A Little of Everything

Hi everyone !  I am feeling much better and realized yesterday I hadn't written an update for a while (other then the post in which I complained about being sick).  Life has been busy.  I continue to love being here in Kazakhstan.  So much has happened in the last couple weeks, that I thought I'd just mention some of the highlights.

• English classes at Saramoldaeva - this week I started teaching the English classes that we have agreed to teach at Saramoldaeva orphanage.  I have four groups of children each Monday and Wednesday.  Many of these kids are kids I worked with when they were 4-5.  It is fun to be able to spend time with them again.  
• A child who hasn't been speaking to me, since my return, initiated conversation with me the other day.  I'm not sure the hurt that was behind this, but I am glad that it has decreased enough for him to talk to me again.  He even joined an English class today.  
• David Knauss (our former president) came to visit.  He was here in Taraz for a very busy 26 hours.  It was fun to spend time with him and help him shop for gifts.
• Marina and I got to spend time with a man who received one of our wheelchairs (and his wife who is also wheelchair bound).  We later realized that her children had been placed in Ulan orphanage when she had the accident.  As a result, I know her children.  They also live in Bauerzhan (where Interlink first started).  I have been invited to spend the weekend with them sometime so they can show me the house they are building. 
• I started running earlier this week and was able to run for 20 minutes straight on the first time.  My lungs used to never let me do this.  I am so thankful for finding out that gluten and dairy have such a negative effect on me. It's nice that my legs give out before my lungs.  
• I have been working to catch up with my classes.  This included buying a printer, turning in three assignments, taking a test, reading several chapters in my textbook, and preparing for another test next week.  I have been taking a day off every week or two to do this, since I have a lot of compensation days built up from the summer.  
• I have been working to update our website.  Hopefully by the end of the year Interlink will have a new website.  
• I found out that the color for signing official documents here in Kazakhstan is blue.  You can not sign using black ink.  
• One of my electrical sockets started sparking.  Thankfully, I was in the kitchen, next to the socket, when it started and was unable to unplug my appliances.  It looks like nothing was hurt.  Aben came and fixed it for me, so everything is working again. 
• I have been enjoying watching football games in the evenings while I eat dinner and exercise.  The only disadvantage is that due to social media, I generally know the scores ahead of time.  
• I am only speaking Kazakh in the office on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  I had to do this because everyone in the office likes to practice English and I don't get much opportunity to actually use Kazakh when I am in the office.  I have to pay 10 tenge to a fund to make the office a cake every time I speak English on those days.  So far I have collected 400 tenge.  

Well, I think that's enough for this update.  Hope you all have a great week!