Little differences in Kazakhstan

This is the front door.  It has 3 different sets of locks.  The top three are controlled by the key shown.  To fully engage the lock you need to rotate the key 720 degrees, 2 complete turns around.  The second set of locks has a normal key but it too must be ratated 2 completes turns around.  The third lock is controlled by the knob at the very bottom os the picture it is used when you are home.  The top one can be used when you are gone or when you are at home.  The middle one is only used when you are out.

This is the tub/shower.  The faucet swivels from the sink to the tub.  The temperature of the water is cold or very hot and you have to be careful to get it just right!  And it is a big step to get in and out of the tub, so be careful!

This is the bed frame.  It has a metal bar right down the middle and wood slats on the sides.  Comfy! 

We have a phone on the wall and if anyone wants to get in the door down stairs they must call and you push a button to allow the door to open.  Just below the phone is a light switch, when the light is off a little light glowes on the switch so you can find it at night.  The switch is about 2 x 2 so it is easy to hit.

We buy food about every other day and we are walking about 5 miles a day on the average.  We have a bus we can ride and it leaves about every 30 minutes and it is about 3 blocks away.  We walked home from the church usually and it takes about 40 minutes.  In the winter to get to the church we will have to take 2 different buses.

We keep hearing the all of the Russian missionaries want to come to Kazakhstan and we are seeing why.  The crime rate here is real low, the people are friendly and some of the food is good.   We watch young girls put their hand out a little lower than straight out and that signals that they want a ride somewhere.  Someone will stop and they determine a price for a ride and they get in with no second thoughts.  We asked the missionaries if they do that and they just looked at us funny.  Of course that is how we get around if we have to get somewhere fast.   It is also a good way to meet people.

In almost all of the big apartment buildings you also have a store, ours is just out side of our door.  The only thing that we have bought their so far is soda.  There are cleaner stores elsewhere in town, but I told her in the middle of the winter that store will look really good.

One last thing when we turn off the light they continue to blink for who knows how long.  When it is time for bed it drives us nuts, so we try not to turn on that light at all.

The washing machine seems to do a good job but a normal wash cycle is 2 hours.  Then we need to hang the clothes out to dry.  We need a few more dishes and bedding but that should be available when the missionaries that we are replacing go home.  We will also get a better modem and an i phone.  We tried to skype Chelsea and Sunny today but it only lasted about 10 seconds before it cut us off.

We are going to Almaty this weekend to meet the people down there and see if their are any projects that we should do.  The next week we need to leave Kazakhstan and get out visa renewed.  Hopefully it will be 6 months this time.  We do not know where we are going to go yet but it will be in Russia someplace.

Our new Mission President is here today and tomorrow and looks like Ruth and I will be responsible for the Twig when the other couple goes.  So we will have a Sunday job also.

I keep thinking of one more thing but it is time to go to bed.  I did not spell check so guess if you can not figure what I am trying to say.

Ruth and Alan