After plenty of "mishagoss" (I'm sure I mispelled that) our fly away date for the second trip was postponed until 3 JAN. It's not all bad though. It gave us time to do the babies room, get ready for traveling 8000 miles with Alexei, and benefit from the experience of friends who went and completed the process while we were waiting. This week I am painting Alexei's room and refinishing some furniture. We also got to take advantage of the lull before the storm. With the Holidays upon us it may have actually worked out for the better for all of us. At least now there will be something to celebrate after the Holidays as well. Stay tuned for round 2 of "Seeking Alexei"
Happy Holidays to everyone!
By the way, there has been some confusion about what to call "him." His formal name is Alexei, his nickname is "Zach." Call him what you like, he eventually will respond to both.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Thanks to all of you!
After we returned on a relatively uneventful flight home Sue our neighbor and dear friend, and Darlene (Bonnie's sister), both who have been supporting us throughout this whole process of traveling, held a shower for Bon. It was a surprise party and boy what a surprise it was!! It was attended by our friends and neighbors, family and featured a guest appearance by the Gittledumper Girls (photo to follow). I had a part in it too. It was my job to get Bon out of the house and keep her away while they all set up. So I took her to breakfast and then to Babies Are Us "to register." Well the breakfast went well but try and get Bon out of a store when she is in shopping mode (much less Babies Are Us!!) and you'll know that it was "A Bridge Too Far" to be on time. Thanks to all of you for hanging around while I drug her out of the store kicking and screaming. The funny part was that once we had begun "registering" I somehow had to let the salesperson know that I had a house full of people and that "registering" was really a rouse to get her out of the house. Luckily Bon had to use the ladies room or we would have been there another hour. Bon was wandering the store like a 10yr old at FAO Schwartz two days before Christmas...wide eyed with amazment!
One of John & Jen's photos
Our friends from Alabama (Jon & Jen who are adopting Roxanna) sent us this great picture after we had left. They were staying in KAZ for the duration. Jon is a school trained graphic designer and has a great eye for photos.
Ice skating
Well the last few days of our trip were a blur. So much happened that it was hard to keep track. Among them was a trip to the ice arena where we Sal & Tam I found out that the Kazakhs do play hockey. We also took Sabina (Brian and Maryellen's daughter) to see if we could burn off some energy. She was climbing the walls and this was a great diversion. Sal & Tam live in Roxborough and Brian and Maryellen live near Chester Pa I think. It was great to have other families finally join us in Kostani, especially Brian and Maryellen becasue they had been through this already with Sabina. Any way we all had a nice skate, visited the indoor water park and bowled a few frames. Sadly Alexei could not join us for this trip because at the time we had not been to court yet and they also didn't have skates his size!!
Friday, November 2, 2007
Get me to the church on time!
We went to a Russian Orthodox Church down the street. It was a sight to see. I know more about Islam than I do about Russian Othodoxy but I did recognize the art. Bon and Olyesa lit a candle and said a prayer, about what I don't know. in Bonnie's case it was either for the health of Alexei or hope that she does not have to kill me before we get out of Kazakhstan.
We have never spent this much time alone together and there are good things about that and bad things about that. It has brought us closer together and we have also gotten on eachother's nerves at times. Lesson learned...for us some space is healthy, but we can also operate as a team when we have to...very important.
On our way out of the church we met the priest pictured . What a face, fantastic.
We have never spent this much time alone together and there are good things about that and bad things about that. It has brought us closer together and we have also gotten on eachother's nerves at times. Lesson learned...for us some space is healthy, but we can also operate as a team when we have to...very important.
On our way out of the church we met the priest pictured . What a face, fantastic.
Mem Park Pic
Here's an interesting picture of the Memorial Park. It is larger than life and speaks for itself.
The Market
The market was very interesting. It reminded me of the choked streets and alleys of Mosul or perhaps Morocco. At one point the girls (Bonnie and Olyesa) lost me as I was taking pictures and just gawking. One of the most striking sights was the meats and fish. First we walked through the meat area where each vendor had their provisions just laid out on tables next to one another. All I could think of was how FDA would freak out at the sight. There was Mutton, Beef, and ...yes Trigger (horse) just liad out without refrigeration. All ver fresh mind you but it had to have been there for hours...need I say more..."I'll have mine well done please."
Just outside was this man playing traditional Russian music on an organ. Great stuff. Beats the pots and pan man on Chestnut Street.
Speaking of fresh, the fish were still alive and flopping about. If they jump off the table (which they often do) they are just hustled back onto the table. I guess once you clean and cook them it doesn't make that much of a difference, but it was still something I have not seen before. All fresh water varieties obviously.
Light at the end of the tunnel
Well the court date has been set for next Tuesday. This came after much “sturm und drang” and waiting. With all the changes it was very frustrating but things are OK and it looks like we may be able to fly on the 11th of NOV if we can get a final court date late next week.
Now that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel we are much more at ease. I (Jeff) am still going a little crazy but we have been doing our best to keep busy. The new couple we met John and Jen from Alabama are going to take Roxanna and there are 2 new couples arriving tomorrow morning. The Abrams' are also arriving to pick up Nora. Then another arrives on Sunday. Then Tuesday Sherry (Uncle Mike & his sister Sherry from another agency) is arriving on Tuesday.
All this activity is coming as a welcome relief to days and weeks of …not much going on. It will also give us lots of company in the final days in Kostani. I don’t think we will return here for our pick up. We are planning to go to Almaty and have Alexei brought to us there. This really simplifies the flight arrangements and departure coordination since there are many more flights from Almaty than Kostani.
We have chosen to stay 1 night in Frankfurt on our way home. If we changed our arrangements and tried to do it in one day it means $800+ more and we arrive at JFK instead of Phila Int’l. We will also be more rested this way so we won’t need days of recovery (hopefully) when we get back.
My Russian is getting much better. I can hold minimal conversations (greetings, etc) and order food. However sometimes I miss something in the translation and get a surprise meal. Not to worry, I have come to like “nravitsa” the national soup called “slyanka.”
We are both healthy but tired and eager to get home. It’s been a long haul with many ups and downs, twists and turns.
Dr Blackman (Sam and Julie) are leaving this weekend to go home to Boston. We will miss them until we see them again in Phila. Sam is an amateur photographer and took (and had framed here) an amazing picture of Alexei and gave it to us. It sits proudly on our desk in the hotel room.
The weather is still pretty moderate here so we've been trying to get out each day. A few days ago we went to the open air market. What a treat that was. It was like an outdoor Pennsauken Mart (for those of you that remember that) but a lot more crowded. Most of the goods are from China and not really of great quality. We did get some traditional gifts for family and friends however.
We also visited a Russian Orthodox Church, which was a very nice. Bon and Olyesa lit candles and on the way out we met up with the priest (I forget what they call them in Russ Ortho).
The road outside the Dolphin House is almost complete, the progress of which has been our daily benchmark.
Well that’s all for now. Yes here are some pics and vids for you all to enjoy. We’re looking forward to seeing all of you upon our return. I will try and do one more post before we leave.
I will keep the blog up and running until we have him home after the 2nd trip…and maybe thereafter. This is a great way to keep everyone up to date.
Now that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel we are much more at ease. I (Jeff) am still going a little crazy but we have been doing our best to keep busy. The new couple we met John and Jen from Alabama are going to take Roxanna and there are 2 new couples arriving tomorrow morning. The Abrams' are also arriving to pick up Nora. Then another arrives on Sunday. Then Tuesday Sherry (Uncle Mike & his sister Sherry from another agency) is arriving on Tuesday.
All this activity is coming as a welcome relief to days and weeks of …not much going on. It will also give us lots of company in the final days in Kostani. I don’t think we will return here for our pick up. We are planning to go to Almaty and have Alexei brought to us there. This really simplifies the flight arrangements and departure coordination since there are many more flights from Almaty than Kostani.
We have chosen to stay 1 night in Frankfurt on our way home. If we changed our arrangements and tried to do it in one day it means $800+ more and we arrive at JFK instead of Phila Int’l. We will also be more rested this way so we won’t need days of recovery (hopefully) when we get back.
My Russian is getting much better. I can hold minimal conversations (greetings, etc) and order food. However sometimes I miss something in the translation and get a surprise meal. Not to worry, I have come to like “nravitsa” the national soup called “slyanka.”
We are both healthy but tired and eager to get home. It’s been a long haul with many ups and downs, twists and turns.
Dr Blackman (Sam and Julie) are leaving this weekend to go home to Boston. We will miss them until we see them again in Phila. Sam is an amateur photographer and took (and had framed here) an amazing picture of Alexei and gave it to us. It sits proudly on our desk in the hotel room.
