EN061203 1990s and family Interview on 1990 and impact on family Badarch Byambajav The Oral History of Twentieth Century Mongolia 2006-12-18 mn XML Female 1950 None 061203 Byambajav Well thank you very much for accepting my invitation and giving this interview. Before beginning the interview there are several issues to ask and clarify from you. First, if you wish in the interview you may keep your name anonymous. Or else you may proceed saying your name. What do you think? Badarch Well, it is okay I’ll proceed saying it openly. Byambajav Okay. Аh secondly, in future we may publish all the information and facts contained in your interview as reference material in newspapers and journals or broadcast by radio and television as reference and use them in such a way would you give us the right to do so? Badarch You may. Byambajav Well thank you. Let’s now start the interview. Will you start the interview with your childhood. Badarch Okay. Аh I was born on July 12, 1950 in what was called then as the district of cooperatives. Ah then when I was only 4 months old my natural mother and father gave me for adoption. The reason for that was my mother gave birth to two children before me and after that three or four children died after their birth. Therefore they had no other option but to give me for adoption. It is weird that they even almost thought of leaving me at the prayer wheel. When they was thinking about that option it happened that some folks who were classmates of religious school (of my father)gathered to dine together at our home. And a man by the name of Oidov, my adoptive father told my mother and father that he would like to adopt me. That was how I was adopted. They say that after the adoption they fed me with goat milk and raised. So until I was 6, 7 years old our family had goats. My adoptive parents, mother and father saw to that I studied my lessons and never let me out of the home. When I now remember they brought me up as much as they reasonably could. So I was enrolled in school at the age of 8, I was a child good in her studies. I received excellent marks, such was a child. My adoptive mother always accompanied me wherever went. Her name was Gavaa. She would lead me by hands to the school and brought back the same way. She was a person who followed me like that almost until I finished the ten year school and graduated from medical institute. (0-02-50) I grew up under such a circumstances. Since I was the only child I had every possibility to study and got excellent marks. In those days in ten year schools whose who excelled in studies were awarded by a badge “Master of Five Excellences”. As the Master of five excellences their photos were put on the board of honour. Then when I was in the 6th grade as an excellent student I spent my summer vacation in international pioneer’s camp in Hungary. So I saw Moscow and Hungary and crossed the boarder (for the first time). Well then in 6, 7 and 8th grade I was an outstanding student of the school No.11. I was the chairman of the council of students group and an active participants in everything. I was such a child. After I finished the 8th grade we were transferred to the ten year school No. 28.There we had become the first graduates of the 10th class of the 28th school. Upon successful graduation of the 10th grade I got the assignment to study abroad however since I had old parents I could not go abroad and entered the medical school. So during this period I grew up in normal condition not worse than ordinary people nor better than others enjoying a life of sufficiency. My adoptive parents under the pretext that I was the only child of the family did not allow me to meet many people. They did not let people to come to our home. Ah they did not allow me eat something outside in other people’s home. They raised me not allowing to eat anything given by an outsider. Since I was good in studies my friends wanted to come to my home and study the lessons together with me my parents would not allow them to come. Yeah, I would not go outside with other children. In a sense until I graduated from the Medical institute I lived a rather lonely, yeah so I was only immersed in my studies alone, come back home and went to the school. This was the environment I which I grew up. Ah anyway my entering the Medical institute was to certain extent not bad at all. I had to repay the kindness of my old mother and father who brought me up and I was afraid if I leave them and go abroad they might die and entered the domestic institute. When I was studying in ten year school funny things happened, for example if I had received a good(B) mark, I came back crying. And I was a strange child if the boys played a bit roughly I began to cry and went home. (0-05-24) Whenever it happened mother would come running asking what happened. So I grew up being too much in the centre of attention. Then my adoptive parents(mother and father) never allowed me to be near to my natural parents or brothers and sisters, did not allow to see them. Now I think it was a mistake. Since I was a small child I did not know about it. When I was in the 4th grade my natural mother was ill and bedridden. When I was in the 4th grade they informed that her health had deteriorated gravely and asked to let me see her with that request the elder sister of my natural mother came but my adoptive parents did not let me go saying the child would be defiled, we would not allow the child to visit a sick person. Ah when she died after a month they said that she died longing for her child and sad let this child see her once. But when they were told that she died(lit. she took her last breath) they said oh then we would not let her to visit a dead person and did not let me go so they were evidently very stern persons. Ah then since my childhood they instilled the understanding that my mother and father were going to leave me on a praying wheel but they adopted me, and that my natural parents treated me ill. Therefore I was brought up very alienated from my natural parents and relatives, grew up very lonely. I could not even see my two sisters. My elder sister is Dashdejid, I found out that she was working in Arkhangai after finishing Teacher training institute. We were so alienated. My eldest sister is Tserendejid. She had also graduated from Teacher training institute and after she met her spouse almost 10 years lived in former People’s Democratic Republic of Korea. And since we were on these three sides we had no opportunity to see each others. I found out that even my two sisters wanted to see me my adoptive mother and father did not allow them to come to our home. So I graduated from Medical institute. I studied good in Medical institute, received stipend of honour. (a stipend awarded to best students named after some well known figure) Such was a student. Then… since April when I was in the last course of medical institute my adoptive mother suddenly fell ill. (0-07-42) The analysis confirmed that she had lung cancer. Upon the graduation my adoptive mother’s condition gravely deteriorated. On graduation for the institute I was assigned to the institute of medical sciences. I was very interested in surgery and was to work in the field of children’s surgery. The condition of my adoptive mother worsened further. Though I had graduated from the institute it was hard for me to work, I was suffering emotionally. Though I suffered emotionally what could I do, in those days we were sent by distribution. The chief of the personnel of the Ministry was an old man called