Things I see

Today I went to the market. It was like ole mother Hubbard here, no food. So I set out.

I listened to Mongolian radio, mostly grainy rap, that Mongolians love. I drive out on the dirt road, moving slowly dodging large potholes, and watching carefully for livestock. Livestock are allowed to roam around all day-you know free range! I get to the "black" road, the paved road in our town. I see pigs running in the rain and drinking from the creek. I see an old gentleman riding a bike with a violin in his hands. It it wrapped in a plastic flour sack to protect it from the rain. I slow down and yield for a taxi that is going towards Russia. I turn the opposite direction and head for the school where Peter works. I see a group of workers laying a sidewalk, mixing cement by hand in a trailer and scooping shovelfuls into the wooden forms. I turn the corner and arrive at the school.

I walk into the school and enter, unexpectedly, to a prayer meeting. They are praying for my family, especially for Peter to get well. (Peter has a fever.) They pray for the health of others as well and then they all say, "Amen." I greet them and everyone goes to their work. They have been meeting at a staff Bible study. Two of them, our teachers, have asked to study the Bible. They are interested in Jesus. Ariunna is teaching them. How encouraging!!! I drop off some instructions and money for our work permit. Enkee is going to UB to get it for us. She is four months pregnant and looking good. We talk for a while then she gives me juice for Peter and Sierra. She tells me it is good for them because of all the vitamins. I say goodbye and head for the market.

I decided to shop outside first. There are little stands like a swap meet. I go to the gardener section. There is a fresh bunch of lettuce on the table! That is a rare find so I buy it. She has radishes too. She planted her vegetables in the house in April. She is also selling little seedlings. I buy 8 tomato plants, 10 bell peppers, 2 watermelons and 1 mystery plant.

I carry my veggies and different dry goods that I have picked up back to the car. I pass a train container that is filled with 20 pound bags of flour. I buy one and 10 pounds of rice. The man I bought it from carries it on his head up to my car.

I head into the building at the open market. It looks similar to outside, little booths like a swap meet. There are piles of potatoes, carrots, onions, cabbages and garlic in the vegetable room. I find one woman has new potatoes that are from this season. I buy them right away. New potatoes are so much more creamy and moist than potatoes that have wintered over. I also buy fruit from the women who import it from UB.

It is so interesting that they all (10-15) people all sit next to each other selling the exact same thing. It is a bit nerve wracking because choosing to buy from one is a rejection of another. The idea of capitalism is lost here. There is a different system. The tandec whon (known person) system. You buy from the one you know. This gets tricky when the one you know has the worst quality produce. Today I only bought two apples because my fruit girl's produces was BAD!

I leave the vegetable room with around 7 pounds of produce in my bag. I head to the meat room next. Same thing here, 15 women all selling the same thing. The meat is piled on tables out in the open laying there ALL day! I have no tandec whon here. I don't want one. I want only the best meat. I don't look anyone in the eye, they all begin to yell. They yell at me that there's is the best meat. They say "oye oye nash ir." (hey you come here!) I don't look at them. I don't buy based on who I know. I keep my head down, I look at all the meat. I buy from the person who has the best meat. I buy a big blob (about 5 pounds) with just a few bones and no fat.

I leave this room and go to the milk room. Here the tables are filled with pails of sour cream, milk, and yogurt. There is something like butter that is sold in plastic wrap and dried milk curd.
In this room the yogurt looks lumpy so I don't buy any. I do buy some nice looking sour cream and 30 eggs. I head back to the car and put down my heavy bag. I start the car and head to my favorite store.

It is my favorite store because it is the only store in town that you can take a hand held basket and walk around the 3 isles and choose what you want. The prices are marked and it is kind of an American experience. They don't have diapers today... sad news. Then my language teacher arrives and tells me her mother is coming into town tonight on the train. Now I am careful about how much I spend. It is difficult to spend money in front of my friend. However, I need a few things, so I decide to ask her what she thinks about each brand and go with the brands she suggests. I buy about seven things and decided to check out.

We say goodbye and part ways. I head home to put away my groceries. I was gone two hours and spent $55. I come home with about 4 bags of groceries and bulk flour and rice. I am a bit tired from shopping but glad to have food for tonight!