Now looking back

Everyone likes stories, and I have lots. Not all are interesting to read, but they'll be fun for me to remember. So while I have lots of time on my hands, I'm going to recount some of the memories I have from Mongolia. I'm also trying to sort through my pictures, so I'll post them for my and your enjoyment.

Most of you have facebook and/or myspace pages, so I'm not going to bother updating you on the past 4 months that I've been home, other than to say I'm in M-town but will be moving to DC in January or February to work at the State Deparment. Whoo hoo!

Student play
Originally uploaded by jemacole2

This photo is from one of the many talent shows the schools hold each year. They love their talent shows. This one was a competition between classes. Each class had to prepare performances in difference categories: Mongolian traditional singing, Mongolian traditional dancing, hip-hop, pop, Mongolian instruments, group song... all kinds of stuff. I think there were 9 categories. And these competitions would start in the morning and last until 11 in the evening. It was crazy.

The first year I was so annoyed by this competition. Like most events, I didn't know about them until they were happening. But I was always expected to attend. It was always incredibly frustrating to finish up classes and get ready to head home and then be pulled into another event. I was excited about it at first. I love watching their performances. But after the first 3 classes performed basically the same 30-minute show, I was ready to go home and have some dinner. The first year was also when I wasn't eating the school's food because it made me so incredibly sick. So I probably had a packet of cookies and that's all. I remember being very unhappy.

The second year, though, I had my own classes. I knew the students and was rooting for them. I could also eat the food, which helped dramatically. This picture is of my favorite class. They were my 10th grade English specialized class. Most of these kids came directly from the countryside. In the countryside, high schools only teach to 8th grade. Then most kids move away from their families to continue studying in the province capitals. This class, because they weren't from my town and hadn't ever been taught or hadn't ever even seen a foreigner, were much more receptive to me than the other classes. That's why I loved them.

The week of this competition, the students kept talking about what they were preparing. Then the day of the competition they weren't sure they were going to participate. Apparently some of the boys were embarassed. So when I went to watch, I was waiting to see if they would perform. Their time came and they didn't show up. But, I guess they asked if they could perform last and the school managers agreed. I wasn't thrilled about staying til the end, but these were my kids. And they did really well. They had this amazing poem reading (Mongolians love to recite poems, and it's pretty fun to watch.) They acted out a lost-love story as they read. I loved it. And no other class had done something like that. I was so proud. I couldn't get pictures, though, because it was night by then and nothing was turning out.

This picture is of their opening. They sang a traditional Mongolian song in their traditional outfits. It was also slightly different than the other classes. It's definitely a good memory.