Sorry, I have no excuse for the neglect this time, except that I forgot about this blog :O Nah actually, I have a baby excuse- I just assumed the page wouldn't load and therefore never went through the trouble of trying. But you forgive me, I can tell. :D
Ah, real quick- I just ate the last of my vafli (these small waffle-type wafers with creme inside) and I realized I am glad some things, such as vafli, and these other cookies, which I have dubbed 'satan cookies' (oatmeal cookies ... plain, fresh, soft oatmeal cookies, that are somehow as addictive as crack. or so I think), don't exist in America. If they did, I think I'd quickly become obese, unless I continued walking like 15 miles a day and climbing 5 flights of stairs a minimum of 4 times a day like I do here. Oh and add to that barely eating during the day, since I work 56 hours a week (pretty sure that's the only way to keep me from eating)... which doesn't sound sooo horrible, except that for 3 days of the week I work 12 hours a day with no breaks= no food, apart from any almonds/ raisins I can wolf down if my students are late. You really grow to love those reliably late students.
But getting down to business; what I've been up to. Well, to put it simply, working...and working. I honestly feel like I've taken on the lifestyle of a babushka: coming home after work and pretty much immediately preparing to go to bed. Oh that and spending my weekends cleaning/ preparing for classes. But with my aforementioned schedule and my perpetual 'non-morning person' personality, I'm just so tired now! Well, let me clarify- I am very tired unless I get enough sleep, thus the old woman schedule. I'm sure working a lot in any job is hard in itself, but to have to be TEACHING- I feel like it's in its own category. Non-stop talking and explaining and trying to seem as if you know all the explanations to answers of the ridiculous grammar rules the English language is made up of. And lesson- planning! I think no one understands how involved teaching is, especially teaching younger children, or teaching people how to take tests YOU haven't even taken/ wouldn't even do well on (i.e. GMAT/ GRE), until you've done it. I think maybe the latter only applies to Kaz language schools though ;P I definitely underestimated the teaching profession before I got into it, and I appreciate teachers now more because of it. But enough complaining! This week I have actually been blessed with cancellations (everyone is sick right now, maybe making 'blessed' an inappropriate word) and some students finishing test preparations, so I have mini breaks throughout the day! Pretty much kicks asssss. Also, aside from when I am forced to play the part of a math teacher, I feel like I've become pretty good at this job :D About time, eh? And I like all my students, as usual; always something to be grateful for.
So what else can I tell you about Baba Amanda...on the weekends I hang out with my teacher friends, and I've actually started up Russian classes on Saturday and Sunday in a different school since I don't have any breaks in the week where my boss could teach me. Hopefully this will change after Danielle returns from her vacation (3 weeks! and yes, I'm counting), which is the reason for my busy schedule, but we'll see. Oh, now I eat breakfast every day (if you knew me REALLY well, you'd know given the choice of breakfast or sleep, I'd usually choose sleep), only drink tea as opposed to coffee, eat tomatoes as if they are apples (they are fuckin good during the summer here, don't judge me)...I think these are the strangest of my new habits. One thing I've realized though, working a lot 1) makes the weeks literally fly by...I think I hadn't truly experienced this phrase until these past few weeks 2)realllllly makes me look forward to the weekend. Even if my plans are go grocery shopping, clean, and walk in the park with friends :D Baba lifestyle, I tell ya.
Well, sadly, I think this is really all I have to say. I still have odd/interesting taxi encounters, as usual. I actually have been getting many free taxi ride offers lately when I'm just walking somewhere- I asked other people about this, if it's normal and what not, and apparently it's when guys want to get to know you/ get your phone number. AKA just say no. I guess I can feel flattered though, because they don't know I speak English just by looking at me. Lately I've also had an increasing number of my students telling me I'm beautiful, and behaving as though I am just oh soooo interesting and funny (I have a lot of teenage-20 something yr old boys right now...), but I have a sneaking suspicion that is mainly due to the fact that I am the native English-speaking AMERICAN teacher. It's quite odd when you really can't tell if people like you because of your personality (and I mean this in a friendly way, despite what I was just giving an example of), or because of the simple fact that you speak English. Maybe this is meant as a lesson to me to not just like people here because they speak Russian. See how it feels, that whole bit. Fair enough, noted.
