Before I go into our orphanage visit, I wanted to say first that we had a blast meeting all our blogging buddies in Almaty. First, we met Jennifer and Matt in the Amsterdam airport. Then while at the Kazakhstan Hotel we ran into Welby, Duncan, Hannah and their new little baby boy, James. After that we spent a delightful afternoon with Sara and Julian at Katobe. I feel so blessed to have met so many amazing people thus far. Thank you for enriching our experience.
Okay our big orphanage visit. We were shown a sweet, little boy who is 5-1/2. We thought the boy was Russian--turns out he's Kazakh. So all our attempts at learning Russian were thrown out the window as the Kazakh language is nothing like Russian. Yikes! But we have another visit this afternoon.
Also my assumption about Uralsk were completely incorrect. There are more Kazakh people here than Russian (even though we're within spitting distance of Russia). It's spring time so all the snow is melting leave huge pools of mud everywhere (they have no sewers). So I'm covered in mud. Our apartment is cozy inside but the hallway is very scary. Someone knocked on our door last night at 11pm--kind of scary.
Well I need to run again. Our driver and translator need to eat.
Hope to be able to post pictures sometime soon. Thanks for all your comments. I don't feel as far away from everyone.
21 comments:
Yeah!! Congratulations on meeting your little boy. We can't wait to hear more.
Sara and Julian
Congrualtions this is very exciting!!
Funny - It seems every blog I read or have read has a door knocker?? What is it some kind of Kaz ritual LOL!
Keep us posted!
Darlene
Hey!! yay!! so good to hear from you guys!!
I can't wait to see a picture of your son! wow..Kazakh..I don't know any of that. Not that I really can speak Russian either...
The good thing is that kids learn really quickly. I dont' remember if i told you the story of my friend and her 6 year old son from Columbia. He spoke ONLY Spanish, no english. He learned INCREDIBLY quickly.
I have heard a lot about mud in the spring in Kaz, and a few stories of the door knocking. That is interesting.
Love you guys!
Great news! I can't wait to hear more. Congratulations!
Congratulations! Can't wait to hear details!
Congratulations on meeting your little boy! I can't wait to read more about your bonding period with the little guy!!!
YEA! So happy that the trip has become smoother. Sounds like you were off to a rocky start, but I am sure that doesn't matter now that you have met your son! Great news!
Congratulations on arriving safe and sound and meeting your son! It sounds like you're having a good trip so far (well, except for the laptop thing...). I did understand that many Russians left after Kaz declared their independence, so what you read may have been very true several years ago. Though I'll bet most of the locals still speak Russian so those language skills will come in handy. Also - don't worry too much about the hallways. It is not the "projects" it is just a consequence of the communist mentality - generally people didn't take care of the part that wasn't "theirs" (like the hallways and stairs) and there is no condo association to do so. Even the apartment buildings inhabited by the top communist chiefs were equally as disgusting in the hallways. But beautiful on the other side of the door. (And the knock was probably a neighbor or someone looking for the former tenant... don't get paranoid - but also don't open the door to just anyone!). Have fun and can't wait to hear more!
P.S. Thanks for tipping me off to the mud - I'll be sure to pack some waterproof boots. Just think though it's better than sub-artic temperatures!
Email me if this doesn't work
Its Engl/Kaz/Russian phrases
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/8GPNR2ToqDfciTsmj-tBB3JI_GIY7MnxslOflsjrIBvXrpL_FDrFsV5Z0E0G1IBx6SQ8sWRQQRpDkXJI-rHcOpfbrAsp5Q/English%20to%20Kazakh%20Phrases.doc
Its a file from the Kaz adoption yahoo group. I'll also email it to you incase you can access that easier.
Dying to hear more about your little guy! Congrats!
Congrats on your first meeting. Hope they all go well. Enjoy your time there it will go fast!
Kabob,
I get so excited to read your blog each day -- what was it like to meet your little boy for the first time?
Thinking of you...
Rochelle
Congratulations. I am so glad you are there and it sounds like you have found your son.
I can't wait to follow the rest of your journey.
sandi
Great to hear from you guys!
All I remember in Kazakh is
"eye-oooh" (phonetically spelled of curse) which means Bear and "Bah-lack" which means Fish.
Maybe I can dig up my old little Kaz. translation book for a refresher.
Can't wait to see pictures.
Michelle & John
P.S.
I have heard lots of door knocking stories too... Never heard of anything more happening though. It just seems to be a scare tactic. Also, I never heard of it in Almaty, only in the places farther out in the country.
WOW!!! YOU ARE THERE!!! HOORAYYYY!!! And it is so exciting that you met this little boy! Cannot wait to read more soon! We are very excited for you guys.
And yes, the apartments are so nice INSIDE but the knocks on the doors and hallways etc. - everywhere in Kaz - scary.
Hooray for you guys! You are there!!!! woohoo!!!
Congratulations! I hope your visits with this little guy go well and the whole trip is smooth. Is he at the dyetsky dom? I'll be standing by for more info!
congratulations! I'm glad things are going well for you. I'm looking forward to your pictures.
Tracey
So excited for your journey! Yes, we found out our boy knew mostly Kazakh although they said they all know a little Russian. We luckily had downloaded from the Kazakh adoptive families site. I will put the link in here. We used the List 1 and List 2 alot...maybe you can print them out there? It is so much harder to pronounce but we think he understood some of it plus we used some basic russian too. Happy thoughts to you for bonding time! Here is the Link.
http://kazakhadoptivefamilies.com/language2.html
Hey Karen and Bob,
I love reading your blog each day. Each day sounds like a new adventure. Please know that we are thinking of you and canot wait for you to get home.
This is Natalie, stay mud free! How is the food?
Love, Laura, Jeff, Natalie, and Carlie
I'm so happy you made it safe and sound (minus one laptop;) and that you probably met your son. I can't wait to see him, I'm sure he's a doll. That is weird about the knock, I have read that in other blogs.....
Smiles,
Shannon
Karen, I am happy you met your son, I cant wait to see pictures, our apartment is also beautiful inside - scarry outside. I felt sorry we could not meet you, but we had to make a short unexpected trip to Dubai. I dont have your email, could you please email me at catabaia@yahoo.com.
So glad you made it safe and sound and are meeting you child--How cool is that?
Can't wait to hear more.
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