Just hanging out on the doorstep

I packed up my life today, so that it could be shipped on a train to my new city. I had no idea that the life I had amassed here would fit into 9 boxes and action packers. Anyway, I live on the 5th floor, so lugging NINE overstuffed trunks down those flights of stairs was quite a workout. It was made worse because of the smell of open sewage that was suffocating me as I walked down the stairs. By the time that I made it to the ground floor, I was practically gagging; I had never smelled that horrible of an odor. I wasnt really paying attention to my surroundings, but when I came out of the stairwell, I oculdnt help but notice what was at my feet. There was an old man, curled up in the grass to the right of my doorway. He smelled, not nearly as bad as the sewage, but strong enough where I could notice him. His clothes were torn and ragged and he was using all of his possessions as a pillow. Now, this scene isnt unusual here, as sad as that is to say, but for some reason, the circumstances surrounding this man just broke my heart. This man was trying to sleep in the middle of a busy parking lot, with the sewage running right by his head, bees and flies swarming all around, passerbys looking at him with much disdain, and dogs using the bathroom at his feet. We're pretty lucky.

Growing up's not as easy as it looks

I’ve had to act like a grown up lately, and to be honest, that isn’t a role that I have readily embraced. Even though I’ve been around long enough to understand that grown ups aren’t perfect, I still had the gross misconception that they always acted like adults, just because of the position they were in. Well, I was wrong! I was very disappointed by this at the first realization of it, and wrestled a lot with the idea. Here is the situation: I heard very clearly from the Lord that I was supposed to make a move to a different situation. I spent time seeking Him, waited for Him to give clear word, and then believed that this word was enough to allow me to follow through with what He said.
Well, imagine my surprise when I was met with very strong opposition to the word of the Lord. Now, I know it is not nearly as severe as the opposition that Noah felt, but I did get a sense of what it was like for people to think you were crazy. Some of my leadership didn’t feel the same way. I got very bitter, and really fought with the Lord over this issue. “Why would you give me such clarity and confidence if it was going to be met with such opposition? Why would Godly men not hear from You? Why would this not be easy; after all, its your will?” These were some of my big questions.
God and I did a lot of talking during this time, and He was able to get His point across. Here is what He said.
“The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.” Ps 29:4 In the moments that followed me reading that, I realized, there was nothing that the voice of the Lord didn’t control.
*It controls my friends that have no interest in Him or His word,
*it controls the government of the country that I live in that passes crazy laws that make it hard for me to live here
* It controls the waters of a tsunami and the winds of a hurricane
* And yes, it even controls my boss, who at first conversation was not willing to let me follow the calling of the Lord.

Nothing external changed immediately after I read that passage, but huge things changed on the inside. My voice will never be as powerful as the voice of the Lord. NEVER! No matter how loudly I yell, or how many people I get the chance to speak in front of. I do believe that one person can change the world, but I also believe that the only way to do that is to trust that when God tells you He is going to do something, that He really is going to do it! The end of my story is simple- the mind of the man who was so adamantly against me moving has allowed me to go. And man, has God gotten some serious glory from this entire situation. Even though it would have been much easier on me if he would have allowed it immediately, I would not have learned anything from the situation. God allowed this very sticky, painful, and grown up situation to happen so that He could receive glory from this, so that He could test my faith, and so that His power over the most stubborn of people could be exercised.