Amgaabazar. He said you finished the institute with good marks and were an excellent student we want you to send to a nice place why don’t you wait for a month or two. So I told him that my mother was ill and I had these difficulties. Then he told me that there was an opening in the psychiatric hospital would you fill that vacancy so I took that job. That time I had no knowledge about psychiatry but anyway I decided to take the job. For me the most important thing was to work and receive the salary and show my mother that I was receiving my salary. So I had to take that job. We worked for 6 hours. The psychiatric clinic sent me to the section of acute mental patients. That time Ayushjav was the deputy in charge of medical treatment, he was the one who received me. A month after I took the job my mother died. That Auyshjav darga was a very humane person, he said you were the only child of a family and your mother died, your job is very hard. There was the section of neurosis after the burial and the leave when I came to my job he moved me to the section of neurosis and I worked there. Yes. My work at the psychiatric clinic was useful to me. At the beginning I was not familiar with that profession. On the work I understood that I had to work with psychology of patients. And that was a wonderful profession. (0-10-13) By working there I had been able to improve myself as well as the life my children. Well when I worked in clinic I was young and energetic no matter in which section I had worked, I had been the chief of fourth and fifth sections and made my section always the best section of the clinic. Yes. We had to work closely with people(patients). Basically I had worked on my own to a certain degree independently. In those days there was the system according to which those who performed their duties good were admitted to the party membership. So I was admitted as a member of the People’s revolutionary party in 78. In those days in order to be admitted to the party membership you had to meet many criterion. You had to be endorsed by your organization, the bureau of the district party committee. I had to work hard as a student preparing for entrance exams. Now I remember that you had to pass tests and the (standard) requirements. They were there, yes. And you carry on your duties as member of the party. However, there were various pressures from the chairman of the party committee of given period, on the part of your superiors and administrators, they often used administrative methods of management. For example when I displayed industriousness and organised the best sections, the section was praised as the best section. For me as an individual who headed the section Badarch they did not give any incentives and remuneration for being so. Many tried to belittle the achievements. Yes. Ah during that period my husband was in the north(meaning the Soviet union). I was raising my children alone. Yes. When I was raising my children, may be because my husband was far a away. May be because I was young some thought that I was unmarried. And since I was a party member for the slightest slanderous information they would blame me for not having a stable family (unmarried). Musing over these now I think that I had been working to a certain degree under administrative dictatorship. Yes. The deputy chief of the clinic in charge of medical treatment Ayushjav came earlier when it was a psychiatric dispensary. Soon after him I came to the dispensary and worked in the section of acute psychiatric patients. In all I had worked for 4 years, then moved to the neurosis or depression section and back to the dispensary. That was how I worked. Yes. (0-12-50) While working I put forward new ideas and initiatives, introduced innovative things. Now for example I initiated in the section the treatment through labour and received the Certificate of the Ministry. Then after visiting Leningrad I introduced the use of liticarbonate(??) in medical treatment. Well a psychological counseling section was first established at the dispensary and I worked on this aspect. I did such things as an individual. Well, meanwhile I had three daughters and a son. Well, my adoptive mother died, my adoptive father was a very strict person. So the father of my three children and myself lived under constant harassment. Even after he came from north graduating from the institute he kept us separately in such manner he treated us and he used to drive him out from the home. Well then we lived together in a house with yard in Bayankhoshuu (north western side of UB) we persisted on that. Even when we lived together he harassed very much my husband. My husband used to flatter him calling Dad, he has a very flexible by character, he graduated in Moscow the school of international relations. He graduated from the school in 69. Ah he is very cultivated and cultured man, extremely communicative. He bought my father good dress, sometimes shared with him a bottle of drink, like that. And we tried to be very nice and friendly however my adoptive father still continued to harass us. So my husband sometimes felt rather depressed. We had always looked after my adoptive father. In such way we raised our three daughters together with their father. My children got proper education and upbringing. Ah I would like to mention one interesting thing my eldest daughter first married. So when she was married we got a man in addition to our three daughters and were jubilant as far as we could afford. Then my daughter gave birth to a child but the child did not live long, died after 5 months. Well that was the hardest time in my life. When I lost the child of my daughter(cried) while myself being a doctor, that time I was busy with other problems of livelihood and the loss of child seemed to me as a mistake that can not ever be corrected. (0-15-57) It remained in my mind as a never healing wound. After that for quite some time I experienced serious mental and physical crisis. I understood that, it was also difficult for my daughter as well as for me. Byambajav In which year did it happen? Badarch Well that was… probably in 96. It was in 96. Yes. So my daughter was in a difficult situation and then came an opportunity to go to Korea and she left for Korea. Well then…because of this may be I began to regret that I became a doctor. In addition to that we also lost two more children purely due to the carelessness and lack of responsibility of the clinics and doctors. When my daughter was in pain to give her first birth, when it was the first birth a woman doctor cut and let the womb fluid and left. Ah then the other doctors did not take notice that she was labouring dry and barely managed to remove a lifeless child and thus saved the life of the mother. So two… Byambajav Which clinic (maternity hospital) was that? Badarch Child and maternity. The next child was born after one year. During the birth we were in panic and she had delivered the child by caesarian section, with some complications. However the child grew up healthy and reached about the age of five months. I was nearby and used to visit my younger daughter in the evenings before coming back home. One night my niece had fever and since my two children lived near the child and maternity centre they took her to clinic then the doctor checked her and said she was okay and sent them back. But during night she got worse and they again brought her to the clinic, the doctor at the reception was one called Badamkhand she said that she was ill of meningitis and instructed them to