Lady Gaga in Mongolia

Our kids are in love with Lady Gaga. The parents....not so much. But Lady Gaga gets plenty of attention here. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

This week we have focused on debating in my classes. The students absolutely love it! I was surprised. I kind of felt like this lesson was just a blow-away lesson. One that would be interesting to learn about, but then abandoned in next year's curriculum. Nuh huh. That's not what happened. The first topic of debate was whether or not a road should be built from our town to the capital city (270 km away). We drew sticks to see who was affirming and negating. Both sides took it very seriously (even though at the end of class we all agreed a road is so important to our town's development). I was so impressed with the points that they made and the X-examination made my eyes tear up. They were really learning and working hard.

After class all the students had left and I was locking up the classroom when I hear someone running back down the hall to my classroom. It was an 11th grade student. She was out of breath but told me how much she liked the debate and that she had an idea. She wanted to improve her English pronunciation and asked if I'd debate her tomorrow evening to practice debate, English, and pronunciation. The topic: That Lady Gaga's influence to society is detrimental. We both took a day to prepare and met back up in the classroom last night. I had a great time. Her points were good: inappropriate for children (which I then said that the fault for that should be on the parents for allowing their children to watch her/ listen to her and there are other things more harmful than her that parents should be concerned about), inappropriate for adults (which I then said that she is the epitome of freedom and independence), etc. etc. But at the end of the debate we shook hands and agreed that we both liked her music and her personality, but she can be a bit over the top.

So, yesterday I took some homemade brownies to school with me. It was quite entertaining. I wanted to share my baking with the teachers. I set the bowl of brownies on the table in the teachers' room, then sat down in the corner watching all of their reactions as they came in and examined the brownies. It was insane!! Each one of them did the exact same thing: poked it, picked up a crumb, smelt it, made a face, touched their tongue to it, asked 'what is this?', then put it in their mouth and smacked it around trying to taste the flavor (while still making a face), then exclaimed 'amar goi!' ('very good!'). Some teachers didn't believe I made them-- where else would they have come from??? Every time they asked what it was I would say 'brownies' in English (there isn't a Mongolian word). But they would shake their head and say 'shokolad belo' (chocolate cake), or 'shokolad bortsik' (chololate fried dough) and I would shake my head and say slowly: 'brownies'.

Mutton tacos...you oughta try it!

This is the last full week in February! Where has the time gone? Next month is supposedly a very busy one for Mongolian English Teachers and their PCVs. At the end of March is the nationwide English test for students and teachers called "English Olympics". The students and teachers study for this test all year long and have a chance to win money and credentials. It's a big deal. And PVCs play a BIG role in not only preparing them, but sometimes creating the test, grading the test, giving the test, proctoring the test... I have been teaching an English Olympic prep course on Friday nights for those interested in coming. For this week's English Olympic prep course, however, I will not be here. I'll be resting it up in UB!

But before I get into that, this is a little peak of what I've been doing for the last couple of weeks (post Tsagaan Sar):

Made Mutton tacos! It doesn't sound very good, and I'm not a mutton eater-- but these were darn good. Closest thing to Mexican in Mandalgovi. Our hashaa family's daughter came over and helped us mince the meet, made pico de gallo, and tortillas. We even found some cheese to shred and put on top. They seemed to really like it! Especially because it was mutton.

I went to a children's modeling show. It was really interesting and fun for the girls! I even got a picture with the models :)

I taught Justin how to sew. It was a big thing in our ger because he has the HOLIEST clothes...but he got them sewed up pretty good!

Justin and I both applied for training jobs this summer for the new PCVs that will get here in early June. This is a big thing to me. I'd love to help these new volunteers transition into Mongolian life and help them succeed once they are released to their own sites. I loved my training last summer and my trainers were awesome. I hope I can do the same for some of them! It's a big deal because if we get this 'job' (still volunteering) we'd be moving into a big city (in an APARTMENT) for half of the summer. Big stuff...having a toilet is a BIG deal! So, cross your fingers for us!

Now about UB this weekend. I am so excited because this is my first break from school (taking personal days off) and I am just so excited to escape the ger life for 5 days.

No more hard plywood bed made for 1 1/2 people with blankets as a mattress! And no more sleeping in a sleeping bag-- heavenly Khongor Guesthouse bed here I come!

