Work is Picking Up

Sorry for the delay in new posts. I am going to do my best to keep you updated with posts on my work and new pics. I've started teaching again the past two weeks. I'm running English clubs at two schools in town, one a private school near my work and the other a public school where one of my Kazakh friends is an English teacher. Right now I teach one group of fifth graders, two groups of seventh graders and one club that's made up of everything from sixth graders to ninth graders. So far the classes have been a lot of fun and the kids really seem to enjoy learning from me and spending time with me. I feel a lot more confident in the classroom this year than I did my first year. I am doing my best to get all of the students involved and to incorporate activities and games that help the kids improve their speaking ability and their confidence in front of others. After just a few lessons most of my students have responded very well. I can tell they are having a lot of fun and they are learning the material. I've had some of my plans for other classes pushed back but it seems like I get busier and busier with each week that passes, picking up new lessons and students every day. I'm starting lessons for more students next week. I will be teaching some of my more advanced students from last year a couple times a week, preparing them for the concourse English exams (they take these to get into college) and discussing the TOEFL test and study abroad options. I will also be passing out flyers to all the schools for three other classes I'll be teaching, three different levels of American English clubs. I'm hoping to get those lessons started no later than next Tuesday and to run them up until December. I'll be taking my vacation and going on a trip to Thailand from December 27th to January 20th so I want to get as much done between now and December as possible.

In other work related news, I finally got most of the information I need to work on my big project. I sat down with the student council, my coworkers and my friend Nurbol and we hammered out the details for the extension to the children's center. This extension will be a learning and advisement center for Olgii's children and will be used to hold seminars, meetings, classes, and to provide students with access to computers and online learning programs, English learning software, and books on career development and life skills. There are no grant funds available through Peace Corps until November so I have until then to get my grant written. I am going to get it started hopefully soon and send a rough draft to Peace Corps to see what changes I need to make. Another challenge is that I need to have the grant accurately translated into the Mongolian language. We also need to talk to a couple of local organizations about contributing to the project, whether it be money or resources. I also just received some good info on past life skills book projects so I can start my grant for getting the HIV/AIDS life skills curriculum translated into the Kazakh language and have books printed and brought to Bayan Olgii.

I'm feeling really good about the work I'm doing and the projects we've got going on. During a meeting last week, both the student council and my director asked me if I'd stay a third year. I was very flattered and that really made my day but unfortunately I can't. After my time is over here, I think it will be time to move on to grad school or some other work in a different country. I'm hoping to get as much accomplished as possible before I leave for Thailand so that when I get back, I can help finish some things up, teach my classes, and conduct some training seminars. I have less than a year left in Mongolia and I want to make it count. More pics and updates to come as things progress. Hope all is well back in the U.S. :)