Hello from Mongolia.
I live with a host family in a house that doesn't have running water. My host family has to bring it into the host in, what looks like, giant gas cans. There is also an outhouse for a toilet. Very different form my American home.
So far my favorite meal is rice with chopped boiled eggs mixed in it, served with cut up cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots. She puts oil in the veggies, but she doesn't fry them.
My "sisters" names are Narah (3 yo) and Tsermaa (17 yo). Narah is just as wild and crazy as the American 3 year olds. She hits her sister and bosses everyone around. She loves to come into my room and play the "What is this?" game, which is also the only Mongolian phrase I don't have to think about what it means. I also found some art work of her's on the walls in my room. Tsermaa is out of school for the summer and reads English well. She is very helpful when trying to get through a conversation. She takes care of Narah during the day.
On Sunday, I went on a walk with my host family and a young male house visitor to the town square. Then They were motioning to me that they were going to take a picture and wanted me in it. So I stood there and then realized that Mongolians don't smile in pictures, or at least not this bunch. So I'm the cheesy American smiling away in this picture. Also they wanted a picture of just me and this teenage boy. I can't figure out if he is their son or nephew. They were really nice and printed me a copy of both pictures.
They taught us some Mongolian games. They play with the ankle bones of sheep/goats. They were really fun. I asked how to get the bones, you know what shop, and my teachers said you get the bones when you buy a sheep and eat him. I don't think I can eat a whole sheep by myself.
Speaking of meat. I've seen herds of horses and camels all along the country side. This country is so pretty. It's hard to picture all dead and covered in snow.
Bonus points to who ever can name the 5 types of meat in Mongolia.
