You can't flush toilet paper here. Instead, you throw it away in a trash can next to the toilet. We keep that door closed.
I think my toes may have frozen together yesterday. Mike and I accompanied M to 'the largest market in Central Asia' to find some fabric for the sewing projects. What we thought would be an adventuresome time where we could wander about ended up being what seemed like hours of standing in front of literally every stall in the fabric section. One would think that thick wool socks and big winter boots would protect ones toes from the cold, even repel the cold away with it's wondrous materials and fibers. On the contrary, my friends, they trap the cold in! My feet were sweaty when we were in the car because they were so toasty and then the sweat froze in that icebox of a market. I pulled my feet out of my boots on the way home and I really do think that I pulled at least four toes apart. Becoming queasy at the sight of a child's loose tooth, I didn't dare pull off my sock and look. It must be the worst thing that has happened to me since being here.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
I'm legit.
Zdrastvuytye! Kak dyela?
We are doing great here, but I just thought the other night how I would really love to sit back with a Founders Centennial.... things are a bit dry here.
In other news, I now have my own business card!
It says "Madelyn Van Eck- English Teacher"
HOW COOL.
The green color of the wall? It's in every single room of the house and at night with florescent lights on, my eyes want to fall out of my head. It's nice when natural light is shining in, no?
We now have a girl staying with us, a bunch of prisoners were recently released on Tuesday and for a night we had 14 women and 3 children staying with us before their train left the next day. There are babies in the prison as well because the women's husbands are able to come and stay with their wives in the prison for a few days every year. The women want to get pregnant because it means more food, better care, etc. The train station is cold and it's an easy place for women to be trafficked, so it was awesome that they were able to stay here.
It went well. A knife was stolen from the kitchen..
But anyways, one of the ex-prisoners decided that she wanted to stay and change her lifestyle. So we'll see how it goes! I think I'll start teaching her English next week.
In a couple weeks Mike and I will be CHAPERONING a Sadie Hawkins dance at the school. LOOK AT US!
The days just seem to pass us by and I hope to be teaching English for Reach soon, but everything is a process here. You have to take life slow and plan enough time for problems throughout the day because there will always be something that pops up. It was like that in Ghana as well and I forget how much I enjoy taking life a little slower than usual. You have time to appreciate the small things.
Paka, see you!
We are doing great here, but I just thought the other night how I would really love to sit back with a Founders Centennial.... things are a bit dry here.
In other news, I now have my own business card!
HOW COOL.
The green color of the wall? It's in every single room of the house and at night with florescent lights on, my eyes want to fall out of my head. It's nice when natural light is shining in, no?
We now have a girl staying with us, a bunch of prisoners were recently released on Tuesday and for a night we had 14 women and 3 children staying with us before their train left the next day. There are babies in the prison as well because the women's husbands are able to come and stay with their wives in the prison for a few days every year. The women want to get pregnant because it means more food, better care, etc. The train station is cold and it's an easy place for women to be trafficked, so it was awesome that they were able to stay here.
It went well. A knife was stolen from the kitchen..
But anyways, one of the ex-prisoners decided that she wanted to stay and change her lifestyle. So we'll see how it goes! I think I'll start teaching her English next week.
In a couple weeks Mike and I will be CHAPERONING a Sadie Hawkins dance at the school. LOOK AT US!
The days just seem to pass us by and I hope to be teaching English for Reach soon, but everything is a process here. You have to take life slow and plan enough time for problems throughout the day because there will always be something that pops up. It was like that in Ghana as well and I forget how much I enjoy taking life a little slower than usual. You have time to appreciate the small things.
Paka, see you!
Friday, January 20, 2012
bitter cold
Lately, it has been below zero in the morning and evening. For us, this means frozen snot, numb faces, and frosted eyelashes.
For those who have no idea why we are in Kazakhstan, well I will tell you.
Michael is student teaching at an international school called Tien Shan. There are only about 200 students, K-12, however the students are bright and the teachers very talented. The school just moved into a new building further outside of the city. He will be teaching Language Arts and History to 7th, 10th, and 11th graders. I think it will be an awesome experience for him to work under such gifted teachers!
