We just had UN day at our school, a fantastic weekend event where families set up in classrooms to tell others about their home countries. It was amazing to see how many countries were represented. I even got to speak some Czech!
I think we have mentioned that we are much more socially active here and that continues. We went to a Halloween party, something Jeanette and I have NEVER done before. Jeanette went as a pack of plain M&Ms and I went as M&Ms with nuts. Funny, right? Totally Jeanette's idea. We spent the night drinking, eating and playing Guitar Hero. It turns out that we both are pretty good at it.
We bought our first piece of furniture, a kitchen storage unit. After putting it into place and reorganizing, I (Paul) decided to make dinner. Plugged the blender into our voltage regulator, flipped the switch and heard a pop. Looked at the regulator and saw that I had plugged it into the 220, not the 110. Undeterred, I moved the plug and flipped the switch again. This time we got fireworks and smoke. I think it was an omen telling us that we should continue to eat out.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Break in Istanbul
Istanbul is a fabulous city with a great deal to do. We spent most days wandering the streets checking out the many mosques. It seems that there is a minaret for each person in the city. We visited some cisterns and used the public ferries to catch the view from the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. We also spent time hopping between Asia and Europe.
When not getting our daily 10,000 steps, we lounged at too many local tea and Turkish coffee shops to count. We really enjoyed the Turkish coffee, at least once we learned not to drink the fine grounds at the bottom of the cup. Our gastronomic adventure also included eating some of the best food we've had since our trip to Peru. While kebabs are VERY popular (we even ate some, gasp!), being a vegetarian was extremely easy. Some of the best eggplant dishes we've ever had. And last but not least, Turkish red wines are yummy! We were introduced to some new types of grapes, our favorite being Okozguzu which means large bull eye (or bullseye) in Turkish. While not giving away exactly how much we drank, let's just say that our red wine fix was met.
Now it's 8 more weeks of work. Then we are off to Prague, Austria and Munich for winter break to do some cross-country skiing and more red wine drinking, of course!
https://picasaweb.google.com/coffren19/Istanbul2011?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Upgrading to Business Class--Uzbek Air Style
You're on your way to the airport, dreading the flight back home in economy class. No leg room, no food, and someone in front of you who MUST recline for the entire trip. "None of that for me this trip," you say to yourself. So, you decide to ask about upgrading to business class. You approach the ticket counter and ask for an amount. After consulting with the computer and his fellow ticket takers, he replies. Alas, the cost ($800) is well outside your alloted budget and you resign yourself to the fact that it's going to be another long trip home.
But wait! This is Uzbekistan Airlines and anything is possible. You decide to speak to the flight attendents as you board. "Is there a way to upgrade to business class?" you inqure. "Follow me sir!" she replies. And off you go to see the Business Class attendent who informs you that it is indeed possible, even at this very late stage, to upgrade to the land of luxury. "Take a seat!" she says with a smile, so you find a comfortable place in the empty cabin.
As you get comfortable and buckle your seat belt, the attendent arrives with the emergency landing "folder". She leans in close and whispers "100 dollars. Put it in here!". You extract the bribe, nay upgrade surcharge, from your pocket and do as you are told. The next time she returns, you wave the folder and offer your best thank you in Russian (Spasibo) and off she goes. Pillow, blanket, drinks and a hot meal of salmon, potatoes and green beans follow. Well worth the $100, you think, and enjoy the flight home.
But as you wait to depart, a little surprise awaits. As your fellow passengers depart on the right hand side, you are whisked out the other side with a special escort. You have no idea where you are in the airport but follow anyway. Your colleague, and fellow business class "upgrader", begins to worry, but you assure him that this must be part of the upgrade package. Then your escort takes your through security, the wrong way, and the metal detector dings and beeps. Now even you begin to consider that something not so benign may be happening. But the optimist in you wins out and you assure your friend that all is well.
"Down this hall," your escort informs you and you follow. "Now down those stairs," and again you go. "Now open those doors!" she says. You pull, but the door is locked. So you try the other, again locked. It seems that your friend is right and the next stop is the room with two chairs, a table and a naked light bulb hanging from the ceiling. But then, like magic, someone opens the doors from the other side. "Come!" he says and you go. As you go through the door, you breathe a sigh of relief as you are now first in line at the Tashkent passport control and customs line well before the other passengers on your flight arrive. And this alone, as anyone who has been through the Tashkent airport knows, is worth every cent of your 100 dollars
But wait! This is Uzbekistan Airlines and anything is possible. You decide to speak to the flight attendents as you board. "Is there a way to upgrade to business class?" you inqure. "Follow me sir!" she replies. And off you go to see the Business Class attendent who informs you that it is indeed possible, even at this very late stage, to upgrade to the land of luxury. "Take a seat!" she says with a smile, so you find a comfortable place in the empty cabin.
As you get comfortable and buckle your seat belt, the attendent arrives with the emergency landing "folder". She leans in close and whispers "100 dollars. Put it in here!". You extract the bribe, nay upgrade surcharge, from your pocket and do as you are told. The next time she returns, you wave the folder and offer your best thank you in Russian (Spasibo) and off she goes. Pillow, blanket, drinks and a hot meal of salmon, potatoes and green beans follow. Well worth the $100, you think, and enjoy the flight home.
