Volunteer Conference 2008

The last few weeks I’ve been busily working to prepare for the annual VSO Mongolia Volunteers’ Conference. One of my responsibilities as Ulaanbaatar Volunteer Representative (yes, very grand title I know!) was to help with the preparations and running of this conference. Thus, I’ve been working with fellow volunteer Ruth and VSO Mongolia director Alison, to ensure that everything was ready. We made great efforts so that the volunteers were properly consulted about and could feed into all aspects of the conference (the agenda, the menu, transport arrangements, etc).

On Wednesday the 18th the day finally came, and volunteers from all over the country descended upon the Equal Step Camp, our home for the next three days. Whilst I had little to do with the decision, it was a magnificent choice of venue – right in the middle of nowhere, very isolated and peaceful (by the train station intriguingly just called “#290”). The camp is usually used to give street children a place to have fun during the summer months. Our quick use of the centre gave the camp a much needed cash boost, which the owners will use to make the camp more accessible for disabled people. It was great that the money we spent went towards such a project, rather than into the hands of an already wealthy owner of a tourist camp/hotel.

Generally speaking the conference went well. We had a few issues along the way (most notably time keeping, as we had so little time and so much to get through), but most people were very happy with the experience. It was great to see everyone again, and have a good catch up – I rarely get to see the countryside-based volunteers, so it was particularly good to see them. The conference also gave me the chance to plan some fun trips with other volunteers for the coming month and a half…

Rain, rain and more rain! - Yes, we’re entering the rainy season, so the streets are flooded and everything (including myself) is wet. The rainy season is so short that there seems to be no need to have a city drainage system. This is probably common sense, as it only rains for about 20 days a year, but whilst you’re in heavy downpour season the city’s streets start to resemble rivers! I travelled by bus yesterday, and looking out of my window it seemed like we were going on an adventure tour – it seemed like we were floating along a river rather than driving down Ulaanbaatar’s main street. I don’t mind the rain so much as it’s quite a fun change, and I know it will really help make the whole place look a lot greener. Such downpour is also essential to the success of many Mongolians – if it doesn’t rain much, then the grass won’t grow and so cattle will starve.

Elections: only 6 days to go – next weekend we will have a new government in Mongolia! Campaigners are frantically trying to grab those crucial votes, going from house-to-house distributing pamphlets. The political parties are spending so much money on advertising, so everywhere you go you are greeted by giant posters of the main candidates (it seems like the elections are keeping the advertising industry afloat, as most of the other posters in the city are out of date, or seem to have been there for months on end). From what I gather personality is quite important in Mongolia, as adverts and party brochures dedicate a lot of space to describing the individual politicians.

Thanks for the emails and letters that some of you have been sending me, it’s always great to receive them. I promise I’ll reply soon! Fingers crossed that everything is going well for you, and that you are having a good time. Lots of love to you all, take care and have fun,

Robert

A video you might find interesting...

Robert Slinn - Movie Star

Yes, I am shortly to appear at a cinema near you (or at least university)! A film crew from VSO headquarters are working on a short promotional film about youth volunteering, a decided to come to Mongolia to cover the work that I and two of my fellow young volunteers are doing. How exciting! The film crew followed me round for a day, and did interviews with some of my colleagues. We went to visit Amnesty International Mongolia, and also did a quick shoot of the volunteers' forum that I've recently helped set up. It was a real pleasure to do the filming, not least because the film crew were so nice (and bought me lunch!). The next day was a bit strange though - no longer was I the centre of attention! I'm really looking forward to seeing the film when it's completed, it will be a great souvenir of my time in Mongolia.

Disability Day - on the 11th of June the disabled community hosted a day full of events, designed to celebrate the achievements and abilities of the disabled. The focal point of the day was held in the square by the main cinema/museum to Lenin. Many disabled people ran stalls showcasing their handicrafts. There was also a large stage upon which disabled people sang songs and played music. In addition, local politicians/VIPs used the stage to hand out certificates to those lucky enough to warrant them. My own personal highlight was going to the "wheelchair marathon", an event which was held on the outskirts of the city. I'm currently doing a three-week stint at the Wheelchair Users' Association, and director Chuka asked me to be photographer for the day. Participants undertook the 5km course in extremely hot weather, so I take my hat of to them! Disability is an interesting issue in Mongolia - most people respect the disabled (for instance, drivers will incredibly not honk their horns when wheelchair users are blocking the traffic when getting in and out of taxis). However, little is being done to insure that disabled people can access facilities. Hopefully things will improve in the future, VSO is certainly making this area one of their priorities...

