Thursday, June 8, 2006
I know we’ve been delinquent in our blogging but life has been a bit crazy lately!
Actually, we’ve been going out in the evenings with another couple from the O (Scott and Christina from Lake Charles, LA). They knew some restaurants and other couples that we didn’t, so we’ve been out and about meeting and eating. It’s been fun and a bit of a relief not to be sick and just enjoying our time here in Karaganda. This city really is interesting if you’re willing to let yourself go and not be worried about looking stupid or unable to read a menu. I can’t tell you how many times one of us has done a “bawk, bawk” with our arms flapping to indicate chicken. We’ve also done, “moo” and “baah”. Easy! The wait staff is always amused! We’ve learned that hamburger is - believe it or not - “ gamburger” and fries are “frittes” or at least that’s what we think they are. We’ve been successful ordering so far so it’s great.
For ROTIA families, we’re making a list of places to go and some helpful hints. We’ll post it to their site when we’re home.
We met a couple from California who is adopting a 6 year old. They met him in a program where the older Kaz kids come to the US for the summer so potential parents can meet them, host them for the few months they are here, and then hopefully adopt them. From what we’ve heard it is very successful. We also met a Baptist missionary who works in Mexico with his wife, and has 6 kids already but wanted to adopt another. It’s a wide variety of people here! Very interesting.
We went to the Ministry of Education a few days ago for our first official interview. It was a bit intimidating. We were ushered into a very small room with our Interpreter, Olga and sat at a table facing 3 very stern looking officials. They asked us several questions like how much is your salary, why did you choose Kazakhstan, how did your choose your child, will you love this child as your own and more. I think it all went well. It was over in less than ten minutes and we are happy to have it behind us. One of the three who interviewed us will appear in court – on our behalf – and testify about our qualifications. Hard to imagine.
We can’t believe this is our last week here. We’ve been scrambling to get things done. Din and I had in mind that we would like to buy several items for Tristan that we can give to him over the years as he grows up. So that means shopping. We, along with Laura and Geoff, have been hitting the shops for the past two days with Olga, loading up on everything we had our eye on. It’s much easier to shop with an interpreter. Yesterday, we had to buy all the clothes, bibs, bottles, etc… that Tristan will need for his trip from Karaganda to Almaty to meet us in a month or so. We got a bit mixed up on some of the sizes as you can tell from one of the photos here. Oh well – we’re new to this. It’s amazing though. We measured him so we would know what size to get him, and he’s grown 2 inches in the 2 ½ weeks we’ve known him. Amazing. Newborn stuff is too short now – he’s got very long legs and huge feet! I’m afraid to imagine what he’s going to be like after a month of separation. If he has hair, I don’t know what we’ll do!
Sunday, Olga and our driver, Vladimir, are going to take us on a tour of the city before our first Orphanage party. She says we will see a huge mosque, the maternity hospital, where the babies were born, and several other notable landmarks. Should be interesting and we’re looking forward to it.
We’ll try and keep posting more regularly but we have a lot to do before we go. It’s unbelievable that we’re in the home stretch already. We felt like we had days upon days to spend here in Karaganda but the time has flown. I guess that means we’re having fun!
Paka-
CS
Actually, we’ve been going out in the evenings with another couple from the O (Scott and Christina from Lake Charles, LA). They knew some restaurants and other couples that we didn’t, so we’ve been out and about meeting and eating. It’s been fun and a bit of a relief not to be sick and just enjoying our time here in Karaganda. This city really is interesting if you’re willing to let yourself go and not be worried about looking stupid or unable to read a menu. I can’t tell you how many times one of us has done a “bawk, bawk” with our arms flapping to indicate chicken. We’ve also done, “moo” and “baah”. Easy! The wait staff is always amused! We’ve learned that hamburger is - believe it or not - “ gamburger” and fries are “frittes” or at least that’s what we think they are. We’ve been successful ordering so far so it’s great.
For ROTIA families, we’re making a list of places to go and some helpful hints. We’ll post it to their site when we’re home.
We met a couple from California who is adopting a 6 year old. They met him in a program where the older Kaz kids come to the US for the summer so potential parents can meet them, host them for the few months they are here, and then hopefully adopt them. From what we’ve heard it is very successful. We also met a Baptist missionary who works in Mexico with his wife, and has 6 kids already but wanted to adopt another. It’s a wide variety of people here! Very interesting.
We went to the Ministry of Education a few days ago for our first official interview. It was a bit intimidating. We were ushered into a very small room with our Interpreter, Olga and sat at a table facing 3 very stern looking officials. They asked us several questions like how much is your salary, why did you choose Kazakhstan, how did your choose your child, will you love this child as your own and more. I think it all went well. It was over in less than ten minutes and we are happy to have it behind us. One of the three who interviewed us will appear in court – on our behalf – and testify about our qualifications. Hard to imagine.
We can’t believe this is our last week here. We’ve been scrambling to get things done. Din and I had in mind that we would like to buy several items for Tristan that we can give to him over the years as he grows up. So that means shopping. We, along with Laura and Geoff, have been hitting the shops for the past two days with Olga, loading up on everything we had our eye on. It’s much easier to shop with an interpreter. Yesterday, we had to buy all the clothes, bibs, bottles, etc… that Tristan will need for his trip from Karaganda to Almaty to meet us in a month or so. We got a bit mixed up on some of the sizes as you can tell from one of the photos here. Oh well – we’re new to this. It’s amazing though. We measured him so we would know what size to get him, and he’s grown 2 inches in the 2 ½ weeks we’ve known him. Amazing. Newborn stuff is too short now – he’s got very long legs and huge feet! I’m afraid to imagine what he’s going to be like after a month of separation. If he has hair, I don’t know what we’ll do!
Sunday, Olga and our driver, Vladimir, are going to take us on a tour of the city before our first Orphanage party. She says we will see a huge mosque, the maternity hospital, where the babies were born, and several other notable landmarks. Should be interesting and we’re looking forward to it.
We’ll try and keep posting more regularly but we have a lot to do before we go. It’s unbelievable that we’re in the home stretch already. We felt like we had days upon days to spend here in Karaganda but the time has flown. I guess that means we’re having fun!
Paka-
CS
3 Comments:
The Ministry of Education? Is that like the Ministry of Magic from Harry Potter? ;) Glad to hear everything is going well! I can't believe how much Tristan has grown!! He told me not to tell you but...he's been sneaking that "pink monkey" while you two weren't looking...Talk to you real soon! Happy shopping! xoxo-Nadia
I thought it sounded more like the Ministry of Silly Walks from Monty Python. Glad to hear it's behind you though. What a cool idea to buy things there to give to Tristan over the years. You guys are going to be such great parents. And you've already got that parent vibe going. I laughed out loud when I read about how Tristan thinks it's really funny to stick his tongue out on cue and you think it makes him the smartest kid on earth. Yup, you're officially parents! Love it!!
I can totally tell how much he's grown in the past week from the pictures!!
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