Desperation

Desperation makes people do crazy things. I started thinking about this while I was looking out my window one morning, watching three men dig through the dumpsters that are outside of my house. They had huge carts with them, and were not digging for things to sell, they were digging for food to survive. Now, the likelihood that these men were drug addicts or alcoholics is very great, but the fact still remained that they were willing to dig through the trash just to find something to eat. The dumpsters aren’t nice places. I usually run past them while holding my breath as to avoid the repugnant odor that radiates from the trash. Probably 200 families use these five cans, and even with trash pickup about three times a week, there is hardly ever a time that bugs, bees, and the foulest of odors doesn’t overtake you.
I’ve never been hungry enough to dig through anything to find food; and if I’m honest, I’ve never been hungry enough to even eat leftovers, but there are times where I have felt the desperation that is similar to the kind these men must feel. I had that experience the other night. I had been throwing up for the past 5 hours, and I just couldn’t take it anymore. I was desperate for anything that would make it stop. I sent a text message to a friend, asking them to bring a gun over, and while I would have never used it, I felt, in that moment, that there was nothing else that could have made the misery that I was feeling better. It was only after I had tried 2 different medicines and several mom’s with different opinions that it occurred to me that maybe prayer would help this situation. So I prayed, as earnestly as I have ever prayed, that I would NEVER THROW UP AGAIN! I would love to say that I wasn’t sick any more after that, but that is not the case, but there was something so therapeutic about the act of praying.
I am almost embarrassed to say that it was a last resort, to even think about praying, but I hope that there comes a time when it becomes my default, the thing I do before I do anything else. Some of my favorite passages in the Bible deal are the ones when people cry out to God with all that they have; sometimes there is the expectation that HE will fix the situation, but often times, it is just the idea that God hears their prayers and takes part in their suffering with them.

Nature!!

I didnt know that I liked nature that much- until I moved here and realized that the only source of entertainment that was appropriate was to be outside! Plus, the view from my window is incredible! Here is one of my favorite pictures. enjoy!

You Put Your Right Foot In...

You put your right foot out, you put your right foot in and.... (sing it with me now) you shake it all about! I got the privilege of teaching an English camp to 10-13 yr olds who were native Russian speakers but who had had some introduction to English. Basically, this meant that they were supposed to have some concept of the language- some idea about words, sentences, basic stuff. They kind of did.
I'm letting you into a big secret, but my default when I teach is always to sing. Poeple love to sing silly songs, and I love to act a fool, so it is a perfect match. We had talked about prepositions and also about body parts, so I thought this would be the perfect way to practice. SO I stood them up and began the song that had usually been reserved for skating rink brithday parties. But it was a hit! Some things just translate. I mean, how could you really translate "HOKEY POKEY" into Russian anyway!

