Friday, October 12, 2007
At last! Not just an Etta James song....
September!
So!
After a fabulous summer I finally returned to my ger. I must admit, having traveled and seen a good portion of Mongolia smushed in a Russian van, I can now safely say that my soum is the most beautiful in Mongolia! It really is! I’m not biased whatsoever! J It’s was raining a lot so the hills surrounding my soum were emerald green. Gorgeous.
When I returned, things outside my ger were beautiful, but inside my ger was a complete disaster area. The adorable kittens that I left behind had grown into huge, curious monsters with a penchant for pooping in odd places. The claws and teeth of these monsters had no limits! The scratched and chewed absolutely everything in my ger, including my DVD player wires, which demoted my DVD player from ‘sanity saver’ to ‘huge paperweight’. In my anger, I shouted at my cat calling her a feline of ill repute and a strumpet and various other unflattering things.
To happier things!
A new monument was built in my soum while I was away! When I first saw it from far away, it looked like the rock dude from the ‘Fantastic Four’. It’s really a statue of a famous wrestler carrying a horse. Our soum had a ceremony to celebrate it. There was a horse race, and yes, I got to ride in a jeep and ride alongside the horses again. Once again, awesome.
Scary moment!
After the horse race, I went and hung out with friends. I left pretty late and when I was walking home, I was suddenly surrounded by a gang of barking, snarling, pissed off dogs. Wow. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with fear that night! Apparently, when properly inspired, I can throw rocks at the speed of light and scream like a little girl. Good to know! I’m still convinced that it was my high frequency shrieking that eventually made them go away. J
School started!
The opening ceremony was fun. I am now teaching all the 4th and 5th grade students. Wow. Quite a handful, but fun nonetheless!
Other changes!
The stores in my soum are getting more and more diverse and awesome stuff. I can now get canned peas, Pringles, Pantene Pro-V, and aloe juice in my soum. Woot!
Random Things!
Lot’s of secret loves in my soum! My goodness!
Lot’s of new houses were built this summer and consequently-lot’s of new house parties have been happening this fall! I went to 4 new house parties in 2 days. Wow. That was intense. I have seriously eaten a metric ton of potato salad in the last few weeks. Seriously.
Desperate Housewives is being aired in Mongolian and my hasha Mom absolutely loves it. ‘ Tis hilarious!
Since the demise of my DVD player, I have been keeping myself busy with freewriting, reading, playing with my hasha brother, private English lessons, dancing, walking, and trying to learn how to play the piano. *Note to self* Trying to teach myself piano using ridiculously complicated Ben Folds sheet music is….well…. A+ for being ambitious, but F- for being practical!
Went to the aimag center in September and met some cool Mercy Corps volunteers. Went to the zinc mine again and introduced Chris and Mike to Jenny and the other mine workers I know. Had lot’s of fun! Got Chris hooked on Veronica Mars and Freaks and Geeks….Woot!
My hasha Mom and little brother have been coming and going a lot recently. Been a little lonely! :( I miss going into my family’s house and finding my brother butt naked and consequently practicing my Mongolian compound sentences such as ‘Tamra you need to wear pants because it is cold and you will become sick’! I also miss Tamra knocking incessantly at my door at ungodly hours shouting “Kim big sister!” until I open the door and give him attention/candy.
Been listening to John Mayer’s Continuum and Wilco’s Being There a lot lately! The full albums! Not just the songs I like. I was talking to another volunteer about this—how we’ve kinda become products of our generation in the sense that we listen to music a la carte, only the songs we like and not the whole album. I’ve been missing out! I have definitely gained a new appreciation for full albums now! But old habits die hard! ‘On the Radio’ by Regina Spektor is officially one of my new favorite songs. Gotta find some of her records and take a listen. :)
Hook was aired in Mongolian and I had a hardcore stab of homesickness. I really really miss hanging out with nerds and having some good old fashioned fun. Mongolia is ‘Bangarang’, but I miss you guys. Hardcore.
October!
There was a sports competition for all teachers and I am proud to say that I was part of the first place tug of war team! Also a proud member of the 3rd place volleyball team. :)
The weather was awesome all through September and then the 2nd week of October…a huge freakin’ blizzard came and it was like January weather….it was ridiculous!
2nd year thoughts!
I have 3 goals/objectives for my second year.
1. The first goal is to not become one of those jaded 2nd year volunteers who thinks he/she has seen it all just because they have been here one year. I want to remember that there is always something new to learn.
2. My second goal is to keep my sense of wonder and curiosity. I want to keep the same attitude and perspective that I had when I first got here. The attitude that everything is interesting and awesome, because….it still is!
3. My third goad is that I don’t want to take anything for granted! I get frustrated and disillusioned, but I want to remember to take a step back and see that I have the best site ever and fabulous friends. :)
Everyone always asks what I miss the most—I’ve always hesitated answering because it changes all the time! Fall is my favorite time of year, so this is what I’ve been missin’ lately.
Apple cider, rugby, marshmallows, driving, swimming, teaching swimming lessons, being anonymous, reading in bookstores, Lake Ella, pumpkins, nerds and Taco Bell chicken quesadillas. Friends and family, of course, go without saying. :)
So!
After a fabulous summer I finally returned to my ger. I must admit, having traveled and seen a good portion of Mongolia smushed in a Russian van, I can now safely say that my soum is the most beautiful in Mongolia! It really is! I’m not biased whatsoever! J It’s was raining a lot so the hills surrounding my soum were emerald green. Gorgeous.
