tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340348392012-02-03T09:02:06.664+08:00Jim will be teaching English in Mongolia again soon.Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11131100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-83164875031482512562012-02-03T09:02:00.000+08:002012-02-03T09:02:06.678+08:00

New iOS Lion App = iBooks Author With the almost blinding speed at which technology changes, it might seem impossible for anything to truly be earth-shattering, or at least ground breaking. So, it might be a surprise that I think Apple's new free software app called "iBooks Author" is in that category. Let me explain. It is amazing that, through the power of the internet, we can sea see and

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-11357453805406274142012-01-08T14:03:00.001+08:002012-01-08T14:04:34.275+08:00

I saw "20 Instructions for Life by The Dalai Lama" on another website and decided, not only is it something to pass on, but to reflect on as well. So, here's His Holiness's list. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. Follow the three R’s: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-20131610029785344022011-12-20T11:43:00.001+08:002011-12-23T16:46:52.844+08:00

On Friday, FPMT Mongolia had it's annual New Year Party at the English Inn. Lots of food (too much food) and conversation, plus a little dancing. A good time had by all. Here are some pictures. The beautiful girls of the Stupa Cafe: Nandia, Unuruu, Otgoo, and Tuya Dagir, Chimgee and Nergyi Baigalmaa, Odgerel and Erka Enkhmaa and Jagii Boloroo, Ani Gyalmo, Hulan and Massimo David

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-78697599027824525502011-12-09T12:18:00.000+08:002011-12-09T12:18:30.204+08:00

The school outside my window. Today's temperature: -31F Ah, Mongolia. My second home. [smile] Well, I've been here a week and settling in. Almost like I never left. Everyone is still here, so I don't have to get used to anyone new. It's like coming back into the family. The biggest surprise, is me. Everyone is shocked at how much weight I've lost. Almost everyone is very happy with the change

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-38454676783372749642011-11-25T12:52:00.001+08:002011-11-25T12:58:44.462+08:00

I have missed the last three Thanksgivings but this year I was able to be at my brother Mike's for his Thanksgiving feast. He puts on quite a spread. At last count, there were almost 40 people there for at least part of the dinner extravaganza. My Mongolian friends would have enjoyed it as it was a meat-eaters paradise: several types of beef and pork, seafood such as salmon, tuna and shrimp,

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-62110187831147056372011-11-21T09:46:00.001+08:002011-11-21T09:48:19.316+08:00

One of the things I sorely missed my three years in Mongolia were the big family gatherings for the holidays. On my mother's side, I only have 2 uncles and 2 aunts. But between them, there are 29 cousins, almost all of whom are married (I think only 2 of us are still single) and all have kids, even a few have grandchildren. That makes for a big family gathering. This year, partly because of my

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-2295147483146567642011-11-16T13:28:00.002+08:002011-11-16T13:32:42.854+08:00

Well, it shouldn't surprise my readers that I am returning to Mongolia. With barely enough time to let my Thanksgiving feasting digest, I'll be on a plane back to Ulaanbaatar. I will be returning to my old teaching position at Shedrup Ling Buddhist Mediation Center. The new semester should start in December. As far as I know, my contract will last until September. Not sure what will happen then,

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-17209853761472998432011-11-08T12:40:00.000+08:002011-11-08T12:40:32.899+08:00

I like to read, mostly science fiction, but sometimes other things too. Here is what I've been reading lately: Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived The second novel set in the Old Republic era and based on the massively multiplayer online game Star Wars: The Old Republic ramps up the action and brings readers face-to-face for the first time with a Sith warrior to rival the most sinister of the

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-5207621704494350382011-10-11T06:46:00.000+08:002011-10-11T06:46:34.082+08:00

Over the years, I've followed many different types of blogs: hiking blogs, bike touring blogs, Peace Corps blogs, and even drawing blogs. But I also like blogs that work on the inner "me". One such blog is called Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. He's published two books online, and now is getting ready to publish a third called "The Effortless Life". Below are some notes he posted on his blog that I

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-32318369647091302102011-10-03T02:31:00.000+08:002011-10-03T02:31:22.807+08:00

I expect the marriage to last a long time in the future, but the honeymoon is definitely over. What in the heck is he talking about?! Apple. Years ago, I was a computer geek even before personal computers (PC), from the MSDOS up through Windows XP, immersing myself in putting together hardware and writing software. But at one point, I just got fed up with Microsoft (MS) and decided to get a Mac

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-32977762053936088262011-09-30T10:25:00.000+08:002011-09-30T10:25:00.061+08:00

I like to read, mostly science fiction, but sometimes other things too. Here is what I've been reading lately: Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi Fuzzy Nation is a modern ‘reboot’ and reimagining of ‘Little Fuzzy’ by H. Beam Piper from 1962. It offers the reader a snarky sci-fi look at intelligent life and corporate ethics through the lens of a morally ambiguous rogue who’s a bit of a jerk (just for

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-41815566749388873412011-09-29T08:00:00.002+08:002011-09-29T08:00:01.717+08:00

Well, I'm back in the US of A. And after three years without, I kind of went overboard on 'new' old tastes like Minsky's pizza and Foo's Frozen Custard. But I'm over that now, I think. I know I've talked about health before and no matter how much I 'fall off the wagon', it's no less important every day. So, again it's on my priority list as I settle into a new life back in KC. Unfortunately,

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-61204368888251687372011-09-17T05:03:00.001+08:002011-09-17T05:06:49.968+08:00

Wow, what a book. I would probably say this is the best, most simple explanation of Buddhism I have ever come across. Simply amazing. I would recommend it to everyone, but especially non-Buddhists who are just curious. It's simple to read, to understand and so down to earth it makes you laugh. Order Dharma Road: A Short Cab Ride to Self Discovery by Brian Haycock Brian Haycock was a cabdriver-

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-66100689691989885202011-08-29T11:40:00.002+08:002011-09-17T04:48:56.915+08:00

In the last three years, teaching English in Mongolia, I never really had time to read any books, let alone access to many. But ever since I started running again, I kept coming across this title: Born to Run by Christopher McDuougall. I've been waiting a couple of weeks for the library to have a copy and I got it yesterday. And I finished it today. It was that good, I couldn't put it down.

