Another year looms upon me, but looms in a good way. I am looking forward to this year. I have so much more instruction time, leaving me more time for fun, in-class projects. I am going to have to give a kudos to Gary Diamond, who has managed to hire an amazing bunch of great, new teachers!

Ulaanbaatar(UB) has changed quite a bit since I've last been here. There are two new department stores and the State Department has a new burger joint in addition to moving things around on me. I gave up looking for the shop there where I had purchased my old backpack and just went to the North Face knock off store across the street. However, they no longer have a sign stating they sell North Face. It's now something about Outdoor Clothing or some such thing. Still, I got a great one there for about $35. I just worry about the zippers. I bought one there at the beginning of last year and the zippers were the first thing to go on it. If I hadn't (sigh) left my last one on the chair in my mom's basement, containing my prized laptop, I wouldn't be in this position in the first place.

I usually manage to glide under the radar here. The entire year last year I rarely ran into anyone I knew. Today, I managed to run into one of my old students and the school librarian! I felt popular. Having forgotten my book, after shopping I resigned myself to people watching instead. I kind of dislike it because I always manage to see so many near misses with the traffic here. It sets me on edge. Plus, I nearly got backed over by an SUV while trying to hail a taxi. I yelled at them in English and they just drove away, as though nothing had happened. Driving here is like being on a roller coaster. Sit tight, keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle, and hang on! No wonder I hated driving once I got back to Canada! While I was there I did not once go on the high way. Considering I used to be the driving lady, not thinking about driving for over 10 hours in a single day, this is a new development in me.

School begins on Monday, and I'm excited to see what this year brings for me. My class thus far is 18 students, and I'm hoping it does not get any bigger. This is a nice, manageable size. I feel ready and raring to go! I have my first day and month planned out. Right now it will be a wait see kind of period. I will have to gauge my students and see what happens with the ESL part of our classes. Wish me luck!

I am going to have to say that Tokyo is one of the hottest places I've been. I suffered from jet lag and was up and down during the night. Luckily the place I was staying had computers for us non locals to use. I have to admit, I was somewhat distracted by my missing laptop. You put your life into some little contraption, and without it you feel completely lost.

I really only had one full day there, and just wandered around the city. Those of you who know me, know I get lost very easily. However, I did not get lost once there! I was proud! I took a boat ride in the hopes it would be cooler, and in the air conditioned downstairs part, it was. I ate seafood flavoured popcorn, saw some bridges and a park. Took many photos, and saw lots of bicycles and varnished food. I have to admit, it seemed a little pale without someone to share it with. What happened to me? I guess I fell in love. Is this what everyone has been talking about all this time? I did eat some fabulous food there! Mmmmmm, tuna sashimi! Diagnosis, delicious! I walked around after the boat ride looking for a place to eat. I know, you'd assume because I was in Japan that all the restaurants would be Japanese. Or, I suppose, just restaurants. I found a little hole in the wall obviously frequented by locals, and knew I had found my place! My goal going there was one thing, stuff my face with sushi. Mission accomplished!

To get back to the airport I talked with the front desk people and it was much, much cheaper! I took a taxi to the station and the skytrain to the airport. I was something of a pack mule though, carrying all this stuff! My impressions of Tokyo is that everyone there is very friendly and more than willing to help. Aside from the heat, it was a lovely, clean place to visit. It really doesn't cost as much as you would assume. Just that one cab ride took up half my budget, but it really wasn't that big of a deal.

It is much cooler here back in Ulaanbaatar. I have been meeting the new teachers and they are really great. I think it's going to be a good year. It was nice to be back "home", to the place where all my stuff is. I was picked up at the airport and danced because I was so happy! Upon my arrival to my place of residence, there was no electricity and hence, no water, but there was a beautiful rainbow. What a welcome home!

I wish I could upload all the photos to fully share the sights with you all, but the site does not allow for more than one photo at a time and it is really time consuming. Plus, I do not seem to have the ability to organize them and place where I'd like in my text. I have brought my guitar with me, but need to get some new strings for it. I finally managed to download iTunes and Skype on my new laptop, however, I did erase my complete iTunes library from my iPod. Geez! If it's not one thing, it's another with me. I thought as you get older, you were supposed to become more collected! I guess with more responsibility comes more things to forget!

It has been an exciting, and tiring, week. I pulled out of Canada on Aug 17th and somehow, of all the things in my life to forget I managed this one, forgot my laptop. I realized it while I was in the TO international airport, but felt there were no steps I could take at that point to get it back in my hot little hands. I was in security, and for Mom to drive back was just asking too much. Heck, she wasn't even back to her house yet at that point! The only thing, it was a running theme song in my head..."laptop...laptop..I forgot my laptop...laptop.." Well you get the idea.

