Training is finished!

Sorry I haven’t written in so long. I have been super busy! The last time I wrote was right after Fourth of July, I think. The next week, we went to Zuunmod for Mid-center days. It was fun! We had a dodge ball tournament and a dance. It was a nice break from studying. After that I went to a small Nadaam with my family. We got to see wrestling and the horse races. It was funny because there was a small sheep that kept running into the race lane! I thought it was going to die! We actually found a hosher tent with beef hosher. Some people ate horse, but I didn’t want to. I actually tried it the other week and it tasted like pot roast and I really just didn’t want to eat a horse! We couldn’t find the outhouse so I had to pee outside. My friend Joyce and I would try to go over this hill and pee back to back so no one would see our butts! Little did we know that when we finished, a guy on a horse was about 10 feet away from us! Embarrassing!




After that I went to Ulaanbaatar (UB) to stay with my mom’s mom. They took me around to some sights one of which we climbed to the top of this Russian monument and you could see the whole city. We also went to Sukhbatar Square (sp?). We saw it in the daytime and then we went back at night. That night, there was a concert going on. It was a lot of fun. I really liked being in the city. Oh, so before we left for UB, they told me to be ready by 8. So I get ready, walk out of my ger and into the house and what do I see? My family is skinning a sheep in the entryway! I sat for 2 hours while they cleaned the guts out. My mom would pour water in the intestines and then just put it in her mouth and blow! Shit was flying everywhere! Then as we were leaving (with a small bucket of intestines in our car with 7 people) they bring another goat from the side of the house. They tried to stuff it in a bag and it would fit so they shoved the live goat in the trunk! The drive to UB is about an hour and every bump we hit, the goat was screaming bloody murder! My mom kept saying that they goat was yelling my name! Thankfully that night they made me chicken and I didn’t have to eat intestines!



After that, we started practice teaching. We were put in groups of 4 and we had to teach for an hour and a half. We had to team-teach in groups of 2 and switch our partners every time. My group had the mid-level which was 12-14 year olds. They were so cute! I really enjoyed teaching them but it was hard not being able to fall back on English when they didn’t understand something because I definitely did not know the word in Mongolian.



Yesterday, we took the LPI (Language Proficiency Interview) in Mongolia. We are supposed to get a Novice-High level rating. I’m not sure how my interview went. She asked me super hard questions like “What does beautiful mean to you?” and “How do you get to the post office?” I’m worried. If you don’t pass, you have to get a tutor and re-take it in December. A lot of people don’t pass, but I just don’t want to have an LPI hanging over my head. We find out tomorrow if we passed! Wish me luck!



Tomorrow we got to Zuunmod again for some sessions and then around 3 or 4:00 we find out where our permanent sites are! I am dying to find out! I really want to be placed in UB, but who knows. When I asked to be put there, they said there wasn’t a teacher trainer spot there, but they were looking into it for me. They said a lot of people don’t want to go there, so they don’t just put people there. I feel like I would do much better in a city (or the only city) than I would be in the countryside (hoodo). I asked for an apartment too. I know...I am a total diva! But apartments have running water, a radiator (even if it doesn’t always work) and I don’t have to chop wood or pick up poo. Apparently, when we find out they place us on this giant map of Mongolia!



I made tacos for my family with some Mexican food Shannon sent me. My family didn’t really like them. Oh well! I loved them! My friends Alyssa and Paul helped me and it took us about 3 hours! We had to make the tortillas from scratch, then cook the meat, then the beans, and then we made french fries from scratch. With only one pot! I think they were worth it.



Cassie’s mom sent her Taco Bell kits in the mail with some dried black beans so made that for the Americans and our teacher, Moogii, the other night. Of course the day we decide to do it, the electricity is out. They said it would be out from 10-6 but it didn’t come on at 6! We had to run around town looking for portable gas grills. Then Moogii couldn’t get the gas can in correctly, so I turned it on and just gas was coming out but it wasn’t lighting. I turned the can and tried again and flames went everywhere! I thought I burned off my eyebrows! It was fine after that and the food was so delicious! We were all eating with our headlamps on! What a sight! Right when we finished and said, “I’m so full, I think I’m going to barf!” the electricity came on! Go figure!



Peace Corps also gave us money to do a family appreciation day. We decided to do a horhuck (which is cooking a whole goat). They put it in a huge milk can with potatoes and carrots. They also blowtorch the skin and eat that. We also made garlic bread (which the Mongolians hate), salad, and french fries. One of the guys in our group said he was going to kill the goat because his dad bought it for us. When the dad called him out to kill it, he just handed him a hammer to knock the goat out! The guy was like, “ I can’t do this!” I couldn’t have either. Are you surprised?



I think I am getting a Mongolian deel. My mom is giving me her old one and they went to UB to get it taken in. She is a lot bigger than me. I’m supposed to get it today. She also told me she was going to cook me chicken pizza for my last day so we’ll see if that happens! I really hope so! I am so tired of mutton!

We are also learning Mongolian dances.  There are five girls in my dance group, one girl is doing a solo, and 3 guys are in another group.  We had to audition in order to perform at our swearing-in ceremony.  We did so well for the audition but then we had to perform for our families and we did terribly!  We didn't practice for a few days and we all forgot things.  Especially me!  So don't judge me!  I am uploading the videos on facebook so enjoy!



I just can’t believe that training is over! The first month went by so slow and then the last month and a half went by so fast! I’m so ready to be on my own. I am really ready to cook for my self. And also to just get started with my job and to start making friends! Well, I’m signing off for now.... the next time you hear from me, I will be a real volunteer! Can you believe it?



I will send you guys my new address as soon as I can. If you have sent me something or were planning on it, Peace Corps will forward it to me for the first month so don’t worry!

I am also uploading pics facebook and snapfish.

Love you guys and miss you so so so so much!
Mindy