Well, I'm gearing up for another action packed week at school. Thank heavens for teacher books! Though apparently the stuff I teach that is an aside is more interesting. I'm excited because I tried an experiment with my lentils for science class and they actually started to germinate. Tomorrow the kids and I are going to plant our germinating seeds and watch what happens. I remember doing things like this in school and how excited I was about it. I'm glad I can make it, or try to, as fun as possible. The thing is, it's fun for me too!

Aside from that it's been a fairly quiet weekend after the "welcoming party". We all had fun together that night and I think it was a great idea to get to know one another out of the school setting. The teachers all live and play together, but we rarely get to talk to our teaching partners in a social setting. My partner, Doogie, said she'd like to have me over for dinner sometime. I thought that was pretty nice. Last night a few of us got together and watched a movie over in Dan and Tina's room. Tonight was just quiet. It's so funny here because when you're out in the hall you can hear what's going on in everyone's room but once inside, it's so quiet!

I did laundry for the first time since being here (sorry mom!) and had to get Maureen, another teacher, to show me how to work the machines. They are the small, front-loading ones and I've never seen them before. I thought I could figure them out, being the worldly woman I am, but alas, I had to request help. I miss dryers! The truth of the matter is, I've actually been avoiding it due to the lack of dryers. My clothes are all over the building! Hanging in the laundry room, hanging in my bathtub, hanging off doors and the like. Luckily, I have lots of work clothes but was nearly out of socks.

Just as an aside from Mongolia, I have become an aunt again for the second time! I am very excited for my brother and his wife, Marty and Jenn, but am sad to not be around to see her. Her name is Sarah and she looks beautiful from the photos I've seen. Everyone is fine and they happily welcome the new addition. I trust my other neice, Lauren, is going to be the best sister around!

Last night Dan, Tina, Andrew, Maureen, Colin and I all treked to this little outside bar called "Green Pub". We drank a beer and the boys ordered some food. I think it was lamb. It came on this huge skewer and smelled wonderful. You could tell the quality of the meat was excellent. I did try a bit and thought it to be quite good.

There is a running joke amongst us teachers about the punching here. Dan had posted on his blog a running dialogue in regards to the incident I mentioned earlier about the man touching the eagle and a fight breaking out. It goes as follows:
"Hey, don't touch my eagle!" punch punch
"Hey, don't punch me!" punch punch

We now have a new one. There are many drivers and pedestrians in Ulaanbaatar. The drivers use their horns quite heavily.
"Hey, get out of my way!" honk honk
"Hey, don't honk at me!" honk honk
"I haven't used my horn lately!" honk honk
"My hand is free!" honk honk

This is just one of the ways we amuse ourselves here.

I just finished my last day of my first week of school. I am very pleased with how things are going so far. Though I am concerned with the math and science aspect of my job I think I have been doing a good job so far of keeping the kids interested. They always yell "Yaaahhh!" when I say we are starting spelling or math. It is encouraging.

Tonight after work my teaching assistant and the computer tech personell decided to have a little get together for all us first year teachers. It was a lot of fun. I got to talk to Doogie outside of the classroom and I feel we will be a good team. She feels the same from what she's told me.

Apparently my night is not over yet as it is still only 9:30 here and of course a Friday. More later!

Well, the first week of school is almost over and things are going better than I could have expected. My class is very well behaved and for some reason they love me. I am having to get used to teaching such young children still, but Doogie is helpful with her translating. I do have to keep reminding the children that class is English only. I found out on the second day that one of my students was crying at home because she has little English and was frustrated. We explained that though it may be tough at first, the more you practice the better you get. ESL classes hopefully will start on Monday.

I also am having trouble getting used to the idea that these kids want to hug me and hold my hand. Mongolians are a very family oriented society and often live with all the family in a small space. I'm used to North Americans who keep their distance. Not these kids! I have told them much about my life back in Canada and have been teaching them some of our idioms like "TGIF" and "knock on wood". I have even shown them photos of my love, Farley, and they say he is a good dog.

