Nadam is just around the corner. Boys under 13 years old are allowed to race horses, so I have seen young boys practicing these last few days.
Hello again. I woke up to the news that DOMA was determined unconstitutional and now gay marriage can be acknowledged in any state! So, soon enough gay couples can marry and have the same rights as heterosexual couples! What a great way to start the day.
Today has been beautiful. The clouds are so big and fluffy. The temperature is also perfect. I went on a long walk and took some shots. Here’s my best one.
During the afternoon, Heath and I put together a shower. His family sent him the supplies. The shower felt marvelous.
Let’s see, in my last post I ended with our taxi ride to UB.
We got into UB in the middle of the night and some PCVs snuck us into a hostel so that we could get some sleep. Heath woke me up and told me we were meeting my future co-counselors. We walked to The State Department Store and met with 2 PCVs named Devon and Joe. Devon is stationed in Western Mongolia and Joe is stationed in the Gobi. We said our hellos and then went straight to the bus station, so that we could get bus tickets to Baruun-Urt, the aimag (captial) of Sukhbataar province. We got our tickets and had the rest of the day to do our thing in UB. So, we split up with Devon and Joe and got some pancakes at Nayra’s Cafe. I was pleasantly surprised with their coffee and food, it really did feel like I was in a Western restaurant.
After eating, Heath and I went to Sukhbataar Square to see the free t-rex exhibit. This t-rex skeleton was smuggled illegally to the USA about 10 years ago and was only recently returned to Mongolia. It was my first time seeing a very complete dinosaur skeleton (75% complete). How cool!
It’s not quite a T-Rex, but a Tarbosaurus bataar. (bataar = hero)
Heath and I packed up our things, met up with Devon and Joe, and caught our over night bus to Baruun-Urt (13 hours). The ride itself wasn’t that bad. About 40% of the road is paved, so it got a bit bumpy here and there, but overall the ride was smooth since we were on the Mongolian Steppe. Luckily, the bus was also comfortable and I had Heath as my shoulder rest. I learned on the bus that mornings start very early here, the sun rose at 4:40am. I woke up to the sunrise and man was it epic!
We landed in BU at 5am and passed out in a PCVs apartment. I met 2 more counselors, and their names were Mizelle and Nick. I had finally met all the Americans I would work with. We all relaxed in preparation for camp because we knew we would be surrounded by children for the next 10 days. The next morning, we met up with our camp teachers and the 120 children that would be joining us to Dariganga’s Dream Camp. The counselors jumped into a meaker and followed the 10 other meakers full of children. The ride there was fantastic. Even though the roads were pretty bumpy, the scenery made up for it. I enjoyed looking out the window and occasionally listening to the Mongolian/English conversations. There was also a boy who kept looking back at me and giving me a huge grin. I would return his grin with an even bigger one. What a peaceful ride.
After 5 hours, we made it to Dariganga and to the camp. I was very impressed with the camp layout, there was lots of grass and the holy mountain can be seen from any angle. Horses and cows graze in the distance, and there is a lake that has swans. The camp itself was very rundown, but it had character that made up for the bat infested rooms, broken windows, and leaky ceilings. There was one night where 3 bats were flying around in our bedroom and I tried catching them with my laundry bag. I failed in this endeavor, but luckily an accountant (also professional bat catcher) caught 2 bats with elongated tongs and released them outside. But, enough about the negatives, how about some positives?
So pretty right? This is the holy mountain, Altan Ovoo. Those are horses grazing in the distance.
Well, the children were frickin’ adorable. Dream camp is an English camp, so these kids come here to practice their English. Some kids are from the city, so their English is very good, while some of the other children are from the countryside and their English is very limited. My job was to teach English to the 14 year olds with a Mongolian co-teacher. I would spend 1 hour each day with them teaching vocabulary and speaking aloud so they could listen to my accent. The rest of the day was filled with activities and free time. Often enough the children would play basketball, soccer, or hangout in their rooms. During the activity times, the counselors would lead the children in either outdoor games or singing lessons. I ran both activities on different days. During singing time, I taught Itsy Bitsy Spider, I’m a Little Tea Pot, and The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Meanwhile, I taught elbow tag, lighting (a basketball game), and helped with kickball during outdoor time. 
Nick (a PCV) and other kids playing Frisbee
The cafeteria and a dormitory.
During eating time, the counselors would split up and sit with random tables. We would speak English to the kids, so to encourage them to practice. I got very accustomed to telling them: my favorite color is green, my favorite animal is a turtle, my family has 7 people, my favorite movie is The Lion King, and I am 23 years old. I said those phrases multiple times a day for 10 days. Whew, Nelly!
I could go into more detail about the camp, but that would take a long time and I think it would be best to tell you in person. There were so many little things that happened that made me very happy. Such as simply playing Frisbee with the kids, going on walks around the camp ground during dusk, and bonding with the children. I think one of my favorite moments was an impromptu dance lesson. One evening, I was playing guitar with a group of girls and a fellow Mongolian counselor beckoned me to come to the camp center. I obliged and it ended up becoming a dance competition. He’s pretty good at dancing, so I knew I had no chance. So, the only way to impress the campers was to try out some of my swing dancing! I grabbed the other counselor’s hands and started leading him in good ‘ole East Coast Swing. He was perplexed and the children were bursting into laughter, seeing me twirl this dude all around. I in the end won the competition and then other children wanted to dance with me. Eventually, it turned into a big dance lesson, where kids were surrounding me and watching my footsteps. It was so cute. I even got some boys to dance with girls. Success!
Other than that, we swam in the lake, hiked the nearby holy mountain, and had a sand castle competition at the dunes. What a fun time. I am very thankful for Heath. He is the one who invited me and got me all the way to this small town. I also made friends with the other PCVs who were helping at the camp. There were many nights where we played Cards Against Humanity and Africa and these nights were filled with laughter and dirty humor. Good times.
The Fashion Show.
Sand castle competition (My team won!)
Well, that’s about it. I should head out. We’re deep cleaning Heath’s ger because even more people are coming next week to stay. We’re also making pasta, hooray!
Much Love,
-Molly
My team: The Strong Dragons!
Heath got a package from his Grandma. Look how happy he is with that can of peaches!
Hello friends, I know it has been awhile. I have been traveling all around Mongolia for the last 3 weeks and I finally am in a place with reliable internet. I am in Sukhbaatar, which is in the SE part of Mongolia. As I type, I am sitting in Heath’s ger, listening to the pitter-patter of rain hitting the felt roof. There is light shining in through the circular window above my head and the occasional raindrop hits my thigh due to the chimney hole. The ger is surprisingly spacious and I must say, it is very cozy. I’m actually typing in an armchair, Heath is napping/reading in his bed, and there is at least 15-20 feet between me and the opposite wall. Heath’s ger is covered with decorations from home and he has carabiners all over the place holding kitchen stuff and clothes.
