So given that it is almost May, I figure it is probably about time to write
about New Years. Christmas is not really
celebrated in Mongolia, but the Santa symbol is mixed in with New years a
little bit. There are also Christmas
trees that are put up and decorated all around towns, but they are not called
Christmas trees, they are called new year trees.
School Concert
At my school, the students put on a small concert for parents and teachers, that included lots of dancing, students playing xylophones made out of rocks, and of course old man new year. There was also a clown and a kid clown that walked around heckling people and telling them when to clap. It was pretty fun to watch. The kindergartners were the first to preform, and spent the rest of the concert sitting on the edge of the 'stage.' They would often stand up and start trying t mimic the current performers who were preforming, and the clown had to come over and bop them on the head. It was hilarious.
New Year’s Work Party
Also, around New Year’s most every work organization has a new year’s
party. My school rented out a fancy club, and we all met there in the
fanciest attire. Like real fancy. Prom fancy.
Luckily enough, I packed at least one dress to bring with me. After I had finished getting ready, and was
waiting on a ride to the club, the neighbor girl popped in my ger to say hello,
and told me I was not fancy enough. So,
literally, in 5 minutes, she had run to the store, purchased a ton of glitter,
she re-painted my nails with fancier glitter polish, she attempted to curl my
hair with a straighter, put other sticker things in my hair, tried to convince
me to wear make-up, and then covered me with that ton of glitter she just
bought.
Once seated at a table, I was greeted and covered with yet more
glitter. When new people arrive, they
greet every single person and wish them luck in the upcoming year. All the
tables were covered with food and candy and fruit, and most importantly booze.
Our party was mixed with performances, a karaoke competition, a slideshow of
the past year, and many many vodka toasts.
Awards were also given out to teachers, and father time? Santa? Made a
farewell appearance, and we wished his journey well. Afterwards, a dance party broke out with
formal waltz dances mixed in with some macarana songs. We eventually ate some
cake, and my table only had one fork for all 10 people to share…and share we
did in typical Mongol fashion. I was quite tipsy before the night ended at
roughly 10 30pm.
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| fancy english teachers |
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| prom dress central |
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| all the empties |
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| no utensils needed |
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| at some point someone took my camera, this is one of many similar pictures I found later. |
Actual New Years
For actual New Year’s, I spent the evening with my site mates. Even though my work party was 5 days prior,
and I had not touched glitter since, I was still covered in it. We drank and played games in the early
evening, before visiting a Mongolian home to spend part of the holiday Mongol
style. For New Years, people join with
their family and eat buuz (meat dumplings).
At the particular home we visited, there was plenty of potato salad and
boiled horse meat to also eat. There was
also a plate of fruit, which someone had given to the hosting family, which
included a pineapple. Everyone stared at
the pineapple all night, knowing that it was a fancy fruit, but not quite
knowing how to eat it. After some time,
my sitemate Joe jumped right in and volunteered to cut it, so we could all take
delight in eating a fresh pineapple in Mongolia.
We went back to my sitemates ger for the actual ringing in of the New Year,
taking a nice detour to the town square to see some people gathered together
around the ice rink. When the clock
stuck midnight, we toasted to good fortune, and went outside to hoot and holler. We yelled out in English, and others yelled
back in celebration, as a few fireworks crackled over our heads.