There is something to be said for the medical system in America. I had never questioned things like prescriptions, insurance, or actual medicine until I moved here. Recently I have had many reasons to go to my local Apteka ( drugstore), and the "pharmacist" there has gotten quite acquainted with me. She is always entertained by my poor attempts at describing my ailments. This store is great- everything is under lock and key, but nothing in the store costs more than 10 dollars. No prescriptions are needed, just a convincing cough, sunburn, or some other visible symptom.
You can get ANYTHING there, but my Russian isn't good enough to know exactly what it is that I am getting. So the process for me is always an adventure. I walk in and do my best charades impression to describe my problem. My latest need was quite funny. I spent all day at a water park and got myself quite burned. Let me digress for a moment and tell you a little about this water park. You walked in to the most beautifully landscaped piece of land in this country. There were palm trees, plush grass, and pool boys that would get you any kind of drink you could imagine. It felt like you were not in this country anymore. It was amazing. There were slides, and more slides, and three pools. I mean, it was just like a place in America- only better. It was designed so that if you never wanted to leave your chair, you didn't have to. And I didn't plan on getting up at all! I got to people watch all day, and it made for some very interesting observations on this culture. A few things, and then I promise I'll get back to my original story.
1. People didn't care what kind of body they had- they were at the pool to get tan and beat the heat, so no matter what- short, tall, old, young, fat, skinny- they were going to accomplish that purpose. There were no cover-ups or attempts at hiding the parts of their bodies that they didn't love. It was kind of nice- people just wore swimsuits, because they were at the pool. The body image side of that was really cool.
2. With that however, came an interesting phenomenon which said that the fewer clothes you wore, the better things would be. I only thought that American women didn't wear many clothes. Here, I think the goal is to wear the most clothes while showing the most skin. This sounds a little counter productive, and let me promise you, it was!! They had the most intricately designed bathing suits, that showed EVERYTHING that God surely didn't intend to show and covered every part of the body that normal people show to the world every day!
3. The men- oh the men! Just a public service announcement for any of you that were wondering... THE SPEEDO IS NOT IN!!! There is nothing fashionable at all about this tiny piece of fabric. It is NOT flattering or attractive, and there is NO way it can be comfortable! You're welcome ladies- if I even saved one man from wearing that hideous thing, it was a good deed.
4. I was sitting in the pool, with some of my friends, when these two women came up to me. They spoke very quickly, and after getting them to repeat themselves two times, I finally figured out that they wanted me to baby sit their kid so that they could go to the "adult" pool. Now, let me be clear- I DIDN'T KNOW THESE PEOPLE FROM ADAM!! I didn't really say anything; I just sat there looking incredulous, so I guess they assumed that I was okay with it. I was not!! I got stuck watching that bad little girl for almost an hour. I was so frustrated!
Okay, back to my story. I was VERY sunburned. I've never gotten burned quite so badly. So I walked into the store and began to explain. After several failed attempts, I just pulled back my shirt sleeve to reveal my hot pink skin. She was horrified- and immediately began pulling stuff off of those locked shelves. After about 15 minutes, the counter was covered with things that were supposed to cure my ailing skin. All I really wanted was some aloe, but the "pharmacist" strongly disagreed with my solution. Instead, I left with a cream, a spray, and a pill- all of which were supposed to make me instantly better.
Haha! I should have known better. I tried the cream- and it didn't do much, so I tried the spray! This stuff is amazing- it foams all over you and stays put until you wash it off- but it does relieve the burning. I got curious as to why it took away the sting so fast, so I translated the back of the can so that I could GOOGLE the ingredients. Now, for my sweet dad's sake, I wont tell you what I found out, but I will tell you that I'm glad I'm in a foreign country, because in America you are not allowed to buy this stuff! haha. Needless to say, I'm not using that stuff anymore, but man, it was good while it lasted!
Just a sidenote before I leave, my fruit lady suggested something that she guaranteed would work. I was telling her my problem and she asked me to wait just a second. She walked around the corner and began to pick some weeds. I thought they were weeds until she brought them back... Apparently, her fix for a sunburn is marijuana! Ahhh... Just another day!

Baseball, Doctors, and Apricot Pie

Some days I go to sleep and wonder how things can get any crazier, or how something can make me laugh any harder than something did the previous day, and each morning I wake up and realize that this is now the life I live- and that things will continue to surprise and amaze me throughout my two years.
I had an interesting day on Tuesday. I havent been feeling well, so I decided it was time to go to the doctor. Now, I'm not picky about most things, but I do have a standard in my head for how I expect medical treatment to be. I guess I have just been spoiled in the past. I went to the "American" clinic- it can be called this because there is an American doctor who consults. She doesnt actually see patients; in fact, it is against the law for her to do so. So I was examined by Vitally, a guy who looked younger than me and who didnt know important things, like how to take my blood pressure or where my lymph nodes were. I figured things werent going to go too smoothly when he had trouble with the blood presure machine. I kindly showed him how to do it, and things went on from there. He determined that I had both strep throat and a sinus infection and decided that I was close to getting an ear infection. I didnt know they could tell when someone was close to getting an ear infection, but he did, and decided to clean out my ears to prevent it. Well, I've had this done once before, and the process while not extremely comfortable, was successful. This time, it was unlike anything I've ever been a part of. He got a syringe (one that hadnt been cleaned since the patient before- I could see stuff both on it and in it) and filled it with water and then attempted to squirt it in my ear. Well, luckily for me, none of it went into my ear. Instead, it completely covered my shirt. He repeated this process several times (about 10) until he decided that it just wasnt working. I'll spare you the details, but He then tried to dig it out of my ear with something sharp. I stopped him pretty quickly- I decided to take my chances with the ear infection. I figured the odds of surviving that were better than those of the "procedure" he was performing!
Well, after picking up my medicine from a local drugstore - I love that prescriptions arent needed here, I went to a 7-8 yr old baseball game. I wouldnt have gone except that I had promised some of my young teammates that I would be there. So off I went, with my preconceived notions about baseball. From first glances it had every appearance of a baseball game. There was a diamond, some balls, and little kids dressed in uniforms that copied the Major league teams in the States. Oh, but as the game began, I found some striking differences. First, most of these kids were local, and had grown up not on the baseball field, but on the soccer pitch; so they had no idea what they were getting in to. So instead of catching balls, child after child went to kicking the ball. One little one even tried to head it, but after he was carried off the field, no one else tried that. There were also some interesting rules. THe uniforms didnt have to match, as long as the team name was on it, but each child had to wear the same hat- and if they didnt have a hat on they were not allowed to play. It was all in all a very interesting dynamic. Thrown in were parents from both the Soviet Union and the US and things just kept getting better and better. The American parents grew up around this sport, and couldnt understand why the local kids couldnt get it, and the local parents were confused as to why people would want to play this sport when there were other, "better" options, such as badmitton or soccer. It was great. I dont think I am going to miss a game from here on out.
The end to this day was a package that was waiting at my door. Now, my mail goes not to my house but to the post office, so I knew it had to have been something that was dropped off. I was a little worried though; not knowing what was in it was a bit scary. I must confess that I had visions of bombs or dead animals- things that my creative little mind was convinced would be there. Instead it was a pie. I was thrilled! A Pie! I love pie- and what better after a baseball game? Well, I dug my fork into it and was ready for an apple or even a peach to come out. Instead, it was an apricot pie, with pomegranate juice in it. Now, I dont know if you have had this before, but if you havent I dont reccommend you trying it. I think there is a reason my grandmother never made this one! Anyway, it was a nice gesture, and I happily ate that thing. I dont think I'll eat another one though.