As for myself, I'm a little all over the place. M, the woman I am living with, is from Germany and has started an organization to help women just released from prison. Often, these women return to their former lifestyles just to end up in prison again or to a life of prostitution. So in order to prevent that happening, M has a half-way house (where we live now) where women or girls can come to rest, recuperate, find counseling, and learn a skill to later support themselves financially. In our front yard, there is a small building where M has set up a sewing workshop where these women can learn to sew and later become a seamstress. Later, she hopes to build on the skills training to fit to the interests of the women that come here, so maybe computer skills or mechanics etc. M has begun to sew products so that she can teach the women or girls later on, things like aprons and baby slings. She has sold some to friends and family back in Germany and to some foreigners here in Almaty, she doesn't think that local people would like to buy these things. So one of the things I will be doing is to help her broaden her business by getting in touch with places like The Bridge or Global Infusions to see if her stuff can be sold there... the money would go to these women and the organization (Seven Trees is the name btw). So, I will be working on grants now that M's organization is now becoming an NGO. Exciting stuff! I will also be teaching English to those who stay in the house. I'm really glad to be working with M and using my studies to help empower and better the lives of women and girls in need. It's an awesome feeling!
Since M didn't have the letter of invitation papers you need to get a visa, I will also be working with an organization called REACH who gave me a letter of invitation and since they did so, I have to work with them. REACH works with kids and young adults that come from troubled backgrounds so that they may learn life skills in order to live in the working world. They also work and support a blind school for children so that instead of finding jobs later in life that are limited to blind people, they can really try to achieve their dreams despite their disability. For a while now, they have been in need of an English teacher for their youth home (young adults, 18-29) and I just happened to come at the right time. So every Monday and Wednesday night I will be teaching English for an hour and a half. Kind of nervous about it, but we'll see how it goes!
Stay warm everyone!
For those who have no idea why we are in Kazakhstan, well I will tell you.
Michael is student teaching at an international school called Tien Shan. There are only about 200 students, K-12, however the students are bright and the teachers very talented. The school just moved into a new building further outside of the city. He will be teaching Language Arts and History to 7th, 10th, and 11th graders. I think it will be an awesome experience for him to work under such gifted teachers!
As for myself, I'm a little all over the place. M, the woman I am living with, is from Germany and has started an organization to help women just released from prison. Often, these women return to their former lifestyles just to end up in prison again or to a life of prostitution. So in order to prevent that happening, M has a half-way house (where we live now) where women or girls can come to rest, recuperate, find counseling, and learn a skill to later support themselves financially. In our front yard, there is a small building where M has set up a sewing workshop where these women can learn to sew and later become a seamstress. Later, she hopes to build on the skills training to fit to the interests of the women that come here, so maybe computer skills or mechanics etc. M has begun to sew products so that she can teach the women or girls later on, things like aprons and baby slings. She has sold some to friends and family back in Germany and to some foreigners here in Almaty, she doesn't think that local people would like to buy these things. So one of the things I will be doing is to help her broaden her business by getting in touch with places like The Bridge or Global Infusions to see if her stuff can be sold there... the money would go to these women and the organization (Seven Trees is the name btw). So, I will be working on grants now that M's organization is now becoming an NGO. Exciting stuff! I will also be teaching English to those who stay in the house. I'm really glad to be working with M and using my studies to help empower and better the lives of women and girls in need. It's an awesome feeling!
Since M didn't have the letter of invitation papers you need to get a visa, I will also be working with an organization called REACH who gave me a letter of invitation and since they did so, I have to work with them. REACH works with kids and young adults that come from troubled backgrounds so that they may learn life skills in order to live in the working world. They also work and support a blind school for children so that instead of finding jobs later in life that are limited to blind people, they can really try to achieve their dreams despite their disability. For a while now, they have been in need of an English teacher for their youth home (young adults, 18-29) and I just happened to come at the right time. So every Monday and Wednesday night I will be teaching English for an hour and a half. Kind of nervous about it, but we'll see how it goes!
Stay warm everyone!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
about Kazakhstan...
1. Everything is in Russian or Kazakh. If you are English speaking only.. there is no hope for you unless you learn one of the two.