go to the hospital of infectious diseases and sent them by a fist aid car but while they traveling to the hospital of infectious diseases the child died on the way. My youngest daughter Chuka came after me with the words that she heard that they had apparently went to a hospital. We looked for them went to the reception of maternity and child clinic(0-18-39) as well as to the hospital of infectious diseases. The hospital of infectious diseases told us that the child not arrive but she died between the two hospitals in the first aid car. Here I can add that during the socialist period though the clinics worked under severe administrative pressure, they were highly responsible for the smallest of mistakes in words, morals and were accountable for that and punished accordingly. In 90’s the democracy has started developing, it was just emerging, and the idea of freedom was prevailing so under the giving circumstances two doctors were not held accountable for their actions. I cried, run back and forth argued with several doctors about the good and bad things. However, at the end I had, should I say to yield to them may be out of my feelings that after all they were doctors like me. Such sorrowful things happened to my two elder daughters. I hope it will not again, will never again happen in my next generations. These events left black spots on us. Though I am a person of medical profession I am very sensitive to it. That is it. After that my daughters began their grown up life, they have reasonably good husbands. They gave normal births and life is continuing. Yes. Well if someone asked what I think, then the following is what I think. Well, one can live and work honestly and faithfully, as for my profession is concerned I am good as a professional, I am able and educated. On the other hand I grew up alone. Due to my adoptive parents I was kept at a distance from the general public, I grew up sheltered. Fortunately by becoming a psychiatrist I had the opportunity to meet many people and open my eyes, learned the wisdom of communicating with broad mass, yes. Now I learned to speak to others, get their esteem, and found the way to be a part of the society. And I am now happy with the profession of a psychiatrist, it is a nice profession. However to the end I had to devote myself to raising my children and abandoned the dream of becoming a scientist or a doctor. I did not put before me the task to receive awards or to move upwards to certain positions in that sense. Of course I could have achieved that if I followed that path. (0-21-06) But even in this period of democracy we can observe that some people achieve fame and glory by money and flatter. In the socialist period probably also there was the personal favorable attitude of your superiors. Things went along this line. For me the latest fortune was my second son-in-law, a very good boy to us. Yes. My second daughter gave birth to a daughter and I was somewhat consoled, was comforted for a while. Then my youngest daughter married and we got three son-in-laws. Ah the arrival of that son-in-law added brightness into our life and helped us to overcome the most difficult time and improve our livelihood. I am grateful that even now he steers our lives. Ah what I can say on this account is that I really lacked the support and guidance of someone for me. My children were still young. It was the situation and we were living among the general public not rising higher above but not falling to the bottom. Then I had tried my hands as soon as the market relations were introduced(laughs) without any knowledge at running a fast food stand for selling meat pie. At first I found an empty booth and did not know how to proceed further, it was in front of the Teacher training institute. My daughters asked me what I was going to do with it, I said we’d make meat pie for sale. They said you are a doctor but are you going to sell meat pie, I said I would why not. So I made some meat pie, the booth was not fitted well and through the small window sold meat pie during the evening hours. Ah eventually I began to gain some experience on operating the booth sale, fitted and arranged it and later on started running a sort of tea house. Now I think that beginning helped us who were confused in those turbulent days of earlier market relations to find our place and thank to it we existed and lived for a whole decade. However, there were hard times. Basically any inspector would come in and impose fine on you. Any inspector would write a fine. In fact we worked under the pressure and control of almost ten different individuals. However, they might have been pitiful of a poor doctor they fined and somehow regulated the problem. And then since I was producing clean and good quality pies, not harmful to health they did not say much, the tea house was indispensable for us and helped my children finish their schools, to be not hungry or thirsty and had proper clothing to wear during that very unpredictable period.(0-23-50) Then in 98 I suffered from acute kidney insufficiency and suddenly fell gravely ill. Ah about that time my youngest daughter and my son-in-law both came from India. So while I was in the hospital he took the responsibility for those behind almost one year he did not take any job and they managed to improve my health to the present condition. I am grateful to the doctors of the kidney section of the first clinic. There is doctor Nansalmaa who treated me. I am grateful to her. There is a consultant doctor Enkhtuya who studied with in the same course. I am also grateful to her. I think my children should know about this. Then since my son-in-law who studied in India came his merits of scriptures also helped me. And I was rearing these two children and the good energy of children probably also influenced me. So I link my being until now healthy to the factors mentioned before. Then since 2000 there was no serious relapse of my illness and I am happily working and living among my children. Well, the democracy had changed the one(previous) society in our Mongolia, the democratic revolution. Ah however, every society has its good and bad nature. Ah we have been through two different societies, and for me it was truly nice during the socialist period. In one sense it is so. The salary of a doctor was enough for everything, sufficient, there were no pressures. There was no unemployment. Ah we did what we were told to do. We did not know that it was the pressure of that man. Well in that given period there was, probably, in place such principles and rules. It seems to me it was not wrong to have that. If someone divorced that man or woman was expelled from the party. If you committed mistake on duty you were expelled from the party. There were such rules. Well, democracy emerged when we had no knowledge about it. (0-25-57) Ah however, we think in 90 on the day of women’s day-the March eight a hunger strike on the squire(Suchbaatar) laid the foundations of democracy. And when on women’s day many young people went on hunger strike and there was the possibility of loss of life the soft hearted mothers were of the view that those nice young people were determined to accomplish good things, there were wrong things. What if they would die of hunger. In socialism hunger was something unfamiliar. And the majority were on their side. So at the time the members of the central committee themselves stepped down. So we hoped and expected that good things would come. Then during that period while we watched from the beginning the privatization