Aidan and Nika are getting along so well (most of the time) and that is the most exciting thing for us--
to see them
starting to bond and know one another.More later.............
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Tired
I hardly have the brainpower to say more than – everything is wonderful and incredibly hectic. Nika is still on Kaz time and we are desperately trying to get her into our time zone but she has not completely made the switch yet. Therefore I too am living in her zone and sleep deprived for it. Otherwise, we are so happy to be home and trying to find a new rhythm to life. 
Aidan and Nika are getting along so well (most of the time) and that is the most exciting thing for us--
to see them
starting to bond and know one another.
More later.............
Aidan and Nika are getting along so well (most of the time) and that is the most exciting thing for us--to see them starting to bond and know one another.More later.............
Friday, November 9, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
On Our Way Home!!
Hello all, it's Tom with a quick post. We made it through our interview at the Embassy today (with a little bit of drama that we'll write about in the epilogue to this journey) and our travel agent in the States told us there were seats available on the flight that leaves early morning Thursday. We'll get confirmation from him when his day starts but as of now we're heading home. I can't believe I just wrote that but don't worry, I have no doubt it will sink in quickly.
If we can't get on the flight we'll post an entry here but as of now we should land at around 1 pm New York time on Thursday afternoon. We're looking forward to seeing everyone and introducing Nika to you all.
As for me and my lack of posting, I know, I know...the truth is that it's been difficult to find a theme to write around, I know that's a cop-out but there are so many different things that struck me about Almaty and I'm hoping that a few days' distance will help distill them into something coherent. It's a beautiful place and the firm has been exceedingly gracious to Allyson, Nika and I. At the same time, the absolute lack of a common language with anyone outside the firm is no different than watching a movie with the sound turned off. Eventually you pick up the theme but it takes a while and you always wonder what you've missed. No complaints, I can't imagine not having taken this trip although I wish that Aidan could have been here to share it with us.
That's enough for now, like I said I'm sure there will be several epilogues over the next days and weeks, innumerable people to thank (starting with our parents and families) and plenty of stories to tell (including all the stories about what we missed when we were gone, like whatever happened to the Yankees). See you in Brooklyn, if you're around stop by this weekend, we'd love to see you.
If we can't get on the flight we'll post an entry here but as of now we should land at around 1 pm New York time on Thursday afternoon. We're looking forward to seeing everyone and introducing Nika to you all.
As for me and my lack of posting, I know, I know...the truth is that it's been difficult to find a theme to write around, I know that's a cop-out but there are so many different things that struck me about Almaty and I'm hoping that a few days' distance will help distill them into something coherent. It's a beautiful place and the firm has been exceedingly gracious to Allyson, Nika and I. At the same time, the absolute lack of a common language with anyone outside the firm is no different than watching a movie with the sound turned off. Eventually you pick up the theme but it takes a while and you always wonder what you've missed. No complaints, I can't imagine not having taken this trip although I wish that Aidan could have been here to share it with us.
That's enough for now, like I said I'm sure there will be several epilogues over the next days and weeks, innumerable people to thank (starting with our parents and families) and plenty of stories to tell (including all the stories about what we missed when we were gone, like whatever happened to the Yankees). See you in Brooklyn, if you're around stop by this weekend, we'd love to see you.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Last (Lost) Weekend in Almaty
Good news--the passport came through and we are going through the final US embassy procedures and will be able to leave in a few days.
We had a fun weekend.
Saturday we went up to Medeo, the mountain resort area and went ice skating on what is advertised as the largest outdoor skating rink in the world. It was truly beautiful. The ice started out really slippery but then after a few spins I got more comfortable and the ice got a bit scratched up by the other skaters and I felt more comfortable.
Tom and I took turns between skating on the ice and playing with Nika. She had fun basking in the sun and watching all the action. No, she did not skate, but we’ll try later this winter once we get her a pair of double-blade skates.
Sunday, we walked all day and in the evening we entertained a couple of Tom’s colleagues from the Grata firm
for dinner at our place. I had fun and if you don’t mind saying it, great success, making a meal using the one pot that came with the flat and typical Almaty supermarket ingredients, to come up with a few dishes that were totally different then they had eaten before.
Monday was spent on Nika’s medical checkup with the international clinic here in Almaty and then a dinner at the home of another Grata partner. If things go well, on Tuesday the final translated paperwork, including Kazkakh passport and exit visa will arrive from Astana on the train. I
t will be submitted to the American Embassy for the consul’s review and confirmation that no other documents are needed and our interview can go forward. Our interview is scheduled for 3pm on Wednesday and as all goes well, we will walk out of there with Veronika Rose Guida’s US visa and will be free to travel home. If possible we may be getting on an earlier flight be home on Thursday instead of Friday but it’s too tantalizing to consider until it’s a reality so let’s just not think about that (or tell Aidan yet).