But as you wait to depart, a little surprise awaits. As your fellow passengers depart on the right hand side, you are whisked out the other side with a special escort. You have no idea where you are in the airport but follow anyway. Your colleague, and fellow business class "upgrader", begins to worry, but you assure him that this must be part of the upgrade package. Then your escort takes your through security, the wrong way, and the metal detector dings and beeps. Now even you begin to consider that something not so benign may be happening. But the optimist in you wins out and you assure your friend that all is well.
"Down this hall," your escort informs you and you follow. "Now down those stairs," and again you go. "Now open those doors!" she says. You pull, but the door is locked. So you try the other, again locked. It seems that your friend is right and the next stop is the room with two chairs, a table and a naked light bulb hanging from the ceiling. But then, like magic, someone opens the doors from the other side. "Come!" he says and you go. As you go through the door, you breathe a sigh of relief as you are now first in line at the Tashkent passport control and customs line well before the other passengers on your flight arrive. And this alone, as anyone who has been through the Tashkent airport knows, is worth every cent of your 100 dollars
Monday, September 26, 2011
Car buying - GM customer service
A friend and I (Jeanette) decided to go to the local Chevrolet dealership this past weekend to buy cars. You know what it's like when you walk on to the lot. The sales guys are fighting each other to see who can nab the next customer. Well, not exactly.
Urshka and I had done our homework. We knew what models we wanted and a pretty good ball-park what the new prices should be. As we stepped on to the lot, we wondered where the cars were. Oh, the showroom! We entered and saw exactly what we wanted: a cute little blue Spark for me and a snazzy black Matiz for Urshka. No sales people had yet approached us, but we noticed several men standing around. Eventually I asked one of the men - does anyone here speak English? Guy at the 2nd desk. OK - we went to the second desk. He didn't speak much English, but we both know enough Russian to get by, so we mixed it up. Already I am wondering why the sales people weren't swarming - we are foreigners, and everyone knows we are filthy rich!
Oh. Forgot to mention that the cars in the showroom were locked. We asked the guy to look at them and told him we wanted to buy. He said "Come back in January." No, no. We have money and we want to buy now. "No cars now. Come back in January." How about those cuties on the floor? They even had the prices marked! "No. Those are the bosses. Come back in January." We asked if we could be put on the waiting list - a few locals had told us that such a thing existed, but they assured us that if we were waiving money that we'd jump the line. "No list. Come back in January. Maybe on the 3rd." We persisted a little bit longer. Long enough that we had a nice look in the cars and the salesman asked us what color we wanted and told us about the features, what the differences in the models were, and explained gas mileage expectations. We ultimately left, completely degected. We were so ready to spend!
Back at school, I asked our local contact and he said even with his connections we can't get a new Chevy. He let me know that even if we returned in January, that would simply be to get our names on next year's list and we should expect to wait 3 to 6 months from then to get a car.
Just for giggles, I wrote to GM customer service and told them my woes. GM North America was kind enough to point me to GM Middle East. GM Middle East was kind enough to point be back to GM North America. I just sent my final 'customer service' letter back to GM N.A. Yes, I was polite :)
Now, I've decided that I'm going to the car-bazaar with coworkers and the local contact guy in a few weeks. I wonder what I'll be driving. Lada, Zhiguli, or Volga anyone?
Urshka and I had done our homework. We knew what models we wanted and a pretty good ball-park what the new prices should be. As we stepped on to the lot, we wondered where the cars were. Oh, the showroom! We entered and saw exactly what we wanted: a cute little blue Spark for me and a snazzy black Matiz for Urshka. No sales people had yet approached us, but we noticed several men standing around. Eventually I asked one of the men - does anyone here speak English? Guy at the 2nd desk. OK - we went to the second desk. He didn't speak much English, but we both know enough Russian to get by, so we mixed it up. Already I am wondering why the sales people weren't swarming - we are foreigners, and everyone knows we are filthy rich!
Oh. Forgot to mention that the cars in the showroom were locked. We asked the guy to look at them and told him we wanted to buy. He said "Come back in January." No, no. We have money and we want to buy now. "No cars now. Come back in January." How about those cuties on the floor? They even had the prices marked! "No. Those are the bosses. Come back in January." We asked if we could be put on the waiting list - a few locals had told us that such a thing existed, but they assured us that if we were waiving money that we'd jump the line. "No list. Come back in January. Maybe on the 3rd." We persisted a little bit longer. Long enough that we had a nice look in the cars and the salesman asked us what color we wanted and told us about the features, what the differences in the models were, and explained gas mileage expectations. We ultimately left, completely degected. We were so ready to spend!
Back at school, I asked our local contact and he said even with his connections we can't get a new Chevy. He let me know that even if we returned in January, that would simply be to get our names on next year's list and we should expect to wait 3 to 6 months from then to get a car.
Just for giggles, I wrote to GM customer service and told them my woes. GM North America was kind enough to point me to GM Middle East. GM Middle East was kind enough to point be back to GM North America. I just sent my final 'customer service' letter back to GM N.A. Yes, I was polite :)
Now, I've decided that I'm going to the car-bazaar with coworkers and the local contact guy in a few weeks. I wonder what I'll be driving. Lada, Zhiguli, or Volga anyone?
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Beetle Mania
As Paul and I left for work Friday morning, we saw a lovely beetle outside our front door. He was a nice shiny silver gray and about 1.5 inches wide and close to 3 inches long. That evening, I found his cousin on my bathroom floor - he was slightly smaller and very black. Paul came to the rescue and deposited beetle in the toilet. Just to be safe, I put a kleenex on top of beetle, but he was determined to live and attempted to use kleenex to climb out. Yikes!
