The Nine Nines

The Nine Nines (the nine periods of nine days that are how Mongolians record the passing of Winter) are here delineated. The first Nine begins on December 22nd. We're on the eighth one now!

“Есөн ес”
“The Nine Nines”

Нэг “ес”- д яах вэ? — What will happen during the first nine?
Нэрмэл архи хөлдөнө. — Homemade vodka will freeze.
Хоёр “ес”- д яах вэ? — What will happen during the second nine?
Хорз архи хөлдөнө. — High content vodka will freeze.
Гурав “ес”- д яах вэ? — What will happen during the third nine?
Гунан үхрийн эвэр хөлдөнө. — A three year old cow’s horn will freeze.
Дөрөв “ес”- д яах вэ? — What will happen during the fourth nine?
Дөнөн үхрийн эвэр хуга хөлдөнө. — A four year old cow’s horn will freeze and snap.
Таван “ес”- д яах вэ? — What will happen during the fifth nine?
Тавьсан будаа хөлдөхгүй. — Rice left to set will not freeze.
Зургаан “ес”- д яах вэ? — What will happen during the sixth nine?
Зурайсан зам гарна. — The surface of the road will come out.
Долоон “ес”- д яах вэ? — What will happen during the seventh nine?
Довын толгой борлоно. — The small hills top will become brown.
Найман “ес”- д яах вэ? — What will happen during the eight nine?
Нал шал болно. — The ground will become moist and damp.
Есөн “ес”- д яах вэ? — What will happend during the ninth nine?
Ерийн дулаан болно. — The days will become warm again.




Broomball

Our most recent trip into UB for Swine Flu vaccinations had the good fortune of coinciding with an American Embassy Broomball tournament. Broomball, for the uninitiated, consists of trying to play hockey with brooms in place of sticks, a soccer ball in lieu of a puck, and crucially, plain shoes instead of skates. Hilarity habitually ensues. This embassy newsletter gives the play-by-play as well as I could. My sitemate Trinh was the Peace Corps Volunteer who exclaimed “This is for the housewives!”




Thanksgiving and IST

Thanksgiving:
Gorge on foreign food,
drink a tasty beer,
and socialize with volunteers
you see about twice a year.

IST:
Repeat the above with Mongolian counterparts.
The teaching and project planning sessions were also excellent.