Year Two in Mongolia

View from our apartment: back of Parliament Bldg. looking SW

In four more days I return to my position as the Grade 5 teacher at the International School of Ulaanbaatar. I have lived in Ulaanbaatar (UB) a little over a year now and it's been a phenomenal experience both personally and professionally.

I absolutely love teaching in an international school setting. For the first time in my life I feel fulfilled. My work is valued and respected; I have administrative support yet I am given the freedom and professional courtesy to make decisions about how to run my classroom; room to nourish my creativity and opportunities for professional development. And I get a great salary with excellent benefits to boot!

My students are of course the best part of what I do. If I'm having an "off" morning I know that ninety-nine times out of a hundred, once my students starting piling through the door that whatever is bothering me will dissipate with the first 'good morning Ms. Carroll'. Ten year olds are worth their weight in gold, much better than therapy and lower in calories than chocolate...

There has been growth in the school this year, enrollment is up in the primary section so we have been shuffled around a bit with new teachers and newly constructed rooms. I am anxious to get into my new classroom, I need to 'feel' what my room is like so that I am able to start visualizing how I want my room set-up. Doesn't seem like it should be a very difficult thing to do but it is crucial to create an environment that is conducive to learning; good traffic flow, arrangement of desks including my own; plants, posters, student folders... it's like setting up a small town. I've been working on first week of school things at home to keep my mind busy until I can get into my room on Monday.

UB itself is an unspectacular city. Soviet-era buildings make for a decidedly utilitarian and bland cityscape. There are some fun restaurants though and a trip to the countryside helps make up for the pollution, grid-locked traffic and dirt of the city. I do absolutely love my apartment; Greg (boyfriend extraordinaire of one year) has been in it for two years, me 'officially' since May 15. I pretty much lived here most of last school year as well but didn't give up my own apartment until the month before school let out.

It's raining. I have heard from friends that UB was extremely hot the end of June and month of July. I was in the States visiting friends and family and sailing in the San Juan Islands with Greg. I would have like to spend some time in the countryside this summer before moving on to our next international school elsewhere, but it just didn't work out. I do feel fortunate that I was able to spend last October break in the Gobi, an experience of a lifetime. October break this year we will be in Borneo, Malaysia. Can't complain about that.

It is 8:30 and nearly time for bed. I am slowly shifting back into my teaching routine of early rising, early bedtime in preparation for this year. With any luck I will remain healthy and cold-free this year- last year was tough.