We flushed as he was approaching the rim. Unfortunately, our water pressure isn't that great so I stood guard for a few minutes waiting to flush again. Before the tank had filled, I watched in horror as beetle crawled back into the bowl from the drain pipes below! Two kleenexes this time - totally drenched with water so there was no way for bug to escape - and two flushes later I left the bathroom with some confidence that Mr. Beetle was gone. On my midnight run, I did put my glasses on see clearly and inspected the whole room carefully. This time I got off easy.
I wonder what I'll do the first time I see a scorpion in our house. I've seen little ones at friend's houses and I'm convinced that our water heater space looks just as cozy.
We flushed as he was approaching the rim. Unfortunately, our water pressure isn't that great so I stood guard for a few minutes waiting to flush again. Before the tank had filled, I watched in horror as beetle crawled back into the bowl from the drain pipes below! Two kleenexes this time - totally drenched with water so there was no way for bug to escape - and two flushes later I left the bathroom with some confidence that Mr. Beetle was gone. On my midnight run, I did put my glasses on see clearly and inspected the whole room carefully. This time I got off easy.
I wonder what I'll do the first time I see a scorpion in our house. I've seen little ones at friend's houses and I'm convinced that our water heater space looks just as cozy.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tashkent Old City
We have today and tomorrow off; today for Eid, the Muslim holiday, and tomorrow we are off for Uzbek Independence Day. We spent today doing some sight-seeing around Tashkent. We rode the very affordable ($.25 per ride) metro north to the Chorsu market and walked a few kilometers north to the Old City which is the "pre"-Soviet area of Tashkent. Here we visited a madrasa, which, according to my on-line sources is, a building or group of buildings used for the teaching of Islamic theology and religious law, typically including a mosque. You have to love the internet!
Below are a few pictures of our outing.
Below are a few pictures of our outing.
 |
| Chorsu Market, closed because of Eid |
 |
| Jeanette with local "non" seller. It's really good when hot! |
 |
| Old City |
 |
| Old city |
 |
| Old city |
 |
| Old city |
 |
| Old city |
 |
| Old city |
 |
| Old city |
 |
| Tile work |
 |
| Old city |
 |
| Old city |
 |
| Old city |
Monday, August 29, 2011
Brrrr... August in the Uzbek Mountains
The weather hasn't dipped below 35 degrees C here since we arrived and Jeanette is in heaven. The only time she gets cold is in her classroom which is well refrigerated, but there she's moving most of the time.
Until this weekend... She decided to go out on a hike with the local club and a friend from school. Here is a picture of friend Ursula and Boris the guide near the top of Little Chimgan.
Until this weekend... She decided to go out on a hike with the local club and a friend from school. Here is a picture of friend Ursula and Boris the guide near the top of Little Chimgan.
Yes, Ursula looks like she is freezing because she is! It was snowing! Jeanette was only able to snap this one picture before she decided to shove her hands in her pockets :)
The rest of the hike was interesting. Beautiful scenery, but that was drowned out by snow, rain, and fear. The trail was one of the most harrowing she has been on. Most of the hikers agreed that they felt like reaching the van at the end was more an accomplishment than the end of a hike.
Today J is taking Ibuprofen and hobbling just a bit, but she's actually contemplating a future hike with guide Boris. Insane?
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Cheese dip and tortilla chips
Thank you U.S. Embassy! The U.S. teachers who work at TIS can purchase goods from the commissary by submitting a weekly request - we get a spreadsheet of goods available and tick off what we want. Prices are comparable to supermarkets at home and we pay only a $3.00 delivery fee. I never tried delivery from Safeway or QFC, but I imagine it is much like this.
Well...what was in our first order? Tostitos cheese dip and tortilla chips (lunch today) and popcorn (possibly Jeanette's dinner tonight). OK, so we also got a few real food items like black beans, but most of this box was goodies. I wonder how long the box of sweet-n-salty bars will last. It's funny how comforting these junk food items are. It's been since we left the States 15 July that we've had most of this stuff.
Well, the jar of cheese dip is gone now. Guess it's time to move on to popcorn. Our landlord delivered a brand new microwave last night; what better to try it out on!
Well...what was in our first order? Tostitos cheese dip and tortilla chips (lunch today) and popcorn (possibly Jeanette's dinner tonight). OK, so we also got a few real food items like black beans, but most of this box was goodies. I wonder how long the box of sweet-n-salty bars will last. It's funny how comforting these junk food items are. It's been since we left the States 15 July that we've had most of this stuff.
Well, the jar of cheese dip is gone now. Guess it's time to move on to popcorn. Our landlord delivered a brand new microwave last night; what better to try it out on!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
What a blur!
Whew. I just saw that it was 14 August the last time we wrote to the blog. Let's see...The 15th was the day new students arrived for orientation, the 16th was the first day of school, and it's been a delightful whirlwind since.
We are settling in nicely to our new home. Our big adventure this past weekend was to go to the bazaar and special order a mattress topper. People in this part of the world believe that hard mattresses are better for your back. We believe that soft mattresses are kinder on our hips. We found a place that makes "mattresses", nice thick quilts with heavy outer fabric that are comparable to outdoor lounge chair cushions. The thickest one on offer didn't look like it would cut it for us, so we had a special order made - we gave dimensions and requested twice-the-thickest stuffing. The kind young man who was helping us asked "Do you know how much a kilo of cotton costs?!" Common knowledge for him, but we were at a loss :) He quoted a price which would be exorbitant to any local, but we were quite pleased that it landed well under $100. And...it was hand-made that day and delivered to our bed the next day. I love this!