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-44876902319938241042011-08-18T23:04:00.000+08:002011-08-18T23:04:27.931+08:00

My good friend Travis, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia, is one of the organizers of this event. I'm so excited for him and Mongolia. You should also check out his website, AdvanceHumanity.com Event: TEDxUlaanbaatar When: August 20th, 2011; 09:00AM to 06:00PM Where: BLACKBOX Theatre, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Or Watch live at TEDxUlaanbaatar.com in Mongolian and English About TEDx In the

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-67721465763136672112011-08-16T02:07:00.001+08:002011-08-16T02:42:16.681+08:00

I might have talked about these guys before, but they had some great news today, so I thought I'd talk about them again. Books written in English are very hard to come by in Mongolia. That's why BetterWorldBooks.com was a great resource for me. Not only could I buy quality used books I needed, and get them shipped to Mongolia for free, but any profit from the sale went to help others in need.

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-16457610625260709282011-08-04T07:16:00.004+08:002011-08-04T07:28:36.089+08:00

On my last night in Mongolia, a bunch of my students gave me another going away party. The surprise was that they had all pitched in and bought me a morin khuur (pronounced "huur"), a horse-head fiddle. But an even bigger surprise is that Yume, one of my students who organized the party, asked a few of her friends to give us a little morin khuur concert. They even played my new morin khuur.

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-70047595589631135032011-08-02T14:41:00.000+08:002011-08-02T14:41:44.868+08:00

The staff threw me a going away party in the Stupa Cafe. Everyone from Shedrup Ling and Dolma Ling were there, including some of the nuns. But were absent because many people are on their traditional summer holiday in the countryside. Still, it was great to share it with everyone. Besides thank you's from Ani Gyalmo and the new Director, Massimo, Ichkaa read a poem he wrote about me. I was

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-34072547324839887832011-07-10T12:16:00.002+08:002011-07-10T17:45:52.304+08:00

Twelve weeks ago I started a running program called Hal Higdon's Spring Training (for Novices) which was a way to build up to a 10K (6.2 mile) distance. Hal Higdon has been a writer and editor at Runner's World Magazine for decades and is considered one of the top marathon experts in the USA. He has programs for everyone from couch-potatoes to elite marathon runners. I liked his program because

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-69635682526873901152011-07-04T10:06:00.001+08:002011-07-04T10:17:19.571+08:00

Saturday was the last day of our Summer Intensive English courses and the last day of my three years teaching here at Shedrup Ling Buddhist Center in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia. It was a full day: a 3-hour Pre-Intermediate class, followed by an hour-long English Club. And for our free Saturday afternoon movies, we showed Unmistaken Child, a Buddhist documentary, with both English and Mongolian

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-49597647723354083842011-06-26T13:23:00.001+08:002011-06-26T13:25:37.836+08:00

If you were here last summer, you know I decided to cut back a little of my workload in order to get healthier physically. So I started running. Had a few hiccups in the beginning as life intervened as it always does for the best laid plans. Decided to look back and see what positive results I had. Below is my training summary from DailyMile.com. I can't say enough about this website or the many

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-80085957285618600732011-06-14T11:46:00.001+08:002011-06-14T12:05:27.013+08:00

A group of my students, led by Ganbaa, took me hiking this weekend. We went to Mandshir Khiid, which is about 45km from Ulaanbaatar. It is the site of a destroyed monastary. We had a bit of lunch, and then from there hiked up to the top of the mountain to Tsetsegun Uul (7,400'), about 2-3 hours of climbing. Reminded me a lot of the Appalachian Trail in the US. It was a cool day, overcast and

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-12560156162966611572011-06-02T19:11:00.000+08:002011-06-02T19:11:24.730+08:00

Yippie. One of the most difficult things about using the iPod Touch to surf the web, is that 99% of the web is not ready for mobile devices. What you see is the whole web page in miniature. Sure, you can zoom in and pan left-right-up-down. But, oh what a pain. Even Apple.com's website is not mobile-friendly. But you gotta' hand it to the guys over at Google because now they have an option where

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-66984463171130414062011-05-31T07:47:00.004+08:002011-05-31T08:08:51.056+08:00

Well, I haven't written much lately on my blog. For my regular readers, I apologize for that. It's not that I haven't been doing anything, just the opposite. I've been so busy, that I just don't seem to have the creative energy to post anything new here. Why, you ask? Because in approximately nine and half weeks, I will be going back home to Kansas City in the US (on August 4th). I had decided

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-26849040134151664082011-04-22T08:44:00.000+08:002011-04-22T08:44:41.730+08:00

