Pictures for all

I have been reading the comments and many people are wanting more photos. The Mongolian 4-H organization has been posting daily pictures on their website. The address is: http://bayanmongol.com/. I know the text is in Mongolian but you can click on the heading of each day to see the photos. They also have a link to their Facebook page. I have to disclose the majority of the pictures are from the first week of our time in Mongolia and of the participants staying in Ulaanbaatar.

We are on the last day of our host family stays. Tomorrow morning we will all gather once again in Ulaanbaatar to travel to the Ger camp. Our Mongolian hosts were able to secure enough tickets for all the participants to see the opening ceremonies of Naadam. I have been told over and over again that tickets inside the stadium are very difficult to get and we were able to get 80 for our entire group. What a feat!

Warren

Mongolia has come to mean

Mongolia is a land of strong, unique traditions:

In the past week, I have tasted mare's milk, uruk (mare's milk vodka), marmot, cow's tongue, sheep's head, orom (a delicious butter), and gallons of milk tea. I have slept in a ger, ridden horses bareback across the open plains, and milked a very, very patient cow. I have paid my respects to the Mother tree (a sacred tree), avoided placing my hat on the ground, and been reminded not to whistle in the house.

Mongolia also shares a surprising amount of common ground with America:

Immediately after eating marmot, I had some chocolate fondue and a delicious ice cream sundae. My host brother, Muunuu, loves the song "Friday" and plays it all the time - his phone is filled with popular American songs. Ask him about Forest Gump and you will get an enthusiastic response! And of course, after I finished drinking my milk tea in a ger deep in the Mongolian countryside, I realized that I was using a Looney Tunes cup! It seemed that in a way, I was not so far from home.

And what is the result?

A land of blue skies, throat singers, old disco tunes and the latest hits, pizza, hot-stone barbecues, nice computers like the one I am using, open plains, I <3 NY T-shirts, and excellent fondue. A land which is colorful, diverse, and beautiful. There you have it - MONGOLIA!

I have had an amazing trip full of memorable moments and unforgettable adventures. Through immersing myself in both sides of Mongolia, I have come to realize that its old and new parts are inextricably linked, creating a land far more fascinating and complex than I could have imagined.

Sam Greydanus

Memories of a 4th of July in Selenge, Mongolia

Roasting hotdogs over fire near Selenge River

Swimming, volleyball, hotdogs, marshmallows, singing. Our 4th of July Celebtration was a blast! Some Peace Corps vollunteers and Mongolian friends completed our party.
The weather cooperated and there was no rain! A night to remember of an American Independence Day in Mongolia.

-Selenge Crew

Photos from My Time In Mongolia

I just thought that a few photos would add a nice touch to this wonderful blog. Enjoy! :)


A nice welcome at the airport.


A traditional Mongolian dance, music, and contortion performance.


The Corvallis crew bus riding through UB!


Traditional Mongolian horhog while camping at a hot springs.


Tsetserleg, Arkhangai


The Arkhangai group and some friends.

A Culture Shock

My stay in Mongolia these past two weeks has been nothing short of spectacular. I have accomplished so much in a relatively brief time: visiting historical museums, sampling the local cuisine (apparently around since 1206), learning the language, participating in an archery competition, heading to the countryside, and helping children at an orphanage. These activities all greatly surpassed my expectations heading into the trip.

During these activities, however, I expected there to be a significant culture shock. Traveling across the world from the United States to Mongolia, one would expect to be in unfamiliar territory. Yet, the primary culture shock I have experienced is in fact not a culture shock at all. I continue to be surprised and amazed at how truly similar my host brother and I as well as Mongolians and Americans tend to be.

During my host family stay in UB, I have become familiar with my host brother Eddy's personality and lifestyle. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that we enjoy similar songs and musical artists, we go to the same locations to seek entertainment (i.e. movie theaters, amusement parks, swimming pools), we both play sports, we both have dreams and aspirations, etc. On multiple occasions, I have even begun to consider Eddy to be more of a "American" than me simply by the way he conducts himself and his knowledge of pop culture.

I suppose if I could summarize my exchange up to this moment with one generalization, it would most definitely be to express my new found perspective on the world. I have come to appreciate the small nuances that make individuals so unique, yet I have also begun to realize that teenagers are teenagers regardless of where they live.

