This is like, my 17th blog.
Okay, I have two problems. I exaggerate. And I always start blogs and then delete them.
But a friend said, "You're going to Asia, and I'm not, so you need to let me experience it, too!" So this is me, starting that journey and bringing you along. I've been reading lots of other blogs from other teachers, and if nothing else, their struggles remind me that I'm not alone, and their joys keep me excited for all the joys and challenges ahead.
In 20 days, I leave the USA. I've been fundraising and preparing for several months now, and for the month of August I will be in more training in Beijing, China. I'll finally meet my team in person, instead of just random conversations on Facebook. Then from September to May I will be teaching English at a university in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. From what I understand, I'll be using a curriculum to help the English teachers in the country become re-certified. I don't yet know where I'll be living or what I'll be eating, and I have no idea how to speak Mongolian. (I'm 99.99% sure I just answered all of your questions :)
Here are some maps for all you geographically challenged folks, including myself:
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I'm currently working on finishing up some pre-training coursework, including writing papers on teaching and Mongolian culture. I just packed up all my belongings from my apartment near Boston and moved down to my parents' house in Pennsylvania. (Side note: Packing is a terribly sobering thing.) The move included a lot of tearful see-you-laters, but it is also exciting to be moving forward in this adventure. As a friend reminded me, I can't put my hands to the plow and look back!
So cheers to starting a blog [again] and to new adventures on the horizon!
