It was warm and sunny today, just like back home. Except it was 20 degrees instead of 80; but the people here are very hardy – this is t-shirt weather for the young. Kids are the same no matter where you are.

I am beginning to understand things now. Like their money, called tugrigs. I bought 2 small pastries today (don’t worry, they were the 4leaf kind) and it cost 2200 tugrigs. Now I don’t consider myself cheap, but I don’t like paying 2200 for anything, except maybe a used car or a yak or something big like that. So I gave the cashier the right color money, but it still seemed like a lot for 2 little healthy pastries. But I felt better after Eunice, a very nice 4th year vet student from Michigan who is doing an internship at the hospital, told me it was really only about $2. Maybe I will bring some back and give 2200 tugrigs to the dunkin donuts cashier and he will think I am giving him a huge tip and be very thankful and give me an extra donut hole.

I also do like Mongolian food. For lunch we had boonz, which is a dumpling with meat inside, sort of like a poutin. For dinner, we went to a cafeteria and I had something called Tsogo, which is sort of like shepherds pie, with ground lamb covered in mashed potato. It is very good. Actually Tsogo was our host, but since you don’t know Mongolian and I don’t remember the name of the dish, I just made it up. But whatever it is called it is good. And they really like chocolate, especially Hershey’s chocolate. I had a bag and opened it in the van. Their eyes opened wide and they ate it all, every last kiss. No matter what culture or language you have, it is universal that you like Hershey’s.

It was a slow day in the clinic today, but that is normal for here. Somedays are busy, some are slow. I give a talk to 4th year vet students every day, and they are very attentive and eager to learn. Many of them will work in countryside, which is anywhere in the country outside of the big city, Ulanbaataar, or UB. They live in a gere, or round hut, with the native people, who are nomadic. They love horses here, and also have cows, sheep, goats, yaks, and camels. It is all very interesting. And we get the chance to talk about our faith sometimes, and they are very interested in that. I enjoy the daily devotions at the vet net office, and the people are very sincere in their faith. It is encouraging to be with them. And even though I stick out like a Boston bruin fan at the Montreal forum, they are still very nice to me. Maybe it is the chocolate.

Until tomorrow. God Bless
Dr Mike