These are some more homework responses from my students. Enjoy!
Why is Mongolia a special country? What is good about Mongolia? What is bad about Mongolia?
Allie – 31 Mar
I lived in Mongolia. Mongolian is the pride of my. The Gobi Desert occupies almost 30 percent of our country vast terriotory. The Mongolian Gobi has high mountain, cold springs, evergreen forest gold sands, Suhkbaatar square is one the beautiful place in UB. The national holidays are celebrated Sukhbaatar. Bad – Mongolian is no grape, appicot, plum
If you could travel back in time to 1597 in England (When Romeo and Juliet was written), what would you ask William Shakespeare? Why?
Ashley – 8 April
I would ask Why are you killed Romeo and Juliet at the ending of the movie William Shakespeare. Because its question very important for me. I watch a very much this movie on TV. I like Romeo and Juliet.
Rachel – 7 Apr
I would ask William Shakespeare why did you kill the Romeo and Juliet in play. I think that they must live. Because their death is stupid.
Dana – 8 April
First, I would see him very carefully. I would introduce myself and mention about Mongolia. I am lucky one. Because god gave me a chance to meet you. I am very glad that. And then I would ask him “Why were you write play which is call Romeo and Juliet?” “Why?” “Was it your love story or not…?” “Why were you decide to die main characters?” “Was Juliet beautiful woman appeared like movie?” Was it real story or not…?”
Jessica – 8 April
I’d say William Shakespeare that you are the greatest writer of all period and I’d want to become his apprentice. After I’d talk to him about his famous plays. I’d be together with him during his writing period. But I won’t disturb him. Because I want to know about his writing style and inspiration.
Emily – 8 Apr
I would say William Shakespeare, you are an very talented author and I appreciate you. So, I would say to ask write about my life. Because I work together with him. After study from him lots of knowledge, I expect that would become the famous author. I wish people read the plays, written by myself.
Anni – 8 April
Shakespeare is very famouse not only in Europea but also all around the world people knows about Shakespeare. If I meet with him it will be golden chance for me. I will ask from he. Why do you know about other places? you never been there. Are you real or not? Do you write by your self or somebody help you? Why Rome and Juliet should die? Why they don’t need to live long together?
Why is telling the truth and being real difficult?
Emily – 1 Apr
It is very difficult to lie someone because I don’t want to suffer my parents heart. I can’t tell lie because of afraid from someone. I like tell truly to people anything. Never! Don’t be lie.
Why is slavery good?
Dana – 8 Apr
I think it is false/wrong question. Because slavery is very bad word. Slavery is very bad thing. It violates of human and person’s right. It is an oppression to someone labour. I heard it before from American Early life/maybe latin America. Some slave is almost black people. I read about the book, called “Half-caste woman.” Slaves lived bad environment and do many difficult works. At the end, I want to tell again, slavery is not good thing.
What is your worst nightmare?
Alicia – 19 Apr
My worst nightmare is about die. I was walking desert ground. However I suddenly to fall in hole. Just when have a dangerous and terrible me. How awful!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Vacuum Anyone?
Last Sunday, I came back from a week in the countryside.
A couple months ago, my director asked me if I would lead a week-long English language training for the teachers of my school. She explained that 12 teachers would attend, two from each department. She also explained that this seminar would be called “Vacuum Training.”
Being that this seminar was seven days long, I decided to enlist the help of two other PCVs. The first, Rachel, came for Monday and Tuesday. Chris came later in the week, staying from Thursday until Saturday midday. Needless to say, I am more than thankful that I got a little help from my friends.
When we arrived at the site, Zulzaga, I thought I had just landed at a vacation spot. Forest. Hills. Trails. Sunshine. A cool breeze. And then we went inside. After seeing what I had seen many times before (the lobby and the cafeteria), I saw what I’ve never seen in Mongolia. The manager had led me to the computer lab, a room of 21 brand new computers each equipped with speakers and Windows Vista 2007. Additionally, the room had a projector hanging from the ceiling and a large screen set along the front wall. In the middle of know where, I had at my disposal the perfect set of classrooms, indoors and out. Ooh, buddy!
We watched American movies, we played games, and we went for lots and lots of walks. We talked about family, education, controversial issues, nature, politics, international relations, health, genocide and culture. We covered listening, writing, reading and most importantly, speaking and thinking. We spoke formally, but more often, informally. We learned words like “nuh uh,” “virgin” and “euthanasia.” We even had a gen-u-wine Mongolian birthday party fit with circle dancing and “Peter’s cocktail,” a new brand of Mongolian alcoholic beverage I’d shown them consisting of vodka…with juice. Who knew? We gave the teachers the most unorthodox training they’d probably ever experienced.