Our next big adventure will happen this weekend when we go out to purchase a treadmill and/or elliptical machine. The PE teacher at school will lead us on this expedition because (1) he has connections here and (2) he speaks russian from birth and (3) he's just a really nice guy.
The house looks like ours now that our shipment has arrived and our rugs are on the floor. We're having fun seeing how well (or not in some cases) our things blend in with the existing furnishings. All in all it looks like home.
We just got our first shipment from the U.S. Embassy Commissary today and of course we picked microwave popcorn. Would you believe our microwave chose this morning to go on the fritz? It sounded kind of like there was a piece of tinfoil stuck inside - just a bit scary to reach over and turn it off. Was it vibrating or was that me???
Hope all of our friends and family are doing well. Thanks for your patience as we focus on settling in.
We are settling in nicely to our new home. Our big adventure this past weekend was to go to the bazaar and special order a mattress topper. People in this part of the world believe that hard mattresses are better for your back. We believe that soft mattresses are kinder on our hips. We found a place that makes "mattresses", nice thick quilts with heavy outer fabric that are comparable to outdoor lounge chair cushions. The thickest one on offer didn't look like it would cut it for us, so we had a special order made - we gave dimensions and requested twice-the-thickest stuffing. The kind young man who was helping us asked "Do you know how much a kilo of cotton costs?!" Common knowledge for him, but we were at a loss :) He quoted a price which would be exorbitant to any local, but we were quite pleased that it landed well under $100. And...it was hand-made that day and delivered to our bed the next day. I love this!
Our next big adventure will happen this weekend when we go out to purchase a treadmill and/or elliptical machine. The PE teacher at school will lead us on this expedition because (1) he has connections here and (2) he speaks russian from birth and (3) he's just a really nice guy.
The house looks like ours now that our shipment has arrived and our rugs are on the floor. We're having fun seeing how well (or not in some cases) our things blend in with the existing furnishings. All in all it looks like home.
We just got our first shipment from the U.S. Embassy Commissary today and of course we picked microwave popcorn. Would you believe our microwave chose this morning to go on the fritz? It sounded kind of like there was a piece of tinfoil stuck inside - just a bit scary to reach over and turn it off. Was it vibrating or was that me???
Hope all of our friends and family are doing well. Thanks for your patience as we focus on settling in.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Russian Orthodox Church
Today we did some more shopping for our home and a little sight-seeing. We have been driving past a beautiful Russian church every day to and from work and we finally decided to visit. It is just a short walk from our home and it is quite striking. It is currently being refurbished, and the inside should match the stunning exterior soon. A picture is below.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
It's the weekend!
It's our first "free" weekend in Tashkent, so we naturally spent it walking everywhere we could. Started off by trying the local coffee shop, Jum, which, of course, was closed. We are beginning to think it is a front for some nefarious organization. Headed to Bon! instead which is always open at 8:00 and does a great espresso or Americano.
We then decide to venture to some new grocery stores. We went to a nice Korzinka where we found more coffee--Nescafe AND real coffee. We tried to buy an extension cord but were told that we could not because they were just putting them on the shelf. We also wanted to purchase a trash can. Jeanette picked it up, the the store clerk took it away from her; it was also not ready for sale. We can return on Monday though and it will be officially available. Went to Mirabod bazar instead where they will sell you anything that they have in the store, even the fan that is keeping the shop owner cool :)
We also visited the local gym to take a look. It was nice with lots of new equipment, but rather expensive compared to the US, about $900 a year per person. The price may seem rather steep, but it did include 2 free doctor visits.
More walking tomorrow before returning to school on Monday for New Student Orientation. School begins on Tuesday. We are extremely excited and can't wait.
We then decide to venture to some new grocery stores. We went to a nice Korzinka where we found more coffee--Nescafe AND real coffee. We tried to buy an extension cord but were told that we could not because they were just putting them on the shelf. We also wanted to purchase a trash can. Jeanette picked it up, the the store clerk took it away from her; it was also not ready for sale. We can return on Monday though and it will be officially available. Went to Mirabod bazar instead where they will sell you anything that they have in the store, even the fan that is keeping the shop owner cool :)
We also visited the local gym to take a look. It was nice with lots of new equipment, but rather expensive compared to the US, about $900 a year per person. The price may seem rather steep, but it did include 2 free doctor visits.
More walking tomorrow before returning to school on Monday for New Student Orientation. School begins on Tuesday. We are extremely excited and can't wait.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Our New Home
We are in our new home which is in the Mironshon neighborhood for those of you familiar with Tashkent. It's a fairly working class area with a mix of families--Russian, Uzbek and, well, us. Our neighbors all seem very nice and friendly, but the area dogs are still getting used to us. And the sheep greet us every morning as we walk to the taxi stand. Ah, life in the big city.
Our house is 3 bedroom, 2 bath and is eerily similar to our townhouse in Vancouver. It is already beginning to feel like home. Below are a few pictures to give you a feel for our new place.
