Offically A Volunteer!

8/14/13

             I left my host family on 8/12/13. I was so happy to be finally gaining my independence but at the same time absolutely terrified to be on my own. I had grown used to living with them and they really felt like my family. On the meeker ride to Darkhan, I cried along with some of the other girls. Leaving Suhkbaatar meant I was leaving behind familiarity, and it was scary! But as soon as I got to Darkhan, I got an immediate adrenaline rush knowing in a couple hours I would know where my permanent site would be. After sitting through training sessions, we were finally led to the Children's Park, where there is a giant map of Mongolia on the ground. We were called out one by one and brought by our regional manager to our city on the map. It was so nerve wrecking, I remember holding hands and hugging the health group as we waited for our names to be called. Finally, my name was called and I was going to Tsetserleg City, Arhangai. I had no idea where this was. So my manager brought me out to the place on the map where I would stand until everyone else was at their place on the map. It was crazy to see everyone so spread out on the map and to really gauge how far I was from my health group that I had grown so close to. We stood on the map for awhile as former volunteers and Peace Corps staff came to greet us and tell us about each of our cities. Person after person kept telling me how beautiful it was; there were mountains, lakes, rivers, volcanoes, hot springs and forests. I was so excited! I also would have 4 site mates, which I was ecstatic about! After the placement ceremony, we went to regional dinners with the Peace Corps Volunteers that have been here for a year. I am in the northwest region of Mongolia. At the dinner, we learned more about out placements and helpful tips to survive the winter. That night we also went to a club in Darkhan with fellow PCVs. It was quite the experience. It was fun for the most part, but I really got a first hand account of how women are treated in Mongolia. It opened my eyes.

8/16/13

          On Thursday we had another ceremony, where we were introduced to our supervisors. We were once again called out one by one, by region and HCA (host country agency). It was all in Mongolian, so we had to listen carefully. Luckily, I am the only health volunteer in Arhangai, so it was easy to distinguish from the other jobs. After meeting our supervisors, we went to lunch with them and then had joint training sessions with them. My supervisor wasn't able to come because she was at a meeting in UB for all the directors of Health Departments, so a doctor who works for the Health Dept. came. She was very nice! The sessions were meant to familiarize ourselves with Mongolian customs and for the Mongolians to familiarize themselves with American ideas. We had to make list of things we wanted our HCA to know about Americans. First on our list, was time management, as a whole Americans like schedules and like to stick with them, we asked that they give us 24 hours notice before changing something so we have time to plan (this is a foreign concept to them), we also explained how Americans' like alone time and that we would like them to call and let us know they are coming over, not just stop by unannounced. Also, that Americans don't always drink to get drunk, we often enjoy just one beer with dinner. It was so interesting to see this ideas written down, I have never had to explain these things, they have always just been understood. But here in Mongolia, we had to actually write them out and explain why Americans like this things.

8/19/13

       On 8/17/13 we had our swearing in ceremony. Another emotional day. The Health Minister and US ambassador to Mongolia came and made speeches at it. The Health minister wants to work with my group of health volunteers. When we go back to UB, he wants to set up a meeting with us and talk about current health problems plaguing Mongolia and get our input on projects that are currently being run to combat them. He feels that we have a lot of valuable knowledge and opinions that he would love to hear. So cool! We did our Health group performance (song and dance) and said our oath. We were officially Peace Corps Volunteers, FINALLY! We then went back to the hotel for lunch with the Ambassador. She is from Buffalo, so we had a nice chat about Elmwood and how much she loved growing up in Buffalo. PST was over and we were now going to be heading off to our new site. Me, sooner than most. My HCA decided to send a private car to pick me up right after lunch to go to my new site. The M23s had rented out a club in UB and was throwing us a party there. I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to go and because of the adrenaline roller coaster I had been riding the past week, I finally crashed into reality. 

           After lunch, I would be packing up all my belongings and heading out for my 11 hour drive to Arhangai. I said my tearful goodbyes to all my friends and trainers and after 15 minutes of the driver trying to figure out how o fit all my suitcases in the car, I was off to my new home. Exciting yet so frightening. I remember holding back tears; not wanting to cry in front of my supervisor who had just arrived in the car to pick me up. I wanted to be back with my safe group of friends and teachers. The 11 hour car ride was on unpaved roads and not on any roads at all. The driver was driving through meadows, up hills, through streams. We got stuck in the mud twice. The road was so bumpy that I smashed my head so many times off the ceiling and window, I had to take ibuprofen to get rid of the massive headache. It was an adventure, which I enjoyed for the first couple hours and then I was just really car sick. We finally arrived in Arkhangai at 1:30am. 

         Although it was dark, I could make out the magnificent mountains from the moonlight. It was breathtaking even in the dark. The streets were lined with blue lights and their were pine and birch trees everywhere! Shortly after entering the city, I was being dropped off at my apartment.

         My apartment consists of a bathroom, bedroom and kitchen. It has a toilet and bathtub! But right now the water isn't working, hopefully it will be fixed within the next couple weeks. Whenever I turn on the water, it comes out the back of the toilet...strange. I found this out when I went to take a shower and flooded my apartment. I then tried the next day and flooded it again. I am now waiting to use it until it is fixed. I will take tumpins (baths in my large mixing bowl) and boil water until then.

