I have been having issues with my coffee press. I bought my third and final one a couple of Sundays ago. I say final one because if this one broke it must be the universe's way of telling me I am not to own one. When I got home and pulled it out of the box it had a crack in the glass. I finally brought it back to the UB Mart. It was quite the ordeal! The girl who was helping me took me all over the store searching for someone. When we found her she said, "I'm sorry, I don't speak English. Do you speak German? Russian?" When they discovered how linguistically challened I was they then tried to recruit an English speaker from the customers. They found a woman who claimed to speak English, but truly did not. I kept repeating that I did not want my money back, I just wanted the glass replaced. Another woman joined the crowd who seemed to understand me more. I just had to mime out what I wanted. The people trying to help me just kept staring at the press and passing it to each other. After about 45 minutes, they handed me a new press and took the old one. I mime a lot here. I was thinking that the amount I have heard Mongolian spoken, I should be able to pick out some words. Unfortunately, this is not the case! I can't understand anything.

I forgot that it is Easter! We don't celebrate it here in Mongolia, so I'm jealous of all of you who have 4 day weekends! We did have a nice day yesterday so that makes up for it. I hope everyone has a nice holiday and eats lots of Easter ham!

Day trip to Terelj

Some of the staff took a day trip to Terelj. We stopped by the side of the road and spent about $1 to have our photo taken with the eagle. It started out a beautiful day, big blue sky and sunny, though a bit chilly. It ended up getting colder as the day progressed. It even snowed at one point, just when you thought it was safe to out again!

It was a lovely day. A student in grade 7, Hannaa, decided out of the blue to organize a teacher's day trip. I jumped at the chance to get out of UB for the day. Experience the fresh countryside air and scenery. We drove to Terelj, took a two hour horse ride to the Monastry and walked up. Then we rode back. Happiest I've been as of late was trotting along with my horse. I named it Foamy because it was unusual in colour. It was so lovely being outside and feeling relaxed.

I of course freaked out, again, over the suspension bridge. Since I've gotten older my fear of heights has increased. The knowledge that only three people can be on the bridge at a time didn't help! This is where you end up when you manage to cross it! There are 108 steps to the top. I was informed by Hannaa that 108 is an important number to the Buddists, and that's why. She also told me that there is a male and a female budda. I had no idea!

We all went to this Korean restaurant to eat. It was kind of confusing because for some reason we weren't actually allowed into the restaurant. We holed up in two gers and had our food. It was nice to be inside because it was quite chilly at that time. Terry and Andrew brought some sporting equipment and ended up playing "Mogol" baseball. I call it this because Terry found a stick on the ground he used as a bat. Everyone had fun! Oh, and you are not to make fun of my ginormous glasses! I need them to keep the dust out of my eyes!

A few of us went out for dinner last night. Sue, Naomi, the new ESL teacher Donna and I all went. I invited Doogie, but she was busy. There is this really great Indian restaurant near the wrestling palace. We had samosas to start and a variety of dishes. I was full but the food was so good I had to keep eating. As a result, I spent the rest of the evening rolling around on my couch, unable to sleep. I should have known better! Some of the other teachers went on a "Pub Crawl" to celebrate St. Paddy's day, but we just weren't into it. It was kind of funny because we were all sitting around the table kind of humming and just in general being happy about the food. It reminded me of eating good food with mom and how we both enjoy a good meal.

Many of us have been down with the sickness that's been going around. I was the first to catch the chest thing that others are just now getting. A few teachers have had to take a couple of days off. Sue commended me on my "soldiering through" but I fear that's why it's taking me longer to get over it. Doogie hated to admit that her husband was right, but he had told her to take a day off and she did not. As a result (perhaps) she wound up having to take 3 off instead. She was going crazy at home, with nothing to do. I would have too!

Since I have decided to stay next year ( and most people are keeping mum about if they are or not, I only know for sure Colin has said he'd stay ) I felt it would be appropriate if I got a couple of plants. There are many plants in the school and one afternoon Yumchigmaa, Chandmani and I went on a secret mission to procure me some plants. It was funny because at one point Yumchigmaa said "Remeber Miss M, there are cameras everywhere!" I laughed, but also realized she was right! I now have a few struggling plants on my window sill. One that we "borrowed" didn't make it but I discovered in the upper bathroom plants left to root, so I took two of them. I do have some good light in my window so hopefully they will prosper.