The weather is still pretty moderate here so we've been trying to get out each day. A few days ago we went to the open air market. What a treat that was. It was like an outdoor Pennsauken Mart (for those of you that remember that) but a lot more crowded. Most of the goods are from China and not really of great quality. We did get some traditional gifts for family and friends however.
We also visited a Russian Orthodox Church, which was a very nice. Bon and Olyesa lit candles and on the way out we met up with the priest (I forget what they call them in Russ Ortho).
The road outside the Dolphin House is almost complete, the progress of which has been our daily benchmark.
Well that’s all for now. Yes here are some pics and vids for you all to enjoy. We’re looking forward to seeing all of you upon our return. I will try and do one more post before we leave.
I will keep the blog up and running until we have him home after the 2nd trip…and maybe thereafter. This is a great way to keep everyone up to date.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Alright, I hope everyone reads some of the text in all this...but what you really want is vids and pics of Zach so let's tee that up right away! Here he is practicing his long jump in the bouncy chair. They do not have these things here believe it or not. This one was sent from the USA. If anyone wants a business opportunity in KAZ allow me to recommend bouncy chairs, toilet seats, and some comfortable furniture. If you want to think big you could open a Lowe's. He don'y laugh, Home Depot is in China in a big way!
Hope you all enjoy this and read on. Don't know when the next post will be.
BTW, we had our judge assigned to day which is good news. With some good luck and the excellent work of our coordinator Olyesa, we'll get a prelim date in a few days and final date next week putting us on a plane the 11th. Not bad considering all the changes going on here.
Hope you all enjoy this and read on. Don't know when the next post will be.
BTW, we had our judge assigned to day which is good news. With some good luck and the excellent work of our coordinator Olyesa, we'll get a prelim date in a few days and final date next week putting us on a plane the 11th. Not bad considering all the changes going on here.
Anyone one want to sign up for the Kazakh Military? The way my career is headed I have considered it!!
I initially thought that this was a left over from the CCCP days but I was corrected. In fact it is a current propaganda/recruiting piece that is written in Kazakh...which is a different language than the one commonly spoken here. If it were old it would have been in Paruski (Russian). Also the outline of the golden bird over the red star also appears on the Kazakh national flag.
The most interesting thing about it is that it shows Naval service on a modern ship in the poster. Since Kazakhstan is land locked I can't imagine that ship belong to them.
Walt this one's for U. These are the girls at the front desk here at Hotel Medeu. The one with the long hair is our interperter Nelly. The second pic is 2 girls we met in the Park. Check out the babe on the right. She only speaks "paruski" but I offered her job as our nanny when we get Alex back to the U.S. I have no idea if she understood...she just kept repeating "New Yorki, New Yorki?"
251400OCT2007R
Constitution Day in Kazakhstan!! Congrads to all the people of Kazakhstan for asserting their independence and defining their own political foundation in their Constitution. It’s a great milestone in any country and worth taking time to reflect upon if not celebrate.
This past week I had and overcame “Stalin’s Revenge.” This is similar to the Mexican version “Montezuma’s Revenge” caused by bacteria in water but I think this is viral in nature. Regardless of the origin in was equally diabolical.
Last Friday night while dining at the hotel restaurant we were fortunate enough to meet Mike Baker who is an American Astronaut here for the landing of the Soyuz capsule on the following Sunday. He was dining with a bunch of Russians in some kind of a uniform and we over heard their English translation. It was really nice that he came up to us after we approached on of the “Recovery” folks (Don Hammel) that was accompanying him.
Long story short…and many shots of “vodki” to celebrate the bridge that both the space program and international adoptions are attempting to bridge between the old USSR and the USA… later, I awoke in the middle of the night with a pounding headache, a fever and fluid coming out of either end of my body. I have honestly not been that sick since I was in Sarajevo in 1995.
Finally, after three full days in bed I was able to begin getting around a day or so ago…just about the time Bonnie started to get a touch of it. I think that “Uncle Mike” from Phoenix was patient zero and that somehow I caught it from him. Shit happens when you’re in a foreign country, especially one this far out of the envelope. Hopefully, Mike and his sister Sherry are back on terra firma in the U.S. by now and making arrangements to finalize Sherry’s adoption.
Yesterday, I went to Dolphin House by myself and did the whole routine solo from feeding, to dressing, playing, etc. I did pretty good considering. At one point Saulia began to laugh and offer help because Alex was crying as I was feeding him but I said that I was O.K and went on to finish the job. He gets finicky if there is a nano-second between mouthfuls of his porridge. I just had to let him know that he was not in a democracy yet and that I was in charge and that he’d get his chow as soon as Daddy was ready. In spite of the language barrier he got my meaning and settled down.
Afterward we played and I took a few pictures. I can see a change in only two weeks. I’m not sure if that is due to his identifying with us, or just the natural development of a child his age but it’s rewarding nonetheless.
Yesterday I went to the museum here in Kostani. It was pretty interesting but also pretty small. It was like the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Art Museum, and the Franklin Institute rolled in to one facility. A lot of the exhibits were pretty old according to Olyesa who said that “Moose and Squirrel” (ala Rocky and Bulwinkle) have not moved since she was there as a child.
One of the more interesting parts was the military history department, which focused on mostly the War Against Fascist Dogs or WWII. It had some interesting artifacts like a German SS helmet, some weapons, uniforms of soviet hero’s and plenty of biographies of people from Kazakhstan that fought on the “Eastern Front” …as we know it from the Western perspective.
The other part of the museum that was very interesting was the part about the development of the area around the turn of the century as White or “Imperial” Russia began to lose it’s grip on power and the Communists started to take over. There were apparently people from Russia (West and North of here) that migrated this way seeking to get away from the pressure and unrest closer to Moscow. The area was bountiful in natural resources; food and commerce began to flourish until around 1914 or so when the communists began to take control. Private citizens of any wealth of course lost everything as the state took control of real property and assets if you had any.
There were lots of pictures of German families that migrated and settled here too. The land was very productive and apparently the place did pretty well.
I think tomorrow we are going to try bowling…Kazakh style. I’m not sure if it’s the same as back home but I am game for any kind of entertainment I can muster at this point.
The time line for the court process is murky at this point. If you thought that Phila traffic court was confusing and chaotic you have not been to a former Eastern Bloc country and gone to court. Like any bureaucracy they are habitually inefficient but here there is an overlay of centralism. To me it feels like vestiges of the old communist system where it was nearly impossible for anything to get done unless you knew somebody or were somebody. Of course that’s a projection of my prejudice developed after decades of duck and cover drills as a child and being told as a young soldier that the Soviets can’t make a move without Moscow’s approval.
Regardless, where we stand now is that we have completed the required 14 visitations with Alexei and have petitioned the court for a date to appear to petition the court for a formal court date where we can make the deal happen and finalize the adoption. The delays have come in several forms. The first of which is that the Kazakh Courts are computerizing their system for caseload assignments. I’m told that is an effort to level the playing court and speed up the process. Personally I think it is an effort to prevent favoritism and corruption within the court system. In either case it is a good move for Kazakhstan with an unfortunate side effect for us because it may cause a delay of several days.
The second is Constitution Day, which is actually three days, and is a national Holiday when govt offices are closed. That threw us back a few days as well.
The third is that in the midst of all this, and to coincide with modernization of the computer system, they are moving into a new building. May or may not be a few days.
So all that is about another week or so.
If that isn’t bad enough, there is a natural suspicion among some, I stress “some” in Kazakhstan about the whole concept of international adoption. The reservations run from crazy stories about foreigners adopting children to farm body parts to graft and corruption in the system whereby children are being sold to foreigners for a profit. Some people are just stubborn and believe that the children are better off in an orphanage that is sorely under funded than a home abroad where they can have the benefit of the love and resources available from a family that has everything to offer.
This of course accounts for the isolated instances of abuse that I am sure have occurred in some adoption somewhere but for the most part that can happen in a biological family just as easily and those incidents statistically remote. I would venture a guess that a couple that invests tens of thousands of dollars and travels half way around the globe is not likely to fit the profile of abusive parents.
So we wait to hear from the court and pray that the winds of the Asian steppes carry with them good fortune as they have done for many generations here before, and that we are swiftly able to complete our business and bring Zach one step closer to his new home.
That’s all for now. Here’s a bunch of pictures and vids.
Constitution Day in Kazakhstan!! Congrads to all the people of Kazakhstan for asserting their independence and defining their own political foundation in their Constitution. It’s a great milestone in any country and worth taking time to reflect upon if not celebrate.
