Well all my Mongolian friends have finally said that winter has started. This morning (Sunday) it is -35 without the windchill. Одоо тэр Монгол өвөлтэй. Now it's Mongolian winter (translated.) Once it drops below -30 Mongolians say it officially starts. The forecast says that this week we are suppose to be in the -35 to -38 each even through to morning.
Talking to one of my brothers in Manitoba & it was nice to hear that it's the same temperature there. Mongolians are amazed when I tell them that places in Canada are the same & as cold as Mongolia in winter. They are shocked, but in a good way. From time to time they poke fun at the гадад хүүн (foreign people) because they are not used to the cold, some even after 5 years living here.
The amazing thing for me is that I don't feel cold because it's so dry. It's totally different compared to the damp cold of living next to an ocean. My face doesn't feel cold. The only way I know that it's cold is when my breath instantly forms ice on my facial hair & the inside of my nose sticks together (know what I mean.)
They think I am crazy (in a good way) because on Wednesday I walked to class without wearing long johns & with my wool socks wore my Croc clogs (don't have the holes in them like many do.) I wasn't cold. Many of you know that I am always hot. Crazy, but it has allowed me to be accepted & many Mongolians no longer call (or think of) me as a foreigner. I "enjoy" eating all Mongolian foods/drinks. They are amazed because foreigners most if not all don't like their food/drink. "I am Mongolian" is what I am told at least once a day here. It is such a blessing here to be called a Mongolian. God is opening doors.
Well we don't have any bread, milk, or eggs & the kids are asking for Christmas chocolate for breakfast. I have to walk to the corner store (City Shop) at the end of our building. Yesterday we couldn't get anything because they were closed to celebrate the Buddhist Holiday from Friday.