Mid terms!

For the next two days my students will be taking mid-term exams. I can't believe we are already through the first half of the semester. Yesterday one student took me to the national history museum and told me a lot more about Mongolian history and culture. Did you know there are over 100 different kinds of traditional winter hats? But the thing that stood out to me the most was how much death is in Mongolian history, from the nomadic groups that would war over land and supplies, to the Soviet rule during the 20th century. I've noticed that my students have a lot of pride in their country, and they also feel an intense responsibility for their own future and future generations of Mongolians.

As their teacher, I feel challenged to provide them with the highest quality of education that I can, because they are working so hard to learn. Some of them are very far from home (the countryside, Russia, and South Korea) and some of them live in the dormitory on campus or with a lot of roommates in the city. They come from varied religious backgrounds, including Shamanism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Mormonism. I've been thinking a lot about how I can be both a good teacher and a good friend to them. I'm also making an effort to learn the Mongolian language, but the pronunciation is really difficult for me. I try to remember, though, that if they can learn English, I can learn their language.

Here are some pictures of my wonderful students. I've never felt more fulfilled than when I am with them. Please keep them uplifted as they take mid-term exams : )