Well, our 4-week Summer Intensive English courses finished up with week. And as always, we celebrated with a certificate party. The students continue to amaze me with their creativity and organization skills. And this semesters parties were no exception.
First on Friday, my Pre-Intermediate-2 class had their gathering. This is the first time I’ve taught any of these students and they were remarkable. Tsetsgee did a great job in their earlier courses. Enough of my rambling, let’s see the pictures!
It still is humbling when the class gives you a gift, which is part of their culture. But it really is I who should give them a gift for being such wonderful students. They make this job easy because of their enthusiasm and smiles. The P-2 class gave me a beautiful traditional summer shirt and a wonderful Mongolian hat so that I’d be dressed just right for Nadaam festival next month. Another student, Ganchuluun, gave me a cut-paper picture that she did. Amazing detail.
Then as they left, my Intermediate-2 class came in. Most of these students I’ve taught for the whole year. They are a great group of people. This is actually their graduation but I hope they keep in touch. I told them, “Once I’m your teacher, I’m always your teacher.”
Instead of tons of cake, Tsendee and her classmates made sandwiches. I’ve taught most of the I-2 class since I arrived in Mongolia, so they are welcome faces. But this is their last semester in our three year program, so I will miss them. But I do hope to see a few when I start a monthly discussion group in the Fall. Eegii had the honor of giving me a copper bowl filled with aarool, a type of traditional cheese, in his hands with a blue kata. It’s believed that if you put hot water in the bowl at night, then drink the cooled water in the morning, the copper will keep you healthy.
Tsetsgee had her certificate parties the next day on Saturday. Her first party was with her Kids Beginner class. Mongolians love to sing, and her students put on quite a show for me, going through their entire repertoire.
Her Adult Beginners class even put on a skit that included dialogues they had learned, and cleverly incorporated some of the songs they learned too. It turns out that half the class is made up of medical students and one doctor.
