High fives at the baseball game
World's biggest flag and tallest flagpole
Melon Day festivities...there wasn't much besides a melon
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Photograph just for a laugh
High fives at the baseball game
World's biggest flag and tallest flagpole
Melon Day festivities...there wasn't much besides a melon
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Build A Little Birdhouse in Your Soul
Written September 10
I’ve found that it’s much easier to get through time here, if it’s broken up in to chunks with little victories and treats to look foreword to. For example, this month will end with my parent’s visit! After that, the next major event on the horizon will be thanksgiving.
It may seem early to be considering Thanksgiving, but being here invariable means that things take three to four times as long as they would otherwise. But, planning ahead will ensure we can gather all of our fixings and celebrate to the fullest. It does require a lot of arranging. People are begging for their favorite goodies, and don’t worry, I’ll be joining their ranks by the end of this e-mail. There aren’t cranberries here, nor sage for stuffing. One volunteer is dead seat on bacon bits and mini marshmallows for green bean casserole and sweet potatoes respectively. Then there is the Turkey; it simply wouldn’t be thanksgiving without it.
After much deliberation and debate, we decided to raise our own. Actually, we aren’t raising them, She is. (Peace Corps has this thing about using names of people without permission; she probably would say yes, but I haven’t ask. This is my cover my bases in a litigious society.) She lives in a tiny village—the oba of the obas, and she decided that the only way we could get a turkey that had been fed more than watermelon rinds was to feed them herself. So, she went to the bazaar and spent about 5 dollars on two chicks. We hope they will fatten up in the next few months.
She also made this interactive, by leaving messages and photos of the chicks in our mailbox. We have questions to answer and points to ponder. For example, right now their names are either Bill and Ted or Pepe and Juanita. My vote is for Bill and Ted because they are both boys. Apparently boy turkeys are more delicious than the girls. I would have assumed the reverse, but you learn new things every day. We are also encouraged to submit diets. So far, the best has been to force feed them onions and garlic so as to imbue them with flavor even before they get close to the oven. I wonder if that would work? At the moment, though they have corn and wheat germ.
We already have the executioner lined up. He killed some birds last year, so he has the experience. I am just so thrilled at how we will create an all American holiday in the midst of what is decidedly not America. There will be more updates on the Turkeys from time to time, so keep reading. Stay tuned for such riveting information as color, age, weight, and perhaps even photos if I can steal them from her!
Now for the begging part…you knew it was coming and read on anyway! If anyone wants to contribute to operation thanksgiving we would appreciate any or all of the following.
All Spice (a jar)
Bacon Bits (2-3 packages)
Those thin fried onion things (2-3 packages)
Canned green beans (2-3 cans)
Cranberry sauce (jellied and with fruit)
Pie pans (2)
A meat thermometer (one—I’d rather not get salmonella)
Mini marshmallows (one package)
Brown Sugar (2 packages)
Sage
Packaged gravy mix for next day sandwiches (3-4)
Muffin Pan (1)
If you send something, please make a note of it in the comments section and the amount sent. I will appreciate everything that comes, but I have a fear of endless cranberry sauce. Please read the comments before sending.
I’ve found that it’s much easier to get through time here, if it’s broken up in to chunks with little victories and treats to look foreword to. For example, this month will end with my parent’s visit! After that, the next major event on the horizon will be thanksgiving.
It may seem early to be considering Thanksgiving, but being here invariable means that things take three to four times as long as they would otherwise. But, planning ahead will ensure we can gather all of our fixings and celebrate to the fullest. It does require a lot of arranging. People are begging for their favorite goodies, and don’t worry, I’ll be joining their ranks by the end of this e-mail. There aren’t cranberries here, nor sage for stuffing. One volunteer is dead seat on bacon bits and mini marshmallows for green bean casserole and sweet potatoes respectively. Then there is the Turkey; it simply wouldn’t be thanksgiving without it.
After much deliberation and debate, we decided to raise our own. Actually, we aren’t raising them, She is. (Peace Corps has this thing about using names of people without permission; she probably would say yes, but I haven’t ask. This is my cover my bases in a litigious society.) She lives in a tiny village—the oba of the obas, and she decided that the only way we could get a turkey that had been fed more than watermelon rinds was to feed them herself. So, she went to the bazaar and spent about 5 dollars on two chicks. We hope they will fatten up in the next few months.