In their free time, teachers spoke mostly English. In their free time, teachers asked for more grammar instruction. In their free time, teachers studied and practiced the previous day’s lessons.
In my free time, I took naps. I went for runs through the forest. I watched half of the first season of “The Wire” on the 22nd of the new 2007 Dells, the one in my room.
By the end of the week, we were all exhausted and ready to go home.
On the ride back to Darkhan, teachers weren’t only speaking in English, but they were laughing in English.
Since we got back, I’ve had several people asking to be put on the list for the next Vacuum Training. One teacher even said she would pay her own way.
Yesterday, my third course students asked me if they too could have a Vacuum Training…during their summer vacation.
English is high demand these days.
A couple months ago, my director asked me if I would lead a week-long English language training for the teachers of my school. She explained that 12 teachers would attend, two from each department. She also explained that this seminar would be called “Vacuum Training.”
Being that this seminar was seven days long, I decided to enlist the help of two other PCVs. The first, Rachel, came for Monday and Tuesday. Chris came later in the week, staying from Thursday until Saturday midday. Needless to say, I am more than thankful that I got a little help from my friends.
When we arrived at the site, Zulzaga, I thought I had just landed at a vacation spot. Forest. Hills. Trails. Sunshine. A cool breeze. And then we went inside. After seeing what I had seen many times before (the lobby and the cafeteria), I saw what I’ve never seen in Mongolia. The manager had led me to the computer lab, a room of 21 brand new computers each equipped with speakers and Windows Vista 2007. Additionally, the room had a projector hanging from the ceiling and a large screen set along the front wall. In the middle of know where, I had at my disposal the perfect set of classrooms, indoors and out. Ooh, buddy!
We watched American movies, we played games, and we went for lots and lots of walks. We talked about family, education, controversial issues, nature, politics, international relations, health, genocide and culture. We covered listening, writing, reading and most importantly, speaking and thinking. We spoke formally, but more often, informally. We learned words like “nuh uh,” “virgin” and “euthanasia.” We even had a gen-u-wine Mongolian birthday party fit with circle dancing and “Peter’s cocktail,” a new brand of Mongolian alcoholic beverage I’d shown them consisting of vodka…with juice. Who knew? We gave the teachers the most unorthodox training they’d probably ever experienced.
In their free time, teachers spoke mostly English. In their free time, teachers asked for more grammar instruction. In their free time, teachers studied and practiced the previous day’s lessons.
In my free time, I took naps. I went for runs through the forest. I watched half of the first season of “The Wire” on the 22nd of the new 2007 Dells, the one in my room.
By the end of the week, we were all exhausted and ready to go home.
On the ride back to Darkhan, teachers weren’t only speaking in English, but they were laughing in English.
Since we got back, I’ve had several people asking to be put on the list for the next Vacuum Training. One teacher even said she would pay her own way.
Yesterday, my third course students asked me if they too could have a Vacuum Training…during their summer vacation.
English is high demand these days.
Monday, April 21, 2008
It's like playing a game of Oregon Trail...
Remember Oregon Trail? The old Apple IIE game, where you got to be a pioneer on the Oregon Trail? Hunting for your food, fording the Mississippi with your oxen? The funniest part of the game was how along the way (it never failed) you would inevitably lose some of your traveling party to diseases we had never even heard of, or thought were only back in the 1800s... like Cholera, the Plague, Dysentary, and other countless odd diseases. We'd laugh and laugh, "Oh Jennifer, you got Dystentary!! Haha!" Little did I know that one day I would be living this game.
I've decided living in Mongolia is like playing a game of Oregon Trail. We still have diseases like Cholera, Bacillary and Amoebic Dystentary, Giardia, Tuberculosis, and the Bubonic Plague here-- we have to "hunt" for our food in delgors (try making dinner out of Russian cookies, onions, and white rice!) and traveling to UB, it wouldn't suprise me if we had to ford the Xaraa River in our mikr bus.
For the last two weeks, I've been out of commission-- got a really bad bout of food poisoning that turned into a bacterial infection bordering on Dysentary. I never thought in my lifetime I would ever see these diseases, but unfortunately, in Mongolia, I have. I know multiple PCVs that have had Giardia MORE than one time, people that have had Dystentary and Cholera. It's literally like playing a game of Oregon Trail here, where you slowly lose members of your travel party to odd diseases. Fortunately, I'm not one of them! I'm on some good antbiotics now, and it seems to be on it's way out. Slowly, but surely. It's always an adventure here.
