How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

Between a holiday celebration and a mountain to climb we decided to settle down, now there's a few things you need to learn. I've found a place to love. Every province has a gift, and every mountain top get higher on the list, Mongolia is everything I could ever wished and every mountain; How big, how green, how beautiful. Meanwhile we have an election going on in the states, and everyday I think about my family and friends, its like a cloud hanging over me, lightning striking me. What am I going to do? I open the door and soak in the view. Could it all really be true? I am a year into service and the skies are more blue. How big, how blue, how beautiful. 

 By now I hope that you have figured out that I am no longer in America and I reside currently in the Northern part of Mongolia. The town I live in is much bigger than the soum I first was placed at. There are 6 districts, and they all have something special in each of them. The town is popular in Mongolia for a few things; mining, carpet and its beauty. The mining company here is in a shared ownership between Mongolia and Russia. That means that a district in town is filled with Russian families that work at the mining company. From this, I am treated to not only Mongolian food, but Russian food as well. 

Being that I now live in a city I don't get a countryside experience like I used to. A few weekends ago though, I was able to get back into nature and smell the fresh air of the Mongolian countryside.

My best friend came to visit me from America. She was here for a few weeks and I wanted to let her see what the Mongolian countryside had to offer. I think it was much more than she had bargained for. Along with one of my sitemates and her English teacher we went out the the countryside to visit a Mongolian family. You see, around this time is when baby goats and sheep are born and so we picked the perfect time to go and share time with a nomadic Mongolian family. When we arrived they greeted us with hot cups of milk tea, which is a salty tea infused with milk and they don't go easy on the salt.

We shared small talk in Mongolian about our jobs and what we love about Mongolia. My favorite person was the Emee' (grandmother) who sat inside the ger and never moved from her bed. She had a smile on her face the entire visit. After our milk tea, we quickly went outside of the ger to explore the vast countryside. First though we had to stop and see all the baby goats and sheep that were just born that week. The parents were out to graze and so the babies were in the pin, just relaxing and enjoying the warm sun beating down on their fresh skin and hair. We of course had to hold some of them.

After a few minutes of playing with the fresh babies we decided to talk a short walk to the river we had seen when we had arrived. Once we returned we were greeted by the men of the family slaughtering one of the goats and preparing what is called 'new soup'. New soup is reserved for special guests and its a fresh batch of soup using the goats innards. I remember my sitemate and I finishing our bowls of soup in probably under a minute, it was delicious. They then took different parts of the goat, such as the lungs, heart and stomach and put them over the fire to let them burn. We then cut into them and began to eat. It's probably one of my favorite Mongolian meals. After such a hearty meal, we helped the family herd all of the baby goats and sheep out of the pin and into the countryside nearby so that they could find their mothers and drink some of their milk. Herding the animals is one of the most stress relieving activities I have participated in so far. You're in the countryside, the sky is blue, the grass is green, you have the smell of fresh dung infesting your nostrils and you're just walking along with these animals (almost 300 in total). 

This is a weekend I won't be able to forget for a long time. Now back at site, I keep busy with being a TEFL teacher trainer and different community projects along the way. I am helping out with a world map project at a local orphanage and helping put together a summer leadership camp for students in town as well. I have almost reached my 1 year mark since coming to Mongolia, and thus far the people are amazing, the food is delicious, the scenery is breathtaking and the experience is unimaginable. 

River Lea

As I sit in my Soviet style apartment listening to Adele's new album for the millionth time, I begin to reflect on a year that I was lost on the Mongolian steppe in a wild frenzy of  amazing experiences and tribulations. I haven't been in Mongolia for quite a year yet, its been more like 11 months but I have had some experiences that many PCV's from around the world will never go through.

It has been a little over a month since I was uprooted from my original site in Gobi Altai province Biger soum. Some may think that the move was an upgrade. I moved from a school dorm without any running water or access to any fruits or vegetables (besides the occasional apple, cabbage, potato and carrot) and without and meat except for mutton, into a Soviet apartment with running water in the third largest city in Mongolia with access to all the fruits, veges and meats that I could ever want. Some people would say my life here must be much easier and better. Truth is, I miss living in the soum. I miss waking up to the sound of students running through the hallways of the dormitory, dancing and singing songs. I miss knowing every person around me and where the shop in town was a quick one minute walk from where I would sleep at night.

