A Thousand Voices Talking Perfectly Loud

Bayartai “Goodbye”

2009-08-02T14:02:00.001+08:00

The time has come to say goodbye, as I am no longer a Peace Corps Volunteer. I can hardly believe that it has been over 2 years already. The time went by so fast, especially these past few months (in which I blogged nothing because nothing really happened). So looking back what did I get out of it all? Was it worth it? I'd have to say yes. I have this weird habit of writing letters to myself at various time marks in the future, and I wrote on shortly after swearing in as a volunteer to read at COS (close of service). Here is an excerpt of the 2 page letter:

"How are you doing my lovely? This chapter of your life is now over and I hope I made it a good one for you. Has it been two years, or did you extend to three? It's only been three months and already Mongolia has changed me. I am slowly beginning to accept and embrace the woman I am, and am learning that growing up doesn't mean growing old. Instead of my usual assault of questions, this time I shall simply write what I want from life and hope it will ease the sorrow that leaving Mongolia is bound to bring you. … I want to become fully comfortable with my clumsy awkward self. I'm too loud, too crazy, too Cassandra, but I want to love that. … I am 22 now. You are 24, possibly 25 and on the cusp of returning to America. What are you going to do once you get stateside??? I have no real clue, 2 years is such a long way off. …Oh man, you are soooooo old! I hope you don't feel or look it. I am on the brink of this grand adventure and simply can't wait for it to begin. I know it will be difficult at times. I know there will be silly teas, and bitter ones, and heartbreaking ones too. But you made it out alive, which means I will too!! Oh, I want a Mongolia scar, and a collection of hilair and utterly Cassandra stories! You are so lucky, do you know that? I hope you do. Look at all you have come from, all you have been through. … I know you will forgive me for the mistakes I'm bound to make. I know you will never fail to amuse me even in the 'bluest of 3 o'clocks.' I know you are a good, loving, genuine woman of frustrating quality. You did it!"

While the specifics of my hopes for my PC service were not exact, the overall experience was all I was hoping for and more. My Country Director told me that of all the years he has been working as a PC Director (more than 7) that I've been the most difficult to get to COS, but in a good way. May who have been faced with switching sites, family deaths, repeated illnesses, host agency problems, any number of the things that I have faced usually end up early terminating. He apparently heard stellar reports from my 2^nd site, and was proud of me. I'm proud of me. I hope that if the Cassandra of the past who wrote that letter would be proud of me.

So this is goodbye. It's been a long journey. I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I will be keeping a personal blog for any who still wish to follow my misadventure, hear my random rants, and whatever else I may post. That blog can be found at: http://cassandra-anu.blogspot.com/

Aaviin Bayariin Mend Hurgie!!!!

2009-06-22T13:48:00.002+08:00

"Happy Father's Day!" ... or rather a belated one, as I spent actual Father's Day at home, washing clothes, reading Pope Joan, and eating gamber (a traditional fried bread type thing).

I know it's been a while since I updated, but very little seems worth updating, as I'm currently living in limbo trapped in UB. (Shuree, my best Mongolian friend got mugged and robbed, so I loaned her money, and till payday don't have any extra traveling around funds...but she is safe and sound which is the more important thing).

I finally turned in round one of the veritable cornucopia of paperwork I need to fill out and hand in before I will be allowed to COS. Its more so busy work than anything else, but still, it took forever for me to finally sit down and just do it! I think it's the fact that I have to trek all the way to the PC office and then type it up and then trek home (okay so 15 minuets of walking is not really a trek, but it seems that way sometimes). I will be happy to get my own computer when I'm done with PC and be able to work from home.

Learning to "live without" these two years has changed my concept on what is really "essential" to life, but now that I have the option, I will be adding some luxury to my life. Though, considering my luck with phones in this country (the screen on my phone died somehow), I think I will stick with the 5000 tugrug (~$3.50) phone I bought to replace it. It calls, sends messages, its kinda cute...but mostly its sturdy and works.

I'm perpetually freaked out a little by the exponential growth of the foreigner population here in UB. Yes it is summer and it is tourist season, and it only makes sense but still, I don't know...it's a bit strange, I feel almost more Mongolian than foreign at times. But, then I get frustrated at my boyfriend, his mom, his friends, my Mongolian friends who come over and leave there nasty chewed up gum where ever they want (hello people!!!! trash cans?!?!?!!?), and know that I'm foreign to the core.

Okay, well that's all for now. Will try to do something exciting so I can write about it for you all.

I do not think this word means what you think it means.

2009-05-31T17:52:00.003+08:00

As my time in Peace Corps draws to an end it almost seems to be speeding up. Nothing new is happening, but the familiar (random visits from my 6 year old "sisters", being followed by the 1-eyed dog, taking naps in the student dorms, etc.) have become ever more precious as soon it will be over and I will no longer be a PCV but rather a RPCV (Return Peace Corps Volunteer)...and life will never be the same.

We had our COS (Close Of Service) Conference last week and it was most mellow. (Though not for everyone as you could definitely smell the partiers the morning after, and I'm pretty sure at one point someone peed on our window). I went to one session about returning to America and the difficulties RPCVs can face. It was nice to be able to give tips and stories having been back to America during my service, and know just how strange things can be (You can flush toilet paper?!? An entire grocery aisle of ketchup?!? They not only have food but actually have all the food listed on the menu?!?) Yet it was really wired since I wont be going back to America for at least another year (having officially signed my contract to be a Primary Teacher). But I know that it will be much different; living in the city, having a salary, having a shower, not being able to text or call my fellow PCVs (aka "family") whenever I want. Its scary. But COS helped to reassure me that while the physical distance may increase, the relationships don't have to decrease.

One bad thing about COS was that I got addicted to this awesome show DEXTER. Most of you know about it probably, but if you don't its about a man named Dexter who is a blood splatter analysis for Miami PD by day and a serial killer by night. However, he only kills other serial killers...so is he the "Bay Harbor Butcher" or "The Dark Defender"? Its highly entertaining, the filmography is stunning, and the forensics of it isn't completely off. So once again my interest in forensics has flared up, and got me thinking about what do I want to be when I grow up. I love teaching. I loved forensics. Maybe I'll chose my future career one of these days...

The conference itself encompassed the essence of Mongolia most excellently. We stayed at a beautiful tourist camp called The Mongolian Secret History Camp, where we stayed in Luxury gers on a hillside field complete with randomly grazing cows. (Sadly after 2 years my fear of cows has not lessen. Calves are cute. Cows are terrifying). The first afternoon was disgustingly hot. I couldn't even nap it was so oppressive. So of course, Mother Nature decides to juxtapose day one with day two and its 5+ inches of snow! There was some worry about being snowed in and not making it back to UB safe, but the third and final day dawned delightfully and soon we found ourselves rocketing down the "paved" road to UB. But since no trip in Mongolia is complete without transportation difficulties, we ended up losing our back tire just inside the city. As I was sitting in the very last row on the side the tire came off I had the perfect view of it popping off, skimming a truck on the side of the road, wildly bouncing and rolling for about 100 yards at which point it meet/demolishes a fence before continuing another 200ish yards. Insane! Props to the driver though for not tipping the bus. Upon finally arriving back to the PC office I took my Mongolian Language Proficiency Interview, in which I scored an Intermediate High. I apparently missed Advanced because I" have good Mongolian and rich vocabulary. But one of the criteria is accuracy of the language." Read: grammar, or rather a lack their of. Whatever, I'm happy with my score and am understood, which is more important in the long run.

As of now I'm pretty much done with my PC work. I've some volunteer projects in my town and will be slowly moving out of my ger and into my apartment in the city. I'm also going to visit my host family in July! I can't believe I only have 2 months left....inconceivable.

"What do you mean bucket?"

2009-05-07T16:58:00.001+08:00

So I find myself back in my town. Apparently PC was not fully aware that I was doing the seminar, despite the fact that I was totally open about it and what not. Oh well. What will be will be. The only really sucky part is the fact that I can no longer go on my vacation. I was bummed but then since there was nothing I could do about it I just let it go. So I find myself back in the soum, and I have to say that life is rather boring and slow. I’ve gone from working about 10hour days, to teaching like 3 40minuet classes a day. I have nothing to do. Luckily the weather is gorgeous!!!!! I walk about an hour every day. The other day I found myself finally climbing to the top of the mountain next to my home, and visiting the Buddhist shrine. It was so beautiful up there. I will have to borrow a camera one of these days and take pictures.

We recently had some visitors from Thailand who are going to help our school with a greenhouse project. I served as an informal translator. They seemed so shocked that I lived without running water, and had to bucket bath. This also seemed to shock the one American teacher at the Seminar. They couldn’t quite grasp the concept. So I present to you…

~The Art of the Bucket Bath~

First, buy a bucket. Mine is neon pink and about 50cm in diameter, and 7cm in height. You can go for something in a different color. Unfortunately there are no larger sizes. Next, go to the well and get water. If you are lucky, time the trip to coincide with your 11th grade boys’ trips to the well as the will inevitably offer to carry your water back to your house. If not you will have to roll the giant water canister all the way home, and pull you back out trying to lift it over the door frame into your ger. If you have electricity, the next step is to fill your instant water boiler with water and boil it. (Note: if you don’t have one of these yet, get one. They are glorious!). If there is no electricity, make a fire and heat water on the stove. First you must wash your hair. If you are efficient you can accomplish this with a grand total of 2 cups of water. One to wet your hair, and one to rinse. Then throw out the dirty hair infested water. Next fill your bucket with about two inches of water. Squat next to the bucket (remember you have no table) and wash face, ears, neck, and upper torso. Then sit in the bucket, and wash your lower torso. Finally stand in the bucket and wash your legs and feet. TADAAAAA!!!! That’s it! You are now, more or less, so fresh and so clean clean! Throw out this water, rinse your bucket, and you are completely done.

A Mongolian Children's Folk Tale

2009-04-26T14:24:00.003+08:00

Once upon a time there were four animal friends walking in the forest. A wolf, a fox, a hedgehog, and a rabbit. Suddenly, they found a bottle of vodka in the middle of the road! However, they thought that the bottle was too small to share amongst the four of them, so they decided that whoever got drunk the quickest would be allowed to drink the entire bottle themself.

"I get drunk after just one taste of vodka," said the wolf.
"I get drunk after just one smell of vodka," said the fox.
"I get drunk after just one look at vodka," said the hedgehog.
"I get drunk after just hearing about vodka," slurred the rabbit.

So the rabbit won and got to drink the entire bottle of vodka by himself. THE END.

Discuss.

"Ashgui dee" = GREAT!

2009-04-17T11:09:00.002+08:00

Mongolian doctors....seriously....way to give me all that crazy unnecessary stress.

Apparently DC took a look at the images, and snuffed. "Humph, that little thing. It's nothing. 85% of people have such things in their kidneys. The pain was most likely from a low grade urinary tract infection, with some sand in there somewhere. Nothing to fret about, simply keep pushing fluids."

:::faints:::

However, all this worrying has made me reassess all the crazy stressfulness that is my life here in Mongolia. I don't need it. I will have to talk to the seminar people, and if they can't cut back my hours then I'm going back to the soum, or just taking a vacation and visiting Dornod and other friends.

Being healthy is such a nice thing.

Celebrated Gregory's birthday yesterday with my boyfriend. We had surprisingly delicious and cheep cake, instant noodles, and shared a beer. It was nice.

Tomorrow Never Knows...

2009-04-15T14:10:00.003+08:00

...and apparently neither do the doctors here.

One says blood clot, one says cyst, still another says tumor...is it new, have I had it from before?

I'm tired.

Tomorrow is Gregory's birthday and I miss him.

I'm going back to the countryside tomorrow until we hear from Washington, and there are three possible answers:
1. Nothing to worry about just forget it for now/take such-and-such a medicine/etc.
2. We want to know more go to Bangkok.
3. We want to know more, we are medically separating you from PC and bringing you back to America.

I know being healthy is what is most important, I know this. But I'm just hoping and praying that they at the very least let me finish ... I only got 4 months.

Fingers Crossed.

Waiter, there is too much pepper in my paprikosh

2009-04-15T10:42:00.003+08:00

Typing is difficult. I'm tired from not eating, from the drugs they gave me, from waking up extra early to be on time only to end up waiting for the Mongolians, and from the fact that I'm ready for all this to be over!!!!

I got my CT this morning. It would have been unremarkable if it wasn't for the fact that they exploded my vein. Okay explosion is an exaggeration, but they didn't put the catheter into my arm enough so when they started pumping the meds through the IV it burnt for a second before starting to gush out of my arm and all over the last of my clean shirts!!! (Thank goodness for the free box at Peace Corps, hooray free new shirt!) So I look at it for a minuet..."Hmmmmm, I don't know if this is what should be happening..." and begin frantically waving as this was our prearranged signal for something is wrong. The doctor comes in and asks whats wrong..."Ummmm... this" I say and point to my gushing arm trying not to pass out, and trying not to forget my Mongolian as they didn't know English, and my Mongolian is the same as my "interpreter's" English. So that arm gets de-IVd and swaddled up, and the other arm gets stuck...and immediately starts gushing blood! The nurse called over the doctor, he jiggles it around in my arm for a painful but thankfully brief moment, and voila! Its it...the scan finishes with out a hitch!

However, when it inevitably came time to analyze the image, we were told to come back after noon...O_o...seriously? You guys just exploded my arm..."I know you are not the official doctor but can you tell me what you think." "Well there is a mass, you can see right there" Okay, okay, we are not going to punch out the doctor. "Yes I know, but can you tell me exactly what you think it might be...should I worry?" "I will have the results for you after 12 o'clock" ... "Ooookaaay. See you later than." :::sigh resignedly and weakly shake head:::

But that's okay. Physically I feel much better. I'm on some kinda antibiotics specifically designed for the urinary system. This afternoon I will meet with the Urologist who should be able to give me answers.

Okay, pushing buttons has become too difficult. Will update again later.

The Mongolian word for Kindney is "Boor"

2009-04-14T15:56:00.003+08:00

Yey! My kidneys, liver, bladder, etc. etc. are working perfectly!

I know this because of the IVP test. Which did not hurt at all!!! This may be because I am just such a beast at taking pain. But most likely its probably because they slipped me some drugs, which knocked me out and uber dilated my eyes for quite a while. In the wait for the results to be processed I was taken out to a restaurant and fed a bacon cheeseburger! Yum! Then we went back to the hospital to find out the news...

Boo! There is a low density mass in my right kidney. Maybe a blood clot??? We are calling it a blood clot, but who knows. No one...hence another trip to the doctors office! I'm actually starting to like it over there. They have these nifty Korean water dispensers that instead of Dixie cups have these flat paper cups that sorta slot open to put water inside...more like a mini envelope than a cup. It really space efficient.

Also a theory has developed as to how I got said "blood clot" in my kidney. I got accidentally knocked into a pile of luggage/boxes about 2 weeks ago. I noticed the bruise on my arm that night, but then had forgotten all about it by the time my killer pains had started the next day. Hm...maybe, maybe. The majority of kidney blood clots come from internal bleeding due to trauma, which will eventually go away by itself. However, it never hurts to double check. So after my CT scan tomorrow I also get to go visit a urologist!!!!

All of this is actually really interesting, and makes me miss my forensic anthropology days. The body is fascinating.

We all make mistakes aka "You have beautiful testicles"

2009-04-14T11:33:00.004+08:00

Every week I teach a new group of teachers, and part of my introduction is a mini speech, that is half in English and half Mongolian. It gets us acquainted really quick, bonds us as teachers and foreign language learners, and is funny. So here is my intro speech ^_^.

Hi! My name is Cassandra, but you can call me Cass, Anu, or Teacher. But please, please, please do not call me bagsh (teacher). I am not a bagsh, I am a teacher. You are not bagshnar, you are teachers. If your students call you bagsh they are thinking in ... Mongolian. If they call you "Teacher" then they are thinking in ... English! And that makes the learning process easier. Now, I know and understand Mongolian, but because this is a Speaking and Listening class, we want to use English as much as possible. If you don't know a word, use a different word, or describe what you are talking about. When I first moved into my ger I didn't know the word orts (felt flap that covers the hole in the roof of the ger). So one day it starts raining and water is coming into the hole in my ger, and I run next door and yell "Migaa akhaa, tuslaarai, geriin malgai yaj khaakh ve?" ("Migaa brother, help, how do I close the ger's hat?) :::pause for laughter::: I didn't know the correct word, but by using words I did know he was able to understand me. So lets us as much English as we can. Also, I know that we are all teachers, but we never stop learning. All of you are here because you want to improve your English. And because this is the speaking class it is important that you speak! Don't be shy! Don't be afraid to make mistakes! I make mistakes all the time! Once I was talking with this women, and she had such beautiful eyebrows that I wanted to tell her, so I said, "Egchee ta yamar saikhan tomsogtoi!" ("Sister, you have beautiful testicles") :::pause for laughter::: She looks and me very strangely and asks, "Tomsog gej uu?" ("Did you say testicles?") :::pause again for laughter::: I thought for a second before I realized my mistake. "Ugui, ugui, ugui, tomsog bish! Homsog! Ta yamar saikhan homsogtoi!" ("No, no, no, not testicles! Eyebrows! You have beautiful eyebrows") :::pause yet again for laughter::: So you see, its okay to make mistakes! We can do it! So now instead of me just standing here and introducing myself to you, I want you to ask me questions. What do you want to know about me?

So that's my into speech. Awesome huh? The testicles story is true. I also told a man that I ate a person's head and eyes. This is because the words for sheep and person (hun hoon) are sooooo similar! In fact I hate the Cyrillic vowels: Ү, У, Ө, and О...they are soooo similar. My ear is starting to hear the difference (after 2 years), however my mouth refuses to cooperate. Stupid American mouth.

The Waiting is the hardest part...

2009-04-14T10:27:00.002+08:00

Went to hospital this morning (note my use of British English :::shakes fist:::). Got an x-ray of my stomach and intestines to make sure that I obeyed directions and didn't eat or drink. There was a little bit of gas in my intestines, and a scary moment when I was told that I would have to get an enema ("Don't worry it will be just like before." "What do you mean before?!?!? I've never had an enema!!!" "Oh really, well get ready for one." ... thanks Doc that's almost as reassuring as when you informed me that the IVP will be extremely painful as I feel the fiery ink drip coursing throughout my entire body over a 30 min period...as if I wasn't nervous before O_o). However, when they redid the x-ray from a lying position I was declared ready to go.

This was when they told us we had to come back at 12:30 because the morning was reserved for walk-ins ... WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?! So needless to say, I'm cranky, having not eaten in over 12hours and not able to eat for another oh 4 or so hours. Also I'm not allowed to drink anything, not even water...so I've become uber cranky. Not to mention that needles freak me out a bit, and I'm nervous about passing out when the IV me. But better to find out.

Also got a call from the director of the training seminar asking if I was ready to be picked up. "Um, I have to go to the hospital, I can't go back today." "Really, Jessica told us that you were tired and just needed a day or two to rest." O_o ... Although I'm not overly surprised that he thought this, as many Mongolians will go to the hospital simply to do that. Rest with out having to worry about their lives for a few days. Sounds kinda nice actually ^_^.

Okay, time to nap if I can. Will update when updatage is possible.

Tell Them What They've Won!!!

2009-04-13T18:01:00.002+08:00

Horray for my 100th entry! To celebrate I'm going to the hospital! Yey...???

Actually I've already been to the hospital today. I just get to go back tomorrow. It seems that the dixie cup of urine, the 2 giant tubes of blood, and the multiple ultrasounds of various internal organs resulted in no conclusive diagnosis. Yes there are quite a few extra white blood cells floating around, traces of blood in my urine, and all the signs of a kidney stone...but no stone. Hm...

So tomorrow I will go back and get an IVP (intravenous pyelogram: an X-ray test that can show the size, shape, and position of the urinary tract, including the kidneys and ureters. During IVP, a dye called contrast material is injected into a vein (intravenous, IV) in your arm. Then, a series of X-ray pictures is taken at timed intervals.) Its supposed to not hurt. But like the gremlins I'm not allowed to eat or drink after midnight.

I feel better that I have in a while. Maybe I passed the stone last night and that is why I hurt so bad for those 4ish hours. Hopefully this is the case.

Also, the "Korean" Hospital I went to was really nice. I've been in a number of hospitals in various parts of Monglia (countryside, town, and city) and while some were okay, many of them scared me a little, though that might have been because of the sovietesq construction. However, this hospital was nice. It almost didn't feel like a hospital (I think it was the rugs instead of tile floors that made it feel so). They staff was very efficient, the prices moderate, the doctors very professional and highly qualified. I really enjoied my time there...well as much as one can enjoy such an experience. I also have a nifty medical card so that in the future they can easily call up information should I need it. It reminds me of a library card, and that makes me happy, I love library cards. Although they spelled my name "Cassandre".

So that is the update. Now to treat myself to some salad and possibly a "smoothie". Will let you know when there is more to be let known.

I want a kabob

2009-04-05T12:39:00.002+08:00

Before I shower and go eat a kabob, I feel like I should update, because I know that I wont be back online for a while. But what is there to update about??? I feel that much of me has remained the same, while the world moves on. Peace Corps service is almost over, and a good number of the M18s (my group) have already left. While so many are getting ready to return to America, I feel a bit like the odd duck out as I am staying. Yeah there will be a lot of new people coming, but I am out of the Peace Corps world, and I think it would be a bit wierd. Also, I'm lazy.

I was also asked the question last night of "Is Peace Corps really worth it? Is all the work really worth it in the end?" For me the answer is yes. And fully realizing that and knowing that is a nice way to end my Peace Corps service. Okay, well I'm tired and there isn't much else to say...will try to be more through in the future.

Temporary Address

2009-04-05T11:20:00.001+08:00

Since I will be at the training seminar for the next 4 months or so, and won't be getting out to my site very often (if ever) until its over, I would recomend that any letters, packages, etc. be sent to the following address:

Касандра Вайнэр
Энх Тайвны Корпyс
Тов Шyyдан
Шyyдангийн хайрцаг 1036
Улаанбаатар 13
ΜΟНГОЛ УЛС

Cassandra Weiner, PCV
Post Office Box 1036
Central Post Office
Ulaanbaatar 13
MONGOLIA

This way the packages will go to Peace Corps and when I'm in UB to use the internet and what not it will be very easy to pick up! Thanks!

and the beat goes on

2009-04-03T18:22:00.000+08:00

I'm still alive, still in Mongolia, still working like crazy, but enjoying it as much as ever.