started. Apartments were privatized. We heard that factories were being privatized. So the most nice factories and buildings all started to disappear. And suddenly the so called coupon system was introduced. Then the shelves of the shops had become empty. And we had to stand in line for bread and two kg meat to buy them by the coupon. Every household had the norm of two bottles of arkhi or vodka. Those who drink vodka stood in line for it, may be they even lent to each other. So all the shops and shelves had become empty and buying flour and rice had become a problem. Well then after the mergence of democracy while we were not aware the Russians were driven out. Many Russians going out left their apartments with all the belongings. Then afterwards even talks about possible arrest of the members of the revolutionary party had surfaced. So when that talk emerged since we lacked the understanding of democracy, we were concerned about what could possibly happen. So I as person with several children thought who knows these young people might arrest me and hid my party ticket far away. Ah then the primary cells of the party stopped to work with the party members. No party activities were carried out. Thus they actually put the party members in a position of apprehension. This happened. Afterwards because of democracy and party affiliations arguments erupted throughout the country and in the households, brothers and sisters started arguing amongst themselves. (0-28-22) Although we did not know (the essence of democracy)as the old generation we defended our revolutionary party. Others defended democracy. I witnessed such cases. At our summer camp I saw how a former Chief and Party chairman of the Transportation Administrative Office argued with his relative. That party chairman defended the Revolutionary Party. His relative talked about democracy. Democracy is right not the Revolutionary Party the relative said. I witnessed how their argument on this issue went on for 3 hours. Two brothers argued. When they left the Party chairman sat in his car and his brother walked alone from Shadivlan summer camp to his home. I think at that time the impact of unfolding process on thinking of people was very strong. Even husband and wife argued at home about the Party and democracy. At work places arguments never ceased between supporters of revolutionary party and democratic party. That was the situation. As for me I told my children not to cheat anyone at any time, this is how I was educated. Be honest, whether it is bad or good, have a good will. Think positive about a person even if he (she) despises you. I always remind my children about it. I tell my children always to be mindful that we may be poor today or even rich in any case only good intention, good will can save a person. This could have been prompted by my profession on one side, on the other it may have been (experience) the path of life I have traversed. Never mind it, when you follow the path of justice you may encounter difficulties in getting promoted. People often do not understand such a stand. Ah if you are not very quarrelsome and reluctant in joining others then in many instances you would have difficulty in making yourself understood. Ah however if you have the feeling that you are right, you can succeed and stand firmly on view point and continue to do your job honestly then in any society you may not rise to prominence but you will never fall down. There are who do not get reprimand or punishment and continue to do one’s job, yeah, (0-30-49) I followed this principle. That is why I educated my children to be honest and faithful according to the socialist mode. Some times I think that I was wrong. Because nowadays people prefer to go along with the wishes of others, for example many speak with false smile to the man with money and power thus they gain benefit for themselves, today such attitude are very common. But my children, the children we educated can not enter into such relations and I regret that (without such ability) they entered this society. I can not, probably, change the childhood education, I was unable to adapt myself (to these changes). This is a problem. There is a peculiarity of my children, I taught them since childhood to be harmonious between themselves, it does not matter, you may face difficulties or enjoy happiness but never ever abandon each other. My daughters had never taken the wrong path, they toiled hard for their livelihood. Then our son-in-laws do love and respect my daughters at the same time they assist and make their contribution to my livelihood. I who grew up crying that I was lonely, we are now over 10 people and I love to have them seated around me, with the words we are now many and many. I have embarked now on the road of such happiness. Yes. That is so. Then there is one thing I keep in mind and feel rather painful that is I was too much modest. Ah I did not think at all about awards or being promoted or for raising my prestige and in this respect I have been a bit to careless about my own self. I have been too busy with various small chorus of my livelihood. When others were saying that this Badarch was such and such person I did not refute, did not ask who told that, I would find out the reason behind it etc. And I had no mentality to pursue and argue about that. The reason was I did not say that this is what they say, this is what he or she said, this is mine. I thought never mind it was my was mistake there is no need to speak about it with them. I thought as the saying goes “it is better to chase after the cows rather than chase after the words” and left them without giving any attention. Some workers got angry, complained and argued that they had been excluded from awards and incentives. If I was not included in award list I never raised any dispute about the matter. Let it be, it was their evaluation. Why should I quarrel with someone for that award or a certificate. (0-33-16) After all they did not consider given it to me was my thought. This complacency and care-free character of mine was the cause of not being valued myself highly by others and was always placed somewhere in middle of the lot. I think that I should tell my children that one should be able to express one’s own views concerning his or her own mistakes or accomplishments so that a proper evaluation of your performances was given and for that you should have the courage to argue, discuss even quarrel to a reach an understanding on this account, yeah. However, in this present society by trying to make aware of your honesty and justice one will probably not get the award. No matter what only those who have money and wealth receive the awards. In our society when someone who had worked over 30 years has not received the order of “Polar Star” one who for some ten years had been drinking and failing the work receives that order of “Polar Star”. Yes. Those who had been engaged in adultery and behaving dishonestly are given honour and awards but those who have been working honestly are giving medals only. I can’t even find the words to explain to my children why those rich and wealthy are receiving these awards. Should I tell them if you want awards collect money.