Of course, let's remember I am in Mongolia, and thank goodness for the internet, however, things do not always work as one would expect.......thus no pics with this blog right now...surprise... I am at the internet cafe and can't seem to get my pics on...
There is so much that has happened since I last posted! I have finished my pre-service training (aka PST)and now am a full fledged Peace Corps volunteer!(PCV) Hoorah!!! Me and 74 others in this M 21 class (that's Mongolia and the 21st group of volunteers to be here!)
In my little amaig center of 20K+ residents, there are two other CYD (community youth development) M20 PCV's, as well as me, one English teacher (TEFL) and one business volunteer (I forget the acronym)...There are also 3 VSO (Volunteer service organization out of Great Britain) volunteers here in town, and two more TEFL's in soums (small towns) a couple hours out.
So many opportunities for English speaking as well as the fact that most of my counterparts at the school (about 5 teachers, 2 social workers and many others) who already speak English and many more who want to learn... My Mongolian language skills are not so good and I will be tutored by one of the social workers who does not speak Englsih...
Still getting settled into my apartment, an old, old building though they tell me it is the warmest, but on the down side it flooded a couple times last year, and there were some electricial problems...yikes...I just bought some bleach at the market today and will dilute it and use it to wash down walls, etc....good times...
However, I must give kudos to my school as they gave me a washing machine ( a little labor intensive but definetly beats the crap out of hand washing), a fridg, a TV and DVD player (though they aren't hooked up yet and that will take some time I am sure), curtains....and they are all welcoming people....I think I'm gonna like it here!
Us three new PCV's met with one of the VSO's last evening and we all plan to hang out this weekend...the M20's are currently in UB for training and shall return next week...
Not sure exactly what my job will entail right now...though the director is as excited as me about a big garden (out in the countryside) for the school as well as possibly a greenhouse and me re-doing the potential garden areas around the school...so that's awesome!
My school is named the Number #1 school (literally, that's it's name) and it has over 2500 students and over 100 teachers plus other staff....There is a dormitory which houses around 100 children from the countryside as well....
