JOE in MONGOLIA

a transitional note

2007-10-30T22:58:00.001-09:30

it's the last day of october and and it's my last month as a volunteer. i am done with my final reports, exit interview and turnovers.

the last 14 months have made their indelible mark in my life. volunteerism, volunteer life, development. not to mention the very cold weather, learning cyrillic, and experiencing medical evacuation.

the mongolian people are a warm and fun-loving race. proud and brave. they are diligent when given proper encouragement. i, just like many foreigners, have acquired a liking for their kind.

the community of volunteer workers has a significant aura of difference. confident, fulfillling. entirely strange assortment of people, yet admirable. it is a purpose-driven organization focussed on 'sharing skills and changing lives'. we used to say it may as well be 'sharing lives and changing skills' - with the way we have to be adaptive and flexible in our work and lifestyle.

i will be leaving my voluntary status but i will still be in mongolia for the next six months. i got a 'proper job' as volunteers say. it means 'with salary' (volunteers thrive on allowance, not salary).

i have moved to a new office, a new flat, a new neighborhood. what other 'new' lies ahead? i don't know. i'm sure, only God knows.

a closer look at marmots

2007-10-18T21:45:00.000-09:30

marmots or groundhogs or tarvaga in mongolian is one exotic delicacy the locals are proud of. it is cooked as a roast with hot stones inside and together with the skin. i got my first view of this dish at my workplace. i had a small bite but there was a different aftertaste that i was salivating a bit after a while.

first snowfall

2007-10-05T20:08:00.000-09:30

it was the weekend. the night before, it rained a bit. as i was entering my kitchen to prepare for my late breakfast, i saw through my window snow falling - not much but it was all over. it was the first before winter and autumn has just started. the aspen trees near my flat have just started to turn yellow. again i say, this is mongolia.

i did my laundry as i was having breakfast. cleaned the flat a bit. took a shower and i was off on the streets - to do some food shopping later. i wished i had my cap with me though. my ears were beginning to feel numb because of the cold almost-winterlike breeze. i dropped by my office first to check on my emails.

there was a small ger district near my building. i saw some of the chimneys puffing out smoke. it seemed it has really started to get cold again.

the early days

2007-10-05T00:48:00.000-09:30

it seems like not very long ago when we first set foot on mongolian soil. vso batch 2006 was quite a mix of personalities yet we got along well during the past 12 months. yes, it has been a year passed and only a third of us was left together with the new arrivals this year. old and new. come and gone. what else? i am looking forward to mixed feelings as i am about to finish my placement. what is next? it remains to be seen. who knows? i might still be around...

squash and squash

2007-09-28T22:45:00.000-09:30

there was a farmers' market set up near my flat just beside the state department store. at this time this would be common around the city since generally the harvest season would be over soon with the onset of autumn. it usually starts to get cold during this season.

i went there and felt like being in the fresh market back home in the philippines. there was a variety of vegetables. i bought green tomatoes, carrots and potatoes. but most of all, i got hooked on the squash family. i usually buy the pumpkin variety but this time i tried the others which were not very frequent to see. it was a very good buy - two bags of vegetables for Tg 2,500!

the sendoff treat

2007-09-10T21:34:00.000-09:30

i was told before the weekend that we will be heading off to the countryside as a farewell treat for those who will be leaving soon. that included an american trainer for a wb-funded project, a colleague going for masters education in south korea, staffmembers leaving for a 2-week training in japan, and me finishing off my 1-year placement.

the gathering was set at 8 am, that sunday and departure will be at 810 am. i even asked jokingly if it was mongolian time (knowing that if that is the case, it will be much later). a colleague assured me it was going to be on time. at that sunday morning, we left at about 915.

first stop along the way was at an ovoo. offered some vodka to the sky. and some for us too.

it was a clear and sunny day

we visited a herder family. and that's where we stayed.

guard dogs of the family

some of the horses grazing the nearby hills

lunch starter - rice with milk - budaatsai

my boss serving of course the classic local drink - chinggis vodka

the herder's wife. used to be a schoolteacher but had to stop because of sickness. she helps in the management of the cattlestock. she never had experience of doing it. hard at first she said. but learned to love it.

tsetsegmaa - she is leaving for south korea to do further studies. behind her was the herder who also works in the academy of the ministry of defense.

more appetizers - boiled liver

taking a rest from hillclimbing with suzy, the american accounting trainer, and one of the guard dogs

khudree - my translator

just up on a horse

after lunch, we gathered under the trees for songs, poetry and more vodka

the whole group for a souvenir pic

the affair was for leavers. there were display of emotions - happy and sad. i will still be around for a few more weeks. i cannot feel it yet but i know it is forthcoming. well, i will keep my eyes dry and my heart light until then.

flowers of tame and wild

2007-09-01T15:24:00.001-09:30

they add color to the concrete monotones and common ger district settings of UB, and to the predictable curves of the steppes in the countryside. at least, some time in the summer and autumn i got to see flowers intentionally planted and others just prompted by the late rainshowers for the year.

in the philippines, this is commonly known as vietnam rose, and we only got purple and white varieties of this kind. but in the ger districts of UB i was able to see a wider range of colors.

a zinnia

i have seen these flowers growing near a residential building. wild and floriferous.

the flowers of the steppes...

edelweiss

these flowers and plants just thrive in patches along the troughs and crests of the mongolian terrain. in one of my walks, i even saw some herbs and chives - their scent filling the air.

leaving party for zoe and maija

2007-08-27T23:07:00.000-09:30

it was held at the women farmers' cooperative in the ger district - one of maija's placements

maija saying something about the food

zoe scooping punch from a bucket to a bowl

the place was transformed into a picnic ground

some of the women from maija's placement

zoe with naraa - her counterpart in her placement, biyamba, dean and me

waiting for food

saying goodbyes

maija & zoe

we all arrived in mongolia a year ago. first time to have met each other. yet having to part after a year, we did not know how it was going to be. good people, good friends. how can we not miss each other?