(laughs) Or if you want to get a public position you would need a lot of money. My children are living now in such an odd society. Therefore, the most important thing is one should have is the right mentality, right mind. I assume that my children only by mastering a sound education can overcome this inconvenient time. Now we have passed our time and accomplished what you should accomplish. Yes. Now when I receive my legitimate rest of merit(retirement) I hope to be able to behind my children without falling ill, look after them and hopefully be able to give them some support in finding their foothold and position in this society. On this account my youngest son-in-law who has the capacity to guide my children, he is wise and human and as such has been an important support of me. Byambajav Ok. Well when you were in ten year school what kind of food did you eat, what dress did you wear can your refresh your memories a little bit about that? (0-35-45) Badarch Well, while in ten year school I was the only child of my family with the my mother and father there were only three of us. So mostly we ate noodle soup, steamed meat dumpling and fried meat pie. Sometimes we had boiled meat, that was our main food. In the morning I always ate something sometimes I ate reheated food or some food specially prepared for me. I thought that it was said reheated food was not good. Anyway I was not allowed to go (to school) without some food. If no food was prepared yesterday’s meal was warmed. Then the food prepared for only three persons was, probably, very delicious. Ah for that reason I don’t have any stomach problem(illness) today. We used to wear a boot with white leather sole, that was our dress shoes and wear wide silken trousers. That was the most beautiful pants. That wide trousers were made of silk, there were no jeans or pants as today. That was made from silk and we called it Sharvaar [trans: wide trousers or sharovari in Russian]. Byambajav It was a pant, yeah? Badarch It is a pant. Ah then jackets with white collars, ironed and the neck tie (of pioneers), our hairs were plaited an adorned with bands. That was our dress. It was how we were dressed. Aa then there was one thing I was very terribly scared and mostly went together with my mother or father, when I was young I was scared from and rain and the roaring of thunder. It was so, yes. And since I was afraid of rain and thunder my mother and father never let me out. Once my mother, apparently, went for shopping then the thunder roared and I didn’t know where to escape and lied down under the table. When mother came back she called and looked for me in the ger and wondered where I had gone. (laughs) But afraid I was lying under the table without any sound my mother looked for me and also was afraid to be unable to find me. Such funny thing had happened. Well any of my classmates of the ten year school would say me that in one way your mother was a very good person. On the other hand she was a wrong person. Yes. When I after school return home with my friends she would meet me. In senior grades I would go alone(to the school), yeah (0-38-04) however she was very reluctant to let me go to a cinema, almost only once in a year (she allowed me to go to cinema). And since I lived near the school I had no option but directly come my home. Then I was a student of the institute and whenever I came late my mother would be sitting at the bus stop. Then since I was young a young guy of my age would accompany me and after the lectures when we dismount at the bus stop my mother would be waiting there. So the guy would take the bus ride back. It was so astonishing. My adoptive mother had never taught me to sew or make clothes. Since during that period we enjoyed a reasonable well-off life she went to the market with me and bought ready-made dress. Apparently she wanted me to wear different clothes from the other children. That was like that then there is a saying “happiness in young age is not the true happiness”, when I was young I heard it from every one. Under the pretext that I was the only child may be too earlier I had gold decorations. I began to wear uiten khuar deel (thick silk with solid pattern) from the 6th grade. And basically my outfits were distinctly expense from the dresses of other children. The only good thing about it was… I myself was not aware that they were expensive. I did know what I was wearing, I wore whatever outfit she bought for me. It was so interesting. Well my natural mother and father were from the Tsetserleg soum of Arkhangai aimag, the adoptive mother and father were from the Burd soum of Ovorkhangai aimag. And my adoptive parents were both adopted children. They had no understanding about the cherished links which an offspring entertains towards one’s natural parents. I now think that I grew up amongst rather stern people. So I was unable to be away from their watchful eyes and had no other business than to do my lessons. And they had the same attitude towards life. My natural Dad lived until over 70 years old, he lived fairly long. The poor man lived for long time and he died living with my eldest sister.(0-40-16) He was an old man with sutras and scriptures, with Buddha images and shrines. He chanted scriptures, I had no idea what he chanted. Until after the introduction of market relations I had no idea about invocation of deities and accompanied some people too see lamas and asked what to do they would say have scripture to dispel disputes or arguments to be read (to invoke the protective deities). I did know where I could have them read or chanted. So I went to my natural father and told him that I was told to have such scriptures chanted, where I could have them chanted. He said I chant the scriptures for thousands and ten thousands of times on your behalf, if that is so useful why don’t you go the Gandan thus he scolded me. So I did go there thinking that was what one must do. Then the poor man a year before he died told me you are a person void of any religious devotion, you don’t speak with me about anything. So you should learn the six letters of maani (mantra or prayer Om maani pad me hom) and pronounce it wherever you go. There is nothing more useful to than those. Ah when you are going to start some business or to move or travel there are auspicious hours good for it you must choose these auspicious hours to start such activities. Otherwise you have no understanding of religious worship or devotion. Therefore, my Dad apparently was a lama or else. Evidently his classmates of the religious school gathered together for a dinner, and they spoke of their classmates, apparently only lamas gathered there or what else I don’t know. He, evidently, dispensed Mongolian herbal medicines, chanted scriptures. But that was, obviously, kept in secret during the socialist period. He was living with my sister and since I did not visit her I did not know about it. His practice was kept in close secret. I found out later that with the fledging democracy people started to come for chiropractic treatment and visited him. Byambajav Will please tell in more detail about your rest in young pioneer’s summer camp, your travel abroad? Badarch Aan hn. Ok. Ah since I was an excellent student in ten year school I received many awards and incentives at our school. Then the Director of the school summoned me and told that I would go to Hungary. In the given time during the socialist period around 64 or 65 sending of school children to international summer camps had begun. Yes. (0-42-37) When told you should go, we had no idea where to go at that time. Then we were assembled in Pioneer’s palace and a distribution was made. And I got the distribution to Hungary. There was an ex- member of the central committee by the name of Peljee, his wife, a Russian wife was our leader in charge of our travel. So we took the train