Living in Biger was a Peace Corps volunteers dream site. No, not the travel from Biger, because that was a nightmare in itself but the soum was a magical place that I truly loved. Travel from Biger to the province center in winter could take 7-9 hours in a van full of people, meat, clothes and goods all off road. It was a bumpy ride that to most would label as uncomfortable. I remember in the winter after the first big snow it took the teachers and I from the school 11 hours to get to the province center for our teachers day celebrations. I spent a good 4 hours behind the van pushing it from the snow,  where the van would get another 50 feet and we would have to get out and push it again. It was cold, and I remember being miserable, but I was miserable with people that cared about me and it made it okay. To travel to the capital of UB where many of the required training's happen or medical appointments took place, on average would take about 30 hours in a van again full of people, animals and store goods. I remember the psychological toll that took on me, but it also allowed me to learn meditation and that I can really endure anything.

When I was taken out of Sierra Leone shortly before being sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer, it broke my heart and I didn't think anything could hurt worse. That was until I was sworn in, moved to a site, worked closely with teachers, staff and students and was taken from my site due to an over-site when placing me at this site. I had gotten comfortable and then just like Sierra Leone, it was all taken away from me. If anything, I am learning about vigilance and adaptability from my service in the Peace Corps.

Since moving to my new site, I have been working with my new site-mates on community English lessons and movie nights. We are working to finish up a world map mural at the local orphanage. One of the site-mates from my same group and I are working towards putting together a team building young leaders camp for the orphanage this summer. I've been working with the English Olympics students from the school.  I am having trouble integrating into the community as much here, but I guess that's what Peace Corps service is all about.

The Ultimate Packing Guide for Peace Corps Service in Mongolia

(Note: Don't overly worry about packing. You are moving to a place where if you forgot to bring something, if you really need it here, you will be able to find it, and worst case scenario you can have it sent to you.)


Clothing:

For Professional Settings: (Frieda's suggestions for women)
3-4 nice shirts 
1-2 slacks
2-3 skirts / dresses
1-2 sparkly/very nice dresses (for parties - you will go. Your co-workers will  be dressed impeccably. The sparkly dress is for New Years.)
1-2 nice sweaters
1-2 nice blazers/cardigans

For Professional Settings: (Caleb's suggestions for men) 
5 nice button up shirts
4 slacks (grey, navy, khaki, black)
3 cardigans or pullover sweaters (lessens your need to wash your shirts and hides the wrinkles) 
1 suit jacket 
2-3 ties
A belt of course

(Note from Freida: Mongolians dress very nicely for work. It is okay to wear the same outfit more than once per week. Choose quality/well-put together outfits over quantity. Dresses and skirts are a good idea to bring because in the winter time you will be able to wear more leggings under them to fight the cold. Also, once you move to site, you will have more time to be able to buy professional outfits so don't stress about bringing enough professional clothes to last 2 years.)

(Note from Caleb: When it comes to packing clothing, make sure that you pack smarter and not harder. Pick a color theme and run with it. That way its easy to mix and match different outfits and not look ridiculous. Shop for clothing against the season and be smart about it. For men, be cautious of the patterns/lack there of that you choose within your shirts. You must remain professional but covering sweat and stains will allow you more wear of your shirts with less hand washing. Darker plaids and thin/close stripes provide you more room to hide imperfections as opposed to a solid colored shirt. Air compression bags will be your best friend.)

Casual: (Frieda and Caleb's Suggestions)
-favorite sweater to lounge in
-2 sweatpants/fat pants
-3-5 favorite t-shirts
-2 pairs of casual pants (hiking pants, jeans, sports pants. whatever you like to wear)
-1 pair of jeans (note on jeans: there is a good chance that you will be hand-washing your clothes for most of your service... Jeans are very difficult to wash and take a long time to dry. Don't put a priority on bringing jeans.)
-1-2 shorts (for exercise, the very hot summer etc.)
-1 bathing suit

(Note: do bring clothes that you can exercise/play sports in - you will play basketball and volleyball.)

Other Clothing Items: (Frieda and Caleb's Suggestions)
-20+ pairs of underwear (seriously... quality/sizes may be lacking here, you don't know how often you will be washing your clothes, and you can always stash away some new underwear for later in your service present to yourself)(For MEN: I would go to the local Ross and TJMaxx and buy a few pairs of the nice athletic NIKE and Adidas compression underwear. If you go and get a few pairs every week, you can save some money and not spend all of your money at once. They help with smell and dry faster than traditional cotton, plus they don't stretch out after hand washing them as much as traditional cotton).