She also made this interactive, by leaving messages and photos of the chicks in our mailbox. We have questions to answer and points to ponder. For example, right now their names are either Bill and Ted or Pepe and Juanita. My vote is for Bill and Ted because they are both boys. Apparently boy turkeys are more delicious than the girls. I would have assumed the reverse, but you learn new things every day. We are also encouraged to submit diets. So far, the best has been to force feed them onions and garlic so as to imbue them with flavor even before they get close to the oven. I wonder if that would work? At the moment, though they have corn and wheat germ.
We already have the executioner lined up. He killed some birds last year, so he has the experience. I am just so thrilled at how we will create an all American holiday in the midst of what is decidedly not America. There will be more updates on the Turkeys from time to time, so keep reading. Stay tuned for such riveting information as color, age, weight, and perhaps even photos if I can steal them from her!
Now for the begging part…you knew it was coming and read on anyway! If anyone wants to contribute to operation thanksgiving we would appreciate any or all of the following.
All Spice (a jar)
Bacon Bits (2-3 packages)
Those thin fried onion things (2-3 packages)
Canned green beans (2-3 cans)
Cranberry sauce (jellied and with fruit)
Pie pans (2)
A meat thermometer (one—I’d rather not get salmonella)
Mini marshmallows (one package)
Brown Sugar (2 packages)
Sage
Packaged gravy mix for next day sandwiches (3-4)
Muffin Pan (1)
If you send something, please make a note of it in the comments section and the amount sent. I will appreciate everything that comes, but I have a fear of endless cranberry sauce. Please read the comments before sending.
Keep It Light Enough To Travel
Written September 3, 2008
This is my dreadfully (In)exhaustive Packing List. I tried really hard to remember what I like/wanted/hoped for in training, but it does seem pretty far away from where I am no. Pretty much, you should only be packing for the first three months. Once you’re here and know you sites, you can get a better feel for what you will need.
Slip on-shoes: a dressy pair for work and croc-like shoes to make banya/outhouse runs.
Rechargeable batteries: they have weird AA batteries from China that aren’t the same size as American ones
Spices: Turkmen food is on the bland side
Computer and flash drive: saves time and electricity is pretty reliable
Favorite books, movies, and TV shows: mostly I want to borrow them from you, and sometimes you just need stuff in English
An album of family photos: practice saying talking about the photos using the Turkmen CD “Bu meng ejem” etc.
Camera: there will definitely be some memories you want to last a lifetime.
Good crayons and markers: you will come to hate crap office supplies from China
Gifts for 2 host families: be generous in your estimate of how many people are in a family. We don’t do it nuclear here.
Long underwear: I doubt you will suffer through the coldest winter since 1969, but it’s still good to have something under your koyneks.
A good sleeping bag: ditto on the winter, but you will crash on floors, trains, and my sleeping bag is the best thing I brought to this country.
Clothes: don’t overly stress about what to bring; be sort of conservative. Mostly, I recommend bringing stuff that’s durable. You will be hand washing and wearing and tearing. For training (girls) two or three below the knee skirts and some shirts will keep you in good stead. But if you have a pair of red shoes or a little black dress that you can’t live without, bring it. At any rate you can wear them in Ashgabat.
This is my dreadfully (In)exhaustive Packing List. I tried really hard to remember what I like/wanted/hoped for in training, but it does seem pretty far away from where I am no. Pretty much, you should only be packing for the first three months. Once you’re here and know you sites, you can get a better feel for what you will need.
Slip on-shoes: a dressy pair for work and croc-like shoes to make banya/outhouse runs.
Rechargeable batteries: they have weird AA batteries from China that aren’t the same size as American ones
Spices: Turkmen food is on the bland side
Computer and flash drive: saves time and electricity is pretty reliable
Favorite books, movies, and TV shows: mostly I want to borrow them from you, and sometimes you just need stuff in English
An album of family photos: practice saying talking about the photos using the Turkmen CD “Bu meng ejem” etc.
Camera: there will definitely be some memories you want to last a lifetime.
Good crayons and markers: you will come to hate crap office supplies from China
Gifts for 2 host families: be generous in your estimate of how many people are in a family. We don’t do it nuclear here.
Long underwear: I doubt you will suffer through the coldest winter since 1969, but it’s still good to have something under your koyneks.
A good sleeping bag: ditto on the winter, but you will crash on floors, trains, and my sleeping bag is the best thing I brought to this country.
Clothes: don’t overly stress about what to bring; be sort of conservative. Mostly, I recommend bringing stuff that’s durable. You will be hand washing and wearing and tearing. For training (girls) two or three below the knee skirts and some shirts will keep you in good stead. But if you have a pair of red shoes or a little black dress that you can’t live without, bring it. At any rate you can wear them in Ashgabat.
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