I've decided living in Mongolia is like playing a game of Oregon Trail. We still have diseases like Cholera, Bacillary and Amoebic Dystentary, Giardia, Tuberculosis, and the Bubonic Plague here-- we have to "hunt" for our food in delgors (try making dinner out of Russian cookies, onions, and white rice!) and traveling to UB, it wouldn't suprise me if we had to ford the Xaraa River in our mikr bus.
For the last two weeks, I've been out of commission-- got a really bad bout of food poisoning that turned into a bacterial infection bordering on Dysentary. I never thought in my lifetime I would ever see these diseases, but unfortunately, in Mongolia, I have. I know multiple PCVs that have had Giardia MORE than one time, people that have had Dystentary and Cholera. It's literally like playing a game of Oregon Trail here, where you slowly lose members of your travel party to odd diseases. Fortunately, I'm not one of them! I'm on some good antbiotics now, and it seems to be on it's way out. Slowly, but surely. It's always an adventure here.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Wegetables Gone Wild
We're getting out of Darkhan lately, enjoying the warming weather, wind, and beautiful countryside. Last weekend, a small group of us headed out to a small (maybe the smallest I have ever seen!) soum/village to visit another PCV who was having a birthday. It was wonderful to relax and see the Mongolian "hudoo" (countryside) again, and he may have the most beautiful view from his ger door in all of Peace Corps. You step out of his ger, look across the valley filled with trees and a river to a gorgeous mountain. He wins the prize of best view. Not counting our view off the balcony of the old Soviet apartment blocs in Darkhan, of course! There were livestock and herding action a plenty, including recent calf-births and live action castration. Not such a pretty sight. We enjoyed our trip though, and had fun attempting to cook as a large group in a ger with very few electrical outlets and no running water.
Today I travelled to the Selenge aimag to conduct a training on "Uncommon Vegetables" for some of our agriculture clients. We spent the morning discussing composting, broccoli health benefits, and how to plant Catnip to deter pests (Catnip translates into Mongolian as "Cat's Green Vegetable"). I love travelling with my counterparts, as they are always quick to share stories and Mongolian folklore. This trip we stopped at the "Eej Mod" or Mother Tree to leave some offerings and well wishes for our friends and families. Apparently Eej Mod has proven quite powerful, since you can see her spirit shaking the tree branches every dawn, and when the Socialist police came to burn down all Buddhist relics and altars in the early to mid 1900s the officer's family that burned the Mother Tree all came down with a sickness and passed away. Not a spirit you want to mess with! It's a phenomenal sight with altars all over, ceremonious scarves, with milk products and vodka scattered among the tea leaf and candy offerings. It's one of my favorite places in Mongolia to visit, and I hope to keep giving the Mother Tree offerings over the next year and a half so she can keep blessing us with such a wonderful experience.
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The Mother Tree
Today I travelled to the Selenge aimag to conduct a training on "Uncommon Vegetables" for some of our agriculture clients. We spent the morning discussing composting, broccoli health benefits, and how to plant Catnip to deter pests (Catnip translates into Mongolian as "Cat's Green Vegetable"). I love travelling with my counterparts, as they are always quick to share stories and Mongolian folklore. This trip we stopped at the "Eej Mod" or Mother Tree to leave some offerings and well wishes for our friends and families. Apparently Eej Mod has proven quite powerful, since you can see her spirit shaking the tree branches every dawn, and when the Socialist police came to burn down all Buddhist relics and altars in the early to mid 1900s the officer's family that burned the Mother Tree all came down with a sickness and passed away. Not a spirit you want to mess with! It's a phenomenal sight with altars all over, ceremonious scarves, with milk products and vodka scattered among the tea leaf and candy offerings. It's one of my favorite places in Mongolia to visit, and I hope to keep giving the Mother Tree offerings over the next year and a half so she can keep blessing us with such a wonderful experience.
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The Mother Tree
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Student Compositions
At the end of each American and British Literature class, I ask my students a critical thinking question based on the period we have discussed that day. Below are some of the better, more read-worthy responses.
25 Mar – Anni
Describe your religion.
I'm buddist. My parents and brodres also buddist. In the world have so many kinds of religions. I think religions are locate only in persons heart. Some people say I believe only byselfe or father, mother and I don't belive any god. Buddist is very beleieable religion. Actually I never read Buddist book. I hope the Buddist. I know buddist's power. Every evening I pray to my god and I turn on the "eul" "zul" It means one kinds of candle, If I pray to my god before go out this day's everythings are shining, every works are great. But actually I don't know is it really buddist power or do I think like that. In the world everything is secret.
26 Feb – Jessica
What kinds of stories do you like? Why?