~Michael Boggess

A Bit About Tsetserleg, Arkhangai and Hot Springs

My host community for two weeks here in Mongolia is Tsetserleg, Arkhangai. Tsetserleg means garden and is the capital of Arkhangai with about 20,000 people. Tsetserleg is a beautiful town surrounded by some mountains and is very green. There are lots of pretty little wild tsetselgs, or flowers, and I love being out here in the country. The difference between here and UB is astonishing. Right away I noticed there was less pollution and trash in the streets, not to mention much it is greener. To get here, the six Americans (Erynne, Alanna, Jessica, Jaden, Jed, and Emily), their host siblings, and Kim and Peter (our chaperones), traveled by one of those community carpool vans for about 9 hours. It was quite an adventure and we traveled on Mongolia's only road across the country, though some detours onto the side of the road were necessary to avoid construction and sheep. There are so many sheep, goats, and yaks here, it's amazing! I think I heard a statistic that there are 10 head of some animal to 1 person here, or something like that. Sheep/goats/yaks/cows and the occasional horse roam the sides of the streets and most of the countryside.

On Monday, we all took a trip to a hot springs about 1.5 hours away from Tsetserleg. Means of transportation? A slightly sketchy "Russian Micro-Bus" (you must say it with a Russian accent). If I thought Paraguayan driving was scary, it was nothing compared to this. Don't get me wrong, Mongolians are excellent drivers, but we took this bus, along with a bit larger micro-bus, on a two track out into the middle of nowhere. I must admit that there were quite a few occasions that I was sure we were going to tip over while driving up a steep hill or break a bridge that was missing a few boards, but I've made it back in one piece and will probably never be scared to ride with anyone in any type of car again!

The hot springs was at a small ger resort, where the hot water is piped into pools. Each family brought a tent and we set up camp at the top of a small hill. Some of the adventures I experienced while on this camping trip were eating horhog - a traditional Mongolian dish where you cook goat or sheep with vegetables in a pot with very hot stones. Our goat came from a herdsman nearby the hot springs and was still alive when we got there... :D; drinking araig - fermented mare's milk that was offered to us by a Mongolian man who runs a boarding school for herder children as we were on our way back from visiting a gold mine. Typical Mongolian hospitality; eating yak butter - again, offered to us by the same Mongolian man; and seeing some beautiful Mongolian countryside.

One of the charms of Mongolia is its countryside. You'll be driving along on a grass plain, literally in the middle of nowhere, and suddenly a few gers will crop up, along with countless sheep/goats/yaks and possibly a jeep and some solar panels. It truly is quite a sight!

I'm having a grand time here in Mongolia and definitely have so many memories and experiences to share already. This is an experience I'll never forget and I'm so glad I've been able to participate in this program. I've tried to upload photos from my camera, but unfortunately this computer in the internet cafe I'm using isn't letting me :( But just look up some pictures of Arkhangai, Mongolia on Google and image me, 7 other Americans, and their Mongolian hosts standing there!

~ Erynne van Zee

Learning to Cook Mongolian Food

Being in Mongolia has been great fun! Today was a free day on our schedule therefore Deegii my host is teaching me to cook Mongolian Buuz (big dumplings steamed) and Bunsh (small dumplings filled with meat boiled in milk tea). I must say that the lamb we raise on our ranch is a lot different from the mutton purchased in the local market. I think I am understanding that it is the cheaper meat here. Anyway, Deegii has taught me many Mongolian words and cultural things. It has been a delight. I have experienced the cheap bus and a taxi. Luckily the cheap bus was not during rush hour (it gets packed). The taxis here are not necessarily a permitted business, it can just be a private person willing to make a little spending cash and you into their car. The way you hail them is to walk along the curb with your hand extend to the road. Out of no where they zoom to the curb stop in any traffic and let you get into their car. Needless to say as an American it is a just breath moment for me. We have so many regulations for safety that I have come to realize the security that I have taken for granted. I am excited to experience and learn even more and I look forward to hearing about others' experiences in our group.

A Summary

Our Mongolia experience started out with about 36 hours in either and airplane or an airport. Once the plain finally touched down at about 11:30 pm on Friday, we were all anxious to get to the hotel, and sleep in an actual bed. Once we all got our bags, went through customs, and started to walk out of the airport, we were greeted by a film crew, and some of our host siblings. After being interviewed and greeted thoroughly, we were able to step out into the night and see the lights of Ulaanbaatar.

