I had a lovely weekend last weekend. Sadly Sarah, my flat mate has moved out as we are moving into 2 separate apartments. I will miss living with her, but we will of course see each other very regularly so I am not too worried! And after 10 days living on my own I must say I quite enjoy having my own space.
Aside from that my debating got cancelled (which of course I found out about when I arrived on Saturday morning - the joys of Mongolia!) so I headed up to Zaisan and watched some floor hockey - vicious uni hoc with the goalies wearing scary paint ball masks making them look like bugs! It was a good spectator sport and a good walk from UB for me as well!
In the evening I was invited over to another volunteers apartment where I was fed amazing chocolate brownies and fresh pineapple - what a treat! We played a fab board game called pandemic which I must get my hands on when I get home. It involves collaboration to prevent pandemics spreading around the world - a good volunteer game!
On Sunday I was up early to meet up with some other volunteers to make the most of the nice sunny weather. We walked up the hills around Ulaanbaatar and although I am still very unfit the view from the top is always worth it. It is always great to get out of the main bit of the city and see some of the hills, even if they are still very grey and brown. In fact we got very excited because there was a tree with leaves on it! You can tell how sick we are of winter at this stage. Saying that I did get slightly sunburnt so that will teach me!
In the afternoon me and some other female volunteers headed out to the factory shops to check out the cashmere! Mongolia is not well known for its cashmere as most of it is sold to China before it is made into products. However Mongolian cashmere can be very high quality and it certainly feels very lovely. I have spotted a fabulous blue pashmina I fancy so I will have to save up for that!
SO a busy weekend left me pretty shattered for the week! But of course it was a busy week in work too. As I mentioned last week CMTU held a rally on Wednesday and although the event itself was a little anticlimactic as I hadnt a clue what was going on as everything was in Mongolian, it was very exciting to see the background to a rally. To see the steps that trade unions carry out before they can protest, how they are organised and what challenges there are was an experience! Of course this meant I got no work done last week as everyone was distracted by preparations for the rally.
Another good week at MEA as well. A long with bringing Go help, the new funders for our book ger, to see the ger which was a lovely trip I finally got our first newsletter published. When I first arrived at MEA 2 of the things I thought I would be able to get organised easily were updates to the website and a newsletter. 6 months later, after 2 months of work on it, we have our first newsletter. We are still working on the website. The things you think will be the quickest can take forever in Mongolia! But this is one more of the things I had been asked to carry out in my job description, and there are only a few more things I need to do!
As I mentioned last weekend we had fabulous weather, in a complete about turn my weekend visit to Arvaikheer had to be cancelled due to crazy snow storm in the south. It is a real shame as I am not sure if I will be able to fit in another visit. Fingers crossed I will manage a quick weekend trip before I have to leave. Of course because the visit was cancelled I ended up not taking the time off and just spending the weekend relaxing. 2 coffee appointments on Saturday (one that lasted over 5 hours and ended with us being kicked out of the coffee house at closing time!) and a day of chores on Sunday.
I got some great news yesterday - my Mum has decided she is brave enough to come and visit me on her own in June. I am really looking forward to seeing her and have started the itinerary plans already - with only 6 days there is a lot to pack in!
Monday, 26 April 2010
Friday, 16 April 2010
Protests, basket ball games and flights home
Last week was a very good week!! We had out meeting about the funding we are getting and everyone is very happy and we are going to do a tour of the book ger on Monday with them to show them the place. There are still a lot of details to work out but it is all looking promising. If you have a look at my lost post you can have a quick look at our book ger project on You tube.
I am still enjoying my CMTU work but struggling to understand what it is they want to achieve from my placement other than fundraising proposals. There will be a lot of excitement next week as they are holding a rally/protest which VSO have said I cannot attend but I can watch from the window - I am rather excited at even that prospect!
On Friday night I was invited to watch on of Mongolia's favourite sports - Basketball. They were pretty good (they were the professional teams so the equivalent of the NBA in the US) bt much scrawnier than the US players but some were pretty tall! They also have no changing rooms so me and other girl in our group got quite an eyeful as they changed in the stands! I think I shall be returning!
