I am sick....again. About 3 weeks ago I got larengitis, and couldn't talk for a week, it was actually kinda funny as they still kinda made me teach. But mostly I just typed up a bunch of curiculum stuff that they then managed to delete. I cried, which was also funny. My voice came back and was replaced by a wicked cough and eternally runny nose...horray chest/sinus infection! The after two weeks of that the docs finally but me on anti biotics...lets hope they work as I've already got costal condolitis (stabbing pains in my ribs where the violent coughing has enflamed the cartalage...fun times). You win again Mongolia...maybe I'm not so sorry for polluting your air with my coal fumes.
Besides the horrific bouts of illness life in the soum has been great. I've gotten my firemaking routein down to an art. I've gotten my schedule cut back to reasonable hours. I've got my students finally respecting me, and by respect I mean they think that what with my cool new professional look (thanks for the wardrobe update Mom!) that they will at least pretend to learn, sometimes. I haven't had to clean or prepare any animal intestines. For Meredith's sake I won't go into the school's outhouse situation :::shudder::: I've lost the excess
Teacher's Holiday was last week. Free food and drink. Dance party with the older students (my Mongolian waltz is getting better, I think). I got an award from the town's Cultural Center. They also gave me a present...checkers, but with sheep ankle bones instead of plastic pieces, not as creepy as it sounds. I gave a speech about how Mongolian teachers should feel lucky because their students love them while in America teachers are often viewed as just another thing in the classroom. Because of my miserably sick state I was allowed to leave at 10pm (after the fireworks show), while the rest of the teachers partied in the library until 6am. That's okay. Gurgi and I had our own party, and by party I mean making it 15 minuets into Lethal Weapon 3 until the tylonol pm kicked in and I passed out.
Tsaagan Sar ("White Month"), aka the Mongolian Lunar New year/biggest holiday of the year, is on February 25th! I have been most busy helping my countryside extended Mongolian family prepare. We made 1000 dumplings this week, and thats just for "Grandpa's" ger. I'm most excited and can't wait for all the delicious food and drink and the random gift socks. This year will be extra special as I get to share Bituun ("Tsaagan Sar Eve") with my "family." I've yet to experience this aspect of Tsaagan Sar as its only for family, and I didn't have that in Dornod.
The weather has been really nice and crisp, windy as all get up but nice. I have been wearing my thin long-johns and only one pair of socks (also the new boots I got...gloriously warm, actually a bit too warm...my feet sweat and now the stench from inside my boots rivals that of an outhouse in summer O_o). But of course for my first trip into the city since coming back to Mongolia it gets cold and snowy again so I freeze anytime I go out, especially since I ride the bus. Honestly, why pay 5,000 tugrugs for a taxi when you can take the bus for 200? Sure it takes you an hour, but you would only spend that extra time on YouTube. I also got frostnip of the ear when I first came back...talk about ouch. At first it was like I had cardboard for ears, and the the week of peeling ear skin. Double layering my hats may look goofy, but its less so that being earless.
Recieved and e-mail from the Country Director...Close of Service is August 18. It seems so far away, and yet I know it will come all too soon. My plan as of now is to stay in Mongolia another year and work with my friend Shuree at her English Center. I'm excited, and it will give me extra time to quit my sheep stomach soup addiction.
That's all for now, the whole interweb thing has overwhelmed me and I haven't even checked my e-mail yet.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment