Friends

February 1, 2009 at 5:56 am Leave a comment

“The only way to have a friend is to be one.” That’s a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, one I’ve always loved. Here in Mongolia, it certainly brings results. I was walking to the zaakh (open market) today and began to think about my Mongolian friends. Maybe not friends in the bosom buddy kind of way, but friends as in people I have come to know and enjoy in many different ways. As I walked along, I started mentally enumerating “friends” I have had encounters with over the past week. Let me introduce them to you.

· I saw David on Monday. David came to some of my English classes last fall and I gave him the English name as I did to many others. Pronouncing Mongolian is hard! He runs a logging operation that supplies wood for Muron including me.. He always has a big smile, a good sense of humor, and likes to use his English with me. He’s been very good to me (more in a blog post about wood).

· On Monday I also went to the post office to pick up a package from the Post Office ladies. There are 4 or 5 of them and they have become very friendly. Now they even call me on the phone when a package comes in for “Judy.” A couple of weeks ago I gave them some chocolate chip cookies I’d made. The word is that I’ll be giving them English lessons in the not too distant future.

· Tuesday I went to the bank and there weren’t any withdrawal slips. But a friend who was in my Obama victory English class last fall and works at the bank spotted me and came over and made sure I was taken care of by the teller. Friends are kind.

· Wednesday, I went to a little restaurant for lunch where the single waitress has talked to me before with a little English and wants to learn more. It was late and no one else there so she sat down at my table and we had a little conversation. I had ordered 2 khosher and milk tea and she suggested a hot apple drink instead—it was hot apple juice with bits of apple and whole little dried apricots in it. Try it, you’ll like it.

· Thursday my friend the jejuur began to learn English. A jejuur is a caretaker of sorts. In this case, he sits at a desk where you enter our building and monitors who comes and goes and answers questions. He always has a big smile for me and I’m trying to teach him some new English words every day.

· My friend who works at the TV station next door got back from a trip to UB this week. She works very hard on learning English and we often have lunch together. Periodically, she opens the door to our office and calls in, “Judy, I love you!”

· Friday morning, I discovered a new friend—I think. From time to time, a little man comes into the office and doesn’t seem to do much, just stands around. I think he is a woodcarver who did some work for the Chamber of Commerce at one point. I think he knows that I am usually the first one to arrive at the office. He came in and stood there and I tried to explain that no one had yet arrived but he didn’t leave. Finally, he pulled out a couple of photos of some horses and riders and showed them to me. I commented on them as best I could—he said his brother was on one and he owned one of the horses. I tried to tell him I liked to ride horses. That’s about all we did and soon he left. I did take his picture—it’s posted in this blog. What to make of this encounter? I’m not sure, but I think it’s just another way to communicate.

· I met Esse on Friday too. I was using the internet and the connection is in a little office just off the main lobby in the government building where I work. It is separated from the lobby by a wall that is glass from the ceiling halfway to the floor so people can see in easily. He came in and asked if I spoke English. He spoke English quite well and told me he was a guide. And he is also interested in preserving the land here. I enjoyed talking with him and invited him to two meetings this coming week. One is about my efforts to start an Ecology Club (more later) and one is about “Muron Days”, sort of like Marblehead’s local Arts Festival, to encourage people to stay longer in Muron, not just use it as a quick stop off on their way to Lake Khuvsgol. I think he will be a valuable contributor to both these efforts.

· Friday afternoon, my friend Angela came to the office to meet me after work. She was my English student last fall when I first came to Muron and probably is my best friend though I don’t see her often now. She was very shy when I first met her but grew in confidence during the 5 weeks of daily classes and worked very hard on her English. Early on she learned the words “rude” and “polite.” She loved to hold the door for me and say “polite” as I went through. She tells me she is now living with her boyfriend and his parents (quite common in Mongolia) and may get married next year.

· At the zaak today, I stopped by my favorite place to get fruit. A young woman there always waits on me and is very shy but I think likes to see the “American” come in. Some weeks ago she began giving me an extra item for free or not charging me for something I’d bought. It might be some apples or a kiwi (yes, Mongols like kiwis). In some ways, I think this is also another way of communicating. Last week, I gave her some peanut butter cookies I’d made.

· Finally, today I was chopping some wood (more to come about that in the next blog) in our haasha and a young boy came over and stood watching me. I’d seen him last summer helping Bold with various chores around the hashaa. He’s about 12, not very big, but has a beautiful smile. After watching a few minutes, he insisted on taking the axe and chopping a pile of wood himself. Then together we carried it into my woodshed. I gave him some tea and made a peanut butter sandwich for him—not sure if he’d ever had peanut butter. I asked him if he liked it or didn’t like it. He said he liked it. Thanks to the friends who sent peanut butter and various other items that I try to share with all my Mongolian friends.

So I urge you all—expand your circle of friends—make a new one every day!

As usual, double click on photo to see each one bigger.

: These friends were walking in front of me at the zaak–see how the men behind have their hands linked into the sashes of the men in front? Another way of walking arm in arm.