Mongolia: Week 8

Hey Guys!

This week went by so slowly.  I thought it would never end...but here I am!  Nothing too big happened this week.  After I wrote my post last week, I went to my friend's house and we cooked for her family.  She made spaghetti and sauce then I made banana fritters.  Her family loved our food (I took some home to my family...they weren't quite so pleased)!  It was so good to get some familiar food though.  

On Sunday I met with my group to do some lesson planning.  Lesson planning then led to stopping at the market, going to the square, then going to one of my group mates' house to make pizza.  I must say it was pretty good!  We made one regular crust and one stuffed crust.  Both had sausage, onion, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes on them...all of which I took off (being my typical picky self).  I then went home and tamed "the Zelda" by putting her in some bantu knots (you can see them in the pictures in this post).

For the rest of the week, nothing much happened.  I did my first solo teaching in practice teaching.  My lesson was on directions (left, right, up, down, in front of, behind) and the students didn't grasp it very well.  I felt pretty bad because I wasn't sure where it fell through...but as they say: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again".  And that is just what I'll do.  The next series of things all happened on Friday:

1. We had a session where they told us about our living allowance and all that goes with living on our own.  The fact that we are getting that talk highlights the fact that in a few short weeks we will officially be volunteers and be leaving each other to go to site!  It's exciting and scary at the same time!
2. My package from home came!  Just seeing my mom's handwriting was exciting.  Then I opened it and I was even happier!  I got clothes for the summer (because the dress pants and jeans were just not working for the heat), RENT (because one cannot ever watch too much RENT) and a bunch of goodies (non-food stuff, of course).
3. While I was in the square getting internet (and skyping with my family),  a random little girl came up to me and gave me a bunch of little flowers she picked and wrapped in a leaf.  It made me sooo happy.  She was so adorable.

This morning I woke up and my mom took me to my aunt's house for a family day kind of thing.  We played volleyball and swam in the river.  We left after a couple hours and started walking home (along some railroad tracks....felt right out of a movie), but it was too hot and too far so we caught a cab (thank goodness).

That's been my week.  It's been quite the emotional rollercoaster, but  that's to be expected in the beginning, right?

Much love and see you next week!

Me showing the flowers the little girl gave me.  I look pretty upset, but I wasn't.  The webcam kept freezing and it caught me at a bad time...but you get the picture.

My mom, my 2 sisters, and I today by my aunt's house.

Me playing volleyball with some family members.  Where there is a volleyball, I have to play!