My director gave me permission to stay with the training seminar for the whole 4 months. This is great because the majority of Mongolian English Teachers in the whole country will be attending. Not to mention the connections I'm making. Its hard work, but worth it. Only down side, no hot water (so I still take my bucket baths), and I don't practice Mongolian, always English, English, English. Which would be okay, if it weren't for the fact that I have a Language Proficency Test coming up in May! But who knows, I'm bring my text books with me this time so that I will have something to study!

I find the busy schedule keeps the missing at bay, and that living indoors has improved my health. Though I've been putting on weight because of the delish food prepared for us by Mongolia's master chef.

Okay, will try to write more later...a month in the countryside with no internet or phone service (unless your standing on the mountain of course) has made me impatient about technology.

Love to all ^_^

My Favorite Karaoke Song ^_^

2009-03-13T14:45:00.000+08:00

Ghenghis Khan
Dschinghis Khan

Hu, ha, hu, ha... hu, ha, hu, ha...
Hu, ha, hu, ha... hu, ha, hu, ha...
Hu, ha, hu, ha, hu, ha, hu, ha...

They rode the fastest horses
Left the wind behind
Thousand men
Ha, hu, ha...
And one man led the way
The others followed by:
Genghis Khan
Ha, hu, ha...

They gallopped over mountains and desert-sands
They carried desolation throughout the land
And nothing there could stop them in this world
Hu, ha...

Gen... Gen... Genghis Khan
Hey, rider; ho, rider; go, rider
Let us follow
Gen... Gen... Genghis Khan
Hey, brother; ho, brother; hey, brother
Hear us holler

Who cares where we're going
Ho, ho, ho, ho...
There's no way of knowing
Ha, ha, ha, ha...
And we'll let the Devil take our souls

Gen... Gen... Genghis Khan
Hey, rider; ho, rider; go, rider
Let us follow
Gen... Gen... Genghis Khan
Go, brother; dream, brother; dance, brother
Hear us holler

You can hear his laughter
Ho, ho, ho, ho...
Now and ever-after
Ha, ha, ha, ha...
When he lifts his glass up in the air

He was the greatest lover
And the strongest man
Of his day
Ha, hu, ha...
And we have heard that
All the women fell for him
So they say
Ha, hu, ha...

And he bred seven children in one whole night
He had his girls around him at his very sight
And nothing that could stop him in this world
Hu, ha...

Gen... Gen... Genghis Khan
Hey, rider; ho, rider; go, rider
Let us follow
Gen... Gen... Genghis Khan
Hey, brother; ho, brother; hey, brother
Hear us holler

Who cares where we're going
Ho, ho, ho, ho...
There's no way of knowing
Ha, ha, ha, ha...
And we'll let the Devil take our souls

Gen... Gen... Genghis Khan
Hey, rider; ho, rider; go, rider
Let us follow
Gen... Gen... Genghis Khan
Go, brother; dream, brother; dance, brother
Hear us holler

You can hear his laughter
Ho, ho, ho, ho...
Now and ever-after
Ha, ha, ha, ha...
When he lifts his glass up in the air
Ha... hu, ha, hu...

Never slow down, never grow old

2009-03-11T16:19:00.000+08:00

So my school has a two week break coming up! Exciting right. I was going to relax, help out in the English Olympics, and take a trip to my old haunt in the Cho...but my director, the wonderful man, pimped me out to be an instructor for an Seminar catering to English teachers from the Western Providences (even told me to miss this next week of school so that I could participate in the entire first part). Now, opportunity wise this is going to be great! Its good experience to get under my belt, will look good on applications and what not. On the other hand, its work, a LOT of work...8 hours a day, 6 days a week, for 3 weeks. The other foreign teachers get a lovely $500 for their work. And me...that's right, I'm a Peace Corps Volunteer...I get a lovely pat on the back and thank you for coming. I know that sounds bitter, and sure it is kinda a hard deal to swallow, but then I think about the glorious 3 weeks of living with a hot shower, prepared meals, warm bed...and you know what I get giddy just thinking about it! I can visit the Cho later, really who want to take a 16hour bus ride in this once again cold weather (it has snowed a good 2inches today)? So I will try and "gournal" while I'm at the tourist camp and then type it up when I get back to the big city. We will see.

I've still got the final remains of a cold that just loves me too much to go away, but I think that being in a steadily warm environment will finally kill it!

Happy Birthday to Meredith who is 22 today. Scary. Even scarier is the fact that I will be 24 in about 2 months. Yanna

Back to lesson planing!

What is this...Grouchland?

2009-02-28T10:49:00.000+08:00

I lay peacefully relaxing this morning, my last in UB. The only drawback to my rest was the fact that the room was a bajillion and seven degrees...Celsius, that and my ribs still hurt a bit from the costal condilitis. When suddenly a glorious sound came to my ears...it was ice cream truck music! Surely I must be dreaming...I know Mongolia finally got delivery pizza (I've yet to try it as I hear its rather expensive and not that great), but an Ice Cream truck...in winter? No, no, no, just not possible it must be in my head. Then my friend Shuree came in.

"Cass, get up the truck is here!"
"REALLY?!?!?!?" Now I knew I must be dreaming, maybe a side effect of all the meat and onions I ate right before bed last night.
"Yes, hurry please I have class, can you get the trash?"
... O_o? ... "Trash?"
"Yes, the trash truck is here, can you take the trash out to it, don't forget the front room can."
... O_o? ... "Oookay...?"
"Thanks babe, it will be parked outside, just go right."
... O_o? ... "No problem...?"

So I gathered up all the trash from the training center, the whole time listening the the whimsical childlike music making the situation all the more surreal. The was just no way, maybe this was all a joke, maybe I actually was asleep and would wake with no memory of this strange dream except for an odd craving for ice cream. But sure enough, there it was...a big ol' garbage truck, emitting the dulcet tones that make children's mouths water all over America (or at least used to...are their even Ice Cream trucks anymore?).

It was bizarre, you could see people pouring out of the surrounding apartment buildings, their hands full of trash, all slowly meandering towards the siren call of the garbage truck...the Pied Piper of Grouchland. I got strange looks from both the garbage men and my fellow flockers...I am a gadaad khun ("foreigner"), yet there I was in my Mongolian Deel Jacket and pink house slippers (with no socks :::gasp:::). If only they could read my thoughts their confusion would have reached a whole new level...

"Why does the trash music make the foreigner want ice cream?"

Curse Mongolian Internet

2009-02-27T12:56:00.000+08:00

So I wrote a long detailed wonderful entry about my Tsagaan Sar ("White Month" aka Lunar New Year)...it was witty and insightful and lacked any referance to poop or outhouses...thus, inevitably when I went the post it the internet freaked out and POOF ... baikhgui ... gone

So I sighed a massive sigh...and despaired of rewriting it...thus I present you the Cliffnotes version of my glorious entry:

Was supposed to be in my small town and experience first hand a real traditional Mongolian Tsagaan Sar...yey!...Anthropologists dream! ... but I was exausted from being sick forever and decided to "hide" in UB and "skip" Tsagaan Sar :::gasp::: ... did celebrate with Shuree's Family and Ganaa's Family (who gave me a traditional Mongolian Jacket and a watch respectivly...that oddly enough happen to match)...made buuz ("steamed dumplings" traditional Ts.S. food) and ate quite a few of them ... only had 3 shots of vodka the whole week! ... took many showers, made no fires, rested, relaxed, missed Gregory, but was happy overall ... the end!

Sorry its a lame entry I know...but I'm tired and want to nap and then do laundry!

Updated List of "Needs"
AAA Batteries
DVDs
Crystal Light Instant Drink mix pouch thingys
No-Bake Cheesecake
Bite Sized Assorted Candies
Books (for me...the kids have TONS of new books)
Love ^_~

For those who don't have Facebook...

2009-02-14T21:43:00.000+08:00

25 Random Facts about Cassandra ... The Mongolia Edition

1. I haven't been online in over a month. Blame my town's internet center that is equipt with all the latest in computer technology (for rural Mongolia), but is located in a spot that doesn't get internet service. Good one.
2. Overflowing toilet...gross. Overflowing outhouse...you don't even want to know.
3. I got a tattoo here in Mongolia. It on my inner left arm, a G serves as a sun setting into the ocean, its about the size of a Sacagawea dollor coin. G=Gregory. The Mongolian tattoo artist studied business in NYC and believes that the end of the world will come in 2012.
4. My Mongolian name is Anu. Translation=USA.
5. I have met BX ("Mongolia's Justin Timberlake") twice. He isn't very impressing.
6. There is a cat that prowls outside my ger every morning. Its meowls sound like a baby crying. It scares me.
7. Velicoraptors come from Mongolia. That scares me even more.
8. I always blush when my 11th graders ask me what is my favorite kind of Boov. I pretend they are talking about the delicious tea time pastries, even though I know they are being evil and talking about "Man Boov" (a weener). Even in Mongolia I can't escape male genetalia jokes.
9. I've a Mongolian boyfriend. His name is Ganaa. Translation=Steel. He has a Mongolian equivilant of a rat-tail. Its not as bad as it sounds. The first English word he ever asked me to teach him..."poop".
10. I enjoy intestines if they are fried in a hot pocketesq dough pastry...aka hooshoor.
11. I can sware in Mongolian. They think its cute. My anger is not taken seriously.
12. The most frequently refilled item in my medkit...chapstick.
13. When getting my new phone number the lady was shocked that I didn't want to personally choose my last four digets. She gave me 0789...its apparently a nice number. I wish I had G-Mobile service so then I could get the phone number: 8867-5309.
14. In the month that I have had my dvd-player in my ger, I have watched all of my 18 dvd's at least twice, and seen most of the commentaries and special features. If you haven't seen the Comedy Central Tv Series: STELLA...do it.
15. When its too cold outside at night I just pee in a bucket and then empty it in the morning.
16. Everyday I steal a bowl of the elementary children's free snack. If I'm lucky its a delicious soup. If I'm unlucky its a delicious bowl of rice in a sweet milkesq substance.
17. I make about minimum wage...for a Mongolian. They find this confusing, funny, and sad. Volunteering is still a strange concept to many of them. They also find it strange that the family didn't get money for Gregory's organs and what not.
18. I've developed amazing squatting muscles, but Marie Windsor's patented "Elevated Clams" and "Fetal Thighs" still cause me pain.
19. I can type faster in Mongolian than many of my Mongolian Counterparts. Unfortunatly this means that I now often type up both the English and Mongolian work. Touche.
20. My towns people are sad that I lost the ice cream and cheese-it weight I put on in America, as I need more insulation against the cold.
21. Drinking cold water made me sick, not germs. I never knew.
22. I taught the 9th graders spin the bottle for a Valentine's Day treat. We only kiss on the cheek but they would get so embarassed, it was cute.
23. I broke in my new credit card by taking the "family" out for pizza, and buying "American" food goods (including a whole chicken, which was less than the small can of JIF Peanut Butter I decided not to buy) to take back to the soum. Time to break the sheep stomach addiction.
24. Mongolian has two words for you...for elders "ta" and for peers and youngers "chi"...most of my students call me "chi"...this makes the teachers mad as its "rude" but I really dont care.
25. I still haven't ridden a horse in Mongolia. They are convinced I will break something. It's sad.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T21:42:00.001+08:00

I am sick....again. About 3 weeks ago I got larengitis, and couldn't talk for a week, it was actually kinda funny as they still kinda made me teach. But mostly I just typed up a bunch of curiculum stuff that they then managed to delete. I cried, which was also funny. My voice came back and was replaced by a wicked cough and eternally runny nose...horray chest/sinus infection! The after two weeks of that the docs finally but me on anti biotics...lets hope they work as I've already got costal condolitis (stabbing pains in my ribs where the violent coughing has enflamed the cartalage...fun times). You win again Mongolia...maybe I'm not so sorry for polluting your air with my coal fumes.

Besides the horrific bouts of illness life in the soum has been great. I've gotten my firemaking routein down to an art. I've gotten my schedule cut back to reasonable hours. I've got my students finally respecting me, and by respect I mean they think that what with my cool new professional look (thanks for the wardrobe update Mom!) that they will at least pretend to learn, sometimes. I haven't had to clean or prepare any animal intestines. For Meredith's sake I won't go into the school's outhouse situation :::shudder::: I've lost the excess

Teacher's Holiday was last week. Free food and drink. Dance party with the older students (my Mongolian waltz is getting better, I think). I got an award from the town's Cultural Center. They also gave me a present...checkers, but with sheep ankle bones instead of plastic pieces, not as creepy as it sounds. I gave a speech about how Mongolian teachers should feel lucky because their students love them while in America teachers are often viewed as just another thing in the classroom. Because of my miserably sick state I was allowed to leave at 10pm (after the fireworks show), while the rest of the teachers partied in the library until 6am. That's okay. Gurgi and I had our own party, and by party I mean making it 15 minuets into Lethal Weapon 3 until the tylonol pm kicked in and I passed out.

Tsaagan Sar ("White Month"), aka the Mongolian Lunar New year/biggest holiday of the year, is on February 25th! I have been most busy helping my countryside extended Mongolian family prepare. We made 1000 dumplings this week, and thats just for "Grandpa's" ger. I'm most excited and can't wait for all the delicious food and drink and the random gift socks. This year will be extra special as I get to share Bituun ("Tsaagan Sar Eve") with my "family." I've yet to experience this aspect of Tsaagan Sar as its only for family, and I didn't have that in Dornod.

The weather has been really nice and crisp, windy as all get up but nice. I have been wearing my thin long-johns and only one pair of socks (also the new boots I got...gloriously warm, actually a bit too warm...my feet sweat and now the stench from inside my boots rivals that of an outhouse in summer O_o). But of course for my first trip into the city since coming back to Mongolia it gets cold and snowy again so I freeze anytime I go out, especially since I ride the bus. Honestly, why pay 5,000 tugrugs for a taxi when you can take the bus for 200? Sure it takes you an hour, but you would only spend that extra time on YouTube. I also got frostnip of the ear when I first came back...talk about ouch. At first it was like I had cardboard for ears, and the the week of peeling ear skin. Double layering my hats may look goofy, but its less so that being earless.

Recieved and e-mail from the Country Director...Close of Service is August 18. It seems so far away, and yet I know it will come all too soon. My plan as of now is to stay in Mongolia another year and work with my friend Shuree at her English Center. I'm excited, and it will give me extra time to quit my sheep stomach soup addiction.

That's all for now, the whole interweb thing has overwhelmed me and I haven't even checked my e-mail yet.

The Speech My Dad Gave

2009-01-14T10:08:00.000+08:00

I KNOW THERE ARE OTHERS PRESENT TODAY WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF A CHILD, AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU AS I CONTINUE TO WRESTLE WITH MY OWN THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS. YOU HAVE MY UTMOST RESPECT FOR YOUR STRENGTH AND MY SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT.

TO QUOTE AN OTHERWISE CORNY, BUT IN THIS CASE APPLICABLE LINE FROM JERRY MAGUIRE, GREG “MADE OUR FAMILY COMPLETE.” DESTINED TO HAVE A CHALLENGING CHILDHOOD WITH THREE OLDER SISTERS, HE MADE THE MOST AND THE BEST OF IT. LIKE MANY FAMILIES WE ENJOYED DAILY EPISODES OF “WAR AND PEACE” IN THE WEINER HOUSEHOLD, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY WERE ABLE TO CIRCLE THE WAGONS AND MOVE FORWARD AS ONE. AS IS THE CASE WITH MOST MILITARY FAMILIES, WE MOVED FREQUENTLY. BY MY UNOFFICIAL COUNT, GREG LIVED IN 12 DIFFERENT HOMES AND ATTENDED 8 SCHOOLS. HE RARELY COMPLAINED ABOUT MOVING AND WAS MORE INTENT ON MAKING NEW FRIENDS AND ENJOYING LIFE.

GREG WAS AN EXTREMELY BRIGHT AND INQUISITIVE INDIVIDUAL. ANY ACADEMIC CHALLENGES HE ENCOUNTERED WERE USUALLY SELF-INFLICTED. AND WHILE WE WILL NOT BE SHOWCASING HIS FIRST SEMESTER REPORT CARD FROM VIRGINIA TECH UPSTAIRS AT THE RECEPTION, I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE HE EARNED A “B” IN CHEMISTRY, BY FAR THE BEST PERFORMANCE IN THIS SUBJECT BY ANYONE IN HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY.

GREG HAD A GREAT AFFINITY FOR THE WATER. THIS FIRST BECAME APPARENT WHEN WE HAD TO PLUCK HIM FROM A FOUNTAIN INSIDE A MALL IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA WHEN HE WAS 4 YEARS OLD. HE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS IN THE POOL, AS A COMPETITIVE SWIMMER AND LIFEGUARD, HE ACQUIRED A PASSION FOR THE SPORT OF WATER POLO AND DEVELOPED VERY SPECIAL AND LASTING BONDS WITH MEMBERS OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY, VIRGINIA TECH AND UVA WATER POLO TEAMS – MEN’S AND WOMEN’S. GREG ALSO HAD AN ENDURING LOVE FOR THE OCEAN, AND IT IS ONLY FITTING THAT TODAY’S SERVICE TAKES PLACE ON THE BEACH.

WHILE GREG GENERALLY REPRESENTED WHAT IS GOOD IN PEOPLE AND SOCIETY, WE SHOULD NOT BE TOO QUICK TO ENSHRINE HIM IN THE “MODEL CITIZEN HALL OF FAME.” IN THE SPIRIT OF FULL DISCLOSURE, I WILL SHARE A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF GREG’S SCANDALOUS SIDE, A QUALITY NO DOUBT INHERITED FROM HIS MOTHER. WHEN GREG WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HE WOULD FREQUENTLY RECEIVE YELLOW SHEETS – COPIES OF REPORTS FOR MINOR INFRACTIONS SUCH AS TALKING IN CLASS, BEING LATE OR NOT FOLLOWING SOME ESTABLISHED RULE. KNOWING GREG AS WELL AS WE DID, ALENA AND I WERE NEVER CONVINCED THAT HE WAS SHARING ALL OF HIS YELLOW SHEETS WITH US SINCE IN MOST CASES, SOME FORM OF PUNISHMENT OR REMEDIAL ACTION FOLLOWED. SO WHENEVER A MONTH OR TWO WOULD GO BY WITHOUT SEEING A YELLOW SHEET, WE WOULD RANDOMLY SIT HIM DOWN, STARE AT HIM STERNLY AND ASK, “IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO TELL US FROM SCHOOL?” THINKING WE HAD SOME FORM OF INTELLIGENCE, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT HE WOULD SPILL HIS GUTS AND CONFESS TO SOMETHING HE DID WRONG AT SCHOOL – COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO OUR BLUFF.

THERE IS ANOTHER GROUP OF FRIENDS GREG ASSOCIATED WITH ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS – THE VIRGINIA BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT. GREG’S ABILITY TO DO SOME PRETTY BONEHEADED THINGS WAS ONLY SURPASSED BY HIS UNCANNY KNACK TO GET CAUGHT DOING THEM. I HAVE HEARD SOME ATTRIBUTE THIS TO THE APPLE NOT FALLING FAR FROM THE TREE, BUT I WILL NOT COMMENT ON THAT. GREG COULD HAVE BEEN THE POSTER BOY FOR “NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER MIDNIGHT” OR “AMERICA’S DUMBEST CRIMINALS.” WHEN HE WAS 12 HE DECIDED TO “RUN WITH THE OLDER CROWD” AND ENGAGED IN SOME LATE NIGHT EGG THROWING. HE SEEMED SHOCKED THE NEXT DAY WHEN ONE OF HIS AFOREMENTIONED FRIENDS FROM THE VBPD KNOCKED ON THE DOOR TO TAKE DOWN HIS INFORMATION AND STATEMENT. WHEN ASKED HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY GREG AS ONE OF THE CULPRITS, THE OFFICER SAID, “IT WAS EASY - MOST PARENTS DO NOT SEND THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN TO BUY EGGS AT THE 7-11 AT 12:30 IN THE MORNING AND SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS DON’T LIE.”

ONE THING I ADMIRED ABOUT GREG WHENEVER HE MANAGED TO GET IN TO TROUBLE WAS A WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY AND CONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACTIONS. WHILE THE EGG INCIDENT HAS AN AMUSING ELEMENT TO IT, THERE WAS ALSO A VERY SERIOUS SIDE AS WELL. THE SECTION OF ROAD WHERE THE BOYS WERE THROWING EGGS AT PASSING CARS HAD A VERY DANGEROUS CURVE. THE CAR THAT WAS HIT AND WHICH GENERATED THE POLICE REPORT INVOLVED A GRANDMOTHER AND HER GRANDCHILD. I WOULD LIKE TO A FEW EXCERPT FROM THE LETTER GREG WROTE ON HIS OWN.

“MY NAME IS GREG WEINER AND I AM 12 YEARS OLD. I WAS ONE OF THE KIDS INVOLVED IN THE ACT OF THROWING EGGS AT CARS. EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE OLDER KIDS THERE, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THINKING. NOW THAT I THINK BACK I KNOW WHAT I DID WAS HORRIBLE. I COULD OF CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN THE LIVES OF YOU AND YOUR GRANDCHILD. I COULD OF NEVER LIVED WITH THAT ON MY MIND. IF I COULD GO BACK RIGHT NOW, I WOULD NEVER HAVE EVEN CONSIDERED GOING WITH THOSE BOYS AND COMMITTING THAT CRIME.”
HE GOES ON.
“I AM WILLING TO HELP PAY FOR DAMAGE TO YOUR CAR AND WILL EVEN HELP YOU DO CHORES AROUND THE HOUSE TO MAKE UP FOR MY MISTAKE. I HOPE YOU CAN FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO ACCEPT THIS APOLOGY. AGAIN, I AM TRULY SORRY AND HOPE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL GET THROUGH THIS ALRIGHT. SINCERELY, GREG WEINER.”

GREG CELEBRATED HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY BY PURCHASING A LOTTERY TICKET, CIGAR AND ADULT MAGAZINE. WHEN I ASKED HIM WAS IT WORTH THE MONEY HE SAID, “NOT REALLY, MY TICKET DIDN’T WIN, THE CIGAR MADE ME CHOKE AND I COULDN’T BRING THE MAGAZINE HOME.” THIS WAS JUST ONE INDICATOR THAT GREG WAS NOT DESTINED TO BE A GIANT IN THE WORLD OF FINANCE. MONEY HAD A WAY OF BURNING A HOLE IN HIS HAND LIKE NO OTHER. NEVER ONE TO HAVE MORE THAN POCKET CHANGE ON HIS PERSON, HE WAS ALWAYS ENGAGED IN SOME CREATIVE WAY TO MAKING FINANCIAL ENDS MEET. AT VIRGINIA TECH, WHEN HE EXHAUSTED THE FUNDS IN HIS DINING ACCOUNT BEFORE THE END OF THE SEMESTER, HE ENROLLED HIMSELF IN SEVERAL OTHER MEAL PLANS – EMILY’S MEAL PLAN, BRIAN’S MEAL PLAN, JOHN’S MEAL PLAN.

