more random crap from 'stan-sylvania
ok, so i have received some comments about sending packages to me in the stan. these comments make me happy. i like to receive packages. i will now impart some information that might make sending me packages easier, and somehow, more fun.
while at pst i do have an address. the only problem is that i'm only at pst for another month and any packages that are shipped to that address will be stored in almaty. this doesn't sound bad until you factor in that i could be upwards of 42 hours by train away from almaty. however, i think that letters will be forwarded. . . mean people and jackasses do not read what is in parenthesis (check my comments for more info. :) )
in other news i wrote carmen cramer (who is awesome and you should all take time to tell her so [winky face]) and i found that my email contained a lot of information that i perhaps had forgotten to share with you all. . . so here goes!!
i have running (cold) water most of the time. for some strange and
unknown reason, the water is usaully turned off at night after 9:30 or
so. but i definitely do not have indoor plumbing. i do my business
in an outhouse over a squat-hole. you wouldn't think that squatting
would be an efficient way to relieve yourself, but it works
surprisingly well. it only took me a few times to avoid the
"splash-back" effect that is common for americans in the stan ;).
my house is small, but we do have a small summer kitchen which i can't
really think how to describe. there's like a stove and a table inside
and randomly a bedroom, and then there's another stove-like thing
outside with a table. we eat every meal outside. i suppose it's
different in the winter, but i haven't experienced that season yet.
the food here is awesome! everything is made from scratch and it's
all like doughy-oniony, goodness. i can't really explain it
adequately. my goal is to learn how to cook the food hear and have
thousands of "kazakhstani dinners". interesting note about food: we
all eat from communal plates and we only drink hot tea with milk and
-- no joke -- salt. they say that the salt and the hot tea is good
for dealing with the heat. i say that it's the 2 liters of water that
i drink every day on top of the tea. the jury's still out.
so, anyways. . .i find out in about 2 hours where i'm going to spend
the next couple of years!! i'm super jazzed!!
while at pst i do have an address. the only problem is that i'm only at pst for another month and any packages that are shipped to that address will be stored in almaty. this doesn't sound bad until you factor in that i could be upwards of 42 hours by train away from almaty. however, i think that letters will be forwarded. . . mean people and jackasses do not read what is in parenthesis (check my comments for more info. :) )
in other news i wrote carmen cramer (who is awesome and you should all take time to tell her so [winky face]) and i found that my email contained a lot of information that i perhaps had forgotten to share with you all. . . so here goes!!
i have running (cold) water most of the time. for some strange and
unknown reason, the water is usaully turned off at night after 9:30 or
so. but i definitely do not have indoor plumbing. i do my business
in an outhouse over a squat-hole. you wouldn't think that squatting
would be an efficient way to relieve yourself, but it works
surprisingly well. it only took me a few times to avoid the
"splash-back" effect that is common for americans in the stan ;).
my house is small, but we do have a small summer kitchen which i can't
really think how to describe. there's like a stove and a table inside
and randomly a bedroom, and then there's another stove-like thing
outside with a table. we eat every meal outside. i suppose it's
different in the winter, but i haven't experienced that season yet.
the food here is awesome! everything is made from scratch and it's
all like doughy-oniony, goodness. i can't really explain it
adequately. my goal is to learn how to cook the food hear and have
thousands of "kazakhstani dinners". interesting note about food: we
all eat from communal plates and we only drink hot tea with milk and
-- no joke -- salt. they say that the salt and the hot tea is good
for dealing with the heat. i say that it's the 2 liters of water that
i drink every day on top of the tea. the jury's still out.
so, anyways. . .i find out in about 2 hours where i'm going to spend
the next couple of years!! i'm super jazzed!!
posted by ashli at 5:09 AM
5 Comments:
ok, so my pst address is:
Peace Corps
PO Box 257
Almaty 050022
Kazakhstan
Attn: Ashli Gold
when i get my REAL address i'll let you all know!!
ps -- everyone that reads this is awesome!!
i'd be interested to know what type of tea is the norm there... green, red, black, or if there's a specific name for it? tea mails well, so perhaps i could send some good and different tea for you to drink and share with folks.
i shall await your new address before sending anything. also, i hope you get to go where you want.
So, I only remembered this evening that you said you'd be creating a 'stan webpage for all of us to enjoy. Of course, I totally forgot what the address would be and spent an hour searching the likes of Xanga, Livejournal, and good ol' Google for Miss Ashli to no avail. Luckily, Mark and SEDHE are more and informed and much more frequently updated than I am and now I'm here too! I'm really glad that all is going well thus far and I'll be sending a letter as soon as your REAL address is avaiable. Man. I'm stoaked that I found this thing... :-D
Dough and Onions? sounds like pancakes to me! how about some maple syrup on that? I ventured out of the Good Ol' US of A and headed to Canada! Niagra falls is very expensive,. $36 dollars for 2 breakfast's at Dennys, $7 a beer and a large hangover on Sunday, priceless. Love ya, DeeJo
the tea that i have been drinking in the 'stan is called "oigger chai". it's the chai that the oigger ethnic group drinks. it's black tea with milk and a little salt. yummy!! ok, so it sounds gross but i've become strangely addictive. but mostly the non-oiggers drink black tea with milk and sugar (but i think they do have green tea here. . . )
but honostly, matt, send what you will. i'll be jazzed with whatever!!! ;)
Post a Comment
<< Home