This past week I had and overcame “Stalin’s Revenge.” This is similar to the Mexican version “Montezuma’s Revenge” caused by bacteria in water but I think this is viral in nature. Regardless of the origin in was equally diabolical.
Last Friday night while dining at the hotel restaurant we were fortunate enough to meet Mike Baker who is an American Astronaut here for the landing of the Soyuz capsule on the following Sunday. He was dining with a bunch of Russians in some kind of a uniform and we over heard their English translation. It was really nice that he came up to us after we approached on of the “Recovery” folks (Don Hammel) that was accompanying him.
Long story short…and many shots of “vodki” to celebrate the bridge that both the space program and international adoptions are attempting to bridge between the old USSR and the USA… later, I awoke in the middle of the night with a pounding headache, a fever and fluid coming out of either end of my body. I have honestly not been that sick since I was in Sarajevo in 1995.
Finally, after three full days in bed I was able to begin getting around a day or so ago…just about the time Bonnie started to get a touch of it. I think that “Uncle Mike” from Phoenix was patient zero and that somehow I caught it from him. Shit happens when you’re in a foreign country, especially one this far out of the envelope. Hopefully, Mike and his sister Sherry are back on terra firma in the U.S. by now and making arrangements to finalize Sherry’s adoption.
Yesterday, I went to Dolphin House by myself and did the whole routine solo from feeding, to dressing, playing, etc. I did pretty good considering. At one point Saulia began to laugh and offer help because Alex was crying as I was feeding him but I said that I was O.K and went on to finish the job. He gets finicky if there is a nano-second between mouthfuls of his porridge. I just had to let him know that he was not in a democracy yet and that I was in charge and that he’d get his chow as soon as Daddy was ready. In spite of the language barrier he got my meaning and settled down.
Afterward we played and I took a few pictures. I can see a change in only two weeks. I’m not sure if that is due to his identifying with us, or just the natural development of a child his age but it’s rewarding nonetheless.
Yesterday I went to the museum here in Kostani. It was pretty interesting but also pretty small. It was like the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Art Museum, and the Franklin Institute rolled in to one facility. A lot of the exhibits were pretty old according to Olyesa who said that “Moose and Squirrel” (ala Rocky and Bulwinkle) have not moved since she was there as a child.
One of the more interesting parts was the military history department, which focused on mostly the War Against Fascist Dogs or WWII. It had some interesting artifacts like a German SS helmet, some weapons, uniforms of soviet hero’s and plenty of biographies of people from Kazakhstan that fought on the “Eastern Front” …as we know it from the Western perspective.
The other part of the museum that was very interesting was the part about the development of the area around the turn of the century as White or “Imperial” Russia began to lose it’s grip on power and the Communists started to take over. There were apparently people from Russia (West and North of here) that migrated this way seeking to get away from the pressure and unrest closer to Moscow. The area was bountiful in natural resources; food and commerce began to flourish until around 1914 or so when the communists began to take control. Private citizens of any wealth of course lost everything as the state took control of real property and assets if you had any.
There were lots of pictures of German families that migrated and settled here too. The land was very productive and apparently the place did pretty well.
I think tomorrow we are going to try bowling…Kazakh style. I’m not sure if it’s the same as back home but I am game for any kind of entertainment I can muster at this point.
The time line for the court process is murky at this point. If you thought that Phila traffic court was confusing and chaotic you have not been to a former Eastern Bloc country and gone to court. Like any bureaucracy they are habitually inefficient but here there is an overlay of centralism. To me it feels like vestiges of the old communist system where it was nearly impossible for anything to get done unless you knew somebody or were somebody. Of course that’s a projection of my prejudice developed after decades of duck and cover drills as a child and being told as a young soldier that the Soviets can’t make a move without Moscow’s approval.
Regardless, where we stand now is that we have completed the required 14 visitations with Alexei and have petitioned the court for a date to appear to petition the court for a formal court date where we can make the deal happen and finalize the adoption. The delays have come in several forms. The first of which is that the Kazakh Courts are computerizing their system for caseload assignments. I’m told that is an effort to level the playing court and speed up the process. Personally I think it is an effort to prevent favoritism and corruption within the court system. In either case it is a good move for Kazakhstan with an unfortunate side effect for us because it may cause a delay of several days.
The second is Constitution Day, which is actually three days, and is a national Holiday when govt offices are closed. That threw us back a few days as well.
The third is that in the midst of all this, and to coincide with modernization of the computer system, they are moving into a new building. May or may not be a few days.
So all that is about another week or so.
If that isn’t bad enough, there is a natural suspicion among some, I stress “some” in Kazakhstan about the whole concept of international adoption. The reservations run from crazy stories about foreigners adopting children to farm body parts to graft and corruption in the system whereby children are being sold to foreigners for a profit. Some people are just stubborn and believe that the children are better off in an orphanage that is sorely under funded than a home abroad where they can have the benefit of the love and resources available from a family that has everything to offer.
This of course accounts for the isolated instances of abuse that I am sure have occurred in some adoption somewhere but for the most part that can happen in a biological family just as easily and those incidents statistically remote. I would venture a guess that a couple that invests tens of thousands of dollars and travels half way around the globe is not likely to fit the profile of abusive parents.
So we wait to hear from the court and pray that the winds of the Asian steppes carry with them good fortune as they have done for many generations here before, and that we are swiftly able to complete our business and bring Zach one step closer to his new home.
That’s all for now. Here’s a bunch of pictures and vids.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
171350OCT2007R
Last night we went to a restaurant outside of town and had excellent Kabob and took in a “show.” It was really just a few dancers and a singer with her accompaniment but it was very “fkusna” (delicious) and entertaining.
Poor “Uncle Mike” has had “Kazakhs Revenge” for a few days but today he seemed much better. The color is returning to his face and he has 3x the energy. I think tomorrow I am going to take him to the “War Memorial Park” and take some pictures.
I have begun to learn the Cryrillic alphabet so I can sound out words. I have no idea what they mean in most cases but I do understand a few.
Alexei continues to do well. We have bought him several outfits and I can see a change in him already. He’s generally a pretty quiet and content kid. Each day we show up at the Dolphin House at about 09:30, play for a while, feed him, and then go for a walk around the grounds for a ½ an hour. When we get him back upstairs we put him down for a nap and we go. Pretty simple.
I have stopped testing for this and that and have only one concern which is hearing. He does respond but not as much as I would like to see, to sounds. This could also be that he is distracted when I’m trying to do the test and is just not interested in the sounds I am making and would rather look about than pay attention to me. I guess I had better get used to this…not doing what I want him to do when I ask him to do it! This will probably last a life time if he is anything like his father…LOL
So, the brown water persists. Yesterday it was as brown as I have ever seen it. Obviously we drink bottled water. It seems to only to be the hot water that is brown like the Schuylkill. I have video on another camera of this. This problem is apparently throughout Kostani. How they reconcile with this condition amazes me.
We made another trip to Gros (the grocery store) today. I swear I feel more eyes on me there than anywhere since I’ve been here. It can’t figure out what is so “secure” about a grocery store but they watch me like hawks…like I’ve come 12,000 miles to steal a candy bar. Duh?
We made a few calls home to grandparents and relatives (that includes you Sue and Uncle Bucky). You have to go to the phone company building where you sort of rent a line and pay by the minute. It’s a lot cheaper than the cell rate so it’s worth the inconvenience.
SO the observation of the day is…as we are driving back from the Dolphin House today we pull up next to this dark green van. I am now trying to sound out Russian words on everything… so I look at the back of the van next to us and was able to sound out U.S. Navy! There it was in plain English…US NAVY. Where the heck that truck came from I have no idea since we are like 1000 miles from any port but indeed there it was. I assume it was excess and sold used to some civilians or something. Usually they take the writing off before they do that. But go figure there it was.
My back is killing me. I have been in pain since I made the Planes, Trains and Automobiles trip to get here but I am managing. Saturday I am getting a massage and trying acupuncture to try and relieve some of the pain. I think it’s voodoo but the Chinese have been doing it for a few thousand years and they swear by it so what the heck. For $20US how can I go wrong? IF I don’t like it I can use the magic word “Nyet.”
Here are some more pics and a vid clip. Hope all these photos of Alex don’t bore everyone. They all start to look the same to me after a while.
Last night we went to a restaurant outside of town and had excellent Kabob and took in a “show.” It was really just a few dancers and a singer with her accompaniment but it was very “fkusna” (delicious) and entertaining.