ABOVE ALL ELSE, GREG WAS GOOD AND DECENT PERSON. ANY SHORTCOMINGS HE HAD, INCLUDING THAT AWFUL BEARD HE GREW JUST TO AGITATE ME, WERE DWARFED BY HIS KINDNESS, LOYALTY AND LOVE FOR PEOPLE AND LIFE. TRY AS I WOULD, I COULD NEVER REMAIN ANGRY AT HIM FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT LENGTH OF TIME, AND I WAS ALWAYS ENVIOUS OF HIS ABILITIES AND POTENTIAL.

THERE IS A SAYING THAT “TIME AND TIDE WAIT FOR NO MAN,” AND THE BITTERSWEET REALITY IS THAT OUR LIVES WILL MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT GREG, AND OUR FOCUS WILL SHIFT TO FAMILY, FAITH, FRIENDS, JOBS, SCHOOL, COMMUNITY AND OTHER WORLDLY MATTERS. WHILE GREG’S SPIRIT WILL ALWAYS REMAIN PART OF MY HEART, THE QUESTION AT HAND IS HOW TO DRAW FROM THE MANY POSITIVES IN HIS LIFE, ESTABLISH AND PRESERVE HIS LEGACY, AND MAKE THE WORLD A LITTLE BETTER OFF.

I HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS.

1) IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT A CAUSE. RECOGNIZE AND THANK A “HERO.” THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE I HAVE GAINED A NEW APPRECIATION FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR MEDICAL RESPONSE AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. THEIRS IS NO EASY OR ENVIABLE TASK, AND I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE COMPETENCE, COMPASSION AND CARING THEY PROVIDED GREG AND MY FAMILY.
2) BE INCLUSIVE, KIND AND CARING. I HAVE COME TO REALIZE AFTER READING NOTES AND HEARING MANY STORIES FROM THOSE WHO KNEW AND SPENT TIME WITH GREG JUST HOW IMPORTANT AND EVEN LIFE CHANGING A SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS CAN BE. WE WOULD ALL BE BETTER SERVED TO BE LESS JUDGMENTAL AND MORE TOLERANT OF OTHERS.
3) CONSIDER ORGAN DONATION. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, GREG WAS AN ORGAN DONOR BY CHOICE. AS HE LAY IN THE OPERATING ROOM ON THE DAY FOLLOWING HIS DEATH, FOUR INDIVIDUALS WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY BEING PREPPED TO RECEIVE HIS HEART, LUNGS, LIVER AND KIDNEYS. TODAY THOSE FOUR PEOPLE – SOMEONE’S FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND - AND POTENTIALLY HUNDREDS MORE IN THE FUTURE, WILL LIVE BECAUSE OF GREG’S SELFLESS GIFT. AS MUCH AS THE PHONE CALL FROM THE VIRGINIA TECH POLICE TELLING ME GREG WAS INVOLVED IN A BAD ACCIDENT WILL HAUNT ME FOR A LONG TIME, I TAKE GREAT SOLACE IN KNOWING THERE WERE FOUR PHONE CALLS WHICH BUOYED THE HOPE AND SPIRIT OF OTHERS.
4) BE A BLOOD DONOR. WE ALL EXPECT BLOOD TO BE THERE FOR US, BUT BARELY A FRACTION OF THOSE WHO CAN GIVE DO. YET SOONER OR LATER, VIRTUALLY ALL OF US WILL FACE A TIME OF GREAT VULNERABILITY IN WHICH WE WILL NEED BLOOD. AND THAT TIME IS ALL TOO OFTEN UNEXPECTED. GREG WAS A BLOOD DONOR AND RECIPIENT.
5) FOR EVERYONE, BUT ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER MEMBERS HERE TODAY, UNDERSTAND THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR EVERY DECISION MADE IN LIFE, AND THAT THESE CONSEQUENCES CAN TOUCH THE LIVES OF OTHERS. BY CHOICE, ALENA AND I ALLOWED OF GREG’S FRIENDS TO VISIT HIM IN THE HOSPITAL. WHILE IT WAS CERTAINLY NOT THE LAST VISUAL IMAGE WE WISHED PEOPLE TO HAVE OF GREG, IT WAS OUR HOPE THAT THIS IMAGE MIGHT VALIDATE JUST HOW FRAGILE THE HUMAN BODY IS WHEN SUBJECTED TO TRAUMATIC INJURIES, ESPECIALLY PREVENTABLE ONES.
6) WEAR A HELMET AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO SO - WHETHER SKATEBOARDING, RIDING A BIKE, SKIING OR SNOWBOARDING. PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS CAN DO THEIR PART BY LAYING DOWN THE LAW FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, AND SHOULD ALSO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, WE ARE ESTABLISHING THE GREGORY WEINER FOUNDATION WHOSE PRIMARY GOAL WILL BE TO INCREASE HELMET SAFETY AWARENESS. IF THIS EFFORT CAN PREVENT EVEN ONE FAMILY FROM GOING THROUGH THIS AWFUL EXPERIENCE, I THINK ALL WOULD AGREE IT IS A WORTHY CAUSE.
7) NEVER TAKE RELATIONSHIPS FOR GRANTED. STAY CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE. IF APPLICABLE, BURY THE HATCHET AND MAKE PEACE WITH LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS. IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE EFFORT, BUT I PROMISE IT IS WORTH IT. WE WERE BLESSED THAT OUR FAMILY WAS CLOSE AND I CANNOT BEGIN TO IMAGINE THE THOUGHTS THAT WOULD BE SWIRLING AROUND MY HEAD WERE THIS NOT THE CASE.

AGAIN MY FAMILY WISHES TO THANK EVERYONE PRESENT IN PERSON AND IN SPIRIT FOR YOUR GENEROSITY, SUPPORT AND WELL-WISHES. WE ARE SO LUCKY TO BE PART OF SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER THAN OURSELVES. GREG’S LIFE WAS TOO SHORT, BUT IT WAS A LIFE I AM PROUD TO HAVE BEEN PART OF. I LOVE YOU SON.

The Speech I gave with my sisters

2009-01-11T06:43:00.000+08:00

Meredith:

The Weiner children have always been somewhat of a packaged deal. If you want one of us, you’d better be prepared to have us all. Cassandra, Meredith, Erin, and Gregory. Our closeness as siblings really formed due to the fact that we grew up as military brats, moving across the country every two years or so and spending absurd amounts of time in each other’s presence. We experienced a constant flow of change as kids, another new house, another new school, more new friends. The one constant we had to cling to was the fact that we always had each other, no matter what was going on around us. Over the years we spent so much time together, we went through so much together, that an extremely unique bond formed. The four of us were best friends, though none of us would probably ever admit it. I don’t think we ever truly appreciated how special and rare that is. As our friends may be able to attest to, the four of us have so many inside jokes and experiences that we sort of speak in our own language that no one else can understand. We can tell a joke by saying one word, share a story with a quick glance, or provide sympathy with only a fleeting smile. In a sense we are four variations of the same person. Our brother Gregory, the youngest, the lone boy, was an integral part of our sibling package. He was our constant source of entertainment. When he was a baby we loved him because he was so cute. When he was an adolescent we loved him because he got in trouble the most. And when he was a teenager we loved him because he could always make us laugh. He never sat still. Not for a moment. Always had to be doing something. Having fun was his number one priority. And even though pestering his big sisters seemed to be his greatest source of fun, we for some reason never minded it. That was Greg’s greatest gift: you couldn’t really get mad at him. He tricked me into electrocuting myself once, and even thought it hurt, we both just laughed. Another time he ran me over on his bicycle. And even though that REALLY hurt, we still both just laughed. I can’t tell you the number of hot dogs and slurpees I somehow willingly bought him from 7-11. He would treat me to the movies, but I always paid. Some people would say he was a Ratsicle, but really he was just a charmer.

Erin:

That statement could not be anymore true. When Cassandra and Meredith had left for college, it was just me and the boy. On our drives to high school, despite the driver chooses the music rule, Greg and I would routinely argue about what music to listen to. IN the end, like Meredith said, Greg would charm me into listening to his screamo metal music. By the end of my senior year , I made Greg proud, and was able to decipher most of the words.
Like our music battles, Greg and I had countless bickering arguments. When we were little, everything was my fault. Greg’s reason: I was the only kid with blonde hair. Then, as we were mature adults, we would physically fight over who would get the front seat. However, as we grew older, these meaningless fights over shotgun and music slowly disappeared, and a strong admitted friendship blossomed. I cannot begin to say how great this past semester was, having my little brother at Virginia Tech with me. We hung out so much; I saw Gregory at least six days out of the week. We both played water polo, and I even convinced Greg to take a class with me, although it didn’t take much convincing though, I told him the prof. gave us RC Colas and moonpies on our first day, and he was sold.). Much like in high school, Greg and I had a routine. I would call him every morning to wake him up. Then, five minutes later, I would call him again knowing he had gone back to bed. We would meet up for food, and he would comment EVERY DAY, about “It is a good thing we don’t have matching backpacks, or that would be embarrassing” we did. It was.
Greg would stay over at my apartment all the time with the goal of finishing all of our school work but it always ended up with us going of, watching youtube videos for hours, laughing until we were in tears. I even stayed over on his dorm room floor some nights, staying up till who knows when playing super smash brothers with his amazing hall mates. Come to think of it, we never did get much done. Ever.
. Sitting around, not making sense and just goofing off with Greg, were some of the best times I have had at college. Greg was truly one of a kind. A single semester at Tech and I could see how many people he had met and charmed into loving him, they way we have all along.

Cassandra:

When I first found out about Gregory, I wanted him to be my baby…literally, I wanted him to grow up calling me Mom, and while this was absolutely rational for my five year old self, my mom said no. I was mad for a while but then I was content to have this cute little Buddha bellied brother to dress up in tutus, steal ice cream from after convincing him the sprinkles were really ants, and laugh at when he chased our babysitter around, professing his love her, naked. It was good times. But then, one day, I realized that he wasn’t so much a brother as a friend. I think it may have been the countless hours we spent together as “moving buddies” sitting in the back of the little car while my dad would quiz us about sports trivia that made us so like minded. Whether we were driving around in the creaky old van blasting rap, screamo, or techno music, sneaking into Yu-gi-oh and Pokemon movies, or wearing the exact same pair of pants (although his were 2 sizes smaller than mine) I always knew I had someone who would be there with me regardless. When I moved away to Florida, Gregory was there to help me move into my apartment and eat my entire supply of toaster strudels. When I then moved even farther away to Mongolia, he was there to message with me and admit that he too would have tried the sheep brain. Gregory just accepted you as you were, and worked with it. He had “IT,” knew that he had “IT,” and didn’t care. That’s what made him awesome. He had a five minuet online conversation with my Mongolian friend once…5 minuets…and that was it. She absolutely loved him. She was even going to fly him out to visit this summer, that’s how much he impressed her. Gregory and I would talk a lot about the awesome things he was going to do when he grew up, and while much of it was just nonsense and much of it involved Jackie Chan, we both knew that he was gonna do something special. And he did. He lived his life, his way, to the fullest. How many of us wish that we could do just that? And then, even in death, he made an amazing impact on peoples live. I just get so proud of him when I think how happy he made some family this holiday season by giving their kid that big, loving heart of his. Forget Jackie Chan. Gregory, its you who are most epic…our brother, our friend, our hero.

"Why are you locking the doors?"

2009-01-07T12:48:00.000+08:00

It is a dark and misty night, as a van silently pulls into the darkened culd-a-sac of a peaceful beach side neighborhood. They pull into the driveway of a house set slightly back into the trees. A light is on in the workshop above the garage and through the expansive windows you can see a man at work. The lights of the incoming car distract him momentarily and he disappears out of the room. A young woman, clad in black, exits the back of the van and walks towards the house, one that is not her own, and proceeds to enter. The man by this time has reappeared in his workshop and appears to be on the phone. Does he know this woman has entered his home? In the idling car two more women sit in wait, watching as the scene unfolds. Their accomplice paces back and forth between the kitchen and what appears to be a living room. Just what is she doing? Why doesn't she make the drop, or at least contact the man? Is she snacking on something in the kitchen? What is taking her so long? The two women in the car are incredulous and starting to get frightened. The one in the passengers seat locks the doors, and the driver laughs nervously at her. There is no need to be afraid...is there? Sure this looks like a scene straight out of Halloween or Friday the 13th, but those are just movies....right? A phone goes off in the back seat, its the missing woman's but the other two need something to distract them, so they read the message. Its from the owner of the home. She's messaging to say she is not at home, and will be in touch later. Just then the woman in the house turns and makes to leave. The two in the car quickly return the phone, and greet their returning accomplice. All three of them then drive off into the night.

And you want to know what...this is a true story. Erin was the lady who walked into the house. My mom (the driver) and I (the passenger) were dying laughing, because my sister just walks into this house and just hangs around for more than 20 minuets, far longer than is necessary to drop off pictures and write a note. It was also really creepy and I really did lock to doors to protect me and my mom from and psychos who may have been lurking around hoping to steal my Mom's awesome reading glasses she bought at PetSmart (I kid you not, they are red and say "woof, bark, ruff" on them over and over, its so lame its cool. I must admit I'm a bit jealous about them).

Anyway, its past midnight and I need to sleep. America is pampering me something fierce. I'm a bit afraid to go back to Mongolia, I'll be like a newb all over again.

The Family Christmas Letter aka The Gregory Weiner Foundation

2008-12-25T03:26:00.000+08:00

Dear Family and Friends,

It is with heavy hearts that we open this year’s update. Our son/brother Gregory passed away on December 20th from injuries sustained in a skateboarding accident earlier that week. The accident occurred on the campus of Virginia Tech where Greg was finishing his first semester in the Engineering School. He was transported to a local hospital in Blacksburg and then flown to the Neuro Trauma ICU at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. From the beginning, he received the finest medical care. The outpouring of support, encouragement and prayer from family, friends and strangers was overwhelming, and a source of strength for us all. Greg fought the good fight, but in the end the damage to his brain was just too severe and he never regained consciousness. His family (less Cassandra) was at his side at the end. We plan to hold a modest memorial/remembrance ceremony in Virginia Beach sometime after the New Year. By choice Greg was an organ donor and on Sunday doctors prepared his organs for transplant. We were informed four lives have already been saved after receiving his heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. Medical research and potentially hundreds of lives will benefit from his tissue, nerve, bone and cell donations. We are so proud of his gift of life. Greg was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Whether he considered it unnecessary, inconvenient or was just exhibiting the invincibility of an 18 year old will never be known. We have decided his legacy must include increasing helmet safety awareness, and are establishing a foundation to do just that. Should you care to donate to this cause, contributions may be sent to:
The Gregory Weiner Foundation
c/o Navy Federal Credit Union
1952 Laskin Road
Suite 513
Virginia Beach, VA 23454

Cassandra is well into her second year as a Peace Corps Volunteer, teaching English in Mongolia. She especially enjoys working with her younger students, as they show a greater willingness to learn and cooperate. Her tour of duty wraps up later next summer and she is undecided on what to do next…a benefit of youth! Meredith is entering her final semester at the University of Virginia (Economics/Math). She is President of the women’s water polo club, lifeguards at the aquatic center, interns in the Athletic Department and volunteers with the Boys/Girls Club. Graduating amidst a faltering economy will make pursuing a career very challenging, but we are confident she will do well. Erin is a sophomore at Virginia Tech (Interdisciplinary Studies). She also plays water polo and is team Treasurer. She has applied for Study Abroad next year, and should find out in January if she has been accepted. Bullet turned 8 last month and is a bundle of energy and affection. Alena works at JCPenney and Dana at COMNAVSURFLANT in Norfolk, VA. The big news is our move to Italy this coming summer where Dana will assume command of the Supply Center in Sigonella (Sicily).

We hope 2008 was a wonderful year for you and yours, and that 2009 will bring additional joy and happiness. Again, we want to thank everyone for your support during our time of grief. Take care and keep in touch.

The Weiner Family
Dana, Alena, Cassandra
Meredith & Erin

Goodbye Gregory

2008-12-23T15:08:00.000+08:00

Gregory Raymond Weiner
4.16.90 - 12.20.08

Learn more about him here and here.

You will never be truly gone as you live on in all of us.

Prayers for Gregory

2008-12-20T23:25:00.000+08:00

Hello to all who may read this.

If you don't know, I have an 18year old little brother, who is the absolute love of my life. His name is Gregory. I was 5 when I found out my Mom was going to have a boy. I was so excited and asked if he could be my baby, envisioning in my little 5 year old brain how cool it would be to have some cute little baby call me "Mama!" My mother agreed thinking it was just some childish fancy. But when he was born and I asked for "my baby" she of course set me straight. I was furious and didn't talk to my mom for a long time (in 5year old time...so who knows how long it actually was! LOL!). And for all who know me, and my infinate babbling prowesses, you will realize just how serious of an issue this was for my 5 year old self. I got over it, and became the best oldest sister I knew how to be. When travelling the 2 of us were always "moving buddies" and despite the 5 year age difference he became one of my best friends. We both love kung fu movies, acting like fools in public, techno music, screamo music, parfait (though I never met anybody that didn't like a parfait). Anyone who has been in my company for more than a few hours, will usually end up hearing about him. My Mongolians can never remember my sisters names (Meredith and Erin), but they some how always know Gregory. Like I said I love the kid something fierce.

Last Monday he was in a severe skateboarding accident, suffered major brain trauma, and is in the hospital. He has yet to regain consciousness. While he doesn't seem to be getting any worse, he also doesn't seem to be getting any better. Though I hear that his physical appearance has improved some. Doctors say there is still hope, but to prepare for the worst.

Even if you have never met him, I beg of you to please pray to whatever God, Goddess, animal, plant, mineral, or anything else you may worship, speak to, or believe in to help him get through this and wake up.

I will be leaving Mongolia on Monday, December 22 to fly to America and be with him. (I will be transfering flights in Beijing this time instead of Seoul. My first time in "China" if the airport counts. I have a 7 hour layover, it will be interesting I think.) My parents have let him know that I'm coming, and on Tuesday morning my sisters and I will drive to meet up with my parents so we can all be with him especially for Christmas.

I want to thank everyone who has been praying for him, and sending out good thoughts. I'm very hopeful. He is young and strong and I know he can make it if given the opportunity. I especially want to thank those people in Mongolia who have helped me keep my sanity, given me a shoulder to cry on, and supported me in the most trying days of my life. Julie, Sarah, Shuree, and Ganaa...you are all the loves of my life, I don't know what I would do without you. Not that I don't love the rest of you, you see I'm just bad with names.

Again, please please please send good thoughts twards Roanoke, Virgina for a one amazing Gregory Raymond Weiner. Thank you, and if I've free time I will update about all the goings on in Mongolia, and most importantly, about Gregory.

please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live please let him live

What are the spoons doing in the Pancake Drawer?

2008-12-12T21:23:00.000+08:00

A number of the higher-up in command American Soldiers came back to my soum the other day, and man alive was it ever like Christmas (and not just because Lt. Simmons was decked out as Father Christmas!). They not only came to check on the work they did this summer, but they brought along a ton of books, art, and school supplies for the kids both from the Hawaii and Alaskan folks back home! They may not be contiguous but that doesn't make them any less excellent. Even more amazing was seeing the book Hopscotch, the Tiny Bunny, a book that my 1st grade teacher gave to me, and will always be one of my favorites. Now I get to give it to my students! The students are already getting excited about writing the thank you cards with their new supplies! Yey giving!

We are also preparing for the New Year's celebration (which is a combination of America's Christmas and New Years). Its cute to hear groups of children walking around our snow covered Christmas card town singing Jingle Bells. Not so cute is having to hear the worlds stupidest song ever (thanks Germany) played over and over and over for hours on end as I'm trying to type up lesson plans, and the kids still don't know the words. :::bangs head on table:::

That's about it for now. I don't have anything in my life worth talking about really at the moment. Except to apologize to Mother Nature for my love of coal and its glorious warming prowesses (is that a word?).

Oh yeah now I remember. Americans have a lot of stuff. I occupy the same amount of space that a family of 4 does in Mongolia. Albiet, my ger is much more sparsly filled than theirs is, but one must remember the boxes of stuff I have in storage in America. I find myself asking...why? What is all of it for? It obviously isn't necessary for survival. I don't miss it (well except for my bed, I miss that something fierce sometimes...my books too...and movies...okay so I do miss a lot of my stuff if I give myself the time to think about it being not here). But, its kinda nice knowing that I could fit all I needed in my firetruck red L.L.Bean backpack and mom-worthy purse. Knowing that I don't have to worry about my ger burning down because there is nothing in it that I would lement over (considering I had my packed bag...if it happened now...:::gasp::: GURGI! I would cry).

Also if one were to look at my journal they would think I have some sort of disorder. And I quote..."I absolutly love my 4th grade babies! they are the joys of my life and a pleasure to teach. As for my older kids and the postmaster, I just what to [sic] deck them. I hate that [sic] piece of [sic] song baby!!! What would I do if my family died? Could I go back? How would I survive? If only one person died, I could get over that...but to lose everyone at once o_O that would indeed break me. I LOVE CRAYONS!"

The family's Thanksgiving card is right. I am special.

I'm no good a.k.a. Mr. Ed is delish

2008-12-01T00:19:00.000+08:00

My dear devoted readers, I'm sure you are feeling most neglected as it has been over a month since my last update, but I have to admit that I'm lazy and a bit boring of late so besides the fact that I'm perpetually on the verge of freezing to death in my sleep and have yet another respiratory infection, nothing much is new.

However, as its snowing right now and I'm inside my friends nice warm apartment, having just showered and eaten a delicious dinner I shall provide an interesting tale from the past month.

~~~~~~~~~~^_^~~~~~~~~~~
Having awoken one particularly chilly morning with a painfully full bladder, I ignored the cold and dashed to the outhouse to relieve myself. I made note of the density of the steam from my pee and the fact that the combined poo of the various inhabitants and visitors to our compound was starting to form a poolagmite (or would it be a poolagtite, I always for get which is which O_o). Winter was finally upon us. One my way back to my windowless ger, thus meaning that the inside temp is only slightly warmer than the outside temp, I noticed that there was a new addition to our compound...a beautiful brick red horse tethered to the fence. He must have arrived some time in the night. How lovely. Then I dressed in record time and was quickly on my way to my heated school. I taught an uneventful day of classes and then when home...

Now because the horse was such a new addition and because I was still half asleep/cold as all get up, its no surprise that I didn't realize it was missing. That was until I walked into my "family's" ger. Come here Cassandra. Come help me clean the horse intestines so we can finish cooking them. It's only logical that the innards of a horse will be much larger than those of a sheep. However, the actualization of this is a bit disturbing. Yet I didn't hesitate to squat down beside my "mom" and hold open one end of the former horse's large intestine so it could be cleaned, filled with blood, tied, and cooked. I don't know what this says about me.

That night around 7pm when I wandered out in the near pitch dark to get more wood to make a fire in a futile attempt to warm my ger, not only was I attacked by Puppy, but I found that when reaching blindly for chopped wood chunks, I actually encountered chopped horse leg chunks. Not to mention jaw chunks. This only freaked me out for a nano second. Again, not quite sure what this says about me.

