Snow in May, visits to several churches, and Mongolian Culture Day at MIU

The days have been full here in Mongolia for Kathy and I. It snowed this week, which was nice. But the roads and sidewalks are not constructed well for drainage, so everywhere you walk you must be careful, and still there is no way to keep your boots or shoes clean! 

We visited New Life Church with our friends Sainaa and Tsoomoo, which was very nice. We also visited Jubilee Church with Grace, who has been working with stroke victims, the elderly, and needy children. We also continue to get together with friends often, and love to invite people over to our home!

Things are going well at MIU. My title is now officially Director of the English Learning Center. The teachers I am working with are super. Next week I will be doing an hour of conversational speaking and listening with the students. It will help them and also give us an opportunity to get to know each other. There are about 600 students at MIU, and 80 in are in the English Language Center acquiring a year of English in order to begin their studies at MIU. Since all classes are in English at MIU, all students must be at a sufficient level of English comprehension in order to begin.

Sainaa and Tsoomoo, friends of ours who took us to their church.

New Life Church

New Life Church

Kathy, Tsoomoo and Me

After it snowed here in Ulaanbaatar... :)

Our apartment with the addition of a few things... :)

Our two friends Otgo and Kherlen, who Kathy and I took to UBean for coffee.

Boogii and I. Boogii meets us on the basketball court sometimes to play.

A typical sidewalk on the main street after it snowed!

Our friend Nomin came for dinner one evening.

Our friend Grace is doing a great job working with the poor of Ulaanbaatar. She knows Mongolian quite well, and works hard to help as many as she can. She took us to her church where the anniversary was being held for the NGO she is involved with.

Grace on the road to Jubilee Church

Interesting what you find lying on the roads... :)

Some of the elderly helped by the church

The children helped by Jubilee church put on a play... :)

A snack afterward ...

Here are some new photos of MIU. One of the days we had a snowstorm! Well... still it isn't as cold as it could be... :) 

A view of several of our MIU buildings.

LEI teachers Inna, John, Gereltuya and Eva during a snowy day.

John :)

Serena, wife of my boss Ricardo, with one of their children.

Miu held Mongolian Culture Day last week. It was a good time to watch a few demonstrations, eat some typical food, and spend time talking and having fun. Here are some photos... :)

Dr. Kwon, president of MIU at the Mongolian Cultural Day.

Kathy and I tasted camel milk (a bit sour!) and horse milk (very sour!)

Kathy and others making buuz, a favorite food of the Mongolians.

yes, that is a goat's head at the lower left...

A student doing a traditional Mongolian dance.

A student playing on the morin khuur, a traditional Mongolian musical instrument.

Kathy with our Mongolian language teacher Ganaa.

I am wearing typical sheepherder's clothes... but I look more like Robert E. Lee, right?!!