American Cooking Class

We have had a few of these sorts of events recently- and still have more coming up. We really enjoy them- such a great way to get to know people and classes like today are EXCELLENT for language/culture learning. Today Bobbie and I were special guests at the college- we were there to teach them how to cook some american food (chicken pot pie, chocolate cake and Iced tea) and to talk about the american/canadian food culture. I made a powerpoint presentation showing bits of home- our favourite foods, our city, how we eat together at a table and stuff like that. It was lots of fun. We were supposed to teach only in English but many of the teachers couldn't understand (as they don't speak English) and the students poorly understood most of it so I did a LOT of translating into Russian and Tuvan. My brain is a little wonky now... but it was great! and they loved the food and the conversation. I'm sure we'll be back again to teach some more foods. Great bunch of people at that college. It's nice getting to know them.

David and our co-worker Jesse aren't super big guys... but here in Tuva they look it eh! Our friend Saiid is a little smaller than average but tuvans are traditionally quite little. I love it. I'm taller than a few people we know! :)

Josiah James (Dean:)

Josiah's had this tattoo for a week? now. He really likes it so he seldom has a shirt on lately. Good thing it's super warm in our apartment. we are hoping the city turns the heaters down a bit soon. funny still to us that we can't control our own heat. and we don't know who does :)

Our little ones

Huddy playing around...

Great Day for a Snowman!!!!

The warmer weather has brought us lots of snow and the good clean wet kind...perfect for making snowmen and having snowball fights. We also are finally meeting our neighbours!!! we've been here in this apartment for a long time but since it's mostly been -40C during that time there hasn't been the social life that usually would exist:) We are SO looking forward to the spring/summer. But really it's like winter has just begun here...you can't play outside much in the real winter...there isn't much snow and it's just too cold!!! but now it's perfect!!!

Warming Up!!!!

Yay!!! Spring must be on it's way cause it's finally warm enough to snow!!!! We've had a lot of snow this week and temps in the -10 to -3 C range. Perfect!!!! I love it!!!! but i'm also looking forward to not wearing all our extra clothes etc. and wearing something different than my big black sorel type boots every time I go anywhere. Though I'm not sure I have shoes. But I'll like shopping for some:) So beautiful outside today!!!!

Hi! Ooops. sorry. I have no excuse:) Time for an update eh!?

Well..we've still been teaching English out at the village. And then when we've been here (we are home this week- our co-workers are teaching out there) we've been doing a bit of English teaching too with English Club etc.

Right now, David is out with Kongar-ol bringing someone out to the yurt. It's already dark outside and there is lots of snow so hopefully they won't get stuck:)

It is warming up quite a bit but I guess it's still not exactly warm.. -12C today. We have a couple of weeks off before we head out to the village again but it doesn't seem like we will be bored! things always come up! and we will be doing our Tuvan language studies as well.