With that, it's getting past my baba bed time (11:40 right now), so I need to get going! Besides, this essay is a decent length- makes up for my month of absence at least. Poka druzya!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Guess who's back? Back in kaz
SO, I arrived! And GUESSSSS WHAT!!?? I live in a bigger, nicer apartment which actually has:
1) a vacuum
2) a microwave
3) a washing machine (as in, i didn't have to wait 2 weeks to get one delivered)
4) an iron that works!
5) a real tub that is actually cemented and tiled in place
6) a million shelves in both the kitchen and the living room
7) 2 wardrobes
8) a vanity-mirror-getting ready deal!
9) a big bed!
10) a real door, 2 actually!
11) real locks! many!
12) windows that open and have screens behind them- no bugs!
13) a location that is even closer to my work and has lots of tree shade, and has windows facing north so the roasting sun rising doesn't bake me alive
14) real thick curtains that block out light, along with thin ones to let air in
15) a tv that works, has a working remote, and more than 5 channels that i can actually see!
So yay!! And I get a day of rest to buy food/ unpack/ come back to life from my long travels, which included things like a 4 hour wait (to take off) in AZ in a plane with no air conditioning, being accused of carrying bomb-making materials and going through extensive body scans/ searches (clothed...thank god), discussing some endangered bird in NE Russia and the possibility of having it's population renewed (only if the hippy Brit telling me all this can successfully trap them and bring them back to the UK) for a few hours/ teaching him the Russian alphabet and some useful phrases, and having my seat kicked while listening to a small child singing in Russian about everything that was going on in the plane and that she was seeing- during the entire flight. that was actually pretty cute though. and hilarious.
K enough I still have things to do!
1) a vacuum
2) a microwave
3) a washing machine (as in, i didn't have to wait 2 weeks to get one delivered)
4) an iron that works!
5) a real tub that is actually cemented and tiled in place
6) a million shelves in both the kitchen and the living room
7) 2 wardrobes
8) a vanity-mirror-getting ready deal!
9) a big bed!
10) a real door, 2 actually!
11) real locks! many!
12) windows that open and have screens behind them- no bugs!
13) a location that is even closer to my work and has lots of tree shade, and has windows facing north so the roasting sun rising doesn't bake me alive
14) real thick curtains that block out light, along with thin ones to let air in
15) a tv that works, has a working remote, and more than 5 channels that i can actually see!
So yay!! And I get a day of rest to buy food/ unpack/ come back to life from my long travels, which included things like a 4 hour wait (to take off) in AZ in a plane with no air conditioning, being accused of carrying bomb-making materials and going through extensive body scans/ searches (clothed...thank god), discussing some endangered bird in NE Russia and the possibility of having it's population renewed (only if the hippy Brit telling me all this can successfully trap them and bring them back to the UK) for a few hours/ teaching him the Russian alphabet and some useful phrases, and having my seat kicked while listening to a small child singing in Russian about everything that was going on in the plane and that she was seeing- during the entire flight. that was actually pretty cute though. and hilarious.
K enough I still have things to do!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
HOME!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I'm more than halfway done with my visit home, and I randomly remembered my abandoned blog (of course, not purposefully abandoned, but because of censorship reasons, as previously stated) and felt inclined to update. It took some effort to get into my account just now too, because I bought a netbook (due to my laptop splitting in half/ the disk drive door falling off. well nearly the entire side) and it doesn't have my passwords or links saved. So just know the extent of my dedication. ANYWAY. I had an extraordinarily intense last few weeks at work, in which they nearly gave Danielle a vacation and I was working nearly 50 hours a week. I know this was in order to balance our hours for while I was gone, but still... it made me all the more ready to peace out. I now hear that Danielle is working nearly 60 hours a week in my absence, and I feel bad/ terrified for what I'll be walking into. But hey, I still have some time here!
