more photos + update

Sorry it has been so long since I posted. I keep getting distracted. I don't know why. It may be from the immense amount of stuff the internet has to look at. For example, there are about a zillion of funny cat pictures that demand my attention. Plus I do have an actual funny cat here to entertain me. Recently he has discovered the outside. Which he loves and wants to go visit anytime he is inside. Only to whine at the door, be let inside, use the litter tumpen, and meow to go back out! Really!?!?! The world is your litter box Bill, please stopping coming inside the tent to poo!

Monday, as you may or may not know, was International Women's Day. In Mongolia, the men are supposed to do all the women's work and there is no school. In Arvaikheer, 3 out of the 5 PCVs are women, so we made the boys play Settlers with us. (It really wasn't a hard, they like it too!)

Sunday I did laundry again and relaxed. Saturday I did absolutely nothing. I barely got out of bed. It was fabulous. I napped. I read. I watched a movie. I ate peanut butter and jelly. It is nice to be really lazy once in a while. As a result of this laziness however, plus the activities taking up the rest of the weekend, meant I did not get a hike in. Oops, sorry mom. I made up for it my hiking this afternoon. It was really warm today (I could barely see my breath!) and it helped me get out some of the minor frustration I was feeling at having my life skills class cancelled again! blarg.

Friday night was a great treat for us Arvaikheer PCVs. The USAID Mongolia director came to Arvaikheer, along with 2 other USAID officials, on their tour of the countryside effected my the Zud (terrible winter.) The director met with us to talk abut our lives here and treated us to dinner. He also brought us a large bag of granola and some pistaccios. We may erect a statue in his honor. It was a highly enjoyable evening. It was great to meet someone whose career is continuing to make a difference in the lives of people here. Hmmm...maybe foreign service is something I should look into.

I have been spending a lot of time at Book Bridge Library lately helping to organize books. AS of now almost all the books are alphabetized with stickers indicating what shelf the belong on and the authors last name, hopefully making the system sustainable. Now if only we could come up with a way of paying the rent in the long term.

I amm very excited to have another chance to go to UB in a couple of weeks. My counterpart Tungaa, a lady who works at the Aimag Children's Center here in Arvaikheer, and I will go in for a special training the week of the 22nd. It will be focussed on the 11th book of our Life Skills Series which deals with sexuality, specifically with the prevention of STIs especially HIV. We will learn how to teach these sensitive topics and have an opportunity to work on a grant to implement the training at our Aimag summer camp in July. We will again be staying at Nukht, where we had IST in December. I think it will be a great opportunity for further capacity building, community partnerships and much needed information on this important topic.

My hashaa sister is building me a fire right now. She is so sweet for me. Although she does use alot of cardboard to get it going. It's ok. I just keep telling myself that I will not run out before summer, cardboard has a way of turning up. Like today, when I got a surprise package from my godfather Mr. Greg Nielson. He was in Peace Corps when I was a baby. Thank you so much Greggy (cross-your-leggy) for the beef jerkey, peanut butter, candy, and garlic powder. All good things to eat, although not all together probably! Kiss Maggie and Pepper for me! You are swell! And thanks for the lovely note too! It is hanging on my ceiling.

Here is the link to my January photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2123327&id=116500167&l=6196b8e211

I hope you all are well! I miss you! love, C

PS I watched My Sister's Keeper yesterday. Blek! Take a pass.
I am going to watch The West Wing tonight to make up for it.