~~~~~~~~~~^_^~~~~~~~~~~
That is all for now. I will try to be better in updating this month. Maybe make it my New Year's Resolution. Now for sleep!

p.s. horse meat is sooooo delish you should really try

Yes Dad...I'm still alive...

2008-10-24T13:23:00.000+08:00

...but only half thawed out.

We have now entered the point in Mongolia where it will continue to get colder and colder and colder. I'm a little nervous about how I will survive the winter in my ger, in the central region (which gets colder than my old place out East). I know I will be fine but still, when I wake up at night because I just had to have those last 4 cups of tea before I went to bed...and I take less then a minuet to pop outside to pee (no need for the outhouse in the dark of night!)...and return shivering and slightly miserable as I try to warm up enough to fall back into raptor haunted sleep...I get nervous. This is nothing. What is -11 when you know -40 is still ahead. My "dad" and "uncle" when out to the...well actually I dont know where they went, but the came back with my winter's supply of wood, and next week "dad" and I are gonna go buy me some coal. I won't freeze to death, but still I was pampered my first winter.

I wear make-up everyday I teach. It is interesting. In America, I rarely wore make-up, and when I did it was usually just mascara or eyeshadow. But here in Mongolia, ugly women just don't get jobs, or respect, regardless of their qualifications. Oh she is the prettiest, lets hire her. As it is I already feel like I giant beast in comparison to my co-wokers, the majority of whom have the figures of 15 year old girls, and my wardrobe, while nice, is hardly the height of fashion in Mongolia. So an extra 5 minuets in the morning to apply a full face of make-up is worth being able to feel at an even level with teachers, and its professional. I haven't quite gotten to the "I look kinda like a retired street walker" level of make-up application that is prefered by many Mongolian woman, but that is probably a good thing. LOL!

Now the big task for this trip to the city: can I find a pair of winter boots that a) I can afford, b) I can fit into, and c) dont have 3 inch heels?????

The bus is ten miles north on the Duesberry Road...

2008-10-03T13:40:00.000+08:00

...and they're having a LOVELY time!

On the road today coming into UB (a sort of protest if you will, in the hopes that my school will finally winterize my ger after procrastinating for about 2 months), we hit a traffic jam. Do you know what it was? Goats. Yes, I had to wait an extra 10minuets in the Microbus with an unplesently full bladder, so that a bunch of goats could be herded across the little bridge into the city. Then in a little cafe where I stopped to pee and eat some breakfast I ran into one of the Mongolian soldiers who had helped repair our dorms! He bought my breakfast, that was nice. Then when I was next to Peace Corps I ran into one of the teachers from my college back in the Cho. We exchanged news, my hands went numb, she gave me a piece of gum (score!), and then we parted ways. I wonder if one day I will be able to reach my Grandfathers level of acquaintances (he runs into someone he knows EVERYWHERE! Its crazy! LOL!)

Next week starts my English Clubs. In Mongolia, English Clubs are actually just additional English lessons for the good kids who need to be challanged more. I will have a 4-5th grade club where the students will learn English songs and poems...I'm going to have fun with this one! Its cool to see how many kiddy songs and what not I still remember, though if you have a good poem shoot it my way I'm a bit low on those. Then next club is 7-9th grade club (remember we have no 6th grade O_o). This will be half songs half actual lessons. Finally is the 10-11th grade club, in which conversation and pronounciation will be our main goal (but I'll prolly end up teaching them songs too ^_^). In addition to the students I will be starting an Adult Class for the older memebers of the community who want to learn/refresh their English. I'm most excited about this one as I always have fun teaching adults, and I don't have to submit any of the evil lesson plans I sooooo hate. We also kinda maybe have internet at my site now, and I will be teaching internet/computer classes on the weekends...maybe. Its a little confusing now but we'll see!

We just had "Old People's Holiday" (don't be offended thats the litteral translation) on Wednesday. There was a concert, food, drink, more food, more drink, even more drink, and then parting gifts for the Elderly of the town. It was so cool to see people celebrating their elders, all of whom were dressed in there traditional Mongolian outfits and looking so cute and old and weatherd by their countryside lives. Then there was a dance for the younger people, that only lasted about 3 songs because the musician decided he didnt want to play anymore, but that made some people mad and because it was a holiday and most folks had been DRINKING a fight broke out, the broke a speaker, and I think the musician's nose, and it was cancelled.

Its been really cold and I keep dreaming about velicoraptors. Its most disturbing.

Don't Read This (it hilair...but really don't read it)

2008-09-27T13:30:00.000+08:00

The following is a true story. Its not exaggerated as my siblings will be wont to claim. No exaggeration could "improve" on this story. But I warn you now if you've a sensitive mind, ext ream love of dogs, or are one of those individuals who like to ignore the fact the excrement (henceforth refers to as poop) is a natural part of life...PLEASE STOP NOW!!!

Okay, for the rest of you still reading...here goes...

I pooped on a dog.

If this is too much for you honestly stop! It only goes downhill from here...

Having spent the previous evening at a fellow teacher's wedding (and subsequently consuming copious amounts of ariag "fermented mare's milk") its not surprising to say that my insides were a little wonky at school the following day. So it came as no surprise to me that in the middle of teaching my 4th and 5th graders "If Your Happy and You Know It" that my bowels began a horrid attempt at contortion ism. Telling the other teacher, "I'll be right back." I started to make my way outside, only to realize I had no toilet paper. With a pee this would be no problem, I've gotten medals for my drip jiggle technique...but for #2, especially the poop attack I could feel coming...no way! I knock on my School Director's door (its in the same building). But no one was home. Blast. Then from across the hall the door to the bank opens and an old man walks out. I dash into the tiny two room bank and approach the manager at her desk. "Hi, I'm sorry but do you have any toilet paper?" She looks confused and I try again. "Toilet paper, outhouse paper?" "What kind of paper?" Curses! Both the word for toilet and outhouse have the Mongolian "L" a letter I can't pronounce for the life of me no matter how frequently I practice. So I'm standing there panicked, trying to breath deeply and make no sudden, potentially fatal move. Finally, I ask, "Poop paper, do you have any poop paper?" "Oh yes here you go." ......... O_o ..... Grabbing the tp I dask back out of the bank. Had this happened in America I'd have died of mortification and never been able to show my face in the Post Bank again. But in Mongolia...hey, everyone poops, its all good.

So I start to head to my Uncle's house on the other side of the school yard. He has the nicest outhouse in town, and I just have to hop his fence to use it instead of:
A) walking the 10 minuets home
B) using the schoolyard's outhouses...which are terrifyingly full of extra holes, with doors that never stay closed, and boards that seem unable to support my weight.
However, the whole accquisistion of "poop paper" used up my fence hopping time. So with no choice I enter the school's outhouse.

STOP NOW THIS IS WHEN THE WORST OF IT GOES DOWN!!!!

Nature takes is course when suddenly I hear a noise from the putrid pit below. I look down and there is a huge dog down there who walks over and begins to lap up my digested and expelled mare's milk and steamed stomach dumplings. Now what does one do in a situation like this I ask you? I couldn't shoo it away...I had nothing to throw at it...and bowels in motion stay in motion...so I pooped on the dog. And did it move??? NO?!?!?!?!?!?! WTF MATE?!?!?

Shocked, disturbed, yet at the same time finding the situation highly hilarious while trying not to laugh, lose my balance, and join Fido in his poopy lair; I made use of my "poop paper," got up and left.

As I was washing my hands with the help of a student (as there is no running water) I lost it. "That did not just happen," I mutter and laugh, utterly unable to even begin an attempt to explain my laughter to the girl.

But it did happen...I kid you not...kinda wish I was, but its all true.

And that's how I came to poop on a dog.

G-mail is not my friend

2008-09-12T14:46:00.000+08:00

Gmail doesnt work right now....I don't know why, but I can't send emails...I can read them but I cant send them......poop

Life is going most swimmingly in the soum. Classes have been in session for 2 weeks now and after a few 10+ hour days, my schedule has become much more tolerable. I LOVE my little kiddies, they are soooo cute to the max! I have even tought all the 1st 2nd and 3rd graders how to say Hi and Bye-bye so thats how they greet me! It rocks!

At first I was only co-teaching, but then our training manager got sick so the oldest English teacher became training manager, and I took over his 7th and 8th grade classes, so I teach those by myself! YEY! Teaching is rather fun! I like it!

Also right now I have a wonderful part time job of serving as translator for the Hawaiian Army Unit that is currently living in my town and repairing our student dorms! They are a swell bunch of fellows and its nice to have people to speak English with. Also that means that should all building go according to plans we will have running water and SHOWERS!!!!!!!!! And the students will have a warm place to live which I suppose is a good thing too.

They also give me candy, and real coffee, and MRE Milkshakes! Its glorious!

I got really sick for a few days...I think I ate something bad...but I've developed a slight fear of the more "exotic" mongolian foods. And by slight I mean I break into a cold sweat and bolt in the opposite direction. Now I'm pretty much cured of this fear but as I walked in to my familys ger last night, sighted the goats feet waiting for me, I straight up turned around and left. Didn't even say a single word! Now in the city for a few days I will glory in "real" food and resupply on fruits and what not that will hopefully last longer than last time.

I randomly remembered the Goldfish jingle the other day during yet another long teachers meeting. Then I remembered the opposite version I used to sing with the siblings:

I hate the Squidies cuz their so disgusting, gonna go shoping...
I could eat them every night,
But my Dad says, "That's not right!"
I hate the Squidies cuz their so disgusting, gonna go shoping!

I then spent a long time wondering just how we figured that shopping would be roughly equivilant to the opposite of fishing. I don't think I arrived at an answer, but the meeting went very quickly.

It is consolodation day in Mongolia (meaning we all have to go to the nearest city center type place and check in...practice should say China ever invade and we have to evacuate or something), and I have gotten to meet many of the new volunteers. They seem like a rather cool lot, it will be fun meeting new faces.

I'm sure there is more, but I'm hungry and I'm meeting with Shuree later to translate things and celebrate her birthday! So that's all for now!

Go Mongolia! Its your Birthday!

2008-08-15T19:05:00.000+08:00

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

2008-08-14T07:55:00.000+08:00

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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>-/o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>-/o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>-/o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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...

2008-08-11T13:20:00.000+08:00

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....

2008-08-11T12:50:00.000+08:00

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

2008-08-06T09:58:00.000+08:00

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)

my journal entry form 30 May 2008

2008-07-04T13:00:00.000+08:00

Notes on a Meeting with my Bagshnar ("teachers")

The meeting was scheduled to start at 12. It is now 12:40 and we haven't started yet. We were reprimanded with ver fierce tones (at least what I could gather. The only words I could clearly make out were "bad teachers," "failed exams," "if the students are bad, we are bad.") However, this arrangement is quite nice as the body heat keeps me warm and the woman next to me smells better than the dung smoke that flooded my ger this morning. The director has finally arrived.

It is 12:50. Only they can't seem to get the powerpoint working (though this is understandable I suppose as 4 different people have been working on it for 20 minuets. I know what the problem is and how to fix it but I dont exactly know if its my place to interfere.)

ZA!!!! Success at 12:52. The bagshnar are note taking most furiously, copying the slides word for word, as a woman reads the slides aloud. I can't understand a thing other than stray words, so I let my mind wander where it will go. Today is plesently unwindy. Meaning I won't have have a dust coated body upon my return to my ger. Nor will I have to sweep agin when I get home. Its only been 2 times today, and one was because I had trouble with my ash box this morning as I made my dung fire. Dung smells ver nice, almost sweet when it burns. Though every now and then it smells like actual dung. Sweet I understand something!!! They are talking about student enrollment (age 2-6 59% attend kindergarden; age 7-15 76.1% attend school, etc.) Mongolian schools recently made a change and students go to the 11th grade (as of 2006 I believe, maybe). My schools 11th graders have just finished thier finals.. There are about 25 studends in the entire grade. they have gone to school together their whole lives. It is interesting to see what a tight knit group it has make them into. I can not relate to this in the slightest. The man next to me has VERY shiny shoes. They are G-Man brand shoes. I have never heard of this brand. I wonder how he manages to keep them so clean when we live in a literal dust bowl. Some students visited my ger and looked at my photo album. My siblings and I were "kuukultai" children. This means doll. I think its a Russian word. The presenters foundation is about 3 shades paler than her actual skin. She could be the mother of the Mongolian Addams Family.

It is 1:15.

It is 1:20 and I've lost feeling in my butt buy have become painfully aware that all I've had to eat today was a small muffin at 8 o'clock this morning.

1:25 - a teacher enters. For a moment I hope she is here to anounce a break out of plague (I suppose something less severe would work as well) and that we must leave in a calm and orderly fashion. Alas, she is merely late for this mindnumbing meeting/presentation thing.

1:27 - the woman on the bench next to me just farted. I felt a little vibration but thankfully it doesnt smell. No one is disturbed by this gastral explulsion. She doesnt say "excuse me." Flatulance is a natural part of life here and there are no norms that make it in anyway taboo. Oh wait I was wrong, the smell was only delayed. I hade a laugh in an awkward cough. The accountant gives me a strange look and smiles his jack-o-lantern smile back at me when I flash him a toothy grin.

1:38. Powerpoint problems once again. The presenter doesn't stop her speech as 2 teachers fiddle with it and argue in barely hushed tones. I suddenly regret the cup of milk tea I drank right before the meeting as I now need to pee something fierce.

1:42-need to pee has passes. Am wondering exactly what shade of blue the desks are and shat they taste like. I think my brain is being invaded by something...my stomach...yeah thats probably it.

1:45 - computer has gone crazier than me and I think tha... OH SWEET POTATOE PIE SHE HAS FINISHED!!! IM FREE!!!

1:46 - my rejoicing came too soon...there is a second presenter. i think my inner child is being smothered to death with a dusty rag that smells of sheep stomach stew.

1:53 - I notice a sign on the wall. More of a poster really. About conversions. 10mm=1cm, 1kg=1000g, 1 year=360 days, 1cubicmeter= WAIT!?!?!?!? 360 DAYs???!?!?! What happened to the other 5 days? What about leap year? Giddy Gods trousers, I've entered into an alternate plane of existance. Maybe these missing 5 days are spent in meetings like this one... I feel the start of a panic attack coming on.

2:10 - A man comes in and takes pictures. The flash draws me in from my daydreaming. I was on a train with Bob Dylan singing the Quarter Rap. I could go for Polly and Pete's Pizza Delight.

2:13 - Another teacher arrives late. How I envy this brown wrinkled little old mongolian man, not only because he hasn't been sitting here for 2+ hours but he has a really cool hat too.

2:21 - they showed pictures of an "American" Elementary classroom, at which point everyone looked at me. I smiled as if to say, "yes, this is what I grew up with!" However, it didnt really resemble any elementary class I've ever learned in. If I had any will left I might feel a bit of shame at this white lie...as it is I just want to go to an outhouse ASAP.

2:30 - we are finally done. I'm so happy. Now to pee!

2:45 - just kidding we are still here...never want to sit again

2:53 I'm standing. It's over. Man alive does it feel good!

Look at what I can do Ma!

2008-07-04T12:29:00.000+08:00

I now know how to disect a sheep/goat, clean its stomach/intestines, and then cook said innards. This is not only from observing it multiple times the past month, but also because I have personally done it as I was the only woman around when my brothers were preparing the sheep and the cleaning is a womans job.

It was hilarious as the 3 of us had no real clue what we were doing, but it was a lot of fun (even if my hands are still a bit green from emptying the grassy filling of the sheep's still warm stomach)!

It frightens me that I find stomach rather delicious now. My favorite has got to be bits of liver chopped up with onions and stuffed into the intestine with some blood, tied up and boiled. It tastes really good. Also sheep brains taste like Stoffers Oven Macaroni and Cheese minus the cheese. Wierd but good.

I've become addicted to the Mongolian Soap Opera "Cariin Nulmus" (Moon Tears). Its soooooo good.

I miss English and showers, but living in a ger is sooo fun and my new "family" is full of brothers to play B-ball and cards with so I'm happy.

Care Packages

2008-07-04T12:00:00.000+08:00

As it is summer, and as there were many gracious contributions last year, my school supplies are most excellent. (Especially the kids books, Thanks again G&G they are a great teaching aide!) So my list of what I should need/want has once again changed.

Before I get to the new list, I must explain that I have been adopted by the family that shares the compound with me. They feed me, get my water, help me with my ger, and have completely accepted me as one of their own. As I am now "family" it would be a bit of an insult for me to pay them for the meals I eat and such, so I would like to share my care package goods with them in thanks for all they do.

So here is the new list:
"American" food I can prepare for them
Powdered drink mixes!!!!!!!
Candy (hersey kisses, tootsie rolls, etc.)
Balloons (per request from my 2 little sisters)
A basketball (per request my brothers...dont know how this would work but we have an airpump so maybe a deflated one???)
"Real Fat" Cigars (per request my older bro and grandpa, they dont have cigars in mongolia)
A Nerf Vortex football (per request ME!)

Other than that...letters and pictures from home are the best! Random surprises are also great.

To thee of the modern communications...

2008-07-04T11:50:00.000+08:00

I live on the other side of the world, in a rural community, no internet, horrible cell phone service...

Once a month a get to come into the city to resupply and use the internet...

Please don't worry if you don't hear from me for an extended period of time...

I am safe and happy, just a bit cut off from the modern world.

This being said, I still love hearing from everyone via e-mail or snail mail, especially as I am now the only forigen person in my town of less than 2000.

Please continue to write. I will blog when I'm in the city as a general response to everyone, and e-mail to answer specific questions.

Be patient. You are all in my thoughts.

P.S. Micah I LOVE the cds!!!! I'm listening to them now!!! Thx again!

My Address (in Mongolian and English)

2008-07-04T11:47:00.000+08:00

Τoв аймгийн
Алтанбулаг сумын
Дунд сургуулийн
Aнгли хэлний багш
Касандра Вайнэр
ΜΟНГОЛ УЛС

Cassandra Weiner
English Teacher
Secondary School
Altanbulag Sum
Tow Aimag
MONGOLIA

im alive

2008-06-18T14:38:00.000+08:00

mass hi to all

i only have 5 minuets before my ride leaves

no internet at my site...in for medical but on a tight schedule

i love it...i live in a felt tent...it is very dusty

hope gregory had a nice graduation

grandma and grandpa i got your packages thank you so much

mom and dad i finally got the thanksgiving and easter cards!!!

my new address is

Cassandra Weiner, PCV
Altanbulag Secondary School
Altanbulag Soum
Tow Aimag
Mongolia

will write the mongolian address when i have time next month

talk to you all then!!!!!!!!!!

my phone is still 95742380 but i dont really get service at my site

love you all...love my new site...everything is great!!!!!!! more next month i promise

I sat on a rug...

2008-05-21T14:54:00.000+08:00

Biding my time till Friday comes and I will move to my new site.

The town is apparently tiny. I will be living in a ger (Mongolian felt tent). There are also horses in my compound that I share with a fellow English teacher and her family.

My school is soooo excited to have me I can't wait to meet them.

They had a Peace Corps volunteer there about 6 or 7 years ago. Let's hope this person hasn't been glorified...but I think this will be really good.

Moving Day

2008-05-17T12:30:00.000+08:00

Hey All!!!!

So I will be moving from the Cho. Don't worry everything is okay, and as much as I will miss my school and all the friends I have made, I am very excited to get to work with younger folks and meeting more new people. (Guess I'm still a nomadic Navy Brat at heart ^_~)

So please don't send anything to my old address as it won't get to me. I don't have my new address yet, but as I will most likely be at my new site this week I should have it soon.

I will be moving to a small town called Altanbulag ("Golden-Fountain") that is just about one hour SW from the capital city!

Okay!!! That is all for now and I will update my address as soon as I know it!

why won't this song leave my head

2008-05-02T03:12:00.000+08:00

Munkhbat ft. Lhagvaa "Az Jargaltai Tugsgul"

Munkhbat = Eternal Strength
Lhagvaa = Wednesday
"Az Jargaltai Tugsgul" ~~ Luck-with Tugsgul???
(yeah couldn't find that word O_o)

Dear Prudence

2008-03-25T11:19:00.000+08:00

The sun is up, the sky is blue, its beautiful, and so are you, Dear Choibi, I wanna go out and play!

Spring is here in the good ole Cho and I personally am loving it!!!!! Its wonderful outside, no more need for heavy coats or long johns (it still snows every week or so but other that that its great!)

Many claim that spring is the most difficult season in Mongolia due to the wind. Personally I love the wind. The fact that it blows up all the sand corroding away your flesh and making you dirty as one of the street children isn't all that enjoyable, but hey life's not perfect.

My job is going swimmingly! I am teaching a "Business English for Accountants" class at the moment and as the level of my students (the majority of whom are older than me by the way) is far from advanced, I'm not having any problems. Unless you consider the fact that they never do homework, or pay attention, or have sporadic attendance...but really other than that is heavenly. I also heard the most glorious words come from my teachers mouths during our last lesson!!!!!

"We don't want to learn grammar, just vocabulary and phrases."

I nearly up and died it was soooo glorious. Our normal 1 hour lesson turned into a 3 hour one as I taught time phrases ("back in the day" "two weeks from now" "in two shakes of a lamb's tail") ... this was also when it was brought to my attention that I say the word "just" almost constantly O_o. But I was somehow able to explain the various time and meanings of the word with ease!!!!

I've also made friends with the jijuur (sort of a jack of all trades stairwell cleaner) and her family that literally live under the stairwell in my apartment building. There is the mother, her three little boys, and sometimes the father....and they all share a space that would make Harry Potter's under the stairs room look like a swanky pad.

I tripped over a skull on my way to school the other day and it didn't disturb me in the slightest. The severed sheep legs with their fur still on them in the road the other day threw me off a bit.

Sunday was Easter but I forgot. Maybe I will by an egg and eat it later in memory of the holiday. Though I did get to eat many a glorious Cadbury Creme Egg (my all time fav candy, which is only seasonal or I would be insanely obese by now) thanks to my wicked awesome Grandparents...

