Ploofle

so, here I am, back in Darkhan, for my final training days. This morning’s leaving was a bit rough, as was the packing last night. My host mom helped me pack my items and I don’t know how I’ll ever get it all back in the bags again if I open them. She also finagled from me a conference tote bag that Bonnie had delivered my winter boots in before I left Atlanta. She was very impressed with its construction and I finally gave it to her. I figure Bonnie collects em, so hopefuly my favorite person (wink wink) can send me another one, perhaps full of books, eventually .

My host mom sent me off with a jar of excellent homemade pickles – with a peppery kick – and homemade preserves. Both are tasty and I hope they keep a while as it’s just me digging into them. This morning my host mom and sister both cried as I was leaving, and I was crying some too. My host mom threw milk on the microbus and its interior as good luck and was sniffly, and it went from there. I worked really hard with my family, both as a member of the household and with my Mongolian language, and I think we were a good match and liked each other a lot. So, it was kind of like leaving again for the big wide world after being taught a lot and (in my case) corrected a lot I will miss them and I’ve been told to call a lot and especially once I get to UB to let them know I’m ok. I’m also not supposed to wear my Birkenstocks on the Host family appreciation day event with my nice Deel that they made me, because it’s not pretty. Hmph.

Today was also the day of our permanent site announcements. I learned that I will be working in Khovd aimag with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Mongolia Western Regional office. Khovd is indeed western and known for its distance from UB as well as its excellent watermelons. The first month, though, I will be in UB working at the UNFPA main office – most everyone else is leaving for Khovd mid-August. It’ll be an interesting next few months. I will have a flatmate for the month in UB before I’m on my own again. It will be nice to experience the city life a bit.

I also surprisingly got a package today from my Uncle Emmitt and Aunt Glenda – relatives on my dad’s side of the family – full of nice treats and a few photos of my cousin’s wedding in Jamaica. It was a nice treat and I’m enjoying (literally) the nuts and fruits of its labors now. Also kinda funny, but I got a absentee ballot from Seattle for primaries. So apparently I am set up properly for voting, though I still haven’t gotten my Voter ID card, which I’ve been craving like nobody’s business.

Concerning news, I was saddened to see the broadening of warrantless wiretapping by Bush and heartened to see the rule of law and the judiciary strengthened in Pakistan. That’s about all I remember from the past month or so…

Also, another M-18 here who was in Thailand for medical leave has a copy of a Thai-language movie that he didn’t know was dubbed that I will likely get, as I’m the only one here (I think) who understands enough to enjoy it. That’ll be a nice brain-bending exercise – watching an English movie dubbed into Thai in Mongolia. I think I’ll be up for it.

Alrighty, I better run now to make other communications and prepare some photos to give to my host family. I’m hoping over the next few days to check up on other UW IHP PCMI’s (wow, the acronyms!) statuses.

Tags: mongolia, peace corps