Thanksgiving again in a foreign country. You just never know what you're going to get. Joe and I decided not to go to the school's potluck for Thanksgiving today. It's our anniversary so we wanted to spend a little time together. Plus, we wanted our Thanksgiving meal hot off the stove and out of the oven.
Of course, nothing is perfect, so I couldn't find the ingredients for stuffing and pumpkin pie. Okay, I could have made pumpkin pie fresh from a pumpkin, but I'm way too lazy for that. So, we didn't have my favorites, but we had Joe's. Well, that is, he had chicken instead of turkey and we had mashed potatoes. It was good, all in all.
We did a little shopping today at an Uzbek craft fair. It was kind of nice. There's not a lot of great stuff to buy over here, but we did find a handpainted Uzbek plate which is really pretty. A lot of the stuff here is made from felt. The yurts, or traditional round-shaped houses, are even made from felt, I believe. Joe and I ordered a rug of handmade felt from a woman who makes them in Kyrgystan. We are waiting for it to be delivered in December.
And I almost forgot! It snowed! And snowed and snowed and snowed. Ever since the first snow began to fall a couple of days ago it has definitely been winter. It's really beautiful. Everything is covered with it. The evergreens look very Christmasy. When you can see the mountains in the background it's really nice. Of course, neither Joe nor I are prepared for this weather. I have no gloves, no hat, no scarf, no boots. It's getting cold, so I'd better get around to getting them. Thankfully, the traffic slowed down with the snow, but that means it takes us forever to get back and forth to school. They don't really remove a lot of the snow. The sidewalks just get trampled down so that they're covered with compacted snow. They must clear the main roadways because driving hasn't been that bad. Our parking lot is pure ice, covered by the second layer of snow.
Joe keeps saying, I love the winter. I've decided I've had my fill. I have the feeling I'd better get used to it. Ah well, it is lovely to have such a change.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Sunday, November 19, 2006
The good news is, Kazakhstan is not nearly as cold as I thought it would be...yet. I thought it would be snowing by now, but it has been really nice during the days. Today we only needed a sweater and light jacket. The sun is still shining and no snow yet.
This week brought a few things. I had a change in job position. They needed me to switch over and teach a couple of intensive English classes. Now I'm teaching 9-year-old math and cultural studies, intensive English, and yearbook. You just never now what might come up next. Joe took on a new geography class instead of his own 13-year-old cultural studies. Things change so much in overseas schools. Staffing, especially in the middle of the year, is always a problem. We keep trying to be flexible. Too bad I spent extra time during our fall break planning for classes I no longer have.
Sophia is a big giggler these days. She laughs when I pretend to eat her fingers or when I blow on her tummy. She's really getting more expressive. She always lights up when she sees her daddy, especially when we get home from work. Her newest discovery is bath toys. She kicks as hard as she can at the little purple hippos floating at the end of her tub. Today she giggled when I sang "Do Your Ears Hang Low."
Still, people can only comment on how big she is. Today we went to a "craft" fair at the other international school in town. (I say "craft" because there weren't many crafts.) A lot of our own students and their parents were there. One parent came up to me because she hadn't seen Sophia. The first thing she said was, "She's a big one." That's my girl. That's pretty much what everyone says about her.
I was proud of myself today. I actually drove the car all the way to school. It's been really annoying because I can't drive stick shift. I've been practicing out at school, taking laps around and around the building. Today was the first day I hit the road. Driving in Kazakhstan is like the simulators we used to have in driver's ed. People dart out across the road. Traffic swerves into your lane. It's crazy, so I had to get up really early and drive when there wasn't any traffic. I made it all the way, only stalling once in an intersection.
Only four weeks until we take-off for home. We can't wait. We went and got a tiny little Christmas tree just to get us in the mood. I know, Thanksgiving hasn't come yet, but we're almost there.
This week brought a few things. I had a change in job position. They needed me to switch over and teach a couple of intensive English classes. Now I'm teaching 9-year-old math and cultural studies, intensive English, and yearbook. You just never now what might come up next. Joe took on a new geography class instead of his own 13-year-old cultural studies. Things change so much in overseas schools. Staffing, especially in the middle of the year, is always a problem. We keep trying to be flexible. Too bad I spent extra time during our fall break planning for classes I no longer have.
