21 Days: The First and the Last

Tood is back on the moon after 3+ weeks peeking under rocks and climbing trees backbackback where it began in the new world. His travels thawed and reheated prior testimonials of Mongolia’s beauty – amazing what more direct rays do for serotonin levels, rivers flow, grasses grow, and leaves blossom…. ah Summer, please don’t leave me again! Summer began on the 18^th of May with an unexpected surprise…NEW BUSES! It’s difficult to explain how much of a difference this upgrade means for travel to and fro Mongolia’s lunar surface. Imagine being cramped and crowded in coach amidst turbulence and snakes on the muthaf*%#ing plane, when, for no apparent reason, a flight attendant appears and says there is a seat available in snakefree first class, if you’re interested. (That’s nice, but still not new bus worthy) You agree to the offer, obviously, and follow this guardian angel up the stairway to heaven. The skies clear and the turbulence abates as you find your seat next to a most pleasing John Doe or Jane Ray whom you greet with an easy smile before turning back to the aisle to discover your angel in flight wings pouring a glass of chilled Ace of Spades champagne. ‘Is this Iowa,’ you ask, as you sip the stars. ‘No,’ the angel replies, ‘it’s first class.’ – Such is the glory of the new buses. For the sake of inspiring jealousy and irEawE amongst other volunteers, I tried to start a rumor that the new buses were the result of my toil…. still waiting to see if it takes flight.

After landing in the city of screams I reunited with long lost friends who reside on other islands, equally remote, yet slightly less wonderful than the moon. A few days later I traveled to Gachuurt to visit my host family. Although my Mongolian is less than superb, I appreciated how much easier it was to communicate. For example, one evening Tood and his eej (Mongolian mom) had a long conversation about marriage, and the need, or lack thereof, for him to perform that dance sooner rather than later. I stayed in the same ger I called home for three months last summer. Reminiscing about all the fun and fabricated stresses of PST brought many a smile to my face – I’ll never forget the episode of pink eye when I worried my host mother might try to squirt breast milk in the infection, a Mongolian remedy tried and true, yet a bit unorthodox to my prude American sensibilities. She didn’t, of course, just an example of the whatif’s that strike in the absence of a common tongue. My host family was as wonderful and hospitable as last summer. It’s nice to have a place that feels like ‘home’ away from the moon, so far removed from first class.

Following my stay in Gachuurt, I returned to UB briefly before leaving again for the site of Chinggis Khan’s ancient capital, Xap Xopen [Har Horen]. Like so much of my life [in Mongolia], my trip to Xap Xopen wasn’t scheduled, but when given the opportunity to pursue beauty, Tood says loiterers should be arrested.

Xap Xopren is beautiful; no surprise that father khan chose it as his headquarters. It remains a major tourist attraction for gadaad’s seeking a genkin mongol excursion.

After Xap Xopen I went back to Gachuurt for a night before returning to UB to pack for a two night stay in Zuunmod, which was our [m20] group’s training site a year ago. This unofficial reunion was officially titled, ‘Mongolian Memorial Day Boar-BQ.’ What’s changed in a year? Roads that once seemed in dire need of repair now seem as smooth as a baby boar’s backside. Meekers that once felt cramped to absurdity now seem empty with only 15 bodies. Tood’s hedonistic summer ways climaxed during the two night stay in Zuunmod. Yet, more important than his self-indulgent behaviors, perhaps, was returning to the site of a covenant gone awry to reclaim that which compels fools to board space bound rocket ships aimed at the moon. Yes, one aught to be on guard while sprawled out under a clear night in June. No matter, what’s done is done and what goes around comes around and what goes up must come down – including misguided rocket ships.

Tood’s double shot of Zuunmod was chased by a few nights in UB mixed with a couple days in Gachuurt. Despite all the highs, when the last call sounded I was happy to be on the bus returning to the moon. The journey to the new world provided many unforgettables – nights I don’t remember with people I’ll never forget. That is to say, I’m looking forward to memories of right now. Sometimes the closer you are to something the harder it is to see. Yes, paradox is the way of the world – embrace it, or don't.