Kazakhstan Pictures

Hi everyone!  Heath sent some pictures that I wanted to share on the blog today.  I'm excited to take even more pictures of our new surroundings when I get there, but here are some to hold you over until then.  

Heath has been trying to adjust to the Kazakhstan life as much as he can.  Our apartment is located in Kapshagay, a smaller town about an hour away from "the city."  Heath describes Kapshagay as dirtier and not as modern.  He says it has a lot of potential considering there is a beach and large casino in Kapshagay, but it just looks run-down.  Both of which he hasn't checked out yet so we will definitely be doing that once I get there.  Heath is more of a homebody so this is where we are different.  I will be dragging him everywhere so we can experience the culture as a whole!

However, Kapshagay does have a large grocery store and a local farmers market.  Granted everything in the store is in Russian, but I'm sure we can use a translator.  I am very excited to check out the grocery store!  Heath also mentioned he really enjoyed the farmers market and felt very "local" for buying items from there.

Our apartment is small, as are many apartments in that area.  The club provided a flat screen TV, which is rarely used because all of the channels are in Russian.  Heath has been watching movies he brought with him.  I have pictures of our apartment, but I just cannot show them to you all yet!  The curtains scream "tacky", the couches are velour, the washing machine is in the bathroom and our bedroom has a wall completely covered in pink roses.  Once I do a little modification, I will post pictures of our place!  There isn't a dryer so we need to hang dry everything.  We also don't have an oven so I've been looking at new recipes that don't require an oven.  We are thinking of purchasing a crockpot and a George Foreman grill in "the city" to make up for the oven.  Below are a few pictures of Kapshagay.  

Their version of yogurt.

Now let me tell you about Almaty, which is what I refer to as "the city."  Heath would much rather live in Almaty than Kapshagay, but we are thankful for this opportunity regardless.  Almaty is where the party's at, in other words.  Almaty has several large malls carrying varied top brand names as well as a grocery story that carries American products, priced very high obviously.  I've read there a variety of restaurants as well as bars and nightlife in Almaty.  There are many "American" hotels such as the Holiday Inn, and the airport is located here.  Heath hasn't had a chance to explore the city yet either, but that'll change once I get there!  Below are pictures of Almaty.

 

Leave it up to a man to take pictures of the buildings, and not necessarily the details.  But thank you Mr. McKay... I'm proud you are even taking pictures!  He was in Israel for two months last year, and I saw one picture from his whole trip.  Now that Bennie dropped off my visa documents last Thursday, it looks like it should be completed and ready for pick up by next Thursday.  I am praying that is the case so Bennie can overnight my visa to me in time for my flight out on Sunday the 22nd. 

In preparation for that trip, I've already been asked to bring hot sauce of various brands (the food is bland there apparently), peanut butter poptarts (per Nate), more clothes for Heath and a fitted sheet for the bed (they only gave Heath flat sheets).  Since it's a 28-hour travel day, I also purchased some books to make it through the layovers and flights.  Luckily, there was a sale at Half Price Books today!

I got 5 books for only $10!  They had so many Nicholas Sparks book but since I've read most of them, there were only two of his for sale I hadn't read yet.

I actually took a trip to Walmart and left with the things I meant to buy: hot sauce.  Now I didn't think I would need a basket for hot sauce... silly me!!  I was walking around the store like this (reenacted), and everyone was staring at me.  "What in the world is that girl doing with so much hot sauce?"

Well, have a great Saturday!!  We are now in the single-digit countdown until I leave: 8 days.  Check back for tomorrow's post on Heath's first game in the Asia Cup.

Until next time,