We bounced our way down the crowded and mangled streets of UB to arrive at our hotel at about 1:30 am. As we dragged ourselves up the stairs with all of our luggage we were so close. We promptly went to bed and found ourselves waking up at about 6 am to the broad daylight shining through the window (Mongolia does not have daylight savings time.)

No matter how tired, we made a trip out into the city after being explained that pedestrians never have the right of way. A group of us braved the streets and went to sight see. The streets of Mongolia were planned to have about 1/4 of the population that they currently have. After navigating through the traffic for about a half hour, we found ourselves at peace bridge looking down into a crystal clear stream.

Later in the week, we traveled to many museums, palaces and monuments around UB. As it drew closer to Saturday, the tension was building. Saturday we all separated and went into our host families. I can speak for everyone when I say that we were nervous. Once we entered our host homes, we were greeted with food, food, and more food. It is in the Mongolian culture to make sure that your guests sever get hungry and to offer them plenty of food.

Overall, Mongolia is really a great place with many great people that are rich with culture.

-Thomas and Kate

Rainy Season

June and July are the wettest months in this part of Mongolia, and the last few days have illustrated the fact well. Parts of roads have become canals filled with murky water and parked cars are small island chains along the curbs. The rain has settled the dust, and tempered the heat we felt upon our arrival. It has also made for some humorous circumstances for student and adult participants alike.

Rachel and I were scheduled to travel to the countryside Tuesday night in advance of a lecture on vegetation monitoring at a biological field camp for a group of Mongolian college students. We were planning to stay in a hotel near the camp Tuesday night and proceed to the site on Wednesday morning where we would teach, then have a traditional Mongolian lunch before our return…but the best laid plans of mice and men…

Our hosts picked us up in an appropriate vehicle for the trip considering we would be heading onto unimproved roads: a well-aged, but very well-kept “Russian bus,” as it was introduced to us (if you think of how Arnold Schwarzenegger might pronounce “Russian bus,” it will give you the same introduction). The bus was well equipped with several bench seats, one facing backward behind the driver and two more facing forward. Only one or two of the many side windows opened near the back, and the rest of the windows were fixed in place. The interior was very clean in spite of the muddy conditions and it was obvious that the driver took great pride in maintaining the vehicle.

After a quick start and restart from the hotel parking lot (we had forgotten some materials for our presentation), we were on our way through the crowded streets of UB. And the rain intensified. We had to make a quick stop at the market to pick up supplies for the traditional Mongolian lunch and some of our hosts navigated the traffic on foot into the market, quickly returning with three Walmart-ish plastic bags laden with vegetables and at least 10 pounds of mutton placed somewhat haphazardly in the bags which were promptly knotted and laid on the floor at Rachel’s feet beneath one of the fixed windows of the Russian bus, and we proceeded down the road.

But not for long.

Suddenly, traffic in front of us ceased to move and seemed to surge backward toward us. Indeed, there were reverse lights heading our direction. The main road out of the city and our intended exit was closed. No advanced warning, no flashing signs, no orange cones, just a few flatbed trucks parked perpendicular to the prevailing traffic. I say prevailing because the flow of traffic, both pedestrian and vehicle traffic in UB seems to only hint at a direction of travel. At times it is an amorphous blob of slow and fast-moving particles mixed together, but back to the “Russian bus.”

After accomplishing a relatively swift turnaround, we decided to attempt another route out of the city. And the rain intensified. Since it was raining heavily and muddy water was splashing to near window-high on the “Russian bus,” the one sliding window was opened only a small crack, and the interior was sweltering from humid afternoon weather and the warmth and breath of 7 bodies crowded into a relatively small space. Ever so slowly, a dripping developed from the top of the window next to Rachel’s seat, which was also directly above the plastic-swaddled bundle of mutton at her feet.

Our second attempt took a more direct route toward the mountains surrounding the city, which resulted in a trajectory up steeper slopes with raging rivers flowing downhill toward us and nearly carrying away a small group of men attempting to push a stalled late 90’s sedan from the midst of surging traffic and floodwaters alike. After that, it becomes difficult to provide much detail on the happenings outside the “Russian bus” because the windows were so obscured with fog some of the things which I thought I saw might not be very accurate, and partly because the heat, erratic movements of the bus and slowly increasing smell of raw mutton may have affected my observation skills just a bit. The slow drip from earlier had become almost a steady stream of rainwater dripping past Rachel’s face and directly onto the mutton bag. Somewhere around this point did our host call the governor of the aimag we were hoping to reach and found that the rain had made the roads nearly impassable and that we would not be able to reach our destination.

