If you need some excitement

Winter hit the US this year. I have heard horror stories of your cold and snow. I missed the record making! Along with the complaints of cold, I have heard about hibernation. We all get a little bored in the winter. We all fill ourselves with comfort food, and bundle up for a long haul in a cave. Well, never fear--it's the same in Kazakhstan. I definitely feel like life slowed down for the winter. For example, I was at a friends house on Saturday night and had to run to catch a marshootka (little bus) at 8:30 because we thought it might be the last one. I have watched TOO many movies lately, and had borderline TOO many cups of tea and bowls of soup. One can never actually have too much of these in Kazakhstan.

In many of your emails to me (which you should keep doing!), you (you plural--English needs one of these words!) have mentioned my excitement and adventure abroad. I hate to burst your bubble, but it's not too exciting. I would be more excited by a good cup of coffee or a spinach salad. Or brocolli. But the grass is always greener on the other side. So... I decided to make a list of things you can do to experience Kazakhstan in America. I will add to it as I think of things.

1. Eat cabbage
2. Buy a jar of pickles and eat it all in one sitting. Then drink the pickle juice
3. Take a form of public transportation at rush hour. Have head phones on really loud so you can't understand what anyone says. Smile if anyone says anything
4. Make friends with your local store owner.
5. Drink about 10 cups of tea. Put a lot of sugar in it, and eat it with cookies
6. Do a Sudoku. Do another sudoku. do another sudoku
7. Repeat number 6
8. Go to an ice rink and walk around. This is how all the streets are here (no salt). Children literally ice skate in the street
9. Buy a fur hat. Oh, yeah, I can't afford that either.
10. Listen to the Pussycat Dolls, JLo, or Shakira.

More to come....