I’ll just mention that the ger is the typical Mongolian home (but apartments are becoming widely used now, especially in the city). There are ger neighborhoods, where people live in khashaas (Hashaa means fence), and inside these fences are 1-2 gers, a shed, an outhouse, and other necessities. I’ve heard that it only takes an hour (maybe even less time) to set up a ger, which is why they are handy for nomadic Mongolians. It is very easy to pack up your ger and house items, place them on a camels/horses/elks backs, and then migrate to your next destination. In the city there are ger districts, but in the countryside, there is just space and if you like someplace, you just plop your stuff down and claim it till you leave again. After traveling here for 2 months, this kind of lifestyle starts to make so much sense. Why doesn’t the US do this?!
Well, I’m sure some of you are wondering what I have been doing for the last 3 weeks. Well, I’ll start with my first destination: Erdenet.
So, I met my friend Heath in UB. He traveled all the way from Dariganga, which takes about 20-24 hours (split into two days). It was surreal seeing him again. The last time I had seen him was about 1.5 years ago at his goodbye dinner in Eugene, Oregon. I remember hugging him and saying “I’ll see you in Mongolia.” It’s wild that I actually made it to Mongolia and that I’m with him now.
The next day, we caught the afternoon bus and spent 7 hours catching up on our lives. There was one stop where we got some sutetse (which is Mongolian milk tea) and cookies. Mmmm… cookies. It was surprising how easy it was to talk with Heath, it was like we were in college again. So, we made it to Erdenet in good time and had a Peace Core Volunteer (PCV) welcoming party, which consisted of Kevin, Sarah, and Brittany. Kevin would be our host for the next few days. They made us dinner and I spent a majority of the night getting to know them and listening to them talk about PCV stuff. I got to know Kevin pretty well and he is a hoot. He is a 42 year old athletic trainer, who decided to drop everything to do Peace Core. He’s the healthiest 42 year old I have ever met. Sarah is a sweetheart from Kansas and Brittany is a spunky girl from South Carolina. Quite the trio.
Here’s Kevin and Heath!
Honestly, most of the time spent in Erdenet was spent resting, catching up with Heath, eating food, and spending time with my new PCV friends. But, here are some of the highlights.
My first day in Erdenet, Sarah invited me to a yoga session led by another PCV named Gracie. I was fortunate enough to join her twice. And man, was it a good workout! It was my first time doing yoga in a class setting and it was fun doing it with other Mongolians. The people here are so flexible! It was also fun to have yoga class in Mongolian. : )
Another highlight was eating hosher, which is a large fried wonton. Another PCV, Nathan, who is married to a Mongolian woman invited people over to get rid of his stuff. He has finished his 2 years of service, so his wife was using up the rest of their meat and veggies, and made delicious, but terrible for you hosher. We also played Yahtzee that night. I hadn’t played that game since I was a little girl. The best part though? It was my first time being in a room full of Americans since… well… America. It was nice talking fluent English and being understood with a group of people. (Oh and if you were wondering, I did terribly at Yahtzee).
The following day, Heath and I went on a hike to the nearby Golden Buddha. It is the largest Golden Buddha in Mongolia. While hiking up to it we were bombarded by cute Mongolian children who wanted to practice their English. We sat with them for a short while asking them their names and asking them their favorite colors. It was adorable. This was also the first time I got a glimpse of the copper mine and it was HUGE! I was told it is the 3rd largest copper mine in the world. It looks like a mountain in the distance, but the mountain is only the pile of dirt that they dig out and place to the side of the hole. Holy Mother of Pearl, right? I sadly never got to go to the hole, but I was told that it is massive.
The Golden Buddha
We went hiking again with Sarah another day and went up a hill to get a good view of the mine and of the city. From the hill, I could really see the big differences between Erdenet and UB. Erdenet has more trees, less traffic, and clean air. Even though Erdenet is the 2nd biggest city in Mongolia, you wouldn’t think it. It doesn’t really look/feel that big. We hiked along the edge of town through the grass fields and had good conversation. The weather was perfect and the company was superb. Lucky me.
Heath and Sarah beside an ovoo. This is where you walk around the rocks 3 times and then you throw 3 rocks in one at a time. Ovoos are found all over Mongolia, especially in sacred places.
Here is the best shot I got of Erdenet. There is more city to the right and you can see the ger district in the distance.
That evening, we met up with the PCVs and watched a local soccer game. The mine has thousands of workers and a way the mine keeps attitudes up is by hosting soccer teams. So, Gracie’s boyfriend, Tulga, is part of a team and we cheered him on. After the game, we putzed around with a soccer ball. Heath, back in his prime, was the captain of his soccer team. He was also the goalie, so we all tried to shoot some goals against him. It felt good to get my heart pumping! It also reminded me that I am terrible at soccer and need to improve.
Almost every night, Heath and I met with PCVs for dinner. We also had many late night conversations with Kevin that were filled with uncontrolable laughter. Overall, Erdenet was a wonderful time. It was a great getaway from UB. I am very thankful for the PCVs who spent time with me and showed me around. Everyone was so nice. Kevin, Sarah, Brittany, Adam, Nathan, and Gracie; if you are reading this, thank you so much for everything. <3
At the end of our stay, we tried to catch the night train back to UB, but the train filled up. So, we found 2 other people to split a taxi ride. Our taxi was not too reliable though. The lights were not working and we had to stop multiple times to figure what circuit was out. There was a time when I had the best flashlight, so it was me with the flashlight and 3 Mongolian men working under the hood. It makes me laugh remembering it. To be honest, I wouldn’t of wanted our long car ride back any other way. It was quite the adventure being stuck in the middle of Mongolia in the middle of the night. I mean, the whole situation felt so…. well, Mongolia. While watching the 3 Mongolian men work on the hood, all I could do was smile and look at the stunning stars above me. Heath and I had some good laughs and conversations during the whole debacle. Now, that is a memory I’ll keep in my back pocket.
Well, Heath and I are going to cook some chili. His grandma sent him a package and inside was a packet of chili spice. Hooray!
Thanks for reading.
Much Love,
-Molly
Heath and Sarah looking to the copper mine. I wasn’t kidding, that mine is huge!!!
Hello friends, I am still in Ulaanbaatar. I will be leaving in couple days to the north. My friend, Heath, and I will go to Erdenet to visit some Peace Corp Volunteers and to do some sightseeing. I am looking forward to seeing my old college friend again. It has been over a year since we last saw each other!
In my last post I told you about the end of my Gobi trip. Well, when we returned to UB, I met a German Biologist named Irina. She was my dormitory buddy. We introduced ourselves and became fast friends! I was in UB for a few days and got to know Irina and even joined her to the University to meet other biologists and professors. It was really interesting to hear what scientists are doing in Mongolia. There is an American researcher studying the badger population. There is a German professor who started the identification library for ants in Mongolia. And Irina was lucky enough to join an expedition to Western Mongolia to tag some snow leopards. They were fortunate enough to collar one snow leopard and they got video of 3 other cats through camera trapping. Irina was with the team when they collared the snow leopard, and she got to feel her fur. That is a once in a lifetime experience to see (and to touch!) a snow leopard. Just, wow! You can see why I really liked spending time with her, she is a total badass.
