17.03.2010

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Saturday, February 27, 2010

Alternate title for this blog entry: The day the milk died

Shopping in UB, as I have mentioned before, can be a challenge. If you find something you like or might need, get it now--you may not find it again for a month.

When we first arrived in UB, I always bought the long-life Russian milk in the yellow cartons. Now, that milk is a thing of the past. Can't find it anywhere. In the meantime, Frank discovered this Polish brand and became an instant fan because it's available in 0.5% and 1.5%--which no other milk, domestic or foreign, is. But the Polish milk was not available for a month or so. Then, about three weeks ago, it started showing up EVERYWHERE. Frank rejoiced--but too soon. Every carton, in every store, expires on March 17, 2010.

I guess in two more weeks we'll have to find another brand.

Bib number 28476

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Sunday, February 28, 2010

Frank is currently running in the 2010 Tokyo Marathon. Go Frankie!

He sent me a link to track his time on-line and so far things are looking good for an under 5-hour finish. Race start time was 09:10.

distance: total time: clock time
5km 00:36:35 09:46:35
10km 01:08:15 10:18:15
15km 01:39:43 10:49:43
20km 02:13:52 11:23:52
25km 02:47:39 11:57:39

In case you are wondering, marathons are 42.195 km.

PS: Final time was 5:00:33!

Tidmouth Sheds

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Friday, February 26, 2010

Thomas the Tank Engine is still numero uno around here. A's latest activity is to build (and re-build) Tidmouth Sheds, which is home to Thomas and his friends. Last night I heard this from the other room: "Daddy, you're the most reliable engine on the Island of Sodor." No higher praise can possibly be heaped upon anyone around here.

Tidmouth Sheds (with a little help from Mommy)

Sun & snow

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

It snowed again today, and according to my colleagues, it has snowed a lot more this year than usual. Certainly temperatures have been brutally cold throughout Mongolia this winter, and over two million livestock have died already this winter. I say "already" because 1) winter is not over and 2) spring is often the worst time for animal deaths due to low fodder. At any rate, the snow here is really weird stuff: it falls in tiny, grainy flakes--and then, for the most part, blows away. Unless, of course, it has time to be packed down--at which point it turns into deadly slippery stuff. But the sun shines brilliantly almost every day...

Snowy view from work

Cold weather cows

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Monday, February 22, 2010

The first time I noticed cows on the road between school and our apartment, I assumed they were on their way to the slaughterhouse. After all, it's the middle of winter, and I couldn't imagine why else cows would be headed in toward the city. But then, the other day, I realized that I see these same cows at least once a week about 5pm. Then it finally dawned on me that they were out each day to graze (?!) with their shepherd. I am not quite sure what they are eating, but these are some tough cold weather cows.

UB Swan Lake

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Sunday, February 21, 2010

We felt pretty adventurous taking a two year-old to the ballet this afternoon, but after too many days couped up inside, we thought we'd better grab the chance to get out and see something new. Hooray! A sat through 50 minutes of the performance--which was enough time for us to enjoy the dancing and admire the lovely old theatre, complete with red velvet seats, old fashioned boxes (which we sat in), and fantastic lamps. I love the sound of toe shoes on a wooden floor... We'll be back!

New Year's finery

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

A had many opportunities to dress up this weekend, both for the Mongolian New Year and the Chinese New Year. Here she is in her new del and her new Chinese outfit. New clothes are a very important element of the New Year--putting on your best to greet the New Year!

Good luck salad toss

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

This year the Mongolian New year coincides with the Chinese New Year. Our Singaporean collegue had a party this evening and taught us a new tradition: New Year's salad tossing. According to Singaporean/Malaysian-Chinese tradition, each guest needs to try tossing the salad as high into the air as possible. A good deal of the salad (noodles, mandarin oranges and more) ends up on the table or the floor, but no matter since we are talking about ensuring a whole year of good luck. Xin nian kuai le!

Photo: Before the toss...