So after being so kindly taken to the airport by my friend Liz, leaving my phone in the taxi and being lucky enough that the driver drove back because my boss happened to call my phone then and he answered, and Liz also kind of helping me with my luggage issues (apparently PHX airport code doesn't exist in ALA airport systems, so they were veeeerrry wary about sending my suitcases there, telling me I better be 100% sure, otherwise my suitcases could end up in Malaysia, which actually successfully convinced me I was only 94% sure I knew the airport code of the airport I have flown in and out of 100 times), I was on my way home. I had an interesting time not sleeping on most flights and in the Moscow airport (I had a flight the next morning and tried, unsuccessfully, to sleep in a variety of chairs and couch things), however the 24 hour tax free stores provided me with entertainment by allowing me to distract the sales assistants and then (most likely unnecessarily), using covert actions, to sneak squirts/ swipes of face wash and chap stick and face lotion to make my night a little more comfortable. I also had a veryyyy long delay on the plane before the last flight to Phoenix, however I did enjoy my first Starbucks in 8 months in London, (where my last flight departed from) which definitely did reignite my love of coffee. And I had a super chatty woman on the flight back, although she wasn't annoying- she was actually very well traveled and interesting, and interested in my strange story. It was my first 'Welcome back to America' moment too.
But ok so since I've been back, it's been wedding preparations = high gear. It's fun, but it was a bit more stressful in the beginning when not much was decided. We are pretty much done now, just dress fittings left, seeing as my mom will be married NEXT WEEK in Vegasssss woohoo!! And I've visited Tucson once already, and am planning a return trip sometime, soon I guess. I have indeed pet Xeen quite a bit, and my heart breaks thinking I have to leave her again in about 3 weeks. Holy crap. So soon already. And yesterday was my brother's birthday, and I got to be here for my Mom's birthday also, and Mother's day, friends' birthdays, and for one of my close friends birthing a child. So I'd say I timed this holiday very well. I've also gotten in an embarrassing amount of Gilmore Girls-watching and a decent amount of various video juegos- playing I had missed terribly. There also has been a fair bit of drama here, but I guess nothing too horrible, especially when you consider the nearly drama-free life I'd been living out in Kaz for the past 8 months. I also feel like I've come to terms with a number of issues I had at home that I had kind of felt like I was avoiding during my time in Kaz. Oh and also got my student loans taken care of i.e. deferred. I guess I am ready to go back, but I just really am not looking forward to that job. And I've decided this December is definitely my last Kazzy-time, because one of my best friends is FINALLY getting married next March, and I wouldn't miss that for the world. I honestly have no clue of my plans when I come back either; I've decided to TRY to find some kind of legit job, and if not, then I have a number of options involving grad school, although that really is on the back burner of all options because I keep reading you should KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO when you are going to grad school. My life. Well, I still have up until December planned out, so I guess that will have to be good enough!
Anyway, I hope my blog will work in my NEW apartment when I get back... actually I hope my internet works in general... it works by regions and I have no idea where my new apartment will be. I made sure my old apartment region was in the internet flash card range before I bought it. Oi vey. Well, until sometime in July, peace!
So after being so kindly taken to the airport by my friend Liz, leaving my phone in the taxi and being lucky enough that the driver drove back because my boss happened to call my phone then and he answered, and Liz also kind of helping me with my luggage issues (apparently PHX airport code doesn't exist in ALA airport systems, so they were veeeerrry wary about sending my suitcases there, telling me I better be 100% sure, otherwise my suitcases could end up in Malaysia, which actually successfully convinced me I was only 94% sure I knew the airport code of the airport I have flown in and out of 100 times), I was on my way home. I had an interesting time not sleeping on most flights and in the Moscow airport (I had a flight the next morning and tried, unsuccessfully, to sleep in a variety of chairs and couch things), however the 24 hour tax free stores provided me with entertainment by allowing me to distract the sales assistants and then (most likely unnecessarily), using covert actions, to sneak squirts/ swipes of face wash and chap stick and face lotion to make my night a little more comfortable. I also had a veryyyy long delay on the plane before the last flight to Phoenix, however I did enjoy my first Starbucks in 8 months in London, (where my last flight departed from) which definitely did reignite my love of coffee. And I had a super chatty woman on the flight back, although she wasn't annoying- she was actually very well traveled and interesting, and interested in my strange story. It was my first 'Welcome back to America' moment too.