If you go to the very bottom of my 'adventure' list, you will see the very first thing I did was go to Kenya for a National Outdoor Leadership School semester course. I didn't know it at the time, but it was to change my life in ways I would have never imagined, a life that has led me to a very different path indeed. A while back, NOLS Headquarters called me to say they were starting a new NOLS

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-57782569178645507012011-04-20T08:08:00.000+08:002011-04-20T08:08:39.717+08:00

I saw this video on Facebook and felt compelled to post here at WanderingTheWorld.com. With all the sad news we hear about the world, especially concerning the environment, it still amazes me how beautiful the world is. And sometimes, even the most mundane can render someone speechless if seen differently. Just might have to visit El Teide, Spain´s highest mountain at 12,200 feet. The Mountain

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-15838150024035183002011-04-11T09:22:00.000+08:002011-04-11T09:22:10.282+08:00

Well, not sure when this will be released in the US (maybe September, but that's not for sure), but the trailer looked good, so I decided to mention it here. As some of you know, I walked the Camino de Santiago twice, in 2002 and 2007. And even though you can read my journals and see the pictures on this website, this film might give you a good feel for what it was like. And who knows, maybe I'll

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-70332897275860122262011-03-21T09:55:00.002+08:002011-03-21T10:05:03.891+08:00

Ever since I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1998, I've wanted to do the Pacific Crest Trail. I had hoped to do it on the 10 anniversary of my AT hike but in 2008 I bike across Canada and then began my 'real' adventure, teaching English in Mongolia. But three years is a long time doing this kind of work and the trail is calling me for some much needed healing. My plan is to return home to the US

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-69533675111141648012011-03-05T00:06:00.000+08:002011-03-05T00:06:23.581+08:00

This video brought back a lot of memories of my AT hike.Thought I'd share it with you... Green Tunnel from Kevin Gallagher on Vimeo. For more,check out my Appalachian Trail journalHot Air from Dragons Breath

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-28288661812236821672011-02-07T22:34:00.000+08:002011-02-07T22:34:59.867+08:00

Well, I was still a little under the weather, but I went with the rest of the staff to Tsetsgee's house to celebrate Tsagaan Sar with them at lunch time. Lots of food and singing. And it didn't hurt that it was my birthday today too. Here are a few pictures and a video. 1pm a few days ago on the February 3rd holiday, Ulaanbaatar was a ghost town A typical Tsagaan Sar spread: sheep's rump, bread

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-52992257596153270962011-01-26T18:50:00.000+08:002011-01-26T18:50:02.008+08:00

Giving her a birthday kiss Tuesday was my grandmother's funeral. Probably the toughest thing about being a 'traveler' is that I miss many weddings, births and now, deaths. My grandmother was a wonderful person. My brothers and I spent many an afternoon after school at her house while mom was at work. Those are some of my fondest memories of my childhood. From grandma I became a big fan of

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-48781615833306570422011-01-21T09:44:00.000+08:002011-01-21T09:44:45.200+08:00

-37F mostly cloudy = wow, fast approaching the magical -40F temp, got up on time seven-dark-thirty, no school kids on the sidewalk because of break. Ran more in the beginning - walking didn't seem like a good idea but by the end I was really dragging. Thoughts going through my head "At what temp do your eye balls freeze? My friend Deb wrote on my Facebook page, "why would anyone want to live

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-15022066003308482182011-01-14T15:40:00.003+08:002011-01-14T16:18:23.353+08:00

Today a group of us from the Center took a drive to the City Dump. Our mission was to distribute food to the poor who made their meager living sifting through the trash. A sponsor had donated enough money for the Stupa Cafe to make 500 khuushuur which the cafe is famous for (our very own Erka won an award at the New Years Party for her khuushuur). Khuushuur (Mongolian: хуушууp [xʊ́ːʃʊr]) is a

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-12837917182700864652011-01-12T09:54:00.000+08:002011-01-12T09:54:30.905+08:00

If you run, bike, swim or want to do any of these things and more, RUN over to DailyMile.com. This is the friendliest social website in the world - everyone helping everyone with their exercise goals and aspirations. And it's free. It's like Facebook should be, a simple but inclusive community. Check it out. PS. If you do, 'friend' me (jimbagsh)

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-59712683041665181522010-12-31T08:00:00.011+08:002011-01-17T07:50:52.598+08:00

In Mongolia the New Year really starts on February 3rd this year (and they celebrate Tsagaan Sar, 'White Month') because they follow Buddhist traditions that use the lunar calendar. They strongly believe it is the start of a new beginning. Everything is cleaned and new clothes bought - "as the new year begins, so to will the coming year" they say. In the west, our tradition seems a bit different

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-70528989162844891592010-12-27T13:48:00.000+08:002010-12-27T13:48:33.957+08:00

Well, they hired some professional photographers to help take pictures of the kids with Santa. So they gave me a few prints. Santa with his lovely assistant, Deegii Deegii is one of my English students and agreed to be Santa's helper to translate since he doesn't speak Mongolian at the North Pole. With my boss, Otgoo and one of the guys helping out On this night, a nearby restaurant was having a

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-71016316086102129622010-12-26T10:49:00.000+08:002010-12-26T10:49:34.903+08:00

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-63636364421114594062010-12-21T10:45:00.001+08:002010-12-23T00:30:24.242+08:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!!!

