Saturday, July 18, 2009

I didn’t even make it to Alina’s group shelter today before I heard those teeny tiny feet running down the paved path toward me. I was greeted with the usual big smile and great big hug. What a way to start out the day! She had her purple snail shirt on that Mama bought at Target and shorts from the orphanage. I just hope they haven’t misplaced the green outfit she had on yesterday. It was so darn cute on her. Hopefully, I’ll get it back. I took her another hand-me-down T-shirt (thanks Gili!!!) and her jeans shorts to put on her today (see pics). I tried to dress her at the very beginning of our visit but she wouldn’t have it. So, I didn’t push it but did get her to agree later on. She even undressed herself and I helped her put her “new” clothes on. I pushed the issue of sitting in Mama’s lap today. I grabbed her about three times and there were no complaints. The eye to eye contact is very good. She looks at me when she is talking to me and even looks for me when I am not in her sightline. She is still trusting me with holding her books for her and still wants me to help her drink her tea. All of this is proof that the bonding process is progressing and we are on the right track.
We played with the stacking blocks more than usual. It kept Alina entertained for a good 20 minutes and then it was time to look at the photos again. I always ask her who is the or “bulcrum” in Kazak when I show her a picture of Mom and Dad. She responds grandma and grandpa….in Kazak of course. I do this at least once a visit and sometimes more. I want her to know who they are before they get here so she will not be afraid of them. The Little Golden books are still a big hit everyday. When I pull them out of the bag, they always receive a big gasp as if she has never seen them before. Thank God she loves books!!! We tossed the ball around, walked around the gazebo on the bench (she thinks this is quite fun and she laughs so hard sometimes she can’t even walk or she will lose her breath), and we sat on the railing of the gazebo which she really liked. I sat her little tushy on the railing and she leaned against my belly. This also got lots of laughs.

We shared out gazebo with a grandfather and his grandson today (see pic above). I had seen this man several time last week and he would always come the same time we were there and play with this beautiful little boy who is probably about three years old. Shirin asked him if the boy was his grandson and he said yes. Apparently, his daughter had him out of wedlock and just placed him in Umit. The grandfather has been trying for months to take him out of the orphanage and next week, he will get to do so. The older man is very upset with his daughter for, basically, throwing away his grandchild. You can tell this man is going to make a wonderful grandfather! He brings his grandson tea and bread everyday which is probably more than he can afford but he does it anyway. The little boy is so cute but he has this very sad look on his face. They call it a serious look here but I would call it sad. It’s as if he knew his mother did not want him and he is trying to figure out what he did to make her put him in the orphanage. It really is so sad. I just hope grandpa will be able to explain it to him soon that it was not his fault he was put in the orphanage. It’s obvious he knows his grandpa as he also cried, like Alina, when the grandfather had to leave. But, this is a good ending to an otherwise sad story. What a great grandpa this guy is. I took pictures of the two of them today and I told the grandfather that I would get them developed so he could have them. He was very thankful. I’ll need to do that early next week because I want to give him the pictures when he and his grandson leave the orphanage together. I hope I’m there to see it.
Janette brought her granddaughter with her today. She is a very beautiful girl and extremely shy. About half way through the visit, they decided to walk to a little grocery store not far from the orphanage. There are little markets everywhere in Taraz. They’re like the Starbucks in America…one on every corner and sometimes between corners. Janette and her granddaughter returned and had bought Alina a sucker and some more tea as she had finish the half bottle I brought her that was left over from yesterday. I unwrapped the sucker and gave it to Alina, once again, thinking she had eaten a sucker before. Nope. She tried to bite it and she couldn’t. I showed her how to lick it but she couldn’t grasp that either. She finally figured out that she would just put the whole thing in her mouth and eat it that way. She also ate more treats today than yesterday. I even got her to say “cookie” and the usual “peeze” before I would give her a treat.
At the end of our visit, one of the caretakers came to collect Alina. It was lunch time and all of the other playmates had had their bath and were sitting down to lunch. We were sitting on the railing of the gazebo when this happened. The way we were seated, we could see the front door of the orphanage. Alina saw the caretaker come out the door and head toward us. She said something in Kazak to Alina and Alina started to cry. She new it was time to go and so did I. I picked her up and held her to me. She started crying harder and through her tears asked if I would come to see her tomorrow. I answered “Iya (yes)”. She whimpered some more and the nanny took her out of my arms. There was a little more protesting but it subsided a little once they headed back into the orphanage. It’s the hardest part of the day for me….saying goodbye to my girl. And, I think it’s pretty hard for her too.
We jump back in the taxi and head toward the hotel. We drop Shirin off at a different drop point than before. Janette had to stop at the Department of Education today to pick up some paperwork for Alina from Astana which is the capital city of Kazakhstan. She has promised to try to put a rush on the paperwork for me so this must be good news. I am dropped off at the hotel. The taxi driver must know Janette because they were talking non-stop on the way back from the orphanage. I get out of the taxi and say “rakhmet (thank you) and sow bul (goodbye)”. The taxi driver got a real kick out of me saying these words and was joking to me about it. He is an older gentleman, probably close to 70, and very nice. I think it tickled him that I was trying to speak his language. We all had a good laugh about it.

I bought Alina her first pair of shoes today. The sandals she is wearing now are to big for her so after I got back from our visit, I walked to Tsum, the mall down the street from the hotel, and bought her the cutest pair of sandals. I can’t wait to try them on her tomorrow!! Hopefully, they will fit her better than the ones she is wearing. Once we get home, grandma and grandpa will make sure she has the right size shoe and a closet full of them to boot. Imelda Marcos will have nothing on this child!!!! Also at Tsum, I bought a notebook. Needless to say, not like American notebooks. This notebook has grid paper for pages. This is the closest thing I have found to a notebook as we know it. I want to start writing down Kazak words for “come here”, “don’t through it”, etc so when Shirin is busy with other families next week, I can communicate more with Alina. She has told me these words but unless I write them down, I don’t remember them. This way, I can study them at night too. After Tsum shopping, I visited the little market across the street to pick up some bottled water, tea for the baby and, of course, more Kazak beer along with other things. I come back to the hotel and the nice young man who is serving as the security guard takes all my bags and water bottle out of my hands and carries them to my room for me. How cool was that! And, he didn’t even ask for a tip! He carried my bags inside, I thanked him, he said your welcome, and turned around and left. How refreshing to have someone help you without expecting something for themselves!

I feel like a true Taraz citizen now. I have scored my very own plastic bag (see pic)! Everyone…and I mean everyone….carries these heavy duty plastic bags. They’re not like the grocery store plastic bags as you can see by the picture. There are different logos on each bag. I don’t think I have seen two just alike. It’s quite interesting and Kazaks are very resourceful people. They use these bags to carry just about anything. Now that I have my very own, I feel like I fit in a little better when I walk down the street. I use it to carry Alina’s toys and snacks in. I am very proud of my plastic bag!
That’s all for today. Thanks for tuning in….until tomorrow….

Sow bul!