Either way – we are moments away……..finally. How exciting!!!
Veronika is very vocal when she is with us but when around other people,
even those that speak Russian to her, she remains fairly silent, maybe just shy for now. She is a very funny girl and so 2 years old, if you know what I mean. Tonight’s joke was that she was sitting on my lap, whispering some gibberish in my ear and knowing very well I couldn’t hear and or understand her. That was exactly her point – I think she realizes, volume doesn’t make a difference neither one of us are completely understanding one another so it was a joke she was whispering nonsense in my ear and I was whispering back and we were both laughing.
I thought I would mention a few things about this city of Almaty. It has much more to offer then I might have given it credit for originally, having come from Arkalyk I was not sure how much more advanced a city in the same country that has an Arkalyk could be. Now, after two weeks here I think it is a pretty dynamic place but lots of stark contrasts: old and new, modern and traditional, those with significant wealth and those scraping by. In other words, much like many other great cities around the world, with the same variety of
neighborhoods and people. There is certainly a lot of building going on and according to some of our Kazak friends who have lived here all their lives, they much prefer the old style to what is being built now.
The literature we read about the variety of people here was quite accurate. There are actually three different groups within the Kazakh nation, and many people have some mix of Central Asian ethnic groups in their heritage, including Uzbek, Tatar, Khyrgiz, Turkish, Mongolian and of course there is some mixing between those groups and Russians. We’re both pretty exhausted and overloaded from the trip but managing not to let that overlay taint our appreciation of the place and the people, which are pretty amazing.
Stay tuned, we’re nearly there…
We had a fun weekend.
Saturday we went up to Medeo, the mountain resort area and went ice skating on what is advertised as the largest outdoor skating rink in the world. It was truly beautiful. The ice started out really slippery but then after a few spins I got more comfortable and the ice got a bit scratched up by the other skaters and I felt more comfortable.
Tom and I took turns between skating on the ice and playing with Nika. She had fun basking in the sun and watching all the action. No, she did not skate, but we’ll try later this winter once we get her a pair of double-blade skates.Sunday, we walked all day and in the evening we entertained a couple of Tom’s colleagues from the Grata firm
for dinner at our place. I had fun and if you don’t mind saying it, great success, making a meal using the one pot that came with the flat and typical Almaty supermarket ingredients, to come up with a few dishes that were totally different then they had eaten before.Monday was spent on Nika’s medical checkup with the international clinic here in Almaty and then a dinner at the home of another Grata partner. If things go well, on Tuesday the final translated paperwork, including Kazkakh passport and exit visa will arrive from Astana on the train. I
t will be submitted to the American Embassy for the consul’s review and confirmation that no other documents are needed and our interview can go forward. Our interview is scheduled for 3pm on Wednesday and as all goes well, we will walk out of there with Veronika Rose Guida’s US visa and will be free to travel home. If possible we may be getting on an earlier flight be home on Thursday instead of Friday but it’s too tantalizing to consider until it’s a reality so let’s just not think about that (or tell Aidan yet).Either way – we are moments away……..finally. How exciting!!!
Veronika is very vocal when she is with us but when around other people,
even those that speak Russian to her, she remains fairly silent, maybe just shy for now. She is a very funny girl and so 2 years old, if you know what I mean. Tonight’s joke was that she was sitting on my lap, whispering some gibberish in my ear and knowing very well I couldn’t hear and or understand her. That was exactly her point – I think she realizes, volume doesn’t make a difference neither one of us are completely understanding one another so it was a joke she was whispering nonsense in my ear and I was whispering back and we were both laughing.I thought I would mention a few things about this city of Almaty. It has much more to offer then I might have given it credit for originally, having come from Arkalyk I was not sure how much more advanced a city in the same country that has an Arkalyk could be. Now, after two weeks here I think it is a pretty dynamic place but lots of stark contrasts: old and new, modern and traditional, those with significant wealth and those scraping by. In other words, much like many other great cities around the world, with the same variety of
neighborhoods and people. There is certainly a lot of building going on and according to some of our Kazak friends who have lived here all their lives, they much prefer the old style to what is being built now.The literature we read about the variety of people here was quite accurate. There are actually three different groups within the Kazakh nation, and many people have some mix of Central Asian ethnic groups in their heritage, including Uzbek, Tatar, Khyrgiz, Turkish, Mongolian and of course there is some mixing between those groups and Russians. We’re both pretty exhausted and overloaded from the trip but managing not to let that overlay taint our appreciation of the place and the people, which are pretty amazing.
