Some of our neighbours...

Today as I was looking out my bedroom window I saw some of our neighbours going into their house. They don't live in our apartment but they do live right next to us- just a few feet away. We've heard that many people live in manholes here but to see it really makes it real, especially when they are so close to home. I've seen this couple eating from the dumpster everyday, since we first moved in during the summer- guess I always hoped they had somewhere to live. I can not imagine how awful it would be to live in a manhole... dark, dirty, uncomfortable, horrible. I suppose it is the warmest place for them. Some little boys just threw in a firecracker thing into the manhole and ran away giggling. I hope that our kids will find more enjoyment in throwing in a loaf of bread or a warm blanket to them- something to help them not hurt them.
Thankfully, as I was looking at these pictures Emma asked if we could bring them some nice things like fancy tea and cookies at christmas when we get our packages... I think she doesn't quite understand how poor these people are but tea and cookies is better than firebombs...

my Huddy Buddy

It is beautiful outside today....it has been snowing all day. I took these pictures out our kitchen window- this little tuvan girl was outside for hours, mostly just standing and watching the bigger kids play. It has been pretty warm (-7C right now but I think I saw it was -2C at one point).

We've spent quite a few evenings gathered around our few candles. We don't know why but the power goes out a lot. Sometimes it is just our building but sometimes it is even the whole city. It went out last night 3 times. The first time it was for an hour and the next two times were maybe 1/2 hour... I was glad we had already had supper. The kids usually scream pretty loud when they go out- but then they like it once we are gathered around the candles. Even if it goes out at 5pm it is pitch dark out. We are also glad that our main heaters are not electric, but without our extra plug in one it does get pretty cold.. Last night we took turns telling stories in the dark, kinda fun:)

feeling Wanted!!

At times we have felt a little unwanted in Russia but the past week we have felt a little more welcome. We've had great fellowship with all kinds of people this week- from college students to policemen. I got fingerprinted (I'll explain why sometime)- quite the ordeal... first they do all your fingertips, then they do all your fingers and then finally they do your whole hand- thought my whole arm would have been the next step! They were pretty friendly and willing to help which was not what we were expecting. The only strange things at the police office were the vodka ads/posters in their offices and the huge gun that the guy waiting in front of us had almost hidden in his jacket. He seemed nice and friendly though:)

We also went to visit the college where my language helper Sayanna teaches russian. We just popped in to tell her that I couldn't meet with her the next day but then she was so glad to see us and her co-workers wanted to get to know us so we stayed for an hour (so nice to have the kids in school so we can do something like this). They got us some cafeteria food and tea in the staff lunch room. The teachers (all Tuvan women) were really excited to meet us- they all ended up talking with us and asking all about why in the world we were in Tuva and also life in Canada- mexican food, italian food, pensions, middle names, chinese food and face creams.... They were really impressed with David- his great russian accent and grammar and Sayanna was also telling them how he cooks and all that- one teacher asked if he had any single friends/brothers:) I felt like I was with someone famous like Brad Pitt... Word must have travelled to all the students because when we came out of the cafeteria all eyes were on us and we even had people following us back to Sayanna's office because they wanted to be around the canadians. Some teachers asked if we could speak to their class sometime, some people asked to learn English from us and others just wanted to simply be around us. We feel pretty welcome to go there again- I don't think I'll send David in there alone ever though- he'd be attacked by all the women!

We are really considering having an English Club or something like that. David and I are certified to teach English and we think it would be a great way to get to know some people. We just aren't quite sure how to do it, we don't want it to be too big- it is not why we are here...I'm sure if we put up posters at the college we would have way too many people...we'd like a small group that could come over to our house...hmm. Maybe we will just start with those we know and have them bring a friend or two...