Poor “Uncle Mike” has had “Kazakhs Revenge” for a few days but today he seemed much better. The color is returning to his face and he has 3x the energy. I think tomorrow I am going to take him to the “War Memorial Park” and take some pictures.
I have begun to learn the Cryrillic alphabet so I can sound out words. I have no idea what they mean in most cases but I do understand a few.
Alexei continues to do well. We have bought him several outfits and I can see a change in him already. He’s generally a pretty quiet and content kid. Each day we show up at the Dolphin House at about 09:30, play for a while, feed him, and then go for a walk around the grounds for a ½ an hour. When we get him back upstairs we put him down for a nap and we go. Pretty simple.
I have stopped testing for this and that and have only one concern which is hearing. He does respond but not as much as I would like to see, to sounds. This could also be that he is distracted when I’m trying to do the test and is just not interested in the sounds I am making and would rather look about than pay attention to me. I guess I had better get used to this…not doing what I want him to do when I ask him to do it! This will probably last a life time if he is anything like his father…LOL
So, the brown water persists. Yesterday it was as brown as I have ever seen it. Obviously we drink bottled water. It seems to only to be the hot water that is brown like the Schuylkill. I have video on another camera of this. This problem is apparently throughout Kostani. How they reconcile with this condition amazes me.
We made another trip to Gros (the grocery store) today. I swear I feel more eyes on me there than anywhere since I’ve been here. It can’t figure out what is so “secure” about a grocery store but they watch me like hawks…like I’ve come 12,000 miles to steal a candy bar. Duh?
We made a few calls home to grandparents and relatives (that includes you Sue and Uncle Bucky). You have to go to the phone company building where you sort of rent a line and pay by the minute. It’s a lot cheaper than the cell rate so it’s worth the inconvenience.
SO the observation of the day is…as we are driving back from the Dolphin House today we pull up next to this dark green van. I am now trying to sound out Russian words on everything… so I look at the back of the van next to us and was able to sound out U.S. Navy! There it was in plain English…US NAVY. Where the heck that truck came from I have no idea since we are like 1000 miles from any port but indeed there it was. I assume it was excess and sold used to some civilians or something. Usually they take the writing off before they do that. But go figure there it was.
My back is killing me. I have been in pain since I made the Planes, Trains and Automobiles trip to get here but I am managing. Saturday I am getting a massage and trying acupuncture to try and relieve some of the pain. I think it’s voodoo but the Chinese have been doing it for a few thousand years and they swear by it so what the heck. For $20US how can I go wrong? IF I don’t like it I can use the magic word “Nyet.”
Here are some more pics and a vid clip. Hope all these photos of Alex don’t bore everyone. They all start to look the same to me after a while.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
It's all over, I seen a Hummer.
Yep, Yesterday I saw a HUMVEE "hummin" its way down the streets of Kostani. What's next, Dunkin Doughnuts, Starbucks, and Philly Cheese Steaks? America has arrived here in small doses but, Pandora"s box has been opened. Styles are western. The girls love to wear high heels and fancy dresses, etc and the men/boys are wearing logo everything, and then there's the Hummer. Who would have thought.
In contrast, today we visited the WWII Memorial Park. It was really nice and very tastefully done with a 30 foot statue of Lenin and a wall with the names of the soldiers from Kostani that fought in "the Big War." It was beautiful in the old Soviet style. Big, bold, and dedictaed to the "glorious heros" of the Soviet Union. They deserve every inch of its grandeur. Some fought in Stanlingrad, some in other battles throughout the Motherland. All paid the ultimate price in defense of their nation against Nazi facism. It is probably prudent to mention that the losses on the Eastern Front dwarfed the losses on the Western Front.
Enough about the past. I'll post pictures of the park in a few days. It's worth seeing even in pictures.
Now the present and the future, because that's why we're here after all...Alexei. "Dad" fed the little chap for the second time today and did much better than the first. I actually got the food in him... not on him. I didn't even spill the juice.
Here are a couple of pics and ...yes, a video clip. He was not as animated as he usually is for some reason. Maybe he had a bad night...defending his binky from "Nora the binky stealer", or maybe he's teething, or maybe he was just fascinated with the camera that was in his face, in any case he didn't make as much noise and fuss as on the other video I have whixh you'll all see when we get home. I can't load that up to the "net" because it is on different camera and ...well that's a story for another day.
Here's a few happy snaps of Zach.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Let me measure you for a nice hat!
Just so everyone is aware the boy is perfectly healthy and has passed every test and check we have given him. In case your interested his head is 43 1/2 cm which is right in the middle of kids his age.
The Miracle Worker
This is the woman that has done the heavly lifting in whole process. She has been at it for about 6 years and is not only an expert in how to get things done within the "system" here but is also a former English professor at the local University. She has a handsome boy Liev and a nice boyfriend who we met today quite by accident while taking a stroll by the park. Oh Yes her name is Olyeesa...this is Olyeesa that I have mentioned so many times. She and Bonie love to shop for baby clothes while I nap.
Our interperter
Here's a picture of our interperter Nelly. She also works at the front desk of the hotel and is very helpful. Her english is very good even if she is shy. She doesn't help with the adoption stuff but rather makes sure we don't totally piss someone off by violating an unknown custom or get completely lost, or order something off a menu that will completely disagree with us.
I wanted to show this picture to illustrate that although they have perhaps the worst construction standards I have ever seen they have caught to handicapped access. Appearantly it has been this way for a long time and they did not have to go around cutting curbs to comply with law. They actually built it that way.
121520OCT2007
Day started as always with our trip to the orphanage to see Alexei. Nothing really striking to report. We took the baby carriage that we bought for the orphanage to Dr Irina. It was the best one the store had and in my biased opinion it is still a piece of Chinese crap but it was better than some of the others and may last at least a season.
Last night we went to Bavaria, one of the only restaurants here that has an English menu and I overheard some English being spoken by a couple that had that “Amerikanski” look. Sure enough it was a pediatrician Sam and his wife Julie from Boston. They are here for the same reason almost all Americans come here. Their little girl is in the same room as our son and he said he had seen him.
From a pediatricians eye view he said that he looks perfectly healthy. He even offered to give him a look when he goes today (they visit in the afternoon). That was a relief because the pics we sent never made it through to Dr. Lieberman at CHOP. He also gave me a few things to check for today. Alexei passed with flying colors. He can reach past the center line with both hands, he responds to sounds in each ear, he grasps things and pulls them up to his mouth, etc. He also looked at his features and said there is no sign of fetal alcohol syndrome. I also checked for some other motor skill stuff today. He is crawling around the crib, gets up on all fours and can hold it for a minute, rolls over, picks up the “suska” (binky) and can put it in his mouth, he can sit and uses his hands as a tripod to assist himself.
He happens to be Jewish (go figure). So I got the good seal of approval from a Jewish Dr. in Kazakhstan. Can’t get much better endorsement than that. He told us that he and his wife (who is a nurse aesthetician) visited a few hospitals yesterday and in fact walked in during an operation on their tour. He said it was an amazing sight and an experience that could never happen in the U.S. They were actually cutting someone as they went into the operating room. He said they are very good but don’t have nearly the technology they need.
We took some Danish to the Dolphin House (the orphanage) today. Luckily it coincided with the end of Ramadan and the caregivers are Moslem so it was a good move. They were delighted.
Afterward we went with Olyeesa to a restaurant outside of town called “Piggy something or other.” I wasn’t sure when I went in because it looked really seedy and not very clean but the food turned out to be excellent. I got to see the landscape on the drive out there and it is flat like a pancake. I haven’t seen flatness like that since junior high school! Not a mountain in sight in any direction.
On the way Andre our driver invited me to go fishing with his father in-law and son. It means 3 days with no-one that speaks English and they are fishing for carp so I’m not sure I’m gonna go but it was a very nice gesture. He also gave me some stickers for the car back home. Those white ones with the 2 letters indicating what country your from that everyone has back home. These say “KZ.”
After that we went shopping for baby stuff and I was like a Dad at the mall. Olyeesa and Bonnie were looking at everything as I sat in the “husband chair” an drifted off until they had spent my money and asked me to carry the bag of stuff back to the hotel. A lot of what was bought is for the Dolphin House so it was for a good cause. I just had to laugh because even 15,000 miles away from home some things are constants in the universe.
Tomorrow Olyeesa’s son Liev and her boyfriend are going to join us in the afternoon for bowling, the national sport of New Jersey.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Seal of Approval
091800OCT2007
Another great day here. We visited the orphanage this morning and fed Alexei after his nap and then went for a walk in the brisk air sweeping off the Asian steppes.
