Training has Begun!

Hello everyone! We have been in training the last two days for about six hours each day. Today we practiced planning lessons and teaching them in front of each other. It was very entertaining to be bad students who speak little Asian and how the teachers responded. I think we will all be ready Monday, when camp begins.

This afternoon, after a rather boring session here at the hotel, we were able to go to a culture show. The performers (Mongolians) wore their traditional costumes, which are beautiful and colorful. They played traditional music, including horse hair instruments kind of like violins that they hold with their knees, singers who can sing in two tones at the same time, elegant dances, and a contortionist who put her legs behind her head and moved them like they were alive (so cool). It was a really cool show, and  it almost convinced me to stay in Mongolia forever (I'm still thinking about it...).

We will be staying at this nice hotel until Friday, and then take a train to camp where we will teach students. Four of us will be teaching in gerrs. I hope I'm one of them! We will go from nice beds, warm meals, hot showers, to greasy food, 2 showers for 100 girls, and who knows what else. I'm so excited! Well, I've got to go, my awesome teammates are playing phase 10. Farewell! (P.S. If you comment, please do not say anything religious, just to be safe. Thanks a ton and I miss you all!)

Mongolia!

Sa bano! (hello)I'm in mongolia! We got here yesterday morning after traveling 13 hours to Beijing then three more to Ulaanbaater (UB)the capital. We toured the city and saw a memorial, where I got to hold an eagle. So heavy and so cool! Today we split up and went to several churches. At the one I went to they had guitars and sang with their hands up. Though I didn't understand them, it was so cool to worship with them. They even had us come to the front and sang a blessing to us. So neat! We ate at a Chinese place that was good, we all shared 10 dishes. This afternoon we are going shopping and touring some more. We will be staying here at a hotel in the capital till Friday, then we will go out to camp in the country to teach English. Training begins tomorrow, and I can't wait to learn more about this country and people, though i am not ready to work hard. Well, I must go. Hope you are all doing well! Barista!

From California to Mongolia

Wow! I've been in California (and Nevada, had to see Vegas) with my family the last ten days or so. And yes, that picture is of a humpback whale. It and its calf came right next to our boat while whale watching in Monterey Bay. So awesome! God is truly amazing.

I wish I could talk about everything we saw and did on the trip, but that would probably just bore you. Some of the highlights were: waterfalls at Yosemite, giant sequoia trees, a spotted owl at Muir Forest and redwood trees, sea otters, sea lions, and harbor seals in Monterey Bay, humback whales and pacific white sided dolphins


while whale watching, unique rock formations with water gushing on them and the beautiful coastline of Big Sur. Why don't I live in California by the sea?!

It was a great trip, and on Thursday I leave for Mongolia to teach English. Woohoo! I won't have my computer, but there will be internet access, and hopefully computers. I'll try to write about my travels on this blog frequently, but I'm not exactly sure what our schedule will be like. I don't know if I will be able to upload photos over there either. I'll write as often as I can, so stay tuned! (If for some reason I can't access my blog, I will send out emails to friends and family about the trip, but check here first).