David did end up as a parent representative at Emma, Jo and Huddy's school which is pretty funny and great I think. The school might end up being a little bit more canadian style after his influence:) Hopefully they don't change the school menu from Cabbage and Buckwheat to Hot Dogs and Poutine...
Anyway, it has been a fun week- was a good week to celebrate Thanksgiving (we forgot about the canadian one- oops) because we didn't even have to try hard to be thankful. We did miss having a big turkey, sweet potatoes, jellied cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie with whipped cream...but we can still be happy without them:)

I finally cut Josiah's hair...he was starting to not be able to hear us so I had to cut around his ears:) but I didn't want to get rid of the curls in the back so he has a good hockey hairdo...
We have had a good couple of days, Sayanna has had quite a bit of time to help me out with my russian and David has been busy trying to find a place to get our fingerprints done. We are applying for a new kind of visa which requires a police check from home and getting our fingerprints done here. The cops thought David was quite strange walking in the police office asking to be fingerprinted. They kept asking who's fingerprints he wanted and he kept replying "Mine!" Guess it isn't a normal request. Tomorrow I will get to go in and get mine done. The first little office David went in had two cops, and one guy in a cell right next to the counter. I'm sure it will be fun for me to go tomorrow.
David went to a teacher/director and parents meeting today and the director pointed to him nominating him to be the representative of the parents- he looked around and said "We?" (came out that way instead of Me? by accident because they used the formal you:) Funny. He is hoping someone else will be chosen in the end- I think he'd do great as long as he concentrates on his russian a little more...
On Thursday we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with the rest of our team here. David and Christy (& Aria and Nina) are soon leaving to stay in Germany for the next few months (see their blog for more details). We aren't too worried about being here alone but we will sure miss their company. We will be so glad to see them when they return with their new little baby! Maybe having no English speaking friends will help us work on our russian more...
Well, I'm done cause David has started a bowl of popcorn without me....gotta move fast or I won't get any!

New Tuvan Friends...

The last two days have been great for language/culture learning and relationship building. I had a language session both yesterday and today with Sayanna. Today we met at her place- she was a little shy about having me over as her apartment is tiny,old and cold and she worried that her elderly mother and her two boys would be too loud. But I really wanted to be in her home/ her culture and I'm so glad she allowed me to come. Her mother (78 years old) was so thrilled to hear me speak a few Tuvan words as she speaks russian very poorly and would rather speak in Tuvan but Sayanna only speaks Russian. Sayanna's sons know a bit of Tuvan, a lot of Russian and a little bit of English. I had a great time with her boys looking through their English textbook and they were thrilled to have someone speak English without an accent. I'd love to teach a bunch of kids English someday. Sayanna made blini and we had the milky tea that Tuvans love. Sometimes it has salt in it but I was thankful that Sayanna made it without the salt...

We also got in some bonus language learning as we had unexpected guests after dark yesterday- 3 big Tuvan passport officials!!! They banged on our door while David was out at the store, they showed their badges to me and said they needed to come in. I told them that my husband wasn't home but would be soon so they could come back in 20 minutes but they said that they would wait inside our place... I was a little nervous- they didn't look very friendly with their big black coats and clipboards and badges and fancy suits. I called David and told him he better come home as I had three big men in the living room!!! The men were looking around our apartment at all our Books and things like that- even looked through Emma's schoolwork a bit and our photographs. David got home really fast (guess I sounded a little urgent:) and then we showed them all our documents. David recognized one of the men from the passport control office so he felt a little better. We explained who we are and what we are doing in Tuva. They asked me to make them tea and they asked David lots of questions. Turned out to be a great visit though- we had fun conversations and we even invited them to come again sometime! They joked that next time they come for a visit we will know how to have tea tuvan style and even butcher and eat a sheep with them... Anyway. We are glad that they came- they didn't kick us out but simply gave us a friendly warning to watch that we don't violate any laws and make sure all our paperwork is always in order and do what our visas say we are doing. Guess they just came to see who we are... Maybe they wanted to make sure we weren't doing anything funny in this apartment like in the office:) We think it is a good idea to have them know who we are and what we are doing and if possible, to be their friends. We know that they all wonder who we are- the taxi drivers tell us the names of all the other foreigners in town and what they do so I'm sure they talk about us all the time too. I sure wish I was brave enough to have taken a picture of the three big tuvan guys in black suits sitting in a row on our black leather couch waiting for David to arrive- it was quite the scene. Course at the time I was way too uneasy to get out the camera...