Tsagaan Sar: Day Three

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Day Three and another New Year's visit to friends. The TV is often on in Mongolian homes and this time it was wrestling. This reminded me that Mongolian New Year is a big time for wrestling. Mongolian-style wrestling is quite different from anything I've seen before, and I still don't understand how it all works. One of the distinctive things about it is the "praise singers": they are the fellows who stand to the side of the wrestlers and (literally) sing the praises of each wrestler. Each wrestler has his own praise singer--they are standing to the bottom left and bottom right with the hats and red tassles.

Tsagaan Sar: Day Two

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Monday, February 15, 2010

The second day of Tsagaan Sar is for visiting people who are less senior than those who rank for First Day visits--or for visiting older folks who are not immediate family members. This morning we were invited to visit another friend and his parents. And again, our training of what to say and do came in handy.

This was also my first time in a straw bale house--amazing to think that these homes can keep people warm in such extreme temperatures.

Tsagaan Sar: Day One

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Sunday, February 14, 2010

The first day of Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian New Year) is a day for greeting/paying respect to ones elders. Everyone (except the "elders") heads out in their dels or other fine clothes for a big day of visiting--and eating buuz, or dumplings. We were invited by my colleague to join him and his family on their first visit of the New Year--to pay respect to his father and mother.

Yesterday's Tsagaan Sar "lesson" came in quite handy (see previous post). Thankfully, we had a basic idea of what to do and when to do it.

Photo: My colleague's family's Tsagaan Sar table, complete with the aforementioned sheep back and tail.

Tsagaan Sar: Day Zero

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Saturday, February 13, 2010

Today is Tsagaan Sar Eve--or the day before the Mongolian New Year holiday begins. Normally the visiting and feasting begins on New Year's Day (i.e. tomorrow), but an American colleague invited us to her house today for a "practice run" so that we could learn some of the New Year's greetings and traditions. Our colleague is married to a Mongolian and has lived in Mongolia for more than a decade.

Here are some of the things we learned:

• whom to greet first
• what to say as a greeting
• that we should keep our hats on while greeting folks
• that we should touch the bottom of plate of bread donuts (see photo) before taking a sweet
• the higher the stack of bread donuts, the longer people have been married
• there is always an odd number of layers to the bread stack--the first layer represents happiness, the second layer represents sorrow, the third layer represents happiness, etc.--thus there must always be an odd number of layers--so that one "ends" with happiness...
• salty milk tea is served first
• next up: sweetened rice
• followed by: potato salad and pickles
• don't be surprised if you see a cooked sheep back on the Tsagaan Sar table (not in this photo)
• the length of a visit is just about 20 minutes--which is the time it takes to heat up a some buuz--or dumplings
• you may refuse to drink your vodka, but then you must put put your finger in it and touch your forehead
• Once the dumplings are eaten, the hosts will bring you your gift, and it's time to go--there are probably more guests on the way...

Thanks, S, for a lovely and instructive morning!

Time for scissors & fabric

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Between moving to Mongolia, starting a new job, reviewing advanced probability & statistics, dealing with transportation, shopping, and cold-weather challenges galore, and managing A's arthritis, I feel like I haven't had time to "create" anything in ages. (Unless, of course, you count this blog.)

But Tsagaan Sar (the 4-day Mongolian New Year holiday) is here, and finally I have some time to just sit and cut fabric.

Feels good.

Size: 21 x 33 cm

Love (and Thomas) in a box

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Friday, February 12, 2010

Today, just in time for the 4-day holiday weekend (Mongolian New Year), Grandma's package arrived. A has her new Thomas the Tank Engine alphabet train puzzle and her new Thomas placemat. And blocks that stack AND go on a string. Frank has a new black vest, and I have some lovely gold earrings. And my tax papers, too. Something to keep us all busy during long winter days at home.

This is the 3rd package from home in the past few weeks. Each package was stuffed with food items (spices! tortillas! chocolate! tea!), toys & books for A, clothes & music for Frank, and earrings for me.

