...We'll be staying at a hotel close to my school. Here is a link to the hotel website, and the contact information (address and hotel phone number) are on the site: http://devgroupcolombia.com/clients/sunriver/index.html
And here is a link to the school's website: http://www.colomboamericano.edu.co/
Here's a map of Colombia, so you can see where we'll be living next! We will be leaving on August 16th. We'll be living in Cali, which is the third largest city in the country, and about an 8 hour drive from the capital city, Bogota. 
If you want to read all about Cali to know more about what we're getting ourselves into, check out the info on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cali
We will keep this blog going rather than start a new one. So keep checking back!
Here is an article about what's been going on in Ulaanbaatar this week.
ULAN BATOR, Mongolia (AFP) - Mongolian President Nambariin Enkhbayar declared Tuesday a four-day state of emergency as protestors went on the rampage in the capital claiming that weekend elections were rigged.
"From 11:30 pm (1530 GMT) on Tuesday there will be a four-day state of emergency," said a presidential decree read out on state television.
The decree warned that anyone caught on the streets after the 10:00 pm curfew without documentation would be arrested. Public gatherings and independent media broadcasts were also banned.
The action came after thousands of people took to the streets of the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator on Tuesday to voice their outrage at weekend elections they claim were rigged.
The headquarters of the former communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) in the centre of Ulan Bator was set alight and looted, according to an AFP reporter and other witnesses at the scene.
Some of an estimated 6,000 protesters from the rival Democratic Party -- which claims the MPRP bought votes and used other tactics to win Sunday's election -- threw rocks at firefighters arriving to put out the blaze.
Police responded by firing rubber bullets and tear gas but the clashes continued and the violence later spread to other parts of the capital.
A police station was attacked when protesters attempted to free rioters imprisoned earlier in the day.
Part of the Cultural Palace, which contains an art gallery, a museum and a theatre, was on fire early Wednesday as violence continued despite the emergency decree.
TV images showed riot police around the Cultural Palace apparently arresting people and firing rubber bullets in an attempt to secure the area. Later images appeared to show the situation was calmer.
Early reports said 30 policemen and 25 civilians had been injured.
A European photographer said he was been beaten by police when he attempted to take photographs of police violence.
Politics in Mongolia, a country of 2.6 million people sandwiched between China and Russia, has a recent history of turmoil and disputes, but such violence is rare.
The technically neutral President Enkhbayar -- previously with the MPRP -- summoned Prime Minister Sanjagiin Bayar and all opposition party leaders to an emergency security meeting earlier on Tuesday.
At the meeting, broadcast live on the privately run Eagle television, the MPRP-affiliated Bayar renewed his calls for restraint while blaming the Democrats for inciting the rioters after losing the elections.
Democrat leader Tsakhia Elbegdorj countered that MPRP corruption had prompted the riots and torching of the party's headquarters.
Before the unrest erupted, Elbegdorj said bluntly that "illegal activities" had robbed the Democrats of victory.
"This was a dark moment in the history of Mongolia," he added.
The MPRP, which ruled for decades under the protection of the former Soviet Union, says it won 45 seats in the 76-seat Great Hural while the Democrats have reportedly won 21 seats.
The General Election Committee has yet to make a formal announcement on the ballot.
"This election was run by one party. It is a false election," one of the protesters, Galsan-Namjillin Sukhbaatar, told AFP outside the MPRP headquarters.
Another protester, Enkhamgalan Dorjsuren, 34, said: "The people have come here to fight for their freedom."
The MPRP ruled Mongolia from its independence from the Chinese in 1921 until 1996, when it was beaten in elections by the Democratic Party.
In 2004, Mongolia's last general election, the MPRP and the Democrats were forced into a coalition that produced three different prime ministers.
The instability held up economic reforms and shook investor confidence, but the nation's economy still grew by 9.9 percent last year thanks largely to its vast deposits of copper and gold.
Some highlights since we've been home...
and our phone number is 202-527-8762.
Clayton with Linda (my mom)
me with my big brother Kenny.
My nephew and nieces, Nelson, Sara and Rachel.
The Whole Gang, my brother's family.
Me and my mom in Rochester
Bruce, prior to a frantic outbreak of hot-dog cooking.
Brett and his uncle at Wing Night at The Office in Kennedy, NY.
Clayt and Me, happy to be home.
Uncle Spencer, Grandma Pat and Clayton.
Zach enjoying a hot-dog.
For those of you who actually read this blog and have been checking for a new post, sorry it has been so long. Right now we're in Rochester and will be heading to DC on Saturday. The trip home was long, but we made it home safely and our first american meal was at a Denny's at 3 in the morning - delicious! We have been surprised by some things and less impressed with others... We thought it would be difficult to control the amount of fast food and junk food we eat, but it has been surprisingly easy. We thought we would love to hear everyone speaking English, but we simply find it distracting, whereas in Mongolia the speaking around us was always just background noise. We've been pleased with the roads, the beds, the dryer machines and the public libraries. I was shocked when I saw the size of the produce, it seems (is?) unnatural... When we get a cell phone number we'll post it, and then it's up to you to give us a call! We're here only for a short while before heading off to the next adventure... We will post a few photos soon.
Well we've got only 18 days left here in Mongolia. Due to the hand-foot-and-mouth disease outbreak (which has now infected over 1,000 people) I taught only 6 out of 32 hours last week, and will do the same this week and next week. It's kind of a bummer, as we wanted to be able to say goodbye to the little students.