terelj revisited

2007-08-19T19:06:00.000-09:30

went to terelj on a saturday with the newly arrived batch of volunteers. there were 3 of us old-timers who joined the group. almost the end of summer, yet it was raining the whole night before our departure, and still was until late morning. david, gek and i walked to the office, through the rain and puddles. we reached the office with half-drenched trousers, which is why when we arrived at the ger camp, david and i had to wear improvised blanket skirts as we hang dried our pants by the fire.

with marielle, a dutch volunteer who just came back for a short-term placement. she is a nurse.

with the new volunteers by the river

two women (leslie and gek)

one hour from UB

the ovoo - buddhist practice is to get 3 pieces of stone, walk around it and throw one as u make a wish. recommended to do it 3 times.

my garden

2007-08-19T18:33:00.000-09:30

by my window, i have put several plants which i planted in old bowls and plates. i have taken some soil from a fellow volunteer's placement when i visited their greenhouse somewhere in the ger districts of the city. the plants were courtesy of friends - one former volunteer gave me her geranium, aloe vera and tiger plants when she was leaving mongolia, a volunteer friend for a church organization spared me some mayana cuttings from his workplace, a colleague gave me an aloe vera cutting from his home, and some spider plants i got from my office.

a good friend left with me some stones which i accessorized on my pots and plants. i have added a terra cotta ceramic mug and buddha as a breaker in the cluster.

the plants are very healthy. they face the morning sun. in the winter i water them once or twice a week but now in the summer it is done almost everyday. since i have transferred the geranium in a bigger pot, it has grown bigger and flowered in bloom. i have replanted my mayanas which are now very robust and sturdy.

i have sown some chillis and are now in a basket bowl. the tips i have already plucked for some tinola (chicken stew) cravings. the leaves add great flavor to the stock and to the dish as a whole.

i still have some other plants placed around my flat. i have even put some inside my bathroom. well, it is my home gardening if you can call that.

summer in ulaanbaatar

2007-08-06T19:37:00.000-09:30

summer starts in june yet a little after a month has passed when the naadam festival is celebrated, the spring season begins, the mongolians say so. take note, this is mongolia.

i was back in ulaanbaatar in midjune. like snow flakes falling, feather-like flowers of the aspen trees fill the air around the city. it was breezy at times and dusty too. it was getting warmer yet still sometimes chilly in the afternoons and evenings. umbrella stalls were put up here and there - for selling stuff and drinks. tourists have started to swarm around.

the mongolians now wear shorts, jersey pants, short-sleeved shirts - no more jackets! i started sporting my tropical attire as well. i have seen bus drivers who were shirtless. it seemed the summer season was really warm for them.

every now and then there would be no hot water from the taps. water pipes were being replaced everywhere. the portable water heater brought by a friend from the philippines was a great help at these times. good that i have a plastic bucket at home which i thought useless after i have bought it (because i stopped using it to drain the water from my washing machine; now i just dump the machine inside the bath tub and it can drain all the way without worries of flooding my flat and the neighbors downstairs.)

there are more vegetable produce at this time. yet i still am looking forward though to getting some fresh and live fish in the market. the last time i had them was in november of last year.

the days are long now - maybe even too long for me. sunrise before 5 am and sunset about 9:30. there were two nights more than a week ago when it was so terribly warm considering that i have gotten used to the cold and chilly weather here. i had to fan myself to sleep. i also had to put the humidifier on most nights now.

work is not that much these days. these are the 'idle months' . people in the office are mostly on their vacation/summer holiday. same with my participants in my trainings. now i just do updates and revisions plus i assist in some of the translation work my colleagues were doing.

i have not gone very far out of the city. people say this is the best time to see the countryside. well i am about to finish my contract for a year. maybe i will extend. and so i will stay a bit longer and see more of mongolia. who knows?

witnessing mongolia

2007-08-06T18:21:00.001-09:30

philippine tv gma7 crew for i-witness, a documentary program came to mongolia to feature the lives of vso filipino volunteers. the 2 guys stayed with me while in ulaanbaatar. the 2 ladies stayed with margie, another filipino volunteer.

we got to play 'pusoy' over borgio-the local beer with 'boy bawang' for nibbles. our guests had a taste of mongolian noodles cooked a la filipino, chili adobo in coconut milk, horse and camel meat menudo and fried chicken in my own 'mang jose' sauce. they got to see some of the local tourist places in ulaanbaatar - sukhbaatar square, zaisan tolgai, an old monastery, the souvenir shops, throat singing and the filipino band in strings - a local resto and bar.

they went to the countryside where their subject volunteers were placed - to darkhan, arvakhir and kharkhorin. quite an enjoyable experience. and an exhausting one according to them.

following is a video clip of the documentary shown on gma7 philippine tv last 13 august 2007:

This page requires a higher version browser
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

traditional music of mongolia

2007-07-29T18:30:00.001-09:30

'altain orgil' - a traditional band featured in a local restaurant. very good rendition of mongolian folk music.

khumee in mongolia

2007-07-29T18:20:00.001-09:30

mongolian style of throat singing. listen to how many sounds are being produced by the singer. the singer used to travel abroad with a mongolian cultural group.

youth art weekend

2007-07-25T18:45:00.000-09:30

on a saturday, i was invited to be one of the judges in a poster-making contest among out-of-school youths, conducted by red cross chinggeltei district. the venue was in their office which was in a ger district.

theme for the poster was about volunteering for community development.

look at the time sked on the right! mongolians use the 24-hr clock format (or military style).

the participants of varying age, finishing their work.

time to display them for judging

rating art...

introducing volunteering thru art

the audience was very attentive

the judges coming up with the final decision

awarding the participants with token gifts

the top 5 winners and their artwork

the 'spice girls' of summer

2007-07-16T22:16:00.000-09:30

summer was in the air yet still chilly at times. it was the time for holidays and some of our fellow volunteers were somewhere in the countryside or abroad trying to make the most out of the season. for us who were still reporting at work in the city, it was another weekend to be together. so we did, by having supper at my place.

with the 'spice girls' (summer edition, the other 2 were on holiday)

fanning away the heat of summer...

i prepared spicy 'adobo' (stewed chicken in soy sauce-vinegar solution) in coconut milk, and pancit (sauteed noodles)

my cinnamon rolls

2007-07-08T22:19:00.000-09:30

i have gone back to baking as a hobby again. this time, venturing into breads...

menus, menus...

