Busy Weekend

I had an excellent Friday! I went to the shoe repair and became besties with the man there, who didn’t believe that my name is Christina because that’s a Russian name – right sir, I frequently make up a different name for myself J but he fixed my favorite pair of heels, that were broken my first day in Kazakhstan, for 400T! So yea! I got photos developed from Pizza Night at the Orphanage, and then went to the orphanage to deliver the photos – I am going back on Sundays to have “Arts – n – Crafts” time!! The kids were so happy to see pictures of that day! Then, I went shopping. I found a Jeans store, called “Jeans” (original, I know) and I even found some jeans! My favorite pair and one of the two pair that I brought to Kazakhstan ripped last week. I felt really silly saying “I need jeans but I don’t know what size I wear,” sizes are different here than in America. The woman just looked at me and then gave me some to try on – they fit perfectly – she’s good! I bought a new favorite pair – my options were skin tight tapered jeans or parachute flair – I tried on LOTS of different kinds of jeans before finding the pair that flaired the least, but weren’t tapered. This store also sells belts, my belt broke also, but I think I may wait until next month to replace it. I also found a jewelry store full of pretty things I can’t afford, but it’s fun to look and learned that in Kazakhstan when a man proposes to a woman he gives her engagement earrings –

On Sunday I went to the orphanage with a recipe for clay! We made clay and constructed figures from the clay and it is currently be left out to dry so that we can paint them later this week! Then we had a fun photo shoot because everyone there LOVES having their picture taken and then being able to see it immediately, they especially love to be the only one in the picture – I have introduced “open mouth” pictures to this orphanage and they have come to love them as well!! We hung out outside for a bit as they showed me around, with the weather become nicer we were able to go out without freezing! Then I had to leave – I’m not going to be in town for the next few Sundays, but am going on Thursday to paint!!

Advice for Travellers

My weeks here continue to move rather quickly! Of course, I think the next few will slow down as I count down until I get to see all my AMAZING Peace Corps friends at the end of March!! WOO! WOO!

Now for all of you preparing to go somewhere by train – or just for your reading enjoyment:

How to Pee on the Train
1. Bring your own toilet paper – this will not be supplied
2. Lock the door behind you – this will take about 2 minutes as you figure out how the stupid thing locks and you
do this while you’re on a moving train and the door refuses to even stay closed!
3. Stand on the toilet seat and squat – you don’t sit on the toilet seat on the train – you stand – there’s a spot for
your feet
4. Pee – try to keep your balance – should you fall, it will probably hurt, your pants are around your ankles and it
will be difficult to “catch yourself” – not to mention – you’re peeing!
5. Use the toilet paper and stand up – keep your balance as you pull your pants up and jump down from the toilet
seat
6. Next you will spend approximately 3 minutes figuring out how to turn the water on – yes, there is a faucet –
you’re 3 minutes will be a waste of your life as you realize the water doesn’t actually work – hopefully, you
have also brought hand sanitizer with you – or your own bottle of water…this will be “good enough” until you
get somewhere you can “really” wash your hands
7. To flush press the lever on the bottom of the toilet
8. You will spend the next 2 minutes feeling like you’re trapped as you try to unlock the door – the same door
that took you 2 minutes to figure out how to lock
9. Leave the bathroom – proud of yourself – as if it was the first time you went to the bathroom in the “big girl
potty” – this is a great accomplishment! You should most likely reward yourself with candy :-)

This process will take about 10 minutes as a line gathers outside and you hear people speaking in Russian – these same people have ALL tried to open the door while you were using the bathroom – they obviously didn’t see the line and assume that other people were waiting – there’s no such thing as a line here!

Maybe if you are reading this it doesn’t sound ALL that difficult – let me suggest you get “in position” (squatting on your toilet seat) and have someone shake you from side to side – yea, not so easy huh – peeing on yourself will most likely occur – but at least you tried J

I wish I had pictures of the cramped bathroom on the train! I’ll get them next time!

Pizza!

Last Sunday was the birthday of Peace Corps and also a pizza party at the local orphanage! It was so much fun! The director had agreed to purchase all of the ingredients – all we had to do was show up and show them how to make it! I went with my local friend who knows English and my Site Mate. The director showed us where the ingredients were and how to work the oven – she had already showed me this once before, but I think she was nervous – which knowing my cooking skills, she had good reason to be! J The children were very curious and expecting us…it didn’t take long for them to all migrate to the kitchen where they were able to help prepare pizza! All the children who wanted to help were able to! Some of the children were in another room preparing their dance moves to show us after pizza. While we were waiting for pizza we made Kool-Aid! My favorite! And I hoped the children liked it as well!

After this deliciousness the children showed off with some break dance moves! They were SO good! One kid there said that he taught himself and then he taught the others! Then we made “gusher” cake J (not with real gushers, but with the candy at the bazaar that looks like gushersJ) We ate it with ice cream, even though it’s cold outside!! ‘Twas a glorious day, one of my favorites since being at site! I can’t wait to go back!