Here we are exploring UB.
Irina invited me to join her on a camping trip to the Bogh Khaan Uul Strictly Protected Area, just south of UB. She said there was a monastery somewhere in the park and that she wanted to find it. I, of course, said yes and prepared for our 4 day camping trip. Irina had a stove, so I picked up some instant noodles, an onion, some peppers, crackers, cookies, raisins, oatmeal, and snickers bars. I also borrowed a sleeping bag from a biologist friend named Odko. I took a picture of the park map and Irina had a GPS just in case we got very lost. We were prepared!
The next morning, some peace corp volunteers that were staying at the guest house warned us that a storm would come through UB that day. Irina and I looked at each other and shrugged it off. A little rain wouldn’t stop us. So, we set off by 10am and took bus #7 to its last stop. Irina heard that we could get into the park by a hole in the fence nearby the bus stop. So, we headed south, navigating through a ger neighborhood and construction area. We were lucky enough to bump into some workers who gave us a little of their petrol and directions to the entrance. We found the open gate and entered the park.
Our map of Bogh Khaan Uul Strictly Protected Area.
I learned quickly that the park is completely covered in trees and mountains. It felt good to be in a conifer forest again. At first, we were following an animal trail (probably deer), but found an actual trail farther into the park and within the hour, it began to snow. It was a beautiful snow. They were large snowflakes that quickly covered the trees and the forest floor. At first, Irina and I were bursting with joy to be hiking through a winter wonderland. The temperature was comfortable and the snow made everything look so nice. But, after a couple hours the storm got worse. The wind got stronger, the snow fell harder, and the temperature dropped considerably. That morning, we planned to cross the mountain path to a valley SE from our starting location and now it was crucial we did. There were moments when Irina and I wondered if we should head back, but we decided to keep going. We knew we would be okay if we kept calm and kept walking.
Before the snowstorm.
Walking in the snowstorm.
By the time we reached the top of the mountain path, there was at least 1 inch of snow and it was growing more by the hour. The trail was getting harder to follow as well. We reached a crossroads at the top and were told by locals to follow the yellow marks on the trees. Irina and I were confused about these yellow marks at first. Were they flags? Well, a local told us to turn left at the crossroads and when we did, we saw them. We saw painted yellow squares on the trees. And man was that a lifesaver. By this time the trail was non existent except for a pair of footprints that we followed for awhile. By this time, it was almost 6pm and we only has 2-3 hours of daylight left. We had to quicken our pace.
The wind was really strong at the top and was going right through my coat and fleece. The only way to stay warm was by walking. When we stopped for a breather/water, we would only stop for a few minutes and hurriedly get our packs back on because we were so cold. We reached the other end of the mountain pass by 7pm and could see the valley we were heading to. It was relieving to know we would make it before sundown. The snow was less severe on the south side of the mountain, but the wind was intense. I could not feel my hands or toes by this point.
We reached the valley by 8pm and found a place to pitch our tent. The only issue was that the temperature dropped a lot and we knew it would only get worse throughout the night. Irina had a good sleeping bag, so she wasn’t worried, but my sleeping bag was not meant for this kind of weather. It was probably -3 C (25-26 F) around this time, and my bag is probably meant for 7-10 C (40F-50F). I knew I would not fair well if I only slept in the bag, so Irina and I used some of our wilderness survival skills. We were near a marshland and I saw a lot of tall grass that was magically dry. I took out my handy knife and started cutting a lot of the grass to use as a mattress below the tent. Irina cut down pine tree branches and began piling them as well. It was really difficult work because I could barely feel my hands. Even holding the knife was a bit painful, but I knew it would be worth it. We piled the pine branches first and then laid the tall grass on top. And voila! We have our natural Sealy mattress.
Our natural Sealy mattress!
After a long process, due to our numb fingers, we got the tent up. By this time, it was dusk and it was getting pretty dark. Also, the snow stopped, but the wind had picked up. We boiled water for our instant noodle dinner and the heat from the stove made the tent warmer. To eat warm food after a long, cold trek felt amazing. We quickly went to sleep from exhaustion. Sadly, I woke up several times in the night shivering. To fall back asleep I had to force myself to shiver for minutes at a time and I would eventually fall asleep from exhaustion. I knew I wouldn’t die or get severe hypothermia, but holy cow was it cold! That was a rough night.
I woke up the next morning tired, but warm. The storm had passed and the sun was warming our tent. I was so grateful for that.
We had a slow morning. We dried our socks in a nearby tree and let the sun warm us up during breakfast. We didn’t head out until 12pm. On the first day, we hiked around 7 km (4.5 miles), which was farther than we had expected. So, we only had a few hours to walk on the second day. We had lost the yellow marked trail yesterday, but soon found it because the snow had melted away by the afternoon. We continued on the trail, following the yellow flags and yellow squares in the trees.
Irina leading the way.
Our lifesavers: the yellow markers on the trail. You can see more yellow markers in the distance.
We learned that the trail is very well marked in some areas and then completely stops in others. We lost the trail again and hiked around the area, looking for the next marker. We found some cool stuff along the way. We found a teepee made of branches and leaves. We also found fresh wild boar tracks. The birding was spectacular too. There were several kites (the bird of prey) and song birds around keeping us company. There we lots of black squirrels too. They were so cute. We ate our lunch enjoying the nature.
When we gave up looking for the marker, we found a nice place to pitch our tent beside a frozen stream. There was also a view of the valley below. Irina pointed out that in Mongolia most hillsides are covered with trees on the northeast side, while the southwest is mostly grassy meadow. At the apex of the hill, the forest line just stops. I heard it is because of the harsh winds from the south. Interesting, right?
Funny enough, when we were prepping our camp site we found our next yellow marker only 6m (20 ft) away. We relaxed and watched the sun slowly disappear from the horizon. We feasted on instant noodle and peppers. Yum! I slept like a baby that night.
Our view.
Our tent beside the frozen stream.
We woke up the next morning, bright and early, ate breakfast (oatmeal, tea, and bread with jam), and headed towards our final destination: the ruins!
We hiked through a conifer forest again, but this time the weather was warm and sunny. Irina and I spent a lot of the time getting to know each other more. We found out that we are very similar, in almost every way (except I love horror movies). It felt like I met my long, lost German older sister. It is crazy to think Irina and I were traveling from opposite sides of the world and magically met in UB. I am so happy we met.
A spiritual marker on the trail.
Irina checking the GPS. We’re almost there!
By the late afternoon we reached the top of another mountain pass and we saw it; we saw the monastery ruins in the next valley. That moment felt so good. We had done it. Getting down was the hard part, though. The yellow markers disappeared again, so we made our own trail. We roughed it through dense woods and steep hills, until we found the trail again. Soon enough, we exited from the forest and found ourselves surrounded in the ruins of a once bustling monastery.
