The Mongolian winter lasts for 81 days. It is divided into nine periods of nine days, and each period has a meaning attached of the various things that will freeze during that period. Winter starts on the Winter Solstice, which was December 21st this year, and so it ends on March 10th (a day I am awaiting with great anticipation).
1st: Mongolian vodka made from mare's milk will freeze
2nd: A different type of Mongolian vodka made from mare's milk will freeze (or Russian vodka, depending on who you talk to)
3rd: The horns of 3 year old bulls will freeze
4th: The horns of 4 year old bulls will freeze
5th: Rice will not freeze
6th: Some snow will melt and you will be able to see the lines on the road (that is, if there is a road and it has lines....)
7th: The snow will melt from the top of little mountains
8th: The road will be slushy
9th: It will be warm (I'm assuming that's relative)
Today we started the 4th nine, which is supposed to be the coldest. I'm hoping that will not be the case this year, as the past week has been "colder than it's been in the past 6 years" according to my Mongolian friends and the Peace Corps. We even got a text message from the Peace Corps telling us it would be really cold, and basically "make sure you don't die." I knew before I came to Mongolia that it would be cold in the winter, but I have never experienced such extreme cold. And I live in one of the warmest places in the country. Everyone says that in Mongolia it's dry cold, so it's not that bad. I have to disagree, dry cold is worse. You can't breathe when you walk outside, and even the 6 minute walk to my office freezes my ears and nose unless I am completely encased in a scarf and hat with only my eyes showing. And even then, my eyes water and my eyelashes start to freeze together.
Nearly every morning my coworkers ask me if I'm cold, and if my apartment is warm or cold. Before this week the answer was always "maybe a little cold" or "my apartment is warm." But now my apartment gets really cold as soon as it is dark outside, and I am kicking myself for not taking the space heater that the Peace Corps provides us (I plan to rectify that when I go to UB in two weeks).
But at least we are now in the coldest part of winter, and it can only get better from here! I'm looking forward to the day I can go outside again.
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3 comments:
I wonder what happens when a bull's horns freeze?
Emily, thanks so much for your blog entries. I check every day to see if there is anything new.
I have applied for a volunteer job teaching English in UB so I have been keeping up with several blogs, mostly of PCVs, so I am better prepared if I come.
Stay warm, healthy, and smiling.
sangambayard-c-m.com
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