2007-07-08T21:31:00.000-09:30

got these from my fellow volunteers:

FROM A RESTAURANT IN ULAANBAATAR

Vermicelli with pickled garbage
Feef with cast iron
Fried tasted bean curd
Small plate pain
Beef paunch

IN BEIJING

Explosion of chicken
Boiled mucus of hogsfoot
Fried trice in squirrel shape

funny. but can you really imagine them?

volunteer summer conference

2007-06-30T21:38:00.000-09:30

it was held in bayan khangai, northeast of the capital. about an hour's drive. the countryside vista of summer was a refreshing sight having stayed in the city during winter and spring. however, swarm of horseflies and other insects welcomed us upon our arrival.

group pic of vols

the big ger was where we had most of our meals

where we spent our sleeping hours

what a sight!

building for the comfort rooms/ballroom/conference hall/bar

after lunch at the ger

lazing out in the sun...

a mongolian child

going back to mongolia

2007-06-18T21:22:00.000-09:30

stuck for a while at incheon international airport because of bad weather in ulaanbaatar, i went windowshopping. i got hungry and so went for a bite of tuna sandwich. i was looking at the sunset and saw this guard on the side watching tv. it looked quite nice.

actually while i was in the philippines, i was already looking forward to going back. strange but now i can relate to people who have been out of mongolia and have felt the same.

at st luke's hospital, philippines

2007-05-22T06:39:00.000-09:30

'twas a dream come true since i was a kid-- to be hospitalized. only i did not think of the specific circumstances.

after 5 days in seoul, i was asked by the insurance company to leave for the philippines for final treatment.

i got admitted at st. luke's medical center. there were more tests and medication. i had my infection treated, my stone and stent removed.

bespren rhonna visited

some 'fancy' meals at the hospital

there was no view...

samsung medical center

2007-05-06T06:00:00.000-09:30

after an hour of travel from incheon international airport, we arrived at samsung medical center. there were a lot of people around where we entered. there were patients who seemed to have slept (with beds of course) in the hallway. and i thought, it's just like the philippines it seems. (only to know later, we entered through the emergency department.)

i got registered into the hospital roll. got my official wristband and card. i had my lab tests again. i stayed in a room with an old guy and his wife. (the wife was very good, she tucked my feet in when she noticed i was feeling cold. the airconditioning was on) i was very curious since there was a door inside leading to an office where doctors and nurses popped in and out. and i thought again, is this where i am going to stay?

the local representative of the insurance came around. he was very good and accommodating. he knew that i was alone.

later, i was officially admitted to stay in the hospital. the insurance guy told me i will be transferring to the ward. again i started thinking, so how many patients will be there?

a hospital orderly fetched me. he was taking me to my 'ward'.

and this was what i saw. my view of the ceiling changed. it was not all what it seemed to me earlier during the day...

hospital lobby

a scupture by the entrance

the reception area

a lounging area outside the hospital

my 'ward'

it was a 2-bed room. there was no patient on the other bed though. there was a fridge, mounted flat screen tv on the wall, and toilet and shower

the facilities of the hospital were good. it was SOP to have tissue culture for better prescription of antibiotics. the nurses were responsive and sweet (maybe because i was a friendly patient). they spoke english (limited edition) although the staff from the international department were good english speakers.

i had more tests and some were on a daily basis - blood, urine, xray, scans, ultrasound...they were actually stored later in a CD which they gave me as part of my hospital records.

on my third day, the doctors had to put a stent in my left ureter to make sure my left kidney was draining properly. for the procedure, i asked to be put to sleep.

the food was great! choice of western and korean menu. and they were big servings. i could not still eat much of it though. i only had a taste of it during my last 2 days after i had my double j stent. i was not having much pain after that.

view from my window

at night i could see the moon and the stars. and i thought: am alone and sick in the hospital. oh, how i missed home!

seoul, south korea

2007-05-04T05:56:00.000-09:30

welcoming sunrise in seoul. on the ambulance to the hospital at 6 am. this was after getting stuck in immigration for an hour because my insurance failed to arrange for my visa. anyhow, after so many phone calls by the immigration officer, some browsings on his manual and questioning, he finally gave me an application form for visa. it was a special case he said, and warned me to get a visa next time i visit south korea again. i was allowed to stay for 59 days.

seoul at dusk. the han river which divides seoul into north and south. there are about 26 bridges that crosses the river connecting the north and south sides. the north is the old seoul while south covers the later developments. south seoul was where my hospital was located.

the seoul olympic stadium

typical tenement buildings. usually in clusters.

sick and cold

2007-05-01T15:05:00.000-09:30

i was at work then. i did not really leave my desk for about 3 hours. and i thought that was the cause. there was a sort of creeping little pain inside my lower back. i must be hungry i thought. i went out for lunch. but when i came back it was still there. tolerable though. i went on with my training session in the afternoon.

that night i made sure to have a good night rest. the next day, i woke up better but still some pain in my left. maybe it was just some sleeping cramp i thought. went to work. had lunch. this time, it was intolerable i had to see my doctor. so i did.

i asked my counterpart to start my afternoon training session, and promised to be back right away.

my doctor gave me some pain relievers. i went back for my training but had to leave earlier because i started feeling feverish.

i had fever that night that i had to take some antipyretic tablets. the fever did not last very long. but still i had pain. in the morning i had fever again. i called my doctor and suggested to go for lab tests. she agreed but since it was almost midday (i had eaten a bit and needed to fast for the blood tests), i thought it best to do the tests the next day.

i had my lab tests til noontime. i went even for ultrasound and xray. it was found out my left kidney was irregular in shape. it seemed swollen. my accompanying doctor and the local urologist suggested for immediate confinement and a procedure to be done in the afternoon. this was a friday and everything has to be arranged soon because the medical specialists usually leave early before the end of the day.

i called my country director right away and told her about my case. it is not really recommended for volunteers to be 'going under the knife' locally unless in emergency cases requiring immediate medical care. she asked if i want to get a second opinion from sos medica mongolia (which is a stand-alone clinic known for expat services). i agreed. it was almost 2 pm.

