My Russian Chiropractor

Although I just wrote a post a couple days ago, I couldn't resist telling you the funny experience I had today.  It is a bit of a long story, but should make you laugh.  The short version is that I went to a chiropractor and am hoping it will help my head.  The long version is ... 

After one week of having a headache caused by my back and neck being out of alignment I started asking around to see if there was somewhere here I could get adjusted.  Living in Kazakhstan definitely makes me miss my chiropractor in Indiana.  A couple years ago I tried to find someone that would operate in a similar way to a chiropractor and the only person I could find was one that required me to come 10 days in a row and with waiting usually took about 1-2 hours a day.  As a result, I needed a better option. 

Today, my director told me about a place that one of her friends had been to before.  Basically, I knew that my alignment was off and I needed my back and neck cracked.  This morning we went to check it out.  I met a somewhat older Russian man in charge of the Massage Room.  He understood a little Kazakh, but mostly spoke Russian.  I was told that he doesn't make appointments so you just have to come and wait.  Marina arranged for me to come at 1:30 in the afternoon and pay about $10.  Later I found out that it would take 1 1/2 hours and that the room had "machines" in it.  That made me a little nervous, but I clearly had no idea what I was getting into, or I might have decided the pain was worth it.  

I knocked on the door and entered when told to.  There were 3 other people in the room and a bunch of different apparatuses.  He took my bag with my sheet and towel from me and put it off to the side telling me we didn't need it yet.  Thankfully, I understand enough Russian to follow directions.  He turned me away from him and then started twisting my neck in different directions, informing me that it wasn't moving like it should (which I definitely knew).  Then he told me to sit in a chair that would be too small for a 5th grader.  I sat down and he hooked me up to one of these.  As I sat there he used another woman that was there for exercises to talk with me.  They were extremely interested and asked me all sorts of questions.  Meanwhile everyone around me kept doing their exercises.  After about 5 minutes he told me to put my hands behind my head.  I innocently followed his instructions as he stepped behind me.  The next thing I knew I felt the bones crack all the way up my neck starting about mid-way down my back.  It actually felt really good because I knew that was what I needed ... but it was a pretty impressive sound.  The cracking wasn't done yet.  He hadn't gotten my lower back, so he made me bend over a table while he VERY forcefully caused my lower back to crack (this was not fun and is the part I probably would want to skip if I ever go back - thankfully it was short).  

He then proceeded to take me over to this contraption. I was chilling upside down (and enjoying it) for about 5 minutes.  During this time I was being asked questions about where I live in town, where I learned Kazakh, how much I paid for lessons, and what kind of salary I receive.  All the while, Anatoly (my Russian chiropractor) was giving someone else a massage.  While he did this, she screamed out in pain.  Then, in the midst of the crying out, one of the braces holding my feet opened and I was hanging there by one foot.  He proceeded to put me into a horizontal position, to rest, and then after a couple minutes of rest and an adjustment to my foot braces, hung me back upside down again.  It was hard to keep my hands behind my head instead of holding onto the frame.  It was also hard to relax with the reality that if both of my feet came out of the braces at once, I would land on my head, which would cause it to hurt more than it already did.  Thankfully, after 10 minutes total, this was over and I could move on to my next "exercise."  

This one at least did not include any dangling by my feet or neck.  I laid down on a table and large rollers went up and down my back (below me) from my knees to my head.  Although it was painful, it was a really good hurt as it loosened some of the muscles that had tightened up over the last week.  

The entire time I was following one word instructions from Anatoly ), such as sit, stand, etc followed by hand motions to help me understand if I looked confused.  Now it was time to lay out my sheet on the massage table and disrobe from the waist up.  I was in a room filled with equipment and three people other than Anatoly.  However, there was a nice privacy curtain between the massage table and the rest of the room, with about three feet of space between it and the wall.  It was in this space that my "translator" sat and visited with me while I prepared my self.  I laid down on the massage table while Anatoly worked on my back.  Just when I thought it was hurting enough to say something, he would switch to something else.  It was actually a really good (yet extremely hard) massage that loosened up my back really well.  In the midst of it he grabbed my foot and cracked all my toes, ankle, and knee.  That was a bit of a shock.  After about 10 minutes of all sorts of different massage tactics from my head to my feet he told me I could get up.  