No more handling camel poo to make fires and sweeping up its messes!

No more fighting coal and having coal stained hands!

No more fake sinks or water bucket!

No more handwashing or tumpin bathing!

For 5 days anyway :)

I knew it would happen somehow

Remember months ago when I said that I wanted to start up some type of cooking class while I'm here to teach nutrition/ well balanced meals--but also to teach new and different ways of cooking? Well, it's happening...ever...so...slowly. By the time this week has finished I will have made 8 pizzas. Tuesday I taught a cooking class (we made pizza, by popular demand) for 10th graders. Today I am teaching a cooking class (again, pizza by popular demand) to 9th & 11th graders, and tomorrow I am teaching a cooking class to some teachers (guess what we're cooking?! Yep. pizza, again by popular demand-- but also we're baking chocolate chip cookies afterward in this class). Then on Friday it's always pizza night in the Newberry Ger--so 8 pizzas in total. I do have to compliment myself on my hand-made/tossed pizza dough. I tried twirling it on my finger yesterday for the students, but was unsuccessful (at flattening and making the dough in a circular form), but quite successful at making the students laugh and making a fool of myself (which is okay, sometimes). I've already had several of my recipes (cinnamon rolls, choc. chip cookies, biscuits, pizza, meat/fruit pies) translated into Mongolian and distributed out to teachers because they heard that I bake. It makes me feel good that I CAN actually contribute something here (besides teaching styles/methodologies) because I was starting to feel like somewhat of a failure because I don't play volleyball or basketball (the MAJOR sports here, if you don't play you're definitely not in the 'in' crowd).

Well, it snowed again last night. I saw on the weather forecast that Saturday the high will be 31 degrees. It is oh-so-close to being above freezing, but it just can't seem to topple over that mark. Anyway, it hasn't really been able to get much above 20 degrees yet, so I'm really looking forward to this 31 degrees.

Spring!

...is still not here. Though I was very hopeful yesterday on my walk to school as I noticed how muddy my shoes were. I was dreading and wondering how I was going to clean them up before walking into the school building (because Mongolians keep their shoes immaculate!) when I realized "hey...there's mud...I see mud!!" I haven't seen mud or any type of liquid outside in months! Then, when I got home from school I had to go out into our ping to get more fuel for the fire. I came back in and noticed a spider walking across my ger floor. I had two feelings invade my body: to kill, then nostalgia. It has been so long since I've seen any life other than people & domesticated animals. But, my hopes of spring were soon smashed (along with the premature spider) when Justin came home and let me know it had just started snowing outside. Soon, though...Spring will come soon.

Tsagaan Sar Day 5

Last night after coming home from my Tsagaan Sar visits to mine and Justin's school teachers' homes I went to our hashaa family's house. It was about 9pm and hashaa mom was piling pound after pound of meat into a large box. She explained to me that her children are going back to UB tomorrow (this morning) and they are starving college students. The meat wasn't wrapped up in anything--just large slices of randam parts of a sheep piled up high. At the top she put a bag of about 100 frozen buuz leftover from Tsagaan Sar. I really watched in awe. I was watching her put her love into that box as well as frozen raw meat. I let her know that my mom would do the same, that our worlds are similar but different at the same time. It was nice to be there for that family moment.

Well, today is day 5 of Tsagaan Sar. Wait, what? Did I tell you that Tsagaan Sar was only 3 days? HAHAHAHA....silly readers and silly me for thinking that. Today I went to school and was welcomed to different teachers' rooms/offices as if they were their homes for Tsagaan Sar. I got to greet them all! I sat with them, ate and drank cup after cup of airag (fermented camel or horse milk) in each room. This holiday has many beautiful traditions. I love how welcoming and hospitable they all are--but the food and drinks alone have scarred me. I have taken and eaten out of respect for 6 days (Don't forget Tsagaan Sar Eve, so really this is day 6) of eating sour dried milk curds, camel, goat, horse and cow milk fat, boiled sour yogurt, fermented milk from all 4 animals in sour, clumpy, stringy, thick, chewy forms with floaties, hair, chunks and froth. I can see why Mongolia is one of the more difficult countries for PCVs to live. Not because of safety because it is VERY safe and friendly here--but for their food and drink. I don't think they know that fresh milk is okay to drink. It has to be set out to sour, then boiled, aired out for days and days before it is noteworthy to them. Wait....did I mention that I am an American who didn't like fresh store bought pasteurized milk in the states? The day of the milk's expiration date was one day too spoiled for me. I have only gagged twice in the passed 6 days and I don't think anyone saw me. But Mongolian food really takes some decades of getting used to. I'm still not convinced that all Mongolians like their own food--just that they feel obligated to like it because it is their culture to and tradition. I don't know, that's just my thought.

