Monday, September 28, 2009
Acupuncture Anyone?
The first picture is the front door of a Chinese doctor who does acupuncture. I have always thought it would be cool to try acupuncture, but after passing this office everyday I'm not sure I would have nerve to step inside. In the back yard there are lots of herbs going in a fenced area. However, there is a big black dog that runs in the garden and in one corner is all the dog's poop piled up in a big pile. Is this part of the medicine?
The next picture is of the apartments right next to our school. They are the ones that make me wonder about my nice apartment and what it would be like to live in one of their apartments.
The last 3 pictures are of my QSI school. It is painted my favorite color. There are beautiful flowers in the entry way. Every QSI school in Kazakhstan envies our playground equipment, because we are the only school that has this huge playground adventure. My kids love it!!!!! An oil company that requested an international school be opened in Aktau paid for it. It is quite fancy. Yesterday I watched a little neighbor boy standing at the fence peering in. I knew he would love to come in and play with my kids. I was so tempted to let him in to play, but I knew I would get in big trouble. I had to turn my back so I couldn't see his little face anymore. When I turned around later he was still there.
The next picture is of the apartments right next to our school. They are the ones that make me wonder about my nice apartment and what it would be like to live in one of their apartments.
The last 3 pictures are of my QSI school. It is painted my favorite color. There are beautiful flowers in the entry way. Every QSI school in Kazakhstan envies our playground equipment, because we are the only school that has this huge playground adventure. My kids love it!!!!! An oil company that requested an international school be opened in Aktau paid for it. It is quite fancy. Yesterday I watched a little neighbor boy standing at the fence peering in. I knew he would love to come in and play with my kids. I was so tempted to let him in to play, but I knew I would get in big trouble. I had to turn my back so I couldn't see his little face anymore. When I turned around later he was still there.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Rescue on the Caspian Sea
I was doing my usual weekend floater activity on the sea where I hang on to a bouy and enjoy the relaxing waves. Saturday when I was blowing up the floater with a foot pump that Marc found for me, a Russian speaking guy about my age came over and started talking. When he realized that I couldn't speak Russian we communicated in sign language. I was telling him that, yes, I was going to take the floater out on the water. He walked back and forth on the beach the whole time I was blowing it up and then was standing there when I went out into the water. (Everyone around here claims the water is cold, but I sure don't mind the temperature!) He laughed and laughed while I was getting on the floater and then I sailed away to my bouy. I was hoping he would be around when I got back and I would let him get on the floater, but he was gone.
The waves were stronger and I was being bounced around so it wasn't the most relaxing thing in the world. I was out there for a long time enjoying the sun and decided to go back in. Right then 2 little sailboats with boys of about 8 or 9 years old sailing them. It looked like fun - maybe I should try that. I was talking to them, but could only understand the word Kazakhstan. I told them I was from America and they got a kick out of that and repeated America several times. I noticed that they were circling closer and closer to me and I couldn't figure out what they were doing. At first I thought maybe they were going to try and make me fall off my floater, but then I saw that they were throwing a rope to me. I didn't know what they wanted, but I grabbed the rope and they started to pull me towards the shore. Then it turned into this funny story. They were rescusing me!!!! The little sail boat really couldn't pull me and I yelled, "I think I am too heavy." The little boy smiled and nodded Yes, but I'm sure he didn't know what I said. Then he got his friend to pull his sailboat up next to his and he jumped out of his boat and stood on the front holding on to the two masts and away we went. It was like a slow motion version of being pulled by a big motorboat. They pulled me almost to shore and I let go of the rope and they headed off waving and smiling after all my thank yous. They probably went home feeling like heroes and are writing a story in school tomorrow how they rescued this elderly crazy American lady who was desperately hanging on to a bouy way out in the Caspian Sea.
The waves were stronger and I was being bounced around so it wasn't the most relaxing thing in the world. I was out there for a long time enjoying the sun and decided to go back in. Right then 2 little sailboats with boys of about 8 or 9 years old sailing them. It looked like fun - maybe I should try that. I was talking to them, but could only understand the word Kazakhstan. I told them I was from America and they got a kick out of that and repeated America several times. I noticed that they were circling closer and closer to me and I couldn't figure out what they were doing. At first I thought maybe they were going to try and make me fall off my floater, but then I saw that they were throwing a rope to me. I didn't know what they wanted, but I grabbed the rope and they started to pull me towards the shore. Then it turned into this funny story. They were rescusing me!!!! The little sail boat really couldn't pull me and I yelled, "I think I am too heavy." The little boy smiled and nodded Yes, but I'm sure he didn't know what I said. Then he got his friend to pull his sailboat up next to his and he jumped out of his boat and stood on the front holding on to the two masts and away we went. It was like a slow motion version of being pulled by a big motorboat. They pulled me almost to shore and I let go of the rope and they headed off waving and smiling after all my thank yous. They probably went home feeling like heroes and are writing a story in school tomorrow how they rescued this elderly crazy American lady who was desperately hanging on to a bouy way out in the Caspian Sea.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
A Sweet Day at the Caspian Sea
Dear Folks,
The Caspian Sea is saving me from the hardships of adjusting to a new culture. Marc told me about a nicer beach with whiter sand and no rocks. He was so kind to meet me about noon and walk me to this new beach. He had even found one of those foot pumps to blow up my floater. This floater of mine is sure a deluxe model and has been worth every penny. This beach was right by the boat club, so there were boats in the water and an empty buouy for me to hang on to so that I won't float to Iran.
