Starting Again

Today was our first day of school in this the new year, and what a way to start.  I was a little tired having gotten used to waking up much later than I had to today to get to school on time.  It wasn't too bad though, and I laughed so much during class that I woke myself up a little.  There are some things that I don't miss about school and some things that are so funny that when I see them again they make me laugh and realize all the fun that we've had a school so far.  One of those funny things is our classmate Chan Yung.  There were a couple of things that were particularly funny today.  We were doing just a bit of review of the lesson that we had just finished before going into Christmas break and when it came to Chan Yung's turn he said "Be (Translation: I)....(long pause).....I don't know!"  In a way that only Chan Yung can say it.  Then later we were translating Mongolian sentences into English and Chan Yung started freaking out for no apparent reason.  We inquired to what it was he was losing it over and his answer was "Why are we speaking in English?!"  I laughed.  The teacher said he could speak Korean if he wanted.  He ended up saying half of it in English anyway.  The third and final element of hilarity happened when I was reading a conversation in Mongolian.  When it came to the ticket booth workers turn to speak I changed my voice to a very high-pitched female voice. Chan Yung was reading along in his book but when I started speaking like that he threw his book down on his desk, looked over at our table, and made a sudden, emotional, and somewhat incredulous utterance that only he can make.  It is hard to understand entirely what I mean unless one knows Chan Yung.  Another thing about class that made me laugh happened later.  It went like this:  Kevin and I had been laughing about something (probably Chan Yung) and the teacher was telling us to be quiet and behave.  (She is good spirited about it, we aren't really in trouble).  But this time the teacher told us that we were in a college and not a preschool.  Not too much later her phone rang and she answered it right in class.  Well Kevin and his eternal wit started going off on her about how this was a classroom and not a cellphone waiting area.  This all made me laugh, but what really put it over that top was when he said a little louder "Zaagaray!"  Which is to command "Teach!"  The timing was so perfect and I laughed so hard I snorted.  (I know it's not very dignified but I couldn't help it.  That is how funny it was).  That's how it goes for us.  School is starting again and I'm looking forward to our break in the end of February for Tsagaan Sar.

John