Bonnie is doing more each day with Alexei and now feeds him rather than Saule his caregiver. The trick seems to be once you start feeding, keep shoveling the chow until the plate is empty!! He then drinks a cup of juice (usually apricot) out of his shot glass. I find it amazing that at 6 months they are off bottles and are eating from a spoon. No sippy cups here! They are also potty trained by at around 9 months. This is something we will try at home. Fostering a generation of kids who are dependant on sippy cups and Pampers is obviously not necessary.
The medical interview went well yesterday and Alexei appears healthy. He has some minor issues that all children have (herniated belly button, mild anemia, etc), all things that any child in the U.S. could have. I also think that some things need to be listed so that the child is eligible for adoption by a foreign couple.
I forwarded the data/report from the Pediatrician Dr. ??????, a very stern looking Asian (Kazakh) woman of about 50yrs, to Dr. Friedman at CHOP last night and sent the necessary photos today after a frustrating day trying to find an Internet café that had reasonable service. Although Dr. ?????? only smiled once during the medical interview, she was obviously very knowledgeable and had all the information CHOP had asked us to secure including the APGAR score.
Logging on to Verizon remotely was possible but it wouldn’t allow me to upload pix. My work account at Sperry Van Ness was inaccessible also. Thank goodness for the U.S. Army’s AKO! Yes that’s right, it was only through my AKO account that I was able to complete the upload and send the pictures the doctor needed for the evaluation.
We’re staying in tonight. A technician is coming to the hotel to see if he can get us on line in our room. It’s 56k dial up but hopefully it will work and will relieve me of having to go the “café” route each day.
I have not been able to get through to the blog yet. I think I was cracking the code when I had to leave the I-café today. Hopefully I’ll have that de-bugged in the next day or so because I have all these journal entries piling up as well as photos and vid clips.
More excellent food here today. We visited a coffee house and had pizza. It’s a little different but good. Reminds me of the pizza I used to get in Sarajevo. The soups here are amazing. Generally the food is way better than that you’d find in the U.S. They don’t have fast food so everything is like real food! No processed shit!
My Russian continues to improve. Today I stopped 2 policemen and asked for directions in Russian and they actually understood me. Of course when they responded I got only about half of it but it was enough to get the job done.
On our way to lunch today we met a young woman (Isabelle) from Yorkshire UK who is studying abroad here. She introduced herself the other day while we were walking and is part of a language (Russian-English) exchange program. She’s a very nice young lady with whom we invited for lunch one day.
We have met several other couples from various parts of the U.S. who are all from different agencies and all I can say is that we are blessed we chose Adoptions From The Heart. Hands down they are head and shoulders above the rest in organization and understanding of the process so far. Obviously the courts can be sensitive here and our coordinator Olyeesa is the best. She has anticipated and met every requirement necessary so far. Hopefully through her knowledge and good work we will stay on track and complete our court obligations and be on our way without unnecessary delay. I can’t say as much for some of the other couples.
Yesterday we went to a mall (not like ours in scope or scale) and I saw a traditional Kazakh hat, which I am going to buy. The mall was a building that resembled a department store where each department was it’s own store. A lot of it was empty and a lot of the goods were knock offs from China. In the jewelry store I noticed a Star of David necklace. Apparently there are some Jews here somewhere and they are open and secure enough to be able to wear a necklace like that.
That’s all for now. Hopefully all this will make it on the blog soon.
Observation of the Day: There are these vehicles that ride around in the late afternoon making loudspeaker announcements. I guess it’s a hold over from the old USSR days. Of course I have no idea what they say but my imagination runs wild and I hear things like “Attention Comrades, the beloved heroes of the Motherland have trapped the fascist Hun in Stalingrad. Victory is at hand!)
Of course it probably is talking about some plumbing issue or something! *LOL*
Another great day here. We visited the orphanage this morning and fed Alexei after his nap and then went for a walk in the brisk air sweeping off the Asian steppes.
Bonnie is doing more each day with Alexei and now feeds him rather than Saule his caregiver. The trick seems to be once you start feeding, keep shoveling the chow until the plate is empty!! He then drinks a cup of juice (usually apricot) out of his shot glass. I find it amazing that at 6 months they are off bottles and are eating from a spoon. No sippy cups here! They are also potty trained by at around 9 months. This is something we will try at home. Fostering a generation of kids who are dependant on sippy cups and Pampers is obviously not necessary.
The medical interview went well yesterday and Alexei appears healthy. He has some minor issues that all children have (herniated belly button, mild anemia, etc), all things that any child in the U.S. could have. I also think that some things need to be listed so that the child is eligible for adoption by a foreign couple.
I forwarded the data/report from the Pediatrician Dr. ??????, a very stern looking Asian (Kazakh) woman of about 50yrs, to Dr. Friedman at CHOP last night and sent the necessary photos today after a frustrating day trying to find an Internet café that had reasonable service. Although Dr. ?????? only smiled once during the medical interview, she was obviously very knowledgeable and had all the information CHOP had asked us to secure including the APGAR score.
Logging on to Verizon remotely was possible but it wouldn’t allow me to upload pix. My work account at Sperry Van Ness was inaccessible also. Thank goodness for the U.S. Army’s AKO! Yes that’s right, it was only through my AKO account that I was able to complete the upload and send the pictures the doctor needed for the evaluation.
We’re staying in tonight. A technician is coming to the hotel to see if he can get us on line in our room. It’s 56k dial up but hopefully it will work and will relieve me of having to go the “café” route each day.
I have not been able to get through to the blog yet. I think I was cracking the code when I had to leave the I-café today. Hopefully I’ll have that de-bugged in the next day or so because I have all these journal entries piling up as well as photos and vid clips.
More excellent food here today. We visited a coffee house and had pizza. It’s a little different but good. Reminds me of the pizza I used to get in Sarajevo. The soups here are amazing. Generally the food is way better than that you’d find in the U.S. They don’t have fast food so everything is like real food! No processed shit!
My Russian continues to improve. Today I stopped 2 policemen and asked for directions in Russian and they actually understood me. Of course when they responded I got only about half of it but it was enough to get the job done.
On our way to lunch today we met a young woman (Isabelle) from Yorkshire UK who is studying abroad here. She introduced herself the other day while we were walking and is part of a language (Russian-English) exchange program. She’s a very nice young lady with whom we invited for lunch one day.
We have met several other couples from various parts of the U.S. who are all from different agencies and all I can say is that we are blessed we chose Adoptions From The Heart. Hands down they are head and shoulders above the rest in organization and understanding of the process so far. Obviously the courts can be sensitive here and our coordinator Olyeesa is the best. She has anticipated and met every requirement necessary so far. Hopefully through her knowledge and good work we will stay on track and complete our court obligations and be on our way without unnecessary delay. I can’t say as much for some of the other couples.
Yesterday we went to a mall (not like ours in scope or scale) and I saw a traditional Kazakh hat, which I am going to buy. The mall was a building that resembled a department store where each department was it’s own store. A lot of it was empty and a lot of the goods were knock offs from China. In the jewelry store I noticed a Star of David necklace. Apparently there are some Jews here somewhere and they are open and secure enough to be able to wear a necklace like that.
That’s all for now. Hopefully all this will make it on the blog soon.
Observation of the Day: There are these vehicles that ride around in the late afternoon making loudspeaker announcements. I guess it’s a hold over from the old USSR days. Of course I have no idea what they say but my imagination runs wild and I hear things like “Attention Comrades, the beloved heroes of the Motherland have trapped the fascist Hun in Stalingrad. Victory is at hand!)
Of course it probably is talking about some plumbing issue or something! *LOL*
"The Tour"
081130OCT2007
Just returned from orphanage where we had a tour by Dr. Irina the Director of the orphanage. The tour took about an hour. We visited each department of the orphanage, which is divided by phase, age or function. The level of organization is very good. From quarantine where children are held for 22 days upon intake to the indoor pool where the older children are able to swim to develop strength and motor skills they have given great thought and care to the entire process.
One thing that impressed me was the use of natural or homeopathic remedies for treatment of nearly everything. This is in contrast to American medicine, which tends to lean heavily on pharmaceuticals to cure everything. There was a room that has salt air for the treatment of upper respiratory infections, a masseuse that does massage therapy, some kind of machine that uses ultraviolet light to treat respiratory infection, and a room that has humidified air called “the Mountain Air Room” for the same purpose.
There are some children around with blue stuff spotting their skin and mouths. When I asked about it they said it was some kind of natural remedy to help with infections. I think here they are at the edge of science but they are very innovative and I guess the don’t have the same availability of medicines that we do so they will try all kinds of things we would swear was voodoo. I guess there’s no money for Pfizer if we figured out we can treat something with an extract from a certain kind of berry or something.
