Distinguished Guests

(Mongolian I can’t understand)


“We would like to recognize our distinguished guests.”

clapping

(Mongolian I can’t understand)

“America group-Caitlin.”

clapping

I give a little wave.

“They will be angry if you do not go up on stage.”-Girlee, the Tuya cabin group leader, whom I am fairly certain was brought up in a military family.

I walk onto stage at Nairamdal children’s camp in front of 500 plus people basically in my pajamas because I packed to be at summer camp with high school students for the week. I shake hands with the Korean, Chinese, and Russian distinguished guests-everyone is a teacher or leader of a school group.

(Mongolian I can’t understand. Mongolian I can’t understand. Mongolian I can’t understand. Mongolian I can’t understand. Mongolian I can’t understand. Mongolian I can’t understand. Mongolian I can’t understand. Mongolian I can’t understand.)
“Have a great weekend.”

The translator whispers to me in a British accent “that was a horrible translation, I am forgetting my Mongolian at boarding school.”

I smile and clap at appropriate times, and somehow the Chinese teacher is taking pictures and gets off stage and the Korean teacher creeps to the side. As I’m sort of alone, I whisper to the translator if I need to stay up here. He tells me yes, he thinks so, it’s symbolic, and kind of a big deal that an American is here.

I am humbled and feel so fortunate with the realization that in camp clothes, flip flops, and a pony tail I am thought of as an honored guest because I am representative of America.