Our house is 3 bedroom, 2 bath and is eerily similar to our townhouse in Vancouver. It is already beginning to feel like home. Below are a few pictures to give you a feel for our new place.
 |
| Our entry and garden--cherry trees! |
 |
| Our outdoor bed |
 |
| Outdoor kitchen |
 |
| Kitchen |
 |
| Living room with pink curtains |
 |
| Our dining room |
 |
| Master bedroom |
 |
| One of our bathrooms + washing machine |
 |
| Local Italian restaurant with nice pizzas and adequate red wine |
 |
| Bon!, Our coffee and croissant hangout |
 |
| Our local market--walnuts, figs and grapes now in season |
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Settling In
We are slowly settling in to our new home. We've been moving furniture and buying small things to help it feel more like our home. Now we just need our shipment to arrive so we can unpack all of our goodies.
School has been very busy but a lot of fun. The new and returning staff are fantastic; they are fun to be around and very enthusiastic. We've been in and out of meetings and working on our rooms in between. We both have teaching assistants who are real life-savers. They really take care of us and make our lives so much easier by helping us set up our rooms, copy, laminate, paste, etc. Now we just need to prepare for the first week of school which begins next Tuesday.
School has been very busy but a lot of fun. The new and returning staff are fantastic; they are fun to be around and very enthusiastic. We've been in and out of meetings and working on our rooms in between. We both have teaching assistants who are real life-savers. They really take care of us and make our lives so much easier by helping us set up our rooms, copy, laminate, paste, etc. Now we just need to prepare for the first week of school which begins next Tuesday.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Yes, we're still here
Hi friends and family,
Yes, we are still in Tashkent and loving every minute of it. We moved in to our house on Saturday and spent the weekend trying to settle in a bit. Monday was the first real work day, and while thing are really quite wonderful, we are having a few moments of feeling a bit overwhelmed, wondering how we'll have rooms set up and lesson plans ready to go on Tuesday 16 August when the kids arrive for day 1 That said, please stay tuned. We have taken picture and will get them posted (and visible) soon.
Yes, we are still in Tashkent and loving every minute of it. We moved in to our house on Saturday and spent the weekend trying to settle in a bit. Monday was the first real work day, and while thing are really quite wonderful, we are having a few moments of feeling a bit overwhelmed, wondering how we'll have rooms set up and lesson plans ready to go on Tuesday 16 August when the kids arrive for day 1 That said, please stay tuned. We have taken picture and will get them posted (and visible) soon.
Monday, August 1, 2011
First time for Shashlyk
We went out for a group dinner tonight with TIS staff. Dinner was wonderful. Lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, light cheeses, bread and fresh water fish. Yummy stuff.
We also decided to try one of the main courses in Uzbekistan, shashlyk, which is mutton, better known as sheep. It is done mostly in kabob form and roasted. We topped it with some sliced onions and an unidentified red sauce (not blood for anyone who has heard our China story about tofu on a stick). It was quite tasty, sort of like the meat in a Greek gyro or Turkish donner kabob. While it was nice to try, there are enough beautiful, locally grown fruits and vegetables to keep us on our fish-etarian path.
We also decided to try one of the main courses in Uzbekistan, shashlyk, which is mutton, better known as sheep. It is done mostly in kabob form and roasted. We topped it with some sliced onions and an unidentified red sauce (not blood for anyone who has heard our China story about tofu on a stick). It was quite tasty, sort of like the meat in a Greek gyro or Turkish donner kabob. While it was nice to try, there are enough beautiful, locally grown fruits and vegetables to keep us on our fish-etarian path.
Apartment hunt...
Our apartment hunt begins today, Monday 1 August. We had thought that this would happen tomorrow, and we're excited that things are moving so quickly. There are about 15 new teachers in the hotel now. We were #6 and 7 to arrive, and it was nice to have an extra day to settle in and wander about a bit. I'm so glad that I'm not the teacher who arrived this morning at breakfast time - I need a good night's sleep before doing much of anything, let alone choosing a place to live.
We headed out on our first adventure yesterday. We took a taxi and then metro to a park in the center of the city.
Here's a snap of one of Uzbekistan's most famous people from history - Amir Timur, also known as Tamerlane. I'm definitely going to have to do some history reading... Maybe after we get settled in, or perhaps over the winter break :)
Getting a taxi is super easy. Almost every driver on the street is willing to pick up riders and it costs only about $2 to get most places. The taxi dropped us at a metro stop and we paid an outlandish 30 cents for a token to ride. The center of the city is quite beautiful with big broad streets and impressive buildings like the hotel you see in the background of this pic. Nearby there was a park with lots of big shade trees and a nice fountain in which local kids were cooling off.
Until next time.
We headed out on our first adventure yesterday. We took a taxi and then metro to a park in the center of the city.
Getting a taxi is super easy. Almost every driver on the street is willing to pick up riders and it costs only about $2 to get most places. The taxi dropped us at a metro stop and we paid an outlandish 30 cents for a token to ride. The center of the city is quite beautiful with big broad streets and impressive buildings like the hotel you see in the background of this pic. Nearby there was a park with lots of big shade trees and a nice fountain in which local kids were cooling off.
Until next time.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
In Tashkent
After a 7 hour flight from Seoul, we arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan around 9:00 pm to make our way through immigration and customs. We read (were warned?) that once you get off the plane it could take 2 or 3 hours to get completely out of the terminal. The procedure is to deplane, board a bus, then drive to the terminal. When the doors to the bus open, people rush to the immigration windows which did indeed occur. Fun stuff!
