. I was thankfully wearing shorts (that I stole from Erin muahahahaha) so clean up was easy for me, and thankfully Uyanga had finished cooking so she took care of the baby mess. So I joined the Bros in watching "Jumong" when suddenly Tuvshin (yet another brother) walks in and asks if there are any sunglasses he wants to see the blublibiiblabu. I didn't know what he wanted to see but I handed over my shades and watch a bit confused as all my brothers stop watching "Jumong" and go outside. Turns out what ever Tuvshin had said meant eclipse. So it was that I got to see what little of the eclipse that was visible from my part of Mongolia (only about 1/8th of the sun was eclipsed, though out in the far West they had a total eclipse).

So Uncle Mark to answer your question: yes. However being pooped is what stands out most from that day!

Linda asks....

Will you have a new list of any school supplies, etc. you might need come Sept???

White board accessories (pens, erasers, that magic erase spray, etc.)
Any old magazines or things with pictures that can be used for teaching props
Kiddy Books
STICKERS and BALLOONS(kids LOVE them and there is not a lot of them here)
America Map
American Flag (these last two I had but left in my old classroom so they would have them if not an American teacher)

I am ever so estatic to be teaching children! As of now I don't know what grades I will be teaching but I'm hoping for 9th grade as that is the grade my 2 favorite brothers will be entering. The one boy Monkhzaya ("Eternal-destiny") is a little poop head. But is so bright and has the cutest one dimpled smile that I can't get mad at him. Its always cute and nice to see him sitting there in the b-ball shorts and jersey he wears most everyday, listing to Mongolian Pop music, and studying English of his own accord. A good number of Altanbulag's children are like this. I think it is because we are soo close to UB that the kids can actually see how English can be useful for them and their future. It will be nice having students who want to learn for a change!

Snail Mail

Hey all I am in UB for about 2 weeks...so I will be slowly updating the blog! Anything you want to know...ask and I can answer in full!

Also come September when school starts, I shall be most busy but have a post office at my site and love to write letters so please give me you addresses!!!!!

Also I got a new phone number that actually works in my soum!

9119-0789

Okay that is all for now...Im in great health, got a nice spread of freckles from my frequent trips to the river where I teach the brothers how to swim! I get to shower the musky smell off me (my new chore is to help Monkhoo collect the cow dung to put out to dry to burn come winter! good times)