for the travel. We knew nothing. Beautiful clothes similar to what we have today were not available that time. So by arrangement everyone got a dress, shorts and sleeveless shirts such dress put in everyone’s suitcase, we had such garments. We had not even seen a train ride before and went on the travel. So the teacher guided and led us during the vacation, told where to go we went there. At first we arrived in Moscow, we did not know Moscow that time it was a huge and immensely beautiful city. As children in Moscow we first visited the children’s park to play. There were many children from different aimags and soums. So we went to the children’s park to play. There is that big rotating wheel for (bird’s eye view) observation like the one we have in our park. That huge wheel looked very frightening at that time. So we decided to sit in it. We all took our seats in the chairs there was a child from Uvs called Magsarjav he flatly refused to play saying I would not ever sit in such tall thing. Then we dismounted and told him that we had seen a lot of awfully beautiful things he said he should have also seen them and sat on the wheel. Then of course the children who had not seen much were very troublesome and difficult to manage. They always were prone to be lost. The teacher used to count us whenever we went to a shop one, two, three, four, ten etc. She would count till ten afraid that someone may get lost. Then from Moscow we arrived in Hungary. As now I recall we had seen many beautiful things. We were received and sent to the shores of the most beautiful Balaton lake for vacation. And they transported us by bus on sightseeing tours. During the socialist period it was very nice. Children were highly respected.(0-44-56) We were received everywhere, saw nice things. Now I think that pioneer summer camp was truly wonderful. May be because I was a child I do not forget it and that vacation is always on my mind. Once while running I slipped and fell down, my elbow was scratched slightly. Doctor came and applied some medicine and told me not to bath in water, it might be complicated. So I think because it was a nice time children were respected on international level, they were cared for as well. It was such a time. While traveling in train since we were young children we, on many occasions, had been confused and it happened many times, in general. It happened during the meal time. In our group there were children from Zavkhan, from Uvs and Govi Altai, children from rural areas. And the children from the rural areas were confused and at loss many times, in fact all of us. Well, Baasansuren who is serving as our Ambassador in Poland was in our group. Many who were in our group now are serving at high posts. The rest of them received mostly high education and many are teaching in various schools. Well then returning back from Hungary as a child I tried to buy presents to my family members mostly small earrings and rings. I was the lonely child in my family so for whom I would buy presents. My younger sister was still very young and as a senior sister Dejid saw me off. And I probably bought small souvenirs for them. That was the fun. Then I think the most remarkable period of my life was the period when I was in ten year school. Well later on after my adulthood I encountered at every step various small difficulties however, I surmounted them. Now I think that I was reasonably good at that. There were difficulties before it I could have succumbed. But I think, any way, I have been prevailing over them. Byambajav You said that you received special stipend of honour. What was the mode of life of the student of that period, was the allowances sufficient for them? Badarch It was good. If a student got excellent results for three consecutive years the student got the stipend after Suchbaatar (Leader of Mongolian people’s revolution). Ah I received two satisfactory marks in the first course. Then from the second course I started to receive always excellent marks. Then when you were an excellent student the stipend of excellent student was 340 tugrugs of that time. Wasn’t it a big sum. Those who with good marks received 280 tugrugs. Then every year the photos of the excellent students were put on the board of honour. Yes. Then the allowances also was a contribution to the family, an additional income. It was a high allowance. In our time student allowances(stipend) was ample. When we received the stipend we did not go to bars or restaurants as the present young people. We did not know about such things. We just brought it and gave to our mothers and fathers. Except for meal, we had no other miscellaneous spending. It was like that. Then the schools of those days were of high quality. The lecturers read their lectures directly in Russian. There was no such thing as today where children offer drinks to their professors in order to get their marks the salary…students received allowances and we were determined to learn the subjects thoroughly. We (the medical students) studied for 6 years… and the subjects we studied was the basis of our knowledge when we graduated. I had one problem as a student. I did not like very much lectures on skin diseases. When the lectures on skin diseases started I felt aversion and I did study it at all. So I had difficulty to pass the exams on the subject. I even could not read the text books. So I thought lets pass the 4 subjects with excellent marks but let it be that I fail the exam on that subject. Let’s not trouble and went there. Then the professors who knew that I was a reasonably good student asked what happened did I not read, would I draw another ticket or shall they put you a satisfactory mark. They knew that the other exams I passed with excellent marks. I was glad (0-49-26) because they were ready to give me a satisfactory mark. I agreed willingly. So I had a satisfactory mark on the subject of skin diseases and another satisfactory on other subject thus I finished the second course. However after the graduation I found out that I had basic knowledge on the subjects which I had studied thoroughly. But since I did not pay any attention to skin diseases even if I examined a patient of skin disease I would know nothing about it, I can not diagnose whether it is a venereal disease or an ulcer. That was what happened. So how far you understood the lectures as a student that far you will understand the patient. That is the extent of your knowledge. Yes. Byambajav Well then, exactly at the time of beginning of the democracy, in other words when they went on hunger strike on the Suchbaatar square, how did you receive it, can you tell me more extensively (about your feelings)? Badarch Aan hn. We were observing the March 8th at home. Then they broadcasted on television the news that people want to demolish the old society, that there is the need reshuffle the present rulers. If the Politburo does not step down we’ll go on hunger strike, we’ll declare a hunger strike and we saw a number of warmly dressed people who displayed their demand were lying on the (Suchbaatar) squire. We were somewhat perplexed, and since they said that they were going on strike we thought that these young people would die of hunger. They were on hunger strike for two days then for three days. So all the mothers, the Mongolian people joined their demand step down now, why should we let these young people die. That was our understanding. Then never mind Batmunkh darga and others succumbed to their demands. The whole politburo stepped down, Yes. And they said now