Za...well that is it for now. I know I'm most lazy with posting these things but if there is any specific topic you would like to hear about let me know and I will totally post about it ^_^!

Later Days!

Cloverfield

2008-02-27T18:16:00.000+08:00

Yesterday I found myself in a real movie theator, eating real popcorn, drinking an orange soad, and watching a movie in English...........utterly surreal, UB is a whole different world!

The Movie was called Cloverfield and was actually quite enjoyable, you should check it out. It was totally worth the 2,000 tugrigs it cost to get in!!!

Cloverfield

Stupid Groundhog

2008-02-21T16:14:00.000+08:00

So its snowing again....our heat streak must be over :::tear:::

Also since people seem to insist on sending me things (its perpetually christmas for me!) I've decided to update my list of things that I need since I suddenly find myself with enough lady products to last my whole two years here ^_~

Nerf Screaming Vortex (or other light weight durable outside sporty equiptment)
Stickers
Children's Books
American Candy
Pictures of Yourself or America
No-Bake Cheesecakes (or things of a similar nature)
Kool-Aid
Flying Monkeys to do my ~~evil~~ wonderfully productive bidding
and of course the randomosity factor is always delightful!

now off to treck through the light snow and do some work O_o

"I'd rather eat sheep back thanks"

2008-02-18T08:48:00.000+08:00

I realize that it has been a while since I blogged, and Tsagaan Sar has come and gone….and well its Mongolia’s biggest holiday so I should write about it…….however, Sarah has the pictures, and really I need to pictures to convey the entirety of what my Lunar New Year holiday was like.

So with that in mind, please be patient (or check out my site mates Jim and Julie’s blog: http://moultonsinmongolia.blogspot.com/2008/02/my-friend-sarantuyas-family.html ) and I feel I must discuss a most disturbing discovery about Mongolians.

Now every culture has its peculiarities, Mongolian included. At times they have an over fondness for glitter and vodka. At times they have an inexplicable disgust for veggies and the Chinese. All this and more, yet it is part of what makes Mongolians the culture of people I have grown to know and love. However, I have just learned a fact about Mongolians that is simply unforgivable (parents you may want to hide your children for this one)…

THEY DON’T LIKE POP-TARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Due to a most awesome package sent to me by my Grandparents, I once again was able to rediscover the glory that is a Kellogg Pop-Tart. In pursuing the 2 goal of Peace Corps (to spread American culture) I decided to share this glory with some Mongolian friends…only to discover that not only did they not like the processed pastry goodness, but as the one said, “If I eat this I will throw up.” I informed him we could no longer be friends, and well I doubt he realizes I was serious.

When my friends left I went into a corner, cradling the remaining Pop-Tarts and cooing to them that “don’t worry my little friends, everything will be all right, Cassandra still loves you!” Then I broke down and cried like a baby fresh from the womb. But then the light at the end of the tunnel (or at the head of the cave as the saying goes in Mongolian) appeared. I would no longer feel obligated to share my Pop-Tarts with the unappreciative! I could, in time, consume all 8 of the beauties myself! I cackled in palletorical delight and hid the box behind my books (another glorious part of the package G&G sent!).

On the upside, its getting warmer! In the -10s C!!!! This means that not only can I stop wearing long johns, but that I can also go outside and not risk frostbite of the face!!! This in turn means that I can escape the solitude and sub sequential cabin fever solitary apartment life has instilled in me!!! And this in turn means I will probably stop talking to Pop-Tarts….maybe….

We Can Dance If We Want To

2008-02-03T14:55:00.000+08:00

Okay so check this....Mongolia has this holiday right....Teacher's Holiday! I randomly got people wishing me happy holidays and congratulations and giving me presents! The best was given to me by my very best Mongolian Friend Shuree: A book all about the Beatles.....in Mongolian!!!!!! What better way to improve my language skills and further my obsession!

To celebrate this momentous occasion we went to a B Productions Concert that featured the hottest young singers in Mongolia including the former member of Carmand, the one, the only, BOLD!!!!! It was an awesome concert, and only 3,000 tugrigs (though I was given the ticket as a gift!) In UB a show like this would put you back around 10,000 tugs! The only problem, these singers performed the most excellent dance music, but no one danced or even really moved for that matter! I mean they could have at least thrown a little head bob or two in their...ever interesting Mongolia.

Also, Tsagaan Sar ("White Month" aka Mongolian Lunar New Year) is fast approaching and I am sooo excited. This is a time to eat buuz, drink arig, get socks, and wear a del! Im uber excited

I've only partially frozen to death ^_~

2008-01-31T16:20:00.000+08:00

Life has been crazy hectic of late and thus I have been unable to keep you all up to date on the fascinating tales of my Mongolian misadventures. But as my classroom computer’s internet finally works I’ve decided to fill you in! So here are the top 5 most important things that have happened to me since my last update.

1.I got rid of my cat. I was simply to busy with life to really care for the annoying beast, and there was a VSO Volunteer who really wanted her, and is far more qualified to be a cat caretaker as her daughter owns a Cattery. (Yes, I too was surprised by the fact that such things as a Cattery exist, but they are British, so maybe the driving on the other side of the road and spelling “colour” wrong has something to do with it ^_~). Also Omkhee is now called Phoebe (still keeping the whole smelly cat theme going). To be honest though, I’ve already forgotten what cat life was like, and don’t really miss it.

2.I visited the lovely Jasmine out in Choibalsan Soum and got to stay in her luxury ger. There I chopped coal, hauled water from the well, made fire with DUNG!!!!!!!!! (I have to say that burning dung smells surprisingly nice), and was briefly stalked by a local Mongolian boy. Another highlight was the 2 hour Porigon (a Russian truck roughly the size of a bloated VW Van) ride in which there were 25 people and 1 baby riding all together. Ups: body heat and 2 of the people were young girls. Downs: both of those girls were sitting on my left leg, and I was by the window so only half of me had the body heat. All in all it was a most excellent 2.27 days!

3.Winter Break! Yes folks that’s right it is winter break here at Shatalsan College and you know what that means???? I’M FREE AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHahah…..wait, what was that? Oh break for students NOT teachers. Okay then :::goes to corner and cries::: At least I get to party a bit for Teacher’s Day Holiday (after a conference of course) O_o

4.
Conferences. Yes that’s right I get to spend my “Winter Break” attending Mongolian teaching conferences, that are all in rapid Mongolian. Thus far I have learned about Mongolian blood types, utilizing technology into physical education classes, and something that was about forming clubs for students or using them as slave labor. Though I’m really excited for next Monday’s conference about Mongolian Pension and Retirement plans!!!! Now that’s something I’ve always been curious about, I’ll be sure to take notes and tell you all about it!

5.
I got to ride in a Mongolian Ambulance! Not only that I got to miss a conference while I was at the hospital. The only thing that ruined this otherwise exciting experience was the fact that I was between my battered Mongolian best friend and her abusive boyfriend…oh yeah and the fact that I had to see him beat her. Though it felt good to stand in between the two of them and tell him in comprehensible Mongolian that if he wanted to hit her again he would have to go through me first. She is leaving him, and I have the hope that it will be a successful separation.

So this is all for now….Tsagaan Sar (“White Month” aka Mongolian Lunar New Year) is coming up next week, so I will be sure to tell you all about it and hopefully have pictures!

My Babies!

2008-01-06T16:55:00.000+08:00

This is MY class:
Battushig, Me, Uguurmur, Orkhon
Uyanga, Uyangtuya, Olzi, Me, Erdentsetseg
Borlgilma
My Waiters Class

"Last Christmas and Merry, HO HO!"

2007-12-25T07:43:00.000+08:00

CHRISTMAS BAYAR MENDE XURGI!

Its hard to believe that it is really and truly Christmas as I sit here in the PC office at 7am having spent all night on a train after a most hectically interesting 2 weeks ... confused? Well lets take a little trip back to yesteryear.....

Saturday 15-
Meet up with all my fellow M18 volunteers and our Mongolian Counterparts (CPs) at the PC Office and caught a bus to Terelge, the ger camp where our IST was held...had a few training sessions...caught up with old friends...tripped and sat on the ger stove (thank goodness for thick jeans and long johns or my butt would be fried) 2nd degree burning my arm on the stove pipe...huddle shivering under blankets next to Dwan, attempting to keep warm in sub-zero temperatures

Sunday 16-
Woke up late and got "toast" (aka bread that may once have layed on a stove for 2.6 seconds) for breakfast, it seems as if most people have forgotten the sitting on the stove incident, until they see my arm. Have around 10 hours of training sessions...took my Language Proficiency Interview...died from the stress of it...came back to life to watch Indian Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark with my CP and remembered why I was in love with Harrison Ford as a child...hung out with my Sukhbaatar boys and helped Fahd to win big at poker

Monday 17-
Woke up late, again, had "toast", again, and had about 10 hours of sessions, again...realized that it takes 2 days for burns to really start to hurt...took a hot shower!!!!...hung out with my CP for a while...wandered around to the various gers attempting to find people to hang out with, but kept walking into awkward situations...accidentally walked into the Trainers poker game, stuttered confusedly, blinked 7.9 times, turned and left...decided to call it a night, went to my frigidly cold home for the week, and gossiped with the girls for a bit...had a random 10 minuet freak out during which I said "I have 2 brains and the little one is eating the big one" and also "Why am I such a young, stupid, white girl?"...that passed and we all laughed about it and went to sleep together in the big bed in an attempt to keep warm...it worked!

Tuesday 18-
Woke up not late only to realize that breakfast only included "toast" and slabs of fat that were trying their best to be bacon...10ish hours of sessions...Talent Show!!!!!! I helped in 2 skits, one on the proper method of cuddling to keep warm in winter, the other called A Day in the Life...of Sarah (wonder who came up with that idea hmmm ^_~)...was once again amazed by how talented Mongolians are...DANCE PARTY! and Video Games...back to the ger for some 13 (this awesome card game I play with my SB boys) and major winnings on my part...hung out with some of the CPs for a bit...stole Yoomie's sleeping bag and slept warmly

Wednesday 19-
woke up late and didn't even bother with breakfast...the CPs left...10ish hours of sessions...Kim's Bachlorette Party!!! which included a horrifyingly hilarious parody of a striptease by James, Chris, and Kevin...escaped the massive gathering of women to go play cards with the guys (and take more of their money!!!)...stole Fahd's bed as the party was still going on at my place and was warm thanks to Sharsons amazing fire making abilities!

Thursday 20-
Woke up late (surprise, surprise)...learned that sessions were cut short!!!!!...took too long to pack and was the last one on the bus...drove back to UB...checked into the guesthouse...had amazing Indian food...went to sleep early

Friday 21-
Decided that since I had a few free days I would go up to Sukhbaatar (SB) to visit the Mongolian Family...caught a car to Darkhan with Jacob, Fahd, Dwan, Peter, Jason, and Robin...3ish hours in a speeding car (horrify on Mongolian roads)...in Darkhan caught a meeker (van type thing) to SB...2ish hours later...Jacob, Peter, Dwan, and I visited our families, ate ALOT of food, drank ALOT of suutai tsai ("milk tea") and airg ("vodka" true Mongolian style)...crashed at Jacob's families house

Saturday 22-
work up earlyish...Jacob, Peter, Fahd, and I took a hike in the SB mountains...went to Jason's families house to hang out with the SB city folk and our Mongolian teachers...went back to Heraldo to hang out with our teachers there...realized that I don't know nearly enough Mongolian songs

Sunday 23-
woke up and had breakfast with Jacob's family...visited with Charlene's family...decided to skip the walk to the river to help teach my family how to use the computer they got...went to the store with the family to get marogen ("ice cream") as was our tradition...said our goodbyes...Jacob, Peter, and I caught a late night meeker back to Darkhan...took a hot shower at Peter's place...watched the end of Small Soldiers on his cable tv...feel asleep warm and comfortable

Monday 24-
was awoken at 7am by, wait, could this be real, am I dreaming, that's right it was Jacob watching, LIVE FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!! and a Patriots game too!(sorry Miami)...exhaustion took over and I fell back asleep...got up later, ran some errands for Cady (Peter's wife who was making us Christmas dinner)...chilled with my dvv ("little sister") who is studying in Darkhan...then went back to Peter and Cady's to have amazingly delicious Christmas dinner with the two of them, Yoomie, Dylan, Jess, Kevin, and Jacob...caught the 12:40am train to UB with Jacob

Tuesday 25-
was awoken upon arrival at UB...caught a taxi to the PC office...and here I am now...maybe I will go watch Rush Hour 3 later, or go for sushi with Sharson and Fahd...don't quite know...but tomorrow morning my plane leaves boku early...Merry Christmas!

Bright Lights Big City

2007-12-11T14:42:00.000+08:00

I'm writing to you all from the Peace Corps office in Ulaanbaatar!!!! I will have 4 wonderful zawtai ("free") days until our In Service Training (IST) Conference at a nearby Ger Camp! I am staying with Shuree's brother's Mother-in-Law, so I save money because I don't have to pay for a room at the guest house, and I also get free delicious Mongolian food! (I offered to pay but she told me "You are like my daughter, now eat another piece of candy." ... I love Mongolians). Also, she has a real live photograph of her granddaughter with Steven Segal. It was so wierd looking through her album. "This is my son by the camel. This is our car in the desert. This is my classmates at the river. This is Steven Segal. This is from Naadam." Totally blew my mind!

My upper respiratory system is entirely healthy, hooray antibiotics! I have just gotten my very first flu shot ever O_o. I will be getting more booster shots next week. I also have Costalcondolitis which means that the cartilage connecting my ribs and my sternum is inflamed making things like moving and breathing very painful. Unfortunately nothing can really be done to "cure" it except wait, but I am taking a mild anti-inflammatory for the pain. Hopefully I will be all better by next week. This being sick/in pain thing is getting old ^_~.

I'm excited about IST and getting to see all my fellow M18s again! There is totally a heated, indoor pool in the place where we will be staying!!!!!! Maybe if I win enough money from Jacob, Fahd, and Chris in our 13 (a card game) tournament, I will be able to afford to go swimming (though I don't have a suit, oh well I can work it out some how).

UB is a real city. I miss little Cho, and my apartment, and my students, and my Mongolian friends. I'm glad to have a break, but it will be nice to go back when the time comes!

Older Students are Fun

2007-12-04T13:44:00.000+08:00

I am soooo hungry. This is probably due to the fact that all I have really eaten in the past 3 days is bread, butter, and xiam. You see it has been most snowy and when it takes 10 minuets to get dressed, another 10 to go to the store (20 if I want to go to the market), then I buy food and walk another 10 (or 20) home … and then it takes an hour to cook the food… and I’ve just been far too lazy of late, not to mention busy.

In addition to my teaching at school I am volunteering to help this amazing Mongolian woman, Shuree. She is a teacher for the Global Leadership Foundation, and is one of my best friends here. Here English is better than mine! She is teaching a class to the engineers at the local Power Station, and I agreed to teach the speaking class. It’s a once a week deal, and is tons of fun. All the Power Station workers are older than me of course, and very excited to be learning English. This week after class they took me out for a drink and pig tongue (its very delicious, you should try it some time). It was sooo fun getting to talk mostly in Mongolian, with random English thrown in (because they are still at the beginners level). They sang Mongolian songs, I sang English songs, and it was funny because Togtox (a 37 year old mechanical engineer) kept calling me Bagshaa (“teacher”) and I kept telling him Ugui, odoo bi bagsh bish. Bi zugair Cass, tanii naiz! (“No, now I’m not a teacher. I’m just your friend Cass!”) The others found this hilarious.

In other news I go to UB in about 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait to see everyone again!!!!!!!!

yes i am alive

2007-11-27T16:17:00.000+08:00

So I have been sick...again. I'm not talking about the Ferris Buller kind of sick where you somehow convince your mother to let you stay home from school. Then you spend the day watching Gargoyles and wondering just why Lexington's wings were different from the rest and eating Pop-Tarts (man I miss Pop-Tarts). No, I'm talking about the kind of sick where all you want to do is die but you can't even do that because Death won't come near you for fear of catching what you have. But then the antibiotics finally kicked in and I can do stuff again, like breath, and eat. Its awesome!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is part of Sarah (S) and My (C) radio show from this week (we dedicated the show to My Dad because it was his birthday, and to 50 Cent because we knew how to talk about him in Mongolian!) ZA!

S: Bagshnar babes.
C: Wake up with the king. (*note* we always follow our name with a random slogan)
S: What the hell?
C: You know, the king. The burger king king? It’s their slogan. “Wake up with the king.”
S: ohhh, okay cass. I get it.
C: Although I friggin hate the Burger King King.
S: Why?
C: Because he’s so freaky. I mean okay what would you do if, I mean like, okay... first of all people wake up and he’s in their bed. And then he gives them a crossaintwich and then it’s cool. There’s nothing cool about that.
S: I don’t like crossaintwiches. But if he just gave me a croissant, I would take it. Like a chocolate croissant? Oh man.
C: First of all, how can you not like croissantwiches, that’s just wrong, on so many levels. Second of all, if I woke up next to the King, I would scream, grab my beast of a flashlight and beat the burger out of him. And if he offered me a stupid breakfast sandwich, I’m not eating that. No matter how good that smells.
S: But I really like chocolate croissants.
C: Sarah, you’re the kind of person that gets killed first in horror films. But chocolate croissants are good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanksgiving was baixgvi in the Cho. I won some money in a teachers sports competition and went out to eat with my teachers.

Yesterday was Mongolian Revolutionary (Independence) Holiday. I went out to the club with Sarah and her school's teachers. I love dancing in Mongolia! I get to be cool by default. On the way home I managed to slam my face into a bar and have a lovely bruise on the bridge of my nose, but it is not broken. I suppose that I will fall down an open man hole next!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I own exactly 26 pairs of underware, all of which I washed yesterday. It took 2 hours. O_o I've got blisters on me fingers!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is still ~~cold~~ ~~frigid~~ ~~freezing~~ ~~arctic~~ piercingly polar

-13°C makes you think funny

2007-11-27T15:50:00.000+08:00

Ones language and manner of speaking perpetually evolve. New words are added to our lexicon, a regional relocation may adjust an accent, we assimilate the speaking mannerisms of those with who with constantly associate, and our general perception of our surroundings effects how we convey our thoughts. Its like David Eddings wrote, “Words are the essence of thought, without words there is no thought.” Being my anthropologically minded self, its only natural that I would have an interest in linguistics. I’m now finding myself applying my academic knowledge to the real world as it assists me in learning Mongolian and teaching English. It’s utterly fascinating! However, the most intriguing thing for me has been the greater understanding and analysis of my own personal Cassandrized English.

Imagine living in a setting were your every word was scrutinized with the utmost caution. Slang cannot be utilized as it is a moot point (isn’t taught, isn’t needed). Your rate of delivery must be studied and deliberate. Enunciation is a must. Vocabulary is specific (and British O_o). Writing must also be immaculate. Signs such as #, &, @, simply cannot be used. SPELLING! (Again the British method is preferred). Anything you write, anything you say will be memorized verbatim.
“Teacher, what is divter in English?”
“Uuum…notebook.”
“Za, umnotebook.”
“No, no, no, just notebook.”
“Oo, za. Jusnotebook.”
“Bish, bish. Divter anglar notebook baidag.”
“OK, notebook?”
“YES! Very good, ikh sain!” :::dies:::

As I child I used to use the interjection “um” continuously, until my father got tired of it and told me I would have to give him a quarter for every “um” uttered. I can’t recall if he ever collected, but the “um” stage of my life was over. The timing worked out nicely as we moved to southern California, and I was now in that awkward preteen stage. “Like” was so totally the new “um!” The “like” stage of my life was extensive, and monstrous. I was unaware that I even used the word; let alone how frequently I used it. Again my father intervened, yelling at me, in the middle of some story or tirade of mine, about how he couldn’t stand it, I sounded like an idiot and used “like” almost every other word. I was a junior in HS. It was then that I realized “I like truly did like sound like a ditz.” 6 or so years later, while like has not been completely eradicated (and may never be for those of us 90s generational youth), it is vastly diminished. For the first time in my life my speech actually reflects the fact that I have some intelligence. (Though some would complain that I am to verbose and put on Hermione-esq know-it-all airs :::coughMeredithcough::: ^_~). However, “so” has become my new interjection word of choice in the English classroom. I don’t know why. I don’t know how. But I finally looked up the Mongolian word for “interjection” just to explain that it is unnecessary to repeat my “so.”

The Cho also boasts a varied international community thanks to the European VSO volunteers. This has also been a most depressing blow to my English, as apparently I have an accent, and a moderately confusing one at that (if I am talking in my normal conversational manner, when in official or foreigner mode, I’m completely comprehensible, thank goodness!). I can only assume my “strange” accent is a piecemeal adulteration of the various regions I’ve lived in over the years. I pronounce the words “killed” and “kilt” the same. Words with a long “O” (or is it a short “O”…I’ve forgotten) are also pronounced oddly. Vocabulary such as “wicked” (very/cool), “cream rinse” (conditioner), “dude” (if you don’t know what that means, stop reading this blog, leave the cave you have been living in and go watch Dude, Where’s My Car…you will be okay), also throws people off. I’ve now added various Mongolian words that I will unconsciously sprinkle into conversation, not an issue now as everyone here who speaks English knows these words. But upon my return to the States…yanna! Who knows how altered my personal version will have become.

Also, I finally understand what Mongolians are saying out in the streets as they go about their lives......the same things Americans say when they are going about their lives. The talk about work, what they are going to buy, whats new with their families, which resturant makes the best buuz. I feel cheated somehow, not that I was expecting to discover the meaning of life but still..."hey stop, lets take a taxi its too cold to walk.".......turns out Mongolia and American aren't that compleately different after all.