-5-10 pairs of socks (any small stocking footwear you may desire)

-2 pairs of warm wool socks (keep in mind that you can buy camel socks here that are very warm for winter as well)

(Women specific)
-2 bras

-1 sports bra (if you want)

-3-5 tights / leggings (you can get leggings and tights here, but it won't hurt to have more of these to wear under skirts and dresses during the summer and as your first layer during the winter)

All Weather and Winter Gear: (Frieda's Suggestions)

-3-6 shirts to layer under your clothes (Recommended shirts: Patagonia base layers (http://www.patagonia.com/us/shop/womens-baselayer?k=1E-6M) (silk layers for the summer, thicker layers for the winter), thin fleece long sleeve shirts (http://www.sierratradingpost.com/terramar-grid-fleece-base-layer-top-zip-neck-long-sleeve-for-women~p~3648k/?filterString=s~fleece-base-layer-top%2Fclothing~d~5%2Fwomens-clothing~d~6%2F&colorFamily=08 ). These shirts are a great thing to pack because they can help with layering if you want to wear your summer dresses and shirts during the winter, they tend to whisk moisture and unwanted smells away, and can even be used as exercise/hiking shirts. If you pay attention to sales, you can get them pretty cheap too.)

-favorite winter hat (you'll probably buy one here too, but if it makes you happy, bring it)

-favorite summer hat

-sunglasses (you can buy sunglasses here for really cheap!)

-1-3 scarves (if you have favorite scarves that go with the clothes you're bringing, bring them. You can also buy really cute, warm scarves here)

-1 under armor / super warm long underwear sets (pants and shirt) 

All Weather and Winter Gear: (Caleb's Suggestions)
-2 scarves

-Windbreaker (It does rain here sometimes, but a lot of sites are incredibly windy in fall and spring and therefore making sure you have a defense against the wind would be better that just waterproof)  

-favorite winter hat (you'll probably buy one here too, but if it makes you happy, bring it)

Footwear: (Frieda's suggestions for women)

(Note: with all shoes: you can get cute shoes here, but you won't be able to do a lot of shopping until after PST. If you have bigger feet (size 8/8.5 and above), it may be more difficult to find shoes let alone be picky about what they look like.)

-1 nice stylish boots (you can buy these here, but they are expensive. Once the fall hits, all of the women wear stylish boots to school)
-at least 2 nice flats to wear to work
-1 sports shoes 
-1 slip on shoes (these will be worn when you have to go outside to the outhouse and play in the yard. Having shoes that you can easily slip on and off will make your life easier for when you're at home relaxing with your host family or in your future ger)

(Note: you can buy slippers and winter boots here! Also, you should buy some waterproof spray and waterproof all your shoes and bags before leaving the US.)

Footwear: (Caleb's suggestions for men)

(Note: All footwear can be found here in Mongolia, but it would be good to have some basics to get you through PST, the bigger your feet the harder it will be to find shoes. I wear a 10 and sometimes struggle to find shoes)

-1 pair of dress shoes 
-2 pairs of casual shoes (I brought a pair of brown and a pair of grey leather Sperry Boat Shoes as casual shoes, but in Mongolia I can get away with wearing them as dress shoes in some more casual/formal settings. It's nice to have a nice pair of dress shoes though because during PST the staff will want you to wear those instead)
-1 pair of sport shoes (If you work out and because you WILL be asked to participate in basketball and volleyball competitions)

(Note: You can find flip flops and slippers here for very cheap and there isn't much need to waste your packing space with them unless you have a pair that you LOVE.) 

Hygiene: (Suggestions from both Frieda and Caleb)

-Razors (Note from Caleb for men: I brought an electric razor and it broke 3 weeks into training. I'd suggest bringing enough good 3 blade razors and replacements to make it through PST with a can of shaving cream. After PST you can find 3 blade razors in aimag centers and shaving cream. In soums you'll only find 2 blade BIC razors)
-Feminine hygiene products (many volunteers recommend getting a Diva cup)
-Mouthwash (if you like it, if it fits in your bag, bring it)
-favorite make up (women here dress very nicely and wear make up.)
-Quick dry towel

Note: you can find all of the basics here and even in brands that you are familiar with (shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, moisturizer, baby wipes, cologne). If you have a particular brand preference, then bring a bottle with you. The only item that can be a little tricky to find depending on your site placement is good moisturizer (many moisturizers here have bleach in them to make them whitening moisturizers). 

Packing Equipment: (Suggestions from Frieda)
-2 sturdy bags (The wheels on these bags should be good. Don't bring only duffel bags. You will have to carry all of your belongings several times over PST. The easier they are to transport (i.e., by rolling or carrying on your back) the happier you will be
-a nice big purse or bag to carry your school supplies to school
-a duffel bag or a travel backpack (something you can use for short trips, use as an airplane carry on, and transport on most transportation comfortably in your lap)
-a tote bag for buying groceries (some places charge for bags)
(Note: you should buy some waterproof spray and waterproof all your shoes and bags before leaving the US.)