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-83141279163452309232010-12-15T00:28:00.000+08:002010-12-15T00:28:16.776+08:00

Well, when you sport a pretty thick white beard around the holidays, almost every year someone suggests "You should be Santa Claus". Well, why not! My friend Ariunbat, who put me on Mongolian TV in 2008 as Grandfather Winter, asked me to be Santa Claus at the Center Tower, probably the most expensive of Ulaanbaatar's high end shopping centers. Shopping Center Santa Unlike my brief time as a TV

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-25726918015581918412010-12-13T10:36:00.002+08:002010-12-13T10:40:33.872+08:00

A friend posted this video on Facebook and I wanted to share it. We all have so much to give, not just money but our hearts. This holiday season feel the energy you get from giving. It will change your life. Mission of Akshaya Committed Care for, helpless, forsaken, mentally ill, old, sick, roadside destitute living and dying in the streets of Madurai - by providing healthy food, love and

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-64931993483304398192010-12-01T11:06:00.002+08:002010-12-01T11:10:59.225+08:00

One of the toughest things I've had to deal with here in Mongolia is the lack of exercise, mostly because I work too much. And while some sports are popular here such as table tennis, basketball and volleyball, general exercise is not part of the culture. In the two plus years I've been here I've only see foreigners out jogging. And with the harsh winters, it makes other types of exercise like

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-44784893417038587172010-12-01T09:48:00.000+08:002010-12-01T09:48:38.215+08:00

When I got my new iPod Touch, one of the programs I got for it was called Sketchbook Mobile, a full-featured drawing/painting app. But while I now have tools to draw, sketch and paint, I really don't have the skills. Yet. I've always wanted to be an artist. I even took a drawing class when I was studying to be an engineer. But my dad didn't feel that 'art' was a manly occupation, just a hobby he

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-26467251411668599832010-11-27T18:03:00.001+08:002010-12-01T00:00:27.991+08:00

or "Why I might quit Facebook." When I was back home in Kansas City, I never missed Thanksgiving. It had become my most favorite day of the year, even better than Christmas. I'm not even sure why except maybe because it is all about family. Food too, but family first and foremost. Every year I would spend part of the day with my mother's side of the family and then the other part with my dad's

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-10122714860005407032010-11-14T11:10:00.004+08:002010-11-14T11:15:18.387+08:00

Sometimes I wonder where all my time goes. Occasionally it might be a good idea to make an actual assessment of what you actually do and ask the question "Is it worth it?" Currently I teach full time (15 class hours a week) plus I teach a 90-minute class on Sundays for Buddhist monks and nuns, and will be co-teaching a new ESL for Kids class twice a week. Add to that our popular English Club

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-70083255246272760232010-11-12T17:07:00.007+08:002010-11-13T22:40:21.646+08:00

You can tell I really don't want to think about work today. Back in April I discovered a bit of software called GeekTool that could turn your desktop wallpaper into a something more. Well, decided I needed a change and started to redesign my desktop last night. And since I'm so into GEEKdom, I decided on an iPod Touch theme. Here's the result: The iPod Touch on the desktop is as close to the

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-14392088820253828772010-11-11T10:07:00.000+08:002010-11-11T10:07:43.640+08:00

Tau Nee hiding in my jungle Boloroo, our new directorat a dinner honoring Lama Zopa Rinpochefor getting the Mongolian Polar Star Some of our staff at the dinner:Tsetsgee, Degar, Oyunbaatar Some of the Dolma Ling nuns End of semester with my Intermediate students Bataa presenting me withan English-Mongolian dictionary

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-29630559055939671552010-11-07T20:56:00.000+08:002010-11-07T20:56:03.783+08:00

Hello all. Sorry for the long absences on the blog. It's been a tad bit busy here. First, at the beginning of October, many of the 'whose who' of the Buddhist world (in the Tibetan tradition) came to Ulaanbaatar for a conference on the future direction of Buddhism. Many high Lamas came but His Holiness the Dalai Lama was unable to attend. Other notables included Richard Gere whom I got to meet.

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-71850715181068465312010-10-17T16:39:00.000+08:002010-10-17T16:39:21.115+08:00

Well, I've been running and exercising now for 14 weeks, since the middle of summer and I thought I'd give you a run down on how it's going. Below is a chart of my progress so far. Let's start at the bottom. Because I sit so much on the computer (and didn't do much physical exercise) I was shocked how swollen my legs seemed. So, right off the bat, that became a priority. I measured across the

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-76853848651093870172010-10-04T22:45:00.000+08:002010-10-04T22:45:27.731+08:00

Now that I got a replacement camera, thought I'd update you on the garden project, or 'Backyard Transformation'. I lived here 6 months before I even knew we had a backyard. Well, it wasn't much of one even then. When Ven. Gyatso was here, he planted marigolds and sunflowers but still kind of a sad garden. So, in August, I decided it needed some loving care. And here is the partial result.

