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Published: August 27th 2010
Chinggis Khaan
In Sukhbaatar SquareSo why Mongolia?
I know I have given a vague description of my reasoning for taking on this 12 months in Mongolia via a group email but for those of you who keep asking why, here is my logic.
As many of you know, I have been wanting to work overseas for some time. Over the past few years, I have been seriously considering the volunteering/aid organisation options. After effectively 3 years of procrastination, I put in an application as 'Health Manager' with Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO) who advertise in a partnership with Australian Volunteers International. The countries advertised for this role included Mongolia, Uganda, Zambia and Sierra Leone. From the outset, I was so keen on Mongolia. Why not? I have always wanted to visit so why not live there for a bit?
After working my way through the selection process, and starting pre-departure training, I was ready. The paltry allowance of $20 per day was workable when I had no mortgage to worry about, I had only a short term work contract and apart from my strong support group of family and friends, there was nothing to hold me in Melbourne (well, not at that time,
now...well that's a story for another day).
After rejecting several offers in northern Africa, I received an offer for Darkhan (pronounced Dar-haan), Mongolia which was to start just 7 weeks later! It was a crazy few weeks, finishing up at the Department of Health, finishing pre-departure training, packing up my apartment and putting all my worldly goods in storage (again!) and saying goodbye to everyone (again!).
The role in Darkhan is with the Department of Health as Health Management Adviser. I expect to be working closely with the local director to facilitate improvements in general management, planning and possibly even introducing a performance appraisal system! I go with an open mind - who knows if these are the tasks I will ultimately undertake.
The journey - 14 August 2010
Catching an early morning international flight whilst nursing a hangover is not pleasant. So why did I get myself into this state? Well, what better way to spend my final night in Australia for 2010 than with a bunch of friends and family at a pub in Port Melbourne? I had a great night and was pleased to be able to introduce friends from disparate groups to
each other. So much in common....drinking, drinking, and drinking!
I was very lucky and had Tony and Rita Triglia give me a bed for the night (well, a few hours) before driving me to the airport and they waited patiently with me whilst I checked in, hoping to avoid the insane $46 per kilogram excess baggage charge on Korean airways. Well, my 32+kg of checked baggage and 12+kg of carry on made it without even a word about being well over the 20kg checked baggage limit! Sooooo happy.
I flew to Korea then to Ulaanbaatar (UB), capital of Mongolia.
In-country training
My first 3 weeks in Mongolia will be spent in 'In Country Training' in UB.
After being met at the airport by a VSO staff member and a VSO volunteer, I was driven to a guesthouse in the city. At the time, only 3 new volunteers had arrived and they were all asleep in our dorm room by the time I arrived. Unlike me, Chris, Kara and Beth had experienced an eventful trip to UB that included a 36 hour delay in Beijing and a flight to UB and back to Beijing (Air China
Burj Al UB
No idea what the name of this building is but it is commonly known as 'the sail building'. Unfortunately, as well as looking out of place it UB, it is empty! Issues with construction standards? would not land in UB for some vague reason about the weather - but all other airlines landed!)
Over the next week, the other 9 volunteers progressively arrived. We represent a wide age range and countries of origin including Canada, USA, The Netherlands, The Phillipines, and the UK.
After 2 weeks, we are all going a little stir crazy in our guesthouse. 13 adults is a confined space for 3 weeks - it's always going to be tough. However, as long as the internet, electricity and water are behaving, we manage!
In additon to a series of presentations and workshops at the VSO Mongolia country office, we are also attending language school. Hard to describe this experience. I am loving the learning aspect but it is soooooooo hard. No wonder this is the only country for which VSO provides its volunteers with interpreters. I have re-set my aim with regards to language and hope simply to manage shopping, transport and small talk on my own!
Ulaanbaatar
What can I say about UB?
It was such a shock for the first few days as is normal when leaving home and landing in a developing country.
Security guards in UB
UB is known to be relatively safe, noticable by the attentiveness of these guys! Stand outs include:
* the footpaths and roads - uneven at best, outright dangerous at worst
* the traffic - initially felt like I was back in Cairo - every pedestrian for themselves. The big tip we got was not to walk in front of buses as they do not stop!