I am just in heaven hanging out on my floater in the water. It was a beautiful day and when I closed my eyes I could imagine easily being back at McKee's Beach on my floater. There was a boat playing some decent music, some sailboats to watch, a gal water skiing, some guys rowing a blown up boat, the lapping waves, and a beautiful sun. Who would know that I was in Kazakhstan??
Marc ended up heading home and I just hung out on the beach, laying on my floater to get all the air out and soaking up the sun.
Marc had told me about this group of people on the beach that were doing this crazy thing of trying to build a fire without any firework, so they were trying to pull branches off of the little trees along the beach. He could just see them wrecking the trees and we both agreed that it was a STUPID thing to do.
When I was leaving the beach, I passed this group of people having a picnic with their little fire going. I looked their way and the only girl in the group of 7 guys said hello to me. We started talking and she asked me to join them. One of the guys was having a birthday party. The blanket was all spread out and in the middle was a huge platter of potatoes,carrots, and meat which had been cooking on the fire. She had homemade bread and everyone was dipping their bread in the potatoes. It was absolutely delicious! She had also made this salad out of tomatoes and cucumbers which reminded me of something I used to make back in Kentucky with cucumbers. They also had a big platter of sliced meat. The girl's name was Venus and she did all the translating for us. They wanted to know so many things about me. Whenever I said something and Venus translated they all laughed and were so friendly.
I told the group that I didn't think the people in Aktau were very friendly. I told them how I try to smile at people and then I demonstrated what their faces (the people on the street) looked like. They got a kick out of that! When they understood what I was saying, they all started talking at once. They were naming other towns where the people were very friendly. Venus agreed with me about the people here. She said that they have many problems and they look down at the sidewalk all the time thinking about their problems.
Actually, I am starting to get more and more smiles. One guy said that he saw me walking to work every morning. I told him that I hoped I was on my best behavior. He just laughed. Then I found out that he was a soldier guarding the streets and I said, "Wow, I better be on my best behavior." More rounds of laughter. You would have thought I was some movie star or something! Venus told me there were many beautiful places to see in Aktau (which was hard for me to believe) and she wants to take me to see some of them next weekend. She knew all about my school. She used to work there I guess, so she is going to call Art and give him her telephone information so I can get in touch with her. I left feeling so happy that I had made some friends even though they were trying to kill a tree.
On the way home I stopped at three different markets to get the last ingredients for my big lasagne dinner tonight. I got home around 8PM and had so much energy that I made 3 pies....two mixed berry pies and one huge apple pie made in a huge glass baking dish because I didn't have a pie plate. Wanda's secret ingredient for the best pie crust around is an egg and a t.of vinegar. Nick had told me that you really had to be careful of the vinegar they sell because you have to dilute it otherwise it will burn a hole in your stomach and could kill you. So here I am with this bottle of vinegar (70%) trying to decide how to make a pie crust without killing everyone off. I just used a few drops and hoped for the best. I couldn't get the image of everyone keeling over after eating the pie, so I decided to eat some before I went to bed. The crust was really not that great and I could taste the raw sugar, but with ice cream it wasn't too bad. I didn't die during the night so I guess I will serve the pies tonight.
I have to go to start making the lasagne. I'll let you know how that turns out. I love all of you. Love, Mom Rachel
The Caspian Sea is saving me from the hardships of adjusting to a new culture. Marc told me about a nicer beach with whiter sand and no rocks. He was so kind to meet me about noon and walk me to this new beach. He had even found one of those foot pumps to blow up my floater. This floater of mine is sure a deluxe model and has been worth every penny. This beach was right by the boat club, so there were boats in the water and an empty buouy for me to hang on to so that I won't float to Iran.