The Election -Mongolia is gearing up for its parliamentary election, which take place on the 29th of June. The streets are fully of adverts and party flags, and microbuses displaying party posters dash around the city. The two main contenders are the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (the ex-communists) and the Democratic Union Party. These two parties will probably take over 90% of the seats available. However, Mongolia has 8 parties competiting - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Mongolia for more details. It seems that you can divide people into two categories - those that passionately support one party (the young generally support the Democratic Party and are against the Revolutionary Party, whilst the poor and the old support the old order) and those that simply don't care about the election ("all politicians are corrupt, the elections won't change anything"). I'll keep you all updated over the coming blog posts...

End of language lessons -yes, the time has come for me to wind down some of my activities. As I'm leaving in 2 months I've decided to stop taking my Mongolian lessons (also my teacher is now on her holidays, and so I think she's keen to wind down all her activities for a month or two). The lessons were great, although perhaps too focused on grammar (a common feature in Mongolian education - many people know all the complex English grammar, but have trouble actually speaking). My teacher Alta was a really nice person, someone who always smiled. She was a pleasure to talk to, and was very patient with me!

Finishing the lessons is a bit like the first nail in the coffin of my Mongolian adventure. It's a bit sad to think about leaving Mongolia, as I've started to settle and have made some good friends. Also my job usually keeps me entertained and throws up surprises, something which may be hard to recreate in a job in the UK. However, I'm really looking forward to seeing my family and friends again, so that's a big positive! Bythway, the flight is booked - I'm back on August the 12th. I hope you all have a bit of free time in August/September, it would be great to catch up with anyone who is available! Lots of love to you all,

Robert

P.S. I'm currently writing lots of job applications for my return to the UK. Wish me luck!

Comings and Goings...

Hello Dad! – Yes, last week I was treated to a quick visit from my Dad. It was really great to see him, and even better to be able to show him around some of the places in Ulaanbaatar and the surrounding area. We spent the first day doing some of the touristy spots, visiting the parliament square, Gandan Monestry and the Zaisan Monument. I also showed Dad around my flat and VSO, so he had a little taste of what my daily life in Mongolia is like. The next day we went to the countryside and climped a mountain. This was great, as it gave us the chance to have a proper catch up. However, by far the highlight of his trip was a visit to colleague’s house. My father and I had been invited to visit one of my colleagues, but little did I know that a local shaman would also be in attendance! We both had a real shock, as the shaman proceeded to bless us with various implements (including the paw of a tiger, the foot of a bear and a hot clothes iron!). It was fascinating to experience all of this first-hand – we received so many blessings that we must be set for the rest of the year! Dad returned home safely after two and a half days in Ulaanbaatar, I think both of us will have good memories of his trip.

Goodbye Jon! – Yes, on Monday the time had come to say goodbye to my flatmate Jon. He arrived at the same time as me, but his contract was set for a shorter time. It was sad to see him go, as he’d always been a friendly face in the flat and was a good person to chat to during the long winter evenings. However, I’m sure that he’ll slot right back into his life in Canada. He’s got a career to return to, and is a very level-headed person. I wish him all the very best of luck! Now that Jon goes the flat will be a little bit quieter, although a new volunteer should be coming to temporarily use his room shortly. Jon’s departure is a reminder that I’ve only got 2 and a bit months left – I’ve got to use them wisely!

Recent news – Food price rises are currently hitting the population hard, with the price of rice and flour doubling in recent months. This is seen as a real problem for people. At least it is not happening in the winter, when money is stretched further by having to pay for fuel costs. I hope that the prices will drop down again soon, but I don’t think that’s likely…

Cultural observances - There is what some people call a “social crisis” in Mongolia, as the traditional role played by men and women has changed dramatically in recent years. After the fall of communism times were very tough for families, so parents often had to take their sons out of school and put them to work with their livestock. However, it was thought that girls needed an education to survive in the future, so they were pushed into university. The result – women are generally well educated and have good jobs, whilst many men are struggling and are unemployed. Most sectors of employment have high female representation, with the notable exception of politics (only 3 of Mongolia’s 67 MPs are female).

Mongolians tend to get married early, with the average age (from what I can tell) being about 20 for women and 23 for men. When people ask me my age and I say “I’m 25”, they immediately follow this question up by asking whether I am married and have any children. I find this a bit strange, as no one asks me that in the UK! Unfortunately early divorce is common, and there are many single mothers. Some people link this to the divide between men and women (women are increasingly the bread winners, and are often the more educated of the two). Others say that domestic violence and alcoholism are big factors. Seeing a drunken person sleeping/unconscious on the street is a daily occurrence.

On a more light-hearted note, a friend of mine recently mentioned that it is quite common for young children to drink their mother’s urine when they are sick. Not sure about that one myself, but Mongolian children seem healthy enough!