But ok so since I've been back, it's been wedding preparations = high gear. It's fun, but it was a bit more stressful in the beginning when not much was decided. We are pretty much done now, just dress fittings left, seeing as my mom will be married NEXT WEEK in Vegasssss woohoo!! And I've visited Tucson once already, and am planning a return trip sometime, soon I guess. I have indeed pet Xeen quite a bit, and my heart breaks thinking I have to leave her again in about 3 weeks. Holy crap. So soon already. And yesterday was my brother's birthday, and I got to be here for my Mom's birthday also, and Mother's day, friends' birthdays, and for one of my close friends birthing a child. So I'd say I timed this holiday very well. I've also gotten in an embarrassing amount of Gilmore Girls-watching and a decent amount of various video juegos- playing I had missed terribly. There also has been a fair bit of drama here, but I guess nothing too horrible, especially when you consider the nearly drama-free life I'd been living out in Kaz for the past 8 months. I also feel like I've come to terms with a number of issues I had at home that I had kind of felt like I was avoiding during my time in Kaz. Oh and also got my student loans taken care of i.e. deferred. I guess I am ready to go back, but I just really am not looking forward to that job. And I've decided this December is definitely my last Kazzy-time, because one of my best friends is FINALLY getting married next March, and I wouldn't miss that for the world. I honestly have no clue of my plans when I come back either; I've decided to TRY to find some kind of legit job, and if not, then I have a number of options involving grad school, although that really is on the back burner of all options because I keep reading you should KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO when you are going to grad school. My life. Well, I still have up until December planned out, so I guess that will have to be good enough!
Anyway, I hope my blog will work in my NEW apartment when I get back... actually I hope my internet works in general... it works by regions and I have no idea where my new apartment will be. I made sure my old apartment region was in the internet flash card range before I bought it. Oi vey. Well, until sometime in July, peace!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
wooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh.
It actually works! I swear I haven't been ULTRA lazy- for the longest time, whenever I went to the blog page, it would never load all the way and didn't give me a 'log in' option no matter how many times I tried! Really!
But k so. Haven't written in a good long time so I should probably have a lot to say. Let's see here. First thing I think of, well ok the VERY first thing should be Merry Christmas and Happy New Years everyone! Woohoo 2011...nasty odd number year. Oh well I'll try not to be too prejudice. Although in ... one month and 2 days I will turn a nasty odd number age of 23. OOf! Actually, it's not so bad. Around 25 I think it will start bothering me. And I think I decided I want to have some sort of karaoke fiasco in celebration, yesssss.
2nd thing that comes to mind is... I am coming home in April!! Well the very tail-end of April, until the first week of July!! Wooooooohoo! I will make rounds to Tucson as well of course, but I plan to spend most of my time 1) petting Xena 2) studying for the GRE 3) visiting long lost buddies 4) whoops, secret :D Just know there is a forth. I'm super excited to be going home for a bit as well anyway, but also to be leaving before it gets to it's hottest! As I type that, it is starting to intensely snow here. khakhakha. First time since the new year though!
SO things that are new here. Oh well I guess I can tell you for New Years I went to this small town with one of my fellow teacher friends, Dinara, and Danielle of course. It's Dinara's hometown, and it was SO nice of her to invite us to spend time with her family for the holidays. It was comforting to have a borrowed family, complete with a mom who wouldn't stop feeding us :D And I got to try the national dish, Beshparmak, which is a huge plate of these Kazakh noodles, onions, and ...horse. Various parts of horse. Yup. It's freaking good! Oh but before that we went to a Russian banya and steamed ourselves clean for the new year. Let me clarify a bit: we took a taxi to some random house, walking by a large pack of dogs barking and some guys digging in the snow, to go into this shed-like place to strip down naked and stand in steam rooms washing ourselves. I of course found it hilarious, but I can't say I'm not a fan now. Unfortunately there weren't any of the branches to beat each other with, so I guess I'll just have to try going again somewhere else! We also went dancing in this restaurant (I know it sounds strange, but it makes sense if you see these places) with some of her friends and a million people wanted pictures with us (Danielle and I) since we are these amazing American creatures..ha. We went to various members of her family's houses and ate and ate and ate. Oh and drank tons of tea. I'm an avid tea drinker now, I like it much more than coffee. So odd. I'm sure I'll be drawn to Starbucks the minute I get back though. Hell, the next one I see (so maybe in a London airport or whatever), I'm going to get one of my iced coffees just to see if I'm cured.