So, we'll be in NY for 2 weeks visiting, and then we head down to DC for all of July and August. We will work, try to save money, and try to have a little fun too. Then at the end of August, we will move to Colombia where I have a teaching job waiting for me, and Clayt will find something either before we go or once we're down there. We look forward to the change in climate and diet!
And of course, we look forward to seeing all of you very soon as well!
The government here has cancelled classes for grades K-2 for this entire week, and up to grade 5 for today. We will find out more tonight, as they will make an announcement on TV. Things certainly are never dull here! Below is an article about the situation:
Hand-foot-mouth disease hits Mongolia again
Monday, 12 May 2008
Deputy Prime Minister Enkhbold is heading an emergency committee to deal with the issue of nearly 200 suspected cases throughout Mongolia, including the capital Ulaanbaatar. Elementory schools have suspended their classes for Monday and several public events have been canceled.
The first case was reported last Thursday and since than the General Authority for Emergency Management (GAEM) has seen a rapid increase.
Disease Characteristics by the Community Health Administration
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is usually characterized by tiny blisters on the inside of the mouth and the palms of the hands, fingers, soles of the feet. It is commonly caused by coxsackievirus A16 (an enterovirus), and less often by other types of viruses.Young children are primarily affected, but it may be seen in adults. Most cases occur in the summer and early fall. Outbreaks may occur among groups of children especially in child care centers or nursery schools. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 5 days after exposure.
People can spread the disease when they are shedding the virus in their feces. It is also spread by the respiratory tract from mouth or respiratory secretions (such as from saliva on hands or toys). The virus has also been found in the fluid from the skin blisters. The infection is spread most easily during the acute phase/stage of illness when people are feeling ill, but the virus can be spread for several weeks after the onset of infection.
The rash appears as blisters or ulcers in the mouth, on the inner cheeks, gums, sides of the tongue, and as bumps or blisters on the hands, feet, and sometimes other parts of the skin. The skin rash may last for 7 to 10 days.
..since we've posted any photos! So below are a bunch. We've been so busy lately, and now time is just flying by. Clayton was hired as a consultant by Mercy Corps for a month-long project, which is really good for his resume and wallet! I took on a second job as a private tutor, and am enjoying the good amount of cash-in-hand that it provides me with. I also had another trip to the Mongolian hospital, this time for 5 days because of kidney trouble. Things are ok now. Since our last post, we have had 2 school picnics, a Mongolian Day at school, 2 going away parties for friends, 2 snowstorms, were on a Mongolian kids TV show, and I met with my students from CNCF one last time. So, here's what you haven't seen yet:
Enjoying the sea-saw
Meaghan and I on her last night in Mongolia!
A good-looking group of Americans living in Mongolia!
My last day of teaching with the students at CNCF.
Clayt and I on Mongolian Day at school, that's Clayt's own Deel, mine I borrowed from my friend Rachel.
Clayt with a khazakh student.
Me and the Tenth Grade Girls.
Purevdorj and Ariguun.
Here we are with our e-tickets home on the day we bought them. Can you tell we're excited?
Clayt teaching the boys how to play american football. It was an interesting game to watch, lots of touchdowns.
Me in front of a camel who looks unhappy about being tied to a rock.
On the set of the TV show "Let's Sing Together" which is hosted by 2 friends of ours. Once our episodes air on, they should be on youtube and we'll post a link.
This is our building's elevator. Cozy, smelly, and unpredictable!
Lastly, here is a photo of what the toilets look like here. We don't have these in the states, but here they are what are used in most public places and schools. I think it took me the first 6 months to get used to them, and I still don't like to use them. Notice the handle on the back wall to turn on water which acts like a flusher, but sometimes the water isn't running... notice also the ribbed sides for foot traction. Notice also the lack of toilet paper. 
We will be arriving in Buffalo, NY on Friday, June 6th, at 9:50 p.m.
We just bought the tickets last night. Having computer issues so we won't be calling anyone for quite a while it looks like. Feel free to call us however!
For more info about our future plans, just shoot an email our way and we'll fill you in.
From our newly renovated patio, we have a clear view of one of the many manholes in this city that has residents. I know for a lot of people, this is hard to imagine. Turns out, a few weeks ago 2 of the residents were coming home from returning bottles, and were completely intoxicated, so I was watching them try to get the manhole cover off the hole. Partly worried about their safety, and partly curious. Unlike most of the manholes which people live in because they are very warm from the steam pipes, this is doesn't connect to the steam pipe system. It was built when the apartment buildings behind us were built last year. We have yet to figure out the purpose of this underground space, besides to be a bunker for the homeless. So, in a rare chance to take some photos without being intrusive, we thought we'd share what we see on a regular basis with you.
Lately we've been fairly busy! We celebrated St. Patrick's Day 2 weeks ago, and then last weekend we had a party at our house to celebrate the end of our spring break. It was a "Hammer Pants" party, where folks put on their best baggy MC Hammer-like pants and rocked out to cheesy music from the 80's and 90's. The following night was a "James Bond Gala" fundraiser, which I went to with some friends. Then this weekend was the birthday of one of the teachers at our school, so we took her out for dinner and karaoke this past friday night. So, here are a few photos of the highlights. Only 2 months left here now, and we're trying pack as much fun in as possible!
We celebrated St. Patrick's Day with some friends here in UB this past saturday. There are actually 3 irish bars in this city, so we did a "pub crawl." We started a 3 pm and some of us lasted until the wee hours of the night, while some of us didn't... 