The ruins.
Inside the ruins.
We set our bags down and explored the area. It was beautiful, in an unsettling way. We could see the foundation where many gers and buildings were and we could see the piles of stones that were once the famous monastery. There was one lone ger in the distance and we could see a man outside the ger looking at us through a small telescope. We waved to him and he waved back. He then walked towards us and introduced himself as Hiro. He started walking towards the one temple that was still intact. Irina and I looked at each other, shrugged, and followed him.
The temple was a museum and he led us around. There were many pictures that showed the monastery grounds in its full form. There were some with monks in them too. There were no explanations about what happened and we tried asking Hiro, but the language barrier made it difficult. I am guessing the Russians came through and destroyed it. We donated a bit of money and then continued to the other famous part of this place: the monk rock paintings/etchings.
The cliff drawings
Behind the ruins, there is a very steep cliff and on this cliff were many caves. Within these caves, were the drawings. The drawings were of Buddha. I don’t know how old they were, but they were very worn down. While in the cave, I felt I was in the past and I could sense the accomplishment and spirituality of these monk etchings. Irina and I stayed up on the cliffs for awhile, soaking in the moment and watching the sky change from blue to orange.
The view from the cliff
We walked down the cliffs and spent more time exploring the ruins. We walked inside the old monastery and looked at the nearby abandoned terraces. When we were finished, we waved to Hiro and he accompanied us to our final camping site. He helped pitch our tent and then we said our good nights. Irina and I cooked the last of our noodles and added a bunch of vegetables. As we ate, we watched the sun set over the distant hills. We could see the whole ruins from our camp site, and I found myself imagining what it would’ve been like, being here when the monastery was at its prime. I imagined all the monks doing their chores and how beautiful it must have been once upon a time. I wonder if the monks would’ve ever thought that their home would become ruins by the 1980’s. It made me a little sad.
The next morning, Irina and I packed up our bags. We waved goodbye to Hiro and headed towards the nearby temple/ger camp. We found a road and followed it to a town that was about 2 hours away by foot. We found the bus station, thanks to a young local, and took the next bus to UB. Our wonderful camping trip was brought to an end.
Well, I won’t post for a couple weeks. I’ll be traveling, but thanks for reading. I really appreciate it.
Much love,
-Molly
That’s me on our way back to UB. We were the last to catch the bus, so we were on makeshift chairs.
I’ll miss you Irina!
Hello friends, as I type I am lounging on a comfy couch with my couchsurfing host, Alex. Alex is a post peace corps volunteer and now she works at the American University of Mongolia as an English teacher. I will stay in her studio apartment until early next week, where then I will meet with my college buddy, Heath, and we will travel together! I am very lucky to have Heath as a contact. He is the reason I am staying with Alex in the first place. Hooray for friendship!
I also wanted to say that my Russian visa application went through and I will be taking the Trans-Siberian Railway in July! I am so excited! I can’t believe I’ll finally take the train. I’ve been telling people for the last year, “yeah, I’ll be traveling through Asia for a few months. I really hope to take the train to Moscow though.” And now I am. Huzzah!
Well, let’s finish up my Gobi trip.
Mike, Otto, and Ganaan chillin’ during a lunch break.
So, we left the quaint town of Arvaikheer and headed NW towards Mongolia’s tallest waterfall in the Khuistin Naiman Nuur National Reserve. It was a very long car ride, but the most scenic. In the Gobi, the landscape was beautiful in an empty way. There was the occasional pack of camels in the distance or a herder with his sheep, but there were not many trees or greenery. Well, on that last long drive, we went from desert to mountainous valleys and forests. The scenery was stunning and luckily the weather was perfect.
We made a stop for lunch and were surrounded by mountains. We climbed a nearby hill while Khulaan was cooking. The wind was so strong that it could hold me up if I leaned over a little. The boys went back down pretty quickly, but I stayed up a bit longer. There is something special about a strong wind, at least for me. It reminds me of the time when I was a kid and I would lean against the wind near my house. Or the times when my sister and I would take our dads big umbrella and try and fly away with it during a storm.
There were so many horses in this park. Wow.
We continued on our way and finally reached the nature reserve. We drove through the reserve for a couple hours and stopped a couple times to use nature’s toilet and to watch the horses pass by. There were so many horses. We made it to the ger camp before sunset and were able to visit the famous waterfall. It was only a 10-15 minute walk away from the ger camp. And man was that waterfall gorgeous. The evening sunlight made the whole place look magical. The wind had died down by then, so I sat down beside the top of the falls, listening to the water rush by. I looked around me and could see there were mountains surrounding us, that there are hundreds of yaks/cows grazing nearby, and that the sun was setting to the west. What a beautiful place. I spent the rest of the evening teaching frisbee and playing soccer with the local children.
Welcome to the park!
The top of the falls.
The next morning, I woke up nice and early and decided to go on a hike. Breakfast wasn’t until 8:30am, so I had 2 hours to explore. I could see a small mountain to the south and headed towards it. The landscape was how I described it in an earlier post: BIG. The fields are so vast that while walking through them, they remind you how small you really are.
I made it to the top of the mountain with time to spare. I found a nice flat rock and sat, watching the sun rise above the mountains to the East. Before my descent, I watched the locals begin their daily lives. I could see men letting their cows graze, I saw men take their horses out to the fields, and I also saw some children playing near their ger homes. They were only black dots in the distance, but I was happy to be apart of their morning.
Good morning beautiful Mongolia!
The lone motorbike. Probably heading back to their ger.
After breakfast, Khulaan showed us the way to the bottom of the waterfall. The boys were foolish enough to jump into the frigid water. I enjoyed my time on the rocks, napping. I was pretty sleepy after my long hike that morning. After some time, we packed up and headed back to our ger. I noticed a trail on the way back and told the boys that I’d meet them later in the afternoon. I continued walking on the trail and it led me to a grassy meadow. The meadow was surrounded by moving water (one side was the river and the other was a small stream). There was a perfect spot to sit right where the rivers converged and I did just that. I sat and did some meditation. After, since the weather was perfect, I decided to nap some more below the shade of a birch tree.
Ulaan Tsutgalan Waterfall
Another highlight was that evening. The boys and I went outside to brush our teeth and as we were brushing away, we looked up to the sky. The stars were the best I had ever seen in my life. The sky was clear and the moon was a thin crescent. I knew I couldn’t pass up this moment, so I decided to sleep outside that night. Mike joined me for a short while, but he got too cold. I woke up a couple times. Once by the local dog nuzzling beside me, wanting to steal my warmth. The second time was because the temperature dropped significantly. I looked up to the sky each time I awoke and was stunned by the amount of stars. I even saw a few shooting stars. Before I went back inside, the Milky Way was right above me. I had never seen it so clearly. I’ll keep that memory, for sure.
