It has definitely been quite the week here in Mongolia, for me at least.

We had a film crew in to put us on the news! I got video taped talking with my kids about the happenings in Myanmar and whatnot. The crew was telling my students in Mongolian to keep asking me questions, and I tried to pretend they weren't there, but I think we'll be on the news. Me, slouching in front of a computer and pointing and talking. Afterwards, they had our class and the grade 6 class (the boys of which are monsters! What huge boys!) all standing in the foyer and saying "Welcome to the Amercian School!" Sometimes waving, sometimes not. I finally left for lunch.

I suppose the biggest happening was one of my students was diagnosed with something I believe is called 'hand-foot-mouth disease.' It is highly contagious. I, of course, was ground zero again. We were quarantined all day and finally the health people let us go at noon. Meanwhile, we had been stuck in the most disinfected classroom with no way out all day. We just basically played games. I tried to make it as educational as I could and we played a lot of word games that made you think, but I also had to be aware that there shouldn't be alot of interaction between students. Especially since many of mine were tagged. I did try to make a break for it, and get us outside, but there was a camera man from the news station and the whole quarantine thing. We had the health department in, they looked us all over, made us gargle and sent us all home withstrict orders to stay confined. Well, the students. It's not contagious to adults who have more developed immune systems, but the kids at least.

I had a more disturbing occurrence tonight getting out of a taxi. The driver tried to charge me too much, so I gave him more than I should have and tried to get out. He grabbed hold of my backpack and wouldn't let go. I started throwing money at him and he still wouldn't let go. I finally began to scream for the guards. After a few minutes they came. I know the driver was lying to them. I know he saw these men come for me and he suddenly said, "Oh, I was just trying to give her her change!" I am still a bit shaken and crying, he just would not let go! I really wish it hadn't happened, at least not today, on zero ground day and all.