thoughts...

Well, I am sitting at my computer, bored, wondering what to do next.  It isn't as if I don't have things that need to be done, it is just I might not want to do them.  Nice attitude, huh?!  Paul has been home sick for about 2 weeks.  At first it was a virus and removal of his ear tubes, then he got over that, now he has a stomach bug.  yuck.  poor kid!  Hopefully he will feel good enough tomorrow to go to the kindergarten.

I have been thinking a lot about the economy.  I see many reports on CNN international about how it is around the world.  I hear it is bad at home.  Here, I see some changes too.  It is hard to be very specific, since I can only see, and can't really talk to too many Russians about the economy... my language skills are sadly lacking!  But I have noticed that the price of milk has gone down, and the price of tomatoes and cucumbers have risen dramatically.  I also see fewer people at the gym, and very few people at the salon downstairs below the fitness center.  At the salon, I see not only fewer customers, but fewer hairdressers.  When we have gone to a restaurant, there are less people eating out, and those that are there, are women usually.  Shops are reducing their hours they are open, presumably to save on operating costs.  Many workers in the oil industry have been laid off, and some, I have heard, are working for essentially no pay.  

It is a scary time... I think of the stories my grandma told me about the depression, and wonder how many of those I will re enact with the present circumstances.  Already, I have had a woman and her son come to my door and ask for food.  Of course, I gave it to them.  I had made up my mind that I wouldn't give money, but then she asked for food... It is so sad.  I can't even imagine how hard that had to be for her.  I just pray that the global economy will turn around, and will grow at an even pace.  Where there will be jobs for those who want to work, and affordable homes for them.  I wonder how people in Nizh do it.  Housing is very expensive, and food is too. I think the government helps them, but I am not sure how much or for how long.  A friend of mine told me that her mom, who has worked at the same job for 40 years (only taking off maternity leave for her two kids, and maybe a leave for sickness) is retiring this spring (not sure if it is a forced retirement or she is choosing to).  But her pension will only be about 6,000 rubles a month... which is about $166 with today's exchange rate.  I wonder how she will do it?!  I spend almost that in two trips to the grocery store.  anyway... i know i am rambling... just thought i would share.  Any thoughts???  

love, juli

Going, going...GONE!

Emma lost her first 2 teeth within a matter of days!  She was so happy, and excited for the tooth fairy to come all the way from America to visit.  In Russia, they do not have a tooth fairy, so ours had to come a long way... in fact, for the second tooth, she didn't make it until the day after she lost it!  We "explained" to Emma that it was due to the fact that she lost the tooth at night, and it was very cold in Russia, so the tooth fairy "couldn't make it that very night..."

So, yes, she woke up before the tooth fairy had visited; therefore, Lee and I gave the above explanation :)  Sign us up for the parents of the year award......

Pool Kids

What a difference!

I thought you might like to see what a difference a couple of days, and several degrees of latitude could mean..........

Slacker......

     

The beach....
       

    

Waterfall...

Pictures of the beach the week after new years... the locals camp out on the beach, and it is VERY crowded, and looked like what we pictured a refugee camp might look like....

Going away party for new friends who were immigrating to Austrailia.
    

Singing karaoke...Hotel "Caleeforneeya" :)  like how I'm the only one with food.....

New Year's Eve----
    


      

Crocodile Park!
      

Christmas time :)  This is the only pic we have of the 4 of us.... nice and fuzzy :)
    

Pictures of us at the beach:
     
    

Hello!  Well, I figured that I had been a lazy bum for long enough, and it was time to finally update this blog.  A lot has happened since I last posted, so bear with me :)  There will probably be lots of pictures and information that isn't really that important anymore.  Ha ha!  I hope all of you that are reading this are doing well, and are happy and healthy.  We are all doing well in Nizh.

Let's see... last time I wrote it was in October... OK, so in November we celebrated Thanksgiving at our house with about 15 people.  I cooked my first turkey in the oven, and it turned out pretty good!  I was pleasantly surprised.  After Thanksgiving, we started preparing to leave the country.  The kid's visas were expiring on December 17th, so we had to leave Russia or face a hefty fine.  We decided to go to the Republic of Mauritius (it is a small island in the Indian Ocean, about 500 miles east of Madagascar).  We chose to go here, because this was *supposed* to be a fairly quick trip, and we didn't want to fly all the way to the states and have to deal with jet lag, etc.  So, we loaded up, and headed for the island.  As it turns out, we ended up being there for almost a month, due to not getting our invitation letter on time, and the embassy being closed for the Holiday.  So, yes, we were "stuck" on the tropical island. 