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-77759729065865011092010-09-30T22:26:00.000+08:002010-09-30T22:26:28.569+08:00

Hiking the Alps by Brandon Wilson Brandon and I are very good friends but we've never met in person. We're both travelers so I hope some day our paths will cross. In the meantime I have thoroughly enjoyed his books Yak Butter Blues, Dead Men Don't Leave Tips and Along the Templar Trail. But his new book Over the Top & Back Again: Hiking X the Alps is simple amazing. Product Description After

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-73273577712327171242010-09-26T15:54:00.002+08:002010-09-26T20:43:30.877+08:00

Had an amazing day yesterday. I got to have a chat with Richard Gere. Yes, that Richard Gere. He was taller than I expected, but looked and sounded just like in the movies. He's in Ulaanbaatar for a Buddhist conference and stopped by our dharma center. He mistook me for someone he knew but recovered quickly enough to ask about my teaching English. Nice guy. He said he'd be back to the center. I

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-67992370705897972612010-09-12T08:20:00.000+08:002010-09-12T08:20:43.098+08:00

When you buy a Nike+ Sports kit, you are encouraged to sign up at Nike.com where you're running information will be uploaded, stored and shared if you like. But, since my iPod was stolen, that plan was put on hold for obvious reasons. But until I get my new iPod (ordered a new Nano 6), I still stop by the Nike website to see if there is anything new or interesting. Recently, they added a

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-38441151554110576082010-09-10T17:43:00.001+08:002010-09-10T17:45:16.452+08:00

Well the universe has been conspiring against getting our classrooms painted before classes begin on Monday. I had wanted the 'makeover' to be in early August but so much interfered that it didn't start till last week. First we did Tsetsgee's classroom and we finally got started on my three days ago. We might have finished yesterday but electric power was out so we had to finish today. Tsetsgee's

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-7775777411386126802010-08-25T22:06:00.000+08:002010-08-25T22:06:26.899+08:00

Well, really only got out of the city one day and that was with Tsetsgee's family as we headed to the Chingis Khan statue outside of Ulaanbaatar. After that we visited a friend and her family at their summer ger. Nice weather with wonderful people. A good day away from the computer. Oh yeah. Mongolia's Statue of Liberty Standing on the horses mane under the mighty Chingis Khan Tsetsgee's son

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-13732853604826683692010-08-05T09:22:00.000+08:002010-08-05T09:22:15.415+08:00

Summer is a time of visitors. This last week, Ani Gyalmo's daughter, and first granddaughter arrived for a few week visit. Poppie is one of the most happy babies I've ever seen. Always smiling and an adventurous soul because she doesn't care on bit if she's passed around to complete strangers. She loves it. The whole family will head out to the countryside so I'll practically have the whole

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-30706405596757021482010-07-24T07:08:00.000+08:002010-07-24T07:08:51.702+08:00

In the west, spring is a time of change, but here in Mongolia summer is traditionally when people look for new jobs or new opportunities. As a non-profit, our center just can't pay a very competitive salary but many staff stay because they know of the good work our organization does. But that also has to be balanced by the needs of their families. Right now, working for one of the new foreign

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-90628862132339256462010-07-13T13:37:00.033+08:002010-07-13T15:20:39.847+08:00

Many of you probably read my blog and think "This guy works too hard." and you'd be right. A lot of factors make it very easy to slip into a work-a-holic mode - living in the same building I work in; being in a foreign culture; being in heart of the capital city with all its noise, pollution and traffic; few friends outside of coworkers; making a difference to my students. Yeah, I came here to

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-44618832558919969612010-07-12T08:21:00.001+08:002010-07-12T08:23:49.821+08:00

Well, the skies where lit up last night with the largest fireworks display I've seen here in Ulaanbaatar. And I'm guessing it was because its Naadam - think 4th of July mixed with the Olympics. Every summer, in every city or village, several days of Naadam will be held - three sports: wrestling, archery and horse racing. The rain has kept temperatures pretty cool and will keep the dust to a

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-3547520916511248142010-07-07T07:41:00.003+08:002010-07-24T07:11:16.472+08:00

Well, Summer Intensive is over and boy, was it intensive - four weeks of non-stop English. I was even more tired because I taught an extra class to raise a little more money for the center. I don't think I'll do that again. Pre-Intermediate 2A Intermediate 1A Intermediate 3A Pre-Intermediate 2B Lots of food and laughter with my P2B students Sanja always seemed so quite in class but today NOT! [

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-34728132778071582802010-07-02T07:20:00.000+08:002010-07-02T07:20:29.604+08:00

Well the staff got me out of my classroom for a huge picnic. A fun time had by all. First, start with quick sandwiches The nuns seemed to be having a good time Wonderful shade in our same spot as last year Handling very hot rocks from the cook pot for health Meat, potatoes & hot rocks put inthen shut and pressure cooked over a fire Everyone digs in for the main course Deger's little girl chasing

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-9488016045710976602010-05-29T08:39:00.002+08:002010-05-29T08:43:43.705+08:00

Seems like a long time since I posted something. Sorry about that. Been busy you know. Well, here goes... It's the end of May and another semester is done. As always, my students were wonderful and during my little speech at their certificate parties, I told them that they are the reason I'm in Mongolian, they are the reason that I still enjoy coming down to my classroom every day. I'm blessed

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-61574983156365773412010-05-07T13:55:00.003+08:002010-05-09T09:54:02.980+08:00

Well, just when I thought I had a handle on all these websites, somebody has to go and change something. Our English department website has been hosted on Ning.com and in a year has grown to over 200 members and over 2000 visits a month. But Ning.com announced this week that starting in July, it will start charging for this service. I'm not sure what their thinking is because the price is pretty

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-58589167643626588152010-05-01T08:00:00.006+08:002010-05-04T21:58:28.190+08:00

Well, tossed and turned all night and this morning I woke early with a doozy of a head cold. Great. Tis life I suppose. Went downstairs to take some medicine and a little breakfast. Even at 7am, the sun is already shining brightly into the gompa. That's when I heard some strange noises, kind of a clicking but a second whirling noise. How strange because it sounded as if it was coming from the

