Some Parting Thoughts on Mongolia

I expect I will have a bit more to write about Mongolia....but this is the last post that I started from WITHIN Mongolia. I have since arrived to Turkey and am now busy with orientation for the new job. But first....some parting thoughts on Mongolia. 

Mongolia is a LARGE country and travel takes time. I didn't see as much of it as I had initially hoped, but then I also didn't know I'd be leaving after just three years. So it goes! That said, this map indicates the major points/places that I visited/traveled to. I never made it far east or far west (Altai mountains). But I did make it south to the Gobi Desert and north to Khuvsgul Lake and a good many places out and around. Note that Ulaanbaatar is the red point on the map. I recommend you click on the map to increase the size so that you can see it a bit better.

In my final weeks of my living in Mongolia I was graced with my first paid writing gig. I've been writing some travel posts for Selena Travel Mongolia's Travel Blog. Thus far I've shared about Hustai National Park, the Gobi Desert, the lovely Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur, as well as this post about how to best be prepared for travel within the country (so many things I wish I had known before I arrived). There are more to come. It's been a great way to reflect on my time in this unique country, the places I've felt, the people I've met. 

For many months now I've wanted to share about an aspect of Mongolia (UB) which I did strangely appreciate. Many employers still have their employees wearing uniforms. And I don't just mean khaki pants and a polo shirt. The women wear smart fitting dresses--they remind me of what stewardesses wore back in day. The men also wear uniforms but it's usually a shirt and tie, not as cute as these I've captured here for you. I felt a bit strange taking random pictures of workers but wanted to illustrated what I describe. Clockwise from the top left they are employed at: Shangri La movie theater ticket office, AirMarket (plane tickets) office, and then the bottom two are two different banks--TDB (my bank) and then the National bank (where I had to pay my utilities each month). 

My "legal team"

Post Script:

July 31st marked my day in Mongolian divorce court (civil court) and I am relieved to report that after nearly three hours of testimony, counter-testimony, interviewing of witnesses, and so forth--the judge granted the divorce. I had a GREAT "legal team" there to support me--my lawyer, my translator, and two great friends. I am blessed to find/make a tribe wherever I go in this world. 

I'll be forever thankful for all the friends I made in Ulaanbaatar; now it's time to expand that network with new friends in Turkey!

Reflecting on City Life in UB

When I arrived to UB I was, for the first time, entering into what I considered "big city life." I no longer had a car for commuting or carting things around. I would be walking, taking public transport, or a taxi to do everything I needed to do. This took some adjustment at first. Example: I learned to NOT use a rolling cart at the grocery store. I could carry home only what filled the smaller hand-held basket. I have enjoyed living in a neighborhood, of sorts, within which I can walk to most anything and everything I need. The grocery store. A hair and nail salon. The post office. A coffee house. Waxing Boutique. The vet clinic. 

My local mini market--Jurj (Orange) Market

Nearly every city block offers up a restaurant, a grocery store or mini market (or multiples), a stationery store, a pharmacy, and an ATM. Not to mention bars, karaoke joints, banks, and bakeries. 

I made a new friend last week--a volunteer from Australia who has been in UB for just three weeks. While she's had her organizational orientation, I'm enjoying showing her around and sharing information to help ease her assimilation into the city. Yesterday we made a a little walking tour of the downtown--near my old apartment. I showed her my salon, the local American Corner in Natsandorj Library (English books to borrow and hosts movie nights and special speaking events), my meat guy (Australian butcher at the grocery store located in UB Department store), as well as TEDY (mobile phone needs), and the Tengis movie theater. It took me months to find the places I preferred and needed. Expats are good at sharing and swapping information--but you have to have the time and opportunity to meet them and connect. When you're new in town it can be a bit overwhelming--especially if you are also learning the ropes of a new job or volunteer gig.  

One of my local coffee shops

When I arrived to UB it was my first experience living as an expat abroad. Thankfully one of my soon-to-be fellow teachers had opted to spend the summer in UB. She reached out and showed me around. She told me where the various markets and stores were and where to locate certain harder-to-find items. (Thanks, Christy!) She shared with me the various ways she connected with other expats and got outside the school bubble. 

While my new acquaintance is not new to living as an expat, she is new to UB and I have three years of accumulated knowledge to share and pass on. As I've brainstormed and made lists of the places to show and tell, it has confirmed how much UB did become my home. It was scary and strange when I arrived. I missed my Walmart and McDonalds and Barnes and Noble. I missed being able to buy exactly what I wanted at the place I knew would carry it. I was frustrated. BUT....time passed, I learned the ropes and routes of UB, and now I confess to feeling a bit nostalgic and sad about my upcoming departure. I KNOW I will learn my new city and neighborhood, just as I did UB. But to think of beginning again is.....well.....something. It's not frustrating. It includes excitement. But also I guess a tinge of anxiety. The good news is that I'm already in contact with teachers at my next school and they've been most helpful as I pack and plan for arrival.  

In front of Performance theater

I look around at UB--the Russian apartment blocks mixed with the flashy, slick skyscrapers. The brightly painted concrete and the cobblestoned, uneven sidewalks. The Cyrillic alphabet amongst the KFC and Burger King brands.  It is not at all what I imagined, and yet it is familiar and comforting. I had never ridden a public bus before I arrived in UB. The health department of Colorado Springs gave me a travel packet about Mongolia in which it told me to NEVER ride public transportation because I might contract TB. Of course....if I were a tourist and only here a week or two--very little need to ride the bus. But I was an "alien" citizen of UB for three years and I loved riding the public bus. Affordable. Convenient. Entertaining at times!

New growth--trees in UB, me too!

To wrap things up I have to say that I enjoy big city life. Now I'm upgrading from 1.3M to 4.2M. Wow! That sounds scary. But the word on the street is that Izmir is a large city with a small town feel. And that green areas abound--my next school campus has both pine and pomegranate trees. I'll have to let you know. Just remember that you'll have to find me on my new blog (https://www.allforsomething.com) to read about life and adventures moving forward! 

Beginning to Migrate

Hello Friends! I am excited to share with you the address for my NEXT (aka NEW) blog. While I will continue to post here about things, thoughts, observations as related to my life in Mongolia, it is time to transition into my next life phase. Please go to:

www.allforsomething.com

and begin to follow me there to see what my new life, new position, and new place on the map are all about. Please note that I am learning how to blog via WordPress for the first time. While I have been a contributor on WWAM Bam for the past one and a half years, and it IS a WordPress site, I've done nothing more than add posts. Now I'm learning about ALL the behind the scenes work required to make and keep a WordPress blog up and running, and looking good. 

Please note that the "home page" (where the above link takes you) will only offer abbreviated posts--you will need to click on "Continue Reading" to see pictures and the full post. At least for now. I may change the look and feel at a later time.

Thanks again for following and supporting me on my journey. I expect the next couple to few months to offer fodder for BOTH blogs. I'll let you know when the time has come for me to "retire" this blog. Until then I hope you'll follow both!

Cheers!