i was asked to have tests for my blood and urine again. the doctor diagnosed me to have an inflamed left kidney and suspected i might have multi-abscesses. i had to be admitted right away and had to be administered some fluids in my body. i was dehydrated. also i was given antibiotics to take care of my infection. this time, they started making arrangements for my flight to have proper medical care outside of mongolia: seoul, bangkok or manila...

i started informing my volunteer colleagues. my colleagues at secure livelihood had just arrived in uverkhangai aimag, bit down south of the capital, for a networking conference. i was supposed to be with them but unsure of my health status that day, i did not go on the trip. also i did not want to inconvenience the group just in case i got worst. it was a wise decision though.

i spent the night in the clinic. i had a nurse and a doctor around as well. i tried having some chicken soup for supper but it caused me some abdominal pain, that i refrained from eating anything solid after that. the next day, i opted for tea and crackers.

it took a day for the insurance to sort everything for my trip going out of mongolia. it was decided that i will be leaving for seoul, south korea for a better and clearer medical assessment of my case.

saturday, i left mongolia past midnight. transportation to the airport was an ambulance. i was flown via korean air business class. a mongolian doctor from the clinic accompanied me on the flight to seoul. we had monitoring device and other emergency equipment with us although the flight was only going to be for about 3 hours.

see you again aaron, mc!

2007-04-05T06:56:00.000-09:30

the most recent batch of volunteers (february) walking along portion of tourist avenue, to margie's place for the set dinner. everyone brought something as well (see those bags?). the dinner was also meant to be a farewell bash (kinda) for aaron and marie claude from canada. it's like welcome (for the new) and goodbye (for the old) at the same time!

FOR THE STOMACH: beef adobo, steamed rice with beans, asian salad and cornick (deep-fried corn)

jim, aaron (bye superman!) and sarah

rayso, lindsay, mc (back) and christianne

alain and lindsay

christianne and willy

trip to terelj

2007-03-22T20:36:00.001-09:30

another first trip - to terelj this time. this was taken during a conference for secure livelihoods volunteers.

sl vols conference at terelj

2007-03-19T18:48:00.000-09:30

we had a two-day conference in terelj, only for secure livelihoods volunteers. it was also the first time for most of us to meet the new manager.

the new manager

each volunteer did a 10-minute placement report. this one was on textile design.

vols on the....hehe!

a walk / ride before dinner

sunset at terelj

view from our window

hor hok for dinner
it was mutton stew cooked with heated stones, potatoes and carrots.

hor hok a la carte

a snow-filled morning

new filipino vols souvenir pic

lunch on the second day

volunteers go sledging for an afternoon break

the sledging hill

my first time...too scared to tumble

the mining site

2007-03-10T00:26:00.000-09:30

not having an experience in the mining industry, i was really keen on visiting the mining site to see how they do things down (it was an open pit mining) there.

the company has been operating for the last 30 years and is expected to last until the next 30 to 50 years or so. it utilizes a lot of water and and is responsible for bringing up water to the city and therefore becoming as the water utility provider. as a result, erdenet has a small man-made lake whose water however is being recycled by the mining company for its own use.

with CPA colleague and the thermal engineer

the processing plant from a distance

one of the transporter trucks

the open pit

the rocks which contain silver, molybdenum, some gold and other minerals

one of the giant grinders / millers

part of the flotation process

erdenet trip

2007-03-09T23:56:00.001-09:30

my first trip to erdenet. i conducted an international accounting standards training for accountants. travelled 380 km for about 4 to 5 hours. our car was speeding from 80 to 120 kph. spring has officially started but it was still all snow and ice everywhere.

erdenet

2007-03-09T23:55:00.000-09:30

erdenet is a city built around the copper mining industy. it is considered the city next to darkhan and ulaanbaatar. the downtown part is small and clean and the roads go up and down a bit.

a mini version of the UB zaisan tolgoi

downtown park

a view from another side

a mural of lenin on a school building

the outskirts

the nearby hills

going to uvurkhangai for tsagaan sar

2007-02-25T23:19:00.000-09:30

a colleague at work offered the trip to me at noontime, thursday before tsagaan sar. tsagaan sar is the mongolian lunar new year and this was happening on the coming sunday. it was like a spur of the moment invitation but having come to know how mongolians plan, that was but natural. i did not agree to it right away but told him i will have to decide after lunch. it seemed a very good chance to visit the countryside down south and see how local folks celebrate their new year, aside from the fact that it was also going to be a free (costless) holiday since i will be riding with them. so i agreed.

we left after 11 in the morning. the city roads were heavy with traffic because everyone seemed to be going out to their hometowns/aimags. we dropped by a grocery store to buy some food for the trip. there were ox tongue, sausage, bread, water and juice. we have brought some milk tea (suuta chai) in the car. it was sunny and cold. there was a light pouring of snow but it did not go on very long.

we had lunch inside the car as we drove through the snow landscape of the countryside. about 66 kilometers outside the capital, and at 1:30 pm when our car engine stopped. we just had a full tank right after the city proper so it must not be the fuel. the battery was working. but the car just won't start again. to call for assistance, my colleague had to walk to the nearby hill to get some signal for his mobile phone. it was getting cold and we tried going inside some gers (it happened that there were some around). i was told that they serve paid meals and truly once inside, we saw them slicing meat. i saw how they get water by bringing in some ice in sacks and thawing them by the stove. they served us milk tea and my colleague seemed to have observed my hesitancy of having one, so he advised me just to sip a bit. we did not stay very long although i must admit it was a lot warmer inside the ger. we went back to the car.

to kill the time, we started playing cards and eating some more. i introduced a card game we used to do in high school during trips: hide one card, distribute the rest and come up with pairs. the one who will end up with no pair loses. we did several rounds. then we dozed off as well.

our 'rescue' came about past 4. tried to fix and decided to tow the car back to the city. it was not very long while going back when the other car started overheating. we just had to stop again. it was colder this time since it was already late afternoon. not soon after my colleague and the mechanics started drinking vodka which we have brought a box of it. i was offered and felt obliged to accept. after three rounds i had to beg off. my legs were freezing cold. i was afraid that instead of the alcohol warming my body, it would eventually make it numb that there would be no way of telling the difference between the cold and alcohol. we started walking outside to have some circulation but to no avail i felt even colder that i have to go back inside the other car. it was getting dark.