He then proceeded to ask me if I wanted to try out any of the other equipment ... my answer was a quick no.  Walking out, my back actually felt really good.  My neck still hurts some (but it always does for about a day after going to the chiropractor).  We'll see how my body recovers in the next couple days and if I am able to sleep well tonight.  If it works, I might go back to my friend Anatoly again one day ... but I still think it was a good thing I didn't look into his massage room when we went to set up the appointment.  At the very least my chiropractor visit over here was a lot less expensive than it is in the States and I got to try out all sorts of new "old" contraptions.  

Already July - WOW!

Hi everyone!  I can't believe it's July already. Hope you all had a great 4th!  My 4th was quiet, with a nice dinner at a friend's house.  It is hard to believe that I have already been here for more than two months and will be headed back to the States in less than one.  I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by all the transitions in the next couple months, but also really looking forward to them.  

The last delegation of the summer will arrive in about a week.  It is a group of youth from Muncie, IN that I had the joy of helping with over the last couple years.  Of the 13 that will be here, 6 of them are returning.  Instead of just coordinating logistics for them, I will actually be able to participate in the time that they spend at the House of Hope, a small, private orphanage in the city of Vannovka.  We will be spending four nights at a camp near the mountains with a pool, soccer field, volleyball court, etc.  

I really look forward to being able to spend time with the youth from both the USA and Kaz.  This summer my responsibilities have entailed helping to care for the delegations, which has meant that I have not had as much opportunity to actually spend time with kids.  I have loved my responsibilities, but at times have missed just getting to interact with the kids in the orphanages.  It will be fun to have a few days to do that before returning.  

Here are my tentative plans for my return:  I leave Kaz and arrive in the USA on the 27th of July.  I will spend July 27th-August 19th in Indiana.  August 19th - 22nd, I will be in Ohio visiting my folks.  From there I will drive through PA (to see my grandfather and others) and will end up in MD until the end of August.  At the end of August I will head down to Lynchburg, VA ... my home until mid-November when I will likely become a bit transient again for the holidays.  Feel free to start letting me know when you can get together if I will be near you. I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming months as I prepare to return to Kaz full-time.  

Ulan Delegation

Hi everyone!  It's been a really busy week as the Ulan delegation has arrived and prepared for camp.  They have been a joy to be around.  I enjoy the sense of humour that each one has and have been blessed by their servant hearts.  

On June 1st (Children's Day), I had the chance to go to Ulan for the first time since being back.  It was good and hard at the same time.  We came after the concert had started, and due to the hot sun we stood at the back watching.  Many of the children did not notice our entrance.  It was fun to see the heads turn as they realized we were there.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the news spread through the crowd.  One person would turn, then their neighbor would turn, then someone in the row in front of them, until everyone had noticed us.  Since my hair has grown out some since I left, it took people (kids and caregivers alike) a little while to realize who I was.  It has been fun to see the look of friendship and joy when they recognize me and I get to say hello.  These kids (and staff) mean so much to me and it has been fun to see that although I have been gone for two years, I still have a special place in their hearts (as they do mine).  

The hard parts are when staff or children say things like "you have forgotten us" to me related to my having returned to the States.  It is hard to explain why I have been in the States for so long.  It has been touching that many of the kids have asked about my health.  One of the reasons that I needed to remain in the States, at first, was that I needed some time to take care of myself (emotionally, physically, etc).  I have been a little surprised at the concern of some of the kids related to my health.  

Overall, it has been such a blessing to be back.  I still love this country and even more the people here.  I look forward to returning next spring to live.  

  

Differences

I have noticed several things recently that are different from what I grew up with.  Since they have struck me as funny, I thought I'd pass them along to you.  Hope you enjoy!  

Russian Phrase:  "Don't just lie on your back spitting at the ceiling"  I think it basically means, don't be lazy ... but the image of lying on your back spitting at the ceiling isn't necessarily a pleasant one.  Guess that might be the point.  

Planting Flowers:  Our front lawn at the office has recently changed, due to the desire of several of our staff.  Instead of a huge rose garden, we now have grass (which I love), a small rock mountain, and a path leading to a patio.  The staff originally decided it would be good to get some small flowers and line the edge of the grass with them ... the only problem with this idea is that it made it impossible to mow.  They decided they needed to put the flowers in pots in order to make mowing easier.  Since the staff were working on this project with a minimal budget, they got very creative with their flower pots.  Imagine my surprise when I showed up at the office to find pigs, ladybugs, and even a turtle in the yard.  They really enjoyed the chance to be creative.  