ANYWAY, the most ridiculous part of going to Аркалык (previously mentioned small town) was the 2 day train ride to get there!! And of course 2 more days to get back! And when we were getting tickets, there weren't any more of the normal cars left, so we were in the 'plus cart', which is like a massive sleep over with everyone in your train car, because there are no doors or any type of separations/ privacy. QUITE eventful of course, complete with heater issues, blanket issues, leg-sat-on issues, and of plenty of encounters with numerous strange individuals. Although there were also not-so-strange individuals just wanting to talk to us, which was quite entertaining. It's hilarious to be thought of as such an unusual sight that people you don't know feel the need to take pictures with you as if you are the guy in the Mickey Mouse costume at Disney World or something, and ask you a million questions and talk to you all night. But hey, it does keep things interesting. Anyway, we brought a bunch of food and feasted on the train, and were given food by Dinara's friend's car-mates (she was in a normal car). I forgot, Dinara's friend also came, Zuliya. I really liked her, I'm a little surprised I forgot. Overall, it was an hilarious experience, and the best Russian practice I've had since being here (none of her family spoke English :D) and I definitely had a good time/ when I didn't (for example, certain times on the train) I knew it would make for an amusing story, to me at least, later.
The length of this thing is getting out of hand, so I think that's going to have to be all for now. Hopefully blogspot won't start acting up again and keep you all from my wildly interesting adventures/thoughts for too long ;)
But k so. Haven't written in a good long time so I should probably have a lot to say. Let's see here. First thing I think of, well ok the VERY first thing should be Merry Christmas and Happy New Years everyone! Woohoo 2011...nasty odd number year. Oh well I'll try not to be too prejudice. Although in ... one month and 2 days I will turn a nasty odd number age of 23. OOf! Actually, it's not so bad. Around 25 I think it will start bothering me. And I think I decided I want to have some sort of karaoke fiasco in celebration, yesssss.
2nd thing that comes to mind is... I am coming home in April!! Well the very tail-end of April, until the first week of July!! Wooooooohoo! I will make rounds to Tucson as well of course, but I plan to spend most of my time 1) petting Xena 2) studying for the GRE 3) visiting long lost buddies 4) whoops, secret :D Just know there is a forth. I'm super excited to be going home for a bit as well anyway, but also to be leaving before it gets to it's hottest! As I type that, it is starting to intensely snow here. khakhakha. First time since the new year though!
SO things that are new here. Oh well I guess I can tell you for New Years I went to this small town with one of my fellow teacher friends, Dinara, and Danielle of course. It's Dinara's hometown, and it was SO nice of her to invite us to spend time with her family for the holidays. It was comforting to have a borrowed family, complete with a mom who wouldn't stop feeding us :D And I got to try the national dish, Beshparmak, which is a huge plate of these Kazakh noodles, onions, and ...horse. Various parts of horse. Yup. It's freaking good! Oh but before that we went to a Russian banya and steamed ourselves clean for the new year. Let me clarify a bit: we took a taxi to some random house, walking by a large pack of dogs barking and some guys digging in the snow, to go into this shed-like place to strip down naked and stand in steam rooms washing ourselves. I of course found it hilarious, but I can't say I'm not a fan now. Unfortunately there weren't any of the branches to beat each other with, so I guess I'll just have to try going again somewhere else! We also went dancing in this restaurant (I know it sounds strange, but it makes sense if you see these places) with some of her friends and a million people wanted pictures with us (Danielle and I) since we are these amazing American creatures..ha. We went to various members of her family's houses and ate and ate and ate. Oh and drank tons of tea. I'm an avid tea drinker now, I like it much more than coffee. So odd. I'm sure I'll be drawn to Starbucks the minute I get back though. Hell, the next one I see (so maybe in a London airport or whatever), I'm going to get one of my iced coffees just to see if I'm cured.
ANYWAY, the most ridiculous part of going to Аркалык (previously mentioned small town) was the 2 day train ride to get there!! And of course 2 more days to get back! And when we were getting tickets, there weren't any more of the normal cars left, so we were in the 'plus cart', which is like a massive sleep over with everyone in your train car, because there are no doors or any type of separations/ privacy. QUITE eventful of course, complete with heater issues, blanket issues, leg-sat-on issues, and of plenty of encounters with numerous strange individuals. Although there were also not-so-strange individuals just wanting to talk to us, which was quite entertaining. It's hilarious to be thought of as such an unusual sight that people you don't know feel the need to take pictures with you as if you are the guy in the Mickey Mouse costume at Disney World or something, and ask you a million questions and talk to you all night. But hey, it does keep things interesting. Anyway, we brought a bunch of food and feasted on the train, and were given food by Dinara's friend's car-mates (she was in a normal car). I forgot, Dinara's friend also came, Zuliya. I really liked her, I'm a little surprised I forgot. Overall, it was an hilarious experience, and the best Russian practice I've had since being here (none of her family spoke English :D) and I definitely had a good time/ when I didn't (for example, certain times on the train) I knew it would make for an amusing story, to me at least, later.