So a much needed vacation is in order! In less than 2 weeks Justin and I will be meeting some friends up in UB for a weekend of R&R&F (food). I can't wait to sink into that comfy heavenly bed in the Khongor Guesthouse and just lounge around with friends.

So, for the 5th/6th/or whatever day Happy Tsagaan Sar!

сайхан шинэлээрэй! (sahan shinleray!)

This is Tsagaan Sar as I (Ashlie) know it.

Tsagaan Sar Day 1:

Today (it is now 5pm) we finished our 1st day of Tsagaan Sar. It all began last night. We were invited to our hashaa family's home to help them decorated their 'boow'. It is made with layers of fried bread, then topped with white food, or dairy products such as airal (dried milk curds), oodum (top cream of the milk), and sugar.



Okay, nevermind-- it all REALLY started weeks ago when they made 1,000 buuz, pronounced like 'boadz'(meat filled dumplings)--we blogged about that last month. Then this weekend they boiled the 'fattest' sheep in our ger (our stove is bigger than theirs). There is a lot of preparation that goes on for this 1st day of Tsagaan Sar....



But, now onto today...It should have started at about 6am for us because it is a tradition to watch the sun rise-- to watch the new year begin. However, Justin and I couldn't get ourselves up until 9am. We ironed our dells (Mongolian traditional clothing) and cleaned our home. Then we went to our hashaa family's ger to celebrate the morning with them. The first thing you do when you go to someone else's home for this holiday is to greet the eldest person(s). I was very nervous for this part. There are certain greetings you say and places where you put your hands, etc. Here is a video of Justin greeting our hashaa father and mother, and pics of me doing the same:



Then a snuff bottle is passed around...


After the greetings we had many buuz, salads, and meat. Also many drinks were passed around the room: airag (fermented mare's milk), milk tea, wine, wiskey and vodka. Remember how I told you that each family puts one coin in a random buuz and the person who eats that buuz is lucky? Well, I had the pleasure of biting down into that coin this morning! I thought it was a bone and couldn't decide if I wanted to say something or not...then I realized what it was, that it wasn't a bone at all, but the very coin that would bring me wealth this year. Picture me, a volunteer worker, being wealthy this year. It's hard to believe, but I can't wait!

Then after much eating and talking we all got on the floor and played with shagai (sheep's ankle bones). We played a horse racing game with the ankle bones. It was really fun. I love this family!




Now, because Justin and I were guests in their home (when you visit other people's homes for Tsagaan Sar it is tradition to give them small gifts for visiting), we were given gifts. I received a beautiful jewelry set: ring, earrings and necklace, and Justin received a traditional Mongolian framed golden engraving. These were very nice gifts.

That was house one. Now we were off to another family member's home (Day one of Tsagaan Sar is reserved for family). There were so many people in this little ger that it was a little awkward at first, but after a while we felt the love. We were served drink after drink and food after food... We stayed for about an hour and a half before we were onto the 3rd and last ger.


Much of the same repeated itself. We were served many, many drinks and buuz. We sat and talked for a while...mostly smiled. I liked being able to see all these different people and take a peak of their rich culture. At one point I really felt like a fly on the wall, just watching in amazment at these nice people taking these weird foreigners into their homes and treating them like family...then I realized someone was talking to me and felt lost and confused.


This day has made me realize (again) what a beautiful culture this is. It is so different from the one I know, but this holiday is a great holiday and a great chance for me to realize what a different place I am in right now. Sometimes I get caught up in school and not exposing myself too much to Mongolian traditional life that I forget I'm half way around the world from what I know. This holiday (re) opened my eyes.

Now, two more days to go...