Joining the Club!

AWC Members: Melanie, Tricia, me, & Michelle

 I'm the newest member of a little club here in Mongolia--the American Wives Club. These women are trailblazers and have already helped me to feel at home in my new land. 

We have a unique camaraderie....one I haven't experienced since I left the Army National Guard in 2003....and one I never expected to find in the civilian world. Granted, I'm only in the early stages of getting to know these fellow brave women--but upon first impressions I can say they are honest, candid, and compassionate. It's comforting to have others here that wear an American lens and to whom I can fully relate. While we certainly love our men, we also "get each other" in ways that Mongolians will never get us. That's the nature of being raised in another place, culture, and country. While we hail from different states--CA, CO, LA, and VA--we are Americans with a common background. 

We have a private group page on Facebook and interact most days. We've gotten together twice for lunch and message or text. Melanie helped me purchase and coordinate delivery of my new bookcase, and Michelle has been schooling me on the marriage application process. All three of them are helpful in learning locations (where is the library?) and where to find stuff (furniture, cotton balls, mattress pads, the best coffee shop in town, restaurants). 

Yes, it's good to be a part of this small, but growing, club. I look forward to developing these new friendships and expanding my life and networks here. As they say, friends are the family you choose along the road of life. I'm glad to know each of you.....and to add you to my new family. :)  

The Sidewalks of UB

My big excursion today was to get my first haircut in Mongolia. A teacher friend recommended Chris (from Germany, has lived abroad for many years, most recently four years in China, in Mongolia about three months) at Decatto Hair Studio in the Buddha Vista Mall, located in the Zaisan neighborhood of UB. This is where my American School is located and also where a good number of expats choose to live (some refer to it as the Beverly Hills of UB). It is just over three miles from our apartment in downtown UB. 
Today was overcast and it rained on my walk home, but nothing more than a comfortable drizzle. 

That said, I'm hoping that one of my science or engineering friends might be able to explain about the construction of the sidewalks here in UB. I took shots today of the various sidewalks I trod in my 7.5 miles. Nearly all of them are constructed from two different types of concrete blocks/tiles, no matter if it is a narrow or wide sidewalk. Usually the center of the sidewalk has a strip that is different in both texture and design. Though, in the top right picture, it's on the inside half of the sidewalk. I find that center strip (example--the bottom left picture of the six) to be the most difficult to balance on. If you hit it wrong with your foot, you slide off the little ridges. And when wet, it's even trickier.

The only sidewalk that I found that was solidly one type of material is the bottom middle picture. This was on Seoul street just a couple blocks from home. 

I'm still exploring the area in search of a gym, and I'm not confident I will find something that meets my preferences. Example: Today I checked out 5D Fitness. They had some cardio machines (treadmills, ellipticals, spinning cycles), some nautilus-type machines, some free weights, a room for aerobics/yoga (on your own, I think, no organized classes), and a room for wrestling (?). One month is $150. You can get six months for $600. I paid just $90/month at my Crossfit gym in Colorado Springs and had a trainer for every session and no more than 12 participants. So there is no way I'm paying $100/mo for such meager offerings. I'm still looking.....but I've also come to see that walking may be my new primary form of exercise. That....and perhaps using the gym at our secondary school and making up my own workouts. Time will tell. 


Also on this excursion, I explored markets and stores along the way. I saw Kettle Brand potato chips and Ocean Spray 100% Cranberry juice. Even saw Crest products for the first time (I was beginning to think that Colgate had a Monopoly!) But I doubt very much that this ice came all the way from America. Though it says American Ice, the rest of the writing is in Cyrillic (no idea if it's Russian or Mongolian). 

A side-note about sidewalks in Mongolia--they don't have a storm drainage plan or system in place. Puddles appear here, there, and everywhere. Thankfully, it's arid and the water will evaporate rather quickly, once it stops raining. But in the meantime, it's wise to wear rubber boots, OR simply navigate around the puddles to the best of your ability. This may mean chancing it out on the road, or venturing inland. On one such venture today, I randomly came upon this restaurant. Gangnam Korean Restaurant. Totally cracked me up! UB has restaurants for nearly every ethnicity or country or style I can think of--Irish pubs, Korean and Japanese restaurants, Pizza places, Turkish restaurants, Russian, really--nearly everything. Except Mexican. Some of you all predicted that might be what I could miss the most. I'm not craving it yet.....but will keep you posted. 