After you make your way through immigration, you have to find a luggage cart. This was Jeanette's first opportunity to use her Russian. Well, her Russian and a little struggle with someone else who wanted one of the few carts available. Then we loaded our bags and headed through customs which was easy. In all, it took us just over an hour to get out, which we were later informed, was the low time for new teachers :)
We were picked up by Bekzod and Geoffroy who shuttled us to our hotel room and got us settled--phone sim-cards, internet access, maps and some money (Uzbek Som). We were not their last pick-up that evening so they headed back to the airport; they had someone to pick up at 3:00 am.
After you make your way through immigration, you have to find a luggage cart. This was Jeanette's first opportunity to use her Russian. Well, her Russian and a little struggle with someone else who wanted one of the few carts available. Then we loaded our bags and headed through customs which was easy. In all, it took us just over an hour to get out, which we were later informed, was the low time for new teachers :)
We were picked up by Bekzod and Geoffroy who shuttled us to our hotel room and got us settled--phone sim-cards, internet access, maps and some money (Uzbek Som). We were not their last pick-up that evening so they headed back to the airport; they had someone to pick up at 3:00 am.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Off to Tashkent
Today is the day we've been waiting for, our flight to Tashkent. We're currently sitting at the Incheon airport in Seoul enjoying some snacks and a glass of wine.
It's a short 7 1/2 hour flight to Tashkent, so we will get in around 9:00 pm local time. We've heard that it can take up to 2 or 3 hours to get through immigration and customs, so we have set our expectations accordingly.
Our plan is to get checked in to the hotel our new school as set up for us, get a good night's rest, then start exploring Tashkent. We've already located (google maps) some fitness centers and the internet has helped us locate a few Italian and French cafes where we will be able to get our espresso fix. All new teachers get together next Tuesday to begin the non-school related basics--that is, finding an apartment, setting up bank/phone accounts and arranging household help.
Will post again soon to let everyone know how things are going.
It's a short 7 1/2 hour flight to Tashkent, so we will get in around 9:00 pm local time. We've heard that it can take up to 2 or 3 hours to get through immigration and customs, so we have set our expectations accordingly.
Our plan is to get checked in to the hotel our new school as set up for us, get a good night's rest, then start exploring Tashkent. We've already located (google maps) some fitness centers and the internet has helped us locate a few Italian and French cafes where we will be able to get our espresso fix. All new teachers get together next Tuesday to begin the non-school related basics--that is, finding an apartment, setting up bank/phone accounts and arranging household help.
Will post again soon to let everyone know how things are going.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Rain
It must be time to leave Seoul because it is raining like crazy. Our last couple of days in Vancouver were rainy, then it was cool enough in Gig Harbor for us to have a fire in the Ped's wood stove. Until yesterday, Seoul had been quite pleasant. We have been so very lucky to visit during the rainy season and not really see hardly any rain until yesterday.
Fortunately it is not impacting us like it is people further south in the country. We have only a block walk to the metro and have managed to time that when no rain is falling or at most just a drizzle. Yesterday we spent our time wandering indoor shopping arcades and one big fancy department store. We have visited most of the big sites in Seoul that we wanted to this trip, so don't mind winding down.
It is now Thursday morning and our big plans for the day include heading off to our local Starbucks :) Yes, they already know our drinks! Then we'll pack a little, read a little, and find somewhere nice for lunch and dinner. Paul will fit in a trip to the fitness room in the hotel while Jeanette will practice a bit more Russian - it's about time for her to put it to use.
Fortunately it is not impacting us like it is people further south in the country. We have only a block walk to the metro and have managed to time that when no rain is falling or at most just a drizzle. Yesterday we spent our time wandering indoor shopping arcades and one big fancy department store. We have visited most of the big sites in Seoul that we wanted to this trip, so don't mind winding down.
It is now Thursday morning and our big plans for the day include heading off to our local Starbucks :) Yes, they already know our drinks! Then we'll pack a little, read a little, and find somewhere nice for lunch and dinner. Paul will fit in a trip to the fitness room in the hotel while Jeanette will practice a bit more Russian - it's about time for her to put it to use.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Uijeongbu
Today we took about an hour long metro ride to Uijeongbu where Paul's dad was stationed during the Korean War. We're sure it is quite different now; it's essentially part of Seoul with high-rises and an overload of coffee shops and fast food restaurants.
A few more photos can be viewed at the link below.
https://picasaweb.google.com/coffren19/UijeongboAndBuddhistTemple?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Yesterday we visited the largest Buddhist Temple in Seoul and an ice skating rink inside the Lotte World Mall. I didn't realize that the temple would be having services - there were a lot of people there, so we didn't go inside, just took a few snaps from the exterior.
After that, we cooled down in the huge Lotte mall complex. It includes a theme park, indoor skating rink, and department store. Jeanette made Paul take a photo of the rink - in one photo you may be able to see a "hot air" balloon in the upper-right hand corner above the skating rink. People pay to ride in them :)
Yikes! We have only a few more days until we head off to Tashkent.
A few more photos can be viewed at the link below.
https://picasaweb.google.com/coffren19/UijeongboAndBuddhistTemple?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Yesterday we visited the largest Buddhist Temple in Seoul and an ice skating rink inside the Lotte World Mall. I didn't realize that the temple would be having services - there were a lot of people there, so we didn't go inside, just took a few snaps from the exterior.
