The clowns are out tonight...

Okay, well we didn't wear the clown costumes. But we did throw a HUGE CARNIVAL for the Ulan kids. We had games and prizes and I think they had lots of fun. The weather was a perfect, sunny, fall day. I was behind the camera and here are a few of the shots I got! We had this special time because were weren't able to have a summer camp with the kids.

One of the coolest parts of our time was that the Ulan graduates who are now in the YOUTH IMPACT program volunteered to help. Some of those girls are born leaders! Others, well, we're going to work and train them more. It was just so good to see them giving back! Here are some of our volunteers.

Birthday....well, birthday....birthday WOW is all I can say!

So far my birthday has been one surprise after another. I've had middle of the night texts from America, flowers upon flowers to greet me, balloons in the shape of chickens, balloons with funny noses, balloons with special messages, and heart shaped balloons that say"I love you."


















THEN I got to do the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new basement toilet! I was supposed to christen it first, but the spot was already taken!









But that's not all! I also had CLOWNS! It was the most amazing birthday EVER! I can't imagine how any future party could top the surprise of clowns!! My coworkers did crazy races and dances for me. I got to wear a Kazakh crown and robe! I mean, it's better than Christmas!



















Following office tradition I brought a cake for tea time! It was my own version of Black-Forest-meets-Devil's-Food-Introducing-Strawberry-Jam! It was decadent to say the least!









And THEN, yes, there's more. The package from home that disappeared finally reappeared and I opened a big box of presents from home! Hurrah! In addition, one of my orphanage graduates stopped by with a sweet gift. Another gave me a picture of her as a baby. So precious.

But I'm still banned from the room upstairs so I think there is more to come! Even then, the day isn't over yet. Tonight I'll have a party including my own crazy games and prizes....

Where next???

Good thing my birthday is tomorrow. I'm already banned from going anywhere at work at this point!

Santa Claus need not apply

Well, one of the most fun things about my job is GIVING to the kids!

This past weekend we spent time at Ulan (the Kazakh speaking orphanage) to give out gifts. If you remember the American delegation came but for financial reasons was unable to do the full camp with the kids. So we spent the weekend with the children. One day for gifts and the second...well, you'll see on my next blog. So here we are giving out tee-shirts and cameo bags (very popular). Here I am with our mentally challenged boys group who were over the moon about their presents!

One bucket girl

I am a one bucket girl. Don't worry, that's a good thing. :)

So now is the chilly season. The city has turned off the hot water to prep the pipes for winter. They won't turn it back on until October 15th. So unless you have a water heater (which we don't at my apartment) the water is cold, cold, COLD! October 15th is also, not coincidentally, when the heat is also turned on as it is also city controlled.

So the temperatures are dropping (long sleeves and jackets necessary) and we're up to 2 blanket night temperatures...and we've no hot water nor heat. But this happens every year and is normal. And really, I'm fine with it. I've become a one bucket girl. That means with two kettles of boiled water mixed with half a bucket of frozen water, I'm able to complete all necessary bathing for a day! Top to bottom. :)

Torture, simply torture

Yeah so my birthday is coming and...well, someone thought this was a good idea.

I think they got me a pony!

1+1=2 and 2-1=1 Simple Village Math

So I was in the village again this past weekend. It was a really wonderful time. The village is one of the places I feel that I can truly relax. I'm too much of a guest to work, and there's nothing else to do but relax. We girls watched some old Indian movies and played tons of games with the kids. I made super-friends with the little girls when I gave them some little butterfly barrettes. And I made the mistake of creating a "wonderful" train game of running around the yard... only a mistake because it was so fun I had to do it for ages and ages!!

So why the math? Well, in the outhouse there is normally one hole (self-explanatory). Except now there are two holes! I stepped in only for a board to break and my shoe to fall in (yes, it was a new shoe!!). So one hole became two and two shoes became one!!! The most beloved of all the village dogs has claimed the left over shoe and so I happily departed the village two shoes lighter! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

What are you eating for Thanksgiving (Alternate title: I'll take the one on the left)

I don't normally eat meat...but there are some exceptions. We've chosen the big one...

