Future Possibilities

Call me naïve, tell me I live under a rock and that I sometimes just don’t get it, BUT I really truly thought that people in the circus joined the circus because, well, because it was destiny. Like, okay, so you didn’t do so well in high school. You can’t work with numbers and barely passed shop class. You’re not really into school. It’s just not your thang, but on the other hand you CAN swallow fire, right, where’s that going to get you? Naturally, this would make you a “shoo-in” for the circus…wouldn’t it? Well, I thought so...

I recently went to a circus here at site. I’ve been before. This was a different one; but I guess they are all kind of the same. I still find myself mesmerized and loving every minute of it, similar to that of a 7 year old:) There were all sorts of acts. Mostly the usual: hula hoop girl with 50000000 hula hoops, some animals that could do some sweet tricks, a few clowns, a hysterical act, a couple dances, a magic show routine, fire swallowing, sword swallowing, walking on nails, jumping on glass and, who can forget, juggling everything under the sun.

During the circus, it occurred to me that joining the circus would be friggin’ awesome! I mean, how amazing would it be to be part of a traveling circus and duh, you’re with clowns ALL DAY. That would just be totally fun! So let’s see: Traveling+Lots of fun+Amazing stories. I want this!

Of course, shortly after this realization I also realized that I don’t have a “natural” talent that would be able to be used in the circus. I can’t juggle anything and definitely not swords, I can’t eat fire and I certainly cannot walk on nails. This just isn’t my destiny. I was not satisfied with this though. I have decided that I will be able to juggle by February and after I get good at juggling balls I’ll try my hand at swords. If nothing I’m sure I could always be the clown. Some clowns say nothing. They’re just silly and do charades. Yes, this is exactly what I’ll do.

When I got home that night I thought I would Google: Joining the circus. This is when I learned there are actually “Circus Schools” <-- really? They’ll teach me how to eat fire? Wow. But the prices seemed a bit high for the small amount I’m going to be paid in the circus. They teach other cool things too, like the trapeze <-- I don’t want to do that though. Then they went on to talk about how depressing life is in the circus. Really?! Really? I do NOT believe that for one minute, there’s a clown! He’ll make you a balloon animal when you’re having a bad day and everything will be right in the world again. I also learned that it would look “better” (on your resume I guess) if you could do something additional to being a clown…like juggle or make balloon animals…hmm, maybe I’ll practice making balloon animals this summer at camps? I know I can be good at this!

I then looked for possible traveling circus jobs. I found only one. For a Vet Tech. Really? Do Vet Techs actually join the traveling circus? I don’t know. I thought I could be that, but that would require me to go back to school for a while for a degree I don’t actually care about so that I could join the circus…it seems like a lot of work and I wouldn’t be done for a few years only to travel with the circus for a year or two. Hopefully, there will be a job opening…eventually.

Of course, when you’re done with the circus can you really put that on your resume? Like I was in the Peace Corps for 2 years then joined the circus for 2 years and now I want to have, like, a real job…do people hire former circus performers? I hope so! I will be The Shit! Wish me luck! And stay tuned.

Happy Thanksgiving

I keep a thankful journal and thought I would thumb through it and write a few things that I'm thankful for:
family
friends,
faith,
freedom,
food,
choices,
ASVT
technology,
health,
modern medicine,
DAVS
vacations,
movies,
lazy days,
sunshine,
moonlight,
days off,
sleeping in,
heat,
clean water,
clothing,
jobs,
money,
hot water,
weekends,
cars,
public transportation,
music,
church,
podcasts,
teachers,
site mates,
safety,
hair salons,
veterans,
soldiers and their families,
cards games,
free and public education,
housing,
doctors,
nature,
communication,
work out facilities,
vaccinations,
the English language :)
and a God who has not and will not forget me!
Obviously this is not an exhaustive list...just a good start.
Happy Thanksgiving!

We don't realize how good we have it until we no longer have it.

Life keeps going....

Well, the week back to school proved to be uneventful. I enjoy having all the kiddos back. It makes for a good time; they are all so much more patient with my Russian than those adults. And really adults are just boring (I WILL NOT be a boring adult). Lessons went as planned. I did end up teaching a couple by myself and realized that I am TRULY thankful for stickers! Without them, I would have very little classroom control :)

In an effort to make sure the Volunteer who replaces me next year absolutely hates my guts, in the nicest way possible, I have begun going in to work on Sundays to play card games and hang out; this is really the only day that children have lots of free time. Last Sunday we played more Skip Bo and I tried my hand at making my own Borsh; I think I did a pretty bang up job, but, nevertheless there is absolutely room for improvement. I think I shall try again soon.

I have started to record my voice reading books that have been sent from America. I got a lot of Berenstein Bears books and am SO tired of the Berestein Bears and all their lessons, but will be excited when children can listen to them and follow along. Remember when you followed along with books on tape and thought you were reading? There was a bell to tell you to turn the page? Yea, that’s what I’m doing. I find that I rather enjoy it after it’s done and just want to listen and follow along (and sometimes I do) as if I am 5 years old all over again…I <3 life!

My site mate found a pretty amazing class called Shaping that takes place 3x a week. We went on Wednesday. It’s just women…I hope this means more local friends. The instructor is intense, but it was a lot of fun!

