Behind on Blogging!

6-13-2010

Today I realized how behind I am on blogging! So many great things have happened and I have failed to record them both for you and both for my future records.

I should have told you about how Emily’s boyfriend, Brian, has come to Kazakhstan. He’s been here almost two weeks and in just a few days him and Emily will be leaving us. It will be sad.

I also should have told you that last Friday we went to a little theme park called Fantasy World. It was just a fun little park where we rode some freefall rides, little rollercoasters, and a bunch of twirling, spinning things that made me feel a little woozy. It was funny because we went there after some other plans fell through. The park was just across the street. When we got there we found that the summer camp we had just come from teaching at, had taken all the students there so it was like a continuation of work, but nonetheless fun to hang out with the kids. Speaking of this summer camp I just realized that I have not yet talked about that, but that is a different blog entry for later.

I also need to mention that last Sabbath I preached. It was on very short notice, but I ended up having enough time to prepare. I talked about kids, and childish love. Something similar to the first blog entry I ever wrote on here. You can check the archives in case you missed it. And after church we went and had some delicious Lagman, and then headed up to Kok Tubye. Kok Tubye is a cool place on top of a mountain that overlooks the entire city. We took a gondola across a little part of the city and up to Kok Tubye. We watched the sunset and were able to see all of Almaty. This place is marked by a huge radio tower thing, but filled with different attractions, carnival games, and shops. We rode on a giant swing (it’s a Kazakh tradition), shot some crossbows, rode a mechanical bull, and all sorts of other fun stuff. I’m working on getting a video up here shortly.

And of course, last Sunday we went to the mountains. I think this was the first time that I went to the mountains and had the fullness of Spring thrust upon me. We hiked up a boring road for quite a ways, but then followed a large, flowing stream of snowmelt up this amazing valley-like area which was overflowing with greenery. Trees, bushes, flowers, with steep green mountains rising on both sides of us, snow covered peaks in the distance in front of us; it was a little taste of heaven. We actually didn’t hike too far, but stopped for picnic and then headed back in order to miss the rain. One of the things we did was cross the river on an old pipe that ascended from the ground, went over the river and above the valley for a little ways. In retrospect, it probably wasn’t the greatest idea. The pipe wasn’t that large, our feet were wet, and it wouldn’t have taken much for someone to slip and fall to the raging waters below, braking a few bones and possibly worse. But, it’s over and nobody is hurt so it couldn’t have been that bad of an idea.

Things are really winding down now. This week we will be having usual classes, but saying goodbye to Emily. On Thursday we will be leaving by train to spend some time in the capital of Kazakhstan—Astana. After a long, long time on the train and a short time actually in the city (by our choice—we hear there is not much to see there) we will be back for only one more week of classes.

I have many mixed feelings, and am once again sulking in the fact that all I ever do is say goodbye. But, that is my life right now, at this stage, in this age. Thrusting from one crazy adventure to the next. I wouldn’t have it any other way. The big question I am asking: What now, God?