We left the following day to our last stop: Kharkhorin town. This town is famous for having the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. The monastery is called Erdene Zuu Khiid (Khiid means monastery). We were fortunate enough to visit and to walk the grounds. I learned that it was founded in 1586 and once had 60-100 temples and 300 gers. Sadly, Stalin came in and nearly destroyed all of them. Only after the collapse of communism in 1990, was the monastery reopened for worship. Gosh, Mongolia has gone through a lot of strife. 
Erdene Zuu Khiid to the left and a herder to the right.
There were also 4 stone turtles that represented the boundaries of the once ancient Karakorum. Only 2 have survived and I visited one. It was on top of a hill to the south of the monastery, and near the ger camp we were staying in. I met a few herders up there, they were bringing their goats back home after a long day. There was a moment, when I was sitting beside the turtle rock, where I was completely surrounded by goats. It was a very funny experience. The men on horseback also found it hilarious. We laughed together and then we all went on our merry way.
I spent the evening reminiscing with the boys about our trip. I had a very nice time with them. I’ll keep Sweden and Canada close to my heart.
We drove back to UB the next day. It was odd getting on a paved road after 9 days of dirt and rocks. We made it to UB by the late afternoon and said our farewells to our driver, Gaanan, and our cook, Khulaan. I’ll miss them. (I’ll also miss thinking about Ganondorf every time I say Ganaan, but that is a nerdy afterthought.)
So, I guess I’ll talk about my backpacking trip in my next post. I’ll write it later because I’m meeting a buddy at the food market this afternoon.
Thanks for reading!
-Molly
I’ll miss spending time in the gers with good company. Thanks again boys!
Me in Ice Valley (Yolyn Am)
Hello friends, I’m back in UB for awhile. I have to figure out my Russian Visa situation, so I’ve got to buckle down and plan out my Trans-Siberian trip. I’ll be doing that this weekend. Other than that, all has been going very well. The last thing I told you guys was my first few days of my Gobi trip. I guess I should finish that up.
So, after our stay at the ger camps, we made it to our first town called Dalanzadgad. We got gas, ate lunch, and played with some kids. Mostly, we purchased some more treats for the long rides and then we were off again. We were on our way to Ice Valley. I recall the Mongolian name is Yolyn Am, which means Vultures Mouth.
The drive to Ice Valley was something else. We could see the mountains in the distance while we were on route. When we got closer, we entered a canyon and were on the bumpiest roads I’d ever been on. I felt like I was in a cartoon because we were bouncing all over in the van. Arms and legs were flailing left and right. I couldn’t stop laughing!
When we reached the trail head, we all got out and found ourselves surrounded by hills and mountains. Khulaan told us to follow her and like good children we did. It felt good to stretch out my legs after 3 days of long car rides. At first we were in a valley of grass and walked along a dirt road, I spent most of the time with my head cranked upwards. The mountains were beautiful and the rock faces made me want to go rock climbing again! Khulaan lead us to a stream that had a trail and this trail lead us deeper into the canyon. By this time, I separated myself from the boys and Khulaan and was able to appreciate all the sounds. The stream was calming and the wind was whistling. The stream got smaller and smaller, until it was completely covered in ice. I learned quickly why this place is called Ice Valley.
Our dirt road surrounded by mountains
The stream and the dirt trail
Khulaan stayed behind while the boys and I went deeper into the valley. It was my first time walking on ice that is more than 2 meters tall (more than 6 feet thick). There were places where the ice was melting, so we could see the cool ice patterns. The combination of rock meeting ice was pretty epic. I’d never seen anything like it.
The stream is getting smaller. We’re getting closer.
The entrance to Ice Valley! And Khulaan!
We stayed for a few hours and then we jumped into the van again and were off to the complete opposite landscape: The Sand Dunes. Before that day, I had never seen big sand dunes before (except for the dunes in Oregon). I didn’t know what to expect. All I knew about them was from Aladdin or from Road to Morocco, when Bob Hope and Bing Crosby get caught by a beautiful princess while riding a camel in the sand dunes. When we arrived it was nearing dusk and the sand dunes were a beautiful pink/yellow color. The ger owners had camels for us to ride, so we jumped onto some camels and traversed the fields towards the dunes. The colors of the sky and dunes were wonderful.
The camel ride and the dunes!
We disembarked from our camels and began our steep climb to the top of the dunes. They didn’t seem so large in the distance, but they were comparable to a small mountain/tall hill! It felt so good taking off my shoes and letting the sand sink in between my toes. The sand was still warm from the sun. The boys continued on their ascent, but I decided to sit down and enjoy the scenery from halfway up. I felt compelled to sing, so I spent 15-20 minutes watching the sunset and singing. It was wonderful. I’ll keep that memory for a long time.
Me on a sand dune!
The boys returned and we ran down the dunes smiling and laughing. That day was a good day. I was woken up the next morning with the boys singing, “Folly Lolly, Molly golly, dolly Bally, etc.” At first I was not amused, but it has grown on me as of late. We jumped in the van and headed to our next destination, which was Arvaikheer town. We spent a night there and headed towards our final stop: Khuisiin-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park. This park has Mongolia’s tallest waterfall.
I’ll write about it in my next post. A girl’s gotta eat, it’s dinner time!
Much love,
-Molly
Watching the sunset.
Welcome to the Mongolian countryside.
Hello Everyone, I am SO happy to hear that gay marriage will be legal in Minnesota!
Minnesota will be the 12th state to pass this bill. Huzzah! All my good vibes today go to my gay Minnesotan brothers and sisters who can now marry the person they love. <3
So, now back to me. As I said before, I have been in Mongolia for 2 weeks now. 10 days ago, I set off on an adventure to the Gobi Desert with a group of people from the UB Guest House. The group consisted of Mike (Canadian), Phillip, Carl, Otto (Swedish), Khulann, and Gaanan (Mongolian). We left early in the morning from UB and set off to a ger camp near some rock formations about 7 hours away.
I spent a majority of my time looking out the window. I now understand what people mean when they say, “Mongolia is Asia’s wild west.” It is true. While watching the scenery pass, you see men on horses herding their sheep or cattle. Or often enough you see men on motor bikes herding their animals. You see the occasional ger in the distance, usually accompanied by a wooden shed or wooden fence holding their livestock. Other then that, for 6 of the 8 hours, all you see are the endless plains of grass. After awhile the grass turns into arid desert. In the distance you can see hills upon hills and the occasional mountain.
A sand storm blew by on our first day.
During our drives, we stopped often for bathroom breaks and for lunch. Those were some of my favorite times of my whole trip. When we stopped, we just parked the van beside the road and we would find ourselves in the middle of nowhere. I would stand in the field and try to comprehend the sheer size of my landscape. I mean, just imagine a prairie in Minnesota (and I mean a big one), and then think of it 20-30 times vaster. Maybe even more than that! There was also a place that was similar to the terrain near Bend, Oregon. But, imagine arid fields 30 times larger. It is utterly incredible.
