Making Mission Memories in Mongolia

Words Cannot Describe… Words cannot describe the whirlwind of this week!  But before we talk about that....our tsampts are finished! Now for our week...we kicked things off Monday with a ten-hour trek — five hours to Khentii, then another five to Choibalsan. We measure in hours, not miles (though it’s 414 miles one way) because time tells the story far better than distance. Words cannot describe…the roads. We’ve mentioned Mongolian roads before, but this stretch took the crown. There’s a 50 km section between Khentii and Choibalsan that even locals call “hell.” The potholes are so deep and wide that the only logical solution is to leave the road entirely and bounce across the open steppe, weaving around for the least bone-rattling path.  Still, the beauty made up for the bumps. Miles and miles of beautiful green pastures.  Herds of sheep, cows, and horses, and the occasional sudden brake to avoid a  herd passing across the road kept things lively. JD even closed al...

Another exciting week here in Mongolia! On our preparation day, we attended a cultural performance called Land of the Sky . It was a stunning showcase of Mongolia’s rich heritage, highlighting the diverse tribes, vibrant traditions, and fascinating history of this incredible country. We were captivated by the elaborate costumes, energetic dancing, unique traditional instruments, and the mesmerizing sounds of хөөмий —Mongolian throat singing! P-day also included another haircut. It had been eight weeks—two more than my usual back home—so it was definitely time. Since the last one turned out fairly well, I decided to go back to the same stylist. Of course, we can't really communicate, so I just assumed she’d cut it the same way, figuring that my return visit meant I liked it. Well… she must have assumed I came back because it wasn’t short enough—because shorter is what I got! This is my surprised look when I saw it! 😳 Maybe it’s growing on me  (pun intended)… I can’t decide. Haha...