One of the main things I have noticed about myself is my English is becoming more broken in order to get my main point across. For some reason as well, I have started speaking with a French accent. I guess it goes back to my tree planting days in Northern Quebec when I picked up their accent and spoke in much the same manner.

My students are at such different levels in regard to ESL, sometimes it is frustrating for me as well. When you tell a joke and only 4 people laugh (well, that probably would happen to me anyway!) or I just see a lot of blank eyes looking at me when I say "Okay? Everyone understand?" At the store I can just point and use my fingers to say how many I want but in my classroom I need to know that they understand.

It is tiring dealing with so many young children. I am beat! They are always clamoring for my attention. "Miss M! Miss M! Look at me!" Not that I mind, it's nice to have people want your approving eye, but it is fatiguing. I also have had to explain that it will take me some time to learn their names and how to pronounce them properly. The language here is just so foreign sounding to me. They have names like "Yumchigmaa" and "Unkhbaya" (both girls names). I have one Edward and his was admitedly the first name I learned in the class.

Another unexpected turn is that the children love to learn! They are always shouting "Yah!" when I tell them we are now moving to Science or Math. They want more homework! Who would have thought! I think it is going to be a great year. Like I taught the kids, knock on wood for me and keep your fingers crossed!

I successfully completed my first day teaching grade 3! It went even better than I had imagined. The students are extremely well behaved. Though my class number has risen to 26 I don't think it will be an issue. Especially since I have Doogie and she knows many of the children in my class already. It has surprised me that my class is primarily girls as I was expecting it to be heavier with boys.

This morning we had our opening ceremony. The parents all came. Many of my students gave me flowers. So much so that I could hardly carry them all! The girls were decked out in their finest dresses and the boys in suits even. It is becoming clear to me that school is taken very seriously here.

My students are very eager to learn. They are excited do all the subjects and want more homework! I told them it was only the first day and the letter I had them write to me tonight introducing themselves was enough. I also started to read to them from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and it is very much a crowd pleaser. Thank you to Kenna Roberts for lending me her books!

After lunch a boy in my class was sitting so quietly with his hand up. When I acknowledged him he said "I am trying to throw up". I told him to get to the bathroom, which luckily is right next door to me, but he proceeded to lose his lunch all over his desk. The poor guy! I had to jump back to avoid being splashed. His father came to pick him up and his sister came after school to get his work. The funny thing about it is that they were so very apologetic to me! Aside from that and one nose bleed, everything else went very smoothly.

I am looking forward to this year and hope it will remain the same. I have great expectations!

My class! I have told them it will take me some time to learn their names properly and they were very happy to hear that I come from the same place as their old teacher.

Happy Birthday Mom! Hope you have a great one!

This is my classroom, hopefully fully prepared for my students tomorrow!

Well, classes begin on Monday (tomorrow) and everyone is gearing up. I am feeling the usual mix of excitement and nervousness. We are having an opening ceremony with red carpets and everything!

On Friday night we all went out for Thai food and it was excellent. It is common practice to save your leftovers and give them to a street kid. I gave mine to a young boy we had encountered before who sells Dove facial wipes. He eagerly accepted the food while the waitress was trying to shoo him from the patio.

There are many talented artists here. Outside of the Thai restaurant there was a man selling original paintings in oil. Dan, Andrew and I all bought one. I got the "Shaman".

Mongolia is a very poor country and I apparently am considered a millionaire. It is so strange to me that back at home I had little to no status and here I am automatically upper echelon. It does make me a target for pick-pocketers and the like but I am safe and aware. How lucky am I to simply have been born in Canada?

The women here wear high heels every where. They even hike in them! I bought some DVD's from the local video store and even got a bonus one! Colin had purchased some from the black market and was told they were in English. That apparently means dubbed over in Mongolian and then retranslated back into English subtitles. If some one says "yes" it was written as "of agreement".

Colin and I had to go into town yesterday as he was informed his hair was not corporate enough for the school. It was a decidedly sad march there and I'm still not sure he's recovered.