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-55005924828961575512010-04-28T20:08:00.002+08:002010-04-28T20:10:52.018+08:00

First, to all my loyal readers, I'm sorry the content for the blog has been a little thin, a little hit or miss. I assure you it's not because I'm sitting here doing nothing. Quite the opposite, I'm probably doing too much. But I'm doing things I want to do, not things I have to do. So, just to let you know I'm alive, here's a short list of what's been happening:Classes are going well although

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-19793178260004347202010-04-10T02:28:00.146+08:002010-04-14T17:28:41.934+08:00

Sorry if I've been 'absent' lately away from my weekly posts (here and also on all my other websites). My only excuse is I recently fell down the 'rabbit hole' just like Alice. Instead of 'Wonderland', I call it 'GEEKdom'. I can't even tell you how I fell in but I do know things have been a little stressed at work. You know, being pulled in way too many directions, helping others get their work

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-61997930106868407952010-04-08T09:08:00.002+08:002010-04-08T09:23:04.692+08:00

This documentary for PBS by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin and narrated by Richard Gere, tells the story of the Buddha’s life, a journey especially relevant to our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. It features the work of some of the world’s greatest artists and sculptors, who across two millennia, have depicted the Buddha’s life in art rich in beauty and

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-62665816055050042192010-04-08T08:22:00.000+08:002010-04-08T08:22:35.972+08:00

Child prodigy Adora Svitak says the world needs "childish" thinking: bold ideas, wild creativity and especially optimism. Kids' big dreams deserve high expectations, she says, starting with grownups' willingness to learn from children as much as to teach. Read more about Adora at her website AdoraSvitak.com: Child Writer Prodigy Poet Humanitarian.

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-63120402272476432672010-03-27T17:14:00.007+08:002010-03-27T17:14:00.797+08:00

Classes have started and with new-found energy, I've added a few things to the English program, one of which is an online lesson called 'Video Vocabulary'. And since I don't speak Mongolia, we also started an 'English Club' that meets every Saturday and whose principle task is to help me translate for the Video Vocabulary lessons and also for the online Medical English lessons.Our first English

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-60850091367889094842010-03-23T09:31:00.010+08:002010-03-23T10:35:37.420+08:00

by Karen Maezen Miller I met Maezen several years ago when she visited Kansas City and gave a dharma talk. Since then, we have kept in touch and you could call us good 'internet' friends. Here is a video excerpt from her new book 'Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life'. And below the video is an excerpt from the book. It goes on sale April 1st but you can still order a copy now

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-64307900283404869662010-03-15T09:29:00.001+08:002010-04-30T08:43:01.680+08:00

I must have the best air travel karma around. My 14 hour flight from Chicago to Beijing couldn't have been better. I sat with my back to the restrooms, and for some reason my row had one less seat so there was even room to stand up without being in the aisle. Sat next to Bruce Wang, a Chinese-American on his way to China with two business associates. We talked a bit about this or that. The whole

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-3962327741240972132010-03-03T13:35:00.002+08:002010-03-04T09:03:44.995+08:00

Well, by now, a few of you are wondering if I ever made it home. Yes, I arrived in Kansas City where my brother Mike picked me up at the airport. But from the next morning till now, it's been rush, rush, rush. Not very restful but productive to say the least. First, I went to see my grandmother who is 96 years old. Her health isn't good and she's blind. I'm glad I went to see her. Tsetsgee had

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-70638824350904395832010-02-06T23:06:00.000+08:002010-02-07T21:07:44.971+08:00

It's amazing this thing called air travel. I arrived in San Fransisco an hour before I left Ulaanbaatar some 15 hours ago. They should call it time travel. It never ceases to amaze me that in one day I can travel halfway around the world. Safely. [smile] Except it didn't look good last night. All winter, I can't remember one night that wasn't filled with the crisp silence that only -40F can

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-84197739361410877662010-02-04T20:35:00.004+08:002010-02-07T20:57:31.899+08:00

I can't believe another 10-weeks has flown by. This semester, we tried something a bit different, having the students graduation party during the last class. So, below are a few pictures. Everyone who got a certificate said they will be back again in March and that makes me feel like I'm doing something right. Anyway, Congratulation students. Pre-Intermedaite 2 Always too much cake to eat

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-40763043121270001592010-01-29T19:41:00.012+08:002010-01-29T20:08:06.742+08:00

Every Mac-fan already probably knows that the next innovation from Apple was recently announced: the iPad. For many critics, it's not new, which is mostly right. What I see is a blending of all the design work Apple has done over the last five years into one simple package. But why would I post a title saying "simplify computing" and the iPad in the same sentence. I cut my baby teeth on the

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-41344505323280444662010-01-17T16:59:00.009+08:002010-01-17T23:09:06.322+08:00

Marcus Aurelius (26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to his death in 180. He was the last of the "Five Good Emperors", and is also considered one of the most important Stoic philosophers. His tenure was marked by wars in Asia against a revitalized Parthian Empire, and with Germanic tribes along the Limes Germanicus into Gaul and across the Danube. Marcus Aurelius' work "

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-16469515722544810582010-01-06T20:45:00.006+08:002010-01-09T17:22:12.108+08:00

I thought since it was a new year, we might try a new theme for the blog. I liked the last one but it really didn't convey what I thought was the idea of 'wandering the world'. So, here we have a variation of 'Notepad Chaos' where I've changed the background. There still are a few bugs in the design, but hopefully I'll have those all ironed out in a couple of weeks. Notepad Chaos (before)