Just as the plants add to my quality of life, we were talking last night a bit about my puppy, Gobi. I said I'd only had her for two weeks but felt she added so much to my daily existence. Sue said that while I had her my eyes were so bright! I guess I must really be a dog person. Naomi began to ask me about my philosophy on religion. I was full from food and not really in a mind to discuss such matters, but I told her basically how I felt. That I believe in energy and the idea that the universe wants to move towards an order. I also said that I don't really believe in a reason for life, we just are. I have always felt religion was a way to try to make sense out of what we cannot control and that believing in a higher being(s) took matters out of our hands. It's a bit of a cop-out if you ask me (and you didn't). You have little responsibilty for your actions. In class, we have been discussing ancient Greece (Olympics theme in mind) and other indigenous peoples. I have been explaining about how these people put their fates in the hands of such beings through sacrifice and the like. I do make it a point never to say if they were right or not in such actions, if there is a god or if I believe in one. This is not up to me, and I feel it's wrong. There are so many different religions here and I'd hate to tread on anyone's toes.

Speaking of the Olympics. They are here in Beijing this summer. It may pose a problem flight-wise for me to get home for my break! Must see Farley!

I may have spoken too quickly, the snow is swirling once again where the dust was yesterday. Over the past week and a half it's been in the plus, but today it was not so. The dust storms were replaced by snow storms. Okay, well, not storms like we know them in North America, but those maintenance men were sweeping those straw brooms to clear the snow, only to turn around and find they needed to do it again.

Things are going along here well. I am helping to update the website, thanks to everyone else's prolific picture taking! There are so many photos to choose from, and I'm trying to make it balanced between all the grades. I must admit, it is hard not to just put all my own classes photos there! I shall resist the urge though. Now that I am learning more of the student body through various activities, I see my students, but older. It is encouraging and invigorating. However, I have learned that the tactics I use with the grade 3's only get crazy, cock-eyed looks from the older students. I explain that I am still in elementary school mode and need a minute to snap out of it. They at least grant me that.

It would appear here that with spring comes dust storms. The winds have a tendency to pick up quickly. They have erected a ger in the playground for the kids to have some refuge from the brutal winds. I admit, I was to head into town after school yesterday but was deterred by the winds. I worry about my eyes. They've been pretty good since my diagnosis and am out of drops. I need some goggles like the camel rider!

One of the student's here has been nice enough to organize a day trip to Terelj for the teachers. I am very much looking forward to heading to the countryside for a day and getting out of the city. There is much opportunity to travel here and the accomodations are easy to find and nice in the ger camps. It's the transportation! We have no way to get there! Still, I would not think of driving here, ever! The roads are bad and the drivers kind of crazy! Just the other day, someone in Doogie's extended family got plowed down by a car at a cross walk. I have learned only to cross with other people at these walks, as there is saftey in numbers. It's sad though, that someone lost their life because everyone here is in such a hurry to get nowhere.

Doogie was on a mission and got me some medication for this brutal cold I've been enduring. I think it's amoxicillin, but it's spelled amoksisillin. I also got some nasal spray. I have had many kids off sick, some for longer than others. One was gone for nearly two weeks! Doogie said that in the winter they will often close the schools down for a week to give the sickness a chance to dissipate and students (and teachers) an opportunity to recover.

I have decided to go to Thailand for my spring vacation. It is fairly inexpensive and I can book a tour so I can see lots of sights and travel saftely alone. I am looking forward to it, as I missed my Christmas vacation. Anyone have any must see spots there that I simply can't miss? Let me know!

This cold has slowly been metamorphasizing into something all it's own. I manage to make it through the week, every week for the past 5, I think soley on adrenaline, but every weekend it's the same. I'm flat out and so stuffed up. My sinuses feel so compacted. I feel at a loss. I have done basically everything I can think of, short of drinking my own urine (still not gonna happen!), to beat this thing. I actually whined to Tina yesterday morning. She came by to disperse some of the many chocolates she got for woman's day (I got jellies, my students knowing I don't eat a lot of chocolate). As she was leaving she asked if there was anything I needed and mentally I say 'Yeah! Please do the dishes and my laundry.' Literally, I croaked, "No." The weather is finally warming up. It's in the plus now in the afternoons, which feels so warm to us. I won't fall into the trap though, where you think it's safe but you wind up more sick! Even Doogie has been off for three days! So unlike her, but she'll be back on Monday. She has missed the class and work, due to a terrible headache and being stuck at home, and we have missed her.

Some new teachers have arrived! One is going to take my students for two periods a week! I'm so excited. I'll finally have time, time to get things done with out "Miss M?" One of my students actually followed me into the bathroom and was calling me, "Miss M?", "Miss M, are you in here?" I finally responded and she proceeded to tell me through the bathroom door that I was shy. I said, "How do you mean?"

