July 4 - My 59th birthday

I did not have Internet Sunday evening or Monday morning, so I went to the office early on Monday, hoping to catch up on e-mail and maybe even talk to Nancy by Skype. However, the Internet was not working at the office either, and I did not have Internet until about noon.

I had hoped to do some Westlaw research for the law firm that is planning to do a day on air pollution and also want to do some research on old technology.  No luck.

So I reviewed the material that I did have about air pollution in Ulan Baatar until I eventually got Internet access. 

Everyone in the office knew that it was my birthday: in CHRD office tradition, my computer was decorated with a multicolored snake adorned with colorful stuffed creatures.  I knew the students were planning something: about 2:30 P.M. we went out and took a series of photographs, including photographs of me with all of the students individually and several group photographs. 

When Urna, the director of CHRD, and I realized that we would not see each other again (she is leaving on Tuesday or Wednesday and I will be gone by the time she returns), we sat down and discussed future projects for about an hour. I would really like to help develop environmental litigation in Mongolia, and particularly, to provide assistance to ensure that the wave of multinational corporations that will be invading the country act with some modicum of responsibility. 

After our meeting, I found that Sukchin and Ochiroo were waiting for me to take me to a "surprise” birthday party. They had rented a karaoke room, and we partied for about 3 ½ hours, singing karaoke, drinking vodka and eating birthday cake. I was very glad that the students, en masse, walked me home since, under the social pressure to drink, it probably was not safe for me to walk home alone on city streets.

Clinic students - this is the picture that was given to me framed, which I will put up in the office

The statute of Sukhbataar ("Red hero") in the Square. He led the Mongolian forces that, with Soviet help,  liberated the country from the Chinese and White Russians  in 1921