Transcript from our First Show

2007-11-18T13:12:00.000+08:00

Theme song – Wild Honey Pie
Bagshnar babes, bringing you love from America.
Sarah: Sain baitsganuu! Dornodchuudaa
Cass: Tiim, sain baitsganuu
S: Namaig Sarah gedeg
C: Minii ner Cass.
S: Tegeed
C: Bid ner
S & C: Bagshnar Babes!
Aw!
Tiim shdee.
S & C:Welcome to Bagshnar Babes English Hour
C: Yagaad Bagshnar?
S: Yagaad gevel bid hoer Enkhtaivnii korpusiin Angli helnii bagsh.
C: Yagaad Babes?
S: Babe bol angli ug. Babe bol “hip hop” ug. Babe bol mongoloor hoorhon ineedtei busgui gesen ug.
C: Yagaad gevel bid hoer yamar hoorhon yum be!
S: Za, saikhan amarts gan uu, I am Sarah Gustafson. u can call me Saraa! I am 24 years old. I come from California in America. Hollywood! I like to dance. Bi soliotai bujiglih durtai. My favorite places are Vostok Club, Winners Café, and the Dornod Boohing Orgoo. My favorite radio station is zuuun hoerig fm!
(Bi ch bas!)
C: What’s up Choibalsan? My name is Cassandra Elizabeth Weiner. But please call me Cass. I am 22 years old. I also like to dance. I come from Virginia Beach in America. I have nice teeth. And I like fruit. Bi bukh jimsend durtai, gevch bananand durgui, yagaad gevel banan sarmugchini huns.
Sarah: Today we will play our favorite English
C: (and Mongolian!)
S: songs. Onoodor bid ner manai hamgin durtai Angli helnii
C: (bas Mongol helnii!)
S: duu toglono. Za yu! Ehleed Cass. What is your favorite English song?
C: My favorite song is Baby Got Back
S: Who sings it?
C: Sir Mix-A-Lot
S: What kind of song?
C: It is a hip-hop song! Sir Mix-a-lot bol neg zaluu eregtei. Ter tom bokstei emegteichuudend hairtai. Here it is Dornod… sir mix a lot’s Baby Got Back.
(play song)
(Sarah: Bagshnar Babes? Cass: “The sound of vitality”)
C: So, Sarah. What is your favorite song?
S: My favorite song is called Bongo Bong. It’s about a monkey who plays the drums. Ter duu Neg sarmugchinii tuhai. ter sarmugchin bombor toglodog.
C: Sarmucghin bombor toglodog?
S: Tiim… hoodooni sarmugchin baisan, olon naiztai baisan. gevch hot ruu nuuj irsen. odoo naiz baikhgui, tegeed hugzhim gantsaaraa togloh durtai.
C: Here we go dornodchuudaa. Manu Chao’s Bongo Bong!
Play song
Cass: Bagshnar babes? Sarah: Taste the rainbow.
C: So Sarah, how is Mongolia?
Sarah: Mongolia is very beautiful.
Cass: Harin tiim!
Sarah: And Mongolian people?
Cass: They are very nice.
Sarah: How about Mongolian men?
Cass: Ohhhh they are very handsome.
Sarah: Yag tiim! I like bx, I think he’s very handsome, ih saikhan hun.
Cass: I met him this summer!
Sarah: Tiim uu
C: Tiim
S: Bx uu?
C: Tiim
S: Ene zuun uu?
C: Tiiim
S: Chi yu?!
C: Tiim
S: Yak shdee!
C: Unen. Ene zuun bx taniltsan. kontsert deer. He was very nice. He was an awesome singer.
S: What about flash?
C: I like Baba. He is good at hip hop singing. He’s a great rapper.
S: But what about Miigaa? he is so romantic!
C: Migaa is cute.
S: Oh there are just too many cool Mongolian stars. How can you choose?
C: Easy. Let’s just choose our five favorite stars.
S: Ah za, 5 eregtei odod duu sonsoh hoshin shog uzeh hamgin durtai.
C: Ter hen be?
S: BX, Baba, Migaa, Javkhlan, Bayarmagnai.
Cass: Number 1. BX. (sound bite -> then fade)
Sarah: Why? Bx?
Cass: Because he is an awesome dancer. I like how he always wears a white suit and a white hat. It’s very handsome. Do you know Justin timberlake?
Sarah: Of course. Duuh!
Cass: Well, BX is the Justin Timberlake of Mongolia.
Sarah: BX shig Justin Timberlake. ashgui, ashgui.
Cass: And, BX has nice teeth.
Sarah: BX goe shudtei yuu?
Cass: Tiim
Sarah: Okay, Number 2: Baba.
Cass: So why baba.
Sarah: Everyone knows Baba. He does the hip hop singing in Flash. Baba ugeldeg. He has a wonderful, low, voice.
Cass: low voice?
Sarah: Baba’s real name is Bilguun. He was born on January 25, 1987. Baba likes to play basketball.
Cass: Okay, number 3. Migaa from Flash.
Sarah: Oh! Why Migaa?
Cass: Because he reminds me of my little brother. He is the same age. They are both 17 years old. They both like football and music. And they are both smart.
Sarah: Really?
Cass: Yes. Now Migaa is studying in Korea. He left Flash to study in Korea.
Sarah: Didn’t he leave his girlfriend too?
Cass: Yes, now he has no girlfriend. Harin zugeer. Bi ch bas. Nadad naiz zaluu baikhgui.
Sarah: Migaa is cute. But Migaa is very young. He was born on January 15, 1990. I like Javkhlan.
(play Hairiin gegeen boroo sound bite)
Cass: 4. Javkhlan. Why?
Sarah: Oh… Javkhlan is the most famous singer in Mongolia. He comes from Uvs aimag. In 2005, Javkhlan recorded a disc. The disc had many popular songs. Mongolia gave Javkhlan the Golden Rose Award in 2005.
Cass: Altni sarnai shagnal uu?
Sarah: Tiim. Some of Javkhlan’s songs are: Hairiin Gegeen boroo (sing), Setgelees ersen hair (sing), and Minii naiz.
Cass: Ooh! Yes, I know Javkhlan. What does he look like?
Sarah: Javhklan is tall with dark hair. He has nice eyes and a great smile. Javkhlan likes to wear fashionable and colorful clothes.
Cass: Wait. Is he married?
Sarah: No… he’s single. Javkhlan doesn’t have a wife. And he doesn’t have a girlfriend. (dreamy) Hoorhii amhtan.
Cass: Wait. Sarah, do you have a boyfriend?
Sarah: Bish, bish, baikhgui.
Cass: Hooh. Now I know why you like Javkhlan.
Sarah: Yuu genee. So Cass, who else do you like?
Cass: Well, finally number 5. Magsarjalam Bayarmagnai. The comedian. The funny actor.
Sarah: Do I know Bayarmagnai?
Cass: Yes, we saw him at the Boohing Orgoo on Friday. He is in the comedy group Mask. His friends are Erdenezaan and Monkhsaikhan.
Sarah: Oh, I remember. Which one was Bayarmagnai?
Cass: He was the lion, the arslan. (arr arrr oh yanaa)
Sarah: Oh tiim. Aiimaair tom ondor yum be!
Cass: Yes, Bayarmagnai was very big and tall. He was a very funny actor. And an awesome singer. Bayarmagnai played the lion, the soldier, Andrei Pavlovich, and the woman teacher. I really liked the show.
Sarah: Bi ch bas, nadad hoshin shogind durtai.
Cass: Dude, sarah. All this talking about Mongolian singers makes me want to listen to a Mongolian song.
Sarah: Yeah dude! What song?
Cass: I like “Buhniig durs” by Flash. In English, Buhniig Durs means “Remember everything.”
Sarah: Well why don’t we listen?
Cass: Okay then
Sarah: Okay yeah
Cass: Yeah
Sarah; yeah so hurry up
(go off in English)
Uuchlarai choibalsan neg minute
(go off in English)
Sarah: za, tegie, ok, where’s the button? here we go.
(sing over the song, chamd hair dulii)
S: Bagshnar babes red. Cass: the color of passion.
Sarah: oh man, that felt good. Love that song.
Cass; yeah mee too. So what is your favorite mongolian song?
Sarah: guess.
Cass: gantsaaraa by tatar?
Sarah: ugui
Cass: cham ruu l gene de bi by Bayasgalan?
sarah: ugui
Cass: Hotline Baby! (starts to sing)
Sarah: Cass, cass. zogsorroi, zogs, hoy zogs.
Cass: hey, I like that song.
Sarah: yostoi ugui shuu! Cass, I’ll give you a hint. Jargal minh Jargal minh
together: chi minii hair shu dee. Nuden, nuden, nuden hair shu dee.
C: Ah Nuden hair? Mon uu?
S: Yes, nuden hair. In English – the eyes of love.
C: Well, let’s give it a listen. Shall we?
S: I think we shall.
(play song)
Cass: chi minii hair shu dee. Shuden shuden shuden hair shu dee.
Sarah: Cass – shuuden hair shu dee?
Cass: Tiim bi shuuden durtai. I like teeth.
Sarah: Yamar sonin yum be.
Cass (in Korean iraq girl voice): Ohh yamar sonin yum be
Sarah: Yu husej baina?
Sarah: Yakh gesen yum be?
Sarah: Yakh ged baigaa yum be?
Cass: [mimics sarah]
(mimic the Korean iraq girl… opa! kamsa hamida!)
(30 minutes)
Sarah: Cass, you need help.
Cass: Help?
Sarah: We need somebody.
Cass: But not just anybody.
Sarah: We need our listeners.
Cass: So listeners, now we need your help.
Sarah: Tiim, ta nar bidend tuslaj boloh uu? What songs do you like? What do you want to listen to?
Cass: Ta nar yamar duu sonsmoor baina ve?
Sarah: Message now at (radio station # - say in English and Mongolian… twice.)
(play Help/beatles song)
(C: Bagshnar babes. S: It’s different.)
C: And now for our listeners’ favorite songs.
S: Our first song goes to our Mongolian mother. Here’s a song for manai mongol eej, Tomorgan and manai mongol duu Monkhtulga. Gan loves Chamaigaa Sanana by Bayasgalan.
C: What does chamaigaa sanana mean?
S: Chamaigaa sanana means “I will miss you.” Aoooowwww.
(play Chamaigaa sanana song)
(S: Bagshnar babes. C: Skywoppas!)
C: Now a song for Shuree. Shur-Erdene is the teacher at the Global Leadership Foundation. Ter Global udidarchin saniin bagsh bas menejer.
This song is called “Larger than Life.” It’s by an American group called Backstreet Boys. The song talks about a singer who is very busy and has a lot of friends. Ter duu neg ajiltai duuchinii tuxai yum.
Sarah: Manai Shuree is not a singer, but she is a very hard worker. And she is our friend. So… Shuree, this one’s for you.
(play Larger than Life…
C: bagshnar babes. S: just do it.
(43 minutes)
(3 listener songs… Bagshnar babes… 10 minutes for listener songs.
S: Bagshnar Babes. C: It’s what’s for dinner.
C: Bagshnar babes. S: The other white meat.
S: Bagshnar babes. C: You’re in good hands.
C: So Sarah, do you know what time it is now?
S: It’s 12: 45.
C: No, Sarah. It’s time for the…Mongol Minute.
(play song – like 20 seconds)
Mongolia is very different from America.
And lots of funny things happen to us Americans because we just don’t know.
C: Remember when we first learned Mongolian? And we would always mix up words?
S: Like suu and svv?
C: Tiiim.
S: Like vs and us?
C: (Mongolian throat sound) Oh, Sarah, do you remember Noxoi and Nogoo?
S: Oh yeah. That was stupid. That was when I first ate dinner with my Mongolian friends.
C: Did they know English?
S: No, they didn’t know English. I talked with them in Mongolian.
C: What happened?
S: My friends gave me a lot of vegetables. Carrots, tomatoes, and cabbage. Mmm, tasty. I like to eat vegetables.
C: Did you tell them that you like to eat vegetables?
S: Yes. I said, “Bi noxoind ideh durtai.”
C: Noxoi? Ahhhh ahhahahahaaa. Noxoind ideh durtai uu?
S: Noxoi, noxoi? Bish bish bish bish. Bi nogoond ideh durtai.
C: Gevch chi noxoi gej helsen? Dog?
S: Yes. Noxoind ideh durtai? Nogoond ideh durtai? I didn’t know. I was silly. Bi jaahan teneg amerik hun.
Cass: That’s ok, Sarah. The same thing happened to me. So you know I have a cat.
Sarah: Oh yes, miaw miaw. Your cat, what’s her name?
Cass: Oh, my cat’s name is Omxeezaya.
Sarah: Yamar sonin yum be.
Cass: Hheee hee that’s how I like it. So, I was talking with my friend. I told him that I have a cat in my house. Nadad gertee muur baigaa. My friend looked very confused. He didn’t understand. He asked me, “Muur uu?” Bi Tiim gej helsen. “Tiim, muur, jijigin muur.” He still looked confused. He said, “Chinii gert…jinkin muur?” “Tiim!”
Finally I realized I was saying horse.
Sarah: Ahh… muur. mor, muur, mor.
Cass: Muur bish. Mor. Nadad gertee mor baigaa. He finally understood. But I felt very silly.
Sarah: very silly.
(over the music) And that’s the end of the Mongol minute.
Cass: Our show is almost finished. To finish our show, we’d like to give you A Spoonful of English.
(play Mandoline concerto – 5 seconds)
S: Erhem hundet, ladies and gentlemen.. welcome to a spoonful of English
C: Today’s spoonful is a favorite English phrase of mine. “Peace Out.” Now all you listeners at home, say it with us. Peace Out.
Sarah: Peace Out.
(pause)
Sarah: Peace Out. What does that mean?
Cass: Well, Sarah, Peace Out is a great phrase. It’s a cool phrase. It’s an awesome “Hip hop” phrase. It means “Bayarteh.” or Good bye.
Sarah: Aahh, peace out dornodchuudaa!
Cass: Yep, just like that. Peace Out.
S: I’m Sarah
C: And I’m Cass
S & C: Bagshnar Babes. bringing you love from America. Peace Out!
(play wild honey pie. stop at :56).

The Bagshnar Babes

2007-11-17T16:09:00.000+08:00

Sarah and I have a radio show!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its called the Bagshnar Babes (bagshnar=teachers). WE get to do whatever we want!!!!!!!!1

suggestions are welcome and needed!

and if you have sound effects send them to me!

yes i'm alive, albiet cold, sick, and broke (stupid pickpocket...at least i still have my phone, and passport so i can bank it up when it opens on monday? tuesday?)

PS for Uncle Mark--my cat doesn't eat socks just chews holes in them

2007-11-13T14:26:00.001+08:00

cold

My New Favorite Person....

2007-11-10T15:09:00.000+08:00

ALISON HEZEKIAL PILORZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (okay thats not really her middle name but i like to pretend it is ^_^)

She totally called me the other day! It was my first phone call from out of country!!!!! Goe youmaa!!!!

Bi tend xairtai! (I love her!)

Za... now to go give my students their first quiz! On a Saturday none the less, muahahahaha, I'm such an evil teacher!

Be jealous Bullet...be very jealous...

2007-11-06T15:18:00.000+08:00

now an even more annoying creature than you is wearing your old collar ^_^

Halloween Cho Style

2007-11-06T14:30:00.000+08:00

Halloween has come and gone and it was ... interesting. My attempt at a Halloween party at my school was a mini-flop, in that it didn't end up anything like I have planned, but I think that the students still had fun.I shocked everyone by coming into school Wed. morning dressed in my gruesome Zombie get up! Most people had forgotten it was Halloween. Yes I wore it all day...even going to the store to get supplies for the party.

as the internet is being evil pictures are baixgvi ("not here" -- most common word heard in Mongolia O_o)...But you can check them out HERE!

My english club students, carved a Jack-O-Lantern. They did really well, especially as most of them hadn't seen a pumpkin before!

Then the party started, and we had some great costumes. One of my students was in charge of taking pictures, and when I got my camera back at the end of the night there were some interesting non-Halloween ones.

(i think this is a poster from her room...maybe???)

Then Bavaasan and I went to Stars Night Club for the Halloween party there. I gave my camera to Yann (or resident french man) since we then went to Vostok for dancing with some mongolian friends. He too took some interesting pictures of his apartment:

Then a few days passed and the folks from Sukhbattar Aimag (the region to the South of us) came in for a Halloween Party (I was once again a zombie).

(Pirate LP, Zombie Me, Julie Tree, Lightning Strike Jasmine, Sarah "Potter", and Yann the Frenchman as himself ^_~)

It was really great getting to see LP again (his pirate costume was the greatest ever, with a coat he actually got in E-Bore City in Tampa, FL), and to meet the M-17s. I even got to lose 6,ooo Tugrigs to Jim during a fierce late night poker match! LOL! Then after the party LP worked me over in a chess match. Man, I need to get some games that I can actually win going on.

Now life is back to normal. I am trying to make it into UB for Thanksgiving. Right now its a 50/50 chance.

My hero is...

2007-11-06T14:22:00.000+08:00

Jasmine ... she is a PCV M-18 who is living out in Choibalsan Soum (the countryside). She is the coolest person ever. Whoever gave birth to this gem of an individual should be given an award ^_^. Also I wish that I had her hair, its amazing!

First Shakespear, now Seuss...what other other literary will I out shine next ^_~

2007-10-30T13:19:00.000+08:00

Having some pretensions of being moderately above average in the writing department…and having a plethora of free time I have been trying my had at poetry of late (:::groan::: I know, I know but hey its essentially winter in Mongolia, what else is there to do but waste time indoors once it gets dark, at 6:30 O_o) Za, so hear we go…

Warning
Oh, I like to rhyme,
At this point in time,
For it presents a challenge to write thoughts of mine…
In this flowy prose,
Where anything goes,
It will cause all my readers to go into throes…
Of passion so great,
They will emulate,
The sum of my actions till they up and faint!

Volunteering In:
More than I had ever thought
Or had ever dreamed,
Nothing ever felt as right as
Giving aide to those in need.
Others may have money,
Living life in style;
I am “poor” but happy,
And that makes it all worthwhile!

To my dear Chinggi Kuu,
I’ve become three things,
Or so it seems;
Each one more strange than the last.
Teacher is first,
But hardly the worst;
Molding young minds is a blast!
The seconds a mom…
Which is just wrong,
Omkhees a pain in my ass!
Then it’s hazy,
As thirds crazy…
Writing to Khans from the past.
But all is zugeer*,
I love it here!
Times passing by oh so fast.
Two years goes quick
And when I’m homesick,
Your letters are my heart’s cast!

*Zugeer=okay
~Note~ Yes, I really do write letters to the late Chinggis Khan…. No I don’t know why…. But that’s okay!

Mongol khel medegui*
All around me the world scurries about, while I sit apart.
As noise and motion merge together
I observe the tapestry of sound and color.
I feel empty and long to be apart of it,
Yet I remain alone with the shadows of my mind.
Hoping, waiting, forever anxious for the day…
The day I finally understand and they invite me in.

*Mongol khel medegui=I don’t know Mongolian.

Bedtimes in my Bashin*
There’s a cat on my head where she’s fallen asleep.
I can tell she is dreaming by the twitch in her feet.
And for some random reason she smells of raw meat.
But because of my cat, I can’t get to sleep.

*Bashin=house

Dust storm induced Daydreams
The hustle and bustle just couldn’t compare,
To the vision of leaves dancing on air.
Completely entranced I sat unaware,
Like the wind caught the leaves, I’d caught your stare.
And so we spent out whole day sitting there…
Me watching the leaves, you watching my hair.

~Note~ this is utter fiction, except for the dust storm…that was real, as was attempting to remove the sand from EVERWHERE O_o

Meeting Mongolians
Sainuu? I’m Cassandra.
You can call me Cass.
I am from America.
Vodka? Think I’ll pass.

I’m an English Bagshaa,
I live in the Cho.
I’ll be here for two years,
Then I gotta go!

I am 2 and 20,
Bi jimsnd durtai,
Yes I enjoy Mongol buuz,
Just please not every day.

No, I don’t have children.
No, I’m not a wife.
Don’t have a boyfriend either.
Za…I have a life.

It was nice to meet you,
But now I have to say…
“Peace out!” as I teach my class,
And that means bayartai!

Sainuu=Hello!
Bagshaa=Teacher
Bi jimsnd durtai=I like fruit (PCM inside joke)
Buuz=Mongolian traditional food (sort of like a steamed dumpling)
Za=like “um” Mongolians always say this…. ALWAYS!
Bayartai=good-bye!

A Whole lot of Xairtai!

2007-10-25T12:17:00.000+08:00

Xairtai=Love…and I’ve had a ton of it of late ^_^

Family Love
The first and most appreciated was a package from my family. In it was a variety of goods my 2 favorite being the photos, old and new, of my family and friends back home and the new iPod to replace my stolen one (a million thanks to Granny and Grandpa Coll, Aunt Vicki, Uncle Raymond, and any other relatives who aided in the purchase). I sat on the floor with everything around me, listening to The Beatles (of course) and cried. I was shocked at how much I missed everyone and everything that was familiar to me. But it was a quick and stress relieving cry. I now show all my students the pictures and they all comment on how beautiful my family and friends are. Also, upon learning that Gregory is 17 (“he very beautiful”), a number of my female students want to know if he will be visiting.

Putrid Love
Omkhee is a pain in the butt. I don’t like cats, as many of you have commented. But I dislike living alone more so what can you do. However little affection I may feel for the cute but highly annoying fuzz ball, she is obsessed with me. She comes when I call. If I stand still for a moment, she will quickly climb up me and perch on my shoulder. She will mewl pitifully if I lock her out of a room I am in so I can work (or bathe) in peace. At night she sleeps on my pillow, her paws wrapped in my hair, purring ecstatically until she falls asleep or I get uber-frustrated and throw her off the bed. But, it can be charming at times, and since I have put Bullet’s old dog tag on her, I can hear her coming and avoid her violent love attacks. Pat Benatar was right when she sang, “Love is a Battlefield!”

“Yesus” Love
Gansukh, my fellow English teacher, invited me to his home to meet his family and eat buuz the other day. Suddenly while the buuz were being pinched and steamed, Gansukh comes out with 3 books: A Mongolian Bible, An English/German/French Bible, An English/Mongolian Hymn book. I then had the interesting experience of reading the bible in French and German (despite protests that I knew neither language); translating the archaic, formalized, biblical English into laymen’s terms; and singing “Jesus Loves Me” in Mongolian. It was most surreal especially since the last time I had heard the song “Jesus Loves Me” was when my college roommate Lauren was singing it in the harsh, screaming, death metal style. HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Student Love
After my sad attempts at understanding the advanced Mongolian being spoken to me, my student stopped for a moment and said simply, “I love you.” (When we later found the dictionary it turned out that she was trying to say that she felt akin to me, that even though I was American I could have been like her older sister). Her name is Odonzaya (Something “Destiny”…I forget what Odon means) and she is one of my favorites. She always comes on time to class, and attends every English Club meeting. It was such a rewarding moment to feel appreciated. Sometimes teaching is ridiculously hard and I feel like I’ve accomplished nothing. But students like her make me realize that I can last these 2 years in a job that I would never have chosen for myself.

Choi Love
Everyday, I love this place more and more. Outwardly it is a dull, semi ruin of an ugly ex-Soviet city…but in its people and the life they bring to this place it is beautiful. The other day I went to the river and it was glorious! I can already tell that I will miss this place when I leave, but while I love it here, America still holds my heart.