My haircut looks great. But it was a little strange to have a young Mongolian male (late teens? early 20s? I really don't know) shampoo and condition my hair. And provide a scalp massage. Did I mention there was a mirror in the ceiling? Yeah....that was weird. 

The cut looks good....but the prices in Zaisan are a bit steeper than I was expecting. I paid twice what I paid in the US (though less than I know some of my American friends opt to pay).....so I think I'm going to shop around and try another place in September. 

So.....what can you tell me about the sidewalk construction? For additional information--you should know that UB does not get LOADS of snow. Perhaps a few inches here and there, but not feet of snow and no real build up. I hear it can be icy on occasion, but this past winter was warmer and milder than "normal." I would think a pure concrete sidewalk wouldn't last long in the extreme cold....but I don't know much about the materials they are using......would love to be enlightened. 

Eating Out/Eating In

The immediate family

This past Wednesday evening marked a dinner gathering of the extended family--over 35 people in attendance. This was a special event, as Frank, Indra, and their kids (Tanan and Molor) only come home to Mongolia every year or two, or so. We gathered at the new 5 Star Shangri La Hotel. The food at Cafe Park was buffet style (reminded me of Cheyenne Mtn Resort in presentation and set up) and very tasty. I had my first REAL salad since arriving a month ago, and some very juicy and tender beef medallions (like filet mignon).  

We filled two LONG tables and people moved around to talk and catch up with one another. While many of the cousins speak some English, this was their first encounter with me and it was therefore comprised of introductions and watching of and smiling at me. Zorig tells me that over time, they will converse with me more, and begin to ask questions. 

That said, it was nice to see so many smiling faces. It reminded me a bit of what a family reunion in America is like. The small children running around and playing, the older kids congregating and talking, and the adults moving around the room to catch up on one another's lives. I sat and talked with Zorig, and enjoyed observing my new extended family. I couldn't understand their words. I am different looking from everyone else (except Frank--he's the other white guy). But the feeling of inclusion and belonging was yet there. Lots of smiles and warmth.

There are plenty of places to eat out in UB. From traditional Mongolian offerings to the Japanese owned Cafe & Bakery down the street (where one can get lunch for about $4) to American style eateries like Rosewood Kitchen & Enoteca. Every city block is littered with supermarkets, boutiques, and restaurants. Oh, and Karaoke bars too! 

At home, preparing food is a bit different. I'm yet adjusting to my new kitchen where things are smaller than they are in the US. From the stove (it has 4 burners--but they are closer together and the oven is more narrow), to the sink, to the refrigerator (though it's about half freezer/half fridge--only slightly more fridge space than freezer). And just as there are no clothes dryers here, dishwashers are also not customary. We humans are the dishwashers. 

There is plenty of food across the street in the grocery department of Nomin at the State Department Store. However, if one has the time, it's better to hoof it a ways to Mercury or Saruul Market as the offerings are a bit more appealing to the Western eye. I went there yesterday to get ground beef and a few other things from the mini-Ikea store. 

Yes, shopping here is a bit like a treasure hunt for us expats. We are always searching for familiar things. Sometimes we find them (I found Jiffy Creamy PB and Kraft Parmesan cheese), sometimes we don't (I can't find Shout or any similar spray for stain removal--we have Vanish, which works, but I choose to hunt for the convenience of a spray bottle). As my new friend Christy says, when you see something, you should get it! One never knows how long before the next container shipment with that item may arrive. Perhaps never. I'm still weighing my options. Can't bring myself to pay $10 for a small quart size bag of nearly expired almonds, but I did spend a little extra for this salted, sweet cream butter. While this country is LOADED with dairy products, I have not been able to find butter that resembles what I was used to buying at Walmart/Safeway/King Soopers. But this.....this butter from New Zealand is good. And I simply toast the bread and savor the butter taste. No need for jelly, honey, or jam. 

Happy Hunting!