Safe and Sound

Hi! So, yea...as soon as I figured out the "log in" button, I could get into my blog. This was difficult b/c everything at the top of the menu bar was in Russian--yea. Thankfully a nice Kazakh guy helped me out...
So i'm sitting in Gloria Jean's Coffees. Cushy, right? Yes, well, there is a very western mall just 3 mins. by trolley from my apartment, but before I get to all that I wanna* fill you in on the journey.
So, I left last Wednesday and traveled 7 1/2 hours to London. British Air. For those of you who knew about the excess baggage drama, God is good. We got to the airport and my luggage and all came to exactly $600. This is the allowance QSI (Quality Schools International, my company) will pay for. I had a glorious flight on the aisle seat in the middle row of the plane. There was no one between me and the lady on the other side, so the extra seat provided space to stash my pillow and book, etc when not in use. I watched a movie, and basically rested my eyes. I don't usually sleep on planes. Also, the food was delicious.
I arrived in London exhausted so actually slept on some benches in the terminal off an on for, like, 4 hours. I woke up and read on the departure screen "flight [B whatever] to Almaty: GO TO GATE" and pretty much booked it. There I met up with three other QSI teachers.

That flight was okay--7 1/2 hours, but hilariously I watched my luggage load onto the plane and had peace of mind that all went well with that. I sat next to a "Christian Doctor." She's american, but works in Bishkek, Kyrgestan, and already invited me for Thanksgiving!!
I actually slept---that kind of sleep where you wake up and THINK you might've slept---but at least I got rest.

When I got to Almaty, all was fine. Amanda (a QSI teacher on my flight) and I got our bags and stuff. The other two teachers we had met continued to Bishkek, but we also met a girl who teaches at another international school in Almaty. I got all my bags--a total answer to prayer. :) we arrived at 2am, but had to wait at the airport for, like, 2 hours for another van. Oddly enough, they didn't have enough space for my and amanda's stuff in the ONE van---can you imagine? ;)

So, we got to my apartment at 6 am. I ooooed and ahhhed b/c it's WAY nicer than I expected--beautiful ,actually (more on that later). then, the electric was off, but the dudes turned it on (yay!). then the water was off, but they turned it on (yay!). then, vlodia (russian maintenance man for QSI and driver) showed me how the shower (Fondly referred to as the spaceship...more on that later...) worked. Then, the pipe burst (crap!) and we figured out why the water was off. so, i stayed in amanda's TWO bedroom mansion for a day or so.

we slept from 8am that morning till 2pm, then explored a little. i stayed with her that night, and the next day we went shopping with a bunch of other new teachers and then my water was fixed!

The jet lag was NOT bad. after the mid-day nap our first day, i forced myself to stay up late, like till 12 and then i slept until 6 or so. Basically, i continued that pattern and feel pretty much adjusted. :)

TO BE CONTINUED
*Note: attn. students: these entries have not been edited for proper grammatic usage. please do not follow this example. note to educators: i really do have great grammatical usage.

I have SO MUCH to say, but gotta go. a video and pics to come. internet NOT in my apartment right now. maybe never. must work that out.....eek.

<3 for now, i use internet at cafe's and schools. this was my first chance to get on.