Hunger Games

I am very lucky that the Hunger Games movie actually came to Mongolia, and only a week after it opened in the US (unlike some of my unfortunate classmates who are going to have to wait months to see it, I'm truly sorry). I went on Friday, the first day it opened here with my roommate. Overall I enjoyed the movie and I thought it was a pretty good adaptation. My only issue was seeing it with a Mongolian audience. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't care so much what the audience's reactions and behavior are during a movie, but I have read and loved the books and was REALLY looking forward to seeing this movie, and I was taking it kind of seriously. The entire movie there were people talking throughout the theater and the couple sitting next to me was the worst. (If I knew how to chew someone out in Mongolian I seriously would have done it. Nothing gets me more upset than someone ruining my film watching experience.) Add to the chatter that people around me were checking their cellphones the entire movie (including ANSWERING them). Then, the reactions to the movie were kind of weird. Every time the movie showed Gale, the whole audience would laugh. They laughed at a lot of the movie which I found a little disturbing. Granted when children started to be killed during the opening bloodbath at the cornucopia that shut the audience up pretty quickly. The whole experience has made me appreciate the American audiences I usually see movies with. Once before when I was in Switzerland I saw the movie Enchanted and the Swiss audience didn't get all the references and therefore didn't react as well to the movie as I did. I later saw Enchanted a few months later in Provo, with a packed theater and it was a much more enjoyable experience. I think I'm going to have to see the Hunger Games again, hopefully with an audience that appreciates it a little more.

Despite my complaining, I'm still super happy I saw it.

Waiting for the movie, I was pretty stoked.

Mexican Fiesta Con Los Misioneros

On Wednesday I had the missionaries over for dinner. Now that I have my own apartment and my own kitchen I figured the least I can do for the missionaries is feed them. There were two American Elders and two Mongolian Sisters and my roommate. Now I don’t cook very much under the best of circumstances and therefore do not feel very confident when cooking in not so great of circumstances, so I went to my old fall back of Mexican food. I made my own tortillas (a skill I’ve found essential since living in Switzerland back in 2007) and with them we had chicken taquitos and beef tacos. As sides we had black refried beans and lime cilantro rice. The tacos and taquitos were pretty good, the rice was adequate, the beans were in trouble but I added cheese and the Elders ate them anyway. It was really fun to have all four missionaries over and to get to know them better. It was also awesome for my roommate to meet them and talk with them for quite a while. Despite my sometimes lacking culinary skills, I'm declaring the evening a success. 

I forgot to take a picture of the table before we ate, so this is a picture of after.

Elder Jolley, Elder Quinton, Sister Bolor Erdene, Sister Naran Gerel, and me.

It Whips My Hair Back and Forth

My attempt at showing the wind.

Now that winter is definitely over, freezing temperatures are not my biggest problem (though apart from a few hours at the hottest part of the day, it is still below freezing). My new weather foe is the icy wind that seems to have arrived with spring. It stings any exposed skin and almost makes things as cold as they were in January. It is even worse when you get a hefty dose of dust and dirt blown right in your eyes and mouth. As I type this from the safety of the indoors I’m happy to declare that it is not as bad as the -40F weather, but when I’m outside I think my hatred of cold temperatures are swept away with the heavy gusts of wind. The weather has also turned quite volatile. Yesterday it alternated between heavy winds with snow and sunshine. A couple of my coworkers have told me that Spring in Mongolia means we can have all four seasons in one day.

Homely Family With the Bishop

For those of you outside my immediate family, ‘Homely Family’ is our term for Family Home Evening. For those of you outside the Mormon religion, Family Home Evening is supposed to be a time during the week (typically Monday nights) dedicated to spending time with your family, usually with a religious lesson, an activity, and treats. Being a single individual and far from my own family, I don’t participate in Family Home Evening very often but was happy to accept an invitation to the Bishop’s house for FHE on Monday. I really like my Bishop and his wife, they have been extremely kind to me since I’ve been here. There were about 10 other people there from church and we had a great time. We had a lesson about Easter, people shared their testimonies, and then we ate (and ate and ate). The whole evening was really nice and pleasant. While we were all sitting there eating and chatting (me kind of slipping in and out of my imagination as is typical when surrounded by all Mongolians, only being pulled back into the conversation when I pick up an English word or two), I came to a realization: In that moment, there is no where else on earth I would rather be. Sitting amongst a group of people who have shown me genuine care and kindness, enjoying everyone's company. I am so lucky to be here in Mongolia and have this opportunity to know such amazing people. I know I gush about the people I've met through church a lot, sorry, but seriously I really love them!

On a slightly less mushy subject, let's talk about the food for the evening. We pretty much ate a full on dinner of buutz, potato salad, green salad, and then dessert. The potato salad was particularly good and everything was delicious. The only problem I have is with the amounts of food that I feel expected to consume. As soon as I finish off my strategically chosen small plate, I'm encouraged to get more food, and more food, and more food. Don't get me wrong, I like the food, but my digestive system is still not used to eating such copious amounts of Mongolian food. Thank heavens the weather is getting warmer which people have told me means that Mongolians will eat lighter, less meaty foods.

(Sorry for the no pictures, I forgot to take any at FHE because I was enjoying myself too much.)

Miracles Happen

Back to Baking

Thanks to my friend Flower showing me a market where there are a lot more imported items (ahem baking powder and cheddar cheese) I was able to gather almost all the ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies!!! (The only thing I couldn’t find were actual chocolate chips so I just used a couple of candy bars.) So I finally got to bake something on Saturday night and brought some cookies to church for my YW’s lesson on Sunday. The cookies turned out ok. The brown sugar I used was a little interesting (looked like there were hardened lumps of molasses in it). But they were decent enough to eat and that’s the important part. The YW and the leaders seemed to enjoy them. Next up will be a cake I hope (I just need to buy a pan).

I Win!

I am officially declaring victory over the Mongolian winter! Winter is over and I survived. Temperatures are now averaging in the middle 30s F as the high and above 0 F at night. I no longer wear a hat when I go outside (though I'm still wearing a scarf and my heavy coat), the ice and snow are melting, and the air is getting cleaner. On a hike up a hill on Saturday (ward activity that I'll post about later) I actually took my coat off after getting to the summit because I was too hot. Winter, I declare you conquered!!!

That is actual running water that you see on the right hand side of this very shallow river.

 In a slightly related note, I feel happy to announce that I am out of the funk that I was in the past couple of weeks from being sick and injured. Thanks to an email exchange with a friend, receiving a package from my sister, and listening to Ke$ha for a couple of hours on Thursday (and trying really hard NOT to dance my way home on the streets of UB) I am feeling much better and am no longer annoyed about being in Mongolia. I win again.

This is my cheesy pose attempting to demonstrate my victory over winter as I stand atop a hill without wearing a coat. Yea me!