How to get her to the vet?  Remember the hat?

- well that’s how.  ‘Cat- in-a- Hat’

 

Friday was always going to be a busy day but the fact that the kitten was sick didn’t help.  After a visit to the vet, it emerged that she had a vitamin deficiency.  So, crushed eggshells and Vit D are now the order of the day for the newly named ‘Phoebe’.  The bewildered little creature was duly delivered to the willing volunteer ‘catsitter’ – Deborah.  Then off  we went to catch the ‘plane to UB.  The airport is well-run and efficient, and about the size of a car-rental office.  I travelled with Oyuna, a Mongolian language teacher who had spent two weeks helping long term VSO folk to spruce up their language skills. The air trip took 1 hour, 30 mins and we were met at the airport by the school bus, which fought its way through masses of the very heaviest traffic and dropped me off at Mavis’s apartment. 

That evening, we ate at Karl’s place – he is a former classmate from our first Mongolian language classes, who is currently on his own as his wife, Antoinette, has returned to the family home in Switzerland and will be back here in mid-February.   They live in a really grand apartment.   Karl works for the Swiss Government, and is looking at the ‘desertification’ of Mongolia.  He could be here for some years.

Next day Mavis and I met with the Mongolian award winning writer, Batjargal Dolgor.  Also at the ‘working lunch’ were Mavis’s translator, Oriuna, and Toonga, Mavis’s counterpart from an American partner charity, ADRA.   They are writing an inclusive curriculum for the Mongolian Government to try to improve the lot of pupils with special educational needs. The whole meeting went swimmingly.  The author, who is a professor of children’s literacy at the University of Mongolia, had brought lots of books, and I bought most of them. The books are perfect for my puposes.  They are bright, well presented and many of them contain a ‘message’  – very relevant to the changing trends in Mongolian society. These books are targetting pre-school age children and their parents. and will be used to promote literacy, in general, but also introduce children to the idea of reading for pleasure and develop this reading habit, before they start to associate reading with school work, only! – A noble sentiment?  Maybe so but ………..

Our second meeting was with a representative of a Government-supported, World Bank Organisation-sponsored project called “READ”. (Sorry, I can’t tell you her name as her card is only in Mongolian script, and I don’t dare guess what it says.  Anyway to me, she was ‘Kisshei” and her aim is to provide every primary school class from grades 1-5, with a class library.  The pilot scheme will be completed soon and millions of tugruks are being spent in the implementation of the initiative.  Can you see how my little project for the two schools designated to me, fits beautifully with this plan?  All those involved, are more than willing to help me and to monitor the work in the schools since it is so much in keeping with their own aims and objectives.  I am thrilled by the whole concept.

Mass in the Ger – James is on the right of the picture.

The weekend was more than I could ever have hoped for and for that, I have my friends and colleagues in UB to thank.I shall briefly mention some of the other activities of the visit. 

On Sunday morning, I met up with my friends, Fr James, the Chinese priest (remember the 2 clocks at the station?) and Sr Agnes.   Mavis, a Quaker by faith, and I attended the Ger Mass and stayed for the tea and buns, afterwards.  Next, we went to see the children’s home, four times the size of ‘Anna Home’, and it is the pride and joy of Fr James.  Since this one has been running successfully for more than nine years, some of the ‘Anna Home ’staff are going to set up  links to ‘pick their brains’.

In the afternoon, we went shopping in the third district, where one can buy most things, (unlike Choybalsan).   We both bought toasters.  Ah! The sheer luxury of hot toasted bread and buns.  I’ll be the envy of my friends.  Then the ‘piece de resistance’  – the ballet!  Fourth front row of the stalls to watch an excellent performance of ‘Swan Lake’ in a beautiful theatre right in the heart of the capital.  More luxury!  We went on to eat at the ‘Grand Khan Irish Bar’ which also serves high quality international food.  Then a final visit to friends for coffee before bed beckoned.

I had to leave at the crack of dawn, next morning, and managed to do so without disturbing Mavis.  Finally, staggering under the weight of books, toaster and other essential purchases, I set off to catch my plane.  I did really well, here.  First taxi driver I hailed, when asked how much to the airport, he quoted, 20.000Tgs  I named my price, and he called my bluff and left.  The next one arrived within minutes and he quoted my very price  -  Just shows, it pays to shop around!