there were two cars (my colleague's friend and the repair guys) that came and it was already dark. we immediately transferred to the car taking us back to the city. a lot warmer yet i thought i was beginning to feel the freezing cold from my legs creeping up. i really felt terribly cold.

we left the other guys to tow the other two cars. we started driving back towards ulaanbaatar. after one and a half hours of travel, we arrived. i was back in my apartment. with the warm interiors, it felt so good to be back home. the visit to uverhangai can wait...

getting locked out

2007-01-17T22:56:00.000-09:30

this was the second time it happened among my volunteer friends.

we have agreed that i visit her for the evening to watch a dvd movie. she was in my block earlier and called if i can already meet her. i was in the gym at that time, and said i will just meet her later in her flat. as i was finishing with my workout, another volunteer called if i can meet with him as well, since he was in my neighborhood for some food shopping. i extended the invitation to him and asked him if he would like to join me and the other volunteer. he agreed to just meet me in front of the state department store so we can go together to where she was staying. along the way we got some drinks.

she met us downstairs by the main entrance since we did not know the security code to the gate. we went up and as she pulled down the doorknob to her door, she started to realize she cannot open it just like that since this kind of doors are set to be manually opened from the inside, and with a key from the outside. and that she did not have her keys with her. then we tried our luck with our own keys which might work on her door (which was very remote to happen). now the doorman has to be sought if he has a spare key to the flat. he did not speak nor understand english but we were able to communicate the state of our predicament. he came up with us to validate (i guessed) his understanding of what we were talking about. he did not also have the key. he went down (we reckoned that he was going to find a way to get a spare key). as we were left, we began wrestling with the door.

i called my mongolian translator and referred to him the situation (asked him in particular to talk to the doorman, and what the doorman said). this time the doorman had a phone number which we tried calling but unreachable at that time. my translator advised us to just call a locksmith and so we did. however, when the locksmith arrived, the doorman has told us not to proceed because they (he and another building staff) were able to contact the landlord and that he will be coming soon. we were asked though to reimburse the locksmith for his taxi fare.

the landlord was an old, short, and a very relaxed man. we introduced ourselves (of course, we did not live there so he did not know us). now my friend was just too happy and relieved to have seen again the interiors of the flat. she checked where her keys were. and at the end of the night, she made sure, the key was placed near the main door so she would not miss it when she goes out.

well, we still got to watch a film, had a few drinks. but, what a night...

2006 in retrospect: arrival in UB

2007-01-03T18:12:00.000-09:30

as we got out of the airport, the cool summer breeze gave me a little chill despite the very sunny weather. it was already late summer.

we got on a toyota land cruiser. we were told that the trip going downtown would take about 20 minutes. inside the car, i started looking around - and truly, what can be bluer than mongolia's infinite stretch of blue skies? it was quite a contrast seeing the green steppes on a background of blue, so still and peaceful. we passed by small communities - with ger tents and wooden houses. ulaanbaatar was really dry and seemed dusty.

we went first to the program office where we met the accountant and who gave us our allowance for the month. we were asked if we wanted to leave our passports and other valuables, which the staff then recommended for security reasons. we were taken for a brief tour of the rooms and offices. the office was located in a three-floor building with a basement. there were also other foreign organizations who occupied.

we were treated to our first mongolian meal. it was in an english-named restaurant. i ordered a greek salad and fish. it was quite a lot. the fish came with rice and side salad as well. after lunch which was actually midafternoon already, we headed for the hostel where we will be staying for the next five weeks while doing our in country training.

the hostel was located near the state department store. it was right down in the city center. our flat was on the first floor. there were two rooms with double-deck beds, and i was the only man. i shared the room with three female volunteers - a french, a finnish, and an english. the other room had five (i think) ladies - one filipino, and four british. also everyone had just arrived earlier during the day. we got introduced to each other. my volunteer life in mongolia has just begun.

2006 in retrospect: first trip to mongolia

2007-01-02T01:15:00.000-09:30

i was traveling to mongolia with an older lady volunteer from central philippines. it was her first time to leave the country.

our cathay pacific plane left manila at midday. that was after going through the early traffic congestions in the metropolis, the long cue for the airline check-in counter, and the usual intimidating interrogation of the philippine immigration officers. not so long a trip to look forward to because there were two airport stops before mongolia. i have always preferred several short flights than one for many hours. although this one just so happened because the south korean route was fully booked.

arrived on time at the new HK airport. stayed for a couple of hours at the airport, just wandered around. we flew via dragon air to beijing this time. we were in beijing at 9 pm - it was a late arrival. also, it was a new in-transit system for me - we had to get out of the airport and again get inside it. that meant we had to fill out arrival and departure cards (which were in chinese). by the time we reached the check in counter for ulaanbaatar, it was 1 minute before the flight and nobody was at the counter (closed!). with the aid of a chinese guy, we went to the airline office which was already closed. i did not worry but i was upset to have missed the connecting flight to mongolia. i have never spent a night in china, and had taken only short tours around cities near macau. now the same guy offered a hotel stay nearby. i spoke very little mandarin but was able to understand him and vice versa (with bits of english of course). we were picked up by a van and traveled about 10 minutes. it was past ten o'clock. upon reaching the hotel, i had to call the country manager in mongolia to inform her of our delay and that we will be arriving the next day. it was a relief to have spoken to her and she was very reassuring everything will be fine.

woke up early and had my first bath in china. left the chinese hotel at around 6 am. had tuna sandwich for breakfast at the airport. we boarded a MIAT (mongolian airline) flight for ulaanbaatar. the inflight meal was quite a treat. aside from the generous serving of wine, we were served haagen dazs ice cream for dessert.

as we got nearer to ulaanbaatar, there was this feeling of anticipated excitement in me. i have seen pictures of the landscape and people through the internet but this time, i just cannot wait to see what mongolia is like.

our plane landed at noontime. we had to wait for our luggage and we were the last ones to check out. unfortunately, they were not on our flight so we had to report to the information counter about it. and there we met our welcoming party - a program support officer and the logistics manager/driver who were already worried since it seemed to them everyone on the flight had already gone out and we were nowhere to be seen. a report form was filled out (in cyrillic scripts) for the missing luggage. now we were ready to leave for the city of ulaanbaatar.