Jo's people and patchwork wallpaper...

Josiah has turned into a drawer instead of just a scribbler. It looks similar to how Emma used to draw people. I like his little people.

Do you like our patchwork wallpaper? Seen anything like that in House and Homes magazine? There are 4 different patterns in that one section! We are getting used to it- we almost like it now:) If we stay in this place for good we will eventually rip that stuff down and paint. The main reason for wanting to take it down is we know it has lots of cockroaches trapped behind it- hopefully they are all dead but I just like having the painted walls so that everything is all out in the open:) THe office has tons of cockroaches, David sees one practically everyday- when I was there yesterday there was one in a teacup. yuck. big one too:(

Tomorrow I have another language session- Sayanna called and said she could fit in another hour- Yay!

-27C!!!

It was very pretty and bright out yesterday- everything was frosted, even every blade of grass. And the frost lasted all day... It started out at -27C but I think it warmed up to -17C. Looks like we will be getting more mild temps the rest of the week but we sure have had it cold for a few days now. Our extra plug in heater has been running on high for two days...hopefully it can have a bit of a rest soon.

Another video about Tuva

Click here to watch a good little clip about the Tuvan Beliefs. It took me a long time to download but I was glad I did. It was relaxing to watch something about Tuva/Russia in English:)

This is just a postcard we have that I like. I like it too much to send to anyone:) so I'll just post it to you all. Kongar-ool Ondar (which translates to loud-boy) is a hero to the Tuvan people, he is one of their most well known throat singers and is also a member of parliament. If you haven't seen the video of him on David Letterman click here to watch it. I love his smile. Maybe I'll meet him someday...hopefully after I can speak Tuvan better. This makes me want to go for a run to the monument again like I had been doing everyday before we all got our colds. Maybe I will again soon- though I'm not sure it is good to run when it is so freezing out...Sayana said she thought it must have been -30C yesterday- did feel like it but I think it was only -18C.

Language, Friends and the Landlady

I found a language helper!!! She is Tuvan- but strangely she only speaks Russian... actually that is a very good thing because it will make sure I don't start asking her how to say things in Tuvan when I should still be working on my russian. I'm not sure why she doesn't speak Tuvan...I'll have to ask her next time we meet. Anyway, we had our first session today and it went great. Sayana very busy so she could only fit in an hour today and then I will meet with her again on Saturday, but she is so excited to be able to work with me. She teaches tuvans to speak russian so she thought it would be pretty interesting to teach a foreigner! She does find it interesting!!! She can't believe how I pronounce my R's and L's... lets just say I don't do them quite russian enough yet:) We hope it will work out for her to keep teaching me every week and that we will really be able to get to know her. She kept looking out our window and saying that she couldn't believe we chose to come here- she said we must be crazy. On Saturday I am going to her apartment (she lives with her elderly mom and she also has two boys- her husband is in moscow in military training or something like that). That means that this week I will have gone to two different Tuvan homes as we already went to our friends Era and Aidash's place yesterday. We had great food- milky tea and some rice and meat and bread and she even made an apple cake kind of thing. We love spending time with them- we find them soooo easy to talk to and do things with. They are so willing to let us into their lives and show us all about the Tuvan Culture. They say they are going to slaughter and eat a sheep with us and maybe even bring us to Mongolia! They sure like it when we try to speak in Tuvan- we throw in a few of the words we know with our russian... We are so thankful for them and their laughter and smiles- very encouraging week so far!

Oh ya- a little more office landlady drama...she called us to inform us that the neighbours called her about our middle of the night drunken wild parties that we had been having at the "office"... David and David decided to meet with her at the office so that she could see the place and then she would know that it really wasn't true. Anyway, seems she may have made up the whole thing as the neighbours knew nothing about it- she had thought that the two guys had set up some kind of whore house...she thought the "being here to help people" was just the cover... Anyway... the guys explained again who we are and what we are doing here and that they have wives (which she was disappointed about- wanted one of them to marry her daughter) and that they had kids and weren't here for that kind of thing:) She seemed satisfied enough so hopefully that is the end of this episode. We hope that she will get to know us eventually and like us...

