by Mark
So what goes on during an average day for us in Mongolia? Well for our first two years here we have two priorities. 1) Learn the language 2) Take care of our families and learn to live in the culture. Our time right now is focused around learning the language, going to language school and taking care of what we need to do to live here, such as buying food, getting supplies, etc.
Morning- We walk Annika up to the bus for school around 8. The Micro is usually there early, waiting but last year he was always late so nobody suggests that he could come later. After that Cinda and I have some time to finish up things before taking Toby upstairs to our house helper(good time for devos). We usually head to school a bit after 9.
We walk over with Larry and Krista, here is Krista hanging out in the doorway of the school. The entryway was just added on. It will help keep the chill out on the cold days.
When you think classroom, don’t think to big. We are lucky to have a classroom with the four of us. We used to study in twos (Larry and I and Cinda and Krista). Sadly our teacher fell off the wagon and we don’t know if he’s coming back or not. We do enjoy the language school, one of the best in Mongolia. (I saw one of the survival course books selling in UB for 30,000 T or about $25 – WOW. There are many books here on how to speak English, not to many on how to speak Mongolian.
Our brains get a bit fried after studying from 9:30-12:40. We do get a short break in between. Its not physical but I have never been hungrier and at times more tired than studying Mongolian. The day usually starts by the teacher asking – Yu Yo Hiesen Bay- or What did you do yesterday- and we have to list out what we did. Here is a picture of us all with Toya Baksh (Baksh means teacher, its a term of respect that each teacher is addressed with) Amazing patience! I am also very thankful I am not learning English- what a tough language with so many exceptions.
By the time we get home and fix lunch its usually around 2:15. We try to get Toby to take a nap- sometimes successfully but more often we are the ones who need a short rest. Annika comes home around 3. On Fridays its a half day for her so we get to spend the afternoon together (or usually watching her play outside). Running errands, cooking dinner and its bed time for the kids before we know it. The kids go to bed, we study and the whole thing starts over again.
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5 comments
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October 3, 2008 at 10:24 am
Elizabeth Heredia
Thanks for the update! Our curiosity is pretty endless, so every bit of trivia is good to hear. Is Mongolian harder to hear or to read? Or is it all pretty overwhelming right now? Did your course at Wheaton prepare you well?
The pictures are great! Please keep up the flow of information!
October 3, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Phil Thomas
Hey Mark & Cinda,
It’s great to hear about your daily life in Mongolia. Sounds quite different than Russellville. Tell Toby and Annika “Hi” for me. Mimi wanted to tell them that she drinks coffee from the cup with their picture on it.
Blessings and love to you all,
Phil
October 3, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Linda
What a wonderful blog addition! The pictures or terrific. My brain is sore thinking of you working on the Mongolian language. How does the Cyrillic alphabet contribute to the difficulty? Do you ever get to look at a word and know this upside down ‘n’ is really a S? Love to each of you and keep the postings coming.
October 5, 2008 at 5:00 am
Marge
Our family loves getting your updates so often. We continue to pray for all of you there, in the country that is so much like our Western country. The people there will forever be on my heart. Love them lots for us too. We will pray your english language will become second to your Mongolian language. :>)
October 5, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Sharon
If your English language becomes second to the Mongolian, would your friends and family then have to spend one year learning Mongolian in order to converse with you? You know, sort of meet you half-way. G&GPa