new year's eve 2006

2007-01-01T17:46:00.000-09:30

new year in mongolia is not as noisy and as smoky as in the philippines. although noise-making has become a universal tradition to greet the new year. for mongolians they decor their houses with tinsels and christmas trees for the sake of kids. for the fun of it i guess. for the new year they prepare potato salad, some cakes and champagne. most young people would be out partying in the discos and pubs. usually in ulaanbaatar, a concert is held at sukhbaatar square during new year's eve. a fireworks display takes place at midnight.

as in the philippines, my filipino friend's child in UB also lit his sparklers to meet the new year.

i baked some curried empanada. it was my first time to do baking in mongolia. when it was done though, i decided to call them baked boodz (the famous mongolian steamed dumplings). they were very pale and just looked like distant cousins of the empanadas at home.

i was invited by a filipino family to spend the NY eve with them. the wife prepared lasagna, baked ham strips, baked chicken legs, brazo de mercedes, lengua, chocolate marble and carrot cakes (and steamed rice, of course!).

we played some filipino songs. and since it was sunday, i put on some oldies music too. (usually in the philippines, the radio stations play 'ancient' tunes on sundays). later we had some music DVDs on TV (Shakira, Blue and others).

another filipino and his mongolian friend joined us as well. a dutch colleague also came later. the host served red wine, champagne and beer.

it is a tradition for families in the philippines to gather for a midnight meal during new year's eve (and Christmas eve as well). so at 11 later, we started feasting on the preparations of our host.

another year has just passed. and another year has set in. new year, new wishes, new dreams. life goes on...

Christmas 2006

2006-12-27T22:37:00.000-09:30

mongolians generally do not celebrate Christmas since they are buddhists by faith/religion. but even so, one can still see Christmas trees, lights and decors on display in the stores, restaurants and even residential places at this time of the year. only they are not as spectacular as those we have in the philippines. a festive atmosphere is lacking. and so judging from what one sees around, it does not give you the same feeling as what you usually have back home. (and at that time, there was not even enough snow to make up for that!)

i spent my Christmas eve with other foreign volunteers. we gathered at a british couple's flat. i cooked some rice noodles (pancit a la filipino). others brought pizza, couscous, eggplant salad, bread and dip. beers and wine were also present. the host prepared some mulled wine. it was actually my first time to taste it and i liked it.

we sang some Christmas carols. one guy had new lyrics for the 12 days of Christmas, and we had great fun singing the new version - "on the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a trip down to the Gobi..."

we had agreed to bring something for kris kringle that night. all the gifts were placed in two big bags and everyone took turn to get his surprise. there were ankle bones, vodkas, chocolates, etc. i got a ceramic potholder. it was very reminiscent of childhood to see everyone got excited over opening the gifts.

i compiled some disco music for the night because i know we cannot just be chatting and drinking until midnight (plus the fact that i know most people loved dancing too!). everyone got on their feet when 'dancing queen' started playing. since one can see the list of the MP3 music on the tv screen, everybody started to request which music is to be played next. i was in charge of this and it was just so hard to please everyone.

a few minutes before midnight we went back to more singing of some solemn and joyful carols. at 12 o'clock, we kissed and hugged together with our Christmas wishes. it was a different sense of belonging, being in a country very far from home and family. but it was all that we can have at the moment, aside from our memories and letters from our own countries.

a New Year's party before Christmas day

2006-12-24T00:25:00.000-09:30

it was on a Thursday night. i attended the new year’s party (and this was even before Christmas) of most of the auditing companies in UB. It was held in a government hall for social functions. Maybe there were around 200 guests present. It was a formal affair – the women in long gowns and glitters, and the men in suits (some even wore tux). It seemed that every social gathering for most if not all Mongolians (particularly the women), was an opportunity to transform one’s self and put on his best in terms of physical aesthetics.

i was asked to sit with the organizers, including some of my colleagues. Our table faced the improvised stage, and was in the middle of the hall. There were the usual drinks – vodka, whisky, beer, juice, water and this time red martini. What do you expect from a $40 ticket invitation? The appetizer was potato salad (adapted from the Russians as I was told) – now becoming a favorite teaser for my palate. Served next was chicken roll with egg slice filling and gravy. The main course was roast beef served with rice and bread. I was not able to have dessert because we started dancing.

it was another awards night. the companies had a sports competition and they gave out the medals and trophies to the winners. Some of them even had them on while they were on the dance floor later. Also, there was a tango dance competition where I tried to take part but the music finished shortly after I and my partner just started doing our moves.

there was a raffle draw. We were asked at the entrance to pick one bill of 10Tg. Prizes given were food steamers, irons, rice cookers, vacuum cleaners and scarves. My number almost got lucky (if you believe in luck, and I do not) to be drawn. An auction for a roasted suckling pig was also held. It got sold for more than $2,000 and was discounted later by $500.

there was a short musical comedy show with local actors and a member of the audience. It was about flowers and butterflies. Everyone had a good laugh and though I did not understand what the actors were saying, I had my share as well. Comedy does not need language in order to be funny.

the dancing got wilder as the night moved on. I just found it strange to see people disco dancing in gowns and suits. I got to go around the dance floor and met a lot of interesting people. At one time, I got lost in the gyrating moves and sounds, not thinking that I was a foreign volunteer in the land of nomads and chinggis khan. I was just an ordinary person enjoying the times of his life…

belated birthday celebration with friends and volunteers 2006

2006-12-11T00:38:00.000-09:30

it had been set a week before that saturday night. we were going to strings bar to have buffet and some band music and dancing.

it was on the wednesday before that weekend, i was told that buffet had been stopped because of foreseen holiday functions. i called the manager with whom i was a bit familiar, re-introduced myself and explained that our group was expected to consist of at least thirty people - all for the buffet. i knew that we were good business for that saturday night (except that we would not be like others out for the splurging) with our 'big' number. and so we got confirmed.

my vols colleagues who were having their first time at strings

the very good buffet meal which was enjoyed very much by those who came

the filipino band who played regularly at the bar. they did a good rendition of 'manila' by the hotdogs.

my filipino friends (some came in later)

it was dance to the max!

it was kind of a milestone celebration for a milestone age. two consecutive nights to commemorate reaching the top of the hill. it felt great. only with a different group of friends, loved ones, fresh and new relationships - hoped to be cherished and treasured until the twilight of memory...