Snowy Saturday

We've had snow but only little amounts but today we had a good snowfall- enough for sleds and rolling in it. Do you like the prison wall as our family picture backdrop?:) Anyway. Looks so much nicer out now- the grey is gone and the white is here... though I'm sure it will be dirty looking again soon.

We've been having computer troubles- it runs really loud/hot/slow...we aren't sure what the problem is but we have taken everything off it (cause I have been fearing it will die and we'd lose all our pics/documents). Tonight we are going to reformat it or whatever you call it- so if you don't hear from us for a few days we are just having some computer problems. Shouldn't be a hard thing to do but you never know....

A picture of the outside (from the inside:)

This was the view out our bedroom window yesterday. We only have 9 hours of light right now but even when it is "light" it often is pretty gray. We haven't had much snow at all but right now (7:15am-still dark) it is snowing a little so maybe it will be whiter/brighter/cleaner out today:) I think the high today will be -1C. Pretty much the same here everyday- about -10C. We miss those warm Chinooks that make life interesting:)
The kids were up later than usual last night (we were at David and Christy's playing Rook) but of course they are still up at the usual time:( I think I'll be taking a nap today...

The "Canadian" Haircut

When David went to get his hair cut yesterday he noticed a sign that listed the prices and the different haircuts you could get (maybe 5 or 6 different styles which is funny in itself). The real funny thing was that one of the haircuts was called the "Canadian". David asked the lady what the "Canadian" haircut was and she said that it was short all around but long on the top/front. She was excited to have a real canadian in there to work on- though David opted for the "Modern" haircut instead...it was cheaper:)

Individual Diapers....

I was thinking the other day as I was taking the cellophane off Hudson's diaper how strange this would be for you mothers in Canada/U.S. Here it is normal to buy diapers one at a time. It is weird to buy a whole bag (even though the biggest bag they have here is only 36?)- and therefore it is sometimes difficult to find a whole bag of diapers for sale. It wasn't like this in Moscow- there you could find many brands and though at the time we thought they were expensive and not well stocked (we often had to buy a different brand or size than we would have liked)..now looking back on it- Moscow had diapers everywhere! Here there are not too many places to get them especially within walking distance from our apartment- and the problem is that they might have them one week and then not again for a few weeks. And they only have a couple of sizes at a time. I bet the stores have noticed us two foreign families as their diapers sales have drastically gone up... Who would think that in a city the size of Thunder Bay the stores could possibly notice 2 more diaper users. Anyway- sometimes we have managed to find a whole bag for sale but most of the time we have to buy them individually. I thought the ones wrapped up in cellophane with their own barcode on them were funny. Usually we buy them from our little beauty/household needs shop down the street. The lady has a normal bag of Pampers- she asks you how many you want and grabs them and puts them in a little bag. (wouldn't be legal at home would it? doesn't matter here:) I tend to only get 5 or 6 at a time or else I get quite the stares and comments...When I got the ones in the picture the store clerk clarified twice- "10?!?!" Funny that people at home buy those boxes of 130 or more. Good thing we only have one that needs them now and he mostly just uses them at night. The Tuvans/Russians are good potty trainers here I guess or they do a lot of laundry because they only use diapers for special occasions or when they are really really little. They usually have newborn size at the stores and maybe one other size- thankfully it is usually size 4 or 5:) You really have to plan ahead though with diapers here- no waiting till you have one left cause you might have a whole days search till you can find some... We have gone without a couple of nights- Huddy just crawls into our bed when his bed gets too damp:) Actually lately he makes a fuss when we go to put a pull-up on him- he'd rather wear undies but he doesn't seem to get it cause he pees on the floor... thankfully we have no rugs or carpets:)