Halloween Love
All-hallows-eve is almost upon us!!!!!!! Don’t have a costume yet, but zugair, I will figure it out. There is to be a small thing at my school on the 31st, a party for people of all ages at Stars on the 31st, and the PCV Halloween party on the 2nd!!!!! Goe youmaa!

CAT FIGHT

2007-10-17T16:32:00.000+08:00

am in the internet center (my schools service is out)

two women just busted in fighting ... and yelling at each other like crazy!!!!!!!!!!! it was insane, frightening, and just a bit hilair

the only word i can discern is "che"=you

but now i must go buy food for the cat or she will insist on inflicting more damage on my already scratched up hands O_o

and here is a picture for the road ^_^

water in mongolia ... glorious!

Brass Grommets aka NJ finally did something right ^_~

2007-10-17T15:43:00.000+08:00

Residential Quality!! Rust-Proof Brass Grommets in Canvas!!! Proudly Made in USA!!!! (Roseland, NJ to be exact) … that’s right ladies and gents, I now have good ole’ stars and stripes to hang in the class (compliments of the Lalalala Lovely Linda)! Today I am feeling even more patriotic than ever, and I am a rather patriotic individual (blame it on being a navy brat). Yet I find that I don’t really miss home, rather I am even surer that Mongolia is the place that I should now be. I enjoy teaching about American culture in addition to English (American English … none of this “has got” British babble ^_~). For example…Halloween! More on that after our Halloween celebration on well, Halloween!!!

I am finally 100% happy to be living in an apartment. This is due to the fact that I get a horrific case of the “gedis moe” (bad stomach) about once every fortnight or so O_o. Like yesterday, which I spent in bed, alternately sleeping and reading about the Allied forces breaking the German enigma code during WWII (Station X, good book). Thus, midnight/frequent trips to the bathroom are not conducted in sub-zero temperatures!

Things have fallen into a schedule, a normal routine, with the inevitable Mongolian wrench thrown in about once a week. But even the unpredictable has become anticipated and no longer causes stress (or too much stress). And tomorrow my very own class begins!!!! It is the waiter/waitress class. They have basic English so I will be teaching special food service terminology! I am sooooo excited and yet so nervous. The age range for this class is 17-22. 15 students. Mostly girls. I really want them to like my class, have fun, but most importantly I want them to actually learn something! Tomorrow will be a basic review type class to see where they are at. I could go on forever about lesson plans and such, but it would be most boring for you and would send me into a panic attack!

First Snow!

2007-10-07T15:06:00.000+08:00

It snowed on Friday night! Mongolians say the the first snow of the year is Medicine while the last snow is poison. That made Saturday a very auspicious if very very cold day!

(the view from my window)

Pictures Posted!

2007-10-07T14:54:00.000+08:00

Beautiful Mongol Sky

Greetings from Mongolia

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Omkhee-Zaya my kitty

Some of my Students!

and many more here and here ^_^

Shakespeare would be jealous

2007-10-01T09:22:00.000+08:00

PROLOGUE

On Friday I went out to dinner with Bavaasan and Ariuntuya, my fellow English teachers. I got to eat some delish Mongolian gulash, and practice my Mongolian, and chill with my counterparts which was best of all! After dinner Ariuntuya returned home to her husband and little baby, and Bavaasan and I decided that the time was ripe to hit up the STARS! Nightclub. On our way over we ran into Sarah and persuaded her to join us in a night of dance!

Setting: Warehouse sized building, with giant larger than life sized poster of Keanu Reeves on the outside and sign advertising STARS! Disco. Medium sized dance floor under a plethora of disco and strobe lights (Mongolians love their strobe lights). Tables ring the dance floor and extend to a second floor loft, where the DJ is located. A bar is in the left corner just as you enter.

Soundtrack: Bass so loud it vibrates your entire being!!! An eclectically enjoyable mix of Mongolian hip-hop, Russian dance, Turkish techno, and the most popular songs from America (or at least they were quite popular at some point in time ^_^). Favorite song of the night: a techno remix of San Fransisco or possibly Torson Odor (the Mongolian Birthday song).

Characters: Mongolian youth. Ages ranging from I would guess 18-35. Alot of students from the local Dornod college. All dancing is done in circles. Some of the more daring (or drunk) couples actually dance in a style similar to American clubs, but it is only a few, and only for brief moments. Oh yes and how could I forget the two white girls. Sarah in jeans and a nice top, me in jeans and a tee-shirt.

ACT ONE

We sit at a table, Bavaasan buys us drinks. We sip for a bit, check out the scene, and when a song by Flash (a popular Mongolian hip-hop singer) comes on we get up and dance! (At least Sarah and I do, Bavaasan has more fun watching the dancing that actually dancing).

ACT TWO

Our mini circle of two is soon joined by 3 Mongolian women. They look to be in their late 20s. One is very tipsy, but very friendly and we all take turns dancing in the center of the circle. A bit later some boys (we later find out they are 20 and go to Dornod college) join our circle. They too dance in the center. Sometimes 2 people will dance in the center together! Girl-boy, girl-girl, boy-boy ... hamagui ("it doesn't matter"). I love this about Mongolia. Security of gender. At one point tipsy woman's dancing gets a bit crazy and I get punched in the face (I will later find out that my glasses have been broken, as it is I spend the rest of the night half thinking I've been concussed as my vision is now blurry). Sarah and I take a break and join Bavaasan back at our table.

ACT THREE

Rested and ready for more dancing. We boogie back onto the dance floor and dance like the crazy fools that we are. It is the best feeling in the world. If I were to dance like this in the States I would get the strangest looks, instead I find I get curious sidelong glances as the Mongolians attempt to imitate the Americans dancing. For the first time in my life I am cool! Suddenly the DJ says something and next thing I know all the woman have cleared the dance floor. Bavaasan rushes up to tell me that there was a dance contest and I won. Now I had to dance with all of the men and choose the best dancer. I laugh, this is hilarious, but I go along with it. I end up choosing the boy in the Green Sweater simply because I recognized him and he seemed nice enough. We danced to a techno remix of a traditional Mongolian song, and I was then presented with my congratulatory bottle of vodka O_o.

ACT FOUR

We share the bottle of vodka with Green Sweater and his friends following proper Mongolian protocol. I only had to cringe down 2 shots thankfully. Then the boys disappear and Sarah and I are back on the dance floor with a new group. At one point Sarah gets licked by a very drunk Mongol. The rest of the evening is spent changing circles to avoid him.

ACT FIVE

Midnight has arrived and the time for final dances is now. Slow and sappy Mongolian love songs come on. A Mongolian comes up to our table and starts taking to me. I can't understand sadly and direct him to Bavaasan. Sarah and I decide that who cares if we don't have boy friends to dance with this is Mongolia. We bounce up and begin a twirly waltzy dance. It is silly but fun. Bavaasan and the Mongol come to the dance floor. He would like to dance with me she tells me. I give him a quick look to make sure he's not drunk and consent to the dance. It was very middle school dance like but nice. He talked with me in Mongolian, I didn't understand a word of it, and then slipped a bracelet on my wrist (I have an admirer, how cute). The lights came on it was time to go home, tired but happy.

EPILOGUE

Sarah, Bavaasan and I walk home arm in arm to ward off the chill. A large group of Mongolian college boys follows us. About half way to Bavaasan's home we part ways, she goes home, and I decide to stay at Sarah's. We double back across the soccer field in an attempt to lose the crowd of boys. 2 break off and follow us O_o. But it is only Green Sweater (or Munkhgo ="Money/Silver") and his friend. They want to make sure we get home safe. We talk about college with the two boys, and say goodbye outside of a different building, saying we have to send a message before we go in. Once they are gone, we go to Sarah's, certain that we are not followed. It was a great night!

Pirates and Putrid Destiny aka My entrance into Motherhood

2007-10-01T08:46:00.000+08:00

*note* this post is very late, and since I've yet to go to the bank and am using the slow but FREE! school computer, pictures will be in a later post! ... yes there are most certainly pictures :::evil grin:::

PIRATES!
As you may or may not have know September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Now being ever the fan of Pirates since I was a wee lass and took a field trip to the jail cell/beheading site of none other than the infamous Blackbeard!!!! However, as Mongolia is a landlocked country there obviously are no pirates now, or ever (in fact the Mongolian word for pirate literally translates to "water bandit"). I thought about that fact for oh, maybe a nano second and decided that I would celebrate anyway!

So Wednesday rolled around and I found myself the victim of many a strange look as I came to school dressed as a Pirate wench! I even managed to cause piratical mayhem as far away as the Gobi by sending a few of my close friends texts using my extensive pirate lexicon, which they had the mistake of reading during class. Well tis a jolly day when ye own teach be laughin fer naught a reason ye know!

That afternoon I had English club and I taught them all a Pirate song that I pseudo made up from Disney's and George Harrison's Pirate songs (will include in later post w/ pictures). They love it! We now practice every week so they can perform it at the Halloween competition!

The rest of the week was rather uneventful until Saturday brought...

PUTRID DESTINY
Jasmine had made her monthly trip into town and we though it would be grand to get together and belatedly celebrate her birthday. So it was that Sarah, Jasmine, and I found ourselves at Winner's Cafe, waiting for the arrival of Angus, Yann, Mai, and Kenny. It was then that I got the text from Kenny. He was at the Annai Home for Street children with Mai. There was a wee one being "played" with by the older kids in a fashion that worried my two friends. The two of them knew that I was lonely in my apartment, did I want to take in the poor thing. She was tiny and simply beautiful they told me. I pondered a moment and then in a rash decision that would change the rest of my life here in Mongolia I said yes. I was now a Mom O_o. When they brought her to Winners and she sat in my lap sharing my plate, it wasn't love, but rather "I think we shall get along well enough" (and I suppose if we don't I can always take her back to the Home). Later on as she slept at Sarah's place, we named her .... Omkhee-Zaya, or "Putrid Destiny." Later as I was carrying her to her new home, she looked up at me with her big blue eyes, let out a happy sigh, and viciously clawed me....stupid cat.

Sainuu Namar!

2007-09-22T14:57:00.000+08:00

"Hello Autumn!"

A chill has come to the Cho, and I personally love it! The time for long johns is quickly approaching! In addition to the delightful chill is the gentle autumn breeze. And by gentle I mean slightly less than gale force, whipping the sand into a frenzy, coating everything with dust, and eroding your hope of ever being truly clean O_o. Oh well, at least I get to wear cute hats.

I am currently writing a text book for work did I mention that? It is for hairstylists/make-up artists/massage therapists. It is an interesting endeavor, full of temptation. I can model conversations in my text however I would desire. How I would love to riddle the text with insane Cassandra slang. Thus far I have been able to resist, however I am only on unit 1 of 15. I did give in and use names of friends and family back home when construction conversations and exercises!

I have gained a rather global community of friends since coming to the Cho, which currently contains a French Farmer; a Scottish Health worker; a white South African born in Zimbabwe, spent the last 12 years in London but has an Irish passport; two from the Netherlands; my 6 fellow Peace Corpsers; and of course the Mongolians! As Kenny says, "I'm sure there is a joke in there somewhere!"

My sister Meredith leaves for England today. I'm a bit envious. But then I think to myself if I were in England, I wouldn't be in Mongolia, and this is the perfect country for me.... Why?

Mongolians collect bags, just like I do. You never know when a plastic bag will come in handy.
2.

You can wear whatever you want here and its okay, in fact its cool as you are the foreigner (even my old lady BlueBlocker sunglasses are a hit)!
3.

Hot water and electricity are somewhat sporadic. Real showers are a thing of the past, and somehow I really enjoy the heating water on a hotplate then essentially sponge bathing.
4.

The weather is just gorgy!!!!! Sure it gets you wicked dirty walking through a cyclone of dust, but man alive is it ever invigorating.
5.

Mullets. They are everywhere and I've grown to love them as they always make me smile.

Time to go home and vacuum (yes I bought a vacuum, how adult of me I know!), Jasmine is in from the countryside and we are having her birthday party at my place. And instead of cake....deep fried mars bars! Oh Mongolia, Bi chamd khairstai!

Blast From the Past

2007-09-17T08:50:00.000+08:00

Me, Meredith, Erin

not only is this picture hilair, it is also very Mongolian, as it is common for Mongolian children to nap in a simmilar fashion to puppies ^_^

Chocolate is soooo last season

2007-09-13T10:00:00.000+08:00

I have discovered the perfect manner in which to uplift my mood. Go to one of the numerous playgrounds. Sit on a bench. Wait. Within in minuets you will find yourself surrounded by tiny, adorable, albeit runny nosed Mongolian children. Actually surrounded is not a strong enough of a word ….. hmmm ….. ah yes, I know, engulfed. A living breathing blanket of Mongolian children will engulf you and for the moment erase any negative thoughts or feelings. This is also an excellent manner in which to practice your Mongolian, as the children are excited to hear you speak their language and will not hesitate to correct your horrific accent, all with out judging you. You become a super star for a moment, but what to do with that power??? I use it to explain to the kids what “HELLO!” means (a word they say endlessly upon seeing a white person, yet don’t realize what they are saying.) I also use my power to teach them three new English words: “AWESOME!” and “Peace Out!” (Because, really, who needs to know how to say “goodbye”????)

Summer Home Sick

2007-09-11T15:24:00.000+08:00

Yamar goe youm bay!!!!!

2007-09-10T14:42:00.000+08:00

"How nice it is!"

I got a package from Momapalooza today!!!

There was:
soft TP!
and chocolate!
and soft TP!!!!
and Baby wipes!!!!
and other goodies!
and did I mention soft TP?!?!?!?!?!

I love my Majikio (even more that I love soft TP ^_~)

Hiechelt Baghkgo!!!!! aka TGIF

2007-09-07T18:12:00.000+08:00

Heichelt Baghkgo! ("lesson not there" --> school is over!)

Week One is over! Man alive, it started out exciting and then got slow and then got slower and frustrating and then my counter part when to UB today and it went awesome if just a bit busy!

Today I taught for 6hours straight! I taught all of my classes the ABC's, 123's, and then Jobs (using the I do, You do, He/She does grammar as well as the differance between a/an). After that I got to go home for a whole 30 minuets before coming back to school and teaching 23 of the teachers english for 1.5 hours O_o. My throat is killing me, but it was a really great day. Also as this week was mad irksome at point I mentally compiled a pet peeve list to share with you all.

1. Variety packs that don't have variety. If I wanted one type of cookie I would buy one type.
2. Cursive. They teach it to you in the States and you don't use it. They didn't teach it to in Mongolia and that is all they use. Hence spending all week trying to learn Mongolian cursive.
3. Mother Goose. So what if I was born on a Wednesday, that doesn't mean that I have to be full of woe. Just what makes her think she can predict something like that anyway.
4. Dependency on plumming. My director forgot to pay my water bill and thus I have had no water for 2 days and will not get it until Monday. I'm trying to find a friends place to stay at.
5. Being single. Every new Mongolian I meet asks me if I am married. "No." Do I have a boyfriend. "No." Do I have children. "No." And how old am I again. "22" ..... YAAGAD???!?!? ("WHY?"). I feel a bit like a freak everytime this comes up. I swear I'm going to make up a husband just to stop the hassling.
6. Being 22. This is young for a teacher. I have students older than me. They say I should get married and have children. They don't want to play my learning games. I think I am slowly warming up to them though. One older woman even pushed a young boy aside today to get to the board first during the fly slapper game!
7. Being called Cass. Cass is a Beer name, not a person name. Sure they can't say Cassandra, and I tell them to call me Cass, but in Mongolia its just a silly name.

Oh this was a great week!!!!!! Now that its over, all those little bothersome things hardly seem bothersome anymore ^_^. And I am off for Chinese food.

More pictures up!

Me, "Dad", and Davaa in our Dells!

Yes that's the Bear, Yes its eating my hand

2007-09-04T20:08:00.000+08:00

Mongolian on bike, Mishka the "Bambrosh", Me, Bimba, Jacob, Baada

more pics up!!!!!
go check them out!!!

Finally Some Photos!!!!!

2007-09-03T18:25:00.000+08:00

Yey!!!!!!!!!! Finally figured out how to upload!!!!!!!

Here are a few teasers ... for more go check out my album:
HERE!!!

I love the Mongol Sky!

My name is Cass! Yes like the beer O_o

Sheep Butts!

My Duus ("little siblings")

more to come later!!!!

Hello Real World aka "I love boots!"

2007-09-03T17:10:00.000+08:00

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So today was my first day of real work ever!!! It was nervwrekingly exciting. I team taught the whole day and then had an extensive lesson planning/scheduling session after my 20min lunch break (10 mins of which was spent in commute to and from my house) O_o.

I absolutely love all of my students! The are all very enthusiastic about having me as a teacher even if they don't speak a lick of English. I even gave a little speech in Mongolian to all of my classes that basically equated to "I know a little Mongolian, but I always to speak Mongolian. We to speak English must always to do. If to speak not correct, it is okay. Always speak then one year later you can speak well maybe." I think it encouraged them to hear my horrifically broken Mongolian and see that I really care about them learning.

I will be working 30+ hrs a week. Much of it will be tutoring and lesson planning with the 3 other English teachers. I will also be in charge of English Club where I get to do whatever I want so long as it relates to English!!!!!!!! Feel free to shoot me any ideas you have regarding that!

As a reward for doing such a good job on my first day I was given 1/2 a kilo of green peppers!

Then on my way to the MobiCom (my phone store) to buy more phone units I found this awesome shoe store ... It was wall to wall boots!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to get my calves slimmed up a bit and then save up for a few weeks and I am so going to buy me a gorgeous pair of real leather Mongolian boots!!!!!!!!!!

Also I am giving my students "English" names. I wrote two names from each letter of the alphabet (one male one female) and they will get to choose. No repeats in a class. Here are the names:
Boy -- Girl
Albert -- Alena
Bart -- Barbie
Chuck -- Cher
Desmond -- Dwan
Eugene -- Eileen
Finn -- Francine
George -- Ginny
Homer -- Hermione
Ira -- Iris
Johnny -- Jade
Keanu -- Kendra
Ludwig -- Layla
Maxwell -- Michelle
Nelson -- Natalie
Oscar -- Olivia
Paul -- Penny
Quinn -- Queenie
Ringo -- Rita
Seymour -- Sadie
Teddy -- Tori
Ulric -- Ulga
Victor -- Vera
Willie -- Wendy
Xavier -- Xena
Yancy -- Yolanda
Zalan -- Zarina

hahahahahahahaha, I love it! This job is gonna be real fun!

Familiar Faces

2007-08-31T17:35:00.000+08:00

Got another picture from one of my site mates:
will eventually upload my own pictures

Jacob, Kim, Me, Peter, Jim

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While perusing the textbook that I will be using in the next to years here in the Cho, I was pleasantly surprised to come across some familiar faces. That's right! No longer does an appearance on Sesame Street signify your superior celebrity status. Mongolian English Textbooks are the new measure of success. Some of my personal favorites were there: Jackie Chan, Yoko Ono, Bob Dylan, Mozart. There were some reminders of famous folks in their prime: Black Michael Jackson, Michael J. Fox, Sylvester Stallone. There was my old roomie Lauren's favorite: David Bowie. There was the family's pet dog Bullet's favorite: Lassie. There were even my sister Meredith's favorites: ET (^_~), and Mary-Kate & Ashley Olson (called the world's most famous teenagers).

In addition to having a veritable cornucopia of characters, the language used is also rather hilarious.

The nerves I had about teaching are currently gone in light of the fact that I get to teach from this textbook, and hear my students compare Dolly Parton and Eddie Murphy.

Stalin, Cellphones, Soup, and "Sain Naidz"

2007-08-29T16:50:00.000+08:00

So the other day Sarah, Kenny and I went to visit the remains of the old Russian communist military base. The day was perfect. Blue sky, amazing clouds, cool breeze. The 5k walk passed quickly as we talked about why we joined the peace corps, marveled at the various monuments along the way and finally arrived at the one time center of Commie Russian Cho. It was something else. Most notable was the giant statue of Stalin, in his typical Stalin pose, across the square from another giant statue, this one of an unidentifiable solider hoisting an AK47. Surrounding this square was the ruins of the bases many buildings. We went our separate ways for a bit, like children, scavenging the remains for lost treasures. I found a button from a soviet uniform. Sarah found some glass bottles. While leaping from a deteriorating wall in what we guessed to be the mess hall, I managed to dislodge a slab resulting in the most glorious bruise on my left palm! Then it was time to go home.

We had made it a little over 2/3 of the way home when suddenly the 5 cups of tea I had drank with breakfast hit me. Luckily there was a gas station with a jorlon ("outhouse") strategically placed across the street. So I entered the jorlon and as I was doing my "I REALLY REALLY HAVE TO PEE!" dance what should happen to fall out of my pocket and into the dark abyss ... that's right my cell phone O_o. I suppose it was bound to happen to me at some point (losing my cell phone that is), and I guess mine is a more entertaining story than that of one who was pick pocketed. All the same it was not pleasant. Luckily I was able to purchase a new phone the very next day (for only 35,000 tugriks!) and able to keep not only my number but all of my minuets! My new phone now has a wonderful bungee chord accessory that allows me to hook it to my belt loops insuring no further jorlon incidents.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've come down with a bit of a cold (although in true PC rumor mill fashion its been passed along that I have the flu). So yesterday I took it upon myself to make some soup. 2 hours later I had what was quite possibly one of the most delicious soups I've ever eaten. I'm really surprised with just how well all of my various culinary experiments are turning out. The fact that they take so long is not very fun, but the eating is most fun!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dwan, Me, Yoomie, Carina

Sain Naidz = good friends

I really miss them. Yesterday Jim and Julie invited me over for some spaghetti, and we had great conversation, and reminisced a bit about our host site mates. That in conjecture with various emails and the fact that my duu (little sister) and Jacob's duu sent me texts today just to say "CASS I LOVE YOU" has made me a bit lonesome. Although I did get to go to lunch with my fellow teachers today and it was nice.

Speaking of teachers, today I was put in charge of making the test for hiring my school's new English teacher. Then I was responsible for grading it and interviewing the top candidates O_o. It was nerve wrecking, but exciting all the same. I'm glad that regardless of my young age and little/no experience my school values my opinion. This bodes well!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*NOTE*
I have been repeatedly asked 2 things by multiple individuals, so let me answer them for everyone!

1. What can I send you?
-letters (i love them most of all)
-American flag
-American map
-coco powder
-toothpaste
-photos
-sensitive skin face lotion w/ sunscreen
-books
-movies
-most anything else I can get here, but anything sent is greatly appreciate

2. My friend is interested in PC/Mongolia/what your doing, can I give them your information?
-Yes! Part of the PC mission is to inform others, plus I love babbling on as you can probably tell. Just give them the link to my blog (which has my email address on it) and the can read about it or email me (though it may take a while to respond).

