Becoming a Mongol: Gracie's venture into Mongolia: I suppose it's high time for an update.

Here’s the city sign as you enter Erdenet, which is about 5K before the city – my site mates and I took a cab out, and hiked back which took about 2hrs, it was a beautiful day! (One in a car can drive through our “downtown” in about 10 mins. It’s further for me to walk from my apartment on the south side of town to my hospital on the north side than it is to walk through our “downtown”)

This last month has flown by for me as I have been exploring my new city, meeting my Peace Corps site mates, my counterparts, and trying to define my role at the hospital, which has been the greatest challenge of all. I have certainly shown my face throughout the hospital, from tea breaks, painting the entranceway fence, attempting to organize medical books, meetings, impromptu visits to see a woman after she had given birth and a thromboectomy, to having shots of sangria in an office to celebrate my supervisors birthday. I have yet to get in any routine as each day brings something new.

Painting outside the hospital:

This week we have a disaster preparedness training drill. My supervisor and counterparts are dressed in camo like the Mongolian army. I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get my own get-up, my hopes are high for next year though.

Anyway, this year, they are supposed to be preparing to deal with an earthquake (Mongolia has so many earthquakes… : / ?) and if potentially our hospital became an unsafe place to be, how would we handle the situation. (I think there are about 30 organizations involved in this preparedness drill) Tents were supposed to be set up as a mock hospital today.

but,

Last night, we got about a foot of snow. The tents are old, so now they're trying to get a hold of some ger’s, yet, nothing has happened. Already i'm seeing a lack in preparedness and organization…. i'm sure my supervisor and cp's are prepared as they have "disaster preparedness backpacks" with flashlights, blankets, water, and thermoses.

A couple weekends ago I went to the hudoo "countryside" to harvest potatoes and carrots. I now have more potatoes and carrots than I know what to do with.

Tomorrow is the actual “disaster” day and some head of some disaster preparedness organization from UB (the capital) is coming to evaluate the operation. Still, many involved in this drill are confused as to what is actually going on, what their role is, and they have yet to determine where and how we will actually set up our mock hospital.

Tomorrow will be quite interesting. I’ll get back to you on how it goes.

Most days I spend tagging alongside my supervisor like an excited puppy, always wagging my tail and interested to learn. However, as I get introduced to head doctors, nurses and other potential counterparts whom I may work with in the future, and a multitude of questions in Mongolian get asked, a blank confused look encompasses my face. Many times I get left to chat with one of these doctors or nurses, who know little to no English, and after a failed attempt to be productive and figure out the needs and wants of their particular unit, the conversations generally becomes about me (luckily something I can actually converse about in Mongolian); why I’m living alone, do I drink vodka, do I have kids, am I married, can they set me up on a date with their son. At this point it may turn a little awkward when I reject.

Nonetheless, I feel welcomed here. But, getting people to actually sit down and plan something rarely happens or what was planned is seldom followed through. It's frustrating to say the least.

Last week, I thought the nurse coordinator and my supervisor (external affairs manager) and I had organized nurses to do screenings at the mine, market, and outside the sports complex. I was very excited, and got materials (brochures) together to hand out to those who got screened. Somehow, we ended up just doing screenings at the hospital in the outpatient ward….

I have briefly met with the Public Health Director at the Health Department and learned that they have many ongoing health promotion programs, as they frequently get grants from MCA (Millennium challenge Account – US funding), World Vision, and World Health Organization etc. They are interested in working with the Hospital and me to get fresh ideas, and extend their outreach. We are hoping to collaborate with them on an Alcohol Awareness project next month.

As I may have mentioned before, alcohol abuse is a huge issue. A day doesn’t go by where I don’t see at least one man past out on the sidewalk. I have to avoid fights and drunken men stammering around regularly. Parties with counterparts are like frat parties, where shots are taken until people pass out, and if your not ringing enough you get another shot and beer shoved in your face. Even women with babies will take shot after shot, and then breastfeed. It’s frustrating and saddening to see this daily, and I want to work on educating our community so that children don’t continue to follow this trend.

Finally, I have started my English classes and as of now I’m teaching twice a week. It’s a challenge creating my own lesson plans, as I have no formal training in teaching, but Peace Corps does provide us with some resources. Student books are needed but I think our current volunteers are working on that. I believe I have about 30 students, but each class varies.

I'm doing well, as I mentioned before this little city surprises me daily. I actually found frozen shrimp and salmon in a hidden delgur (small grocery store), and got a little too excited and my mind wandered to all the delicious meals I could make. Though I was afraid to look at the price.

We also hava a hot dog stand in our "central park":