Two years have come and gone. I’ve been having long phone calls with friends reminiscing about our time in Mongolia. I will be going home in two months. All that’s left to do is to go to Lake Hovsgul where I’ll be working at a Junior Rangers Camp, visit my host family one last time, last-minute exploits around UB, empty my apartment, find a car to take me to the city with all my bags, and ring the bell in the Peace Corps office.

Just like last year, here’s a summary of all that’s happened during 2017-2018:

SUMMER

June 2017

• My first year working at school ended and my second summer in Mongolia was beginning.
• Solo traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia. 
• Had a new blue deel made for me.

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July 2017

• Celebrated Naadam in my new deel.
• Me and Jenni, my M26 site mate, went to a concert of some popular Mongolian band. 
• Re-arranged my entire apartment because PCVs have to find any way to feel productive and active when the days are long and your counterparts have left you for the countryside. 
• Walked to a different restaurant every week to use their wifi in order to watch Game of Thrones season 7. I got a lot of curious and strange looks as I sat in the corner.

My counterpart helped me to design my new summer deel.

August 2017

• My parents came to Mongolia. We traveled around the Gobi and explored UB.
• Rode a camel.
• My school never paid for my power when I was gone for two weeks. I came back at 10pm to no electricity and an awful smell coming from my fridge.
• Had MST (Mid-service training) in Terelj National Park. Nobody was expecting how cold it was going to be.
• Rode a horse.
• Finally got unlimited internet in my home.
• When Andy spilled M&M’s, causing them to clatter everywhere, while people were sleeping at 2AM in the guesthouse: “OH F###!”

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Flaming Cliffs in the Gobi.

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AUTUMN

September 2017 

• School began.
• Signed up for the GRE.
• Teacher strikes were happening all around the country.
• Special Olympics was held in my town.
• Celebrated Teacher’s Day.
• Met Zaya, owner of Friends Café. My new favorite place and an amazing person.

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My amazing counterpart and friend who has helped me with so much and has accepted me as part of her family.

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October 2017 

• Finally got hot water in my apartment.
• Drove to Kharkhorin for a Halloween race.
• Started my English club at the Children’s Center for 5th, 6th, and 7th graders with two counterparts, Uugunaa and Saikhnaa.
• Because my shower hadn’t been working for two-weeks due to a burst pipe, an entire bucket of water I was filling up as my “shower,” tipped over the edge,  cracked, and spilt EVERYWHERE. Neighbors below came running up when they saw my water leaking into their apartment. When the repairman also came he could see how exhausted and defeated I looked, laughed, and said he would finally fix my shower the next day.
• Read 12th grade essays. Here’s an actual excerpt from one: “Policeman is light, criminal is night!!!! We stop crime. May be we!!! Can be!”
• Bought my ticket to Japan.

The Halloween Race banner that was hung on the side of the bus.

Representing Arvaikheer!

Me and Zaya, owner of Friends Café, who came to help out.

Our first group picture.

We had a Halloween themed club before Halloween.

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Sitting at attention.

November 2017

• Finally bought a yoga mat.
• Almost had an electrical fire in my kitchen.
• Began Write On preparations.
• Hosted Thanksgiving for my counterparts in my home.

WINTER

December 2017

• Finally took the GRE with 3 other people in a small room at the University of Science and Technology. There was a power outage right in the middle.
• Attended a Peace Corps PAC meeting to talk about the TEFL program (Teach English as a Foreign Language).
• Began reading “War and Peace.”
• No longer being afraid to call out people when I could hear them talking about me in Mongolian.
• Began an air pollution project to raise money for face masks.
• My apartment door broke. Neighbors would know I was leaving or entering my home because the action was accompanied by 5 minutes of kicking, slamming my shoulder against the door, and growls of frustration.
• Had my counterpart and her family over for Christmas Eve dinner.
• Had a really fun New Years party with my school.

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We wish you a Happy New Year!

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My counterpart’s daughter dancing a solo.

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January 2018

• Traveled to Japan and visited Kyoto, Nara, Hemeji, and Osaka.
• Turned 25 years old in UB.
• Ran a study abroad session at a Career Fair with Miga.
• A month-long winter break from school.
• When school resumed, I held writing workshops.

Kyoto, Japan

February 2018

• Traveled to my host family to celebrate Tsagaan Sar, Mongolian New Year. I was so happy to see them all again.
• Write On competitions were held throughout the country. The medals I received to give to winning students were so awful – it was like a 5-year-old child DIYed it in her kitchen. Uuguanaa told them, “If you want to get your medals fixed we can go back to the store after Tsagaan Sar,” but they all thought the ugly medals were so funny no wanted to get new ones. “Charming,” as an 11th grader put it.  
• At 6AM on 12 February, I woke up to a very loud “POP” followed by great stream of boiling hot water spraying all over my bathroom. It sounded like a geyser. The pipe connecting to my shower head to the hot water pipe quite literally exploded. While getting showered in blistering hot water I had to turn a rusty knob that hadn’t been turned in 3 years to turn the pressure off. The adrenaline, fear of a flooded bathroom, and being burnt alive gave me the strength needed to crank it. 

Two years later, Winter 2018 with my host family.

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March 2018

• So many sand storms. Nothing but brown murkiness as you look outside.
• Schools and the market were shut for one-month because my town was under quarantine. 
• Spent a weekend at the Shangri La.
• Cheering on the Loyola Ramblers during March Madness.

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SPRING

April 2018

• Held a weekend long girls camp with Adiya. 
• Began receiving the first emails about COS (Closing of Service).
• Sporadic snow storms and dust storms throughout the month.
• Taught myself how to gut a fish. 
• Created a reading nook with all the donated books from America.

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May 2018

• Had our COS conference at Mongolica outside of the city. 
• Finished “War and Peace.” 
• Received my ticket to fly home at the end of the summer.
• Helped a 10th grader apply for a week-long English program in the city during the summer. 
• No longer have hot water in my apartment. It’s back to the bucket!
• Attended a hair cutting ceremony for Uuganaa’s daughter.

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Today, I had my last day of work. Let the summer begin!