Sophia is a big giggler these days. She laughs when I pretend to eat her fingers or when I blow on her tummy. She's really getting more expressive. She always lights up when she sees her daddy, especially when we get home from work. Her newest discovery is bath toys. She kicks as hard as she can at the little purple hippos floating at the end of her tub. Today she giggled when I sang "Do Your Ears Hang Low."
Still, people can only comment on how big she is. Today we went to a "craft" fair at the other international school in town. (I say "craft" because there weren't many crafts.) A lot of our own students and their parents were there. One parent came up to me because she hadn't seen Sophia. The first thing she said was, "She's a big one." That's my girl. That's pretty much what everyone says about her.
I was proud of myself today. I actually drove the car all the way to school. It's been really annoying because I can't drive stick shift. I've been practicing out at school, taking laps around and around the building. Today was the first day I hit the road. Driving in Kazakhstan is like the simulators we used to have in driver's ed. People dart out across the road. Traffic swerves into your lane. It's crazy, so I had to get up really early and drive when there wasn't any traffic. I made it all the way, only stalling once in an intersection.
Only four weeks until we take-off for home. We can't wait. We went and got a tiny little Christmas tree just to get us in the mood. I know, Thanksgiving hasn't come yet, but we're almost there.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Lost in Translation
We've had a pretty normal week. We had parent conferences this week. Most of our parents came and things went smoothly. Joe had an interesting conference with one student's parents. They're Korean, so they brought a translator. The translator didn't speak English, only Russian. So the parents spoke Korean, their translator spoke Russian, and then an additional translator translated the Russian to English for Joe. I wonder if anything got lost between all those languages.
Last night we went for a pseudo-slumber party for all the November birthdays at our school. Basically, we wore our pajamas (well, I did, Joe didn't), ate junk food, and played games. It was a pretty good time. Sophia loves all the get-togethers we have with other people. She's a real party-girl. At home she fusses a ton, but around other people she's entertained and happy.
That's pretty much all that's going on. The weather is finally getting a little colder. Maybe winter will come yet.
Last night we went for a pseudo-slumber party for all the November birthdays at our school. Basically, we wore our pajamas (well, I did, Joe didn't), ate junk food, and played games. It was a pretty good time. Sophia loves all the get-togethers we have with other people. She's a real party-girl. At home she fusses a ton, but around other people she's entertained and happy.
That's pretty much all that's going on. The weather is finally getting a little colder. Maybe winter will come yet.
We've had a pretty normal week. We had parent conferences this week. Most of our parents came and things went smoothly. Joe had an interesting conference with one student's parents. They're Korean, so they brought a translator. The translator didn't speak English, only Russian. So the parents spoke Korean, their translator spoke Russian, and then an additional translator translated the Russian to English for Joe. I wonder if anything got lost between all those languages.
Last night we went for a pseudo-slumber party for all the November birthdays at our school. Basically, we wore our pajamas (well, I did, Joe didn't), ate junk food, and played games. It was a pretty good time. Sophia loves all the get-togethers we have with other people. She's a real party-girl. At home she fusses a ton, but around other people she's entertained and happy.
That's pretty much all that's going on. The weather is finally getting a little colder. Maybe winter will come yet.
Last night we went for a pseudo-slumber party for all the November birthdays at our school. Basically, we wore our pajamas (well, I did, Joe didn't), ate junk food, and played games. It was a pretty good time. Sophia loves all the get-togethers we have with other people. She's a real party-girl. At home she fusses a ton, but around other people she's entertained and happy.
That's pretty much all that's going on. The weather is finally getting a little colder. Maybe winter will come yet.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Who Says Black Cats Are Unlucky?
Halloween has come and gone. I did have a couple of students dress up, and one brought me a jack-o-lantern. It's presently attracting flies in my classroom. This weekend we will probably go to the village near our school for trick-or-treating and a potluck, probably just the potluck since Sophia can't trick-or-treat anyway.
It's strange, but I don't feel that I have that much to talk about when it comes to the culture here. I guess part of it is that Kazakhstan feels more familiar. It's not like we face something interesting and different around every corner. Also, we spend so much time at school in an environment with people who are a lot like us. The most cultural thing I do every day is trying to speak in Russian to our nanny.
