Seminars at Samal and smooth, serenading songs of sentiment

Woah! It’s been several weeks since I’ve written. I’m getting bad at this, I know, but lots kind of happened all at once and I’ll have to split this into two posts.

Life’s plugging along – while I’m not counting down days, I am starting to look more and more at plans after Peace Corps and what the future holds for me. As of now, my plan is to work for a year, take a couple night college classes in computers, pay down my loans, and apply and get accepted for graduate school. I’m just getting into the thick of my purpose here, which I think is to start and nurture a volunteer club at our center. It was something that has sort of been in the works for a couple months, but only recently have we begun to really kick things up.

Perry Teicher, a good friend of mine here, came out from Aktobe to help me with this task. We planned and held a volunteer seminar at “Samal”, talking to volunteers about how to use them and how to make them feel welcome, etc. The pay off will be known Sunday, when our next volunteer meeting is planned.

We celebrated valentine’s day here on February 11^th because of our buddy Greg Yandl’s wedding down south, which was planned for the 14^th. We had activities at “Samal” and Perry and another city volunteer, Emily, came to take part. Later that evening, Maher and myself, along with Perry and a date we arranged, took our ladies out for a nice evening at a Russian restaurant and had a little dancing as well. We had a really fun time and I’m thinking double dates might be something we’d like to do again!

The wedding and pictures will be in the next post. Until then…

Olga's birthday was the 7th and we celebrated at my apartment with some of her friends.


Perry, myself, and Nina - business dinner to discuss the volunteer seminar.


"The human knot" - one of the greatest ice breakers ever.


Two volunteers participating in the seminar.


A group discussing their question along with our director on the left.


Murat, Alona, and Perry showing off their prizes at the valentine's day celebration.


Vitya with Emily, a PCV.


Luiza and Roma.


Murat dancing with a medical student volunteer.


Myself and Luba (Looba), showing off our prize - a cake!


The last challenge was to show in any form how much you cared for your valentine; we did a still frame called "Танго под дождь" ("Tango in the Rain").


A bad bus accident - two buses collided (not the one on the left).


Showing Perry around the city, photo shoot near the cathedral.


Perry's shot of the tall river grass on the bank of the frozen Irtysh river with the train bridge in the background.


The cemetary at winter - quiet and peaceful.


At dinner for our Valentine's day :-)


A little dance music.


The group at dinner.


The boys ready to brave the cold! And Perry in a women's fur hat...