Comfort or Class?

One of the noticeable differences between locals and foreigners is their choices in shoes and when certain shoes are to be worn.  In the states, you will often find women wearing flats or even tennis shoes to work and then changing into their dress shoes afterwards.  Here it is quite the opposite.  



The other day I was heading out the door to go home and noticed our receptionist changing her shoes - going from a more comfortable heel to what is pictured here on the right.  Oh MY Land...was my response...are you walking home in those?  "Absolutely" was the reply.  I of course had to get a picture of the "comfortable" vs. "classy" look. I can guarantee my feet were much more appreciative of my choice! 

Kitty Loves Kurt Balls

Sara came home from a birthday party and had a kurt ball with her that she was saving for later.  



Now for those of you who don't know, "kurt" is a salted dried sour milk ball that is popular as a snack here in Kazakhstan. Often mistaken as candy by our unsuspecting delegates, they are often surprised or shocked by it's pungent taste =).



Anyway, Sara set it on the table and within a few minutes, Gussie my cat starts licking it...then picks it up and starts chewing on it!  Over the next several days it served as a tasty treat for my four legged feline friend!

New Meaning to "Econom"

Locals will tell you that whenever possible you should "econom"...save money wherever possible.  This includes shutting off lights that you don't need, rigging repairs on automobiles, only having one light bulb in a chandelier having 4 sockets, unplugging all the power strips at the office at night, using the river as your car wash, etc.  In the midst of rising prices, econom is important.  So when we came home in the evening the other day it wasn't unusual to find that we didn't have electricity since the city seems to "econom" it as well.  



After awhile though it seemed odd that it wasn't coming back on so I decided to investigate further.  Going to the control box outside our door I noticed that the lights in the stairwell were on...hmm, how DO you examine a box that looks like this?  I knocked on the neighbor's door to see if she had electricity...yep.  After closer examination I noticed that one of the wires connecting the "knob" was broke, took the wire connected it together and wow...electricity! 

Puzzles and More...

In a recent post I commented on the kids I met at the rehabilitation center and the need for basic games and activities for them to do throughout the many hours of solitude and boredom.  One of our staff, Olya who went with me that day has collected a lot of books in Russian for them to read.  After reading the plight of these kids, my aunt asked if there was any way to help.  Within a few weeks, she's collected several boxes of games, puzzles, coloring books, and activities.  The first box arrived with this last delegation and it will be a pleasure to deliver these items soon!