Packing Equipment: (Suggestions from Caleb)
-1 suitcase (Rolls and holds a bit more, I used as my summer bag)
-1 65 Liter backpack (For longer trips out of site, and I used as my winter pack that you will leave at the PC office during the summer)
-1 30 Liter backpack (MHM has a PCV discount and great hiking backpacks)
-1 Small duffle 
-2 bags that fold-into-themselves (I found these at outdoor stores in the packing section. They fold into themselves and save packing space. I have a shoulder strap bag I bring for short trips to the store when I dont need a lot and then one that turns into a small backpack for larger market trips. These would be on my MUST HAVE LIST of things to bring, because lugging around a hiking backpack isnt fun and a school pack takes up a lot more space.) 

(Note: In theory this bag combination will work. I am a pretty independant man and don't like help so for me I like to carry all my bags. Therefore, with this combination you have the 65 liter on your back, the 30 liter on your front side, the suitcase to roll behind you and the small duffle over your shoulder on your side) 

Electronics: (Suggestions from Frieda and Caleb)

-at least 1 External harddrive (2TB is a good bet. You will have plenty of opportunities to stock up on movies/tv shows/books from other volunteers, and it is a good to use an external harddrive to back up your photos/computer)

-plug converters (http://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/mongolia/ )

-external power charger (These are great for long bus trips or for in the winter months when you'll want to sleep with your electronics, you'll be able to charge your phone(s) and other small electronics. My mikr trips to and from site were on average 25 hours each way so this was nice to have so I could listen to music the entire way.) (One example: http://www.amazon.com/Compact-20000mAh-Portable-Anker-PowerCore/dp/B00X5RV14Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1447379983&sr=8-3&keywords=external+power )

-kindle / tablet (not required, but a great idea for entertainment)

-camera (extra batteries/memory cards and other equipment as you see fit)

-computer (Bring one. You will be given a flashdrive over PST with a lot of Peace Corps information and having your own computer will make lesson planning / entertaining yourself a lot easier. However, Mongolia is tough on electronics, so if you need to buy a new one, don't buy a very expensive one.)

-extra flashdrives

-a dust protector for your computer keyboard (Find your computer's specific model but here is an example: http://www.amazon.com/DV6-6118NR-DV6-6158NR-DV6-6152NR-DV6-6170US-Description/dp/B007Y61QV0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1447380058&sr=8-4&keywords=laptop+keyboard+protector )(this isn't necessary, but everything in your life will get dusty. Might as well do what you can to protect your computer.)
-protective cases for your computer / smart phone / kindle (not a requirement, but might as well do as much as you can to protect your electronics from rough car trips / people invading your space and accidentally dropping said electronics)

Miscellaneous Items:

-Uno/Phase 10/Spot It!/Bananagrams (bring several decks - Mongolians love it and you can use them as gifts)

-small photo album/book (If you want to spend time getting ready, spend time on this. Mongolians love to look at photo books and every family has at least one. This is a NECESSITY to bring with you.)

-multiple small flashlights / headlamps (The power will go out. You will be walking somewhere late at night and there will be no lights.)

-Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife

-Duct tape

-1-2 good sturdy water bottle (two recommendations from Freida: Life Straw: http://lifestraw.com/ (to be able to drink water without waiting for it to be filtered first), hydro flask: https://www.hydroflask.com/  (so you can bring hot coffee/tea with you wherever you go, all day!)) (If you aren't interested in having one of these 2 specialty water bottles, know that you can also buy good water bottles here.) (Recommendations from Caleb: I brought 2 of my favorite Blender Bottles and they would just fine. Other volunteers bring a Nalgene too and those work great as well)

-1 good notebook (you can buy notebooks here, but you may want at least one for PST)

-a packet of good pens (you can buy pens here, but sometimes it feels like they run out of ink a lot faster than you'd expect them to)

-a box of ziplock bags (Mixed sizes is good. These are invaluable not only for food and cooking, but for supplies and games.)

-1-2 things that make you happy and comfort you (a favorite book, stuffed animal, pictures of your family/friends, sweater, drink mix, etc)

(Note from Caleb: I cannot stress how important bringing some important comfort items are for your mental health. I have had some bad days but I am happy when I get home and put on my old ratty harem pants and favorite sweater, the problems of the day seem to go away and reminds you of home just a bit.)

Optional Miscellaneous Items:

-gourmet coffee + French press (you can buy good coffee and a French press here, but they require either a lot of searching or a trip to UB. If you are an avid coffee drinker and don't like instant coffee, you will want to do this.)

-puzzles (cut out the pictures from the boxes and put the pieces in ziplock bags to save space. This is fun to do with your host family and friends at site.)

