Happy 4th!

Although it's not actually the 4th in either country, I might as well type it now since I'll probably be busy later!

Let's see... this week has been busy, busy, busy. Besides getting ready for our pre-LPI (language test!), we have begun to do some projects at the local family clinics. Lemme take you through my typical day!

5-5:30a: Wake up because the sun is shining through my east-facing window... wonder what time it is, then fall back asleep for another two hours.
7:30/6:30a: If I need to "shower" then I wake up at 6:30, hit the snooze button until 7, then make my bath- I boil a liter or two of hot water, mix it with the freezing cold water, then pour the water over my head while kneeling in the bath tub. Works like a charm!
8a: Breakfast! My mum usually cooks me eggs :)
8:30a: Out the door for class, pop in my ipod for a little bit of excitement, then remember I probably should have put on sun-tan lotion because it's freaking sunny
8:45a: The healthies assemble and usually have some interesting stories about the night before, mostly either about food or some miscommunication!
9-1p: Our awesome language teacher teaches us some Mongolian... ahhh it's so hard :(
1-2: I come home to Oochko (my littlest duu) running towards me screaming "kaaaaaadaaayyy" (he's almost 2... he can kind of say my name!) and Jugi (my other duu) greeting me with pokes, etc. Then lunch! Usually a noodle dish of some sort.
2:30-5:30p: School again... usually health system talks and important cultural stuff.
5:30-10: I either: 1) read (I've finished 5 books already, whoo), 2) study, 3) hang out with my duus/the fam or 4) take a walk... really should study more though but my brain starts to hurt.

Rinse, repeat.

I love the weekends, ahh. Some time to really chill.

Oh yeah, I finally got around to converting the kilos into pounds, and the scale says I lost about 15-20 pounds since I've been here (can't quite remember how much I weighed beforehand). Hah. We made pizza yesterday (holy crap SO good), and it upset my stomach a little since I hadn't had cheese in a month. Whoops! Some of the healthies are off to UB (the capital) today, so they said they might bring back more cheese so we can make other awesome dishes.

Speaking of food, a lot of people have been sick this week. Two of the healthies, and I think 3 or 4 of the CEDs (business peeps) have been having things come out both ends. Luckily, not me so far, just stomach being upset now and then. But I'm sure I'll have my turn. Bleh. 

Tim, Brian and I (Blain and I's clinic went on a month-long vacay so we disbanded to other groups) did our first project yesterday at our family clinic- doing hand washing! Hoorah! It went really well, despite a pretty big language barrier. One of the doctors spoke a little English, so that helped a ton. We taught to eight little kids, some of which I recognized as my duus friends. They got biscuits and coke for washing their hands correctly, so we're going to have to do teeth brushing next we think.

This week is sure to be fun... besides Monday and Tuesday, I mean. Monday is our mid-training interview, and Tuesday is our pre-LPI test. *Everyone* (yay!) is coming back Wednesday and Thursday for some more training sessions, but that's going to be really nice seeing everybody again after a month. Friday and Saturday is Naadam here in the big Z, then UB Naadam is Saturday and Sunday (I think?), so maybe I'll get to go with my family (big rule- can't go to UB without a family member and prior permission).

Otherwise, weather has been a little cooler this week, a nice change from the 100 F weather last week. Things are looking up?