Leah was so kind to have shown me around some important landmarks in UB on my second day. We left the guesthouse at 10 am and started our mini-city tour at Mobi-Com to buy a local sim. She had been living here in Mongolia for a year so having her accompany me to buy things and negotiate in the local language had been extra helpful. We strolled along the Chinggis Avenue at - 19 degrees Celsius , so imagine how uncomfortable I was during our tour. We headed straight to the State Department Store and visited the Souvenir shop on the 4th floor that was actually hidden beside the audio shop. We also visited the Mercury Food Market and was so relieved to see vegetables and seasonings being sold there. I actually saw Knorr Seasoning, but to my dismay I did not find Magic Sarap anywhere. Talk about expectations.
Around 11 am, Leah dropped me off at the VSO Program Office. I had a quick lunch with Bunny ( Filipino volunteer based in Uvurkhangai as Agriculture Consultant for the ADB Project) in a Mongol restaurant near the headquarters and had my first Suutei Tsai ( Milk Tea). Contrary to our milk tea in the Philippines, Mongol's milk tea is seasoned with salt and I think it would take a sweet tooth like me to adjust to their milk tea.
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| My first Suutei Tsai |
After my quick lunch, I attended the cultural session along with my other co-volunteers and had a field trip to the SOS clinic after our session. I thought I won't be having "jet lag" but as soon as we were home here in the guest house, I slept off my headache and missed the Xanadu performance of my co - volunteer Tom.
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| On the way to the SOS clinic aboard the VSO van. |