The Grand Tour!!!!

Haha- this will be fun! My apartment is about halfway done- but enough
people have wanted to know about where I live, so here it is.. the tour!

This beautiful sight that you are seeing is my living room window/laundry room. No dryers here!! Only the wind and a hair dryer if I am in a hurry! It sure does make you plan ahead- no washing and wearing in the same day!

This is my living room- and the pink wall! That door that you see leads into my kitchen and to the balcony. Dont worry- the whole room isnt pink, just that one wall. It makes thing fun- and people are always shocked by it. Maybe that is why I like it!





I debated whether or not to show this, as I didnt think you would ever feel sorry for me again after this one, but this is my closet! Isnt it glorious?? It takes up one entire wall of my bedroom- and since its my favorite part of the room, I'm not even going to show you the rest of the room. The only thing that there isnt much room for is my shoe collection, which by the way has grown since I have been here!













This is part of my kitchen. Notice the stove- I'm learning how to make EVERYTHING from scratch and how to cook with gas- its always an adventure when I light it. Each time, there is a moment when I think- "I'm going to burn this apartment down." Haha! But it hasnt happened yet- So i'm grateful for that! Notice also that there is no dishwasher! I had no idea how great those things were until I didnt have one. But my hands are getting quite good at scrubbing- and its nice to spend some time with my hands in dirty water! Just kidding about that- out of all the household chores that I am learning to do- this is the one that I hate!!

A Language Lesson

I know that some of you may stop reading at this point, because foreign languages don’t appeal to you at all, but please keep reading- I promise that you will find something interesting in what you will read! Here is the word of the week…. It is REMONT. Now this word carries a lot more meaning than an initial look in the dictionary. In America, we call it remodeling. Now this usually implies that the end result is going to look better than the initial thing, that the people you hire will work hard and until the job is complete, and that there will be some urgency with which the job will be completed.
Here in KZ, this is not quite the case. Work is done whenever it is convenient for them- which in my case was in the middle of the night, and I'm not sure that the end result looks better, although I am enjoying the one pink wall that I have in my living room. I'm not sure about the other rooms, as they wont be finished until right before I leave at the end of my two year term!
In spite of all of this, living in suitcases and opening my front door with a look of surprise each time- wondering what will be behind the door- I have actually enjoyed this process. I have gotten to know the painter very well... He is a believer... I know all about his wife and new baby, his hopes and dreams, and the fact that he has never painted an apartment before mine. So my little house will always have the distiction of being his first! We had a conversation the other day- on a day when I was very frustrated with him and the work he was doing. We were talking about what he and his wife want to do in the future, and he made the comment that nothing was holding him here in KZ, or in Almaty, or even on this planet. His point was that he is just along for the ride- wherever DAD wants to take him, he is up for it. I begin looking at all of my stuff and wondering if I really was along for the ride, or if I try to put my roots down wherever I can- just to feel like I have some sort of control of situations! I think I try to put my roots down! I dont know what the answer in all of this is- or even if there is one, but I know that I want to be the kind of person that can say I am just along for the ride- whatever that means.