you stop your hunger strike. As a mother I thought why should a person die of hunger in this way. Why they are going on hunger strike. If those young men died of hunger it would be very odd thing for the politburo. Truly it was a period when the whole country was in crisis. So the issue was resolved through pluralism. (0-52-17) Some said it was right, this politburo had squandered a lot. It carried out a lot of repression. Some one said that it was the right thing to step down. Ah some were saying that these young people were putting forward the issue too early. As for us we thought well, of course revolution can be made, but why should they begin by such a manner of bad omen. Yeah, why should they cry out about hunger and thirst on mother’s day. (0-52-17) Would it bring afterwards so nice wealthy and rich life throughout the country as a result of the revolution, this was the talk among the inner circle of women. And the way the started it, wasn’t it possible for them to make the revolution in a different way? The thought why should they have been lying there with the words we’ll die of hunger and thirst was coming to mind during that period. And when you now think as we thought and expected a revolution had taken place to a certain degree but in actuality only some part (of population) got rich the other part had become the victim to real deprivation. Well because Mongols believe in presentiment we think that was what had happened. When the democratic revolution was made what we thought that they insulted too much Bal darga. Yes. He was repressed in alien land and was suffering from illness and during such a difficult for him time the democracy came. And all his orders and merits were taken away, his personal belongings were sealed, why they were doing that I did not understand. But such actions were taken. Ah according to our old mentality we assume that if an offspring hurts the feelings of one’s parents the offspring will never enjoy a happy life. It is a moral, a custom of our people. Ah then we had not been able to offer an opportunity to be happy to the old man who had ruled the country for over 40 years. Ah in addition to that by repressing that man it had become hard for our country to thrive further from the stand point of our old mentality this is what we think. Because for a man who ruled the state for 40 years there must be both and achievements and mistakes. However, the time he came to power was not like today the present Presidents and Ministers assume power when everything is readily available. He devoted his life, his energy and mind to his people and turned an extremely backward country to what it is today but he was blamed for wrongdoings and punished. It was very strange. Though he was unaware of many things, he died with sufferings, therefore mindful of the customs and traditions of humanity we are pained at hurting his feelings. (0-54-56) Recently while a group of people organized the marking of his 80th birthday and put up a monument to him and accomplished quite a bit for work, still there were others critical of it. Well there may be errors and accomplishments which should scrutinized, however, on the whole I doubt that a leader greater than him will ever emerge. People of our generation know that his heart beat for the country, for men, for Mongolia. I don’t know about some of the events in the past. Yes. Another thing that pains me is now young people do not know the history of our country. Yes. There was a period when we studied the history of Mongolia. Now children who know nothing about socialism(the socialist period) have born. Yes. The children also have very scarce knowledge about democracy. We are now called the Mongolia of Chinggis. So the children supposedly know about Mongolia by reading about Chinggis. We had been reading classical works and educated on them. Now reading literature has almost vanished. On one hand with democracy when it had become very free I don’t know what happened to the people. Specially the youth are enjoying too much freedom, they don’t work. A group of people who want ready money have emerged. So where we are now going…this is an issue that pains me. Byambajav When during a given period there was only Mongolian people’s revolutionary party but afterwards many new parties emerged how this was received? Did various disputes flare up among the family members on this respect? Will you speak more extensively on this subject. Badarch Yes, there was. Generally we had been used to the one party system. And when the Democratic party emerged we thought that a nice party was born, that was our understanding. As for a few of us we had not been able to separate ourselves from the mentality of revolutionary party and could not accept it. In our family my husband supported democracy. I was of the view that the revolutionary party should remain in the lead and because of this we argued for almost two years. Ah my husband also argued, disputed with his relatives about democracy, I heard how he argued with many other people as well. Byambajav For example? Exactly what did he say? Badarch For example my husband would say the following. He would say it is quite right, we should replace this aged party with old mentality. It was oppressing us for many years, we suffered because of this party said. Ah we would say how did we suffer during the socialist period? This revolutionary party has the rule and order, it has been leading and accomplishing what had to be done. Yes. Ah then many parties have emerged and the public was divided, we also have switched to the new ideology all of us. Let’s listen to the views of the new parties, let’s see and follow them. But these multiple parties have not yet been fully formed until now. Who knows are there actually so many hundreds of members of these parties. No one knows on what basis those members were admitted to these parties. Only few leaders of those parties make statements. Even our revolutionary party had primary cells of party, and part committees. I don’t know whether they are still there or not. Ah we were afraid of the revolution and as for me I did leave the party. But no one came after me to ask why I left the party nor did any one asked me where is the party ticket. Yeah. So big changes had taken place. Ah otherwise in the past if a member of the party lost his or her party ticket the member would be punished severely for that. Yeah. So as such though the multiparty system is the correct one, with emergence of various parties there is a keen interest to have larger membership, however if you look carefully at their membership then in fact there are not so many parties with membership at the lowest level. Only the upper level is called such and such party. Then some of parties are called (by general public) as the party of one or two individuals, some of them are called as a party of a certain company. We supported for many years the democracy, and the (democratic) party. However the party has not matured really and its personnel has not really been formed (0-59-23) Some of its leaders come to high posts but the party does not mature. Yes. Then they meet again and make changes(in its leadership). Of course there is a mass support for the democracy. We also can see that the revolutionary party still remains to be the party that administer and oppress. Yes, it does not listen to criticisms and does not respond to them. It is so. The party chairman…. Dispute between two people whether it is on the work or in the street has become a common phenomenon. The main