The diet is heavy on natural, organic fruits and vegetables. Alexei is fed by spoon and not by bottle at 6 months! He even drinks his juice out of a shot glass and not a bottle or sippy cup. The boys eats like a horse…not horse…like a horse. He really swallowed up a pile of food today as Bonnie was shoveling away.
He is very alert, looking about at everything. He recognizes faces and smiles like a clown. Big ear to ear grins. He has a good grip and is vocal.
On our tour we saw children divided into age groups with the oldest being 3yrs. They are adorable…bundled up and toddling about outside the orphanage, following one another like a gaggle of young geese. They all come up to you and today I was called Papa by about 20 kids. One almost senses that they know why we are here and are trying to say “pick me, pick me.”
In one room we visited intake where a young extremely attractive mother was coming to grips with having to give up her child for one reason or another. There is a group of children that are of mixed age that are not available for adoption where mothers without means can leave their children and if they get the affairs sorted out later can come and pick them up again. This was something that really surprised me but that I felt was a good idea. Sometimes mothers, especially young single ones, are kicked to the curb or are not yet ready to rear a child but they are close enough that in some time they will be. This program affords them the chance to recover from their circumstances and reclaim their child.
Obviously this woman was very distraught and I was quite surprised that they allowed us to be present at such an intimate moment. After some consideration though I realized that maybe it was good that the mother realize the reality of where she was and what she was about to do. This not only makes her think carefully about her decision but also discourages mothers with the means but not the commitment from giving over their child.
Construction methods are primitive compared to the U.S. I wonder about the lead content in paints, etc. But they are improving and expanding to the best of their ability and means. A lot of what I saw would never meet code in the U.S. We really do have superior building standards. Even the hotel we are staying in, which is only a year old has a punch list a mile long.
Either the building inspectors are paid off or they don’t have building inspectors to enforce the code, or there is no code to enforce. In any case they would never get the certificate of occupancy required in the U.S.
1700hrs
This afternoon we met Olyessa for lunch and went to a local café. The food was out of this world. I had a vegetable soup with pork something or other and a salmon steak that rivaled any I have ever had at home. Apparently salmon, or “SYOM-ga” in Russian is plentiful in Russia and a common fish dish.
Afterward we did some more walking about town and stopped at a bank to convert some money and then went shopping at “Gros” the local market for some more food to keep at our room. This is the same store where I was reprimanded our first day for taking a picture in the store by a very firm Asian girl of about 22 yrs. I mean really…it’s a freakin’ grocery store for God’s sake. What could I possibly be doing that is of any harm by taking a picture of vegetables or cookies?
I think we’re gonna hang out in our room tonight and try to get ourselves acclimated. We are both still suffering from a touch of jet lag. Last night I woke at about 4AM and quietly rolled over to find Bonnie staring at me as she said “I’m wide awake” to which I responded “me too!” It takes a few days and we have been going non-stop since we arrived.
Tomorrow is our medical interview where we meet with the pediatrician to discuss all things medical. Can’t wait.
Just returned from orphanage where we had a tour by Dr. Irina the Director of the orphanage. The tour took about an hour. We visited each department of the orphanage, which is divided by phase, age or function. The level of organization is very good. From quarantine where children are held for 22 days upon intake to the indoor pool where the older children are able to swim to develop strength and motor skills they have given great thought and care to the entire process.
One thing that impressed me was the use of natural or homeopathic remedies for treatment of nearly everything. This is in contrast to American medicine, which tends to lean heavily on pharmaceuticals to cure everything. There was a room that has salt air for the treatment of upper respiratory infections, a masseuse that does massage therapy, some kind of machine that uses ultraviolet light to treat respiratory infection, and a room that has humidified air called “the Mountain Air Room” for the same purpose.
There are some children around with blue stuff spotting their skin and mouths. When I asked about it they said it was some kind of natural remedy to help with infections. I think here they are at the edge of science but they are very innovative and I guess the don’t have the same availability of medicines that we do so they will try all kinds of things we would swear was voodoo. I guess there’s no money for Pfizer if we figured out we can treat something with an extract from a certain kind of berry or something.
The diet is heavy on natural, organic fruits and vegetables. Alexei is fed by spoon and not by bottle at 6 months! He even drinks his juice out of a shot glass and not a bottle or sippy cup. The boys eats like a horse…not horse…like a horse. He really swallowed up a pile of food today as Bonnie was shoveling away.
He is very alert, looking about at everything. He recognizes faces and smiles like a clown. Big ear to ear grins. He has a good grip and is vocal.
On our tour we saw children divided into age groups with the oldest being 3yrs. They are adorable…bundled up and toddling about outside the orphanage, following one another like a gaggle of young geese. They all come up to you and today I was called Papa by about 20 kids. One almost senses that they know why we are here and are trying to say “pick me, pick me.”
In one room we visited intake where a young extremely attractive mother was coming to grips with having to give up her child for one reason or another. There is a group of children that are of mixed age that are not available for adoption where mothers without means can leave their children and if they get the affairs sorted out later can come and pick them up again. This was something that really surprised me but that I felt was a good idea. Sometimes mothers, especially young single ones, are kicked to the curb or are not yet ready to rear a child but they are close enough that in some time they will be. This program affords them the chance to recover from their circumstances and reclaim their child.
Obviously this woman was very distraught and I was quite surprised that they allowed us to be present at such an intimate moment. After some consideration though I realized that maybe it was good that the mother realize the reality of where she was and what she was about to do. This not only makes her think carefully about her decision but also discourages mothers with the means but not the commitment from giving over their child.
Construction methods are primitive compared to the U.S. I wonder about the lead content in paints, etc. But they are improving and expanding to the best of their ability and means. A lot of what I saw would never meet code in the U.S. We really do have superior building standards. Even the hotel we are staying in, which is only a year old has a punch list a mile long.
Either the building inspectors are paid off or they don’t have building inspectors to enforce the code, or there is no code to enforce. In any case they would never get the certificate of occupancy required in the U.S.
1700hrs
This afternoon we met Olyessa for lunch and went to a local café. The food was out of this world. I had a vegetable soup with pork something or other and a salmon steak that rivaled any I have ever had at home. Apparently salmon, or “SYOM-ga” in Russian is plentiful in Russia and a common fish dish.
Afterward we did some more walking about town and stopped at a bank to convert some money and then went shopping at “Gros” the local market for some more food to keep at our room. This is the same store where I was reprimanded our first day for taking a picture in the store by a very firm Asian girl of about 22 yrs. I mean really…it’s a freakin’ grocery store for God’s sake. What could I possibly be doing that is of any harm by taking a picture of vegetables or cookies?
I think we’re gonna hang out in our room tonight and try to get ourselves acclimated. We are both still suffering from a touch of jet lag. Last night I woke at about 4AM and quietly rolled over to find Bonnie staring at me as she said “I’m wide awake” to which I responded “me too!” It takes a few days and we have been going non-stop since we arrived.
Tomorrow is our medical interview where we meet with the pediatrician to discuss all things medical. Can’t wait.
Getting Started
071300OCT2007
This morning we went back to the orphanage. Andre (our driver) picked us up promptly at 09:15 and once again navigated our way to the orphanage through Kostani. The orphanage is in a neighborhood that seems underdeveloped with some streets that are not paved. At one point he drove us on the sidewalk (dirt path beside the road) to get to the building.
Andre it turns out was in the Army. He was in Kabul during the Russian occupation there. Since he doesn’t speak English I haven’t gotten more than that but I will ask him more about it later when our interpreter (Oleyssa) is with us. I am eager to get his impressions about what it was like when he was there since we (the U.S.) are now knee deep in occupation.
Neither Olyeesa nor Nelly accompanied us today so we were on our own during the visit. Armed with my Russian At-A-Glance phrase book we made it through. The caretakers are two Kazakh women. Kazakhs are Asian in appearance as opposed to Russians who are Caucasian in appearance. Oleg (Alexei) is a ½ Kazakh and ½ Russian.
He was again in great spirits today. As we walked into his room about 10 babies all around the same age lying in their cribs overwhelmed us. I have never been around that many babies!! They were all adorable. There was one little girl (Nora) that immediately caught my eye. She has also been adopted by an American family and is a gorgeous little girl.
The children are fed each day at 09:30 so our visits correspond with the morning feeding time. Bon did the honors and gave him his first meal, which was prepared by the care
givers. The children eat a mixture of porridge and a fruit puree. I tasted it and it was pretty good. Today was apricot.