This is my closest friend here. We have nothing in common. She is my fruit vendor. She is married with three kids and commutes two hours to work each day. She and her husband, along with her two sisters share a one room flat in a village. The kids live 36 hours away by train and they see each other maybe once a month... the youngest one is only 2.
She is wise though- she understands how people work. She knows who to trust, who to watch with a very careful eye, and who to refuse service to. I learn a lot from watching her. She has started bringing me a stool to sit on with her, so when she sees me coming, no matter what I had scheduled to do, she begins to furiously wave her arms and yells (in Russian) "Hey you crazy American, you better come over here!!" Now, she knows that I will come, because I am usually embarrassed that she is yelling so loudly. I go over, and she pulls out my stool, along with a basket of cherries.
So I sit there, spitting cherry seeds into this hole in the ground, watching as she wheels and deals. She doesnt have her prices posted. I asked her why one day and she merely responded that she is here to make a living, and if some people want to pay more than others, then she isnt going to stop them. I started to say that people dont know how much other people are paying, but she interrupted me and said, " that is the beauty of capitalism isnt it?" Now, I know good and well that she has no idea what capitalism really is; but that is funny!
At the beginning of our relationship, I selfishly went to her because she would save salad for me! I didnt think that she would ever be my best source of everything, but from hours at the fruit stand I have gained valuable language practice, new friends, an occasional invitation to a futbol game; and most importantly, a little place that makes me feel like I have something to come home to! Paca!!

I'm a bad blogger- sorry!

The other day I had to go to the KLM airlines office to straighten out some ticket stuff. Anyway, I walked in and started speaking my poor Russian to the first lady. She laughed and then whispered in gentle English "My English is pretty good, you can speak English to me if you want." It had been a long day, so I immediately switched to English, grateful that I could use my native tongue with her. Little did I know this would cause such a stir. The customer at the next booth leaned over to her lady and said quite loudly in Russian, " Why do people come to this ocuntry and not know how to speak Russian. How arrogant of that girl (me) to come in here and act like that." I wanted to yell, but i merely responded in Russian that I could in fact speak her language and that if she wanted me to do it all in Russian that I could. Well, the look on her face was priceless. It was not an ugly exchange, but I left the office feeling very sad. It hurt my feelings that someone would be so rude- to a stranger.
Here is the application. When I was in the States, it was always a little strange to see people from other cultures living out their culture- women with covered heads, men in bringhtly patterned or traditional clothes, or groups of immigrants speaking their native languages with each other. I never quite knew how to respond to them, usually it was with a smile and some curiosity, but I must admit that sometimes I had the though- Why cant they just speak English? I understand now- How selfish of me.
People said that langauage is hardest at the end of a long day- and I didnt believe them, until I had my first long day. I got in the taxi after being outside for about 6 hrs in 100 degree heat and instantly lost every word of Russian that I had ever learned. I couldnt tell the man where I wanted to go, where I was from, or what my name was. So what do I do a the end of a day like that? I find an American; possilby someone from my team, or even someone in one of the local hangouts that all foreigners go to, and I use every English word that I know. Something about being able to speak unrestrained- and aptly convey emotion or desire is reviving.
I guess the point of my ranting is this: We are told that people from every tongue, tribe and nation will be gathered around the throne. Something tells me that they wont all be speaking English. I know this may be a shock to some of you- it was a shock to me- but I think it is the truth. I am always grateful for that kind person who is patient with me- the one who understands that my Russian isnt that great, and will work with me- and genuinely try to understand what it is that I am saying. I want to be that person too! I think it extends far beyond language though- I think it extends to all differences- social, racial, economic. I challenge you guys (and myself) to let the passion to see all kinds of people, one from every tribe, tongue, and nation, motivate you to love people- even if they dare to speak another language in America!