Thanks to Uncle R & Aunt B, C, K & O, and Grandma & Grandpa for so much love (and Thomas) in a box!

e-day!

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Today we celebrated "e-day" in math class, albeit three days late. Last fall my students struggled along with natural logs, and I thought it appropriate that we celebrate e-day with a nice chocolate cake.

e, in case you don't know is "Euler's number" and the number (truncated to 5 digits) is 2.71828. It's one of those math numbers (like π) with magical properties. I'll let you figure out why I chose February 7 to celebrate this math star.

The race is on

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian New Year, is just a week away and preparations are underway everywhere. Everyone is frantically making mutton dumplings (or buuz) to serve to all the people who will visit them over the 3-day holiday. One friend said his family was making 1500 buuz, another said a 1000. The markets are buzzing, too, and the traffic ridiculously bad (of course, a bad snow storm is part of that equation as well).

In addition to serving food and drink to all ones guests, Mongolians are also expected to give gifts to everyone who comes to their house over the holiday. This puts a big financial strain on everyone, and for many, Tsagaan Sar seems to be a time of great social obligation.

Mongolian Secret History (revealed)

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Although it seems a rather odd name for a hotel/resort, the Mongolian Secret History camp is a really lovely place. And named for one of the most famous Mongolian versions of the doings of Genghis Khan: The Secret History of the Mongols. This place lies about a 2-hour drive northwest of Ulaanbaatar and, blissfully, the road there is a paved one.

The resort consists of a fantastically lovely lodge--and wooden gers to stay in as well. The surrounding countryside is incredibly beautiful. I'd surely love to go back in the summer. This morning as I was out walking, a large white hare hopped by. And there were lovely birch trees everywhere, too. I'd almost forgotten what trees look like.

I gotta get out more

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Saturday, February 6, 2010

Sometimes I think Frank and I just don't get out enough. In fact, I felt that way even before A was born, but now it's more true than ever. I feel that way especially when I see a new gadget that I didn't even know existed. It's a bit better these days because now I work in a school where I get exposed to all that's "new and hip," courtesy of the students.

Anyhow, our tea kettle died about two weeks ago, and I've been trying to find something to replace it. At our hotel this morning (2 hours outside of UB) we finally got the electric tea kettle plugged in to make some tea. And that's when we got our big surprise: when switched on, the kettle glowed a brilliant red. While we were both laughing hysterically at this (like I said, we don't get out much), I joked that the thing would probably turn blue when the water was hot.

And then it did.

We both felt like country bumpkins who'd just seen the big city lights for the first time.

Moonscape duststorm

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Only today as we drove back to UB from our short weekend escape did we really get to appreciate the stunning beauty of the drive. Yesterday afternoon when we drove out to the resort where we stayed, the wind was blowing snow all over the road--and then a dust storm kicked in as well. The gently rolling hills along the drive were covered with some snow, but it's not particularly deep on the land because the wind blows the super-dry snow around like the shifting sands of the desert.

So, blowing snow on the roads in winter is nothing unusual but a dust storm mixed with blowing snow IS fairly unusual. It may be related to the drought experienced in parts of Mongolia last summer which reduced the vegetation and, in turn, loosened up the top soil to blow around. But that's just speculation on my part.

Global origami

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Friday, February 5, 2010

If you know me at all well, you probably know that I love unit origami. Tomoko Fuse is my hero, and her books are my origami bibles. Over the years, I have taught my high school students unit (or "modular") origami and taken field trips with my students to teach it to elementary students.

Yesterday I took my first origami field trip in Mongolia. Although only half of my students speak Mongolian, both the Mongolian speakers and the non-Mongolian speakers did an excellent job teaching the wonders of unit origami with their hands.

Good job, Grade 10!

The hills are alive...

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Thursday, February 4, 2010

This week marked the beginning of a new quarter, and this quarter I am teaching Fabric Collage as an After School Activity. For our first meeting, I asked the students to do a group project. With a little help from the art teacher, here's what they came up with. Next week they'll begin their own projects.

Size: 30 cm x 60 cm