After returning to our hotel nearly 3 hours after our departure and never reaching the edge of the city, it was definitely an interesting first tour of UB, and an interesting introduction to the rainy season.

Brian A. Mealor

The first week: UB

The first week of our month in Mongolia is over, and I am quick to conclude that it has been a great success. UB is definitely not a beautiful city - in truth, it is still rapidly becoming modernized. Crumbled concrete and huge, blocky, dull buildings are common. Trash cans are rare, and recycling is unheard of. For the 'refined' westerner, a first glance over the city is not appealing.

But in the past few days, I have discovered great allure in the city's rich culture, friendly people, and its promise of the intriguing unexpected around every corner. It is shocking how seamlessly the most ancient traditions and hip trends blend together. At a site where ancient Buddhist relics were housed in traditional temple architecture, a flashy fashion show was in preparation. Then, at the other temple site we visited, I watched in surprise as two robed monks got out of their modern cars go chant ancient phrases.

In summary, UB has a dirty, crumbled-concrete-and-muddy-sidewalk exterior, but within, it is a fine city with great charm

Sam Greydanus

Last day in UB

Tomorrow morning we will disperse to our individual host families around Mongolia. Everyone is very excited about meeting the rest of their host family members and spending time with them. The cultural training week has been full of surprises, touching moments and of course lots of laughter. It is so sweet to watch the Mongolian and American participants walking down the sidewalk hand in hand or with arms linked. That's much more common in many countries around the world and I think we miss out on that beautiful expression of friendship living in America. Our Mongolian has gotten better each day and we have now finished learning basic survival phrases like "I'm tired" and how to ask for bottled water. Tme will tell how well our Mongolian is when we get to the countryside. Beautiful friendships have started to develop between the Mongolian and American participants this week. It will be fun to see how they flourish over the host family stays. It does my heart good to be part of this program and witness the personal changes that a cultural exchange like this can have in so many lives. Kids are growing and learning and changing right before our eyes!

Kim

Crossing the street

As with any large, developing city, the traffic is absolutely crazy. A narrow two lane road instantly swells from two to four or four to six or eight when the traffic picks up. Drivers all seem to be in a hurry and even take to the sidewalks when they think it will speed their destination. Mongolia does have a few stop lights, which seem to be optional, and crosswalks. However we learned pedestrians do not have the right-of-way. In fact any pedestrian in the street is fair game and might get a courtesy horn blast if the driver is in a good mood. This does not stop anyone from crossing the street even in the worst traffic. This is a badge of honor for the local Mongolians. All you need to do to show anyone and everyone you are a local is to brave the traffic and cross the street. Foreigners wait patiently and with trepidation at the cross walk while Mongolians step into traffic and cross the street anywhere and anytime much like a real life game of frogger. I even learned the pick pocketers will not target you if they think you are a local. The take home message is if you want to earn the respect of Mongolians and keep the pick pocketers at bay, all you need to do is cross the street.

Warren

Cultural Experiences In UB

I often find it hard to describe the lifestyles of a new place, especially one so completely different from home, but I'll give it a try. I must admit that the ideas of UB in my mind were quickly shattered after a few hours of walking through the city. Cars and traffic here are crazy and you cross your fingers evey time you try to cross the street. And, surprisingly, I've seen a few BMW and other fancy-looking cars. Time here, compared to the U.S., seems much more relaxed and leisurely. It is not uncommon for the bus to be 20 or 30 minutes late, but that is likely due to the heavy traffic congestion. But what seems to stand out the most to me is the culture; Mongolia is rich in a traditional culture. From elderly people walking around in traditional clothing, to almost every single person accustomed to drinking sootai tsai and eating mutton, it is always an adventure to step out onto the streets because I notice new small customs every time. For me, one of the most memorable cultural excursions has been the traditional singing, dancing, and music performance we went to. From throat singing to Mongolian dancing to a contortionist, I think I left with a well-rounded musical experience of Mongolian culture. On another note, I'm very excited to travel to our host communities Saturday, as I think the two weeks living as a Mongolian will only enhance my understanding. Culture is one of the reasons I love to travel, for every time I return from a trip, I feel like my world view has only grown. I think this must be similar for many of the other American participants, and one of the intriguing aspects of travel for the Mongolians that have never left their country. Many adventures await us!

