This is the continuation of my travel journal of our adoption of Dinara and Noah from Kazakhstan in 2001. Dinara was 2 1/2 and Noah was 7 months. If you are new to my blog, please check the JULY ARCHIVES and start reading with post titled *Detained in Moscow. Posts that start with an * are adoption journal posts. I hope you enjoy the story. I’ll be striving to share a bit of the story each day.

March 7th—Very early morning

This post isn’t going to be about anything specific… It’s just early morning and I can’t sleep… (I’m still not adjusted to the new time zone after a week!) I don’t remember if I put it in a previous post or not, but being Almaty is like being in the 1940’s—plus a few extra conveniences.

I’ve already mentioned then five flights of stairs. I can now say that I can make it to the top without stopping and I’m not huffing and puffing quite as hard. The apartment has a little 2 cup coffee maker and a washing machine that “swishes” the clothes around. It’s a front loader, and can handle about two pairs of jeans, two shirts and some underwear as a full load. Needless to say, we are always washing clothes! In our bathroom, there are hot water pipes that zigzag in an “S”style over the wall… so we drape our clothes over these pipes and they dry pretty quick. We also have a “camping style” clothes line we bought from the travel store that has been VERY helpful.

We boil water all the time too. I also buy a lot of bottled water at the store. When I was feeling sick, I just didn’t feel like taking chances. Of course, all store bought water has to be lugged up 5 flights of stairs, so that limits how much you buy at one time. We have been eating a lot of spaghetti. We have also eaten a lot of Tuna Fish. Well, at least two cans anyway. And of course we have been feasting on the wonderful breads here. They are just spectacular… and very cheap. Bread is about 30-40 cents a loaf. It’s a Kazakhstan staple. I’m craving protein, but not enough to partake of any mystery meat.

Being here has really shown a light on how good we have it in America. Life here is hard… we have it so easy! I remember reading on our adoption agency’s email list that someone said “bring books because you’ll be bored”. When did they have time to get bored I wonder? I haven’t cracked a book yet (And I brought a bunch!). Mornings are spent cleaning, showering, doing laundry, boiling water, etc. Afternoons are spent, shopping, site seeing, doing adoption related work, evenings are spent eating, cleaning then going to bed. In between all those times we are posting on our website, talking to family on the phone and of course… five hours a day visiting with the kids. When the heck did this other person have time to be bored?

The weather here has been gorgeous. Sunny, clear, almost springlike. I really like Almaty. I’d visit here again. We have found the people to be very friendly. I hope that one day we can bring the kids back. The sun is just coming up here. I can see the silhouette of the mountains outside of my apartment. There is no sunrise per se… more just a general “lightening” of the sky. It’s pretty. I like how quiet it is. (Except for John’s snoring). In just a few hours, I’ll get to see my children and begin day seven of visitation.

Related posts:

  1. *Seattle Earthquake - March 1st morning
    2.    This is the continuation of my adoption...
  2. *Day Eight — Orphanage Lessons on Food
    3.    This is the continuation of my travel...
  3. *Day Five of Visitation — Communication is critical
    4.    This is the continuation of my travel...