I am just in heaven hanging out on my floater in the water. It was a beautiful day and when I closed my eyes I could imagine easily being back at McKee's Beach on my floater. There was a boat playing some decent music, some sailboats to watch, a gal water skiing, some guys rowing a blown up boat, the lapping waves, and a beautiful sun. Who would know that I was in Kazakhstan??
Marc ended up heading home and I just hung out on the beach, laying on my floater to get all the air out and soaking up the sun.
Marc had told me about this group of people on the beach that were doing this crazy thing of trying to build a fire without any firework, so they were trying to pull branches off of the little trees along the beach. He could just see them wrecking the trees and we both agreed that it was a STUPID thing to do.
When I was leaving the beach, I passed this group of people having a picnic with their little fire going. I looked their way and the only girl in the group of 7 guys said hello to me. We started talking and she asked me to join them. One of the guys was having a birthday party. The blanket was all spread out and in the middle was a huge platter of potatoes,carrots, and meat which had been cooking on the fire. She had homemade bread and everyone was dipping their bread in the potatoes. It was absolutely delicious! She had also made this salad out of tomatoes and cucumbers which reminded me of something I used to make back in Kentucky with cucumbers. They also had a big platter of sliced meat. The girl's name was Venus and she did all the translating for us. They wanted to know so many things about me. Whenever I said something and Venus translated they all laughed and were so friendly.
I told the group that I didn't think the people in Aktau were very friendly. I told them how I try to smile at people and then I demonstrated what their faces (the people on the street) looked like. They got a kick out of that! When they understood what I was saying, they all started talking at once. They were naming other towns where the people were very friendly. Venus agreed with me about the people here. She said that they have many problems and they look down at the sidewalk all the time thinking about their problems.
Actually, I am starting to get more and more smiles. One guy said that he saw me walking to work every morning. I told him that I hoped I was on my best behavior. He just laughed. Then I found out that he was a soldier guarding the streets and I said, "Wow, I better be on my best behavior." More rounds of laughter. You would have thought I was some movie star or something! Venus told me there were many beautiful places to see in Aktau (which was hard for me to believe) and she wants to take me to see some of them next weekend. She knew all about my school. She used to work there I guess, so she is going to call Art and give him her telephone information so I can get in touch with her. I left feeling so happy that I had made some friends even though they were trying to kill a tree.
On the way home I stopped at three different markets to get the last ingredients for my big lasagne dinner tonight. I got home around 8PM and had so much energy that I made 3 pies....two mixed berry pies and one huge apple pie made in a huge glass baking dish because I didn't have a pie plate. Wanda's secret ingredient for the best pie crust around is an egg and a t.of vinegar. Nick had told me that you really had to be careful of the vinegar they sell because you have to dilute it otherwise it will burn a hole in your stomach and could kill you. So here I am with this bottle of vinegar (70%) trying to decide how to make a pie crust without killing everyone off. I just used a few drops and hoped for the best. I couldn't get the image of everyone keeling over after eating the pie, so I decided to eat some before I went to bed. The crust was really not that great and I could taste the raw sugar, but with ice cream it wasn't too bad. I didn't die during the night so I guess I will serve the pies tonight.
I have to go to start making the lasagne. I'll let you know how that turns out. I love all of you. Love, Mom Rachel
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Buying Bread in Aktau
Dear Loved Ones,
It is truly an experience buying bread in this town. Every little grocery store has a bread section, but also there are small stands on the street and in the bazaars that sell bread. The bread is never wrapped. I walked into the grocery store and was just standing in awe in the bread section. Bread was just thrown on the shelves without any wrapping. There was also a grocery cart of loaves of bread just thrown in all piled up. I've never seen anything like it. I couldn't even imagine where to start. Then 2 young boys came over and I watched them take a plastic sack, turn it upside down over their hand, and then they started to feel all the bread. So I got a plastic sack and started feeling all the bread - hard, hard, hard! Then I went to the grocery cart and felt that bread. It was warm - right out of the oven. The boys didn't know any English, so I motioned them over very excitedly to the warm bread. So they were buying the warm bread, I was putting the warm bread in my sack, and then a man came over and started to buy the bread. I told the boys, " See, this must be the best bread here!" It was cute how they laughed and then got out of there as soon as they could.
It is just hard to find simple things here that we just take for granted back home. If I need something back home, I just make a list and go get it. Job is done! Here I have to look and look trying to figure out what is in the packages. Then I look in another store. Then I head to the bazaars. Finally, I have gotten a list of Russian names for the most common items, but still it is hard to find things. Sugar is never near the flour. It is sold in a plastic bag. It is a fun challenge trying to find things, but it also can be exhausting.