The length of this thing is getting out of hand, so I think that's going to have to be all for now. Hopefully blogspot won't start acting up again and keep you all from my wildly interesting adventures/thoughts for too long ;)
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
No more changes...
I'll officially be in Kaz another year. I'm signing a contract tomorrow morning and getting an actual WORK visa until the 25th of December 2011 so it is the last time my dates will be changed. which probably means I won't be back in the US for good until April 2012 because in December i can get my 4 month visa. i'm currently a little bit in shock. i will still be coming home for the summer. and i will be bringing my cat back with me. dear jesus have i gone mad?
but no time to contemplate that now. i have to prepare multiple lessons for my super ultra VIP client tomorrow of unknown English level, whose driver is picking me up at the corner of my street at 8am to bring me to my student's office, where I will be teaching him for 2 hours and then dropped back off at my house. wwwhhhaaat.
oh my gosh. ...
but no time to contemplate that now. i have to prepare multiple lessons for my super ultra VIP client tomorrow of unknown English level, whose driver is picking me up at the corner of my street at 8am to bring me to my student's office, where I will be teaching him for 2 hours and then dropped back off at my house. wwwhhhaaat.
oh my gosh. ...
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Well now.
So I have no clue what my visa situation is; as of Wednesday, I may be able to stay until Dec 2011. Do I want to do that? Who knows. But that's not important right now because it's not even for sure an option. I guess in exchange for some free native speaker lessons, some family can get Danielle and I these visas we need?!?!? WHO KNOWS. We'll see if I ever leave this country. HA. If not, I will definitely be needing to find a way to relocate my gatito. By the way, this weather has increased the amount of homeless kittens I've seen and it breaks my heart, but I have still not succumbed to taking in a new pet.
ANYWAY so Thanksgiving has come and gone, completely uncelebrated by me, but hey, my mom will have a make-up dinner waiting for me whenever I get home. woooot! I hope everyone else had a lovely holiday. Another plus: this was year 3 I've gotten to avoid working black friday in some sort of retail store! Hollla! But anyway as of now, the plan for Christmas/ New Years is still to go to Kyrgyzstan- but instead of just sitting around Bishkek, Danielle and I will (98% likely) be sitting around in a resort with fine food and a New Years ball at the lovely Lake Issyk kyl. And that will probs narrows down our chances of getting involved in some civil political tryst. I think we will be going Dec. 23rd ish, and look at that- it's already nearly December! How. Last year at this time, I was getting ready to leave Russia in about 2 weeks to embark on European travels. weeeeird.
So what else is new with me. I bought an extra coffee cup, so that now when I have people come over (it's happened like twice!) we can all actually have tea at the same time, without me drinking out of a glass instead. I only have 2 forks as well, so I am considering buying a few but we'll see. I have this routine where I slave all week and make my house a slight mess since I'm always in a rush, and then clean on the weekend between grocery shopping/ errands/ going out, but lately the amount of cockroaches in the building I live in has increased substantially and I am having to sweep carcasses up a lot more. F'in annoying. And not to mention nasty. I finally was asking other teachers if it's normal to have 3 new cockroaches every day lounging around on their backs in your house (not dead), and they said definitely not. So my apt. owner has been notified; we'll see if he decides to take action. He is an effective individual about 47% of the time. Meanwhile, I bought some gel and some of those nasty cockroach motel things I normally am very against, but hey this is getting ridic. I put one outside too in the corridor cuz there are TONS out there. Ew not tons but a fair amount.
Oh and today I decided to get my boots fixed (I bought some cheaper ones here awhile ago and the sole was like peeling off because of stomping through flood streets) and it was pretty legit. I was able to explain and discuss, the guy told me I have good Russian skillz. As did a woman I was talking to in a shoe store earlier today, who actually asked if I was Russian- but I think it was more like...you must be a slightly retarded Russian if you are. I didn't mean to go to this shoe store, but I set off on this trek to a post office about 6 streets in the wrong direction, and when I realized what I had done, I was in front of a shoe store. I thought it was a sign, but alas, I still have too big of feet for this asian country. I'm fine for getting boots without an inch of fur on the inside, but with fur I'm having some issues. Well I should clarify: I'm having some issues finding boots with fur that fit me feet that DON'T look like Spice Girl boots or some kind of ghetto fabulous with chains, lace, animal prints or bling. Yeah yeah, call me boring. Oh and so I did end up finding the post office, however my mom's missing package continues to be missing. poop.
