It's a low key week here in Ulaanbaatar, at least for foreigners. The locals are celebrating the Lunar New Year with lots of cooking and eating and visiting relatives. I'm enjoying the chance to get reacquainted with the neighborhood, lesson plan, and reflect. Part of me wishes life was moving at a faster pace right now, but a lot has happened this past month, so a chance to pause is probably for the best : )
I moved boxes of stuff to my parents' house only to finally admit I needed to sort through it all yet again to fit the necessities into my two suitcases at 50lbs each.
After weeks of teary goodbyes, it was finally time to go. The plane ride was uneventful, my new apartment absolutely charming, and everything is the same. And everything is different.
Orientation took place in Thailand, so I ate pineapple fried rice with chicken every day for two weeks. I learned how silk is made and for an afternoon I felt really bad for silkworms. I'm over it now : / I made new friends who are teaching in other countries, and then said more goodbyes. Overall it was an encouraging two weeks and I'm thankful for all of the sessions, meetings, and services. And the coffee.
 |
| View from my new home |
Back in Mongolia, I thought I'd start teaching on Monday, but with the Lunar New Year my classes were cancelled, so I'll start teaching this coming Monday instead. Plans change. Change is ok.
The government now requires in-country medical testing, so despite having done blood tests in the US, I had to go to the doctor's office and have blood drawn here. I hate needles, but the nurse was the best.
My friend's coworker needed to go back to the US and someone needed to take her cat. Now my apartment is a little more homey, cat fur and all.
I learned that if you soak raw beef in apple juice, it helps drain the blood. (Sorry about all the blood talk!) I also learned the Mongolian word for hair dryer, and bought one.
Yesterday, a little child, dressed in traditional clothes on his way to celebrate the holiday, saw me outside and yelled "English person!" with a look of shock on his face.
Tonight I'm going to my American friend's apartment for dinner.
And for now I'm drinking some coffee, staring out the window at the blue skies, and looking forward to what's next. Happy Tsagaan Sar!