Watching Bon feed Losh (short for Alexei) was a hoot. The caregiver dressed her in the appropriate bib and babushka looking scarf and off she went. At first Losh began to cry and Bon couldn’t figure out what was the matter. After a moment she came over and started shoveling food into his mouth and he immediately piped down. Lesson learned…when you feed the baby don’t give him a spoonful and wait a moment and then give him another, just start shoveling it in his mouth. It may have something to do with getting gassy or something. They don’t feed with bottles and formula here. He is eating solid food already albeit pureed.
After feeding we took him for a stroll around the grounds during which we met Michael and Sherry a brother and sister from Pheonix, AZ. They have been here for about 2 weeks. Michael is accompanying his sister who is a single parent.
They’re very nice and told us that there are several other couples in Kostani that are adopting so we are going to try and link up with them each day and do some fun stuff like bowling and dining, etc. I am used to being in foreign places and having to deal with the language barrier but having other Americans around was a relief even for me. There is only so much At-A-Glance language wrestling I can stand.
This afternoon we are chilling in our room and will probably meet up with Mike and Sherry for dinner.
This morning we went back to the orphanage. Andre (our driver) picked us up promptly at 09:15 and once again navigated our way to the orphanage through Kostani. The orphanage is in a neighborhood that seems underdeveloped with some streets that are not paved. At one point he drove us on the sidewalk (dirt path beside the road) to get to the building.
Andre it turns out was in the Army. He was in Kabul during the Russian occupation there. Since he doesn’t speak English I haven’t gotten more than that but I will ask him more about it later when our interpreter (Oleyssa) is with us. I am eager to get his impressions about what it was like when he was there since we (the U.S.) are now knee deep in occupation.
Neither Olyeesa nor Nelly accompanied us today so we were on our own during the visit. Armed with my Russian At-A-Glance phrase book we made it through. The caretakers are two Kazakh women. Kazakhs are Asian in appearance as opposed to Russians who are Caucasian in appearance. Oleg (Alexei) is a ½ Kazakh and ½ Russian.
He was again in great spirits today. As we walked into his room about 10 babies all around the same age lying in their cribs overwhelmed us. I have never been around that many babies!! They were all adorable. There was one little girl (Nora) that immediately caught my eye. She has also been adopted by an American family and is a gorgeous little girl.
The children are fed each day at 09:30 so our visits correspond with the morning feeding time. Bon did the honors and gave him his first meal, which was prepared by the care
givers. The children eat a mixture of porridge and a fruit puree. I tasted it and it was pretty good. Today was apricot.
Watching Bon feed Losh (short for Alexei) was a hoot. The caregiver dressed her in the appropriate bib and babushka looking scarf and off she went. At first Losh began to cry and Bon couldn’t figure out what was the matter. After a moment she came over and started shoveling food into his mouth and he immediately piped down. Lesson learned…when you feed the baby don’t give him a spoonful and wait a moment and then give him another, just start shoveling it in his mouth. It may have something to do with getting gassy or something. They don’t feed with bottles and formula here. He is eating solid food already albeit pureed.
After feeding we took him for a stroll around the grounds during which we met Michael and Sherry a brother and sister from Pheonix, AZ. They have been here for about 2 weeks. Michael is accompanying his sister who is a single parent.
They’re very nice and told us that there are several other couples in Kostani that are adopting so we are going to try and link up with them each day and do some fun stuff like bowling and dining, etc. I am used to being in foreign places and having to deal with the language barrier but having other Americans around was a relief even for me. There is only so much At-A-Glance language wrestling I can stand.
This afternoon we are chilling in our room and will probably meet up with Mike and Sherry for dinner.
catching up
Kazakhstan is as I imagined. It reminds me of Sarajevo minus the bombs and suffering. The architecture is bleak and grey. Some of the streets are unpaved but they seem to be on the move. There is construction around the city and lots of traffic. Commerce is abuzz here.
We arrived this early this morning after our last leg on an aging Boing 757-300. The trip took about 5 hours and took us well into the steepes of the mother heartland of upper Asia. We were obliterated after a 7 hour trip across “the pond” and a 15 hour lay-over in Frankfurt, Germany. I was able to catch some sleep on the last leg but the anticipation of our destination and the acrid fragrance of a full cabin kept me just out of REM. There was a movie but the improbability of Nicholas Cage speaking fluent Russian quickly disbursed my interest.
Lots of kids on board among families that had that “Eastern European look.” Stoic countenances covered warm hearts and genuine interest in the two “Amerikanskis” traveling to Kazakhstan. We were advised that not everyone here may warm up to the idea of our adoption so we kept our true purpose close to the vest. We did get a confused look or two when we told them that we were coming to Kostani on vacation. The kind a dog gives you when you try to explain Quantum Physics. You know, the head tilted to one side as they give you that look like, “you know I can’t speak human but you’re the most interesting thing in the room right now, and you’re holding a biscuit.”
Terminal 2 in Frankfurt was beautiful. Brand new with cathedral ceilings that had a modern industrial/aircraft hangar accent. Only the Germans can pull that off as a “style.” We passed on the $10 bacon cheese burger from the nicest McDonalds I’ve ever seen and opted for some kind of white sausage from a place that offered local cuisine. Very good!
Upon landing in Kostani we could see the trappings (or left-overs) of the USSR. A fleet of Bi-planes with UN markings crowded the tarmac. We were greeted by a customs agent who had classic Kazakh Asian features. She looked very official in her pressed uniform and was warm and helpful once she realized we don’t speak Russian and had no clue what she was saying as she gave instructions to the passengers waiting to clear customs.
There were a few male Customs agents there to with the big military “service caps.” They could lift off in a stiff wind in those things but I must say they were impeccable, and helpful. Passing through customs in less time than it would take in the U.S. we were greeted by Olessa (our interpreter/coordinator) who informed us that we were going directly to the orphange.
The ride was interesting through urban neighborhoods and on some unpaved streets. The buildings, architecture and general look of the place was reminiscent of what Sarajevo looked like before the war, and perhaps what it looks like today. We passed apartment building after apartment building that looked like they needed a real freshening up. Could be a business opportunity for Prep That House? All the buildings look like they have seen some hard winters…and they have. Winters here are harsh however the temp and conditions today were mild and very pleasant. It was about 50F with clear skies.
Arriving at the orphanage looking like we had been shot out of a wrinkle gun and not showered in two days we proceeded to the Directors/Doctor’s office and had a short meeting and explanation of two children they had selected for us to review. After a few moments they brought him in to meet us. WOW!
He greeted us with a huge smile. He is about 7 months old and sharp as a tack. Alert and happy he showed no outward signs of standoffishness or lethargy. We both held him for a while and honestly I was surprised at how comfortable he seemed. I expected this traumatized little thing that was half scared out if it’s wits but that was not at all the case.
The Doctor was knowledgeable, and with the very capable help and language skills of Oleesa we were able to discuss some details of his short background. He was born 31MAR2007. All of this is subject to the medical review by our pediatrician, Dr Freedman, at CHOP but the child was normal birth weight and height and was presenting no abnormalities.
You think after a 28 hours commute and a trip to the orphanage the minute we arrived that we would just check in at our hotel and collapse but no!... we checked in, unpacked, and prepared for our lunch meeting with Oleesa’a assistant Nellie at 2PM. So we showered, collected our self and went out for a delightful lunch at a local restaurant where I sampled a delicious local dish of beef tongue. I happen to love tongue sandwiches at home so this meal was no disappointment.
We chatted about all kinds of things but most of it was not about the baby. Kazakh language, customs and culture dominated the conversation. I even learned enough to ask for the check without completely embarrassing us.
After that it was off to do some quick shopping for some staples to keep at the room and back to the hotel for a nap. More on all that later because it too proved to be an adventure.
We arrived this early this morning after our last leg on an aging Boing 757-300. The trip took about 5 hours and took us well into the steepes of the mother heartland of upper Asia. We were obliterated after a 7 hour trip across “the pond” and a 15 hour lay-over in Frankfurt, Germany. I was able to catch some sleep on the last leg but the anticipation of our destination and the acrid fragrance of a full cabin kept me just out of REM. There was a movie but the improbability of Nicholas Cage speaking fluent Russian quickly disbursed my interest.
Lots of kids on board among families that had that “Eastern European look.” Stoic countenances covered warm hearts and genuine interest in the two “Amerikanskis” traveling to Kazakhstan. We were advised that not everyone here may warm up to the idea of our adoption so we kept our true purpose close to the vest. We did get a confused look or two when we told them that we were coming to Kostani on vacation. The kind a dog gives you when you try to explain Quantum Physics. You know, the head tilted to one side as they give you that look like, “you know I can’t speak human but you’re the most interesting thing in the room right now, and you’re holding a biscuit.”
