Today I found out something that made me even more sure I should be going to Mongolia. Well ok, maybe more like I just found out something really cool and got excited about it. So first off, good news: I finally got my plane ticket! Wooooo! So it is as official as official can be. I'm leaving for Mongolia on Sept. 20th 2011. Holy cow. That's only 3 and a half months away! And yet...it seems so far off in the distance. Definitely hasn't sunk in yet. It probably won't until I get on the plane. When I looked at my plane ticket this is what I saw:
Arrive: Ulaanbaatar Buyant Uhaa Airport
Ulan Bator, MN
Notice anything?
Well, yes the first word of the airport name does indeed have 5 A's in it. Also, yes, the name of the airport "Ulaanbaatar" is spelled differently than the city name "Ulan Bator" though I am almost positive the city's name is actually spelled "Ulaanbaatar".
But what I first noticed is that apparently "Ulan Bator" is in Minnesota. Well not really, but Minnesota and Mongolia do have the same abbreviation in any case: "MN". Which of course made me smile because that's where home is for me. Both places are known for their winters and cold. I think "Minnesota Nice" would fit in well with the legendary Mongolian hospitality. So I thought that was cool. Perhaps by the end of 8 months, Mongolia will feel like home just as much as Minnesota. I hope so. :)
Up next: figuring out the Mongolian visa application...