* the cars - lots of 4WD and an unnerving mixture of left and right hand drives
* that everything is unfinished (hence the alternate title of this blog entry). Brand new buildings have waste materials just left beside them, roadside kerbs are partially completed, etc, etc, etc
* plumbing - I am yet to hear of anyone living in UB without any plumbing issues
Now I have settled in, there are some really cool things about UB including the folk rock band,
Altan Urag, who play at a local bar every Thursday and Sunday night and funk up traditional Mongolian music and Sukhbaatar Square - centrepiece of UB - where Chinggis Khaan looks out over the square and Damdin Sukhbaatar holds centre stage on his horse.
Shopping is a sensational experience. Forget going to the supermarket to buy your pre-determined, pre-packaged cuts of meat.
Streetscape #1
Check out the interesting streetlamps! Here you just walk up to a table where muttom, beef, and horse flesh are laid out before you and you simply choose the piece you want and how much of it you want to buy. There is no such thing as a refridgerated truck in Mongolia so all meat is simply left out for sale BUT it is organic and fresh so no one gets sick from this lack of refridgeration. And mince meat? No worries, go to a central machine, hand over your cut of meat and into the machine it goes and about $1 later, you have fresh mince!
Apart from meat, everything else is much the same as anywhere around the world except that most fruit and vegetables are imported and therefore a little expensive. In terms of other imported goods, you can purchase most anything if you are prepared to pay for it. My most expensive food item purchase to date is a bag of sultanas! Second would be a jar of peanut butter and then some muesli.
Our countryside trip
Last weekend, most of us ventured out into the countryside to meet some relatives of VSO's Logistics Manager, Chuka (pronounced 'Chooka'!).
Man holes!
Occupational hazard of UB - you must always look where you are walking because the pavements are uneven and often missing man hole covers! Mum, Dad and 4 kids live in a ger and have more than 500 goats and assorted other livestock. It was fun to try new foods and drinks including milk tea - green tea with loads of fresh goat's milk and some salt - fresh cream from the goats which we spread on bread as a pre-lunch snack, buuz (dumplings with either meat or vegetables), fresh yoghurt, and finally, airag (fermented mare's milk). I enjoyed all of it - although I did not try the mutton buuz. I am bordering on being a vegetarian so far. I think that will pass as I become more comfortable with my surrounds.
Some of my fellow volunteers also tried a bit of horse-riding which was fun to watch. The family's horse needed much encouragement to move let alone trot!
My favorite part of the visit was simply watching the kids. Chuka's little boy, Suult, who turned 1 this week is adorable and the 2 little ones at the ger were great. The little boy was obviously going to be a real handful as he was very strong and independent, enjoying standard little boy pasttimes like tearing wings off crickets! The little
girl was gorgeous and so shy. And the two older boys - simply amazing. Very polite and very capable - herding the goats, riding off to the neighbours to pick up some airag for the visitors - no moaning, just getting on with the job. I was so impressed.
Finally, a few quirky things.....and this will become a regular feature of future entries as I discover more!
It is bad luck to (a) whistle inside and (b) fall out of a door/house - falling in is just fine!
Garbage trucks in UB play the standard ice-cream van tune! Why? Because it is a call to bring their garbage out for collection!
If you accidentally touch someone's foot, you apologise and shake their hand!
Heating and hot water in UB is centralised. The heating turns on 1 October and off on 1 May - residents have no control
over their preferred temperature! And the water thing means that apartment blocks and apartments do not have their own water heating units!
Oh...and the panorama at the top of this entry is a quote on a wall at the language school! Love it!
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Richard
non-member comment
A great entry Merryn. I'm really looking forward to learning more about Mongolia. Unfortunately I didn't stop there when I was in the neighborhood in 2003. It's inspiring to think about what you are doing and I'm looking forward to living vicariously through your writing and pictures for the next year. It will be interesting to hear what winter is like in that part of the world especially from someone who hasn't enjoyed winter for months at a time before. Love the pictures. Take care, Richard