200!

Fittingly enough, my 200th blog post from Mongolia is the first post here on Cliterati Redux, which is basically Cliterati 2.0. Newer, better, shinier? Maybe. Certainly newer. 10 months ago, I was living in Ulaanbaatar as a Luce Scholar, working for the Mongolian Writer's Union as their International Relations Advisor. Cliterati in Mongolia (1.0) chronicles that year--and what a year it was! Mutton Dumplings. Adventure. Romance. Intrigue. And the UNHCR.

So as not to bore last year's audience, I'll merely direct new readers (hi new readers!) to Cliterati part 1, and as I go along this time 'round may link back to relevant posts as subjects/themes arise.

Much more to come, dearies, but first, to clear up any confusion, here's what my contract with The Asia Foundation states I am here to do:

"The purpose of this letter of agreement is to engage your services to edit the English translation of short stories by Atangerel that are compiled in a volume entitled “Not Yet Begun.” You will consult with the author and submit an edited final manuscript that will be publication/layout ready. You will work with editors/publishers in the United States or in third countries to place one or more of the short stories in recognized literary and or relevant print media.


While in Mongolia, you will sustain your work as a Luce Scholar by advancing Mongolia's candidacy for membership in International PEN: writing articles about PEN for local newspapers; strengthening ties with literary figures in Mongolia; forming new ones with emerging and young writers; and translating the work of both for possible inclusion in an anthology in an effort to continue showing Mongolian writers the kind of benefits inclusion in PEN would provide with respect to translation and publication abroad."

And now that I have made this public information, I'll *have* to live up to it.

Seriously, though: WOOT WOOT! It's an honor and a privilege to be working with the fine folk at The Asia Foundation's Mongolia branch (The Asia Foundation's Mongolia Representative, the marvelous Bill Infante, is headed over to Serbia to be the U.N. Representative there in less than a week and we'll miss him dearly!), a gigantic wonder and professional inspiration to get the chance to spend time with the writers here once again, and a total treat for me to be back in the place that, as the one spot I have spent the most consecutive months since college, has become a home to me: Mongolia! Pauline Yu, the esteemed President of the American Council of Learned Societies, asked me in my Luce Finalist Interview how I would manage to make any headway in the field of literary translation with only a year in Asia. "The year would be about studying the language as much as I could and creating the foundation and relationships with writers that would sustain over the long haul, since translating from a language is a lifelong endeavor--so hopefully, it would just be the beginning," I said.

And it was, thanks to Bill Infante and my lucky stars. Glad to be here, folks, and let's get this party started.

MH