Tomorrow is a very important day for us and Drew. We have our pre-court hearing with the local education commission who must approve us to go forward to court. We are meeting with our translator and coordinator at noon to go over everything and learn how we should answer all their questions. Our hearing is at 4 p.m. - 6 a.m. EDT...eek!! Very scary and exciting...hopefully all will go well and by Wednesday we will find out our court date.
Drew continues to be cute. Today was a very active day - his favorite activity (besides eating!) was throwing himself back and forth between mommy and daddy and having us lift him high in the air and back down to the ground. He thought that was very cool. He also continues to rip apart his book, play with the big balloon and throw his blocks around the room. He's also gotten in the habit of pulling things out of "his" big bag. Today he pulled out the apple juice bottle and handed me his cup!! What a little smartie he is!!
Some basic observations (vents???) about Taraz (as Patrick and I start to feel really homesick!!)
1. Why do people look at us like we're crazy when we walk into a retaurant and want a table?? Don't they want people to eat there? Why do they roll their eyes and moan when we pay the bill, but we need change? Isn't that considered rude in their country?? Kazakhstan will not be the great country it wants to be by 2030 unless it teaches good customer service, cause right now it sucks!!! This has happened many times to us!!!
2. The people here keep their streets and sidewalks very clean and it's very nice. But the poor women use just the broom part of the broom to sweep, so they are all hunched over. I feel so bad for these women - I want to buy them all a four-foot pole...
3. Why would people buy bloody meat out of the back of a truck when they can go to a grocery store and buy it there?? I guess it's fresher, but it's been sitting in the back of a truck for hours...it seems a little unsafe to me.
4. We have seen at least one wedding a day since we've been here. People get married every day of the week and then they and their guests drive all around the city stopping at various places for pictures. The bride and groom's limo is generally white with streamers and a big heart on the front. The guests put streamers on their cars and honk as they drive through the city.
That's it for now - sorry for the whining - the 95 percent carb diet is getting to me!!!! I promise to be in a better mood tomorrow...
Oh - and since it's Sunday morning in the US - GO BROWNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have a chance to go over .500 today - woo hoo..................
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7 comments:
I hope you are feeling better today. It's amazing how different some cultures can be. It will be so nice for you guys to be back at home hopefully with some great news. Good luck tomorrow. I'm sure you guys will do great. Drew is so lucky to have you!
Beth, Patrick, and Drew--Good luck tomorrow! I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't be able to see what good parents you'll be and what a nice family you're already starting to become. I will be thinking about you! And I hope Beth feels better soon! Yuck!
Love,
Laurie
Beth, I'm wishing you the best of luck tomorrow!!
Your Drew sounds so smart - and what a sweetie-pie! I love the photos.
I'm enjoying your Kazakhstan observations - keep 'em coming.
-Julie (wintergirl)
Good luck tomorrow, when you read this it will be today. Hope all goes smoothly and quickly. Before you know it you will all be in the USA and enjoy wonderful food. Think positive Beth and Patrick-Drew is worth all this unsetness. Love ya guys.
Best of luck at the hearing! I'm sure that you'll do great.
I hope that you feel better soon. It can be hard to be a stranger in a strange land. You have my sincere sympathy about the food situation, as well as the unpleasantness of those customer service situations. I'm sure people don't mean any harm, but it can be hard to deal with that day after day.
On a happier note, I just read your last few updates about Drew, and he sounds like such a delightful little guy, and the photos are so gorgeous. In spite of the illness and everything else, I'm SO happy for you that he has come into your life.
All the best,
Sara (from FF)
I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow! Drew sounds like he is such a sweet little guy and already in love with his mommy and daddy. Wait until he meets his big brothers!
I also hope you can find some better food to eat, soon! I wish I could Fed Ex a pizza to you!
Oh, and the Sox just won the World Series again, in case you haven't heard over there. I'm whooping over here in Boston!!! :)
(redd1234)
No one ever told me what the deal was about exact change in Russia, but it's the same attitutde; they resent being made to do anything more than the basic task because they get paid either way. If you have the exact change you will never get rolled eyes.
The lesson was learned so well by me that I find myself digging for exact change in the USA all the time- and getting rolled eyes ;)
As for customer service, a command economy eliminated the motivation to do business better than the next guy and cultural attitudes have changed slower than the economic policies.
Meanwhile- I am happy for your big day tomorrow!
--Sami
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