10 Things I’ve learnt

10 Things I’ve learnt

1. English

Control what I’m saying and help the audience understand my story.

2. Pronunciation. I have to practice some words before my presentation. There are many words I have bad pronunciation until now. 

3. Presentation. Most of people like to see pictures than listen what we are saying or read what we write. The key success is create a presentation as conversation, sometimes I’ve ask you: Have you been there or do you know …. I was trying to connect you to my presentation. Most of us sit on the chair and present what we research, exclude Ada. She was standing when she was presenting, which encourage me to watch her presentation. 

4. Research

Choose right information. Choose a reliable source. 

5. Culture from variety of nation. Honestly, I did not concentrate in some of presentation, but I know that your presentations are a huge knowledge which we have to work during a whole semester to gain. 

6. See how design in global culture is. The final project is a perfect way to see how design happens. I like the last two parts: Powers of Influence and Challenges of Place. I have more space to impress my opinion, my conclusion on what I’ve researched.  

7. The way to learn a new thing. It is not what people say, is what I find down. That is RESEARCH.

8. Red Dots: Focus what other people think it is too simple to focus. In my opinion, that is the eyes of designer. This project does not stop here, you will encounter many things are red dots that is judged by you. This project is a brainstorm practice that help designers in the innovation development. 

9. Instructor vs Teacher. Learn from experience, instructor is a person who guide us going the right way, and judge our working’s qualification

10. FOOD. Hot and sour in Thailand food, the curry flavor in India food, the flat taste in Turkey food. 

Red Dot - Week 15

Red Pepper in the homemade dish.

My brother and me were in 1990. My mom sent it to me for remind my childhood and I found down a Red Dot in the picture. :)

Ulaanbaatar - Challenges of Place

In my view, Mongolia culture in UB city will be affected by social changes. UB is the capitol of Mongolia and the centre of Mongolia’s road network, and is connected by rail to both the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia and the Chinese railway system. A numerous visitors come in UB everyday, their culture will gradually entry deeply to UB lifestyle and change the Mongolia culture.

The modern life does easily influent to the young people. 

The way to rescue the Mongolia culture in UB city is opening the culture tour for a numerous visitors. Not only the visitors understand thoroughly, but also a part of young people can keep the Mongolia culture alive.

If I or even somebody did not research deeply about UB, we will make a misunderstanding between China and Mongolia culture (clothing and food aspect). The problem is the way Chinese people present their culture in the world. Example: in OK city, how many of Chinese restaurant and how many of Mongolian restaurant. Another is  entertainment, in your life, how many times you’ve watch Chinese movie and vice versa how many times you’ve known any Mongolian movie. So, although where are the culture from, the way to keep it is adapting, selecting and advertising.

Red Dots - Week 14

Red Dots are everywhere, use for impressing or highlighting.

Ulaanbaatar - Powers of Influence

Summary of Mongolia Independence: 

Mongolia declared their independence in 1911, however, the Republic of China had other plans for the region. Chinese forces occupied part of Mongolia until Russia invaded in 1920. Russia decided to support the creation of an independent, communist government in Mongolia. With the Soviet Union's help, Mongolia once again declared their independence - ten years after the first attempt - on July 11, 1921.

Mongolia’s culture is influenced by China and Russia’s culture.

1. Mongolian Dumplings (Buuz) have a first glance of Chinese Dim Sum.

2. Mongolian clothing and Chinese clothing have the same style.

3. Architecture of China:An example of a temple built in the Chinese tradition is the lamasery Choijing Lamiin Sume (1904), which is a museum today.

The quadratic temple Tsogchin in lamasery Gandan in Ulaanbaatar is a combination of the Mongolian and Chinese tradition. 

4. Russian is the most frequently spoken foreign language in Mongolia, followed by English, although English has been gradually replacing Russian as the second language. Korean has gained popularity as tens of thousands of Mongolians work in South Korea. 

5. A popular dish is "lapsha", a simple noodle dish. The word is actually Russian for noodles.

6. Holy Ttinity Church in UB

Ulaanbaatar - Clothing and Adornment

- Historical Clothing:
Hats: One of the most colorful and original items of Mongolian national dress is the traditional head wear. The Mongolian head dresses differed in shape and purpose; there were hats for the young and old, summer and winter & men & women, holidays and ceremonies & fashionable and everyday hats. There are 400 different styles. 

De’el (Del): The Del is loose calf-length tunic made of one piece of material. It has long sleeves, a high collar and buttons on the right shoulder. Each ethnic group living in Mongolia has its own individual Del , distinguished by its cut, color and trimming.

The Del for everyday wear is gray, brown or some other dark color, white the holiday Del is a bright blue, green or claret silk with a silk sash of contrasting color several meters long.

There are basically three types of dels. The "Dan Del" is made of light, bright materials and is worn by women during the late spring and summer. The "terleg" is a slightly more padded version and both men and women. The winter Del is serious, padded tunic lined with sheep skin, or layers of row cotton. Dels have the same cut whether worn by men or women. Male Dels are just wider and in more somber colors. 

A Del is generally made of silk in a variety of traditional patterns but many nomads will also have one or more made of animal fur – usually sheep or goat skin but occasionally wolf or bear – that they keep for winter.

Boots: Mongolian boots are made of hand-stitched leather and typically stop short just below the knee. The boots are generally wide soled with a pointed and slightly raised toe to allow for greater ease when walking through mud, snow or sand. And they can be worn in all sessions with thick felt socks added in winter and removed in summer.

- Contemporary Clothing:
Nowadays, UB young people adapted to the modern life. They wear jean, shirt, dress, modern footwear. Fur hats, long coats and boots are still their favorite items in order to against the cold weather in UB. 