I like to read the legends. Because they are interesting. There are many interesting legends. I like to read the legend about vegetables. Because I am a cook. Three years ago, I graduated the Professional Training Center. I also like to read history. Because I want to be knowlegable. Both of the history and the legend are non-fiction. When I was seven, I used to read fairy tales a lot. Children like to read fairy tales.
27 Feb – Rachel
What do you think about the American Colonial Period?
People that came from Europe to America were so brave. Because they went so long way, they might be dead in the way. This people open new things for themselves. This people opened new world that now called America. I think that American literature started in this time, when people came to America.
10 Mar – Melody
Why is Mongolia a special country? What is good about Mongolia? What is bad about Mongolia?
Because Mongolia is a special country. There are many historical and cultural heritage in Mongolia. Mongolian hase special custom and traditional There are four season in Mongolia. Mongolia is well known for blue Mongols.
It has a big lands. Few people live in Mongolia. Mongolia has liverstock and many animals. There are many lake in Mongolia. People are very helpful.
Mongolia has air pollution. Many people hasn't got job. Many people live poor. Some Mongolian can't drink mineral water.
27 Mar – Holly
What does war do to people (good and bad)?
The war is very harm to people and many people died. Many children became orphan, so all world covered in tear. I hate the war. Because I think the world must more peaceful. The war bring us bad results. In XXI century we fight not by force but by knowledges. I want this world become peaceful.
25 Mar – Anni
Describe your religion.
I'm buddist. My parents and brodres also buddist. In the world have so many kinds of religions. I think religions are locate only in persons heart. Some people say I believe only byselfe or father, mother and I don't belive any god. Buddist is very beleieable religion. Actually I never read Buddist book. I hope the Buddist. I know buddist's power. Every evening I pray to my god and I turn on the "eul" "zul" It means one kinds of candle, If I pray to my god before go out this day's everythings are shining, every works are great. But actually I don't know is it really buddist power or do I think like that. In the world everything is secret.
26 Feb – Jessica
What kinds of stories do you like? Why?
I like to read the legends. Because they are interesting. There are many interesting legends. I like to read the legend about vegetables. Because I am a cook. Three years ago, I graduated the Professional Training Center. I also like to read history. Because I want to be knowlegable. Both of the history and the legend are non-fiction. When I was seven, I used to read fairy tales a lot. Children like to read fairy tales.
27 Feb – Rachel
What do you think about the American Colonial Period?
People that came from Europe to America were so brave. Because they went so long way, they might be dead in the way. This people open new things for themselves. This people opened new world that now called America. I think that American literature started in this time, when people came to America.
10 Mar – Melody
Why is Mongolia a special country? What is good about Mongolia? What is bad about Mongolia?
Because Mongolia is a special country. There are many historical and cultural heritage in Mongolia. Mongolian hase special custom and traditional There are four season in Mongolia. Mongolia is well known for blue Mongols.
It has a big lands. Few people live in Mongolia. Mongolia has liverstock and many animals. There are many lake in Mongolia. People are very helpful.
Mongolia has air pollution. Many people hasn't got job. Many people live poor. Some Mongolian can't drink mineral water.
27 Mar – Holly
What does war do to people (good and bad)?
The war is very harm to people and many people died. Many children became orphan, so all world covered in tear. I hate the war. Because I think the world must more peaceful. The war bring us bad results. In XXI century we fight not by force but by knowledges. I want this world become peaceful.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Foolish Day!
April started with a bang in Mongolia, yesterday! Mongolians celebrate "Foolish Day" or "Joke Day" (Hodlaa Odor) pretty similar to how it's celebrated in the US... by playing jokes and teasing each other all day!
We had a great time setting up pranks with, for, and on our counterparts and fellow PCVs yesterday. I say we, but mostly I mean, I did it, and Peter was a victim in our plots! :) The best part was at the end of one of my "pranks" my counterparts were cracking up, and telling me that I should "go to Hollywood" and the best question I got was "How did you know about this great Mongolian holiday?" So it ended up being a cross-cultural exchange about how lots of cultures and countries do practice some form of April Fools' Day.
Happy Spring!
We had a great time setting up pranks with, for, and on our counterparts and fellow PCVs yesterday. I say we, but mostly I mean, I did it, and Peter was a victim in our plots! :) The best part was at the end of one of my "pranks" my counterparts were cracking up, and telling me that I should "go to Hollywood" and the best question I got was "How did you know about this great Mongolian holiday?" So it ended up being a cross-cultural exchange about how lots of cultures and countries do practice some form of April Fools' Day.
Happy Spring!
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