Walking in UB
by sumpteretc
I have been assured that no bit of trivium is too insignificant to merit mention in this blog, which bolsters one’s confidence but gives one little direction for composition. So…
Let’s talk a little bit about walking around in the city. We have chosen, for the moment at least, not to purchase a vehicle. One doesn’t necessarily need an automobile for urban travel, and we have few plans for rural travel in the near future. Consequently, we take taxis occasionally but often walk to wherever we need to go. I have been fortunate to find friends with a class schedule similar to mine, so I can generally ride in their car to and from school. Occasionally, though, I make the journey on foot. (Tiffany always walks to school; what a trooper!) The trip to school takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on one’s pace.
I want to share a bit about the terrain encountered by the Ulaanbaatar pedestrian. In previous blogs, I have made mention of the often uncovered manholes (excuse me, personnel access, uh, holes), which pose a constant danger. A far more common danger though is the kilometers-long tripping hazard known as the sidewalk. We have had very little snow since our arrival. However, there is ample evidence that snow did fall sometime earlier this winter. The evidence is the sheet of ice that still blankets everything in the city. Most sidewalks bear this evidence; a few have been cleared by hand with some sort of garden tool. The typical city sidewalk looks something like this: You’ll notice the two white areas on the sides of the sidewalk. Those are the safe zones. If you put your feet down hard enough, you’ll only slip once every ten or fifteen steps. That gray stripe in the middle is for the daredevils–generally, the children–although plenty of adults use it too. If you travel the slick stripe, you never have to lift your feet; you can just skate. I rarely am that adventurous, but I have been goaded into it by elementary school girls before.
Didn’t someone get shoe spikes for Christmas? Or was that on Sarah’s side of the family. They’re like snow chains for your shoes. Maybe you should get some of those, but then people might laugh at you.
I’m enjoying all the details. Sounds exciting and very different from MO.
That might have been on Sarah’s side. They do have things like that here, though. I’m not planning on buying any, though.
I’m glad you are adapting. Apparently you have learned to understand the local language enough to know when you are being goaded by schoolgirls. LOL How is Elijah doing with the transition?
He’s doing ok. Being inside all the time is driving him (and therefore us) crazy, though. He goes to a playgroup every Wednesday afternoon, which helps a little.
I’m glad to hear that you, like any red-blooded American male, can’t abide the goading of pre-pubescent children to “man up.” Silly children and their quick-healing bones…
From the camera angle, I’m guessing you’re standing with one foot in the safe zone and one on the Mongolian Ice Chute of Death. Have you considered enslaving any of the elementary kids and have them pull you to school? It would be the “green” thing to do.
Clever, very clever. (The general tone and word choice for your post, in case you are wondering.) I always enjoy reading about your adventures. To suggest some fodder for your posts – how about a word a day column for those of us who are not studying the language? They say the best way to learn is to teach and I am sure your readers, like me, are slow learners so you could get lots of repetition in!
Good idea, Laura. I’m not sure the best way to incorporate that, but I might give it a shot.
Chris,
Thanks for responding to my blog. It is a little staid…but I just turned 60 this past Fall.
Your pictures bring much life to your words. I will put you under my blog favorites.
We still have a Mongolian Restaurant here in Goldsboro. I suppose that makes me a missionary in training! Study hard on those languages. Blessings