So, that’s just an introduction to what I saw during my trip to the Gobi. On our first day (as I mentioned before), we drove for a long time. On our lunch break, the boys and I played some good ol’ ultimate frisbee! I really got a kick throwing the disc around in an isolated field in Mongolia. Other than that, we conversed and quickly got to know each other during our van ride. Near dusk, we made it to our first sightseeing spot. It is a famous rock formation that used to house many monks within a temple. Sadly, during Russian occupation, the Russians traveled across Mongolia and destroyed almost all of the Buddhist temples. We saw the remains of the once beautiful temple and then hiked around the area. We hiked to the top of a rock and I watched the sunset beside a pile of rocks. In Mongolia, many people pile rocks in sacred places. I believe people make wishes or pray when they place a new rock on the pile. Many of the piles had blue cloth tied to them as well. So, I made a wish and put my own stone on the pile and continued exploring until it got too dark.
Throwing the disc around!
The entrance to the monastery ruins. You can see the rock formations also.
We stayed in ger camps throughout our whole stay. Our first night was my first time staying in a ger and I was surprised how much room there was. There were 5 beds and a stove in the middle to keep us warm. We arrived near nightfall, so I didn’t have much time to explore. I mostly played with the puppy that evening. He was so cute.
The ger we stayed in and my new friend. In this shot, I’m writing in my journal. (Photo credit: Carl)
The next morning, I woke up early (at around 6am) and hiked to the South. I didn’t want to get lost (because once you go over a hill, everything starts looking the same), which is why I always pick a direction and stick with it. South is the easiest for me because the Sun will always be to my left in the early morning. So, the puppy and I hiked South for a long while. I loved having an animal companion. After about an hour I found a nice spot on top of a hill to practice some meditation. It was my first time meditating outside and it felt very good. The puppy had ran home by then, so I walked back by myself. During my walk back, I observed many birds (mostly swallows) singing and playing. I very much enjoyed that. I was happy to see so much activity in such a dry, arid place.
We ate breakfast and headed off to our next destination, the White Mountain. Similar to the day before, I watched the scenery and we played some frisbee during lunch time. By the 2nd day, we were in The Gobi. We made it to our destination and we hiked for a short while, but mostly we enjoyed the views. I also liked how windy it was! There was a rock path that led to a natural platform. I decided to walk out to it. The wind was strong and the winding rock formations were to my left and right. I outstretched my arms, looked up to the sky, and let out a loud yell to combat the wind. It felt amazing. 
I am the Queen on the world!
The cliffs of the White Mountain
The ger camp was a bit different than the last one. This camp had camels to watch and goats to play with. I fully enjoyed my time playing with the baby goats. They were so adorable.
I’ll try and post more later. Now I’m going to figure out my Russian transit visa.
Best,
-Molly
The sunset nearby the mountain. We were at the ger camp.
Sunrise at the ger camp. The camels were my alarm. I also helped stack camel dung.
The goats were so fluffy!
In Mongolian Buddhism, there’s are many ways to wish for good luck. Here is one way. You spin this large spinner clockwise either once or three times. If done correctly, Buddha will smile upon you.
Hello everyone, it has been a while since you last heard from me. I think the last thing I told you was that I was on my way to Mongolia. Well, I am here! I’ve been in Mongolia for almost 2 weeks now and I have been having a blast.
I landed in Ulaanbaatar (the capital) and got a ride to my hostel called UB Guest House. I landed in the evening, so I couldn’t see too much. I actually couldn’t see much at all because there weren’t that many street lamps. That was one big difference from Tokyo. I think Japan has too many lights, at least in my opinion. I met some cool foreigners at the hostel and spent much of the evening learning what UB has to offer.
I made good friends with a Brazilian named Andres and an American named Ben. The next morning we met up and decided to walk to a nearby Buddhist monastery and explore that area. We found it and man was it big! They house 500 monks within the area, so while walking around I saw monks of many shapes and sizes doing their daily chores. Some were carrying pails of water to the kitchen, some were sweeping the steps, and I even saw some younger monks playing soccer (those rascals!). The temple grounds were very different from the Japanese temples I visited, but the feeling was the same. There were visitors praying to the large Buddha statue and monks were doing their “thang.” The main difference was the praying technique. In Mongolia, people lay on their stomachs and lay their hands out in front of them while they pray. In Japan you either clap or you just put your hands together. Either way, you’re doing the same thing; you’re just saying hi to Buddha and wishing for happiness.
This is the main temple for the monks. They pray here. There is a larger temple behind this building with a large Buddha statue.
After the big monastery, Andres, Ben, and I walked around and found some other temples. They were smaller and more quiet. We also walked to the town center and I got to see the Chinggis Khaan statue in Sukhbaatar Square. During my first day, I mostly soaked up my surroundings and tried to get a feel for the UB vibe. What I gathered is that UB is a mixture of Russia and China. In downtown UB, most of the buildings are of Russian communist architecture, which means there is a lot of concrete blocks and white square buildings. But, the monasteries have the Asian tile technique as well. All in all, the thing that makes Mongolia, “Mongolia” are the gers and horses. A ger is a circular yurt that traditional Mongolian families live in. Even in UB, I saw many gers, especially on the outskirts. Also, there are so many horses here, maybe not in downtown UB, but I did see horses in the outskirts of town (and on my recent travels, which I’ll explain later.)
Changis Khan! The most feared and respected leader to have ever lived.
That afternoon, I was invited to join a few travelers to a traditional Mongolian performance. I got to see throat singing, traditional dance, and traditional orchestral music. It was flippin’ amazing! I was also invited by 4 strangers to go on a 9 day Gobi tour leaving the following day. I decided to go for it.
This was part of the orchestral performance. The guy playing the Mongolian cello was superb!
It was day 2 in Mongolia and I left that morning in an 8 person van with 2 Mongolians, 3 Swedish guys, and a Canadian guy. Little did I know, I would become very good friends with all of them and have the time of my life traversing the Gobi Desert.
I’ll post about my trip soon. Promise.
-Molly
And off we go!
Me posing with some middle schoolers. Cute uniforms, ne?
Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing well. Right now, I am on the Bullet Train (Shinkansen-Nozomi) to Tokyo. I have spent the last 10 days traveling around the Kansai area (Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Ise.)
I left Tokurin-Ji two weeks ago and said my farewells. I had a wonderful time at the temple and learned a lot about myself. I also learned so much about Japanese cooking, the Buddhist lifestyle, zazen, the Japanese language, and permaculture. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I am very grateful for the kindness that Tokurinji shared with me. As a traveller, I must continue on my journey, I must see new sights and walk new steps. I was relieved and happy to spend one month decompressing after two months of travel, but now I must continue on my adventure.
So, my adventure started in Kyoto. I spent three days there. Sadly, I was very sick for two days, so I slept and recovered. I saw some new sights in Kyoto, but mostly I spent my time at the Khaosan Guest House, hanging out with my friend Erin. It was nice to have some girl time. I did some other fun things in Kyoto, but we can chat about that later over a cup of coffee. ; )
My last day in Kyoto. I visited a beautiful garden and a temple. I can’t remember the names, sorry!
