Murun

This weekend we flew to Murun for another Branch Conference.  Murun is about 600km to the northwest of UB.  Once again we were able to see the empty spaces, lots of mountains with a few valleys in between.  It appears that anywhere that there is a bit of flat land they have planted wheat or barley.  It is all pretty remote!





Next week is Tsagaan Sar, one of the biggest holidays of the year in Mongolia.  It means New or White Moon.  Everyone cleans their house, they buy many presents, and prepare much food.  It is a time to visit all their relatives, starting with the oldest on the first day and then others for the next two days.  The main food  that they make is "buuz", meat filled dumplings.  Most families make 1000, some in our English class said their families were making 3000! The "Butt of a Sheep" is placed on the table for the guests to eat when they visit.  It is steamed and considered a delicacy.  We have been invited to a home on one of the nights of Tsagaan Sar so it should be interesting to see the celebration.

We visited an older sister whose two children had come from UB to help her get ready for Tsagaan Sar.  Her grandkids were helping too.  They had a sheep thawing out in the kitchen, meat is cheaper in the "country side" so they were getting it ready to take back to UB.

They had a good start - on a lot of "Buuz"!

An Expert tutor -
she made them look like little sea-shells

On Saturday we visited a family who were in the midst of making their buuz.  I tried my hand but definitely did not have quite the right touch to get it sealed just right!

Even the kids help

The mother in the home was a seamstress - she works at home because she has a disabled daughter.

She uses a hand cranked sewing machine (I have seen treadle machines but never one that was turned by hand.)  She turns the crank with her right hand while guiding the fabric with her left hand.  She was making several deels, (the long Mongolian coat).  Her work was beautiful!

Last week we had a pleasant surprise when we were teaching our English Class.  Several times a student came to the door and said something about teachers but we couldn't understand their English!!

A fireworks kind of candle!

The kids made their own shirts!

Finally one came in the class and then one of our students explained that it was teacher appreciation day and there was a get-together happening that they wanted us to attend!!  The kids from the "English Training Club" had made lunch and were having a party for the teachers, complete with a cute program.  

We arrived in time for the cake and a couple of 

Musical numbers - one a song that was done in 

perfect English.

The group of teachers and ETC students

Life goes on and is Good, All is Well!!