Plans for a Christmas concert are underway. And I’m totally excited! So far we have 4 songs and 1 poem. My CP wants a few more poems and a couple more songs. Totally psyched. I hope we can pull it together in time though…

Ugh…in other news my favorite PC doctor has resigned. Peace Corps is looking for another one, until then we have one doctor who has to take care of all (approx.) 120 of us! That’s a big job. On the following day I received an email that my Regional Manager was also resigning :( I HATE CHANGE! And like these two women…

Holiday --

This last week was “holiday.” Some kids went home for the week; some live at school so they were there for the week. Teachers had to report to school from 9am – 1pm everyday. I went. I planned lessons with my counterpart mid morning, then hung out with the kids who were around. We played sports in the gym and card games in another room.

I brought Skip – Bo along with to Kazakhstan in hopes that I would *eventually* be able to play this game with someone! Success! I brought the game to work last Tuesday. I had to explain that this game was not actually “evil;” there would be no gambling involved and I would use it to teach numbers. (the children really like to teach me Kazakh numbers 1-12…quiz me sometime…I’m awesome!) it was allowed! I was SUPER happy! I was also excited that I really didn’t need a large extensive vocabulary to teach this game! And I was SO happy when the children requested it the following day…I didn’t have to force anyone to play they all WANTED to! It was awesome! They even remembered the name of the game! They may not know how to answer the question “what did you do on holiday?” But they certainly play a mean game of skip bo :)

Afterward, I taught "spoons" <-- I'm sure this would be totally NOT allowed though, so I guess we'll keep that one a secret. We used markers as spoons though...I didn't want to ask the cafeteria to supply me with 8 spoons for a card game :)

Also, last week we learned that there was influenza in Karaganda (a bad kind). Karaganda is located 6 hours north of me; however, my school still required me to wear a ridiculous looking face mask. At first I did think I looked silly, but when I realized I was the only person NOT wearing mine, I felt even more weird than I would feel wearing it. So I put it on…then made my co workers pose for pictures with these on…good times!

A Psychology Seminar and Karaoke for lunch :)

My best (local) friend is the psychologist who works at my school. Our desks are located next to each other and we chit chat and laugh every day. She’s my absolute favorite. She also talks to me in “stupid Russian” using hand gestures so that I understand what she’s talking about…I’m thankful for this :)

The other day she was frantically preparing for a Psychology Seminar that she would be delivering to other school psychologists; she found out about the seminar she would prepare 4 days before she was expected to present…I guess this doesn't happen only to PCVs :)

Naturally, I was in charge of photographing the event. This works out well. She wants pictures, I have a camera, I want to be helpful, she needs my help. The seminar was virtually flawless…even if it wasn’t, I really wouldn’t know. Afterward, Rada wrote me a note asking if I wanted to go with her to lunch. I thought this meant that we would go to lunch at a different time than the other teachers and was confused, but this happens sometimes when she is offended with another person, I thought this was one of those times; I agreed. What she meant was do you want to go to a café with some other teachers to celebrate my seminar. Oh, but of course. I was happy to go. I love hanging out and having a good time. We left school at 2pm. I wondered if we would be returning. The teachers said that we could not come back to the school after being at the café. Fine. I brought all my stuff with and we went to a café not far from my school. I had only been to this café one other time and it was in the summer so we ate outside. But, inside there is a dance floor and karaoke! How the heck have I lived here for a year and not known about karaoke!!! I will be frequenting this place!

I thought it was odd to be drinking and singing karaoke while it was still light outside, but that’s how we do it. Some of my coworkers sang karaoke and then were insistent that I sing as well. Not wanting to do it alone I choose “Yesterday” by the Beatles. Everyone here knows this song and then made a friend sing alone:) She’s also the English teacher so that was good. A short while later we decide to sing “YMCA.” This song is MUCH longer than you think it is! I promise! My English teacher friend didn’t actually know the words, so I pretty much sang it alone, but it wasn’t that bad…I even scored a 91! I don’t really know how they score singers, but I liked it :)

There was shashlik, salad, cake, juice and lots of toasting! It was a good time and I plan to return to this Karaoke place!!

I love this song

Heart of Worship

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart

Bridge:
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

Chorus:
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus

Verse 2:
King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

Bridge:
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

Chorus:
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus

Chorus:
I'm coming back to the heart of worship,
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus

Not Really a Fan --

Last week we celebrated Halloween. I really don’t care for this “holiday.” Aside from the fact that I hate hate hate being scared, I also thinks it goes against the very thing that we teach kids when they’re young…you know the part where you’re “not supposed to take candy from strangers,” remember that? On Halloween you actually CAN dress up as something you’re not and then ask strangers to give you candy…hmm…

Nevertheless, we had a small celebration at my school. There are about 184953294 holidays in Kazakhstan, but Halloween is not one of them. We actually celebrated the day before Halloween. During our celebration we learned how to say “Happy Halloween” and “Trick-or-Treat”  this is actually REALLY difficult for an English learner to say but they were all such good sports and attempting and then reattempting; I’m certain it had everything to do with the bag of candy I was holding.

We had a skeleton scavenger hunt, mummifying people with toilet paper, bobbing for apples, pin the nose on the Jack-O-Lantern and ended with decorating masks to wear and use our new English phrases. It was fun and the kids really seemed to have a good time  And even carried “Trick-or-Treat” over until Monday…I was impressed!