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-87689402599573321002010-01-01T22:52:00.015+08:002010-02-07T21:03:21.420+08:00

Happy New Year everyone. I hope you've had a safe and enjoyable holiday season. Last year, our end of year party was a pretty low-key affair, but not this year. The girls in the office were able to get a ballroom at the Chinggis Hotel. It was built soon after the fall of communism in the early 1990s and designed as a place of refuge for visiting diplomats and heads of state. It has all the

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-52604024687310015132009-12-24T21:48:00.004+08:002010-01-09T16:57:39.245+08:00

While most of you will wake up to a joyous Christmas morning, here at the center, we're a bit sad. Tonight, our Kopan nuns, Ani Tsultrim and Ani Somsom left for their home nunnery in Katmandu, Nepal. Ani Tsultrim had been here three years and Ani Somsom a year. Once they arrive home, they will go back to their studies that they interrupted in order to come here to Mongolia to teach. In the time I

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-20377844481011750802009-12-15T00:12:00.001+08:002009-12-15T00:14:19.108+08:00

Have you spent way too much time and of course too much money this holiday season. Well, have I got a deal for you! How about some FREE software - not pirated but actual FREE software - and it's educational to boot. Now that I have committed myself to study the Mongolian language more, I was on the lookout a vocabulary flashcard program that I could not only use on my Mac, but that I could

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-91362153251791977512009-12-07T09:31:00.015+08:002010-01-10T00:45:37.846+08:00

Friday morning, about 4AM, fire destroyed the main building of the Dolma Ling Nunnery that housed the kitchen, dinning room and was also home for several of the eldest nuns. Fire officials are still determining whether the fire was due to shoddy electrical wiring (a problem in developing countries due to poor construction standards) or the real possibility that it was deliberately set. It is a

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-76121990333978778352009-11-28T11:53:00.001+08:002009-11-28T11:54:55.970+08:00

Well, the last week has been pretty busy. I tested and interviewed about 70 new students for our classes to begin next week. Still had too many for the openings we had and that is the most difficult part, telling someone they didn't make the cut. My other big problem is class time - so many students just can't make it to the 4:30 classes because of work or traffic or school. I have a Saturday

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-58040187564002907772009-11-25T10:14:00.000+08:002009-11-25T10:14:07.821+08:00

On Sunday, I rode with Roy, Ani Gyalmo, and Ani P, to Darkhan, Mongolia's second largest city (Ulaanbaatar 1 million, Darkhan 100,000) which is about a three hour drive through the countryside. I think we drove through three small towns in all that time. Saw a lot of goats. It was a nice drive, with the skies clear but it was definitely cold. The National Swine Flu Emergency Measures prohibiting

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-60700070174923345292009-11-20T20:16:00.001+08:002009-11-20T20:19:38.117+08:00

Well, next week is Thanksgiving and that can only mean one thing, Christmas Shopping! Okay, maybe it's not the only thing, but it's definitely the season for it. I know many people this year will be limiting their shopping due to tight finances but, if for any reason you might have some cash on hand to buy a few things, you might consider things "made in Mongolia". Davaa, who was our director at

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-26051463780145896572009-11-17T00:23:00.000+08:002009-11-17T00:23:03.803+08:00

Well, I'm sorry I haven't been better about updating the blog with the trails and tribulations of a volunteer ESL teacher in Mongolia but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy. Case in point: Anglihel.com CD #1 Our English dept website Anglihel.ning.com was started in May and every month sees more and more students taking advantage of what we've put together on the internet. But many of my

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-61781826448370242332009-11-06T20:00:00.020+08:002009-11-06T20:00:06.003+08:00

From the American Embassy in Mongolia: The Mongolian Ministry of Health has reported, as of November 5, 2009, 884 laboratory-confirmed cases. They reported 706 confirmed cases in Ulaanbaatar and 178 cases in 17 Aimags. On November 3, the State Emergency Commission has declared a state of 'increased preparedness' for the next two weeks which includes several emergency measures aimed at curbing

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-28565296669195233982009-11-05T20:00:00.001+08:002009-11-05T21:01:38.020+08:00

Okay, I'm sorry I haven't posted a new update to the blog in a while but there just didn't seem anything blog-worthy lately. That's not to say that every day isn't over-filled with activity, it's just more of the same day-to-day stuff. But, in the interest of investigation, I thought it might be an interesting experiment to document 'my day'. Last night: Well, since it usually affects my day, I

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-8226102388134017492009-10-29T20:00:00.002+08:002009-11-05T19:53:53.973+08:00

I've been trying to come up with something new for the last couple of weeks but it always seems to revolve around computers, but that seems to be what I'm spending the most time on these days. For anyone who is driven crazy by the archaic-non-standard ArialMon font used for Mongolian cyrillic, I found a miracle if you use OpenOffice. Click this link to install an 'extension' that will convert

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-58755265785994823172009-10-17T20:00:00.014+08:002009-10-17T20:00:05.529+08:00

I have to admit that when it comes to technology, nothing they have designed has ever really surprised me. I mean I live in age of technology, and have read science fiction since I could barely read. But last weekend I was truly amazed and what is possible on a home computer. This is a story about 'virtual' reality. If you read my last blog, you'll know I wanted to try out a new computer

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-7581003297187490742009-10-12T15:52:00.000+08:002009-10-12T15:52:27.711+08:00