Random

I got to thinking about some of the things that make me laugh on a day to day basis, and I want to share those with you! (This is not a complete list, as I laugh about 80% of the day)
1. I shop at a store called GROS, do my laundry and clean things with a product called BARF, and buy all my home supplies at a store called GAUDI.
2. There are stoplights here, but they dont use them. Instead, they stick a policeman with a stick in the middle of the road to do battle with the angry drivers who are trying to get somewhere. I think it is supposed to make traffic move faster, but instead it backs it up for miles, and creates this strange phenomenon where everyone honks in a chorus. If you listen long enough you can hear a melody sometimes!
3. Fashion here is very interesting... first, you decide what shirt you want to wear for the day and you put it in the other room, then you forget what you picked out and find a pair of pants that are completely different than the shirt and put them together. I have no idea how they do it, but somehow they make it work. It never quite matches, but it is that "its cool to not match" look. I've tried it a few days, but I jsut cant seem to pull it off.
4. Store owners here only buy one of most things they want to sell. If a store has empty shelves, it is thought that store does great business. They dont restock the shelves though! Sometimes, if you ask in just the right tone of voice, they might sell you the item from the box in the back- but not always.
5. My dog thinks he is an attack dog
Ahh.... the list could go on and on... Whoever said laughter was the best medicine was dead on with that one. I guess its either laugh or cry... I'm choosing, at least for today, to laugh!
Paca

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)

A little something extra!!!

I know this is the post that you have all been waiting for! I finally named my dog- Lagniappe! For those of you of the Cajun persuassion, you know this word- for all the rest of you, let me provide you with a little education! Lagniappe literally means, "A little something extra" and that is exactly what this crazy little dog is! He isnt much more than the extra part of another dog, poor little thing, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in whining and ankle biting! I'm also starting to understand how parents feel. No one wants to see me anymore- they make a beeline for the dog- and if he isnt there, it is a tragedy! Quite funny, but I guess I'll keep him around awhile!

here he is... still nameless, but so cute!

I know you guys have been waiting with bated breath for pictures of the new puppy, so here they are! He still doesnt have a name- so any suggestions that you have are welcome... just dont get your feelings hurt if I dont use your name!! Yes- I have a big foot, but next to that puppy, it looks big enough to ski on!!
He has been fun so far, but he doesnt quite grasp the concept of sleeping during the night. He would much rather play, but he wont play by himself. He's only 8 weeks old, so hopefully this will pass and I'll finally get some sleep!

policemen and "Vaghney" (thats Russian for important person)

As taxis are my main mode of transportation, I spend a lot of time in the backseat of cars- looking out the window and observing the ways of the road here. Let me clarify what a taxi is first. It is merely a car that you flag down and bargain with for a ride. Let me give you a little insight into driving in KZ. For those of you who have been overseas, you will have some basis for understanding this, but even then, there will be some confusion!

There are no lanes here. There is one street in town that has a center lane. It gets repainted once a year and it is only lined because the President often drives down that road. Guess why they dont paint the roads... Because they need the paint to paint the bottoms of the trees. Oh yes my friend, this is only the beginning. Since there are no lanes, people drive where they want to. Gone are the days of lines of cars- if you want to go somewhere, and you see even an inch of open pavement, you manuever your car into that space. So some days, you will find 7 lanes of cars on a road made for 3-4. If you cant find your way on the street, you just drive on the sidewalk. The most important part of all of this is your horn. You must blow it incessantly, jsut because. This is a basic form of communication here. I'm still not sure what they are communicating, but it seems important.

