Birthday Celebrations --

This month two of the ladies in my office celebrated birthdays within a week of each other and when in Kaz, we celebrate like ain’t no tomorrow!

First, was the birthday of one of the assistants to the director. She celebrated her birthday here at school. She brought in TONS of food and we ate for a long time pausing only to give toasts! We all chipped in and got her a juicer. I’m not sure how often people really use these here…heck, I’m not even sure how often people in America use these; but she seemed to enjoy it. I gave her candy from America.

A few days later my best work friend Rada celebrated her 25th birthday. It was at a local café where we again ate A LOT of food, gave many toasts and then got our dance on! Rada always steals my sharpies, so I asked for some specifically for Rada’s birthday. They came earlier this summer and it was all I could do to not give them to her early or just use them myself :-)

My flat is having repair right now. I knew that when I agreed to rent that my landlady wanted it to have repairs done on it. I’m in the process of getting new windows! This is actually SUPER good for me considering that winter is approaching much more quickly than I want it to. I already got the windows and they are in, but there are 2 women who are still working on the wall around the windows. Yesterday there was wet cement on the walls and it took all I had in me to NOT make some sort of mark in it. This was very difficult! But I managed. As much as I want it to be done, my living room is torn apart and everything is covered in a light dust, I kind of enjoy the company of these women. They have both been over for like 5 hours for the last few days and although I haven’t been home the whole time that they have been there, it’s kind of nice to have “company.”

Next my landlady wants to get new wallpaper. I kind of don’t want new wallpaper. I mean, I like the idea of having pictures of friends and family as “wallpaper.” And if it’s new I probably won’t be able to tape pictures up because it will ruin the wall paper. I guess there is always the ever popular photo albums.