Can I paint a picture of the people here? Hmmm... Joe and I were trying to define this the other day. I said they are kind of closed. It seems a little hard to get to know them. After I said this, though, I realized I work with Kazakhs and talk to them every day. They just seem very similar to us. It could also be that we live in the city and Almaty is very cosmopolitan. I've mentioned all the designer stores and there are tons of BMWs and luxury cars. I'm sure outside of the city, the rural people are much more traditional. If we ever find the time, perhaps we'll get more experiences with the traditional side of Kazakhstan.
What are some images we see on a daily basis? Women in high, wait, not high, mountainous high heels. Every woman has her high boots on these days, and I've been assured that they will be wearing them when the snow comes. Babies. There are babies and little ones everywhere, due to the push for Kazakhs to have kids. Old people rummaging through our dumpster. Joe says they are probably pensioners who were promised a lot by communism. Kids out playing on Soviet-style bare playground equipment. Think rickety seesaw in the middle of a sandlot. Big, Soviet-style buildings. The mountains in the background. Unkempt yards, the grassy areas of the buildings are left to grow tall grass in some areas. Tree-lined streets. Big, impressive fountains. People flagging down gypsy cabs. They just point down and anyone who feels like it pulls over to pick them up. Pelmayni - a Russian food, I believe, little dumplings stuffed with meat.
Those are just a few of the things we see on a daily basis. It's hard to remember to describe the small things, but I remember when Joe was overseas these were sometimes the most interesting things, and they helped me get a picture of where he was at.
I'm off to get Sophia started on her bedtime ritual. We'll see how that goes. Bath, eat, listen to and sing Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line" three times, read a book, listen to her "Jesus Loves Me" sheep three times, cuddle with a soft animal, rock with mommy, lay in bed and suck pacifier, grab at Mommy's hand, finally succumb..... Nothing to it! All-in-all, an hour and 15 minutes will go by. Thank goodness she's started sleeping longer at night. It probably has to do with the fact that we moved her into the study/office. A little distance has helped improve the bags under my eyes.
It's strange, but I don't feel that I have that much to talk about when it comes to the culture here. I guess part of it is that Kazakhstan feels more familiar. It's not like we face something interesting and different around every corner. Also, we spend so much time at school in an environment with people who are a lot like us. The most cultural thing I do every day is trying to speak in Russian to our nanny.
Can I paint a picture of the people here? Hmmm... Joe and I were trying to define this the other day. I said they are kind of closed. It seems a little hard to get to know them. After I said this, though, I realized I work with Kazakhs and talk to them every day. They just seem very similar to us. It could also be that we live in the city and Almaty is very cosmopolitan. I've mentioned all the designer stores and there are tons of BMWs and luxury cars. I'm sure outside of the city, the rural people are much more traditional. If we ever find the time, perhaps we'll get more experiences with the traditional side of Kazakhstan.
What are some images we see on a daily basis? Women in high, wait, not high, mountainous high heels. Every woman has her high boots on these days, and I've been assured that they will be wearing them when the snow comes. Babies. There are babies and little ones everywhere, due to the push for Kazakhs to have kids. Old people rummaging through our dumpster. Joe says they are probably pensioners who were promised a lot by communism. Kids out playing on Soviet-style bare playground equipment. Think rickety seesaw in the middle of a sandlot. Big, Soviet-style buildings. The mountains in the background. Unkempt yards, the grassy areas of the buildings are left to grow tall grass in some areas. Tree-lined streets. Big, impressive fountains. People flagging down gypsy cabs. They just point down and anyone who feels like it pulls over to pick them up. Pelmayni - a Russian food, I believe, little dumplings stuffed with meat.
Those are just a few of the things we see on a daily basis. It's hard to remember to describe the small things, but I remember when Joe was overseas these were sometimes the most interesting things, and they helped me get a picture of where he was at.
I'm off to get Sophia started on her bedtime ritual. We'll see how that goes. Bath, eat, listen to and sing Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line" three times, read a book, listen to her "Jesus Loves Me" sheep three times, cuddle with a soft animal, rock with mommy, lay in bed and suck pacifier, grab at Mommy's hand, finally succumb..... Nothing to it! All-in-all, an hour and 15 minutes will go by. Thank goodness she's started sleeping longer at night. It probably has to do with the fact that we moved her into the study/office. A little distance has helped improve the bags under my eyes.
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