Daraa ulzii
Erynne van Zee

Monk in Training

The Bodg Khaan Palace. Wow what a place! Such a historic place with the most beautiful architecture and colors.
While looking at some Buddhist monuments Temuulen and I met a young boy maybe around 11 or 12. He was dressed in Buddhist Kasaya robes, he was a monk in training. I asked my host sister to ask him how long he has been training for, the boy replied that he has been training in the temple since he was 8! Looking at him I saw a little boy wanting to play. But then if you looked at his face he just had this knowledge in his eyes that was overwhelming for me. He was so serious, I thought to myself, and back in USA boys his age would be playing games and hanging outside with friends! But here this boy was already looking and acting like an adult. Temuulen (my host sister) translated to me that he wanted me to take his picture in front of this stone monument. Then he told me ( with Temuulen translating) that I had to keep his picture for as long as I lived. I gave my thanks by giving him 2 Alaska pins, one with for-get-me-not flowers on it and the other of AK flag. I think he really liked them because his face lit up as he received them traditionally with both hands cupped around my hands. That picture will stay in my mind forever.

Kira O'Donoghue

Haiku 3: A baguette you must not forget

Crunchy, crackly crust
More than bread, A way of life
Eating a baguette

Haiku 2

Dear Mongolian,
My tongue feels pain to learn you
Twisted in a ball

Letters to the Editor

Dear UB:

Hello. You're pretty frikkin' amazing. However, I do have a few things I 'd like to bring up.
Sewers: the fabled bane of all humanity, breeders of disease and giant alligators, the terror of urban myths. I can see why you might want to spare your people the horror. Yet, some how I think that there are greater terrors in walking through ankle-deep water thick with blood-borne diseases and foot fungi, and dodging the great sprays of pestilence sent from the tires of every vehicle that happens by. Let me say that, from personal experience, those sprays really suck.
To recap: sewers= nasty scary pits below the streets. No sewers=nasty scary pits IN the streets.
Nevertheless, you rock.
Emily



Dear Washing Machine:

I know we've had our issues. Your geriatric rumblings and incontinence can be difficult to deal with, but I truly regret all of the times that I've turned to Downy Wrinkle Releaser (so sweet! So simple! And it really gets the wrinkles out!) during our little spats. Washing machine, please take me back! Despite your bewildering array of buttons and dials, you never fail to get my clothing clean. Not sort of clean, not merely wet, but truly clean.
Never have I realized your true beauty before now, now that I must treat with the infernal sink that is so fickle in its affections (my hands get clean, yet it rejects my clothing!). Please, oh W.M., remember me fondly.
Emily

Dear Dryer and Clothesline:

My feelings for you have changed in much the same way. Your inconsistency, Dryer, and your inability to produces soft fluffy fabrics despite your care-free appearance, dear Clothesline; no longer do these trivialities offend me. At this moment, it appears that a laundry basket exploded in my bathroom, and you both have so much more to offer than this.
Love, Emily.
P.S. Does this count as an email home?

RAIN!!!

I'll not take storm drains for granted again. After two full days and nights of heavy rain the streets and highway stretches around UB have large amounts of standing water. No storm drains exist here which result in some really difficult challenges for both pedestrians traversing the streets and variety of vehicles. We watched buses throw water thirty or more feet into the air as people walked along narrow walkways. No place for water to drain away means big puddles of water, some of which were at least a foot deep. This, just an example of infrastructure or lack of it when so many people move into an area that was earlier designed for perhaps a third of the number who live here today.
Our schedule today reflects a reprieve of what we had earlier planned. Yesterday we spent s great deal of time moving ery slowly on buses to both Buddist temple and also the national history museum. Standing water, rain and and the seemingly greater congestion of people and traffic made it very difficult to "keep to schedule" as we had earlier imagined it would be. We arrived back at our hotel to have let lunch at1:30 followed by some very pragmatic and useful cultural training provided by four Peace Corps volunteers who have been wi us the past several days.
from 4:30 to 5:45 last night Brian and Rachel, our colleagues from Un of Wyoming provided a slide show presentation and introduction on mining reclamation. Most significantly was the high interest identified by both American and Mongolian teens in what is currently happening with environmental regulations, what THEY might do to find out more answers concerning on-going mining operations, and a new insight and awareness of what could and should happen as mining operations continue.
Back into UB last night by 7:00 PM each of our family groups made up of 6 US and 6 Mongolian youth plus chaperone went to individual restaurants. My group of 16 (including Peasce Corps and Mongolia staff) enjoyed a Mongolian restaurant called Tse. For a very nominal averaged price of 5,000 t (approximately $4.50 US) we enjoyed a variety of food including snitzel, pizza, BBQ, hamburgers, goulash, bla k mush room noodles, and several unknown named dishes. . .
Now, about the re-do on the schedule. After breakfast today everyone has the option of doing laundry. That doesn't mean a washing machine and dryer but use of their bathrooms some of which have tubs and if not tubs, wash basins. Scrub a dub dub with our socks, under ware, shirts and pants. Thank goodness for nylon and polyester clothing which dries s much faster than cotton. Time to take s shower and do my wash!