Potholes:  It is the time of year where throughout the northern hemisphere people are trying to fill potholes that accumulated through the winter.  Here the process is the same as in many places, cut out the part of road where there is a pothole, line the edges with tar, fill the hole with gr, roll over it with something heavy.  The only big difference here is the lag time between each step of the process.  Often times a road sits with holes in it for a week before the tar is applied.  Then, it is often several days before the gravel is added.  This can add a little more excitement to our driving as we try to avoid holes that can eat our tires and tar that sticks to the car and can only be easily removed with gasoline (a skill I have recently acquired).  

Trip to Almaty

I just returned from taking the delegation to Almaty.  We had a nice time, both while they were here in Taraz and during our time in Almaty.  After the delegation left, my Kazakh sister and I went to the American Embassy so that she could have her interview to apply for a visa to the States this summer.  She has the opportunity to spend 2 1/2 months in Virginia studying English at Virginia Commonwealth University.  They accepted her application ... and she is thrilled to be able to go. I am excited that she has this opportunity to further her education as well as see another part of the world.  We arrived back in Taraz at 5 am Saturday morning and I have had two relaxing days.  We have about one week before our next delegation arrives from the States!  For those who want to know more about the details of a trip to Almaty ... you can read the details below.  There are also some pictures that were takenwhile the delegation was here for you to enjoy!

A Normal Trip to Almaty:

The trip to Almaty began at 10 pm when we left the house for the train station.  We arrived at the train station at 10:30 pm with plenty of time to spare before our train departed at 11:15 pm.  The train is a night train that arrives in Almaty at 9 am.  We had two coupes (4 people each) and then one extra bed in a separate coupe, where I planned to sleep.  You never know who will be your coupe-mates.  The two on the top bunk of my coupe were asleep before I entered.  The one on the bottom bunk was a grandmother named Shara who thought it was fascinating that I spoke Kazakh.  After settling the delegation into their coupes, giving the tickets to the conductor, and dealing with a slight ticket issue, I went to my coupe and promptly fell asleep.  At about 8 am the conductor roused us to let us know that we were getting close to Almaty and it was time to get our sheets together.  At 8:30 am they close the bathroom doors, so it is the last chance for a trip to the bathroom.  Around this time, you are also required to give your sheets, pillowcase, and small towel to the conductor.  

At 9:00 am we arrived at the train station, where we were met by our two drivers.  We had to walk up a four-story flight of stairs, above the trains, and back down to get to the parking area.  Then we piled into two vehicles and went to our hotel.  Upon arrival at the hotel, our luggage (which had gone up by bus the night before) was brought to us by a friend that we hire in Almaty.  When we checked in, only two rooms were ready (despite having reserved four) so we took all of our things up to the rooms and went down to breakfast (which closed at 10 am).  

The day was spent shopping and riding a cable car to a hill looking over the city.  While on the top of the hill, having dinner on a patio overlooking the city, a storm rolled in.  We made it inside just in time and enjoyed watching the storm while we ate dinner and enjoyed dessert.  By the time we finished the rain had decreased enough for us to ride the cable car back down into Almaty and take a taxi to our hotel.  

That evening we finished our debrief with the delegation and then everyone headed to bed for an early morning trip to the airport.  I met the delegation in the airport at 4:45 am to check out and take them to the airport.  Once they were checked into their flight, I headed back to the hotel to get another hour of sleep before heading to the American Embassy for my Kazakh sister's visa appointment.  We arrived just before another storm.  Thankfully, when the rain started blowing I was able to go inside and read a book while waiting for her.  Her visa was approved and we headed to her relative's house for some rest before our evening train.  

Our train in the evening left at 7:30 pm and arrived back in Taraz at 4:45 am.  One of our coupe-mates had ridden with me the last time I took the train to Almaty, so she asked me specific questions based on our previous conversation.  I felt kind of bad that I really didn't remember much about her.  It was nice to be in a coupe where she already knew me and I didn't have to answer the normal questions about myself (Who are you, Where do you work, Are you married, Why not, How old are you, What kind of work do you do, Do you have any children, What year were you born, Why do you speak Kazakh, Where did you learn Kazakh, Can you teach my child English, Do you like Kazakhstan, Is Kazakhstan or the USA better, What is your salary, etc).  We arrived home at about 5 am and I went back to sleep for a few more hours and basically relaxed for the rest of the day.