"You're shy because you don't come into the pool with us! You are Miss Thin! You should come in!" Little does she know that the main reason I won't come in is because I only have a bitty bikini to wear and for my liking, too many visible tattoos. I just told her that it was 'complicated.' I also had flashbacks to my own poor mother, just home from work and going into the bathroom. I would stand outside yelling, "Mom!" Once, I recall, I sang the entire theme song to Mr. Roger's neighbourhood, just to show her I'd learned all the words. I also would yell Tony the Tiger's catch phrase "They're Great!". I'm sure she was impressed. It's silly, actually, what little kids need as encouragement. I say, "Wow, that's great!" and they are happy. It seems silly to me, but that's because I require so much more assurance as my life has become more complicated. Now I read into smiles and nods as though they are tarot cards. With kids, it's just what it is. My students, though, do know when I'm genuinely listening or not, and call me on it everytime. I do have a few time suckers who always want to 'help me' but really that means just stand there, hug me, and annoy me. I have to tell them to concentrate on their own work. They also pretend to take so much offence when I josh them, but they love it. I only do it to the ones who can understand though, the English is still varied. I have taken to pretending that I'm going to cut off an offending finger just for having a paper cut. It seems the worst thing in the world until I offer to take care of it for them. They come up to my desk all serious, and I am too, untill I hold their finger and put the scissors up to them. They squeal with delight! I also ask anyone who's running in the halls, "Are you on fire?" I usually get a confused look from the older students who finally respond by saying, "No." So, I tell them, "Then, there's no reason to run!"

We are more than halfway through the school year, and it was time to talk about contracts. Mr. Gary Diamond (who happened across my blog quite accidentally but was complimentary) was here to discuss renewals. I was lucky to be invited back and after much thinking (thanks for being out of town mom!) decided to renew. I would gladly work with Doogie again next year and who could turn down these faces? These photos are actually thanks to Mr. Richard, who has been extremely prolific in his photo taking since his arrival.
Albeit, these youngun's will have moved on next year, but I will have a new bunch who need me too. I'm actually looking forward to the prospect of augmenting my first year teachings, now that I know what I'm doing! I'll be much better prepared and ready for more impromptu ideas. Not that I'm not already silly in my explainations; I have found that's the way to keep attention. I make silly noises and gestures, but it holds attention and some of the kids actually remember what I say! I had the biggest compliment of the year, and it didn't come from anyone who was an adult. It came from Munkhbold. He said, "Miss M! You're so funny, your face is like a comic's! You're the best teacher I have ever had!" This, from a boy! That is like; Me, one, Universe, nada.

The Konopaski's have left us. Their presence is missed, and the vacancy will never be filled. They were the sweetest, most benign beings I have ever encountered. Just, so full of goodness and the very best intentions. Christina was just over 7 mos pregnant and had to get a note from her doctor that it was alright for her to travel by plane. We did have a send off for them and it was too overwhelming when John, big strong John, broke down during his speech. It made me choke up and many of my student too. They were so sad all they wanted to do was go hug them. But, just as Christina predicted, once they were gone, it wasn't such a big deal. I must admit that now the school nurse is gone, the students have fewer ailments that can't be cured by going to the bathroom!

It was International Woman's Day this Saturday. To celebrate it our school held a candy-o-gram dealie. It took forever to explain to them that the candies would not be delivered to their homes for their mothers and other such questions. The swim teacher actually came to the classroom looking for us! On the day of it hapening, one boy in my class sent three to himself! I got three and felt very special!

One of my students, Enkhdelger, gave me this English book to read. It's titled "Marley and Me" and might as well be called "Farley and Me". It's all the foibles of new-dog ownership. I actually teared up at one part when the puppy was so sympathetic with one of it's new owners. It reminded me how adept Farley was at reading my moods and knowing exactly how to react. It is worked into the new contract that there are to be no pets allowed. I found this a little confusing due to the fact that I was informed there were no pets on my initial signing, however, upon my arrival I discovered a pair of teachers had a cat. Not that I would put Farley through the gruelling flight here, that would just be cruel. Plus, the conditions here, while he would have his hay-day and I probably would never see him once I let him off the leash, would leave him open for fights and other contanimants. Still, I miss that boy. We've been a duo for so many years. It's just so strange not waking up to him waking up with me! Even after these months, I still feel his fur in my hand and hear him behind the door when I am opening it. I hear so many dogs barking, but it never bothers me because I know my doggie's bark, and none of them are it. Well, unless, it's when I'm trying to sleep and 12 of them are doing it, or it's 3 am and the same thing!