Mongolia Update 6/17/12

Ulaanbadrakh, Dornogovi, Mongolia

The train station in UB

Altaa and I

Happy Birthday, Daddy! Let me backtrack since I've missed a day of writing. I spent nearly nine hours on the train yesterday coming out to Dornogovi. A bit hot but still a neat way to travel. Altaa picked me up at the apartment about 8:45 and we took a taxi to the train station. We met up with five other summer teachers there. Altaa got us all situated.....then said goodbye, she wasn't going with us. I could have cried. She has become like my Mongolian mama. Tsoomoo took good care of me on the train and eventually we arrived. We were met by Tsogoo, Tsegii, and some others. We dropped one girl off immediately and continued on. At one point, we stopped for some unknown reason (to me) and the teachers began walking. Perhaps it was just a chance for us to stretch our legs. Tsegii started a water fight and soon we were all laughing and splashing each other. It continued a bit back in the van but mostly we played Dutch Blitz until it was too dark to see. We arrived in the province center around 9:45 and somehow the guys knew of a restaurant that was still open. After supper, we drove for another hour and a half or so and came to a village and school. We spent the night there and I learned the meaning of the saying "plant a flower."

Personally, I think it's awesome that I got to ride on a train that looks like this

Countryside around UB

Countryside where I went.....Gobi desert

Camels!

This morning, we had breakfast and said goodbye to three teachers who will be staying there for 50 days. Then we left for our own county. Our driver, Gumbaa, got lost for about three hours but, as Tsegii and I discussed later, neither of us was worried because we had plenty of clean food and water plus there are wells and herders around if you go long enough. We chose not to think of the oil and gas for the van. At one point, we stopped and had lunch in the van. It was relatively cool out and the food was good. I, for one, enjoyed myself. Gumbaa was very generous about giving me opportunities to photograph camels as we were driving which was fun. We stopped at a well where a herder was watering his goats and filled our water jugs. More splashing each other as well.

Sunset in Ulaanbadrakh

Finally, we arrived, unloaded, and settled into our one room. Us girls made supper and we ate at 4:30 so Gumbaa could get on the road again. Poor Tsogoo is pretty sick with a cold so I gave him some of my Dayquil. Hopefully that will help. I am thankful that this school has an outhouse.

Later Same Evening

We have showers! They are weak and cost 1500T but it is better than nothing. Our room is more organized now. Totally livable. I like it.