1/25/09 Class Begins, Again

Wow, it's been a busy week that's for sure. On Monday, my classes started again. This term I'm teaching two Pre-Intermediate-2 classes, two Intermediate-1 classes and one Intermediate-2. Today I'm not exactly sure how many students I have since Registrations hasn't been the most organized. After the initial testing, many students failed to show up to register so we started calling students who didn't make the first cut. Plus a lot of students have been asking to be either moved to the same class but at a different time, or moved up a level if possible. In both cases I've tried to accommodate my students if I could but that also means my attendance sheets are a mess. But, in an effort for full disclosure, as of today I have 109 students.

I can't even begin to tell you the difference the start of this semester is compared to my first here in Mongolia (and my first ever teaching period). Even though I am just as busy, I am definitely having more fun. Switching to a different textbook for my Intermediate students really helped even though it meant starting from scratch making new lesson plans. All things considered, I am really looking forward to the rest of the semester.

One thing that shouldn't surprise me is how teaching really has tapped into my creative side. Every day I seem to come up with new ideas (okay that should surprise me or anyone who knows me really well). Just last week I started a new website called at jimbagsh.blogspot.com On this blog I will be posting weekly sound files of me reading current articles of the world's news from sources like the BBC, New York Times, CNN and the Los Angeles Times. Hopefully I'll add others as the semester goes. The idea is that they can see the words in the articles while they listen to me read it. Plus I've decided to post some of my class work online along with more audio files of me reading the material, such as homework and handouts.

One big change this semester is that I am teaching six days a week. Glenda, our new Spiritual Program Coordinator, is teaching a Beginning Buddhism course on Wednesday nights. In order that my English students will have an opportunity to sit in on these classes, I've opted not to teach at the same time. But that means I had to push one of my classes to Saturday morning. And with teaching Geshe-la on Sundays, that completes the week with not time off for good behavior. But I don't mind, really. Saturday's class are my Intermediate-2 students and I hope they have as much fun as I do. It's really just a conversational class; no homework and little quizzes that are more for me to see how I'm doing at teaching the material.

It's been great to spend time talking to Glenda since she arrived almost three weeks ago. She has helped remind myself how important it is to take care of one's self in order to take care of others. With that idea, I really want to start taking time out of my day for things like meditation, yoga, reading, and some other 'just for fun' activities to keep both body and mind charged up and running smoothly. Now if only I could find a Mongolian girlfriend...[smile]...that would take me away from my work a bit. [laugh]

Other than that, not much more to write about. For those following the blog, Bodhichitta, the cat, still hasn't turned up yet, but the staff is still hopeful. She was a street cat for many years before she was adopted by the Center and I'm sure she knows how to take care of herself, even in chilly Mongolia.

1/18/09 Road Trip

The New Year started off on a good note here at the Buddhist Center with the arrival of Glenda Lee, an introductory Buddhist teacher and yoga instructor from Australia. She was the founding Director of the Hospice of Mother Tara - Buddhist Teaching, Meditation & Healing Centre in Bunbury, Western Australia twelve years ago and for the past five years, has been the Spiritual Program Coordinator which is also her new position here at FPMT Mongolia.

People were so excited by her arrival, that at Glenda's first meditation class we packed in over a hundred people. She is also teaching a four-week "Why Buddhism?" course. Her eight-week yoga class had a huge waiting list before registration opened. Like me, her time is being split between so many commitments, I'm not even sure when she sleeps. [smile] Besides teaching classes here at Shedrup Ling, she is also doing meditation classes at Dolma Ling and will be taking regular road trips to Darkhan to teach, plus monthly visits to a men's prison. Compared to Roy and I, she is a breath of fresh air of those living at the center. (she says that's only because she is the 'new one' on the block! he he he!)

Glenda teaching...

...to a packed house

Well, with our very short school-break, I got an opportunity to take a road trip to Darkhan, the second largest city in Mongolia which is about a three hour drive north of UB. Roy was taking Nyanmsambo up to Darkhan for a teaching but was also taking Glenda to see the new center we have there and invited me along for the ride. I was overjoyed.

Munguu's husband offered to be our driver so we wouldn't have to take a taxi or bus. Driving through the early morning smog wasn't any fun but once we got out Ulaanbaatar, the countryside was as pristine as it was cold. The new center (we rent now but Roy has big plans for a new center) was beautiful, full of sunlight and warmth. Roy plans on frequent visits from the regular Buddhist teachers like Nyamsambo, Geshe Tenzin and Glenda. After Nyamsambo's teaching, we stopped to see the huge white Buddha statute that is on a hill that separates old Darkhan with its gers and new Darkhan with its apartment buildings. I was a nice but very cold drive back to the 'big city'.

Huge Buddha shrine between old and new Darkhan

Prayer wheels lining the stairs to the shrine

Just after sunset on the way back home

1/9/09 Registration

I guess the new year was started off right with tons of pyrotechnics throughout the Ulaanbaatar skies. I didn't mind except for the small group that set off another barrage of fireworks behind our building at 6am the next day. I can just imagine what they were saying "Look, we forgot to shoot off all the fireworks, here's more! Before we stagger home, we should light them up!"

I would have thought that there would be a nice break between semesters, which there is, but I forgot to factor in 'registration'. On January 2nd, we opened up the center for people to apply for the English department program. Because speaking English is seen as such a priceless skill, we only announced the registration period two days before just to limit anyone camping outside overnight (like in years past) just to get a spot. We had about 100 openings but accepted about 180 test applicants. Even with those numbers and the fact that we didn't announce it, we filled the Beginners class in less than six hours and all the other classes were full in less than two days.

Then we had three days of testing. Beginners took an IQ test. All Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate students also had to take an oral exam to test for their English fluency. So that meant that I did 65 interviews in four straight hours. And on the third day, did another 30 interviews. Normally we select only based on the average of their written and oral test scores, but because we run the department as a social program, I tried to factor in other aspects, such as employment, need, and motivation. I will probably recommend that next time, there is a translator who can ask other questions just in case I (or the next teacher) can't be understood.

But for my classes, I have about 70 returning students and will be accepting another 50 new students. Unfortunately, that meant that I had to pick only half of the names out of 100 to get into class. But it was an extremely tough job to cut the other fifty, especially when you know how valuable knowing English can be and how expensive it can be to study elsewhere.

And because I really thought our book wasn't right for our students, (it's a 20 year old British text) especially for my intermediate students, I've decided to try a different book. That means I'll be starting from scratch again. How do I get myself into these things. [laugh] But at least I got a reprieve as Tsetsgee told me classes will not start for another week.

The other bright news is that we have a new teacher, who will be teaching Buddhism classes but also mediation and yoga. Glenda is from Bumbary in Australia and has been with the FPMT for a long time. It's always nice to get a fresh set of eyes to help you look at life a little differently. Seems like only yesterday I was arriving. Welcome Glenda.

Even the cold can't stop these kids from playing soccer

PS. Trimmed up the beard so I don't look so much like Santa Claus. Maybe it will fool the paparazi. [smile]