-If there is something you've always wanted to learn how to do, bring a book on how to do it or the equipment you need (for example: musical instrument, learning how to draw, knitting needles) (You will have time to do this, make it one of your winter time goals) (Note from Caleb: I took this to heart and taught myself how to sew this winter because I had a lot of free time. I managed to make an entire winter jacket from hand sewing because I got bored and it kept my sanity)

-American board / card games (if it's pack-able, you have the space, and you love to play it, bring it.)

-Frisbee, tennis balls

-A pillowcase

For TEFL:

-English language teaching materials (a favorite textbook, flashcards, a particularly cool English learning game)

-a favorite children's book

Gift Ideas: (you will want to give gifts to your host family and Mongolian language teacher. It doesn't hurt to have a few extra gifts in your bags for future co-workers, hashaa families, and community friends)

-a picture book on your state/city

-quality playing cards with cute pictures

-candy (you can get Snickers, Twix and M & M's  here, but a box of quality chocolates or something in a nice container will be appreciated)

-a nice mug/bowl filled with something (never give a mug or bowl to someone empty)

-children's games (examples: Spot It, Go Fish, Uno, etc) (you can play these games over the summer or even when you're at site and then gift them to the children when you leave)

-a nice shot glass (put candy in it though)

(Note from Caleb: I got my host family a nice thermos filled with candy as well as some fun things from my hometown. They really enjoyed the gesture and then once I got to know my host family more I got them things that are practical to them once I was in town, for example; my host brother loves the Golden State Warriors so I got him a Golden State uniform and my host parents needed a new house fan. Those aren't easy to know beforehand or pack, but something at first is great and then if you want to during the summer something more thoughtful and personal is great for them as well.) 

Digital Packing: (You will very likely have very limited internet over the summer. These are some programs that you should install on your computer before traveling to Mongolia)

-Virus Protection (some good programs: Sophos:  https://www.sophos.com/en-us.aspx Avira: https://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus ) or AVAST!

-Calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/ ) (this program allows you to open any text document and is really handy for converting books into formats compatible with whatever devices you choose to bring)

-VLC (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html ) (allows you to open every video file. Imperative for watching the movies/tv shows that you will acquire from other volunteers. VERY IMPORTANT!)

-Anki (http://ankisrs.net/ ) or Repetitions (https://www.repetitionsapp.com/ ) (these are great language learning programs. You use them to create flashcards of new vocabulary. Both of these have versions for smart phones too. If you download these, make sure to save a copy of their manuals/directions and/or play with them before you leave America. They take a little getting use to in terms of how to use them / create flashcards, but they can make invaluable study tools.)

-Extra chargers for your computers and phone if you're paranoid.

The Peace Corps Discount / Good Shopping:

http://www.peacecorpswiki.org/Volunteer_discounts (This site has a list of places that offer discounts to Peace Corps volunteers)
sierratradingpost.com (this site has great coupons! Sign up for their newsletter and pay attention to their sales.)

(FINAL NOTE: A few small exceptions to this general note: if you have big feet (bring shoes with you - for women, feet bigger than size 8 can be tricky at times but not impossible), quality underwear (sizes and quality may be lacking here), business attire for PST (you won't have time to go shopping for this attire during PST and you will be required to wear it. Peace Corps requires and it is very important in Mongolian culture.), good external harddrive (you'll want one - 2 terabytes is a good choice), favorite spices (don't worry, you can buy spices here. However, it can make your PST more delicious and if there is something you can't live without, bring some of it with you until you can establish if it's readily accessible here (e.g., basil, Tabasco sauce, Parmesan cheese)), and good bras (size and variety may be lacking).

When We Were Young

I guess it has been around 7 months since my last post and so there is a lot of ground to cover into the happenings of a Peace Corps volunteer in the countryside of Mongolia.

I was placed into a far out region of Mongolia that most wouldn't choose to visit. When I tell Mongolians about where I live they usually cannot contain their laughter as they ask me, 'how do you like it? are you cold?'. I understand their laughter but it also puts me on the defensive because I have come to love the region in which I was placed. I teach at a school of about 320 students and the soum (village) where I live has about 1600 people. 

I am currently sitting in my room, with the shades open, looking out at the -35 degree air and gazing upon one of the most beautiful sites my eyes have ever seen. The soum is shadowed by a high mountain range covered in white untouched snow. Close enough to touch, but far enough to keep your distance. The soum itself is surrounded by snow capped mountains on every side and it really is a winter wonderland. However, that winter part is critical. Never have I, or will I again experience winter the same way. As I mentioned before its -35 degrees as I write this post, and that isn't the coldest I have experienced. Before I step outside, I always take a deep inhale because the cold air immediately takes my breath away. My nose hairs instantly freeze and before I can count to ten my face is completely numb. 