Red Dots - Week 13

Watermelon - In Vietnam, the 'red' watermelon will bring the prosperous and the luckiness for the master. 

Vietnam Souvenir - the four famous landscapes are carved on the remover.  

Cuisine in Ullanbaatar

The extreme continental climate has affected the traditional diet, so the Mongolian cuisine primarily consists of dairy products, meat and animal fats. Use of vegetable and spices are limited. Due to geographic proximity and deep historic ties with China and Russia Mongolian cuisine is also influenced by Chinese and Russian Cuisine.

First is Five Snouts: The Jewels of Mongolian Cooking

1.    Horse: The veneration of horses is also combined with reverence for Gen­ghis Khan, whose Mongol Empire was fuelled by the skill of Mongolian horsemanship.

However, horse meat is available in most restaurants.

2.    Sheep

3.    Goats (these form the basis for much Mongolian cuisine.

4.    Camels

5.    Yaks (Yak’s milk and Yak cheese)

Using the hot stone to cook:

Second is Khorkhog (Xopxor): A real Mongolian Barbecue

It is usually made with mutton, which is cooked inside a pot containing burning rocks heated in an open fire. Vegetables are added to make a stew and the flavors are left to blend for several hours.

Third is Boodog: Marmot Barbecue. (Can use a young goat to replace).

This dish is usually made by removing the bowels and bones of large carcasses and then cooking it from the inside by putting in hot stones through the neck cavity, which is then sealed. The meat prepared in this fashion is tasty, tender and fragrant. You can even add pepper, salt and vegetables to this preparation as well.

Fourth is Mongolian Dumplings (Buuz, Bansh and Khuushuur)

It can be made from mutton or beef. The different thing compared with Chinese Dim Sum is the dough (Mongolian Dumpling uses a typically hardy dough and are often fried.

Aaruul (milk curd) It is believed by experts that this food item is the reason behind the strong teeth of Mongolian people. It is curdled milk that is dehydrated and dried. The great thing about this food item is that it never goes bad.

Airag (Fermented Mare’s Milk) The national drink of Mongolia, this is from the female horse’s milk or mare’s milk. This is primarily made during summers in Mongolia, especially in the rural regions.

The milk is filtered through a cloth, and poured into a large open leather sack (Khukhuur), which is usually suspended next to the entrance of the yurt. Within this container, the milk gets stirred with a wooden masher (buluur). The stirring needs to be repeated regularly over one or two days.

The drink is also popularly served during weddings, festivals and other special events.

 Fermentation destroys the lactose in milk, converting it into lactic acid, ethanol, and carbon dioxide. This makes Airag acceptable for lactose intolerant people, which includes many Mongolians. Without fermentation, mare's milk contains significantly more lactose than milk from cows or yaks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO0RwBu6ou8

Red Dot - Week 12

Brake lights of a car.

Carrot slices are decorated on the soup bowl. 

Red Dot - Week 11

A July 4th cupcake.

Firework

Life and Death in Ulaanbatar

Genghis Khan Statue

The Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue,is a 40 meter tall statue of Genghis Khan on horseback, The statue is symbolically pointed east towards his birthplace.

Came across this statue and it is an impressive piece of stainless steel metal work. You can walk up inside the statue and take in the view from the horses head. There is also a museum under the statue which had an impressive private collection of pieces dating back to the bronze age.

The Zaisan Memorial 

It is a memorial that honors Soviet soldiers killed in WWII. Located on a hill south of the city, the memorial features a circular memorial painting that depicts scenes of friendship between the peoples of the USSR and Mongolia. 

For a child, the first big celebration is the first haircut, usually at an age between three and five. The birthday congratulation banquet is one of the traditional festivity banquets for the Mongolian ethnic group. There is a banquet held right on a baby's one-year-old birthday congratulation. After that, however, all banquets and other celebration activities, concerning one's birthday congratulation as well as one's year of fate, are held on the first day of the first lunar month, along with the Spring Festival. According to Mongolian conventions, there are no banquets celebrating one's 13th, 25th, 37th and 49th years of fate. Though they are considered a little more important than usual birthday congratulations, there will be no more celebration than receiving presents from relatives. On the contrary, when it comes to the 61st, 73rd and 85th animal years of the aged, their offspring have to select an auspicious day, and send invitations beforehand to relatives, friends as well as neighbors before finally holding the birthday congratulation ceremony. However, it should be noted that in several places, there are celebrations on one's 60th, 70th, 80th and 90th birthday congratulations, which are almost identical with ceremonies of one's animal year in terms of both the content and form.

They kowtow and present a blessing had a as well as other gifts. Presents from relatives, friends or townsmen should all be in propitious numbers such as three, nine or eighty-one. The blessing had a ranks first in a presents. For Mongolian people, it is considered to be the most sacred and noble gift given to seniors and distinguished guests.

Besides the blessing hada, there is a variety of birthday congratulation gifts, such as porcelain bowls engraved with dragons coiling in clouds, silver and metal bowls, matches, tobacco, alcohol, silk and satins. Hats should be avoided, though. It is unpropitious to send hats because traditionally, "cover one's head with a hat" is connected with bad luck. Furthermore, it has been an ancient tradition for Mongolians to send a tobacco purse, the mouth of which is always upward and thus symbolizes prosperity.

Deceased relatives were usually put to rest in the open, Sky buried is a funeral practice in which a human corpse is placed on a mountaintop to decompose while exposing to the elements or to be eaten by scavenging animals, especially birds of grey.  

For Tibetan Buddhists, sky burial and cremation are templates of instructional teaching of the impermanence of life. It is considered an act of generosity on the part of the deceased, since the deceased and his/her surviving relatives are providing food to sustain living beings.

Nowadays, corpses are usually buried. Prior to the procedure, monks may chant mantra around the body and burn juniper incense.