A Week Typique

Black Market Minstrels.  I'm not sure about the accordions but these two drew quite a crowd. 

The happy teacher.  "Can't wait for the massage!!!"

Hi one and all,  Pam is on the mend finally and the Indian Summer weather continues to grace us.  We've been experiencing 20's-30's in the a.m. but by midday we're blessed with 60's.  The blue sky is almost always present since the real cold hasn't hit us causing the gers to fire up their stoves and burn low quality coal.
     I thought you might like an idea of what our typical week is like.  It starts with the horn blowing and the rumble of a train around 5:30 which I still haven't gotten use to.  By about 7:15 Pam and I head off walking to school even though the school sends a bus to pick up staff and students at 7:30.  We tend to pass the same elderly couple each morning and exchange hellos accompanied with vapor steams,  ours in Mongolian and theirs sometimes in English.  The guard at the school gate has a great smile and wave for us upon arrival.  Once at school there is tea and hot water for Nescafe waiting.  This luxury remains at the ready all day taken care of by one of the custodians.
     The school day is made of 8 periods with subjects sometimes being a full block (2 periods).  School starts for the kids at 8:20 and ends at 2:50.  They have classes in 2 languages, art, music, math, science, humanities, PE, design tech (shop) and drama.  There is a break at midmorning for the primary students who usually runaround outside, play foosball, ping pong or shoot pool.  The school has 4 ping pong tables and 2 pool tables along with a foosball table that are used again after lunch when the students have some down time.
     The students participate in after school activities from 3:00-4:00 from Tues. - Thurs.   The number of activities is up to them.  The activities, which we are required to offer, are varied for example, organizing and running recreational activities for severely disabled students from a local school to additional English practice to fly tying/fishing.
     Faculty meetings are Monday afternoons from 4ish to 5:00.  Prior to that teachers meet within their programs to address issues or concerns.
     Wednesdays, the blind masseuse and her husband, who is also a masseuse, come to the school for about 2 hours and offer 20 min. massages for roughly $6.50.  The signup sheet fills up quickly and there is such a demand the couple is staying an extra half hour.  I feel so great afterwards and now that they are staying later Pam is a happy camper.
     Friday mornings is "Shake and Bake" time.  Four staff members bring in breakfast for all the other staff who have committed to bringing in breakfast on a Friday.  It's a great way to get the Friday going.  During the week, we can get croissants, petite pain au chocolate, or a ham and cheese croissant baked by the French chef and his staff.  One bite and you're looking for the Eiffle Tower out the window.
     I have been assigned to give support to the 6th grade class because of the number of struggling students in that grade.  When I'm not in a class with them I'm observing other students of concern from kindergarten to 12 grade.  I meet with teachers to discuss teaching strategies or meet with students to put together organizational plans, offer study techniques or put together behavior plans to address behaviors.   In addition to our teaching duties there are non teaching duties dependent on the number of classes that one teaches.  I have five 20 minute blocks per week.  The day flies by.  The school website is www.isumongolia.edu.mn  There is a weekly news letter on line in English and Mongolian and soon to be in Korean.  This week the visiting accreditation committees are here followed by October break.  Pam and I are hoping to get in some sight seeing with other staff staying here.  Coming up...Naming a baby in Mongolia and a surreal evening of salsa dancing.  Cheers!