Seriously, I'm told these babies are like gold here and of all places, they are just down the street from our office!

Fun & New Friends

So, what have I been up to with my friends and free time? Well, we've been rollick! Although it sounds a bit like the combination between a dance and a sickness, it's really the local term for roller-blading. So awhile ago we took some of the orphan kids...then some of my Kazakh friends (specifically my coworker Olya) were inspired to learn. Here are some fun pictures!

Everything is more fun in Kazakhstan

Okay, well not everything...but...

I got a package today, only no one told me! Instead a troop of coworkers came to my desk and demanded a "song or dance" for a surprise. I gave them a song appropriate to having 5 people staring at you demanding things for an unknown reason. See link to song. However, they felt that that song wasn't appropriate and demanded another.

Now there are two things I'm thinking:
1. Dude, it's sad if they are surprising me two weeks before my birthday. It will spoil my birthday if they do everything early.
2. Is there really a surprise? I wondered if perhaps they were seeing how gullible (or vain) I would be to keep taking song requests with the lure of a "surprise" to come.

But I gave in (since not all the people in the group were hooligans by nature), and I sang a happy song. ...And VOILA, they brought in a package from my Mom! Hurrah, I'm so excited! Mail is SUPER DUPER EXTRASUPERCALAFRAGALISTICEXPEALADOTIOUS WONDERFUL when I'm here.

BUT then...they tried to take my package away when I told them it was for my birthday! I stole it back and insisted I DO have some self control (which I do) and therefore the box is resting happily at my feet under my desk. :) Everything is more fun in Kazakhstan...

As you can see, my address is very clear just in case anyone is interested, lol! :) Thanks Mom and Dad!

Preparation 101: The More People the Better

Each month we have a birthday celebration at each of the different orphanages. It may not seem important but for these kids it can be a HUGE deal. Imagine if you never had a birthday celebration at all!

So we make sure they have one. There's cake (homemade chocolate and the local variety) soda, chips... you get the junk food idea. Then there's games and dancing with lots of prizes. And, of course, there are the birthday presents. Past years they've given wallets, watches, lotions, all sorts of things. The most recent past year, children chose from several small items and got a cap and small carrying bag.

This year we went with fun school supplies. So here is our team packing up tons of packets full of pencils, erasers, coloring books (younger kids), journals (older kids), rulers and the like. And as ever with an assembly line, the more people the better!

Birthdays at the office...mine is coming September 26th and I'm not ashamed to say so!!!

So here was my end of August checklist:
1. Jump off the balcony for Kiikzhan's birthday
2. Arrange clowns for Aben
3. Find a birthday princess
As you can see, I sucessfully completed each mission. I like birthdays!

Um...yeah, not so much :)

So, I haven't posted anything in awhile...mostly because there's not so much to report. I have been here (see photo) pretty much all the time the past few weeks.
It's September and the kids are back is school so you would THINK that we'd be back to our regular orphanage visits. Yeah, that's what I thought too. However, we are waiting till their schedules get settled and we'll start up our program in October. So when October hits, it'll be INSANITY... but for now I get to do fun things. So we'll have some fun things post.

Number 1: Go to the park with friends and take pictures, which is a very popular pastime among young people with cameras!!! It's true in America and pretty much everywhere these days! Since I am one of the priveledged few with a camera it happens to me often. :) So here is my friend Jumiliya in a new park near my house. And here am I at what I call the "Happy Fountain" because instead of running steady it just bursts up as if it can't contain itself. I like to watch it very much. Maybe because it's a little like me sometimes!

Some things never change

Well, I didn't have the time with the Ulan work group like I wanted, but I did have some great moment to remind them that some things never change! For those of you who know me, you know how silly I am. I just wanted you to know that some things never change! I would encourage you to check out the Interlink blog and Sara's blog to see the amazing work the delegation did at Vanofka orphanage and at a cerebral palsy camp!

Karen, it was so great to see you!