AIM in the Cho!!!!!!!

2007-08-24T11:30:00.001+08:00

Have just discovered that AIM works out here in the Cho!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have aim and want to chat send me your sn, and I will try to get word out to when I will be on.

I also have a phone if anyone wants to call me you can get an international phone card cheep and I will give you my number.

Okay thats is all!

Living Alone aka Hyam the Bologna of Mongolia

2007-08-24T10:07:00.000+08:00

Having just recently entered into the world of solitary living, I have come to the conclusion that I don't like it. It is very disconcerting especially for one accustomed to a full house (man that Uncle Jesse was dreamy, with that hair and that voice :::sigh:::, but I digress). I think it would be more tolerable if my place was smaller. As it is, there is too much room for one person, leaving plenty of space for the Armas ("monsters") to hide O_o. This fear is only perpetuated by the placement of my hall mirror in conjecture with the bathroom's glass door, resulting in seeing my reflection in a reflection....creepy to the max.

Even more disturbing than the space however is the silence. Sure I get the street sounds, and the random muffled movements of my neighbors but its not enough. Where is the singing roomie? The fighting siblings? Even the bark of a certain annoying German Shepard would be welcome at this point.

But Cassandra, don't you have a t.v.? Why yes, if I wanted to watch static (which would let in more Armas... I've seen the horror movies...I know @_@). However, my world band radio does work, though its a choice between the Mongolian FM station that plays the same 7 songs all day, or spending tens of minuets scanning the short waves freaking myself out with the extraterrestrialesq static interspersed with harsh sounding Russian or Chinese. I usually resort to the prior as the latter tends to make me paranoid, which in turn brings on a desire to search for bugging devices under the guise of cleaning. I currently posses the most dust free dwelling in Dornod.

Don't get me wrong, there are upsides to living alone. I can spend all day lounging in my jim jams reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with out interruption or having to explain why I was crying hysterically about a mere book. (Pshhhht, mere book... more like redunkulously awesome book!!!! Kudos to Ms. Rowling. It was well worth the 8 or so year wait since book 1 came out!!!) I can leave the bathroom door open, walk around in limited clothing, sing at the top of my lungs and dance like a fool with out fear of reprimand or ridicule.

Despite the perks, living the solo life has driving me slightly mad. The other day I developed an uncontrollable desire for tsuvian (a Mongolian noodle dish), and proceeded to spend almost 2 hours making it. It didn't taste good. It didn't taste bad, but it didn't taste good. More frightening may be the fact that I enjoy, even crave hyam, something my fellow PCVs would shudder to hear. We don't really know what hyam is other than the fact that its some meat, but into a log form and riddled with fat. It can also be eaten without having to cook it first. I find it delish! It is to Mongolia what bologna is to America. Needless to say I love bologna.

I have also started talking to the giant wall hanging of Chinggis Khan that's over my bed. He is very opinionated, but has giving me great tips in my quest for global domination, as he once achieved that very thing. Although his fondness for Korean soap operas is moderately offsetting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Needless to say, this is all a bit exaggerated (except the hyam bit, I really do enjoy hyam). It will take some getting used to, but I think I will really like it here. Work has yet to start my Counter Part is still in UB. I miss everyone.

Bi Tinig ("I'm Stupid)

2007-08-24T09:36:00.000+08:00

Sorry Every on I totally forgot to add Mongolia to the end of my address. I also translated it into English, but don't know if it will actually get to me if you use the English part alone.

Cassandra Weiner, PCV
Ангал хэлий Багш
Дорнод Aймаг
Чойбалсан Xот
Шаталсан Сургалттай Техник Технологийн Коллеж
Mонгол улс

Cassandra Weiner, PCV
English Teacher
Dornod Aimag
Choibalsan City
Shatalsan Technical College
MONGOLIA (via China)

*NOTE*
You can still send things to the old address, I just wont get them until I make a trip into UB (my next of which will maybe be around Thanksgiving, but most definitely I will be there for Christmas).

Chome sweet Chome

2007-08-21T10:24:00.000+08:00

Greetings from The Cho. I'm here!!!

Moved into my apartment yesterday. It is rather large. I have a kitchen with a full sized fridge, a bathroom with shower and washing machine, a living room with a tv, and a bedroom with a double bed. Also my favorite is the seashell hanging in my living room, I almost cried when I saw it, as it reminded me of home so much. I don't know where they found shells in this landlocked country but I'm glad they did. I'm still getting the hang of opening my door (its a bit tricky and sticks somewhat), but all in all its really nice.

A large part of me still wishes that I lived in a ger, but I don't dwell on it as this is where I am meant to be and who know what craziness is yet to come.

I already love The Cho, or what I've seen of it all ready. Its a little, depressing, highly soviet influenced, flat, windy place. I can easily see how people wouldn't like it, but it just feels right to me. I cant wait to get out and explore. Today I get to go to the market and buy groceries so I can start cooking for myself again. And hopefully at 5 Kenny and Mai (the M-17 PCVs who've been here a year) will give me and my fellow Chobieans a quick tour.

I'm at the school right now, I got to seem my class room. Its a nice size, used to be a math room if the geometry decor is any indication. The internet here is quick, and free. Its hard to believe that this is my PC service right now, but once my 26+ hr work weeks start up, I know that I will be way busy.

I got to speak with my Mom on the phone yesterday morning before I got to site, it was nice. My dad got on and I only got to say a few words before my phone card ran out. Its really nice having a phone again, if just to keep in touch with everyone as we are now spread out to all corners of Mongolia. I miss everyone, back home and here in Mongolia. But the excitement is overwhelming, and I cant wait to really start.

Meeting the Boss Man

2007-08-16T13:29:00.000+08:00

Today I got to meet my supervisor. His name is Enkhjargal (Peace and Happiness ... the same as my little sister ^_^). He knows about as much English as I know Mongolia and we were able to have a nice little chat. He seemed very proud that his English teacher could speak Mongolian. I also got to speak on the phone with my counterpart Gansukh, he seems very cool and his English is great! So I will be the 4th English teacher at the college. Oh my college seems soooooooo cool. It is a technical college that teaches: cooking, hairstyling, shoe making, auto mechanics, jewelry making, and much more!

I also got to hear about my apartment. I have a bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom. It is also apparently near the school which is nice. Also as my city has pretty much everything except spices and mustard I don't have to worry about buying supplies here in UB and lugging them all the way to Dornod. (Though I did buy this red watch from the black market that matches both my glasses and my goy pilach "pretty dress").

I am getting soooooooo excited to get to site and begin work, though as Jacob had to remind me yesterday we will soon all be leaving each other. :::tear::: My Heraldo sitemates are all so awesome and far far away (except for Jim and Julie who are also in The Cho as we call it). I'm probably going to cry worse then I did when I left my host family. But its okay, visiting wont be as hard so Kenny tells me (he currently lives in The Cho), as the paved road goes farther east each month and the bus ride is down to about 12 hours!!!!!!!!!

Also I have Halloween to look forward to as this year The Cho is hosting the Western Region Halloween Party!

I have my new address:

Cassandra Weiner, PCV
Ангал хэлий Багш
Дорнод Aймаг
Чойбалсан Xот
Шаталсан Сургалттай Техник Технологийн Коллеж

Okay got to get back to school ... love to all!

MY NEW HOME!!!!!!

2007-08-10T18:58:00.000+08:00

So folks ... the old address is no good ... don't have the new one yet but I do know where I will be living and working for the next 2 years .....

:::drum roll:::

Choibalsan aimag center in the far east of Mongolia (it is a fly site or 20 hrs by car/bus)

I will be living in a 2 room apartment

I will be teaching English at a College in addition to helping the Mongolian English teachers improve their teaching skills.

Crazy huh???? I was really dissapointed at first, but now I am sooo excited.

This is a great opportunity and I got "promoted" because they were impressed with my practice teaching.

Well I got to dash ... I am in Darkhan for 2 more days and then I go to UB!!!!!!!!

Longer update later!

One Week Left

2007-07-30T18:37:00.000+08:00

Roy-G-Biv ... host family time is almost up, about one week left ... I'm getting oddly sentimental about it. I'm gonna really miss my sister Enkjargal ("Peace and Happiness" --talk about a great name), she has been my anchor through all of this and the biggest help in my Mongolian language acquisition. At the tender age of 12 she is more of an adult than I am at times.

Practice teaching has been a trip, not overly horrid. I now know that I can do it, I will just have to work at it, but its fun. And I love all my students they are totally worth it.

In just about 2 weeks I will know where I will be living for the next two years and with whom. I'm really gonna miss all of my site mates. I'm attempting to memorize every moment with them. It's silly really. This parting aches me more than my leaving America. I think its the Mongolia factor. Everything here feels so familiar yet is utterly different than anything I know.

I've not been homesick yet, but at times I really wish that the people I love back in the states could be here experiencing this with me. It been only 2 months or so and I've changed so much. I can't even begin to imagine what type of person I will be come two years from now. Its exciting and frightening at the same time. When you live in a world where "real" showers are a distant memory, and a slightly cold drink is heaven its hard to believe that a place like America is real.

My life before Mongolia seems like a dream, or a minor preface that leads up to now. For all that I have a lot of new and frightening insecurities one thing I don't doubt is that I am right where I belong. I absolutely love it here.

Although I could do without the CBE (chronic baas explosions) O_o, hahahah, oh the glory indoor plumming would be.

Letters from Home

2007-07-23T19:59:00.000+08:00

I got a letter from home finally. It was so nice. Both my dad and my sister Meredith wrote me letters. I wrote one to Meredith but am too poor to send it via snail mail right now, and as it has the update of my life I will just type it up for everyone so enjoy!

21 July 2007

Dear Meredith,

Today I did laundry... for about 4 hours ... then I helped to cook lunch over a dung fire ... then I took a 5 hour nap. It was a slow day, until my uber drunk neighbor/uncle showed up. We had to call the ambulance. They gave him some injection and then left. I hung out with him for a bit and learned some interesting facts about myself, mainly that my eyes are blue, my hair is yellow, and I am most certainly NOT from America.

The other day Jacob and I were walking in the dinge and met a baby bear from the visiting circus. It suckled my fingers, pseudo clawed my arm, bit Jacob in the thigh and tried to eat my little sister. Its name was Mishka. It was really cute.

I have stared practice teaching. There are 60 or so kids in my class, including my little bro. They were all given English names. My brother's is Busta. There is also a Snoop, Shakira, Bubba, Mary-Kate, and my personal favorite: a girl named Bean. The are all painfully cute especially when they leave class with their accented "Peace Out"s.

My group elected me to give a speech at our family day/swearing in. I t will be 2 mins long and in Mongolian. My Mongolian is only decent, but apparently my eratically awkward gestures and need to say odd things qualified me to represent the Heraldo bunch. Oh I also learned how to say "I saw Blue, It was glorious." Which is made even funnier by the fact that the Mongolian word for blue and boob is the same (hoohk) as well as the word for this certain type of pastry and genitalia (boov). Mongolian is fun like that, especially when and extra "a" can turn the word "and" (bas) in to the word "poop" (baas).

Also, Jurassic Park island does exist. It is about a 30 min walk to the west...just wade across the river, walk about 50 years and it looks just like JP O_o. I would have been more freaked out if I wasn't being consumed by mosquitoes, or attempting to contain my hysterics at the site of Chris walking in front of me with his boxer briefs converted into a banana hammock and his long sleeve, button up shirt tucked into them. I kid you not.

It is now the next morning. Last night I was awoken by a blood curddling scream and shrieking in Mongolian. So I do what anyone would do, I go investigate (and if life were a horror film I would be totally dead by now). It was my aunt... a bug had crawled into her ear and was eating her brain or something. The doctors were called again, but this time relayed instruction to my mostly naked eej (mom). A bit of veggie oil and 3 matchsticks later and things were fine. Thank goodness I had janked Jacob's sweatshirt earlier in the week as I slept with the hood up and tied. I still need what little I have left of my brain.

I will most likely type this up instead of mailing it to you as I permanently lost my purse (on Friday the 13th O_o), and subsequently all my money, peace corps identification, flash drive, i-Pod, Lonely Plant Book, and a roll of soft tp. Talk about suck city USA (or Mongol rather, which you are right to call it as it is infact the Mongolian word for Mongolia). Thank goodness my camera was in my school bag. Pictures of me and Mishka will eventually be sent.

Well now I must learn all of the body pats for tomorrows class, then Allie is coming over at 2 so we can lesson plan for the week. Catch you on the flip side!

Haiir,
Cassandra

P.S. When do you go to England?

quick update

2007-07-13T16:58:00.000+08:00

this will be in list for as i only have 5 mins since the line was so long and i have to be home for dinner in an hour

cool things ive done:
took a shower!!!!!!!!!!!! in a real shower!!!!!!
ate blow torched goat
ate sheep tongue, nose, and an eyeball
learned a mongolian dance and poem
meet BX (mongolia's equivilant of justin timberlake)

things im worried about:
site placement in a month
learning enough mongolian to survive on my own
teaching (which starts on monday for me O_o)

things i really miss:
english
family and friends
slurpees
being really clean
drinks other than water, tea, or milk

things i absolutly love about mongolia:
the sky
the people (so nice and accepting)
the food
how everyone (except me) manages to look like they stepped from the pages of a magazine
how novel and exciting everything is
how the sun sets at 10:30pm

things i would love to have if you want to send me:
bathroom supplies (lotion, shampoos, tampons, soap, etc)
school supplies (any and all as we wont get any for teaching O_o)
baby wipes
hand sanitizer
soft tp
pictures
books
dvds (as i have access to players here but no shower, crazy huh)
bug repellant
a pillow
recipies (that involve basic food stuffs)
spices/luxury food goods
any thing else

NOTE
I will be in UB in about a month and will be able to buy and send things then if anyone wants me to get them anything (within reason) let me know what and where to send it to and i will see what i can do

okay all ... time to catch a machine back to Heraldo (my town ^_^) before the fam gets worried

peace! ^_^v
Cassandra

I'M CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-06-20T17:31:00.001+08:00

Whew .... it took me an hour and a half to walk to the post office to use the internet, and then there was the wait for the computer to free up so I'm sorry if I don't update or talk more.

Mongolia is amazing, it is so unlike anything I've ever know that I can't even put into words the whole experience. After 10 days I'm an outhouse expert, I can wash my own clothes, and I even got to take my first real shower in 10days ... I love it!

My family is amazing, I love them tons and only wish my Mongolian were better so that I could communicate better. My mom makes the best food that hasnt made me sick in the slightest. I've even lost some weight, but that could be because of the long walks I take with my little sibs after dinner each night.

The other day I hiked a mountain with some of my fellow PCTs ... it was glorious. I got to shimmy through rock crevasses and jump frightening distances and then on the way down the rains came (which at the time was miserable, but looking back really made the experience all the better).

Language aquisition is a long hard process, I almost cried in class today when I couldnt grasp the grammer concepts, but I'm so glad that everyone here is so great and supporting. I'm the youngest in my group so its like having a whole bunch of older sibs. I love it ^_^.

I play with sheep ankle bones, drink milk tea nonstop, wake with the sun and our roosters crowing, miss chocolate but enjoy the icecream and yogert ... its more than I could ever have imagined.

I really miss home, but this is sooooo worth it.

Also I hear Boston has the best record in baseball!!! GO SOX!!!

Sainuu from Mongolia ^_^

2007-06-08T19:29:00.000+08:00

Roy-G-Biv … I am in Mongolia. It still hasn’t sunk in for me yet. I will be hanging out with my other PCTs, talking about normal “American” things when BAM I look out the window and just see this gorgy landscape. I’m really here.

Where to begin, there is sooooo much to tell but every minute means more Tugriks (Mongolian currency with a conversion ratio of ~ 1600 to 1 Usdollar) that I really don’t have to spare, especially since I need to do a tp run … yes that’s right, public restrooms do not have toilet paper. Its amazing how adept I have become at maximizing as little as a single square of tp. But let’s see, what are the highlights????

We stayed in a ger camp outside of UB our first night, and the next day I awoke to see a herd of goats grazing outside, which I excitedly pointed out to my roomies only to have them inform me that they were horses O_o. Yeah, I didn’t have my glasses on, it was rather embarrassing. I then proceeded to hike up a mountain with another PCT (pictures to come eventually). Then it was on to the training site in Darkhan, which is where I am now for one more day at least until I leave to go join my host family up in Suukbaatar.

I’ve been wicked busy with everything that we need to get done and learn before going to our host families. I’ve had 7 shots already with another 6 to come O_o … that was the worst part of this whole thing, I really hate shots, but I’m sure I would hate getting rabies more. Man, there is so much to say, I feel like we have been here forever. I’ve hiked 2 different mountains and plan on fitting another one in before I leave. All in all its been uneventful, but fun. Oh wait, I almost forgot …. Zoo soup!

So yesterday I went out with some PCTs to a Mongolian restaurant for dinner, which unfortunately had no English or pictures, so we all did the pick something random. Mine ended up being this soup … and it tasted exactly like a petting zoo smells, I kid you not. It was hiliar!!!!!! I ate about a good 10 bites of it, and everyone tried it (none of us are sick, and I’ve eaten worse in college, so it really wasn’t that bad, just unbelievable).

Also, just a bit ago as I was walking to the internet store this little boy ran up to me. “Uus, uus!” Oh wait I know that word … water! And indeed I was carrying my water, which he proceeded to take from my hands and speak Mongolian as he tried to open it. I showed him how and he just helped himself, leaving behind this huge spit trail. It was so surreal and cute and needless to say I will be disinfecting my bottle before I use it again. I love kids, and hope my host family has them.

Well that’s about it, I got to bounce and get back to the hotel. Internet here is mad slow so it takes forever to do anything. Hopefully I will have time when I come back to the city in about 2 weeks to provide another update all about my Mongolian family ^_^.

Bayartai!

Korea!!!!

2007-06-04T15:46:00.001+08:00

I am officially in Korea. First off Korean Airlines was AMAZING. We were served 2 whole and delish meals. We all had our own interactive tv type things (I watched 4 movies and listened to all sorts of music). The bathrooms were kept clean. I even managed to sleep for about 3 of the 15 hours! With the exception of my feet swelling up like a pregnant ladies, the flight was awesome and did not seem like 15 hours.

Then we went to the hotel, where I got my own room ^_^. 9 of us PCTs went out to dinner with the one girls Korean friend. Man alive, was it delish. We had a sea food smorgasbord that was sooo fresh, it was literally in the sea that morning. I will most def miss sea food when I get to Mongolia. Back at the hotel, I had a message waiting for me from my good friend Sungho. So I called him back only to find that he was waiting outside the hotel!!!!!! It was sooooooooooo nice to see a familiar and friendly face. We hung outside the hotel for about and hour, just talking, it was great. Then we said our goodbyes and I went to sleep.

:::KNOCK,KNOCK,KNOCK::: random Korean probably asking to clean

O_o ?!?!??!?!?/1!?!??aea9ehfq ehr :::spaz::: That's right. I obviously didn't set my alarm correctly and thus woke up at 1:34pm missing any chance I would have had to see more of Korea. Thankfully, they let my check out without having to pay any charges (we had a noon check out time, though I was later told it was actually a 2pm one). And the woman behind the counter gave me a little souvenir. It was so nice, especially since she had been helping me out all along (my key would never work O_o).

For food I just grabbed something from a nearby minimart, where I amused the cashier by informing him that my name was the same as the name of a Korean beer (Cass). I took some pictures that I will eventually have to figure out how to upload, so for the moment there are no visuals.

Now, I'm at the airport waiting to fly to Mongolia!!! I'm nervous for real now :::gulp:::

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there"

2007-06-01T09:48:00.000+08:00

Guess what?!?!?!?!?!? I am officially a Peace Corps Trainee!!!!!

The flights to Hotlanta weren't that bad. I accidentally sat in this man's seat on my first flight, and dude you would have thought it was the end of the world or something. But I think my severe exhaustion came across as moronic, so he let it drop and I passed out. Then on my second flight (in one of the tiniest seats ever) I wore my giant winter coat with the hood up and Gurgi tucked in as a pillow. The looks I got were hilair ... I could literally see the confusion. Why is she wearing such a heavy jacket in the middle of summer to Atlanta? Is that a monkey in her hood? ahahahahahahahhahaah, I would have freaked them out more, but I passed out before the plane was even fully loaded.

Then I took a shuttle to the hotel, and dude, what a hotel it is. Its most posh (by my cheepo fresh out of college standings anyway). I am rooming with another volunteer, a girl named Darlene, from Texas. We hit it off right away, she seems most chill. In fact everyone seems most chill, but then again they would have to be to be doing this whole peace corps thing. I can't remember anyones name though, maybe its the lack of sleep O_o ... oh well I have time yet to learn. I can already tell that I'm gonna make some lasting friendships among this group (that is if I can hide my craziness from them all, muahahahahahahaha ^_~)

Also, I learned that I will be staying in Korea for around 20hrs instead of the 3 that I had originally thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so super stoaked. I hope that I will be able to see my oppah Sungho and my unni JuRi. EEEEEEEE!!!!!!! Sa Rang Hey my chingus!!!!

I almost missed everyone today. I know that sooner or later all the goodbyes I said and didn't say will truly sink in and then ..... O_o. But, I will deal with that when it comes ... as for now I'm having a wicked good time ^_^. :::happy danccccccccczzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

"You say Goodbye, and I say Hello."

2007-05-31T11:00:00.000+08:00

Today was my last "real" day in America. I spent it with the sibs at Busch Gardens having tons of fun.

I also got to test out my new camera (so I will be uploading pics from Mongolia ^_^)

Here are the highlights of the day:

Tea Cup Ride!!!!!

Belated Birthday Blogging

2007-05-24T00:06:00.000+08:00

Woooooooo .... as of yesterday at 3:25pm Central Time I am two and twenty years old!!! 22 on the 22nd which means this is my "lucky year" (doubly so as 22 is my favorite/lucky number ^_^). However as my family was out of town/working/at school I spent most of the morning hanging out with the dog or studying at the library (but what with me being the giant nerdo I am I really enjoy learning ^_^).

However the highlights of my birthday were the 3 awesome discoveries I made:
1) Instant Organic oatmeal -- Roy.G.Biv. is that stuff AMAZING!!!!!!! I'm a big fan of oatmeal to begin with, but man alive, this organic stuff just blew me away Scarface style

2) The Braveheart Theme Music Techno Remix -- no additional explanation necessary

3) Twin Dragons -- this is a Hong Kong film from the early 90s starring get this: Jackie Chan and ......... Jackie Chan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was everything you could have dreamed of and more. I highly recommend seeing it.