I have some of the greatest students and English teachers that I could have ever asked for. The students are excited to learn, they're respectful and incredibly smart. I have two counterparts (fellow English teachers) who have become like sisters to me. They're very kind and caring women who I feel so lucky to have been able to work with. My site is a site that most Peace Corps volunteers would dream of. I have support coming from the entire community and they have really opened their arms, homes and hearts to having some strange American come into their lives. 

Peace Corps says that there is a spectrum in which a PCV will go through in regards to happiness at their sites. I am still on an incredible high in my site. It's a place I have come to call my home and I am very happy here. There are of course things that can get irritating, but overall its the small victories that make everything worthwhile. 

I have a mantra that I live by here: It is what you make it. Everyday I tell myself that, and it has made my experience so much better. I can choose to miss America, fruits, vegetables, chicken and good pizza but I can also chose to embrace this experience for what it is, and its truly been a life changing one so far. 

I have conquered something that many people dream of doing in their lifetime. I have been apart of Peace Corps families in two different countries, on two totally different continents and its made me hopefully a better person. I have more patience, more appreciation for the world around me and less worry about what others think of me. 

I look around at classmates that are my age and think to myself what I have given up to be where I am today. So many have gotten married, started their families and here I am a 25 year old single man living in a village smaller than my high school and having the time of my life. I couldn't/wouldn't trade these memories or experiences for anything in the world.  

I teach English in a small village, in a forgotten corner of Mongolia, but I do so much more than that. I am a role model for boys to grow up to be respectful to everyone, to try hard in school and make good choices. I teach the students that if they work hard enough and have goals that they can do whatever they want in this world. I was never the best student, I struggled to have a GPA over 3.0 in high school and college, but I am a scrapper. I have taught them to fight for what they want and to never take 'no' for an answer. 

I hope that when I leave, my students remember me for teaching them more than just English. 

If you're a future Peace Corps volunteer coming to Mongolia, congratulations you're about to experience the best years of your life. If you're a future Peace Corps volunteer going to a different country, congratulations you're about to make an impact on someones life like no one else around you can. If you're someone in America that stumbled upon my blog somehow and made it this far into my ramblings, I challenge you to look at your life right now and ask yourself what could you be doing to help the community around you. Making other people smile is contagious and its not done enough in America like it should be. 

Spectrum

When I first came here, it was cold and the sky was clear, the color of my skin was much different then my new friends. 

This is a post to tell you about my first weekend with my new host family. 

Keep in mind that all of my interactions with Mongolians thus far have been a game of charades as language has been a huge barrier. 

Unlike my Salone experience Peace Corps has split us into groups of ten and placed us into small soums around the countryside. The soum im staying in has roughly 1500 people and contains; a hospital, police station, school and a shop. 

We arrived at the school around 7pm and were welcomed by ten families standing in a line, all smiles. They called my name and my host parents stepped forward to claim me. We loaded up the Honda and went to my new home. Everyone but one person from my group lives inside the host families house. We pulled up to my house and I realized that I was going to be lucky enough to have my own one room a-frame home in the backyard of my host families house. It's perfect in every way. It wasn't until I unpacked and went into my host parents home that things took a really WEIRD turn. 

We sat down for dinner and my host mom brings out a map of the USA. I know that they have had three previous Peace Corps trainees before over the last ten years and she motions that she wants me to sign my name on the map where my hometown is. As I take the pen and look for Spokane I realize the space has already been filled. My host dad chants "Spokane! Spokane! Spokane!" And I realize then, that their first volunteer was from Spokane, WA as well. Instantly I knew I am where I should be. My host dad and I then spent the next three hours watching Mongolian television, having broken conversation using a Mongolian-English dictionary. 

The next day I spent most of my time studying my Mongolian until in the evening when my host dad told me to follow him. We walked to the market and met a few of his friends. We were only there for ten minutes when two men in a Honda Civic swooped in and took my host dad and I. We drove up to a high point and watched the sunset over our soum. The beauty is something I can't describe because I can't do it justice. I've never witnessed a more beautiful place, the sky is so blue and never ending. While watching the sunset, I found out that I was in the presence of a Mongolian celebrity. He showed me his K-Pop music videos and then did some traditional throat singing for me. 

Sunday was a day for us to go far out into the Mongolian countryside to see my host dads parents. After driving 40 minutes off-roading in a Honda we arrived at a house in the middle of nowhere. I spent 3 hours helping my host brother herd 300 sheep and goat across the steppe to and from the watering hole. After we returned home with all of the animals my host dad asked me to pick one out. If you haven't guessed by now, it was slaughter time. For the next three hours I watched my host family take apart this entire goat piece by piece. Every part of the goat is used for something or another. We cooked all of the innards and had fresh goat for lunch. I was a little worried at first, but wow what a meal! The liver and heart were tender and I'll never forget the flavor of the fat. It's a meal I hope to get quite frequently because it was that good. 

