Christmas 2006

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

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…