Stay tuned, we’re nearly there…
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Café Delia
All is well. Prepare yourself to once again follow the bouncing ball with the most current version of our timeline from this point on:
Nika’s passport may be issued today (Thursday) by the Regional authorities in Kostanai but is more likely to be issued before the close of business on Friday. This is the latest it can be issued and the timing still work for us to take our originally scheduled flight one week from Friday, the 9th of November. Once the passpo
rt is issued it goes on Monday to be registered with the local Kostanai Region immigration Police. From there it will be put on the train for an overnight to Astana where our local coordinator will receive it at 8am and have the day to take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their registration stamp. That evening it will be put once again on another overnight train, this time en route to Almaty, where the Almaty coordinator will get it from the conductor. Later that day (Wednesday, if all goes well) the coordinator will take us for our interview with the American Embassy. I forgot to mention that on Monday we will prep additional paperwork for the Embassy and on Tuesday we will have our appointment for Nika’s mandatory medical review with the Embassy-affiliated clinic. Assuming it all goes as I have described we are on our plane on Friday. Let’s not even discuss the obvious extra days before we leave if on this Friday the Passport is not complete.
What can I say, I am tongue tied-once again because this whole process is so difficult in many ways. We have absolutely no control or ability to help this process along and it will not go any faster then it is already going regardless of what we do. Believe me, we have made many attempts to gain more insight into the process and we need to be patient and remind ourselves that we have a beautiful daughter because of this process.
I am sitting in a groovy Internet Café (Café Delia)
sipping my latte and happily having two hours to myself. I dropped Nika with Tom so they could have some quality afternoon bonding. I just needed a moment to relax and write. I realized Nika and I have been together now 24/7/23(days) – and when I say 24 I don’t really exaggerate because she wakes every night with screams of terror so we put her in our bed and in the morning I awake to her playing with my nose or finger in the ear or just some basic rambunctious kicks to say its time to get up. We get to see the sun rise over the mountains as I cook our morning porridge.
Nika follows me everywhere – that would include the bathroom while I shower and do my business, I often feel like I am about to trip over her because she is under my feet beside me. We have some really sweet rituals developing that she really enjoys and likes repeated over and over again – it’s that 2-year-old thing.
I have basically given up the nap, it was incredibly painful for the two of us and for now we will forfeit it with hopes that we can incorporate it into our Brooklyn life. I was waiting yesterday for someone to arrive at 1pm as scheduled and at 2:30 I heard he would be a little late and then he arrived at 3pm instead (this too I am learning is a Kazakh thing-lack of promptness is to be tolerated and that is just how it is. So I thought maybe I would try the nap because we have just a handful of toys at this point that we are getting somewhat bored of and I sat Nika on the couch and tried to cradle her like I would for sleep and she started to sing my Tumbala (sleep) song and with her hand she started making nice to me so I would shut my eyes………the same thing I was about to do to her. It was a priceless moment and she too knew how funny she was. Ha – so neither of us slept, but it was a good try.
She really is cute, and smart and mischievous and stubborn and loving and eager to please.
I had a moment today when we were in the mall, yes I’m doing malls, I tried museums but Nika is just too wild, she wants to run around, scream and touch everything. I have a hard time getting her to hold my hand and just walk. Instead she will put her hands behind her back and start to walk backwards without looking or considering what is behind her. Then she will wave to me and say bye bye or paca paca and away she goes. So the mall thing seems safer then the streets, but I do both. Today we went into a park and played in a really fun, dirty playground and I realized she was in awe of conversations going on with other moms and their children because she was hearing and understanding the language. It makes me sad that I cannot communicate in the same way. I know she will soon understand all that I am saying but for now it is reassuring for her to hear Russian. The other night we went out with one of Tom’s colleges from work and she had a nursery rhyme that Veronika loved. I had her write it down for me so I can start saying it to her.
Here you can all learn it –
Goosi, Goosie – Gah, Gah, Gah!
Est Khotite? – Dah, Dah, Dah
Khl’eba s maslom? – Net, Net, Net!
A chevo? – Kanfet, kanfet!
Do not ask me to translate – I just know she loved it and I will try to repeat it as often as I remember.
We have been social every evening which helps the time go by and always nice to relax and converse with new friends and acquaintances. Last night we had our 2 adoptive family friends at our apartment. We had a nice evening celebrating their own successful court appearances earlier that day. Tonight we are meeting Aidos Sagat, the leader of the Kazakhstan Rock band, URKER. That’s right folks, leave it to Tom to find a connection to the only #1 Kazakh band we know (we saw them at Lincoln Center last year). Aidos was kind enough to give us a Kazakh wall hanging when he and Tom first met that is very beautiful and thoughtful. I will write more when I can get some “me” time again and tell you of our visit.
Cross your fingers, say a prayer, throw salt over your shoulder, put out the positive good energy and vibes for Veronika Rose Guida’s passport to be issued on time by tomorrow, Friday.
Enough said.