When I returned, things outside my ger were beautiful, but inside my ger was a complete disaster area. The adorable kittens that I left behind had grown into huge, curious monsters with a penchant for pooping in odd places. The claws and teeth of these monsters had no limits! The scratched and chewed absolutely everything in my ger, including my DVD player wires, which demoted my DVD player from ‘sanity saver’ to ‘huge paperweight’. In my anger, I shouted at my cat calling her a feline of ill repute and a strumpet and various other unflattering things.
To happier things!
A new monument was built in my soum while I was away! When I first saw it from far away, it looked like the rock dude from the ‘Fantastic Four’. It’s really a statue of a famous wrestler carrying a horse. Our soum had a ceremony to celebrate it. There was a horse race, and yes, I got to ride in a jeep and ride alongside the horses again. Once again, awesome.
Scary moment!
After the horse race, I went and hung out with friends. I left pretty late and when I was walking home, I was suddenly surrounded by a gang of barking, snarling, pissed off dogs. Wow. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with fear that night! Apparently, when properly inspired, I can throw rocks at the speed of light and scream like a little girl. Good to know! I’m still convinced that it was my high frequency shrieking that eventually made them go away. J
School started!
The opening ceremony was fun. I am now teaching all the 4th and 5th grade students. Wow. Quite a handful, but fun nonetheless!
Other changes!
The stores in my soum are getting more and more diverse and awesome stuff. I can now get canned peas, Pringles, Pantene Pro-V, and aloe juice in my soum. Woot!
Random Things!
Lot’s of secret loves in my soum! My goodness!
Lot’s of new houses were built this summer and consequently-lot’s of new house parties have been happening this fall! I went to 4 new house parties in 2 days. Wow. That was intense. I have seriously eaten a metric ton of potato salad in the last few weeks. Seriously.
Desperate Housewives is being aired in Mongolian and my hasha Mom absolutely loves it. ‘ Tis hilarious!
Since the demise of my DVD player, I have been keeping myself busy with freewriting, reading, playing with my hasha brother, private English lessons, dancing, walking, and trying to learn how to play the piano. *Note to self* Trying to teach myself piano using ridiculously complicated Ben Folds sheet music is….well…. A+ for being ambitious, but F- for being practical!
Went to the aimag center in September and met some cool Mercy Corps volunteers. Went to the zinc mine again and introduced Chris and Mike to Jenny and the other mine workers I know. Had lot’s of fun! Got Chris hooked on Veronica Mars and Freaks and Geeks….Woot!
My hasha Mom and little brother have been coming and going a lot recently. Been a little lonely! :( I miss going into my family’s house and finding my brother butt naked and consequently practicing my Mongolian compound sentences such as ‘Tamra you need to wear pants because it is cold and you will become sick’! I also miss Tamra knocking incessantly at my door at ungodly hours shouting “Kim big sister!” until I open the door and give him attention/candy.
Been listening to John Mayer’s Continuum and Wilco’s Being There a lot lately! The full albums! Not just the songs I like. I was talking to another volunteer about this—how we’ve kinda become products of our generation in the sense that we listen to music a la carte, only the songs we like and not the whole album. I’ve been missing out! I have definitely gained a new appreciation for full albums now! But old habits die hard! ‘On the Radio’ by Regina Spektor is officially one of my new favorite songs. Gotta find some of her records and take a listen. :)
Hook was aired in Mongolian and I had a hardcore stab of homesickness. I really really miss hanging out with nerds and having some good old fashioned fun. Mongolia is ‘Bangarang’, but I miss you guys. Hardcore.
October!
There was a sports competition for all teachers and I am proud to say that I was part of the first place tug of war team! Also a proud member of the 3rd place volleyball team. :)
The weather was awesome all through September and then the 2nd week of October…a huge freakin’ blizzard came and it was like January weather….it was ridiculous!
2nd year thoughts!
I have 3 goals/objectives for my second year.
1. The first goal is to not become one of those jaded 2nd year volunteers who thinks he/she has seen it all just because they have been here one year. I want to remember that there is always something new to learn.
2. My second goal is to keep my sense of wonder and curiosity. I want to keep the same attitude and perspective that I had when I first got here. The attitude that everything is interesting and awesome, because….it still is!
3. My third goad is that I don’t want to take anything for granted! I get frustrated and disillusioned, but I want to remember to take a step back and see that I have the best site ever and fabulous friends. :)
Everyone always asks what I miss the most—I’ve always hesitated answering because it changes all the time! Fall is my favorite time of year, so this is what I’ve been missin’ lately.
Apple cider, rugby, marshmallows, driving, swimming, teaching swimming lessons, being anonymous, reading in bookstores, Lake Ella, pumpkins, nerds and Taco Bell chicken quesadillas. Friends and family, of course, go without saying. :)
# posted by Kim C. @ 3:02 AM 
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Sorry about your DVD player, and the kitty of "ill repute" I told mom & pops to get you a new cord. That's scary about the dogs. I had one at my new place barking through a fence while I was on the way to the dumpster and feeling all confident that he was on the other side of that fence...until he came running out through a hole barking. I just kept yelling "go home! and pointing, but shrieking and throwing rocks will do the same. I really miss you too. I hope the rents will let me come with them if they come see you again.
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