Rewind and Review: Host Agency Description

I apologize for the lengthy disappearance. The first few weeks at site was very busy, adjusting and settling-in. Then just when the hecticness died down, my laptop caught a nasty virus from a flash drive and preceded to take over all my programs and Windows operating system. I was in a state of near hysterics at this point; broken laptop is one thing but broken laptop in Mongolia when you speak Mongolian badly is a totally scary place to be. After six weeks and some bribing, happy to report that the laptop is up and running and, thus, resumes the blog postings (and pictures). Let me backtrack and rewind:

After swearing-in mid-August, I was sited to Darkhan, my Site Community (2nd largest city in Mongolia; there are only three cities) and assigned to the Asian Child Foundation, my Host Agency (www.happychild.mn only the Mongolian portion is up and running; the English version is still in the works via me). The ACF was founded in August 2005 and operates four programs, two in which I am directly involved with. The 1st is an orphanage that houses 35 children ages 7-19 years old. The hashaa compound (fenced-in area) consists of three buildings, two being the living quarters and the third the arts/language school where traditional Mongolian song and dance, Japanese, and English are taught. Here, I am an English teacher. I am also a child psychologist; I work alongside two other child psychologists. There is also big garden where the children grow their own vegetables, an outhouse, a hashaa dog and dog house, and a basketball court. Soon there will be a sports field (soccer filed, volleyball court, handle bars and swing area); an approved project/grant proposal (written by me within the first three weeks at site; an act of dumb luck, an opportunity taken at the right moment) in conjunction with the US Marines/US Embassy. The materials were brought with US Embassy money and labor provided by the 330rd Mongolian Army.

The 2nd program is the Kindergarten Program. This program provides funding for venerable 60 children ages 1-6 years old to attend the best kindergarten school in Darkhan. In addition to the tradition kindergarten programs that we have in the States, Mongolian kindergarten also acts as nursery; the children are schooled and housed there Monday-Fridays during the day and overnight as well and then are returned to their caretakers on the weekends. These children come from single parent families or families that are in hard financial and extreme living restrains.

That's currently my job, my care and for the first time, I have a job
in which I truly feel satisfied. Below are pictures of my kids from the orphanage.