Waking Up Every Morning In Kazakhstan

Dear Everyone,
I have so much to write that I don't know where to start. Jamara, please help me figure out how I write more on my blog. I am using a computer in my apartment that is in English, but all the pop up boxes, headings, etc. are in Russian. I didn't know how to make another entry.The trip here seemed to last forever, especially since I had almost 5 hours wait at each airport I landed at. There aren't any great stories to tell about my flights. The only trouble I had was on the last leg of my journey when I discovered an older Russian lady was sitting in my seat and her little dog was in a carrier on the seat she was supposed to be sitting in. I showed her my ticket and she just ignored it and wouldn't budge. It was a very crowded plane and I sure was holding up traffic, so I ended up getting help from the airline stewardess. However, the lady still wouldn't move. So I ended up sitting in the middle while she held her dog on her lap. She was very big and took up part of my seat and then my backpack wouldn't go under my seat because the guy in front of me had his big bag there, so I had a very miserable crowded ride. I heard later that the Russian woman have been known to go sit in first class and refuse to move, so I guess they were glad that she at least stayed in the economy class.Actually, people out on the street don't seem really friendly here. I remember thinking the same the first few weeks I was in Koreabut they all warmed up to me and were very friendly. On that last plane ride I walked back to the bathroom and smiled at lots of people sitting in their seats. I didn't get one smile back, not even from an elderly lady with a face full of wrinkles. I thought sure that she would smile back. I smile at people out on the street and I very seldom get any smiles back. I guess it will be my mission to make this country smile.My director, Art, was there at the airport with three taxis to pick up me and 2 other new staff. The airport in Aktau was the most primitive airport I have even flown to. We were shuttled to some kind of shed to pick up our luggage and there weren't even any bathrooms there.We were then taken to our apartments. Art had told me that they were new and Westernized, which could have meant running water and bathrooms. My apartment is on the 14th floor of a huge building. I don't know where to begin to describe my apartment. It is the most beautiful and luxurious place that I have ever lived. I would have been delighted with much less and just walked around with my mouth open. It has three huge rooms. When you first walk in there is a new leather couch (I've always wanted one of those leather couches.), 2 matching leather chairs, a beautiful rug, a big TV, a computer table with a computer and printer, and a bathroom with a half round shower with jets. My bedroom is fantastic!! It is the hugest bedroom I have ever had. There is another bathroom in my bedroom. Can you believe that? And then there is another room with a washing machine that doubles for a dryer. I haven't figured how it works yet. Also, in that room is a huge jacuzzi with a radio and the jet streams. I have 3 huge wardrobe closets across one wall. I don't even fill up one of them. There is another huge TV in my room, a big dresser, 2 big stuffed chairs, another beautiful rug, 2 end tables, and a huge bed with pink sheets that don't fit the bed and a blue down comforter. The bed is delicious! The lights in my bedroom are amazing in themselves. There is a shelf thing going all around the ceiling and there is a green glowing light that is so cool when all the other lights are off. There is also a beautiful blue chandelier that has a remote for different shades of light and then there are regular lights. When I open my drapes I get a view of these buildings with huge pictures of the founders of Kazakhstan with the glorious Caspian Sea surrounding the whole city. It is breathtaking!And then moving into the kitchen and living room is another dream! What blows me away is the size of the room. There are 2 more beautiful Persian rugs, a brand new treadmill, couches, and a fax machine (as if I ever knew how to use one of those!) I have the biggest CD player that I have ever seen (and I usually can't even figure out to use the small one I own.) There is an ironing board and iron set up in the living room. The kitchen has a counter with 2 fancy stools, a dining room table, a fancy looking microwave, cupboards full of glass, goblets, tea sets, etc. There is a door out to a very narrow wrap around closed in deck. The windows are all covered with plastic out there so you really can't see anything. It is so narrow that you couldn't really even put a chair out there. It is kind of a mystery what that space is meant for. It is also like a sunhouse during the day. I have a brand new refrigerator. I must admit that I was disappointed that it didn't have an icemaker like I've always dreamed of, but who am I to complain. I forgot to mention that there is another TV in the kitchen for watching movies. That makes 3 TV's and 2 bathrooms in my apartment! Oh, all the windows have beautiful curved wood and such fancy drapes.There isn't a dishwasher, but I was told that every Monday I would have a maid who would clean, do my laundry, and do the dishes. I've never ever had a maid. It feels so weird to leave dirty dishes in the sink and I wanted to wash my clothes on my own, but sure don't know how to run the fancy thing.What is so funny about the whole thing is that after everyone left I couldn't get a thing to work! I couldn't get any of the TV's to work, the treadmill wouldn't start for me, the computer kept blinking "no signal", the huge jacuzzi wouldn't even hold water, there was no hot water in the shower - in fact the water was coming out pitch black the first day. The air conditioners in 2 of the rooms didn't work. The only thing I could figure out was the CD player and that was a miracle! But that didn't stop my joy of living in my apartment. I walked around the first night and counted how many people could camp out on the floor and I know that 30 or more people would have a very big space to lay a sleeping blanket, so everybody better come visit me. Just bring your sleeping bag!My landlord came over tonight with Yerkin who works at my school and can speak Russian. The shower is broken and will be fixed soon. The whole building is out of hot water and it will be fixed in a few days. I am a lucky one because I have a hot water tank in the other bathroom, so hopefully I might not run out of hot water. One TV was broken and will get fixed, but the other ones I just didn't know how to use. There are only a few news channels in English anyway. He did get my internet up and running and showed me how to use the printer. And he started the treadmill for me. I feel so fortunate. These apartments are costing my school $2.000 a month. The only thing is that when I walk down the street, especially around my school, I see the conditions other people are living in and it makes me feel sad. They are run down, dirty, beer bottles thrown out of windows, no curtains covering the windows, clothes hanging over the rails, crowded, crowded. I'll probably have 30 homeless people living with me before I leave!!! I just wanted you all to know that I am well and happy! I will tell you all about school the next time I write. I also have wireless in this apartment, so when I get the password I will be able to use my computer. Perhaps then I can figure out how to get all of this on my blog. Be safe and happy. Love, Me