point is who is right: the democracy and the youth are right. It is high time to make these changes said a group of people and used to argue. Ah though I was a member of the revolutionary party later on I was afraid being a member of that party, yeah. But retorted that it is not yet the time for democracy, the time has not come. Now this disorderly situation has emerged. Yeah. With the emergence of democracy national industry has collapsed that was what our old way of thinking was saying. But the rest said this was the right thing to do, everything must be privatized. Yes. This was the general pattern of arguments among the people. Yes. Byambajav When the privatization began what were the prevailing views and conflicts among the people? Badarch Well, told that by privatization apartments and the livestock would be given to you as your own personal property people were happy. We’ll own it, we’ll have our own private apartments, we’ll get private ownership of livestock and people were glad. However, for us who worked in clinics we had nothing to privatize. Therefore, we remained at some distance from that process. While we were watching our acquaintances who worked in trade sector and had better understanding of the process during the privatization had, apparently, accumulated considerable capital. As far as I know there were several nice auto basis (depots) such as the 5th auto base. They were eliminated. There was that nice industrial complex with many workers. All those industrial enterprises had vanished. (1-01-29) I can now clearly see before my eyes the shops, with empty shelves. So privatization went on without our knowledge during that period. There was the privatization coupons what it was called. The blue and pink coupons were distributed. We personally I did not understand the value of the coupons and was unable to validate it. I now understand that some saved and collected the coupons and changed it for equipments and machines in some enterprises, something of this sort was going on. We did not notice it and haven’t seized that opportunity. Ah those who had some understanding how the democracy works by that privatization coupon shared among themselves the industrial enterprises, equipments and machines as far as I now understand. Ah then those who knew the value of shares were receiving some money as their share and their money was growing. We had no such knowledge and we had nothing to receive as share. So it was lost. Well, then if you ask what good thing did the democracy bring in our life, I would say it was possible for us to run a tea house. And it showed us that it was possible to operate it and gave us the incentive to engage in a private business I think. Then at the time land privatization has not yet started. And we just put a small booth and opened a tea house. However, we had to pass through many instances, receive the permission, license, conclude the contract on the use of the land. Then you had to conclude contracts with a number of inspectors just to run a small tea house almost ten of them… Byambajav What types of inspectors and exactly what did they inspect? Badarch Well, for example you have to conclude the land use contract, some one would come from the sub-district and say you are situated on our land and concluded the land use contract. You have to receive electricity from an organisation and conflict concerning the electricity contract would emerge with that organization. Then this sanitary station was located nearby, inspectors from the station will come and impose a fine on you. (1-03-54) Inspectors from fire department will also impose fine. Well then the representative of the Industry and sales department will come and demand to change(renew) the license. So at the initial stage I faced almost insurmountable problems. Then though it was a small business you are obliged to pay the tax, our income was insignificant. You have to submit a report on your tax payment. There were so many unknowns. But anyway I managed to explain to the inspectors we are just entering the market relations, there are so many things that we don’t know, we are learning and told them about difficulties we encounter and was fined by those who imposed a fine and were reprimanded and scolded by the rest. But to end they accepted that the meal we were preparing was harmless, I myself was a doctor and they told us to observe hygiene. So we have been able to exist and run the business. Then during that time at our organization people talked very much that by running the tea house I was getting rich. May be if I was knowledgeable of the value of market relations and expanded my business and run it along the correct way there might have been the chance to get rich. But I would not say that I was impoverished, yes, that business of mine became my source of entering the market. My three daughters and myself stood in our tea house preparing meat pies. We went to the market to buy meat thus we got our living skills from there. However due to minor personal conflicts we could not operate it further. And I don’t regret that. Well thanks to the democracy we had the freedom of operating that small business. Ah while we continued our business on that land big organizations wanted to build houses and started to push out our small tea house. The land was in the yard of our clinic and our Director and we tried to resist hard. When they built a fence around the compound we together with the director managed to get a court warrant and had the fence dismantled. But it did not work because they said that a big hospital would be built on the site. So my small tea house closed. Now at the site the building of the Capitron bank is tanding. (1-06-27) Well, then when the coupon system for food was introduced it was very hard. Everybody had a certain quota(norm) of food items such as flour and bread. I had to go after the flour and bread and could not go to my work. Since the children were young they could not stand in the line. Later those who bought more bread or flour sold it and we had to buy from them. Those who drink the vodka lined up for the two bottles of vodka and some of them obviously resold them. In those days we did not go after the vodka. I bought bread and flour for my children and that what we could not get standing in the queue I bought from others. That was so. Ah then on one hand it has become a bit lax(liberal), it was the same at the office. At offices such a thing as what should I call it to envy or contend each other and say this one is good, this is bad was popular, in this narrow sense they reported to the high instances on their co-workers. According to my observation that oppression of the staff had become rather lax. The attitude towards how the staff is working, whether they are fulfilling their duties or not were viewed more liberally and an understanding of the work and life of the staff members has become also more liberal and normal at least at our clinic. It had happened for a short period…between 98, 2000. Then since 2003 people turned this democracy into the pursuit of money and wealth, how to get rich or not. When it came to private business even at the offices those who had some money resorted again to gaining power and prestige. And engaging in trading and small business had become commercialism, everyone turned to commercialism, everything was channeled to making money. This was what happened. Since the time of democracy these were events that had happened in our personal life. We haven’t lost very much nor we have gained much.