Huddy's Goop, A Mirror and Language Study

So far it has been a pretty normal week- no trips to the lab or doctors...nice. Though we do think Huddy might have pink eye- we kept him home from school yesterday because we know that it would be very contageous if it is pink eye. In the morning his left eye/eyelashes are shut together with eye goop and it is pretty red- I didn't take a very good picture of it so you can't tell. But it clears up a lot during the day and it has been a couple of days since he has been like that and the other eye or Josiah and Emma haven't caught it yet...so now we aren't sure- maybe he is just having a goopie week. They are all at school right now and healthy which is wonderful!
One exciting thing that happened this week is that we finally broke down and purchased a mirror. I was getting a little too proud of living without one for 3 months:) It was hardest on David I think...you should see him shaving with the wee little mirror in my blush compact... When David brought home the mirror yesterday the kids had so much fun- Josiah kept looking at all his teeth- it was like they had never seen themselves before:) Now I guess we have no excuse for messy hair and crooked collars....
Anyway, I should be doing some language study... We got some Tuvan language learning materials- I think I'll like that language...It is very fun to listen too- jumpy, happy, peppy or cute? But....I need to get furthur along in russian first- russian is not cute but I do like it too- well maybe I don't. well I do. I don't know. But I better get to it or I'll never get to the Tuvan..

Huddy and Josiah helping mommy clean up after baking.
Sad that there is none left Huddy?
Trying to cool off the toffee bars while they are still baking:)
Josiah full of toffee bars:)

My sleeping beauty...

Ok. she was just pretending- she doesn't normally sleep with a smile:) Emma's new teeth are coming in great- looks like she will have a little space but they are nice and straight so far. Every day she looks so different to me now, the teeth keep changing how she looks! I wish I could take a video of Emma reading or singing for you to see but with our connection it would never upload. She sings almost all day long. Yesterday I was shopping with her and we got all kinds of looks- they don't here English too often especially being sung by a little kid:) I tell her to sing her russian songs when we are out but she can't stop singing this one christmas song from the Tom Hank's Polar Express Movie. It is the only movie we've bought here so far- not easy to find ones with English like we could in Moscow.

Fun in the kitchen

One of Huddy's favorite things to do- he climbs up the heater onto the window sill and grabs the bread or other food when we aren't watching. I often notice big bites taken out of our loaves... I caught him just in time...

Yesterday, we were able to meet with the lady in charge at the psychiatric hospital and discuss how we might be able to help them out in the future. It was encouraging, she seemed pretty open and willing for us to help out there. Our org. unfortunately is still not registered. We found out that our application had too many mistakes and information missing and therefore was rejected- it is a lot of paperwork and the lawyer missed a few things... So we have to start all over again...but hopefully next time it will all be filled out properly and it will be accepted. Then we will officially be able to start with some projects. There are also new regulations on the kind of visa we have though they won't come into effect until we get a new one hopefully. One Example: we will only be able to be in russia for 90 days in a row and then we will have to leave for 90 days- yikes. We'd have to have 2 homes! I'm sure we'll find some way to stay:)
The hospital has many needs- it is way too crowded- maybe 10? 12? in a room. She was telling us how in Moscow they only have a max. of 6 in a room which to me still seems hard- you'd think psychiatric patients would need to be alone. She said how they aren't able to separate those who need to be separate and they are unable to organize them how they would like according to the different diseases and severity etc. Anyway, understandably so we were not allowed to take any pictures of people or of the insides of the hospital but I did take some of the buildings from the outside. The sign shows that it is the building where the women are (I think the kids might be in that one too). They have other buildings for men and a separate building for those who have Tuberculosis as well. The picture of David and David was when we were waiting for our taxi home outside the main gate. We were a little cold waiting but warmed up quickly as the taxi already had 2 others riding in it- those little russian cars are pretty tiny... I sat on David's lap:) The taxis are so cheap here though that we don't complain too much.

David just finished fixing our electrical problem so now I can roast my pumpkin seeds. I was a little nervous about him doing it himself as there is no power shut-off for our apartment... He is now putting tape up in the windows to help us stay warm. Kids are almost all healthy- just coughing at night a bit. Thanks for checking in on us!