Peter Stortz
Pjstortz@Alaska.edu

Chinggis Khan, World History and the US Ambassador to Mongolia!

Friends, Moms and Dads, Family and those with an interest in our Mongolia exchange,

Some memories from a day in Ulan Baatar, June 20, 2011

Our group of 28 US teens and 29 Mongolian teens traversed 1.5 - 2 miles of streets to reach the Star Apartment complex in downtown Ulan Baatar Monday afternoon. It was seasonably hot, perhaps 95 as we walked through various neighborhoods to reach the US Embassy. There were several welcomes and presentations in the afternoon. One was specifically related to the Millenium Challenge Project which is helping develop infrastructure related to energy use and decreases in air pollution in Ulaanbaatar Baatar. With many rural people coming to live in and around UB the past decade a tremendous increase in air pollution has occurred here due to burning of coal in their semi nomadic homes. We learned the UB is ranked as the number one Capitol city in the world with the worst air pollution. IN the US pollution standards for particulate matter (dust and materials resulting from burning fossil fuels), is 40 ppm. Exceeding this volume of particulate matter is considered hazardous to human health. No doubt Fairbanks, Juneau's Mendenhall Valley and several other places in the western US sometimes exceed this during the winter months with cold temperatures, inversion layers, no wind to move the pollution out of valleys and the high incidence of burning unseasoned wood and sometimes coal. We learned that UB has had pollution levels ten times this rate due to very arid surrounding land, lack of vegetation to hold soil in place and most importantly burning coal in very inefficient stoves.

In the winter months pollution levels sometimes even reach 20 times this rate with 800 ppm recorded.

It's estimated that people living in UB inhale 20 pounds of coal dust every year! The Millenium Challenge Project is attempting to provide
more fuel efficient stoves along with coal that has been turned into briquettes which is somewhat cleaner to burn instead of "raw" coal. We are fortunate not to be here in the winter.

A second presentation helped introduce us to the significance of Mongolia's very long history and historical perspectives of Chengis Khan. Jack Weatherford, professor from Un. Of Minnesota and author of several books on Chengis Khan including "Chengis Khan, Creation of the Modern World," and "Secret Life of the Mongel Queens," gave a stimulating and informative presentation. A few gems of interest about the Mongol Empire:
Chengis Khan (often seen as Ghengis Khan in western writing), was born in 1162. After his father was murdered soon afterwards, his mother and brother were forced to scavenge on the steppe for survival. He learned the value of building strong relationships in his youth. As a young man he made alliances easily, was charismati and had natural qualities of leadership. in 1189 Mogul leaders proclaimed him Great Khan of all Mongolia. By the end of the 13th century the Mongol Empire was the largest land empire in HISTORY, stretching at it's greatest extent from central Europe to china and Korea, and from Russia to Iran an Vietnam. This empire was easily double the conquests of Alexander the Great and beyond the land mass of the Roman Empire. With an army of just 100,000, he was able to conquer and overome armies of 1 million.

It is interesting to surmise that so much of this occured because the young Chengis had a girl friend who had been kidnapped when he was just 16 years old. His sense of justice especially related to kidnapping of women represented his first major civil law which helped create the enduring trust and respect from the people his armies conquered. Two additional laws involved both environmental respect-especially towards rivers and a tolerance towards all religions. (Seeing many of the "civilized" nations in his conquests, he realized that far more of them involved religion). So today we walk in the steps of the Great Khan who had a profound impact on the world as we know it.

Our last presentation was with the US Ambassador to Mongolia who mentioned he too was suffering from jet lag. He had just returned from Washington D.C. Where the Mongolian Pesident and President Obama met this past week. The food reception that followed at the Embassy included a variety of traditional foods enjoyed by all.

