Yesterday: Durdoy and Swimming

Yesterday was quite a full day, especially for a weekday! In the morning, we had a big meeting: the second and final meeting to review my draft of the MIS module descriptions. It was a good meeting, and I left with some clear direction for the next set of changes. After that, I will email the doc to everyone at the meeting to ensure it looks good, and then I think we're ready for translation into Russian so the coder can take it to the MIS company and begin coordinating to ensure the modules are built as written for use on both computers and PDAs.


Unfortunately, after the meeting dad called to say that he is home sick; his body is acclimating to the food. I experienced the same thing, and it can be rough. So the group that had gathered to have lunch w/ my dad went to lunch without him. :( But there will be a next time. After lunch a team from Tajikistan came to the office. Three of the four had never been to Bishkek, and they all wanted to go to Durdoy Bazaar and look for items they can't find or can't find at these prices in Tajikistan. I was so lucky; I got to go with them! We went all over the bazaar, but I am feeling pretty cheap and didn't buy anything except a pair of cheap sandals to wear with some skirts that I brought from home. It will be nice to wear some new shoes tomorrow on my b'day! I also bought a small bottle of this very delicious cola drink that I was told is the national Russian drink (after vodka, I assume). It is called "kvas," and Karina, the employee from the Bishkek office who came to show us around, said that I can remember it b/c what does a frog say? "Kva, kva." So it's just like that with an "s" on the end. On the way home, we were all asking each other what does a duck say? What does a dog say? Etc, etc. The human version of animal sounds differs from country to country: for example, ribbit versus kva. (...although sheep must make the same sound worldwide b/c they say baaaaa like us in Russia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.) It was a lot of fun.

As soon as I got back to the office, it was time to join a couple of other people for swimming. Yay! There is a very nice local pool where our organization has a membership, and every employee gets a certain number of passes. It is a big rectangular lap pool, too deep for me to touch anywhere in the pool. I swam back and forth slowly but not resting for the whole hour we were there. It was so cool and wonderful after my sweaty visit to Durdoy, and when we were done, I was beat. I rode a marshootka from the pool back to the office, and Stas (one of the guys who went swimming) stopped the marshootka and put me on it, telling the driver my stop. Still, it was my first time to ride a marshootka alone, and it went fine! I was so happy.

Well, it's afternoon now, and I'm hoping for a lazy evening. Dad was feeling well enough to walk up to my work and meet me for lunch. We went to my favorite restaurant for lunch and had vareenegee (little noodles stuffed with mashed potatoes), salad of tomatoes and cucumers, and shashleek gahvyadeenah (beef cubes on a metal stick, cooked outside over a fire like shishkabob). It was delicious, and dad ate well and said that he felt much better than yesterday although he was exhausted by the end of lunch and ready for a shower and nap. Tonight maybe he will feel well enough to come over for dinner. I'm planning to sautee some veggies and just hang at the house. I will try to take some more pics soon and get them posted. Love you guys!