I'm having a great time here. My host family has been very welcoming, I feel safe in my community so far and I feel at peace. It's hard to not be a peace though when you look outside to nothing but the beautiful blue sky, mountains, horses and other wildlife roaming free. 

  

Packing for the Peace Corps Part Deux

I figured since this isn't my first time packing for a 27 month adventure, I would take the time to write some sort of packing post to inform you on what I am bringing and possibly some tips. Ill continue to update the post as new packing ideas and techniques come about. I pride myself on being efficient and well prepared so I hope that this serves as help for someone who in the future finds themselves creeping on old volunteers blogs. This post serves mostly for those going into service so if not, you'll probably want to disregard this post. Also, these are all just my own opinions and I know I have missed some stuff that I will come back and change as I remember. Pack smart and being organized will be your best bet. Linen is the easiest fabric to wash and dry but not the most practical in colder environments. Cotton is easy to hand wash as well but it does tend to stretch out more than other fabrics do.

General Clothing

When it comes to packing clothing, make sure that you pack smarter and not harder. Pick a color theme and run with it. That way its easy to mix and match different outfits and not look ridiculous. Shop for clothing against the season and be smart about it. That means if your going to somewhere like Sierra Leone shop for clothes right before the winter season begins. Same idea applies to going to Mongolia, the longer you wait in April and May the cheaper those higher priced clothing items will be. For men, be cautious of the patterns/lack there of that you choose within your shirts. You must remain professional but covering sweat and stains will allow you more wear of your shirts with less hand washing. Darker plaids and thin/close stripes provide you more room to hide imperfections as opposed to a solid colored shirt. Air compression bags will be your best friend.

• One pair (tops and bottoms) of mid-weight long underwear
• One pair (tops and bottoms) of heavy-weight long underwear- Outdoor stores have great sales on these products come May. 
• Winter coat or parka - I found that space>packing a large winter coat. Ill be saving money and buying one in country when the time comes.  
• Fall/Spring coat 
• Gloves or mittens - 1 pair of mitten/glove combo  
• Scarf -1 
• Stocking cap -1 
• A few (3–4) pairs of woolen socks 
• A few (3–4) pairs of cotton socks    
• Two to three "professional” shirts to work in  
• Your favorite pair of fat pants- Nothing will feel better than coming home, taking off the dress clothes you've been wearing all day to put on your favorite pair of lounge pants/pajamas and just relaxing.
• Two to three pairs of nice pants for work - I've never been able to follow this rule, that is why air compression bags are my best friend. I pack 5 shirts and pants, one for everyday and that way your hand-washing in theory once a week.  
• One to two pullover sweaters - I am again packing 5 of these, but I am going to place them over the 'professional' shirts to save space on packing.  
• One pair of jeans  
• Five to six of your favorite T–shirts - Its always good to have a couple basics, and invest in a couple t-shirts of your favorite things you will love wearing.   
• Sweatpants and sweatshirt
• 2 Belts - 1 brown and 1 black   
• Two pairs of shorts (essential for summer and playing sports) - A pair of dress shorts and favorite basketball shorts.  
• Underwear -Avoid cotton and try and invest in good quality underwear... this is a must. Cotton stretches and will smell faster :/
• One formal piece of clothing, such as a suit for males and a dress for women

*If your rolling your clothing, grab a couple boxes of your favorite protein bars and roll them up in there individually. You never know when you'll be served a not so tasty dish and need some protein for that extra energy.

Shoes

When it comes to shoes I plan to leave the hiking boots and snow shoes at home. I want to save that packing space for other things and buy the winter boots once in country.
Packing 2 pairs of dress shoes (one brown and one black)
2 pairs of boat shoes
a pair of shower sandals
and a pair of athletic shoes
When it comes to packing the shoe, just shove that where ever space allows once everything is already in (toe down). Tie your athletic shoes to your carry-on bag and keep them close to avoid hitting people in the face and getting them taken.

Kitchen

Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife

Sturdy water bottle(s) (e.g., Nalgene) - I am packing 3 blender bottles, but make sure that you don't  waste space and that you pack random trinkets and pens inside of these bottles while you travel.  

Plastic storage bags

Small sauce pan

French fry cutter (do I need to explain the importance?)

Crystal light To-Go's. - I am not sure how the water will taste and staying hydrated is important when you don't know exactly how your body will react to things you eat.

 Flint

Toiletries 

If your anything like me you don't really care about what shampoo and body wash you have as long as it gets the job done. So I am brining enough to make it through training. I will however pack an ample amount of toothbrushes, you just never know when you'll drop your toothbrush on your bathrooms floor and need a new one. 

