mango juice house

IMG_4479
Originally uploaded by mongolmanda

this is real fresh fruit brought in weekly from thailand and the philippines. i bought mangosteens to share with my teammates who had never tasted them before. what a fun treat in mongolia!

cafe amsterdam

IMG_4483
Originally uploaded by mongolmanda

this place has really great sandwiches. the bread is perfectly chewy in the middle and has an amazing crunchy crust. mmmmm, mmmmmm.

ice cream sandwiches

IMG_4485
Originally uploaded by mongolmanda

this is the first time i've seen ice cream sandwiches in mongolia. yummmyyyy!

spring picture

IMG_4495
Originally uploaded by mongolmanda

my friend muugii and me on one of the first warm days of spring.

mongolia shabu

IMG_4505
Originally uploaded by mongolmanda

we had our team meeting at a new hot pot restaurant near the elic office. it was fun to do something new for a change. and the best part is 3 people ate for a total of $9!

coffee empire

IMG_4510
Originally uploaded by mongolmanda

this is a new coffee shop in ub that is the closest to an american style coffee shop i've seen yet. their caramel macchiato is delish!

decisions, decisions

wow, sorry it's been a month since i last posted. i'm sure you are curious about what i'll be doing next school year, since i was undecided when i wrote last month. without further ado, here's the plan:

i'll be returning to the states and moving to chicago.

of course i am sad to leave mongolia after just 2 years, but i'm also excited about what lies ahead. my boyfriend lives in chicago, and i'm planning on finding an apartment near him. we are looking forward to seeing each other on a day to day basis in person instead of on skype. :)

i've sent my resume to a few places that need ESL teachers, so i'm hoping to hear from some of them soon. i think i'll check the online job postings every week until i return and hopefully i'll have some interviews lined up in chicago when i get back. it would be ideal if i could work enough hours for one company to survive financially, but i'm willing to teach a few hours for a few different companies if that's what it takes.

i have a little over a month here in mongolia, and i'm busy finishing up my teaching responsibilities, packing up my apartment, and trying to spend as much time with friends as possible. there are days when i feel panicked about everything to do and other days when i realize i just need to live in the moment and enjoy the time i have here. any of you who have moved to another country, surely know how i'm feeling! :)

well, one of those teaching duties is calling my name, so i'd better get to it. i have several writing assignments to grade, and they take a lot of time, which explains why i've been putting them off. hehe