2. At night, the temperature can get below zero.
3. Driving is a free for all. Well, there is a dividing line on the pavement, but since there is snow you can't see it so one must follow the car ahead of you... Mike might have to drive in the next couple of weeks (!!)
4. It's really dirty here. Luckily I have a coat that is the color of dirt anyways. I brought a white one that I might use when we go skiing, but I don't dare wear it any other time. It would be brown by the end of the day.
5. The architecture and style of the city is very soviet-like- concrete, metal, harsh. but when it snows it is absolutely beautiful! I guess there was an initiative to increase the amount of greenery in the city, so there was a law that when a couple got married, they had to go plant a tree in the city and now there are tons of trees along the streets and in between buildings. When it snows, it gathers on all of the branches making the city seem less harsh.
6. There are wild dogs around the city, but especially in the neighborhood Mike and I live in. At night I will often wake up to a bunch of them barking. It gets old, fast. Just the other day we were walking around some streets, trying to get our bearing of where we were and we heard a commotion behind us and looked back to see a pack of 6-8 dogs sprinting towards us! We had been warned before coming to Kazakhstan that many of these dogs might have rabies and will bite people. So we kind of freaked out, Mike headed toward a pile of rocks to pick one up as a defense, but thankfully they just passed us by. Maybe I'll carry that bottle of mace with me next time... stupid dogs.
I can't really think right now... I'm distracted by youtube ha! But I'll add more to this list later yes?
I hope you are enjoying the Michigan snow!
Much love from Kazakhstan!
2. At night, the temperature can get below zero.
3. Driving is a free for all. Well, there is a dividing line on the pavement, but since there is snow you can't see it so one must follow the car ahead of you... Mike might have to drive in the next couple of weeks (!!)
4. It's really dirty here. Luckily I have a coat that is the color of dirt anyways. I brought a white one that I might use when we go skiing, but I don't dare wear it any other time. It would be brown by the end of the day.
5. The architecture and style of the city is very soviet-like- concrete, metal, harsh. but when it snows it is absolutely beautiful! I guess there was an initiative to increase the amount of greenery in the city, so there was a law that when a couple got married, they had to go plant a tree in the city and now there are tons of trees along the streets and in between buildings. When it snows, it gathers on all of the branches making the city seem less harsh.
6. There are wild dogs around the city, but especially in the neighborhood Mike and I live in. At night I will often wake up to a bunch of them barking. It gets old, fast. Just the other day we were walking around some streets, trying to get our bearing of where we were and we heard a commotion behind us and looked back to see a pack of 6-8 dogs sprinting towards us! We had been warned before coming to Kazakhstan that many of these dogs might have rabies and will bite people. So we kind of freaked out, Mike headed toward a pile of rocks to pick one up as a defense, but thankfully they just passed us by. Maybe I'll carry that bottle of mace with me next time... stupid dogs.
I can't really think right now... I'm distracted by youtube ha! But I'll add more to this list later yes?
I hope you are enjoying the Michigan snow!
Much love from Kazakhstan!
Friday, January 13, 2012
eleven hour time difference
Yup. It's just past midnight in Grand Rapids however it's just past eleven in the morning in Almaty. The past few nights Michael and I both have had a lot of trouble sleeping. For me it's waking up every hour starting at midnight. Needless to say, we've both been tired lately and since our luggage was lost in our travels we're both quite grubby. I was talking to a teacher at Mike's school though and she said that it's common for Kazakh people to wear the same clothing every day. Cool.
So I am pretty much going to paste an email that I sent to my mom because I don't feel like writing the same thing twice! Sorry, I promise to be more thoughtful in the future. Blogging really isn't my thing....
Things are good! A lot of adjustments, which can be kind of tiring but it is SO nice to be here with Mike- I don't feel so lonely. Michael and I only live about 5 minutes apart by walking so we've seen each other every day so far. He lives in a house that looks like it could be found in a city back home except that its surrounded by a huge gate, every house is. I live in a house that literally looks like a cake. A turquoise one. And it's huge inside... I think my room is a bit larger than my one at home. The house is quite new too. The mountains are just outside my window, they are BEAUTIFUL and I can usually see them quite well in the morning and the evening. In the afternoon, the smog sets in and you can't see a dang thing which is strange because they are HUGE and so close!