1 celebration: financiers' day and my birthday

2006-12-09T01:07:00.000-09:30

venue was at ulaanbaatar hotel.
financiers' day (more associated with accountants) is annually celebrated on the second week of december.
tickets to the affair were sold at around $45 per person.

the band was playing traditional mongolian music

the celebration hall for around 500 guests

appetizer and drinks upon arrival.

an unusual skill of the waiters holding 6 to 8 dinner plates for serving

awarding of outstanding accountants

dancing followed after dinner. beer, vodka, whisky and wine overflowed...

to the edelweiss

2006-11-27T15:57:00.000-09:30

(in Manzhir)
by joe

what a beauty
i thought
you had.
yet the cotton-like
delicateness
of your white
petals
caught me
unaware
of the symbol
you have.
eternal love
i was told
is what
you mean.
are you
for lovers
wanting more?

a girl i met
caught my eyes.
she is as
delicate
and pure
as you
i thought.
wrong i was.
i stumbled.
love (maybe)
it was
not.
but here
i kept thinking
of her smile
which struck me
- haunting
my memories
like the ruins
where i first
plucked you
from the
steppes
i walked.
she is
just like you
i want
and more.
i have
fallen
for that smile.
she stays
in my dreams
i would not
dare
to wake up from.
i wish
she will be
there
as you are
in the eternity
of my consciousness.
i wish
i can have her
just like you
even
for a moment
not just
in my dreams.

picture courtesy of www.scenequest.co.uk

volunteers' conference: the checklist

2006-11-26T00:46:00.000-09:30

this was the last day of the conference.

it started with the checklist.

talked about the checklist.

listened about the checklist

still about the checklist...

IT WAS A LONG DELIBERATION ABOUT THE-----

WELL, THERE WERE OTHER THINGS DISCUSSED. and it was OK after the -----....

Indian meal for lunch and 'twas great!

after lunch - 'twas about World AIDS Day...

medicinal remedies - local prescriptions

2006-11-19T16:50:00.000-09:30

for a bad cold

a fellow volunteer was suffering from a bad cold. she was told to get a wolf's tongue and have it wrapped around her neck. cover it with bandage or gauze. leave it there for a few days. remove it when it begins to stink. and that is very effective as mentioned.

for an upset stomach

take about 50 ml of vodka or whisky. straight and no chasers. i have never tried it though.

a farewell party for a volunteer

2006-11-18T19:37:00.000-09:30

one of the filipinos - a lady volunteer had already spent more than two years of service in mongolia. now she has decided to go back to the philippines. this was a send-off party for her. we had filipino beefsteak, lumpiang shanghai (fried spring rolls) from scratch (wraps and all), fresh lumpia, vegetable salad and steamed rice.

the supposed buffet table with candles. however after all have taken servings, we started swarming around and just ate on it as well.

dance time!

opposite directions....why?

singing duo

karaoke time

go! feel!

watched tv too (or was it a movie?)

people

2006-11-14T23:04:00.000-09:30

a bystander standing in front of a variety store. it's like the mongolian version of the filipino 'sari-sari' store.

a closer look - together

woman vendor at gandan

sunset at zaisan tolge

2006-11-14T00:17:00.000-09:30

a view of ulaanbaatar from zaisan tolge

sunset

dusk

twilight

vesper

all the same, the visual panorama at sunset gives a sense of unusual tranquility

ulaanbaatar on a saturday tour

2006-11-13T23:54:00.000-09:30

the meeting place was at sukhbaatar square, 10:00 a.m. we boarded two buses in front of the opera house. the itinerary consists of visits to different museums, the central library, the gandan monastery, and the russian memorial monument.

this is the main square at the heart of the city. a large statue of sukhbaatar, the famous patriot characterizes the square which was named after this historic figure.

the UB city hall facing sukhbaatar square

an edifice nearing completion to house the monuments of chinggis khan and his sons

the parliament building

at National Museum of Mongolian History

http://www.nationalmuseum.mn/

gandan monastery

2006-11-13T23:18:00.000-09:30

the view that welcomes you as you enter the gandan complex - the temple doves flying amidst visitors to the monastery...

guests cannot help but to be friendly with the birds too. here they feed them with some nuts available upon purchase at the entrance.

the janraisig datsan

this imposing building has become a symbol of independence for the mongolians. it is a temple for the veneration of janraisig, the bodhisattva of compassion. it ws built in 1911 at the time of bogd khan, the 8th jebzundamba. the janraisig statue stands inside this building, at 26.5 meters. it is made of copper from erdenet mine and is gilded in gold.

for more information visit http://www.gandan.mn

the central library of mongolia

2006-11-13T17:55:00.000-09:30

the central library is found along chinggis avenue. it houses about 3 million books and boasts of several antique records.

at the lobby

the main staircase

one of the reading areas

shelves in a room for european books

the storage rooms have been sectioned like this for easier access by the librarians

shelves for old and delicate books and records. they are covered with silk-like materials similar to or if not the same as the textile used for 'dels' (mongolian costume)

writings on wood

some writings on old paper, delicately bound and covered

zaisan memorial and russian monument

2006-11-13T16:55:00.000-09:30

the imposing statue on zaisan tolge

the mongolian logo

entrance to the russian monument

incense lit by visitors and pilgrims

the incense stall

the statue at close range

the peak can be reached through a walk on a 612-step concrete stairway, or a drive on a paved road.

a view from below

few steps to the top

the monument

an 'ovoo' on top of the hill

sunset at zaisan tolge

saturday tour

2006-11-13T16:12:00.000-09:30

it was a tour annually arranged for foreign students in ulaanbaatar. i was invited by a colleague who just finished attending a mongolian language course in a local college.

we were on the bus at like 11 a.m. with a group of russian students. the bus guide was basically a russian interpreter, and we were assigned one whom at our first stop, we discovered to our dismay can hardly speak a whole sentence of english.

