Kiel's school offers after school lessons twice a week that most if not all students study. The lessons range from healthy cooking, sewing, dance, piano, Korean language, etc...& this year Kiel is studying the outdoor education class. This class is being taught by an outdoor specialist (British man) who has in the past hiked the Himalayan mountains many times. There are 3 helpers, 2 teachers one is Canadian, the other is American & the final helper is me. All of the students parents were formally asked to help, but I am the only one that has the time I guess. Anyway it is really cool because I wasn't going to attend because you all know that sometimes it's not cool when your parents are in your classes. But Kiel asked me to come because it would be a fun thing we could do together with him & his other classmates (grades 3-5 students.)
Last weekend Kiel's outdoor class went on their camping trip to the countryside. I was nervous about it because sleeping in a tent & the low temperatures were suppose to go down to -10 Celsius. Well they did & all of us were cold. Our bodies were warm in our sleeping bags, but my face was frozen because I pulled the string on my mummy bag & my eyes & nose were still exposed. When the sun started raising in the morning I noticed the complete inside of my tent had a layer of ice. When I went outside all of our tents also had a layer on ice on the outside as well. It was an awesome time because I was the only adult that knew Mongolian outside of the British leader's wife, who was Mongolian. The leader's wife & all of Kiel's classmates were so excited that I knew Mongolian. I had an amazing opportunity to really get to know some of the students parents, all of the students, the outdoor instructor, his wife, the school teachers & have a great time with my little man (Kiel.) I talked more Mongolian last weekend then I think I have ever talked in 2 days since coming 2 years ago.
It was a great time because the kids had to do everything, prepare meals, cook, wash dishes, set their tents up & take them down. We went on 2 hikes & 1 was hiking up a 300 meter mountain. The view from the top was breathtaking here's a look...
While we were gone to the countryside Teresa, Esme, aunt Jenna & Jeanine (middle school teacher at Kiel's school) had a girlie weekend at our apartment. They painted toenails, watched Barbie movies, talked, laughed, ate chips, Amazing Russian ice cream & shared their lives together in a relaxing way. They had a great time together.
Last week the coal smog came & our drafty windows let in the cold air. This morning to prepare for the cold tonight (-18 Celsius) I used foam strips to seal our windows. Winter is here to stay for the next 6 months & we have taken out all of our winter clothes, mittens, toques, jackets & scarves. I have to laugh, Teresa wants to take out all of our Christmas stuff to setup & start listen to Christmas music. Now that we are in Mongolia it gets colder much sooner so she wants to prepare for Christmas even earlier.