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Recent Blogs
English Club
I said I would blog about this…Last fall I started a little unofficial English “conversation” club for different Moms in our apartment complex. Basically it started with the Moms I was meeting at Avi’s preschool. I wanted to get to know more people in our neighborhood, inadvertently practice Russian, but create a space for ladies Read more about English Club[…]
Eye Doctor AKA “Super Hero Status”
Things are fairly advanced here in Almaty so I decided to get my eyes checked as they’ve been really bugging me lately with my current prescription. They told me to prepare for a 3 hour long appointment. I went to a highly recommended Optometrist office. Thankfully they had great staff that spoke English. (my Russian Read more about Eye Doctor AKA “Super Hero Status”[…]
The Rainy Days…
Oh how I love the rain! 🌧💧💦☔️ Here in Almaty we get true four seasons of weather. I really really love it. Today is particularly cold, and the above pic is this morning where the clouds are hanging low over the mountains. Last night it was pouring rain (and already had been for a few hours), Read more about The Rainy Days…[…]
Let’s have some “chai”
Having “chai” (tea) and snacks is a way of life here. It could be an isolated event (like my “English Club” I’ve started….another blog on that later), or it could be at every meal. This is not as much a coffee culture, although there are LOTS of coffee shops across the city (NOW… only 10 Read more about Let’s have some “chai”[…]
“Napkin Ninjas”
This is something Andrew and I giggle at every time we go out to eat here. Sometimes there are cloth napkins and even so, there is usually small flimsy napkins or even tissues on every table. But once you use a napkin and set it down on the table- beware!! The servers quickly come snatch Read more about “Napkin Ninjas”[…]
Central Asian Bread
This post has been a long time coming. Oh my goodness! Any of you Americans that have traveled to Central Asia or my expat friends who live here in Central Asia can attest that the bread here (know n as naan- pronounced “non”, tandoori naan, flatbread, Read more about Central Asian Bread[…]
Happy Nauryz! 💐
We are in full swing Nauryz (Nowruz) holiday weekend here in Kazakhstan. Three of the working days are recognized holidays, and this year it falls over the weekend. So 5 days of holidays! That is something we have had to get used to a bit here. Holidays are not stand alone like in the States, Read more about Happy Nauryz! 💐[…]
International Women’s Day
Did you know this holiday, March 8, is celebrated in over 100 countries and is an official holiday in 27 countries (including Kazakhstan 😉)? (It took me awhile to post this blog because of a crazy week.. more on that later) Last year was our first one here and we hadn’t a clue that the Read more about International Women’s Day[…]
Dreaming in Russian 😴
So last week was the first time I actually had a dream about thinking and communicating (that I remember) in Russian. It was such a funny dream about visiting other Americans for a party (in none other than our PJ’s 😂), then I left with Eloise in the stroller to pick up an online order Read more about Dreaming in Russian 😴[…]
My First “Banya” Experience 😍
So the “banya” is the bath house. We went to the above bath house (Arasan means “pure water hole” in the Kazakh language) This one was built between 1979-1982. It’s actually considered a sight-seeing location in Almaty! I was invited by my two friends and they knew all the things. It is a former Soviet Read more about My First “Banya” Experience 😍[…]