What a fantastic introduction to Mongolia!

Peter Stortz, pjstortz@Alaska.edu

Ulaanbaatar as an Adolescent

Never before have I travelled to a city more ripe with signs of growth. Our ears are met with a cacophony of hammering, drilling, plowing, shoveling, and the myriad other sounds of construction. In the twenty minute walk last night to meet the American Ambassador (hopefully a group photo to come soon!), we encountered no fewer than thirty to fourth million construction projects. Perhaps our students should trade their cameras for working gloves and pitch a hand to UB's explosion.

Like a growing child, Ulaanbaatar is growing in all shapes and sizes with plenty of awkwardness thrown in for good measure. In the inner city the main government square is receiving a new statue, private homes and condominiums are springing up on the south side of town, new apartment buildings can be found on every corner, and unfinished buildings are present in neary every block. In many ways the city is like a child's Lego project: finished buildings, partially erected complexes, and empty lots filled with building materials, all spread across town with little rhyme or reason.

Finally, as growth and modernization is evident throughout the parts of the city we are experiencing, the real story of expansion lays to the north, west, and east of town. In the last ten years, the capital city has doubled its population to approximately 1.5 million residents, the vast majority of which have arrived and settled in the "Ger City" which, more accurately, could be called a Ger Slum. Little to no running water, non-existent waste removal, and heating from the burning of raw coal, all contribute to Ger City's massive pollution by air, land, and water. From our hike on the second day we could see these settlements for miles in all directions. Our group's small interaction with that part of town will be the donation of children's books to a mobile library for residents of the Ger City. A small contribution, but something nonetheless.

-Zachary Lauritzen

Haiku

Prius: One in ten*
Brought from Japan and rehabbed
King Toyota here

*Okay, so, who really knows the actual ratio, but we needed one syllable and these Prii are all over the place.

Loving Mongolia!

Hello!
I am loving Mongolia!
Today we had our first Mongolian Language lesson and culture lesson. We learned basic Mongolian sentences and worked on pronunciation. Also did you know that the pollution is so horrible in UB that each year Mongolian citizens breath in approximately 20 lbs of coal dust?! It is quite awful.
Later at night we met the American Ambassador! He was so nice to talk to and knew alot about Alaskan Universities. Right now everyone is hanging out in the lobby of our hotel playing card games and teaching crazy handshakes!
Everyone is getting along so well and we are all having so much fun!!
I found out today that none of the Mongolian host siblings know what jello is! Have you ever tried to describe jello to someone who has never seen or heard of it? I had know idea how hard it would be!! So luckily Erynn found some jello at an American store so we will make jello tomorrow! The picture I uploaded is from the Ambassador reception at the playground nearby! Shelby(red hair) and her host sister and Me and My host sister, Temuulen!
Bayartai!! (Good Bye!)

-Kira O'Donoghue

Like Vodka For Old Men

The old men here are adorable! Nearly all of my conversations so far have been with random old men we met on the street. Yesterday on the afternoon walk we met this awesome dude who spoke no English, but it was okay because we spoke no Mongolian. We just jabbered at each other and everyone was laughing and smiling. I think he told us to go to Sabatska Square, so we did later. It's hilarious, all the contrasts here. There will be a grand, stately buildings, with huge pillars and bronze statues--and it will be cotton candy pink! There will be a dilapidated shack, covered with graffiti and faded paint, and a woman wearing a haute couture dress and 6-inch heels will walk out.
Everyone does whatever wherever; right now there's a guy smoking in the kitchen and a lady breast-feeding in the lobby(uncovered...) Here, you can buy a Book of Mormon in Mongolian for 1000 tuks (about 80 cents) from another random old guy on the street, and also Calculus books in Cyrillic. (Sam bought the Book of Mormon!)
Alright, I'm running out of time again. Gotta tell you this last story (and the source of the title of this post). This morning, a bunch of us went out to buy water, but the previously reliable 24-hour supermarket was closed for a reason stated in Cyrillic and thus I have no idea why. So we walked a little farther to this ghetto little store. Inside, we found everything was way cheaper, and the lady spoke really good English. As we were getting ready to check out, this old man came in, walking with a cane. He may or may not have been drunk (at 8 in the morning) but he was really nice. He told us, through the cashier, to travel as much as we can, and to ride horses instead of cars. He told us like six times to have a good trip, and he taught us "khoy"--great--and "mo"--bad. He told us to drink airag, but that vodka was for old men only. At that point, he bought a giant bottle of vodka, and we all went through the blessing ceremony-- dip your ring finger in vodka, then dab it on your forehead. Then he proceeded to down a HUGE shot of vodka-- and reminded us that vodka is only for old men.
Hey Mom, email me!
Emily Cackler

Hello Alaska! and everyone else!