M, the woman I am living and working with is wonderful. She is from Germany and she is just great to be around. Anyways, she and I won't get down to work until this next week because she had a seminar all of this week. I'll tell you more about her work soon. So Mr. F, the dad that Mike is living with said that the school would probably need some help here and there so the past three days I have been able to see where Mike will be working and to meet the people there. I helped out with a few different classrooms and even got to teach a 5th grade math lesson haha. It was great!
I have yet to get a phone, but I might be getting one today. They only cost around $20 I think.
What else... oh yes, at the end of the day, my hair usually smells like a bonfire because of the diesel fumes from the cars. Wonderful. And since our luggage hasn't arrived yet (hopefully today!) I can't really feel clean. Yes, I've worn the same clothes for 5 days in a row. I think I just generally stink, there is not just one area of central stinkage. It just all stinks.
Here is a picture of one of three views from my bedroom!
thats all for now... my battery is dying!
So I am pretty much going to paste an email that I sent to my mom because I don't feel like writing the same thing twice! Sorry, I promise to be more thoughtful in the future. Blogging really isn't my thing....
Things are good! A lot of adjustments, which can be kind of tiring but it is SO nice to be here with Mike- I don't feel so lonely. Michael and I only live about 5 minutes apart by walking so we've seen each other every day so far. He lives in a house that looks like it could be found in a city back home except that its surrounded by a huge gate, every house is. I live in a house that literally looks like a cake. A turquoise one. And it's huge inside... I think my room is a bit larger than my one at home. The house is quite new too. The mountains are just outside my window, they are BEAUTIFUL and I can usually see them quite well in the morning and the evening. In the afternoon, the smog sets in and you can't see a dang thing which is strange because they are HUGE and so close!
M, the woman I am living and working with is wonderful. She is from Germany and she is just great to be around. Anyways, she and I won't get down to work until this next week because she had a seminar all of this week. I'll tell you more about her work soon. So Mr. F, the dad that Mike is living with said that the school would probably need some help here and there so the past three days I have been able to see where Mike will be working and to meet the people there. I helped out with a few different classrooms and even got to teach a 5th grade math lesson haha. It was great!
I have yet to get a phone, but I might be getting one today. They only cost around $20 I think.
What else... oh yes, at the end of the day, my hair usually smells like a bonfire because of the diesel fumes from the cars. Wonderful. And since our luggage hasn't arrived yet (hopefully today!) I can't really feel clean. Yes, I've worn the same clothes for 5 days in a row. I think I just generally stink, there is not just one area of central stinkage. It just all stinks.
Here is a picture of one of three views from my bedroom!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
and we're off.... almost
We leave tomorrow! The day of all days.
Today has been one of packing, unpacking and repacking. Packing for me usually includes a lot of staring at all of the stuff I need to fit in my luggage, then I'll pack a little here and there, get distracted with the internet and pull out the stuff I just packed. Repeat that about 10 more times. I tried to make it more enjoyable by eating Ghirardelli chocolate while packing, but even so, my eagerness to travel did not quell my utmost disdain for packing. But alas! Bags are packed and I'm ready to go!
This is the end result of some delicately designed packing:
So what if I bring my slippers and a bottle of mace? A woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do.
Well I will leave THIS with you for the time being! Here we come Kazakhstan!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12tGtMA4tqk
Wish us save travels and we'll try to let you know when we arrive!
Today has been one of packing, unpacking and repacking. Packing for me usually includes a lot of staring at all of the stuff I need to fit in my luggage, then I'll pack a little here and there, get distracted with the internet and pull out the stuff I just packed. Repeat that about 10 more times. I tried to make it more enjoyable by eating Ghirardelli chocolate while packing, but even so, my eagerness to travel did not quell my utmost disdain for packing. But alas! Bags are packed and I'm ready to go!
This is the end result of some delicately designed packing:
Well I will leave THIS with you for the time being! Here we come Kazakhstan!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12tGtMA4tqk
Wish us save travels and we'll try to let you know when we arrive!
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