Aside from that my debaters are doing well and we held a balloon debate (thanks Mum for the idea!) which went really well and I think they are fetting the idea about arguments. We have 2 competitions coming up - one an internal one and one with other English speaking schools so fingers crossed they won't feel too underprepared!
Last weekend we had some nice weather so I took a short walk on Saturday down the banks of the river Tuul. It isn't the most picturesque place as there is a lot of litter and building work on one side, but I got a look at the hills at that end of town and I am thinking I might try and head up one this weekend.
Unfortunately from Sunday onwards I was ill again - unfortunately my body doesn't really like the Mongolian weather so I came down with blocked sinuses this time round. I was pretty miserable for a few days and missed 3 days of work. I am on the mend now thanks to Mum's skype diagnosis and the use of some of my antibiotic stash!
It was a weird week as well because VSO UK have booked my flight home for September 3rd which is less than 5 months away now. It is strange to think I will actually have to come home and go back to uni and a "proper" job! I will miss Mongolia but I certainly couldn't do another winter. Today we got a feeling of what the summer will be like as it was sunny and warm at lunchtime and myself and my colleague went and sat outside in the sunshine and just enjoyed ourselves. I am really looking forward to my last few months here and hoping beyond all hope that it warms up properly soon!
I am still enjoying my CMTU work but struggling to understand what it is they want to achieve from my placement other than fundraising proposals. There will be a lot of excitement next week as they are holding a rally/protest which VSO have said I cannot attend but I can watch from the window - I am rather excited at even that prospect!
On Friday night I was invited to watch on of Mongolia's favourite sports - Basketball. They were pretty good (they were the professional teams so the equivalent of the NBA in the US) bt much scrawnier than the US players but some were pretty tall! They also have no changing rooms so me and other girl in our group got quite an eyeful as they changed in the stands! I think I shall be returning!
Aside from that my debaters are doing well and we held a balloon debate (thanks Mum for the idea!) which went really well and I think they are fetting the idea about arguments. We have 2 competitions coming up - one an internal one and one with other English speaking schools so fingers crossed they won't feel too underprepared!
Last weekend we had some nice weather so I took a short walk on Saturday down the banks of the river Tuul. It isn't the most picturesque place as there is a lot of litter and building work on one side, but I got a look at the hills at that end of town and I am thinking I might try and head up one this weekend.
Unfortunately from Sunday onwards I was ill again - unfortunately my body doesn't really like the Mongolian weather so I came down with blocked sinuses this time round. I was pretty miserable for a few days and missed 3 days of work. I am on the mend now thanks to Mum's skype diagnosis and the use of some of my antibiotic stash!
It was a weird week as well because VSO UK have booked my flight home for September 3rd which is less than 5 months away now. It is strange to think I will actually have to come home and go back to uni and a "proper" job! I will miss Mongolia but I certainly couldn't do another winter. Today we got a feeling of what the summer will be like as it was sunny and warm at lunchtime and myself and my colleague went and sat outside in the sunshine and just enjoyed ourselves. I am really looking forward to my last few months here and hoping beyond all hope that it warms up properly soon!
Thursday, 15 April 2010
TV Show
For those of you who are interested a local English TV channel made a 30 minute show about my organisation - the Mongolian education Alliance.
click here
It is episode 7 and hopefully will give you an idea of some of the projects I am working on out here.
click here
It is episode 7 and hopefully will give you an idea of some of the projects I am working on out here.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Easter Celebrations
This week was the first week of me being properly part time at both MEA and CMTU. Of course it was a busy week as it started with an 8 hour training on fundraising for CMTU. This was not my cleverest idea! Anyone who has ever had to talk for 8 hours straight will understand that you are not only sick of the sound of your own voice but so is everyone else! It was an exhausting day but apparently they found it useful which is what is important. My poor counterpart who was my interpreter was also exhausted so when my boss sugested another training the following week we both said no!!
Aside from that I have finally had some proposal success! From my second month here I have been working with a particular organisation to get some funding from them. Its a UK based organisation with a great Mongolian girl working here. It is finally all coming together and they have provisionally said they will fund our book ger project! As a fundraiser it feels good to have actually achieved some funding! We are also through to the second round of a competition for 100,000 GBP - down from 193 to 40 applicants so fingers crossed!
