Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Lao Tzu


"Go to the people, Live with the people. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build on what they have. But with the best leaders, when the work is done, The people all say, "We have done it ourselves." Lao Tzu

ok.

I had a couch surfer come stay with me last night. She is from France. (Really from france, not like those Coneheads.) I went to meet the bus when it got here yesterday, but then ended up having to rush back to school with my new friend in tow, to an English Tournament. An hour later, there was a short awards ceremony for previous compitions and then the competition I was supposed to judge at got going. It was decided that I should be more of the MC for the compitition and others would judge. However, one of the judges ended up not being able to come, so my new friend was told to judge. Hahahaha. Welcome to Arvaikheer, please be a judge for a competion for people who speak a language you don't know that are learning a language that is not your native tongue, nor your second language, but actually your Third language. She was a trouper!

She did not like the night in the ger though, so she is off again today. I am sending her to Bayankhongor to stayy with some appartment dwelling PCVs there. Oh well, ger life is not for everyone.

I am sure i have mentioned before about the never ending "hi! how are you?"s all day. This is shouted at me everywhere I go. Well, a few days ago I got a surprise. After the customery "Hi how are you?" and my reply "I am fine thanks. How are you?" The young girl replied, to my astonishment, "I am fine also. What do you think of air pollution?" whith a barely a breath between sentences. Wow! We ended up having a good conversation about pollution in Mongolia. What a good student she must be!

I let Bill out late Saturday because he was being so loud and I could not sleep throough s meowing. When I woke up on Sunday it was snowing and had been for a few hours it looked like and he was no where to be found. I was ever so worried. However, I had some guests coming over for brunch. I spent the morning getting reading and calling for kitty out the door every couple of minutes, but to no avail. When I walked out to the street to meet my guests, I still had not found my cat. As soon as we got to my ger and I opened the door, he seemed to appear out of nowhere and streaked through the door and proptly went and layed down next to the fire. Stinker. I made french toast which was a delicious and funny because one of my guests was French and he had never had it before.

Today is beautiful outside, I could barely see my breath this morning. No light dusting of snow either. I know it is not warm for good, but I am certainly enjoying it today. I just need to remind myself not to get complacent. Last year it snowed in June.

Well, not much else going on here. I might be getting my hammock frame this week and next week I am buying a desk from a fellow PCV who is moving to UB. I also found a small handheld vacuum (I hope it's a vacuum, the lady made a sucking noice when I asked her what is was!) so hopefully soon my ger will have a few more furnishings and less dirt.

I miss you people muchly much! Take care and don't forget to miss me!

love, C

4 comments:

kate said...

Oh, I do miss you! I've checked your blog every day, and here you are. And you've made me laugh again!! ohh, you are a funny grrl.
We are enjoying spring, but I did get complacent, then got caught in a white-out blizzard in Golden, on my way back from Boulder. It was wild. It was raining hard, really noisy, then a hush, as it turned to snow instantly. I could not see the road. But it didn't freeze hard, so my peach blossoms are okay.
I had a party at my house. It was fun. A mixer, which was challenging for the hostess, as many people did not know each other. I spent most of the night by the door, although we had a terrific fire in my fire pit in the back yard.
I have a roommate moving in on Saturday! Yay! I'm hoping it goes well.
John the Jazz fan is good, remains great.We are in spring quarter, and it feels somewhat sane, although it is tough for me to find a night off.I just want to be OUTSIDE.
I miss and love you, and hear I have some Mongolia materials coming in the mail for me from yo mama. Okay!
You look great in the picture! Healthy, happy, quoting Lao Tzu...

kate said...

...and I'm glad that Bill the cat came home!

Deirdre said...

Hey there,
I have forgotten where we left off with the dust buster. Do need? Do not need?
Did you get a package today?
If all goes according to plan, another off in the AM. We went on the 8080 train. Grandma was so very grumpy. Refused to get out of the car. But we made her. Because that's just the way we roll. The rest of us had a marveloous time, Grandma, not so much. The mustard was up her nose all day. I bought her fudge. But nothing would budge her. I bought her a train whistle, did not like. I loved it though. I blew it everytime we crossed the road, which is like 100 times. The toots on the train are morse code for the letter "Q". Did you know? Back when the Queen used to go out in a boat, evidently and they blew "Q" to let everyone know the Queen had the right-of-way. I am in the know.
Whaddaknow?

Camber Carpenter said...

hahaha...how are you?
I'm fine, thank you.
SAME SAME SAME in HK!!
Though people don't yell it at me.
I love you.

Some fun language/culture things I've heard just today at a school, said by the "Head of English" teacher:
"There is one word called respect."
"This is not a marketplace. This is a Hall! Say it: Hall. Hall! HALL!!!"
"The actors may ask you to go onstage. They are not doing this to embarrass you."
"Look at your neighbors. If they are not wearing their uniform properly, we will make them leave."

I want to visit you. And I will :)
The WHEN is the only question.