With just about two weeks until I leave Boise, I
felt it appropriate to update this blog again, now that things are starting to
get real. When I tell people that I’m going to Mongolia for the Peace Corps I
get some standard questions; “What language do they speak in Mongolia?” “Will
you be living in a tent?” “Did you get a choice where you wanted to go?” That
last one usually came with a not so subtle look telling me that they’re
questioning my sanity.
Concerning the language: They speak Mongolian in
Mongolia. From what little I’ve learned so far, it’s an interesting language. Linguists
have hesitantly placed it in the Altaic language family though it seems to
stand on its own fairly well. As someone who has studied primarily Romantic and
Semitic languages, this is new territory for me. Much to my disappointment, the
traditional Mongolian script isn’t used as frequently anymore which is a shame
as I think it’s much more lovely than Mongolian Cyrillic.
Concerning my living situation: The best answer I
can give is: maybe. I don’t know where I’ll be yet. My first few months in
Mongolia will be spent with a host family in pre-service training and I won’t
even know exactly where that will take place until I get there. So, even with
less than a month until my feet touch Mongolian soil, there’s still a lot up in
the air. That being said, I do have some information about potential living
situations. If I’m placed in a larger city, I could be in a cushy apartment
with heat and running water and all that good stuff. Or, yes, I could be in a “tent”.
Of course, when I say tent what I actually mean is a ger. (replace the “c” in care with a “g” sound and you’ve got a
basic pronunciation).
This is a ger:
As you can see, it’s a pretty nifty tent. Sadly,
it doesn’t come with electric heat, running water or indoor plumbing of any
kind. But hey, it has a coal stove.
Now, the big question to determine just how crazy
I am: Yes, I had a choice. Sort of. I was able to express preferences and, when
I spoke to a placement officer, we had a nice long discussion about what I’d be
getting myself into by accepting an invitation to serve in Mongolia. However, a
major part of deciding to volunteer for the Peace Corps is coming to terms with
the idea that you will spend time being wildly uncomfortable, feeling utterly
alone and curled up in a corner wondering what the hell were you thinking.
Which brings me to the actual point of this post.
As my departure date comes closer, more and more people have been asking me how
I feel. They want to know if I’m nervous or scared or questioning my decision
to live on the other side of the world. The answer, believe it or not, is no. I’m
nervous about getting everything ready to go in time. I’m scared of forgetting
something I’ll need. But over all that, over the months of scrambling to
prepare, I have lived with an odd certainty that I am finally doing what I need
to do.
Those of you who know me well will know how significant
it is when I say that, for the first time in my life, I am without doubt. I
know that I am about to face difficulties that I can’t even imagine. I know
that my perceptions will change; beliefs that I didn’t even know I had will be
challenged and through everything I will be expected to continue on. There will be days where convincing myself to
get out of bed and keep trying will be the most difficult thing I’ve ever had
to do. The odd thing is, even as I’m typing this, I realize that I’m looking
forward to that. I have always seen myself as someone who would not give up,
even with odds stacked against me. This is my chance to prove where it matters and
I will.
So, yeah, maybe I’m crazy. But as far as I can
tell, you have to be a little crazy to sign on for something like this. I’ll be
leaving for San Francisco on the 24th and then for Mongolia on the
30th. I’m planning on putting up a small post on the 29th
after my staging event so look out for that. Afterwards, it’s hard to say when
I’ll be able to post again so I’ll get this out of the way now. Anyone who
wants to send me mail for the first few months I’m there can use this address:
Ashley Hislop, ‖ PCT
Post Office Box 1036 Central Post Office
Ulaanbaatar 15141
Mongolia (via China)
Ashley Hislop,‖ PCT
АНУ-ын Энх тайвны корпус
Төв Шуудан
Шуудангийн хайрцаг 1036,
Улаанбаатар-15141 Монгол улс
Mongolia (via China))
It’s been suggested that you used both alphabets in order
to make things easier for both postal services.
Before I go, I’d like to thank everyone for their interest
and support. This will be a defining time in my life and I’m glad you’re with
me.