A few of you might be wondering why I haven't posted a new blog entry for a couple of weeks. Well, I've been to the hell realm computers, other people's computers - not mine. First, the Director's assistant's computer was gasping it's lasts breaths. Not bad for a computer that I think is over 10 years old and rumored to be the oldest computer used at the Center. Well, finally found an original,

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-10329661863230994082009-09-25T12:00:00.001+08:002009-09-25T22:40:12.433+08:00

If your a Mac user, I'm sure you already know that the latest upgrade for the Mac OS X is here called 'Snow Leopard'. And as a definite computer geek and Mac-lover, I couldn't wait to get my copy. And Microsoft could really learn something here in that Apple offered the upgrade for only $29. Why wouldn't you upgrade at that price. I had to have it shipped to my mom so she could include it in

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-53829992256327359132009-09-21T20:00:00.001+08:002010-01-10T19:46:56.528+08:00

September 21st is called the International Day of Peace as proclaimed by the United Nations. For the last seven years, the religious community of Buddhist, Baha'i, Catholic, Muslim and Hindu have celebrated this as a day of hope for the future of both Mongolia but also the world where everyone will have peace, acceptance and tranquility. In past years, the day started at the Dolma Ling

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-61137915713579293542009-09-20T08:00:00.012+08:002009-09-21T13:49:25.630+08:00

Who would have ever thought that our first snow storm would be in September. Yes, September 19th to be exact. A little early this year (last year the first snow was on October 10th). But I thought you'd like to see a few pictures. The first dusting of snow on the marigolds Now it's really coming down! Blowing snow but maybe none will stick View of the nearby mountains

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-33538775789316248662009-09-18T12:29:00.007+08:002009-09-18T20:14:21.187+08:00

Usually I post what's been happening on this page, but today I wanted to post an email I sent to a friend, Monica who writes a great blog called Buddhist in Nebraska. It was too long to post on her comments section, but thought here was okay. I hope she doesn't mind. Hola Monica, A plan is good. But plans change. That's life. If you make the plan too rigid, you won't see other opportunities when

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-41343029006871327352009-09-13T00:39:00.002+08:002009-09-13T00:45:57.146+08:00

I've been living and working in Mongolia for a year now. It seems like just yesterday that Tsetsgee picked me up at the airport and drive me through Ulaanbaatar to the FPMT Buddhist Meditation Center. That was on September 5th, 2008, a Friday. I didn't have much time to adjust because I started teaching my very first English class two days later on Monday. Here's what I wrote after my first week:

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-85971663646088190172009-09-04T22:00:00.002+08:002009-09-06T09:13:09.077+08:00

Sometimes I just feel out of the loop. Durimaa, the Stupa Cafe manager usually picks stuff up for the residents when she does the weekly shopping for the cafe. But one Thursday, one of her assistants picked up the list. When I asked why, she said Durimaa would be off for two weeks because she was getting married. What? Married? Later I found out that, yes, Durimaa had taken a few weeks off to

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-76621747235498270522009-08-29T08:20:00.010+08:002009-09-03T10:12:43.972+08:00

August 28th was the 6th Anniversary of of the Dolma Ling Community Center Soup Kitchen. It is the only 5-day a week soup kitchen feeding the hungry in Ulaanbaatar. Even after 6 years, they still feed 60-70 people every day but Roy tells me the numbers are starting to slowly drop since the early days. The Dolma Ling Community Center is located in the Bayanzurkh district of Ulaanbaatar, a ger

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-10830242224715572202009-08-24T06:21:00.008+08:002010-01-10T19:53:50.864+08:00

Well, I won't write much but just wanted to tell you summer is winding down. Registration starts this week and my English classes start on the 7th. So, another school year has arrived, not just for me but for everyone. So, the staff decided to have a picnic. We loaded up a couple of microbuses and headed an hour outside of Ulaanbaatar to a wonderful spot on the river. With so much rain, the

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-8275927583463615092009-08-14T17:00:00.003+08:002009-08-14T17:00:02.760+08:00

Who would have ever thought that while living off the beaten track in Mongolia, I would have so many visitors.Judy and her daughter Zoey are traveling in Korea and Mongolia this summer but also brought a ton of medical books that I had asked for that will be donated to the medical school.Zoey & JudyValarie is doing volunteer English teaching at an orphanage summer camp in the countryside but

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-92208165025802301062009-08-07T14:14:00.003+08:002011-12-22T10:06:41.103+08:00

Last Sunday, Tsetsgee showed up at the center with the whole family in tow. "We're going to Mandshir. Can you go?" she asked. I asked when and she said "Now!" Ah, what else was I going to do but play on the computer, so I grabbed my shoes and off we went. Besides Tsetsgee and myself, there is Ichkaa, Tsetsgee husband, Baska, her college-age daughter who is also one of my English students, her

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34034839.post-86461427389705289452009-08-01T08:52:00.005+08:002011-12-22T10:03:38.244+08:00

Tsetsgee and I spent an afternoon touring The Bogd Khaan Palace Museum. Built between 1893 and 1903, the Winter Palace of Bogd Khaan is where Mongolia's eighth Living Buddha, and last king, Jebtzun Damba Hutagt VIII, lived for 20 years. For reasons that are unclear, the palace was spared destruction by the Russians and turned into a museum. The summer palace, on the banks of the Tuul Gol, was

Teacher Jimnoreply@blogger.com