We had a fabulous time there!  It was very warm (34-38 degrees Celsius, or in the mid 90's), so we spent our time at the beach or in the pool.  It was fantastic!  Emma learned to dive a little, and Paul started trying to swim without his floaties.  They loved hunting for crabs on the beach, building sandcastles, chasing each other around outside.... all of the fun things we can't do in Nizh.  We spent Christmas there, and New Year's.  We were invited to a local family's home for New Year's Eve, and had a ball cooking out, hanging out, and shooting and watching fireworks!  It was neat to get to spend this time with locals, and see how they celebrated.  At midnight, it sounded like I imagine a war zone must sound.  There were VERY loud and multiple fireworks going off simultaneously!  After the fireworks, we went over to a couple of their neighbor's homes to have yet another bite to eat, and toast the new year with them.  Everyone was so nice, and just welcomed us like we were family.  It was really interesting because one family was a Indian family, and the other was Mauritian.  It was the first time we have ever been able to experience so many different cultures in one place!

Mauritius is a multicultural island.  The majority of people had ancestors from India, and the remainder of people had ancestors from African countries like Mozambique.  The predominate religion is Hindu, with Muslims and Catholics making up the rest of the main religions.  We definitely were in the minority... It was the first time I had ever felt like my skin color set me apart from the majority of people.  Paul caused quite a stir with the Mauritians!  Almost every time we walked down the beach to the sun chairs, groups of locals who were picnicking would stare, and say hi, and give him little treats.  Many wanted to take their picture with him.  He would usually oblige, and would stand with them...... I wonder if he is posted all over their websites as the oddity!?!  Emma pretty much blended in... especially as she got tan!  With her dark hair and skin, she didn't cause quite the stir Paul did.  I wish I had a nickel for every time someone said, "Wow! He is WHITE!"  I would be rich....... :)

We arrived back in Nizh in mid January, and have kept busy getting settled back in.  The kids are back in school, and are doing well.  I started back at the gym, and have gotten used to the cold weather again.  Last week, it was -38 degrees Celsius (-36 in Fahrenheit)!  It was COLD!  All of the schools were closed, and some of the oilfields were closed too because it was even colder out there.  Here, they close the lower grade schools (1st-4th, I think) when the temperature is -25 or below.  I find that strange, since that can happen quite often here in Siberia.... and they don't make up the days at the end of the year either.  

Anyway, that catches you up a bit.  I will write more and post more pictures soon :)

Love, Juli

Life in Nizh

Lee and I in some type of Russian hats... Ha!

Hello!  All is well in Nizhnevartovsk :)  The kids are adjusted to school, and enjoy playing with their friends.  Paul is speaking more russian now, and Emma even translates for me :)  I have been going to the gym, cooking and learning to make russian food with Yulya, and lately trying to get over a cold.  

Yulya, Sveta, and I

A good friend of ours, Ksenia, just moved from Nizh to Toronto.  We had a party for her at Lemon, which was lots of fun, and then sent her off to Canada 3 days later.  She is missed, but i am having fun hearing about her adventures :)

Here is a pic of Ksenia and I:

Oh, by the way, I got in trouble at Podsulnuk on Sunday.... Podsulnuk (russian for sunflower...) is the biggest supermarket they have in town.  I would compare it to maybe a neighborhood walmart, with wine and liquor, of course.  Anyway, I went to get some potatoes, and i grabbed two pre-bagged bags.  Now, these are not marked, as you have to take everything like that (produce wise) to be weighed and stickered at a special counter.  Well, I watched the process, and got in line.  As I reached the weigh in counter, a cleaning lady approached as well.  She was talking to the weigher girl, and I handed one of my potato bags to the weigher girl.  As I did this, the dirt on the potatoes fell all over the counter... Well, the cleaning lady started "talking" and motioning to the dirt on the counter, and saying the word "packyet" which i know means sack.  So I assume I was in trouble for not putting the sack of potatoes in another sack so they would not dirty up the counter :)  Well, that is fine, and I said that I was sorry, that I didn't know, and the weigher girl was very nice and gave me a sack and said it was ok.  But I had yet another bag of potatoes, sans the sack..... but the weigher girl gave me one and all was well. :)  It's those kind of things that you don't know that make it funny and hard to live in another country.  Of course, now, i will ALWAYS put my produce in a sack..... and if I could of read the signs, maybe I wouldn't of gotten in trouble at all!  ha ha!  

New Apartment!!!

We finally have a new apartment!!  We really like it and are so happy to have something with more room, and windows that actually open and close :)  The kids even have their own rooms! 

Here is a pic of a street as we are driving... 

Now, for the apartment......

Here is the entryway:

The kitchen and eating area:

Living room:

Hallway:

Playroom:

Bathroom:

Paul's room:

Emma's Room:

Our room:

Views from the windows:

Outside of apartment: