Short Pause in Kaz

Day 6 of our 14-day bonding period

We picked up LG around 11:00 today and told her that mama wanted to go with Kate to look for souvenirs and that we hoped that she wanted to come. She said she wanted to come, so we went to a multi-floored shopping center with a bunch of different stores segmented off. The souvenirs were only at one store. Jo Ann found a nesting doll family she liked, along with a wooden yurt for the little Kazakh man and woman figurines we bought earlier in the week. I've been informed that our souvenir shopping is not yet finished.

We've begun our own pizza tour of this city. After exposing LG to cheese pizza yesterday, we went to another place today and had a pizza with olives, mushrooms, and tomatoes. LG liked the olives and the tomatoes. She left her mushrooms. She said that she had never tried any of these vegetables before.

LG seems to have a hang nail on her left index finger and it seems to be sore. We put an American bandage on it today and it seemed to be a big hit. We also gave LG the locket with our pictures in it today. She wore it during our visit, but we will be taking it back with us after each visit. We're afraid that it will get taken by one of the other kids. Yesterday I left a pencil with her for her to practice writing her name and today it was missing.

Here are some observations of Kazakhstan I wanted to share:

1. Like Ukraine, people here all seem to be walking with a plastic bag with something in it. These bags are stronger bags than the kind you pack your groceries in. The bags have advertising on them. I've even seen some that have Disney on them.
   
2. Lots of the men wear black here. I'm not sure why. Let's just say I feel like the only male in Kazakhstan with a red down-filled coat.
   
3. Most everyone here is of Asian descent. But what seems unusual is that they are taller in stature than Chinese or Japanese Americans. Those of Russian ancestry are in the minority here.
   
4. Saturday seems to be a big day for weddings around here. In the plaza you can see brides and grooms getting pictures in their white gowns and black tuxedos. They then get in a car decorated with flowers and balloons and then drive around town in a caravan honking their horns. This can go on very late at night.
   
5. Lots of the men smoke here. I've only seen two women smoking here and they were both Russian.
   
6. There are old women that sell these black seeds on the corner. They are sort of like sunflower seeds and people seem to stop a lot and buy a cup full and then eat them and spit on the sidewalk.
   
7. The monetary unit is the Tengi and one U.S. Dollar is currently worth 127 Tengi. It's gone up one Tengi since we got here.
   

Thanks to those of you that have sent comments and e-mail.