Sept. 25th: Field trips

 What's a soybean?

 This can't be beans!!

 The hat is cool.  Where are the beans?

 No way I'm arm wrestling either of these two.

 What, these are beans too?

My smile says I know this will quiet them down.  

 What language is this?

 Is it art?

 We're off!  Just don't look up.

 Thank God we're now on flat ground!

 I think it's this way.  Are there any volunteers that want to check it out?

 I'll wait here until the ibuprofen starts to work.

This is a Shaman prayer pile.  We added a lot a rocks to make sure we had a good trip.  Pam needed to add a few more rocks.

This has been a busy week full of field trips that culminated in an overnight backpacking trip with my after school activity (ASA), the YACs (Young Adventurers Club).  It seems I've become a popular chaperone for field trips.  The trips have been great for a number of reasons; one being I get to spend time with kids from different grades and get to know their teachers a bit better.  Two, I'm also getting to see places in UB that I'd never think of seeing or probably never be able to find.  The 2nd grade class visited a soybean factory.  We all got to see the processes to producing soy milk, soy meat, soy flour and other soy products that I'm sure I've forgotten.  Talk about labor intensive, we watched 2 women chopping up a soy product that was going to be turned into soy meat or soy tofu.  They chop for hours.  The best part of the tour was the opportunity to try stir fry and pastries made from soybeans.  Absolutely delicious!  On our way to the factory, as our driver fought the continuous battle to gain a few millimeters of blacktop, we came to a roundabout.  At this spot I stared in amazement at a Mongolian on horseback trying to find a momentary opportunity to get his horse into the flow of traffic to get to some destination.  As our bus dodged the multitude of other dodging cars and trucks I saw the horseman join the flow of traffic with a look of confidence that he must have developed long ago when he learned how to ride as a young boy.  No wonder the Mongolians are considered some of the best horse people in the world.  The next trip had me escorting 7th graders to a wall outside of the train station to take photos of local graffiti artists that the students were then going to analyze and determine if the work was art or defacement of property.  Then on Sat. Pam, Dave, from England, myself and 13 students began a long steep climb up to a ridge with various forms of backpacks that had sleeping bags, pads, food, snacks and clothing hanging from them.  As we unloaded the van to begin the ascent and feeling the weight that some of the kids were caring I was sure this was going to be like one of those car rides that every parent hates.  WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE?  I'M TIRED.  I'M HUNGRY.  HOW MUCH LONGER?  I was truly amazed.  These kids are tough.  No complaining, they were in pretty good shape, asked questions and completed the hike to where we spent the night in a pine forest.  No, these kids are not aliens as some demonstrated at the campsite by jumping over stoves as people were trying to cook or not attaching the gas bottle correctly resulting in a near bonfire.  Pam loved getting out of UB even though she had a crash and burn moment that we're keeping on eye on to make sure we don't have to go the the health center for X-rays later this week.  The weather cooperated with two beautiful warm days and a cool night that required down jackets.  Fall has arrived turning the larch and white birch into a painter's pallet of various hues of yellows, golds and browns.  From our vantage point we could see the brownish haze of UB that may also indicate fall is here with an increase in heat producing smoke coming from the stacks of the various power plants in the city.  What a contrast in such a short distance.  As we headed back to where the bus was going to pick us up it was apparent that the distance is getting shorter as we witnessed numerous construction sites on the edge of the mountains.   In addition to the trips Friday found us with a group of friends in a local karaoke joint.  Here you get a private room for so much an hour with a playlist that includes Korean, Chinese, British and American songs, disco lights, two microphones and couches all around.  You can order drinks from the bar that doubles as a welcome desk or you can bring in your own booze and snacks.  What a hoot!  We just discovered that this past week our cable provider, I'm not sure I should refer to them as a provider it's more like an attempter, now has ESPN HD as well as ESPN standard and ESPN News.  Pam and I watched Saturday's Red Sox/Yankees game which, for us Boston fans, was painful.  Eat your hearts out you HCC gym rats!  That's it from Shangri La.  I hope anyone who is reading this is realizing that Mongolia is a unique country that deserves consideration for a visit.  Cheers!!