Nika’s passport may be issued today (Thursday) by the Regional authorities in Kostanai but is more likely to be issued before the close of business on Friday. This is the latest it can be issued and the timing still work for us to take our originally scheduled flight one week from Friday, the 9th of November. Once the passpo
rt is issued it goes on Monday to be registered with the local Kostanai Region immigration Police. From there it will be put on the train for an overnight to Astana where our local coordinator will receive it at 8am and have the day to take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their registration stamp. That evening it will be put once again on another overnight train, this time en route to Almaty, where the Almaty coordinator will get it from the conductor. Later that day (Wednesday, if all goes well) the coordinator will take us for our interview with the American Embassy. I forgot to mention that on Monday we will prep additional paperwork for the Embassy and on Tuesday we will have our appointment for Nika’s mandatory medical review with the Embassy-affiliated clinic. Assuming it all goes as I have described we are on our plane on Friday. Let’s not even discuss the obvious extra days before we leave if on this Friday the Passport is not complete.What can I say, I am tongue tied-once again because this whole process is so difficult in many ways. We have absolutely no control or ability to help this process along and it will not go any faster then it is already going regardless of what we do. Believe me, we have made many attempts to gain more insight into the process and we need to be patient and remind ourselves that we have a beautiful daughter because of this process.
I am sitting in a groovy Internet Café (Café Delia)
sipping my latte and happily having two hours to myself. I dropped Nika with Tom so they could have some quality afternoon bonding. I just needed a moment to relax and write. I realized Nika and I have been together now 24/7/23(days) – and when I say 24 I don’t really exaggerate because she wakes every night with screams of terror so we put her in our bed and in the morning I awake to her playing with my nose or finger in the ear or just some basic rambunctious kicks to say its time to get up. We get to see the sun rise over the mountains as I cook our morning porridge.Nika follows me everywhere – that would include the bathroom while I shower and do my business, I often feel like I am about to trip over her because she is under my feet beside me. We have some really sweet rituals developing that she really enjoys and likes repeated over and over again – it’s that 2-year-old thing.
I have basically given up the nap, it was incredibly painful for the two of us and for now we will forfeit it with hopes that we can incorporate it into our Brooklyn life. I was waiting yesterday for someone to arrive at 1pm as scheduled and at 2:30 I heard he would be a little late and then he arrived at 3pm instead (this too I am learning is a Kazakh thing-lack of promptness is to be tolerated and that is just how it is. So I thought maybe I would try the nap because we have just a handful of toys at this point that we are getting somewhat bored of and I sat Nika on the couch and tried to cradle her like I would for sleep and she started to sing my Tumbala (sleep) song and with her hand she started making nice to me so I would shut my eyes………the same thing I was about to do to her. It was a priceless moment and she too knew how funny she was. Ha – so neither of us slept, but it was a good try.
She really is cute, and smart and mischievous and stubborn and loving and eager to please.
I had a moment today when we were in the mall, yes I’m doing malls, I tried museums but Nika is just too wild, she wants to run around, scream and touch everything. I have a hard time getting her to hold my hand and just walk. Instead she will put her hands behind her back and start to walk backwards without looking or considering what is behind her. Then she will wave to me and say bye bye or paca paca and away she goes. So the mall thing seems safer then the streets, but I do both. Today we went into a park and played in a really fun, dirty playground and I realized she was in awe of conversations going on with other moms and their children because she was hearing and understanding the language. It makes me sad that I cannot communicate in the same way. I know she will soon understand all that I am saying but for now it is reassuring for her to hear Russian. The other night we went out with one of Tom’s colleges from work and she had a nursery rhyme that Veronika loved. I had her write it down for me so I can start saying it to her.
Here you can all learn it –
Goosi, Goosie – Gah, Gah, Gah!
Est Khotite? – Dah, Dah, Dah
Khl’eba s maslom? – Net, Net, Net!
A chevo? – Kanfet, kanfet!
Do not ask me to translate – I just know she loved it and I will try to repeat it as often as I remember.
We have been social every evening which helps the time go by and always nice to relax and converse with new friends and acquaintances. Last night we had our 2 adoptive family friends at our apartment. We had a nice evening celebrating their own successful court appearances earlier that day. Tonight we are meeting Aidos Sagat, the leader of the Kazakhstan Rock band, URKER. That’s right folks, leave it to Tom to find a connection to the only #1 Kazakh band we know (we saw them at Lincoln Center last year). Aidos was kind enough to give us a Kazakh wall hanging when he and Tom first met that is very beautiful and thoughtful. I will write more when I can get some “me” time again and tell you of our visit.
Cross your fingers, say a prayer, throw salt over your shoulder, put out the positive good energy and vibes for Veronika Rose Guida’s passport to be issued on time by tomorrow, Friday.
Enough said.
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