Keeping Up

The word spring means something totally different in Mongolia. Sping here is like a person that fell asleep watching The Shining and then proceeds to have bad dream after bad dream, waking up occasionally and thinking, "Oh, I hope that's the last bad dream." What can I compare you to, Mongolain spring? You are like a man who bits his tongue and then every time he thinks it's getting better, he bites it again, and it all starts over.

Every once in a while, it gets warm (keep in mind, after a year here your definition of the word "warm" will include a temp in which you can still see your breath). The sun will shine, and all of the snow will melt and make a flood out of your town. Then it will get dry, and the wind picks up and you get crazy dust storms. With the wind comes colder weather and clouds, which gets everything cold, like bitter freezing cold, and then it snows for a while and the cycle starts again. This can happen over the course of a week, or it can happen twice in just a few hours. you can never know what to wear. It's time for a tank top, and then you need a wnter coat. You wear your tennis shoes, but by the end of the day the ground in the entire town has become mud. forget to bring a hat to work, and your ears might get frost bit on the walk home. Wear long underwear in the morning, and by lunch time your sweating in them. The joy of spring. Mongolians say, "The spring sky is a moody person", at least that's the official translation. My translation would use a little different wording.

I just started my last quarter of school. It's really exciting. My movie club is going great. And I've decided to teach with all of the teachers for these last few weeks. The truth is, I really only have about 5 weeks of teaching left. My close of service conference is in Mid-May, and by the time I get back from that, it'll be graduation time. Then, in the first week of June the M-21's fly in to start their journey in the steppe. I'm hoping to make the most of the time I have left.

But still, I do care less and less for being culturaly sensitive. Sure, I still use my right hand, pull my sleeve down when I recieve things, make sure my liquid containers are always pointing north, shake a person's hand if we happen to touch feet, and a whole list of other things that have become second nature, but a Mongolian recently told me (at a government sponsered shool event where kids were all around and people were drinking vodka) that I had to drink three shots because that's Mongolian custom. I said, "I don't care." And that's been my MO for the last while. I don't let people show up to meetings late and just pass it off as culture anymore. I don't let people come into my ger and just take whatever they want, nor do I any longer ignore it when the teachers and staff steal my things from my classroom. they don't call it stealing, but it's stealing. No, some things can't be overlooked and passed off as "culture". refusing to show up on time and constantly reschelduling meetings that you don't really plan on attending, lying to someone about your intentions just because it's easier to disappoint them then tell them the truth, borrowing money (or anything) that you don't plan to pay back, showing up to school at 10:00am too drunk to teach, or never putting in your contribution to a project that would have gotten resources for your school and students, these things are not merely cultural differences. They are flaws that don't do anyone any good. And I wish someone had let me know that it's not my job to allow and enable this behavior. The way we're taught is that you can't change these things, so just try to work around it. I've decided I can't take that view anymore. It's not that I'm going to be able to change anything, but I can at least voice my disapproval and refuse to participate. And when something harms me personally, emotionally, or monatarilly, I can certainly stand up and say that I'm not going to take it anymore. Oh well, too little too late I suppose. But the point is, I'm not too worried about burning bridges anymore, especailly those bridges that I now see were never important. Trust me, this is a very different stance from the one I've had for the last couple years.

Easter has happened! I spent it with some American friends. We had a pot luck lunch. Everyone spent a lot of money on their food. And in the end we had a feast of pizza, hamburgers, fries, pie, cookies, biscuits, scrambled eggs, yogurt, soda, and deep fried peanuts (Yeah, that last one was me). We played charades, and got so stuffed that I didn't eat again until dinner the next day.

I have an official close of service date. It's July 15th. Somehow, I was able to get myself on the first flight out of Mongolia. I hope my family's happy about that. I originaly wanted to stay until the very end, August 13th, but family and other plans have had me push this up. It feels so weird. I can mark a day on the calendar of when I'll be on a plane out of here.

All of my extra money has been going to buying gifts for people. From the looks or it, most of my luggage on the way back will be gifts. Some people are going to be pleased I think. I'm not totally done yet, but I've got something for most of my family and a couple friends. Living like this has made me super duper poor, but that's to be expected at the end of a "wild adventure". And I have lots of little things for people I've overlooked. Anyway, I hope I'm not forgetting anyone important.

I know you all are busy with stuff. Still, it'd be good to hear from you. I have an interview soon via skype with Mission Year. Wish me luck.

I love you all.

Peace