First day at school

What for a trip !

After we (the 4 volunteers) met at the café, we bought some groceries and took the bus. 20 hours. Here we are. The landscapes were magnificients and so differents from each other ! I saw many sheeps, CAMELS and couldnt wait to arrive in Altaï !.. But I had to. So after we stopped … 3 times, all peed in the countryside and so on, we finally arrived. Our hosts picked us up, we went to our places and to the restaurant and then to a festival, in which men have to compete each other in riding horse, archering and.. and .. and each of us finally hit her place.

My host family, like many here, is living in a one-room-house. It does include the kitchen, a table for eating and a living room with a tv. Uuree and Hishee and their two daughters are really, really lovely and nice; they make sure I have everything I need and even if Hishee can not speak english, he is pretty fun ! So now. Where are toilets and shower right ? SURPRISE

Toilet is outside. A little wooden hut, if the name sounds sweet, the reality is not. Basically there is no paper, so I always have to take it with and is it a hole on the floor. For the shower I have to walk.. 17 minutes from home and to pay 2’000 turgrik (so less than 1 swiss franc) in the public showers. There, I will be in a cabin by my own and a clean person (usually a woman) will lock the door behind me. As soon as I am done, I have to knock on the door and she will come to open it up. Such fun.

Seriously, without sarcasm, it is ok. I realize how much I like my west-european comfort and how I.. somehow.. always did visit cities, even though I am from a little village. I would not describe me as scornful tho’. I do like nature, I do like camping and I would not die if I do not take a shower for 4 days (the all way from Moscow-Ulan-Ude, remember?) and I do not need to wash my hands everytime I touched something. However, I can see how I consider my hygiene and how I am used to cleaness around me. I do pretend I want to discover the whole world and make something good here around even in remote area; it is true ? Could I really do that ? Are we open-minded enough for trying to understand others cultures, others needs ? My host is taking a shower once a week and when I see the hair or just the hands of her little baby, when I can not wash my teeth because there is not really a sink, do I judge the hygiene and lifestyle of a mongolian person ? Or do I try to think they got other priorities than mine ?

I wanted to explain you my first day of school as well but I guess there is enough to think for the moment and so, tomorrow I will write you down how I chose to be a clown for teaching to my little kids !