And final thing- I hadn't gone out to a club (until last night) for about 3 weeks or so, just because I've been hanging out with Danielle and Liz a lot, but a Canadian friend is returning to his homeland so a pack of people had to celebrate/ send him off. We went to this club I like, I got in to the club for free, I got a free drink as well, I didn't lose anything, was only approached by easily avoidable creeps (well except for one but it still wasn't so bad) and everything seemed like a lovely night. I decide my feet hurt too much and got a taxi home (for 500, the first guy asked me for 1000! pah!) and I have super talkative taxi man. Who also told me my Russian was good. But he ended up being creeper 5000 and even though I told him my bf was in the apartment sleeping, he attempted to follow me to my apartment building and even tried to kiss me; so I think I am a little scarred from the nearly 5am taxi rides. I think the key is to act very serious and unfriendly, and maybe even like I can't understand anything, but for now I think I will just avoid the situation (as long as I can anyway) altogether.
I realize I mentioned a few times people telling me my Russian is good; conversations with new people are always exactly the same, asking about where I'm from/why I'm here/blah blah blah and I am quite good at these topics now. But I still have difficulties, and am taking free lessons with my boss (combined with Danielle, who I am doing fine keeping up with :D) and they are needed. Just thought I'd clarify, so you guys don't think you know a fluent Russian speaker or something.
Until we meet again!
ANYWAY so Thanksgiving has come and gone, completely uncelebrated by me, but hey, my mom will have a make-up dinner waiting for me whenever I get home. woooot! I hope everyone else had a lovely holiday. Another plus: this was year 3 I've gotten to avoid working black friday in some sort of retail store! Hollla! But anyway as of now, the plan for Christmas/ New Years is still to go to Kyrgyzstan- but instead of just sitting around Bishkek, Danielle and I will (98% likely) be sitting around in a resort with fine food and a New Years ball at the lovely Lake Issyk kyl. And that will probs narrows down our chances of getting involved in some civil political tryst. I think we will be going Dec. 23rd ish, and look at that- it's already nearly December! How. Last year at this time, I was getting ready to leave Russia in about 2 weeks to embark on European travels. weeeeird.
So what else is new with me. I bought an extra coffee cup, so that now when I have people come over (it's happened like twice!) we can all actually have tea at the same time, without me drinking out of a glass instead. I only have 2 forks as well, so I am considering buying a few but we'll see. I have this routine where I slave all week and make my house a slight mess since I'm always in a rush, and then clean on the weekend between grocery shopping/ errands/ going out, but lately the amount of cockroaches in the building I live in has increased substantially and I am having to sweep carcasses up a lot more. F'in annoying. And not to mention nasty. I finally was asking other teachers if it's normal to have 3 new cockroaches every day lounging around on their backs in your house (not dead), and they said definitely not. So my apt. owner has been notified; we'll see if he decides to take action. He is an effective individual about 47% of the time. Meanwhile, I bought some gel and some of those nasty cockroach motel things I normally am very against, but hey this is getting ridic. I put one outside too in the corridor cuz there are TONS out there. Ew not tons but a fair amount.
Oh and today I decided to get my boots fixed (I bought some cheaper ones here awhile ago and the sole was like peeling off because of stomping through flood streets) and it was pretty legit. I was able to explain and discuss, the guy told me I have good Russian skillz. As did a woman I was talking to in a shoe store earlier today, who actually asked if I was Russian- but I think it was more like...you must be a slightly retarded Russian if you are. I didn't mean to go to this shoe store, but I set off on this trek to a post office about 6 streets in the wrong direction, and when I realized what I had done, I was in front of a shoe store. I thought it was a sign, but alas, I still have too big of feet for this asian country. I'm fine for getting boots without an inch of fur on the inside, but with fur I'm having some issues. Well I should clarify: I'm having some issues finding boots with fur that fit me feet that DON'T look like Spice Girl boots or some kind of ghetto fabulous with chains, lace, animal prints or bling. Yeah yeah, call me boring. Oh and so I did end up finding the post office, however my mom's missing package continues to be missing. poop.