I had a good weekend for the most part. I found a group having a Good Friday church service so I headed over and it was a lovely service, just what I needed. However on the way back I somehow managed to lose my purse. Im really annoyed with myself that I let it happen - I think I have been here almost 6 months and had just gotten complacent. I have lost the cash but got the rest of it back (for a "finders fee") which is a relief but of course still had to cancel the cards.
Aside from that I had debate club again on Saturday and as we were having a speech competition we decided to have a social afternoon with snacks and a DVD. I brought the DVD - Amazing Grace and it was a good afternoon, even if they may not have understood the whole movie!! The kids are improving, so hopefully with a few more weeks we can teach them how to make arguments and how to think critically. After debate club I had dinner out at a great local restaurant with great steaks with another volunteer.
Easter Sunday was a great day as I completed my lent without chocolate and got stuck into the easter eggs sent from home! Never has a mini creme egg tasted so good! Another expat had an Easter Brunch which was amazing! She had made enough food to feed a small army including Quiche and Apple pies from scratch as well as painted eggs and lots of cheese. It was a really nice lunch and a good group of people so a nice way to spend Easter Sunday, but it obviously didn't compare to Easter Sunday at home! Biggest difference was unexpected - no flowers in church! Of course everything is still frozen here and there are no flowers, but I still expected them to be there!
It looks like there might not be any more weekend expeditions for a while as we are in for some yucky Spring weather coming through. Contrary to our mistaken belief that we had survived the worst weather in Mongolia, Spring is worse! Sand storms, winds, unpredictable weather and of course the floods as UB has no drainage. Looks like it is about to arrive!
Also during Spring time it is warm enough to stand outside all day so the protests and demonstrations start. Most of them are peaceful but occasionally they bring out the riot police! My new work place is right beside Sukhbaatar square where they all protest which gives me a nice safe vantage point from which to watch - and my new employers are usually involved!
Aside from that I have finally had some proposal success! From my second month here I have been working with a particular organisation to get some funding from them. Its a UK based organisation with a great Mongolian girl working here. It is finally all coming together and they have provisionally said they will fund our book ger project! As a fundraiser it feels good to have actually achieved some funding! We are also through to the second round of a competition for 100,000 GBP - down from 193 to 40 applicants so fingers crossed!
I had a good weekend for the most part. I found a group having a Good Friday church service so I headed over and it was a lovely service, just what I needed. However on the way back I somehow managed to lose my purse. Im really annoyed with myself that I let it happen - I think I have been here almost 6 months and had just gotten complacent. I have lost the cash but got the rest of it back (for a "finders fee") which is a relief but of course still had to cancel the cards.
Aside from that I had debate club again on Saturday and as we were having a speech competition we decided to have a social afternoon with snacks and a DVD. I brought the DVD - Amazing Grace and it was a good afternoon, even if they may not have understood the whole movie!! The kids are improving, so hopefully with a few more weeks we can teach them how to make arguments and how to think critically. After debate club I had dinner out at a great local restaurant with great steaks with another volunteer.
Easter Sunday was a great day as I completed my lent without chocolate and got stuck into the easter eggs sent from home! Never has a mini creme egg tasted so good! Another expat had an Easter Brunch which was amazing! She had made enough food to feed a small army including Quiche and Apple pies from scratch as well as painted eggs and lots of cheese. It was a really nice lunch and a good group of people so a nice way to spend Easter Sunday, but it obviously didn't compare to Easter Sunday at home! Biggest difference was unexpected - no flowers in church! Of course everything is still frozen here and there are no flowers, but I still expected them to be there!
It looks like there might not be any more weekend expeditions for a while as we are in for some yucky Spring weather coming through. Contrary to our mistaken belief that we had survived the worst weather in Mongolia, Spring is worse! Sand storms, winds, unpredictable weather and of course the floods as UB has no drainage. Looks like it is about to arrive!
Also during Spring time it is warm enough to stand outside all day so the protests and demonstrations start. Most of them are peaceful but occasionally they bring out the riot police! My new work place is right beside Sukhbaatar square where they all protest which gives me a nice safe vantage point from which to watch - and my new employers are usually involved!
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