Ahhh!! Astana!! What a place!

OK-As I said in my profile, I'm not the most technologically savvy person in the world, so it should not surprise you that I have put the picutre on here sideways and now cannot figure out how to turn it the other way. So just turn your heads and enjoy it sideways!!
My mini vacation was AWESOME! The picture to the left is the center of the New Square, the piece de resistance if you must of the city of Astana. You can go all the way to the top and see the entire city. It was interesting to see though- because in the back of your mind you must remember that every bit of this newness is for one purpose- to exalt the president of KZ and his self imposed superiority over everyone else in the world. He is training, and encouraging others to train, an entire generation of "You owe me something" people- people who would rather steal, lie and cheat than spend a day working to earn an honest living.
It is quite a catch-22 for those of us here. On one hand, we want so badly so see those Western things- anything that will remind us of home, but on the other hand the forces than drive the modernization are the exact ones that we fight every day just to survive here.
I'm off my soapbox- but one funny story! I got in my first fight. Now, before you read farther, please promise me that you will not think less of me after you read it! ..... Ok- my friend and I had had what we affectionately call over here a brown booger day. Its one of those gross, hot, smelly days where the pollution is so bad that it turns everything brown and people are exceptionally rude! Now all that we wanted after a day like that was some ice cream. So we go to the stand where we are greeted by one of the rudest people that I have ever met- and I had enough very quickly. I dont know enough Russian yet to yell at people, but my friend did, so she translated for me. I would then tell her what I wanted to say and she would translate that for me and I would yell it at the lady. This went on for several minutes, both of us hopping mad! My friend just laughed, between translations of course! It was reminiscent of those fights that you see on the elementary school playground between bossy little girls. It was terrible! Anyway, we left, without ice cream, needless to say. Somehow though, that made things a little better- it made us feel better at least.
I tell that story because I want you to know that I am reminded everyday that I am still a human being, even though I moved across the world to do something that is way bigger than myself. Praise the Lord He gives me those moments where everything is put in perspective. Was it really necessary for me to scream at that poor woman- probably not- but it sure was good to realize again that its not about me at all! She didnt care what I wanted- at all; and on so many levels, its not about what I want! Paca (Russian for later)