        On Sunday, my counterpart's daughter came over and took me shopping. She speaks English very well. She showed me around town and helped me buy the necessities. She leaves for UB next week for university, I wish she was staying, she would be very helpful to have around. A couple hours later, there was a knock at my door, and it was another counterpart of mine, Ariunerdene (aka: Ariuk). He is the information and training specialist. He took me to more stores and helped me get things for my kitchen. He is really nice and speaks pretty good english. He then showed me where the Health Department was and told me to be there on Monday at 9am.

        When I got to work on Monday, I researched Mongolian healthcare system, since there as nothing for me to do yet. Then Ariuk took me on a tour of the city/town and showed me where the police department, black market, hospitals, banks and family clinics were. He then took me to the meat market. I ordered way to much (I have no refrigerator) and ended up having to throw out more than half of it. But, now I know how much to order. I am working on getting a refrigerator from one of my counterparts. I hope it works out! So far I have made myself beef and vegetable stir fry and omelets for my meals. I really need to learn how to cook. I don't have an oven, just a portable stove top. 

8/21/13

         My city is absolutely gorgeous. Their are mountains surrounding it and so many trees and gardens! I live right next to a Buddhist Monastery which sits upon this tall mountain. The face of the mountain is all rocks and the rocks have been painted with Mongolian pictures. I have never seen anything like it. We also have a fabulous market, with fresh vegetables, meat and fruit. It's amazing.

         Last night, I met up with two of my site mates. We did a little shopping for our homes. I bought plates, silverware, mugs and a blanket for my bed. I still have a list of things I need to buy this week. We then went back to one of the girl's ger to make pasta and watch “10 Things I Hate About You”. Her ger is so cute, it made me wish I had gotten one, but come winter I know I will be more than happy having an apartment that I don't have to heat with fire every couple hours and won't have to put layers on to walk outside to go to the bathroom.

        Today, I am on day 2 of working at the health department. I wouldn't consider it working, since I have yet to do anything, but observe people work. Everyone at the Health Department has been on vacation, so nothing has been happening. Today, we are supposed to have a meeting in which I will find out what projects are going to be going on and how I can help. I feel useless right now. But, I'm sure once everyone is back and everything starts up I will be busy. I'm not used to not having a task or least a direction of what to work on. I need to work on being more self directed, but it's hard when I have no idea what they are working on and what there needs are. Plus, its only me and two other people actually at the Health Department, the other 39 people are on vacation. Haha.

       I have already had to break out my winter coat and gloves. It is so cold here already! It starts to snow here next month! Summer is officially over and we apparently skip over fall and go straight to winter. Yikes! Bring it on!

       So I have internet at my work! So I will be able to update my blog more frequently. I am also planning on buying an internet modem for my apartment so I can Skype with everyone!

      Today, a lot of the Health Department staff came back! We had a staff meeting, where I tried to understand what was going on. Here is the full list of the words/statements I was able to understand in the 45 minute meeting:

South Korea and Mongolia Partnership

visited hopsital and doctors in South Korea

S.Korean Doctors are coming to Mongolia to preform surgeries and teach

agreement of understanding

schools, houses, families and health department involved

at National Medical Center

Eye doctor and eye exams

go to hospital

big organization

english presentation

pulse and blood pressure

blood room

World Health Organization

Peace Corps Boss

small dinner

bathroom

food menu

again

little

what kind of food?

Nutrition

2 workers were (doing something)

the numbers: 101,102,7,2,240,6,1,8,28,14,2067

tomorrow

to give

it said

children

I was very excited that I could understand bits and pieces of it. What I basically got from the presentation is that the director of the Health Department visited doctors in South Korea at the National Medical Center, which is a big organization. The had a presentation in English about an agreement. Doctors for S. Korea are now coming to Mongolia to help preform surgeries and teach Mongolian doctors things. After the presentation, they toured a hospital where they saw eye doctors and nurses. They saw a blood bank and new blood pressure machines. They then had dinner. Not to shabby for only 2.5 months of language training. I knew a lot more than I thought I would.

         During the meeting the director introduced me to the rest of the staff and gave me a gift. She gave me a cashmere scarf (Mongolia is known for its cashmere), a statue of the national boot and a really nice pen. They then had a table full of candy, pastries, vodka, beer, and black berries. It was 11am. I politely declined the vodka and beer telling them it was too early, but I would celebrate with them later. Peace Corps taught us to refuse in the beginning so they understand you aren't a heavy drinker looking to party all the time. In the past there has been numerous volunteers who have come back from Peace Corps Mongolia alcoholics because of all the drinking that goes on in the country.

         My first job here at the Health Department is to translate some Mongolian handouts into English. My translator and coworker Ariuk is going to help me, since I obviously do not have the capabilities of translating medical information quickly and most importantly correctly. I am also going to begin teaching the staff English. I need to make a schedule and begin planning my lessons.