The end of an adventure

The end of summer is drawing near. In less than a week all the kids in my area will be running up and down the halls of school. My area though has changed dramatically since my last post.
In the month of July my time in Mongolia came to an end.
I miss the beauty of the country and people, and wish that I could've stayed to finish teaching my kids, but such is life. I know that my students will do great.
As for me, I am onto a new advetnure.
I am home in Florida and will be adventuring to Hawaii in about 2 months for a new adventure.
Stay tuned.

Just for Fun

There something that I have recently learned. I am a star. 

You will all get a kick out of this. 

In August when are sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer, there is full scale show that is put on.

This show is preformed by all of the new volunteers. 

We practice for weeks on end and learn all kinds of things that we didn't think possible. 

Below you will find the link to my preformance. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. 

(Although if you look close enough you can see me counting the steps... I was so afraid that I would forget the steps)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztMFl7cFu4Y

(if this doesn't work go to YouTube and look for "Christy preforms a traditional Mongolian dance "Bayad") 

The joys of Food!!

So just a quick line..

I was shopping today and came across so far the most exciting think that I have found in many months. Of course it wasn't even something that I knew that I missed or could get that excited over. 

I have coke, which is very important to me, potato chips, ramen noodles, snickers, m&m's and a resturant that I can get a decent burger at. Of all these things I have found something that I have been told don't exist in Mongolia. 

I found PRETZELS!! 

Delicious salty pretzels. Good with beer, good for dipping in mustard, good for a snack, and just plain delicious. 

Now if I can only find goldfish!!

UUUGGGHHHHHH!!!!

Of all things to happen to me! Why... Why this!!! First my camera quite working so I am limited to the documentation of my time here. I can only steal the eyes of others. (Pictures) Now, now I have lost all access that I have to the outside world. 

On Wednesday March 25, 2009, my light went out. I was typing and then the table broke there was a huge crash; the tea went everywhere; and then there was nothing. No lights, no power.. nothing. 

Now I am forced to use the connections of others. And this is not going to be a permanent solution. What did we do before technology? It is a question that I have asked myself frequently in the last few months. 

Without skype, without email. Without cell phones and calling cards. 

Now I am going to find out,...

I have no computer!!!!!! AGHHHH!!!!!

The days of Spring Break

The time that I have spent in Mongolia has taught me alot of patience. There are many reasons, the atm lines, the random pushing, and the unknown. 

A prime example was this week. It was the start of "spring break" there was supposed to be a competition that we (all of the Volunteers in my area) were to help facilitate but due to severe weather that was to come through Mongolia the competition was postponed. (indefinetly) There is no telling when it will be now. Along with that our break was supposed to be only one week. At least that is what I was told last week, before the break actually started.

As I was walking around town, just finishing my shopping for the day actually, I ran into one of my counter parts. We said the usual greetings and then she told me that our break had been extended for another week. 

Now don't get me wrong I throughly enjoy vacation, it would have been nice to know that I had 2 weeks off before now. I may have been able to plan an trip or something. 

That is just the way things go around here. (Still don't know when the competition will be.... Guess I will just wait and see.) 

After the Holidays--- This is what happens

After the first of January life tends to go back to normal, farily quick. The decorations come down and everyone goes to back work and that is it. 

There is a witer break that I got to enjoy at the end of January. It was a whole week without work. At least without teaching. Becasue I worked alot that week. (It was actually the week of inaguration.- So more like February.)

I ran my own bed and breakfast that week. 

My site me Ashlee and I decieded that we should have an inaugural party, celebrating the Bama. So we invited a plethora of our friends. From the far reaches of Mongolia they came. 

We made Cheeseburgers on my ger stove, and it was like actually grilling. It was DELICIOUS!!

I had 12 guests stay at Christy's Bed-n-Breakfast. 

It was much fun!

Except until the last night, when I got mugged.

But..... that is all in the past. 

Shin Jilth

 All the girls. My counterparts that I work with.
 The party decorations
Me and Nara, by the Shin Jilth tree
WHAT?!?
Apparently this holiday is the combination of Christmas and New Years. Shin Jilth literally translates into New (Shin) Year (Jilth). The excitment begins to build aorund the middle of December. The decoratioins come out and the sparkly things are everywhere. 

The celeberations start the last week of December, and continue until the end of the first week of January.

There is a father Christmas. He brings gifts that go under a tree- the tree is a Christmas Tree, but here iit is a Shin Jilth tree. And he has an assistant, they are called Snow girls. (Usually little girls dressed up in thee cutest outfits.) 

There is lots of food, and lots of drink. 

I went to a party at my school. All the teachers get together and we had dinner and dancing. It was great fun. 

I was a little underdressed though. Apparently it is the custom here to wear the most formal, promish style dress that you can find. (All I had was a simple black dress- every girl should have one in there closet.) 

The night of New Years; Emily, Zeneta, Tuul, Ochgo and I were all at Emilies for the nightly festivities. We enjoyed a delicous dinner, and some bubbly. Then at the magical hour of midnight we watched all the fireworks that were set off,  and toasted to the new year. 

It was a great way to start 2009.