After that, we cooled down in the huge Lotte mall complex. It includes a theme park, indoor skating rink, and department store. Jeanette made Paul take a photo of the rink - in one photo you may be able to see a "hot air" balloon in the upper-right hand corner above the skating rink. People pay to ride in them :)
Yikes! We have only a few more days until we head off to Tashkent.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Italian Food in Korea
Another great day today of walking, walking, walking. But on to more important things, like food. We had some Italian food tonight at Mad for Garlic--yes, there was lots of garlic on everything. But the most important thing about tonight's menu was the "diversity". We had a gorgonzola pizza (no sauce, just stinky cheese and garlic on a nice thin crust). It was served with a dipping sauce which consisted of honey with bits of crispy fried garlic AND a side of sweet pickles. Yummy!
We've noticed that every single meal is served with either kimchi (fermented, spicy cabbage or radish) or pickles. It's a nice little treat :)
We've noticed that every single meal is served with either kimchi (fermented, spicy cabbage or radish) or pickles. It's a nice little treat :)
Saturday, July 23, 2011
DMZ and Downtown
Paul has been walking my legs off! We went to the DMZ yesterday and that was one of the weirdest tours we've ever been on. As soon as we left Seoul the barb-wire fence along the river was noticeable. Soon we crossed a bridge and the bus had to run a slalom course - I tried to get a picture, but the ROK military guards waved me off. A little later we noticed the land-mine warning signs on the side of the road. Have to say that's a first!
We did a tour through the USO and they did a great job. We visited a tunnel site where the North Korean's had attempted to sneak into the south, then we visited a mountain lookout into the north and a train station that is the connected by rail to the north, but not operating. The visit to the UN site that crosses the "military demarcation line", the boarder between north and south, was the highlight for me. It was so weird to see the soldiers on both sides of the border and then go into the building that straddles the line and cross over.
We got a few pictures but were hindered a little by no-photo zones and probably more so by the weather. This was the first overcast/foggy day since we've arrived.
Today we hiked up a hill in the city limits that houses shamanist shrines (is that the same or different than buddhist???). In any case, we saw some really neat rocks and a few people doing what looked like a yogi salute praying in front of an outdoor temple. What really struck me was the pile of meat laying on a rock along the trail - an offering of some sort, but looks like the flies were getting the best of the deal.
As we descended the hill, Paul informed me that we weren't done walking yet. Fortunately, the rest of the day was spent meandering along a stream in downtown - lots of people flock here to walk or stick their feet in the water to cool down. Yes, I did so too :)
A few pics from the two days are on picasa...
https://picasaweb.google.com/coffren19/SeoulPart2?authuser=0&feat=directlink
We did a tour through the USO and they did a great job. We visited a tunnel site where the North Korean's had attempted to sneak into the south, then we visited a mountain lookout into the north and a train station that is the connected by rail to the north, but not operating. The visit to the UN site that crosses the "military demarcation line", the boarder between north and south, was the highlight for me. It was so weird to see the soldiers on both sides of the border and then go into the building that straddles the line and cross over.
We got a few pictures but were hindered a little by no-photo zones and probably more so by the weather. This was the first overcast/foggy day since we've arrived.
Today we hiked up a hill in the city limits that houses shamanist shrines (is that the same or different than buddhist???). In any case, we saw some really neat rocks and a few people doing what looked like a yogi salute praying in front of an outdoor temple. What really struck me was the pile of meat laying on a rock along the trail - an offering of some sort, but looks like the flies were getting the best of the deal.
As we descended the hill, Paul informed me that we weren't done walking yet. Fortunately, the rest of the day was spent meandering along a stream in downtown - lots of people flock here to walk or stick their feet in the water to cool down. Yes, I did so too :)
A few pics from the two days are on picasa...
https://picasaweb.google.com/coffren19/SeoulPart2?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
How much is that cantaloupe in the window?
Today we took a break from walking our legs off. Instead we went to a major tourist site in Seoul, the COEX mall, an enormous underground mall that has 4 hotels, movie theater, museums and every kind of store you can imagine.
The highlight for us was the Hyundai department store which is more like a department store and grocery store combined. It reminded us of department stores in Hong Kong and other Chinese cities. Beautiful displays, a store clerk for every 3 customers and even a food court where you could choose sushi, pizza, fish paste on a stick or even Asian-Spanish fusion paella. You could follow up your main course with some gelato, cakes or cupcakes hand crafted in front of your. Of course, you could always select a healthier desert, like a cantaloupe, although you might need to hit the ATM before purchasing, as it costs $30 (see photo below). We saved our 30,000 won and bought iced coffees instead.
Tonight we're off to find some good Italian food and a glass of red wine. We'll find out what Asian-Italian fusion is--pasta topped with kimchi?
The highlight for us was the Hyundai department store which is more like a department store and grocery store combined. It reminded us of department stores in Hong Kong and other Chinese cities. Beautiful displays, a store clerk for every 3 customers and even a food court where you could choose sushi, pizza, fish paste on a stick or even Asian-Spanish fusion paella. You could follow up your main course with some gelato, cakes or cupcakes hand crafted in front of your. Of course, you could always select a healthier desert, like a cantaloupe, although you might need to hit the ATM before purchasing, as it costs $30 (see photo below). We saved our 30,000 won and bought iced coffees instead.