approaching peace bridge from UB.

midday

doves at gandan temple

sunset on the bus

lunchtime...and it was free!

potato salad, boodz in a soup, beef patties with rice and coke.

playing game in front of the national museum of mongolian history. it was a number game - in mongolian.

the penalty! kisses corresponding to the number missed!

overlooking part of UB from the russian monument at sunset

the culminating fellowship at mongolia international university

the emcee

a solo song

a human beat box

a mongolian dance by a russian student

a mongolian girl played on the piano a french love song

interpretative dance of a christian song

one of the tour guides - a mongolian student, thanking all who have come and participated

the MIU students singing an MIU song composed by a russian student

it was a great day! it was fun meeting a lot of new people, and having that feeling-young-once-again kind of thing being with students.

a party for a new building

2006-11-12T19:40:00.000-09:30

this was a party in celebration of a new residential building for my colleagues at the workplace. it started around 11 a.m. and i got invited around this time as well. i felt that i was obliged to attend and so i went with a colleague who does not live in the new building. we brought along a bottle of chinggis gold vodka. it was my companion's choice and i trusted his judgment. as we arrived in the place, a singer was already singing. i was told he is a famous singer. older guy but very good in his singing. i can tell by the complicated inflections of his voice as he rendered his own version of local folk and traditional songs.

the singer with an accompanist beside a lama.

the lama said some prayers during the program.

a large jar of fermented horse milk (airik).
this is usually served in big bowls to visitors as they arrive. it is bottomless...

the horsemilk being served

the main meal initiated by the lama and officials at the workplace.

'ide' - the traditional mongolian cake for special celebrations and holidays

chopped roast mutton

tsagaalga - a dessert made of animal butter and raisins

the flat owners were individually called and served with horsemilk.

the horsemilk on the same bowl is supposed to be shared with the other guests.

giving of fermented horsemilk

and 'hadag' - blue scarves.

some guests and owners

a 'ger' district

2006-11-09T22:55:00.000-09:30

a chilly midafternoon at a 'ger' district somewhere in the outskirts of ulaanbaatar. actually, it was a visit to one of the lady volunteers who lived in a ger. we had tea and bread, and brought home some bakchoy with us. i got some soil too for my indoor garden (my plants were in bowls and plastic water containers).

fences

a view from the road

a child standing

poems for...

2006-10-20T22:53:00.000-09:30

john
by joe

the daffodils await
in bloom.
spring is here.
the wind and sun
beckon.
your memories
come
to mind.
i miss
the mystery
of the hesitant smile.
yet
only the dust
of your ashes
may come
with the wind.
finally
i can say -
friend,
farewell.

picture from http://teas-herbals.com

thoughts in filipino

2006-10-15T23:01:00.000-09:30

once in a while, thoughts of home would haunt me and i cannot help but to have mixed feelings of joy and a certain sadness. i know that i really miss home in those moments. how i long for it! writing those thoughts help me in coping with the longing, especially when there is nobody around to share them with...

bangka
ni joe

malayo na

higit pa sa laot

ang nabagtas at naabot.

makababalik pa kaya

sa pamamagitan ng sagwan

o ng lumang layag

o kahit ng pagpapatianod na lamang

sa along asa nawa'y hahalik

muli sa nilisang

dalampasigan?

dadaong pa kaya

ang bangkang nababad nang kaytagal

sa maasing tubig banyaga?

di ba't dati'y

kaybilis ng maghapon?

kukurap lang

at ang araw'y lulubog na.

ngayon wari'y

walang hanggan

ang sikat ng araw.

kanlura't silanga'y

tila nagsanib

at maging mga bituin

ay patuloy nang

nakakubli.

nakakapagod,

nakakapanlupaypay

ang maghintay

ng sisilay na kahahantungan

nyaring paglalakbay

o pagtakas sa katotohanan?

dishes i cooked

2006-10-11T20:24:00.000-09:30

cooking in mongolia is quite exciting and challenging. very limited variety of vegetables - not much local crops and mostly are imported from nearby china. meat products consist of mutton, beef, chicken and pork. tofu - fresh and dried is available. the local mushroom has a good texture and flavor but once winter is around, it only becomes available in dried form. seasonings and herbs come from abroad too - korea, japan, china and some european and south american countries.

fruits - apples, pears, grapes, bananas, plums among others, are imported as well.dairy products available are milk, yogurt, cheese (local and imported ones), dried yogurt and butter.

here are some of what i made out of what was in the market and groceries...

philippine 'ginisang munggo'

(steamed rice with sauteed mung beans)

dried tofu cut into strips, with green beans

fried tofu, sauteed with red onions and yellow tomatoes, seasoned with fish dashi

fried rice with egg and pork strips, on a bed of dried korean seaweeds

the apartment

2006-10-01T00:10:00.000-09:30

i live right within the city center. there are commercial shops, cafes and bars, restaurants, markets and mini-groceries, and guesthouses or hostels.

my flat is a building away from the state department store (ihk delguur). the store used to be owned by the government, hence the name, but now is in the hands of a local rich family.

across the store and a block away is the circus. within this area are pubs and restaurants - the ihk mongol and irish pub for example, merkuri market - meat and vegetable stalls and groceries, naran shop which is an expensive store, a korean shop - for beef and pork cuts, a german food shop - for spices, cheese and sausages, and good price - a mini import store with a bakery.

about two blocks behind the state department store is bombuguur plaza. it is a store of stalls for groceries, veggies, meat, houseware, textile and clothes, and electronic equipment. there is also a microbus station around the plaza.

further back is the tinggis cinema where local and foreign films are shown.

four blocks to the north of the state department store is the suhkbaatar square, parliament building, the post office, central library and opera theater.

now here is a typical apartment set-up.

the kitchen

the dining area

the bedroom side

the bath

the living room side

the foyer (sort of)

the heating is centralized in ulaanbaatar. there are schedules for commercial and residential buildings when to commence for the winter, and when to stop during spring.

there are, though not so often, power interruptions - from half an hour to 3 hours or half a day. sometimes, the water goes off too - hot and cold. bad is when you do not have hot water.