Thursday, April 28, 2005

Gulistan

I have another month on my visa, and I've made it to site!!

But little is going on here in Gulistan. My Russian held me for a couple days, and now there's nothing left to discuss. Although my family does keep asking me if I'm married. As one of a few, maybe 10, Americans in town, people tend to remember me. Which is nice, but I have a hard time remembering everyone that I've met. And it's nearly impossible to remember all the Uzbek names that get thrown at me.

Saturday, April 16, 2005

Tashkent

No more news - that is, no new visa (at least for me). 37 people have received their visas and have gone to site. 4 people have dropped out. The rest of us sit here in Tashkent and wait...

Tonight several of us went to see a football (soccer) game. Tickets were 600 cym for the cheap seats (benches) and 800 cym for the good seats. We shelled out the 20 cents extra for the premier seats. Attendance was somewhere between 400 and 600, depending on whether or not you count the militsia. The fans chewed away on their pumpkin seeds, with one old Uzbek guy in front of us really whopping it up for Pakhtor (the 3-0 winners).

Afterwards we had some great Turkish food, then went to the most amazing grocery store I've ever seen here (for Uzbekistan). Almost, almost US-like in scale and realm. We also walked along the street that sells every appliance known to civilized man, but unseen in these parts. I was seriously tempted by the washing machines (I've done my laundry once here, and it's not fun - i.e. it's by hand).

For tomorrow, I'm thinking of going to the opera or maybe the ballet (tickets start at 1000 cym). Or maybe just hang out in the PC office some more and watch a movie. I'm scheduled to leave for site on Monday afternoon (visa willing).

Saturday, April 9, 2005

Waiting to leave

New news:

I passed my language exam

I was officially sworn in as a volunteer.

I have a visa... until May 1.

We're suppose to be getting extended visas soon, but they keep saying that and nothing happens. So, we're all just hanging out waiting for the word to leave for site. Except for the staff, they're hard at work - on a staff retreat.