Hi all!
I still can't believe I am in Mongolia!
It is amazing how much trash is out in the ditches and in the small streams. People here just leave trash everywhere. I wonder why there are no trash cleanup days or community service projects.
So this morning Mariah and I walked down to breakfast and then grouped up with a couple other youth and walked around UB. There are banks everywhere. I counted 6 banks when we went on our walk. But they were all closed on Saturdays! We found a small Ger that was on the side of the street that was transformed into a little gift shop! It was so cute and the door was nearly half the size of my height! it was so small! Well I am going to stop writing for now. We are going to have lunch and then go off with the whole group to explore! If you can see this picture I am trying to upload it is a picture of Mariah, Jaden, Killian, and myself eating in the Beijing airport.
Hi Mom and Dad! Annaka: Take care of Hunny! Tommy: I found an awesome gift for you! but you will have to wait a month to see it! Tristan: email me when Cammie and Cream have their babies! Love you all!

-Kira O'Donoghue

We are here!

After many hours of flying, too many to count', we are finally here. I think that was the longest period of time I have ever stayed awake but it was worth it. I didn't want to miss anything even on the plane. We went to bed at around 1am in the morning (11 late morning Wyoming time) today we got up about 7:40 and ate breakfast. Rice, rie bread, omelet, pastries, apples, hashbrowns, and apple juice along with other options. Afterward five of us went for a 2-3 mile walk around the hotel. (I loved crossing the roads!) we saw a really nice little park with makeshift jungle gyms, a number of dogs, and several youth our age. We also got lounged at by two dogs chained to a wall and were laughed at by the Mongolian standing near by! Talk to all of you later! ( love you mom, dad, aaron, an oregon family!)

Melanie whitmore

Welcome to UB!

Well, it has been a very long couple of days. Frankly, I'm still not entirely sure how long it's been--all I remember is a long blur of airports and planes. But we're here! And it is AMAZING! The people are so curious and friendly--as soon as we landed, there were tons of people with cameras and practicing their English. Actually...hey Mom, I'm on TV! They interviewed Jaden, Kristine, and Miranda, me, and I think Peter too. It was fairly entertaining, since nobody had slept in at least 24 hours. The Mongolians probably think we're all completely insane. Today, we ate breakfast (that's a whole 'nother post) and wandered all around UB for like an hour. Mostly we just got stared at, but a few people said hi, and we were attacked (well...) by a dog that was tied to a tree, in contrast to all the dogs everywhere with no constraints whatsoever. Also, the driving here is kinda like the driving games my brother plays--i.e, not anything like at home, and super terrifying.
There's lots of people in line, so I gotta go!
Love you all,
Emily C.

Safe Arrival!

Greetings from Mongolia! The group has arrived safely after what for some was 36 hours of traveling. Phew! The good news is that after a night of sleep the crew is recharging for our adventures. The weather is perfect and spirits are high. If you are interested is "seeing" where we are in the capital, Google map the Palace Hotel.

Leave any ideas and questions in comments and we will have the students blog responses and answers!

-The Chaperone Team

American Youth Leadership Program Mongolia

The Mongolia exchange participants at the pre-trip orientation in Laramie May 19-22, 2011. The delegates are from left to right row 1 (front row): Zachary, Kate, Warren, Zach; row 2: Emily, Lexi, Jed, Wyatt, Nicholas, Jaden, Quinn; row 3: Kim, Miranda, Mariah, Rebel, Anik, Jessica, Kira, Christine, Melanie, Peter; row 4: Alicia, Killian, Thomas, Erynne, Micheal, Sam; row 5 (back row): Alanna, Caitlin, Jeannine, Kristy, Shelby, Jenessa, Molly, Erin and Kelly.
By Warren

Photos from the Orientation May 19-22, 2011

Welcome to Mongolia

I'm leaving for Mongolia TOMORROW! Will be meeting with each of your host families and have a chance to see the area of Mongolia you will be staying in during the host family stay. I will be back in U.B to meet you at the airport when you arrive. Can't wait to see all of you again.