Deodorant - Bring enough to make it through training, its an easy item to have shipped in a care package.

Baby wipes - just do it.

Everything else is up to you, I cant tell you how to live your life in the bathroom, so bring what you want. Just be smart and bring one of everything you need, don't forget simple things like toenail clippers, qtips and hand sanitizer.

Miscellaneous

A small photo album of family and friends (a must-bring item)  - one of my favorite memories in Sierra Leone was sitting around with my host family and looking through all of the photos of my friends and family as they laughed and it was a great way to have a positive experience with not a lot of language skills.

220-volt converter (essential if you bring American appliances)

Rechargeable batteries

Camera

Flashlight - Headlamps work well too and make great gifts for host families. The key is making sure you find solar powered goods.  

American board and card games - Card games are much easier to pack, but board games can be done. Pack the pieces into a zip lock bag and the board without the box to save space. I'm personally not wasting that space but am going to bring; Cribbage, Uno, Phase 10, 2 decks of cards and Cards Against Humanity. Pass the Pigs. Dice for Bunko.

Music  

Solar shower - NO, youll survive with a bucket shower, don't waste the space.  

Duct tape (highly recommended)   

A bottle of your favorite alcohol... Maybe 2?   

Reading materials/Kindle 

Flash disk or thumb drive - 500GB hard drive for movies and television shows and a 16GB flash drive for work purposes.

Sport equipment- Frisbees, deflated volleyball, tennis balls     

Hand/food warmer

Host family gift

Quick dry towel

A pillowcase

Kite -I am just hoping my plan works here

Colored Pencils, GOOD pens and Sharpies

Travel Sling that folds into itself- Describing these will be impossible, but the two that I have found have been in outdoor stores. They are the bags and backpacks that roll into themselves , zip up and are travel ready. These will work perfect when you don't want to lug around a larger hiking backpack and will be great for trips to the market when you need bags.

 Crossword/Word Search

Picking Luggage

  

I've always seen people asking what type of luggage to bring and how much they can have. I am using almost the same luggage method I had used in Sierra Leone as I will use for Mongolia.

One large suitcase 24 
One MHM Salute 34 liter bag
One 64 liter Northface backpack
One carry on duffle bag

In theory this will work as such; The 64 liter on your back, the rolling suitcase behind, with the 34 liter bag strapped on the front of your chest and the duffle over your shoulder. You still have to worry about the weight of your goods, but the sizes of bags work for the inches requirement and for me weighted 47 pounds each checked bag on the way to Sierra Leone.

Prologue to an Adventure Unknown

I should start off this blog with an introduction, my name is Caleb Morgan. I will soon be departing on what has been said to me, 'the most life changing experience you'll ever have'. I will be moving to the outskirts of Mongolia at the end of May to start my training for the United States Peace Corps as an English/TEFL instructor. I will be saying farewell to life as I know and for the next 27 months fighting to survive the winters of the coldest inhabited place on Earth and witness a new exciting culture. I will learn so much about myself and this Earth that I cannot wait to experience it all.

Mongolia is a country located between China and Russia. With just over 2 million people, it has one of the lowest density populations in the world (1.9 peoples per sq. mile) and is the 18th biggest country in the world based upon land mass. A land of nomadic peoples, a heavy diet on livestock products and very few fruits and vegetables is what I have to look forward to. The population of sheep outnumber those of humans, and while no one seems to be afraid with those numbers of a sheep revolt, ill keep you updated.

This isn't my first attempt into the Peace Corps world. I was training during the summer of 2014 in Bo, Sierra Leone when we were taken home due to the insecurity and safety of the volunteers and staff in midst of the Ebola epidemic in the country. I fell in love with Sierra Leone and think about that beautiful country everyday. I am so happy to be apart of the Salone PC family because of all the good they are doing and the people there really appreciate what PC does. We were almost finished with training, and I had even been given my site placement of Lunsar, Sierra Leone located in the Port Loko district. I find myself still muttering words in Krio to myself when I am out in public attempting hold onto a language I tried so hard to learn.

After returning to the USA at the end of summer we were unsure as to if there was going to be a return flight for us back to Sierra Leone. All of us wanted to go back and I one day will make that trip. The email never came and unfortunately they chose to suspend the program for now. I passed my time in the states by spending it with family, friends and the dogs. I got a job, went and saw a couple of great concerts and spent a week on the Vegas strip with my best friends.  

The adventure officially begins May 26th in San Francisco for our 2 day staging event. I will attempt to keep up with this blog as much as possible. The internet access in Mongolia from what I have gathered seems to be more reliable and available than my access in Sierra Leone was, so I have no excuse.