Did I really just use that title?
A few weeks ago our training class swore in and then we all got shipped off to our respective sites. If you are truly interested in my life, then you will have read the previous post and looked up Erdenet on Wikipedia, or something. Here’s some more info about our situation for the next two years.
WORK: I’ve been placed with the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I spent the first couple weeks looking through their materials, getting introduced to some of the local NGO and government workers, and teaching English to the Chamber staff. The English lessons will probably be ongoing, and I will be getting involved with the planning and execution of upcoming events like training sessions and next month’s trade fair.
THE APARTMENT: As I alluded to last month, we’re not roughing it. We have hot water, heat, home Internet access, and plenty of space. But before you scoff at our posh setup, consider that we have had some fly and mosquito problems and our bed is falling apart. See, we’re not totally pampered.
THE CITY: Erdenet is big by Mongolian standards, but most of the city is laid out along a single street. You can walk across the main part of the city in 25 minutes. Still, there is access to a lot of food and shopping. There’s even pizza delivery available.
Erdenet was built because of the copper mine here, which still drives the city’s economy. It plays a major part in the national economy too, but that will change in the coming years as even bigger mining projects get underway. The mining company is jointly owned by the Mongolian and Russian governments, and about 500 Russians work there and live in town. As a result, people here often assume Katie and I are Russian.
It’s not the Peace Corps experience that I expected when we first started applying, but I’m not complaining.