Sam and I with Osaka Castle! I was so happy to have Sam with me.
After Kyoto, I went to Osaka to meet my friend Ruriko-San and her daughter, Joti. My really good friend, Sam, also came to Osaka to travel with me for Golden Week! We stayed in a quaint post WW2 home that Ruriko’s grandmother built. Outside, the house looked like a normal Japanese house with a bunch of plants in front, but inside I felt like I was in a totally different country. Ruriko loves Indian and Tibetan culture, so her house smells of incense and is covered in Indian art. Ruriko met her late-husband in India, while traveling. So, she got a lot of inspiration from him.
My friends Ruriko-San and Joti and their house.
Ruriko was kind enough to be our tour guide for a day, so first she took us to Osaka Castle. The castles of Japan are gorgeous. It is hard to believe that emperors and other important people used to live in such gigantic places! Sadly, most of the castles are recreations or duplicates because they have fallen down due to earthquakes, by fire, or my WW2 bombings. But still, wow. We walked around the castle and ended up at a carnival for a short while. There were some interesting rides. For example, there was a recreated earthquake ride, where you sit at a kitchen table and the machine mimics the feelings of an earthquake. There were also cherry pickers, so firemen were taking kids high up into the air (that one was pretty cool.) After the castle, we went to Korean town and ate delicious food. Yummy!
The last stop was probably my favorite, but not for the reasons you probably think. So, Ruriko has a big heart and she is passionate about helping the homeless. She brought us to a harder part of town, where we could see the not so bright side of Japan. We saw many middle aged men, waiting nearby a job center, hoping to get a days work, so they could feed their families. We saw many men sleeping on the street and even a cross dresser. Ruriko said that the local gay population lives in this area, which I found very interesting. Walking through this part of Osaka reminded me how fortunate I am for having two parents who love me and for having enough money to travel. Also, it is a reminder that homelessness is a world issue and that we should all help our homeless brothers and sisters whenever we can. Volunteer at a local food kitchen or donate some clothes the next time you have a chance!
The rest of Osaka was a good time. Ruriko, Sam, and I spent many moments laughing, telling stories, and drinking chai tea (and possibly some sake). I was happy to spend more time with Ruriko and Joti, and I was very happy to have my good ole’ friend Sam to reminisce with. Thank you Ruriko for everything! You are a wonderful woman, friend, and mother!
Guess who fed some Nara deer?! This girl.
Sam and I said our goodbyes and caught the next train to Nara. Nara is known for 2 things: humanized deer and the Todaiji Temple, which has the 2nd largest Buddha statue in the world! Sam and I went to Todaiji and were wowed. The temple is HUGE. It was so large that even comprehending its size made my mind hurt. I felt like I could be caught in its rotational pull. (you get the picture, it was big). The Buddha statue was stunning. I had never seen such a large bronze statue before. I spent a long while soaking in the moment. I will never forget that one. After the temple, we fed some deer and Sam actually got harassed a bit by the male deer, it was a funny sight. We finished the day off walking through some Shinto shrines in a Princess Mononoke-esque forest. Very beautiful.
Todaiji Temple and all its glory. If you have the chance, please visit this place.
Buddha.
We caught the morning train to Ise and explored the nearby shrines. Ise is famous for having the most sacred of Shinto shrines. Sam told me that Japanese civilization started in the Ise area, so the Shinto religion also started here. There are 2 shrines (inner and outer) and both are very beautiful and old. There were many old trees that made me think of Oregon. Something I learned about Shintoism is that they rebuild their shrines every 20 years and Sam and I were lucky enough to come to Ise for a 20 year celebration. There were many festivals and people. We even saw Taiko drumming, which was fantastic!! Our last stop was a very famous wedded rock, which is when 2 sea rocks are tied together with thick rope. That was pretty cool.
Taiko! It was my first time seeing it live. I could feel my heart thumping to the beat and my arms were covered in the good kind of goosebumps.
The Wedded Rocks with a frog statue.
Today, Sam and I said our goodbyes. I am going East to Tokyo and he is going North to Kanazawa. I am so happy to have spent one week with Sam. We laughed a lot and caught up on each others lives. I wonder when I’ll see him again. : )
I’ll miss you Sam. <3
Now, I am only 30 minutes away from Tokyo. I will spend my last day in Japan spending time with my friend Junzo, from Tokurinji. I don’t know what we’ll do, but I want sushi as my last meal. So hopefully that’ll be part of it.
Looking back on my travels in Japan, I can only think of how lucky I am to have met such great people. I made so many friends that I will keep close to my heart always. I spent one week traveling with Anne Delorme, I WOOFed in Azumino, I lived at Tokurinji, and I traveled with Sam in the Kansai area. All good memories. Thank you everyone for making my stay in Japan so fun and full of laughter. I am very grateful.
Tomorrow I will fly to Mongolia to start my new adventure. I am so excited. : )
K, I am here in Tokyo. Gotta run. Thanks for reading.
Much love,
-Molly
Farewell Japan. <3
I went to Nagoya Castle with Lin-San. I wanted to show him my zazen skills!
Hey everyone, it’s been a week since I last talked with you. I hope you are all doing well! I heard about the Boston Marathon Bombing and I felt very sad for the families affected. I felt many emotions and it was obvious in the temple that Mori-Chan (me) was not her normal self these last couple days. I’m glad to hear my friends are safe and that so many people in Boston took charge and opened their homes to visitors or they donated blood for the victims. I’m proud to be an American. ; )
Well, life at the temple has become more quiet. The Nepali people left yesterday, so now it’s only the monks and four staff. I like the quiet, but I’ll really miss the Nepal guys. They were full of laughter and when they saw me, they would show a big grin and say, “Namaste” which means good day/hello/peace/good morning/good evening. Pretty much, it is a very nice word. They also gave me a Nepali name, “Shanti.” It means peaceful/quiet person. The Nepal people seemed to always find me reading/studying under a tree, or quietly humming a song while cooking dinner, or just sitting in thought. I guess I can be pretty quiet at times. I appreciated their friendship and when I meet other Nepali, I will say “Namaste,” with an equally big grin. : )
This is the oven I used to make pizza and bread in with the Nepali.
Other than that, I’ve been doing morning meditation (maybe I missed a couple because I slept through my alarm…. Ops), I made American style pancakes (yum!), I made pizza, I’ve explored more of Nagoya, and I’ve been hiking around a nearby mountain (small mountain with lots of bamboo and plum trees). Lin-San has been very kind to me. He has been my sensei and tour guide of Nagoya. Yesterday, I played tennis with him and some friends and a couple days ago he showed me around the city. He made a joke that he is not a gentlemen, but a “Gentlemonk.” I laughed very hard after that one. I’ve also learned a lot about the monk lifestyle. I’ll write about that later.