And final thing- I hadn't gone out to a club (until last night) for about 3 weeks or so, just because I've been hanging out with Danielle and Liz a lot, but a Canadian friend is returning to his homeland so a pack of people had to celebrate/ send him off. We went to this club I like, I got in to the club for free, I got a free drink as well, I didn't lose anything, was only approached by easily avoidable creeps (well except for one but it still wasn't so bad) and everything seemed like a lovely night. I decide my feet hurt too much and got a taxi home (for 500, the first guy asked me for 1000! pah!) and I have super talkative taxi man. Who also told me my Russian was good. But he ended up being creeper 5000 and even though I told him my bf was in the apartment sleeping, he attempted to follow me to my apartment building and even tried to kiss me; so I think I am a little scarred from the nearly 5am taxi rides. I think the key is to act very serious and unfriendly, and maybe even like I can't understand anything, but for now I think I will just avoid the situation (as long as I can anyway) altogether.
I realize I mentioned a few times people telling me my Russian is good; conversations with new people are always exactly the same, asking about where I'm from/why I'm here/blah blah blah and I am quite good at these topics now. But I still have difficulties, and am taking free lessons with my boss (combined with Danielle, who I am doing fine keeping up with :D) and they are needed. Just thought I'd clarify, so you guys don't think you know a fluent Russian speaker or something.
Until we meet again!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
HALLELUJAH!!!!!
So, my massive brain-numbing, decision-needing crisis is OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For those of you unfortunate enough to know what I'm talking about (as in, unfortunate that you had to listen to my endless ranting, especially since it was for no reason, as I just woke up this morning and decided), I will be staying until April, and have even already told my boss! So next crisis: I'm out of smetana and cheese! Still quite terrible- I mean really try to not underestimate how terrible that is, but still it is much easier to deal with I think. And ya know, probably won't keep me up all night while I try to figure out what to do about it ;D
Oh and 2 more things:
1) I realized on Monday I will not be able to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, at least on it's proper day. I work until 930pm on Thursdays. Poop.
2) Now that (as of this morning) I am officially going to still be in Kazakhstan past December 15th, I've informed Danielle of a plan I have to possibly find a different, more interesting/safe locale for our holidays; at least more so than Bishkek in winter. Preferably one which can be reached by train, since plane tickets are expensive as...well lets just say really expensive right now. And more importantly, reached by train in only a few days, as I was looking into Beijing and it takes approximately 10 days of travel time to get there and back. Which of course normally would be 100% ok, and probably even kinda fun on those sleeper trains, but we have a very limited amount of time for vacation: probs in the ballpark of 2 weeks, tops. We will searchy searchy searchy this weekend I think.
Well I'm quite tired and need to wake up super early to figure out what the heck I'm supposed to be doing for this practice test I'm giving tomorrow, so I think I will...no not go to sleep, silly. Plan my other lessons for tomorrow of course!! :D I hope everyone is having a LOVELY week though, and getting to feel even a little bit as happy as I get to feel now that I've decided something!!! I don't even know if that made sense!! :DDDD
Oh and 2 more things:
1) I realized on Monday I will not be able to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, at least on it's proper day. I work until 930pm on Thursdays. Poop.
2) Now that (as of this morning) I am officially going to still be in Kazakhstan past December 15th, I've informed Danielle of a plan I have to possibly find a different, more interesting/safe locale for our holidays; at least more so than Bishkek in winter. Preferably one which can be reached by train, since plane tickets are expensive as...well lets just say really expensive right now. And more importantly, reached by train in only a few days, as I was looking into Beijing and it takes approximately 10 days of travel time to get there and back. Which of course normally would be 100% ok, and probably even kinda fun on those sleeper trains, but we have a very limited amount of time for vacation: probs in the ballpark of 2 weeks, tops. We will searchy searchy searchy this weekend I think.
Well I'm quite tired and need to wake up super early to figure out what the heck I'm supposed to be doing for this practice test I'm giving tomorrow, so I think I will...no not go to sleep, silly. Plan my other lessons for tomorrow of course!! :D I hope everyone is having a LOVELY week though, and getting to feel even a little bit as happy as I get to feel now that I've decided something!!! I don't even know if that made sense!! :DDDD
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