Tonight we're off to find some good Italian food and a glass of red wine. We'll find out what Asian-Italian fusion is--pasta topped with kimchi?
This is what a $30 cantaloupe looks like.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Language
When we were recently in the Pedersen household we watched Della (under 2 years old) get what she wanted by pointing and making sounds. Now that we're in Korea, I have become Della. Today we were walking through a food market and spotted some items that looked good. I pointed and grunted and the lovely woman behind the counter said gimbap. I nodded and soon the two of us were eating the delightful little rolls: seaweed rolled around rice, yellow radish, and carrot with some sesame seeds sprinkled on the outside. She served them with a little dish of sauce and the woman next to me nodded when we mimicked sticking the roll in the sauce before eating. Whew! It was like super-hot horseradish, but lovely with the simple roll. Point, grunt, and eat. So much fun!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Day 3 in Seoul
Let's see if I'm successful posting today - day 3 in Seoul. I tried yesterday, but didn't realize that Google is really helpful and detects the country the computer is being used from and uses that to set the language. Unfortunately, I don't understand a single character (letter?) of Korean, so gave up... Thanks to other happy bloggers out there I found a way to see the menu in English and so far it's looking promising.
Our flight from Seattle to Seoul was wonderful. It lasted a few minutes over 11 hours and we actually got a little sleep on the flight. Highlights of the trip were the crabs claws in my salad and a filet of sole for dinner - not to mention the bottle of Pinot Noir that we shared. So glad that we flew cushy-class this time.
We arrived at the hotel about 9:00 on the night of the 16th (we left Seattle at 3:00 p.m. on the 15th) and unpacked a bit and hit the beds. Fortunately we were both tired enough to sleep until about 5:00a.m. the next morning. Usually on these trans-pacific flights we end up waking at around 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning thinking it's time to get up and go.
We have taken only a few pictures so far. The above is a view from our hotel room - this isn't even downtown Seoul, just a little part of it! To see the others, try out this link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/coffren19/SeoulPart1?authuser=0&feat=directlink
I'll stop here, just because I want to make sure this actually works. More later.
Our flight from Seattle to Seoul was wonderful. It lasted a few minutes over 11 hours and we actually got a little sleep on the flight. Highlights of the trip were the crabs claws in my salad and a filet of sole for dinner - not to mention the bottle of Pinot Noir that we shared. So glad that we flew cushy-class this time.
We arrived at the hotel about 9:00 on the night of the 16th (we left Seattle at 3:00 p.m. on the 15th) and unpacked a bit and hit the beds. Fortunately we were both tired enough to sleep until about 5:00a.m. the next morning. Usually on these trans-pacific flights we end up waking at around 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning thinking it's time to get up and go.
We have taken only a few pictures so far. The above is a view from our hotel room - this isn't even downtown Seoul, just a little part of it! To see the others, try out this link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/coffren19/SeoulPart1?authuser=0&feat=directlink
I'll stop here, just because I want to make sure this actually works. More later.
Friday, July 15, 2011
6, 220 and 12
After spending 2 days in Gig Harbor, WA visiting Jeanette's sister Liz and her family, our adventure is truly underway. We woke up this morning and loaded our 6 bags, weighing over 220 pounds, into the car and headed off to the Seattle airport for our 12 hour flight to Seoul. What will be served for the in-flight dinner--salmon and garlic mashed potatoes or bulgogi and kim-chi? I'm hoping for a nice mix, perhaps salmon with cabbage kim-chi.
We have never been to Korea, so we are looking forward to our short visit. We plan on doing some walking tours of the many neighborhoods, visiting the DMZ and hiking in the local mountains. We will also be able to visit one of Jeanette's nieces, Stacy, who lives in Seoul, was recently married and is pregnant with her first child.
Until next time.
We have never been to Korea, so we are looking forward to our short visit. We plan on doing some walking tours of the many neighborhoods, visiting the DMZ and hiking in the local mountains. We will also be able to visit one of Jeanette's nieces, Stacy, who lives in Seoul, was recently married and is pregnant with her first child.
Until next time.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Moving Day
The last 2 weeks have been a whirlwind. Since school ended we've travelled to Maryland to see Paul's family and to Spokane, WA to see Jeanette's dad and sister Barb. In Maryland we went to a Baltimore Orioles game, ate out at some fantastic restaurants and took advantage of the sunny days. Barb tried out some delicious Asian recipes on us, and we spent some time visiting the Spokane Botanical Gardens.
Since returning we've been busy making final preparations for our move to Tashkent. Stacking, sorting, throwing, piling and resorting. Today the movers come, so the piles are as good as they will get. After today we will have our air mattress, some towels and the four bags we will take with us on the plane.
Since returning we've been busy making final preparations for our move to Tashkent. Stacking, sorting, throwing, piling and resorting. Today the movers come, so the piles are as good as they will get. After today we will have our air mattress, some towels and the four bags we will take with us on the plane.
Jeanette with some of our worldly possessions.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
On to Tashkent!
When we returned from China, we said we were on the 3 to 5 year plan to return overseas. Looks like the 3 year plan won out, and we are on our way back. We are heading to Tashkent International School in Uzbekistan. Jeanette will teach 2nd grade, a move she is very excited about, and Paul will teach 5th grade.
If interested, you can check out our new school here:
Now all we have to do is get ready for our shipment, pack our bags as full as we can, sell anything that's left and head to Tashkent where sunny skies and 100 degree heat awaits.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)