I decided to make lasagna and invite the school crew over. I also am going to make some pies. I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to find the ingredients. I've gone all over town to get different items. It is unbelieveable, but I even found my favorite ingredient - pesto for $6. I paid $18 just to buy a pan to bake the lasagna. There is no ricotta cheese and their cottage cheese doesn't look anything like the cottage cheese I am used to. It will be fun to see how it all turns out.
I met Marcy from Texas who has lived here for 14 months. She shipped all her stuff over here and is so willing to share. She gave me some baking powder which is a huge gift. She also gave me some Italian spices from Costco and other spices. I wish I had known her when I was making the gingerbread cookies.
I was trying to put on more pictures, following my directions exactly. It is not working and I am in such a sweat that I gave up. It was so easy last time.
There was a huge excitment here last week. The president of Russia and the 3 countries that surround the Caspian Sea made a stop in Aktau to talk about expanding the oil business. Workers worked all night trying to finish up the sidewalks. I thought the President was going to be walking down the sidewalk or something. I know all the streets were going to be closed down. We didn't think many of the kids would be in school because of the traffic problems, but it turned out to be just an ordinary day. The only thing I saw different were the amount of policemen on the streets when I walked home that day! I must have missed it!
Remember when I had a back ache the first few days of school? Dinara blamed it on the air conditioner. Since then I have been told that they blame all colds on airconditioners, fans, leaving the window open at night, or drinking ice water. I came down with a cold last week and Dinara told me it was from my ice water. Thank goodness I had brought some Airborne with me. I think I kicked it this weekend. Every weekend so far I have gone swimming in the Caspian Sea, but I just stayed home the whole weekend trying to get better. I would have loved to go swimming, but I know how cold the water is.
Be good everybody. Love, Rachel
It is truly an experience buying bread in this town. Every little grocery store has a bread section, but also there are small stands on the street and in the bazaars that sell bread. The bread is never wrapped. I walked into the grocery store and was just standing in awe in the bread section. Bread was just thrown on the shelves without any wrapping. There was also a grocery cart of loaves of bread just thrown in all piled up. I've never seen anything like it. I couldn't even imagine where to start. Then 2 young boys came over and I watched them take a plastic sack, turn it upside down over their hand, and then they started to feel all the bread. So I got a plastic sack and started feeling all the bread - hard, hard, hard! Then I went to the grocery cart and felt that bread. It was warm - right out of the oven. The boys didn't know any English, so I motioned them over very excitedly to the warm bread. So they were buying the warm bread, I was putting the warm bread in my sack, and then a man came over and started to buy the bread. I told the boys, " See, this must be the best bread here!" It was cute how they laughed and then got out of there as soon as they could.
It is just hard to find simple things here that we just take for granted back home. If I need something back home, I just make a list and go get it. Job is done! Here I have to look and look trying to figure out what is in the packages. Then I look in another store. Then I head to the bazaars. Finally, I have gotten a list of Russian names for the most common items, but still it is hard to find things. Sugar is never near the flour. It is sold in a plastic bag. It is a fun challenge trying to find things, but it also can be exhausting.
I decided to make lasagna and invite the school crew over. I also am going to make some pies. I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to find the ingredients. I've gone all over town to get different items. It is unbelieveable, but I even found my favorite ingredient - pesto for $6. I paid $18 just to buy a pan to bake the lasagna. There is no ricotta cheese and their cottage cheese doesn't look anything like the cottage cheese I am used to. It will be fun to see how it all turns out.
I met Marcy from Texas who has lived here for 14 months. She shipped all her stuff over here and is so willing to share. She gave me some baking powder which is a huge gift. She also gave me some Italian spices from Costco and other spices. I wish I had known her when I was making the gingerbread cookies.
I was trying to put on more pictures, following my directions exactly. It is not working and I am in such a sweat that I gave up. It was so easy last time.
There was a huge excitment here last week. The president of Russia and the 3 countries that surround the Caspian Sea made a stop in Aktau to talk about expanding the oil business. Workers worked all night trying to finish up the sidewalks. I thought the President was going to be walking down the sidewalk or something. I know all the streets were going to be closed down. We didn't think many of the kids would be in school because of the traffic problems, but it turned out to be just an ordinary day. The only thing I saw different were the amount of policemen on the streets when I walked home that day! I must have missed it!
Remember when I had a back ache the first few days of school? Dinara blamed it on the air conditioner. Since then I have been told that they blame all colds on airconditioners, fans, leaving the window open at night, or drinking ice water. I came down with a cold last week and Dinara told me it was from my ice water. Thank goodness I had brought some Airborne with me. I think I kicked it this weekend. Every weekend so far I have gone swimming in the Caspian Sea, but I just stayed home the whole weekend trying to get better. I would have loved to go swimming, but I know how cold the water is.
Be good everybody. Love, Rachel
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