Terminal 2 in Frankfurt was beautiful. Brand new with cathedral ceilings that had a modern industrial/aircraft hangar accent. Only the Germans can pull that off as a “style.” We passed on the $10 bacon cheese burger from the nicest McDonalds I’ve ever seen and opted for some kind of white sausage from a place that offered local cuisine. Very good!
Upon landing in Kostani we could see the trappings (or left-overs) of the USSR. A fleet of Bi-planes with UN markings crowded the tarmac. We were greeted by a customs agent who had classic Kazakh Asian features. She looked very official in her pressed uniform and was warm and helpful once she realized we don’t speak Russian and had no clue what she was saying as she gave instructions to the passengers waiting to clear customs.
There were a few male Customs agents there to with the big military “service caps.” They could lift off in a stiff wind in those things but I must say they were impeccable, and helpful. Passing through customs in less time than it would take in the U.S. we were greeted by Olessa (our interpreter/coordinator) who informed us that we were going directly to the orphange.
The ride was interesting through urban neighborhoods and on some unpaved streets. The buildings, architecture and general look of the place was reminiscent of what Sarajevo looked like before the war, and perhaps what it looks like today. We passed apartment building after apartment building that looked like they needed a real freshening up. Could be a business opportunity for Prep That House? All the buildings look like they have seen some hard winters…and they have. Winters here are harsh however the temp and conditions today were mild and very pleasant. It was about 50F with clear skies.
Arriving at the orphanage looking like we had been shot out of a wrinkle gun and not showered in two days we proceeded to the Directors/Doctor’s office and had a short meeting and explanation of two children they had selected for us to review. After a few moments they brought him in to meet us. WOW!
He greeted us with a huge smile. He is about 7 months old and sharp as a tack. Alert and happy he showed no outward signs of standoffishness or lethargy. We both held him for a while and honestly I was surprised at how comfortable he seemed. I expected this traumatized little thing that was half scared out if it’s wits but that was not at all the case.
The Doctor was knowledgeable, and with the very capable help and language skills of Oleesa we were able to discuss some details of his short background. He was born 31MAR2007. All of this is subject to the medical review by our pediatrician, Dr Freedman, at CHOP but the child was normal birth weight and height and was presenting no abnormalities.
You think after a 28 hours commute and a trip to the orphanage the minute we arrived that we would just check in at our hotel and collapse but no!... we checked in, unpacked, and prepared for our lunch meeting with Oleesa’a assistant Nellie at 2PM. So we showered, collected our self and went out for a delightful lunch at a local restaurant where I sampled a delicious local dish of beef tongue. I happen to love tongue sandwiches at home so this meal was no disappointment.
We chatted about all kinds of things but most of it was not about the baby. Kazakh language, customs and culture dominated the conversation. I even learned enough to ask for the check without completely embarrassing us.
After that it was off to do some quick shopping for some staples to keep at the room and back to the hotel for a nap. More on all that later because it too proved to be an adventure.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
The kitchen from hell
I mentioned the kitchen in an earlier post and I want to try and see if the picture post thingy works so here goes. This is the kitchen then and now...!
T-18hours and counting
Today was a blur. 19 trips to the store for last minute items, 3 hours of packing..repacking...and packing again, has left us both exhausted. However the excitment has us running about the house at midnight and there still seems no end to the preparation. We'll be relieved when it is over and we are on our way tomorrow.
We have about 200 DVD's packed because we can only spend about 2 hours a day at the orphanage and ther rest of the time you have to find things to do. In that winter has alrady arrived in KAZ we expect to spend alot of time at the hotel or indoors doing something. I however (the inquisitive wanderer) will no doubt tire of that rather soon and will venture into the tundra to see what I can find. I was told there is a spectacular mountian range there by my friend Bob...excuse me, Robert.
It a good thing we got our shots. I have every innoculation under the sun from the military but Bon had to go and at least get a tetnus booster yesterday. She put up quite a fight but that is not something you want to screw around with and if...if she got it, it would be the end of the trip. Her arm is quite sore and swollen tonight. Better than getting lock jaw however.
I picked up some Russian language books today. I always like to try and learn the native tongue where ever I go. It looks alot easier than Arabic thank goodness. It is also pretty similar to Serbo Croatian which I picked up quite a bit of in Bosnia. I will have plenty of time on the trip to bone up. Our first leg will take us from Phila to Franfurt over night (8 hours), we will spend the day in Frankfurt (15 hours) and the second leg will take us direct to Kostani (6 hours), so we should be basket cases by the time we arrive.
Luckily there is a USO station in the airport in Frankfurt. They usually have lounge chairs and even cots in some locations to affors soldiers rest on their travels. I think we can use it because I am still in the Military. Hopefully we'll be able to catch a few Z's there. If we have time we might try and get out of the airport and check out a sight or two.
I will try and make an entry each day here so you can keep up with what's happening on the trip and with the adoption. Our first visit to the orphange is Saturday morning so I may have pix of "Losh" (short for Alexei in Russian) by then.
Lots to do before bed so that's all for today.
We have about 200 DVD's packed because we can only spend about 2 hours a day at the orphanage and ther rest of the time you have to find things to do. In that winter has alrady arrived in KAZ we expect to spend alot of time at the hotel or indoors doing something. I however (the inquisitive wanderer) will no doubt tire of that rather soon and will venture into the tundra to see what I can find. I was told there is a spectacular mountian range there by my friend Bob...excuse me, Robert.
It a good thing we got our shots. I have every innoculation under the sun from the military but Bon had to go and at least get a tetnus booster yesterday. She put up quite a fight but that is not something you want to screw around with and if...if she got it, it would be the end of the trip. Her arm is quite sore and swollen tonight. Better than getting lock jaw however.
I picked up some Russian language books today. I always like to try and learn the native tongue where ever I go. It looks alot easier than Arabic thank goodness. It is also pretty similar to Serbo Croatian which I picked up quite a bit of in Bosnia. I will have plenty of time on the trip to bone up. Our first leg will take us from Phila to Franfurt over night (8 hours), we will spend the day in Frankfurt (15 hours) and the second leg will take us direct to Kostani (6 hours), so we should be basket cases by the time we arrive.
Luckily there is a USO station in the airport in Frankfurt. They usually have lounge chairs and even cots in some locations to affors soldiers rest on their travels. I think we can use it because I am still in the Military. Hopefully we'll be able to catch a few Z's there. If we have time we might try and get out of the airport and check out a sight or two.
I will try and make an entry each day here so you can keep up with what's happening on the trip and with the adoption. Our first visit to the orphange is Saturday morning so I may have pix of "Losh" (short for Alexei in Russian) by then.
Lots to do before bed so that's all for today.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
One week and counting. The phone has been abuzz since we woke up. Lists are being compiled, gifts and toys are being reviewed and readied for travel, the tickets for air travel from Frankfurt to Kostani arrived yesterday...lots of activity. It feels like the day before a Holiday or wedding. Everyone is up beat and engaged.
Bon has been talking to a nice couple that adopted a little girl from KAZ not long ago. They are giving us tips on what to expect and how to get by on our trip. It's the little things that matter sometimes and with this, as is often the case in life, there are a bazillion details. They are the ones that gave us the idea to start this blog actually. Their input so far has been invaluable.
Bon has been talking to a nice couple that adopted a little girl from KAZ not long ago. They are giving us tips on what to expect and how to get by on our trip. It's the little things that matter sometimes and with this, as is often the case in life, there are a bazillion details. They are the ones that gave us the idea to start this blog actually. Their input so far has been invaluable.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
I see the train
Two years, actually more, of effort and anxiety are boiling down to these last days before our first trip to Kazakhstan. Like a long road march it is these last miles that count the most. The hard part has come and gone. Making the commitment, getting through the middle miles when the end seemed too far to see or even believe were really the toughest part. Now we know we can finish, and nothing can stop us.
The house is even done, with the execption of a short punch list, and I must say it is stunning compared to how it looked before the renovations began.
This blog will take you with us through the journey that was ours as we set about begining our family. To be honest it all began with my cousin Howie and his wife Lisa...that's how Bonnie and I met.
The house is even done, with the execption of a short punch list, and I must say it is stunning compared to how it looked before the renovations began.
This blog will take you with us through the journey that was ours as we set about begining our family. To be honest it all began with my cousin Howie and his wife Lisa...that's how Bonnie and I met.
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