I had to pull a teacher twice on my flights to Chicago and then on to Tokyo. The first was a pair of sisters who were arguing about if the shade should be up or down. I ended up saying, "Hey, cut it out!...Both of you!" I wouldn't have said anything but the mom was right beside them, and did nothing. She had her arms full with a boy who seemed about 6, maybe 7. However, this woman could not let the squeamer out of her arms, and it would seem disipline fell to the wayside with her. It finally ended when the older girl pinched the younger one so hard she cried. Mom, still no reaction.

On my way to Tokyo. This is a long flight, 12 hours. I managed to again be in the vinicity of young ones. We all know I'm a teacher, and love my students, but for some reason this also reserves me the right to tell children in a teacherly way when they're being wrong. Well, this boy behind me was kicking my chair, for over an hour. I finally went to the bathroom and on my way said, "Can you please stop kicking the back of my seat? It's driving me insane." That was all it took, and he stopped. No one likes to be on a flight like that, especially one that long. I did procure for myself one of those donught type neck pillows. I actually slept!

Okay, so I arrive in Tokyo. I feel kind of lost, of course. I get my money exchanged in the airport and grab a taxi. Tokyo is actually one hour drive away from Narita airport. Well, the drive cost me 23 000 JPY. That was near on $300! Yikes! I paid because I had so much to carry and didn't feel like being a mule any more. I had two backpacker backpacks, plus my guitar. I was loaded!

I went to check in, and due to the time change from N.America, I technically lost a day. I left Canada on Aug 17, but arrived in Japan the 18th. My room was still there, but I still had to pay for the day. Geez, what luck I have!

So, I decided before the jet lag fully set in I should go out to eat. I walked up the way, and found a place that seemed to have sushi on the menu. I had trouble ordering and the waitress asked me, "Do you speak Japanese?" Well, if I did, wouldn't I already be speaking it? I know, kind of cynical, but also a very practical question. I did not say it, as she would have had no clue as to what I was saying anyway. There was a gal at the next table who spoke English and offered to assist me. It would seem they were trying to get me to order more food than I needed. This be said, she (Rose, Tokyo Rose) and her companion (Suzuki) offered for me to join them. I agreed. Rose was astounded my my proficiency with chopsticks and I had to laugh. I said, "We do have chopstick in Canada!" She and her friend were interested in my journies, and at one point she said, "you live an interesting life." I thought, Poo, you're from Romania, you live in Tokyo, and you speak three languages! I just said, "Thank you." I went to the tiniest, but cleanest, space I've ever occupied, and slept.

It has been a long but short summer! I will be leaving tomorrow for a three day stay in Tokyo and then back to Ulaanbaatar. I'm looking forward to my next year teaching there and getting back to work. I think due to the hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak I've been off for too long!

I had a wonderful visitor come to Canada to see me and though I have lived here for most of my life, I was truly a tourist. It was the best week! Ever! We did what we deemed 'extreme tourism' and did and saw most everything Toronto and Niagara Falls had to offer. I have never been on the 'Maid of the Mist' before and got freaked out up the Tower (afraid of heights!). One thing is for sure, I have gained weight back home and am, once again, the worst vegetarian in the world. For my last meal here I had steak, from the b-b-q. It was fantastic!

Mom, my aunt and I also got to spend some time at my other aunt's cottage up near Parry Sound. We got some sun and the major plus was, Farley was invited. Funny story.... Mom and I got home and we listened to our messages. There was one from the vet's office here in Grimsby saying someone up in Parry Sound had found Farley. He said he couldn't keep him for very long, as he had two Boxers to care for, and could we please come pick him up. Mom and I stared at Farley, standing in our linoleum kitchen and eating carrots. We didn't even know he was MIA! Okay, well, we did. But it's normal for him. He was only gone for about an hour. I once was at a campsite, and my friends decided to go fishing over 2 miles away. Well, Farley found them. He has an excellent sense of direction and I was never concerned about him. He takes off and explores, but always comes back for the food! I did notice that he stayed close by after that intial day and was always looking to me for clues as to where he could go. I should have known! He is usually up to no good! I did call the Vet's office to tell them Farley was safe with us, and that I was so glad the system worked! I just can't even imagine what the poor guy had to do to be able to read Farley's tags. He is very much a 'stranger danger' kind of guy.

My two best friends, the whole pairs of them, have recently bought houses! I gave them the traditional housewarming gifts, with a modern twist. Like, you are supposed to give a candle so you always have light. Well, I gave a flashlight. What happens if you don't have any matches? Both their respective places are amazing and truly matched to them. I am very happy for them and wish nothing but the best from here on out!

I have been reconsidering my worldly possessions here. I decided to sell off most of them, well, okay, anything I could. I sold most of the big stuff, and gave a bunch of it away. I figured, if I've been away and haven't missed it or already replaced it, then I don't need it. I have a lot more than I bargained for to take back with me, but I guess that will be it. I sold my bed, car, all my recording equipment and live venue equipment as well, in addition to my electric guitar. I feel so unhindered and ready for the future!

P.S. I have met someone, really nice, who makes my heart sing!


P.S.S. I now for some reason have no ability to place my photos, so it's a sort of montage!