This takes me to my next thought- it is about the Vaghney. These are the important people. You know they are important two ways. First, they drive the nicest cars- Mercedes, BMW, Hummer- and second, because they somehow have the rule of the road. Dont get in their way- they get very angry. It is quite a thing to take notice of.

Now to the policemen. This is a man that feels quite impowered by the bright orange stick that he uses to direct and impede traffic. They dont fight crime here, they just pull you over. This is a funny sight. Instead of chasing you with their cars, they shake their orange stick at you and bang it on your car. Once that happens, you are to pull over. Sometimes you will see 5 or 6 cars all stopped at once. Now, in the states, a pull over mean a ticket, but here, it means a bribe. This process in itself is interesting. You, I've never had to do this- not yet at least-, get out of the car and shake the policemans hand. As you shake, you slip some money into his hand. If its enough, he pats you on the back, the universal symbol that all is well, and lets you go on your way. If its not as much as he would like, this greeting ritual continues until a proper amount is reached.

All of this to say- its humbling to live here. I'm not important- not even a little bit. I dont drive a nice car, no one knows me, and no one really cares to know. As I learn a little more about what it means to take up one's cross and follow him, I think about the lack of status that many of the Disciples had. If they did have status, it was the wrong kind. Dad's not really concerned with my ability to drive a Mercedes and control the road. He is way more interested in the speed and fervor with which I am seeking after Him. I dont think I have this down yet- sometimes I want to feel important. But Praise Him that I am still a work in progress- and that He hasnt given up on me!

These next pictures are a tour of my block. I have grown quite fond of the Soviet style buildings, the potholes, and the endless policemen that patrol the main street. I hope this gives you a glimpse of what I see every day. Its an adventure! Stay tuned next time for my nieghborhood grocery store, the "meat market", and some of my new friends!

around the block!

This is my street corner. Isnt it lovely? It is quite reminiscent of 1970's America. Notice the fun little policeman. He is always there, directing traffic and beating people's cars with his little orange stick!
Ahh!! Home sweet Home. Look at the balcony on the top floor- that is my home. It gives me a nice view of the neighborhood and also of the mountains. The stairs are a killer though!
I just think these are funny. They cut the trees to make them look nice, but they dont cut them in the same shapes or sizes, so you drive down the road and see an entire line of uneven trees. Once again, funny stuff.

This is my other street corner, where I hail a taxi every morning to go to work. The locals always get mad at me, as I usually get a taxi quicker than them!

a long week... and its cold again!

Today I want to write about a funny little thing called culture stress. I thought this picture would be appropriate. It is a selection of nuts and dried fruits. Emphasis on the NUTS!! For those of you who have always lived in the same place, you might not understand what I am talking about. Culture stress is all of the stressors that come with living in a new place. This week in my life EVERYTHING has become a culture stress! They are doing contruction across from my apartment, and the prime drilling time is about midnight! Driving- culture stress; rude people- culture stress; getting stared at just because it is obvious that you arent from here- culture stress. I think my favorite example is at my neighborhood fruit stand. Now, this is no Fresh Market or WalMart even. This is a stand with fruit that comes directly from the garden- they havent even washed off the bugs and dirt! Anyway, to the stressful part. Buying what you want: I want three apples- but I cant buy three apples. I can buy three kilograms!! No matter what I say, the woman wont sell me less than three kilograms. Other people come up- and they buy 2 apples, 4 bananas, 3 potatoes; yet, I cannot buy 3 apples. I dont understand. So I walk away from that little stand with enough produce to feed the hungry in Ethiopia. As they say here, DeVie- just another day!

A Day Around the City

How can you not like this place when you see people like this? This is a sweet little girl that I met at a parade celebrating the month of March. Isnt she cute?
These are the mountains that surround the city. They are huge and much more majestic than the picture portrays. This city, despite of all of its trash and utter chaos, does have a grandiose beauty about it!
This is one of my favorite spots in the city. It is in front of the presidential palace by the square downtown. There is a huge park that surrounds it and it is one of the few places with actual grass this time of the year!