There is a staff member here named Yamasaki-San. We didn’t talk much the first week I was here, but he’s opened up to me since then and he’s turned out to be a very funny guy (and his English is superb). He’s been my Japanese teacher and kinda like a father figure for me at the temple. He encourages me to eat more, go to bed earlier, and other Dad-like things. Of course, I listen to him, but sometimes I wanna stay up later or eat more sweets. >.>
But honestly, he’s a cool guy. We went on a nice hike two days ago and we cook meals everyday. I enjoy singing and spending time with him. Thanks Yamasaki-San!
These are my friends here at Tokurin-Ji. Me, Lin-San, Jun-San, Nepali, and Yamasaki-San. We eat dinner at this table every night. I also chat with the boys here as well.
This is the bread I baked in the oven with the Nepali.
This last week, I have learned a lot about patience. I have met someone who has very opposing views from me. Some examples are about gay adoption and he has strong opinions on Muslim and Jewish people. At first, I was very good and listened and shared my opinion on the matter; all was well. I respect others opinions, even if I disagree completely. But he said something that was the last straw and I for the first time in a long while lost my temper. Whew Nelly, did I let him know what I thought. I know I can be stubborn and I learned that night how ugly and stubborn I can be. I spent that evening with a heavy heart full of pride, it felt awful. The next morning, I analyzed my actions and contemplated my feelings. In the end, I wrote him a long letter. I apologized and told him why I got mad. I also explained how important cooperation is for world peace, so even though we disagree, we can still understand one another and cooperate. We agreed to disagree, and since then we’ve actually become good friends. It’s kinda weird how that happens. Even though I showed my ugly side, I learned a lot about problem resolution and overcoming my pride. I still need a lot more time before I can call myself a humble person, but I think I’m on the the right track.
Jun-San and I talk almost every night and we always end up saying, “we must be more humble!” two nights ago June-San and I talked about how we can help make the world a better place one action at a time. We made a list. This list only had four bullet points: gratitude, humbleness, love, and : ).
We determined if people can do all these things, the world can become a happy and safe place. If people can be more grateful, then there will be less envy. Instead of wanting more, people can appreciate what they already have. If people can be more humble, there will be less pride. People will give more and not expect anything in return. People will live simply, and understand that a smile can be worth more than any amount of money. Of course, love is very important. If people can love more, there will be less hate. There would be peace if we could all accept our differences and just hold hands. I like holdings hands, don’t you? And of course, if there is more : ), then there is less sadness and less anger. If people can smile more, then the world will become a happier and more peaceful place to live in. Doesn’t sound that hard, right?! Okay, maybe it’ll take a while, but if we could all just try to change just a little, then it could make a big difference in your life, my life, or a strangers life.
As you can see, living with Buddhists has been really good for me. The Buddhist mentality is a very good one, at least in my opinion. The people who surround me are teaching me to be a better person and for that I am grateful. I dunno if I’ll become a Buddhist, but I’ll definitely keep what I have learned close to my heart.
Well, it’s tea time. Gotta get my green tea fix. I hope you liked my rant!
Much love,
-Molly
Damien, Lin-San, and I sight seeing. What a pretty day!
Me with my little friend Joti-Chan and the wedding couple. : )
Hello friends, I’m just chilling in my room, taking a break from studying Japanese. I’ve been improving, but I’m still quite awful.
Well, let’s see… I’ve been at Tokurin-Ji Temple for over a week now and I have really enjoyed being here. The week long Sakura festival was a lot of fun and very beautiful. I kept busy by helping in the kitchen, working in the garden, and hanging out with my new buddies Lin-San and Jun-San. I’ve also made good friends with many other people who I had to say goodbye to. The two people who stick out are Rie-San and Ruri-San; both are single mothers with big hearts and senses of humor. I spent many moments laughing with them and their children.
I was pretty busy during the festival, but I found some free time here and there. I played frisbee with the children, Lin-San, and Jun-San. I was so happy to use my disc after a long hiatus. The children I taught learned so fast and could throw forehand by the 2nd day. Wowie Zowie! I also learned a Nepalese dance (a few actually). The head monk Oshou-San lived in Nepal for many years and invites his Nepalese friends to stay at the temple every year. Right now there are four Nepalese men and one wife and they sure love to dance. There is a part of the temple devoted to Nepal culture, I love spending time there. It is full of singing, dancing, laughing, and I’m even learning a bit of Nepalese and Sanskrit. My favorite word I’ve learned is “shantikuaty,” which means safe/peace house in Sanskrit.
Joti is lighting a prayer candle for the new couple.
The monks preparing the room for the sacred ceremony. They are throwing candy and flower petals.
There was also a wedding last Saturday (see picture above) and the best part? It was a traditional Japanese wedding! The wife was in a beautiful kimono and her husband (a monk from the temple) was in special monk garb. I was fortunate enough to see the ceremony! We cooked so much food that day too and it was very delicious.
The final day of the ceremony was the biggest day and had the best weather. This day is special because Monday was Buddha’s birthday! There were many vendors, ceremonies, zazen’s, and other fun stuff like a discussion about Gift Economy. (I’ll talk about that later, pretty cool idea). One of the vendors had an ukulele and it felt so good to play again. I wowed my staff with my songs. They even made me perform on stage for the visitors. I’m usually too shy to play in front of so many people, but I was so overjoyed that I didn’t even care. I got a few videos of the other performances too.
Oshou-San leading the prayer with sacred Nepal gong and drum.
So, I learned Lin-San has the same birthday as Buddha (fitting for a Buddhist monk) and I thought a birthday has to have a birthday cake! So, I asked Oshou-San what ingredients I couldn’t use. Obviously meat, but he also said eggs, milk, and butter is not okay. I didn’t realize I’ve been eating vegan for the last week, hmm…being vegan ain’t that bad. K well, I found a vegan chocolate cake recipe and got to work with a few other staff. When people heard I was making cake (“cake-y” in Japanese), they got very excited. I guess it has been a long time since someone made a cake here. Jun-San knew of a mint bush nearby and picked leaves for the chocolate topping. The cake turned out as a brownie masterpiece and I think Lin-San almost cried when we came out singing Happy Birthday to him (and Buddha of course). Since then he has been gifting me with sweets and flowers each day, as a thank you. I tell him he doesn’t have to, but I’m not complaining. ; )
Me, Lin-San, Oshou-San, monk dude, baby, and A-Chan after birthday dinner.
Our brownie masterpiece!
Other than that, I’ve been relaxing, journaling, working, walking, and zazening. Life is simple here and I really like that. I have had a lot of time to think about my life and my future goals. Also, even though Jun-San can only speak a little English, he gives great advice. We have to use body language, my bad Japanese, his bad English, and a nearby dictionary, but we understand each other eventually.
Well, dinner will be soon. I should prepare for my vegan feast.
Much love,
-Molly
Wave hello to my friends!
Molly's Journey to the West 