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Oct. 14th, 2004 11:14 pmSometimes everything just works.
R and I went and voted at the embassy yesterday and started our accreditation process. I'm so glad that we got to vote - we made it in by the wire - the last day we'd be eligable. When it was so tough to get an absentee ballot from CA, I thought we wouldn't have a chance, but there are special absentee write-in ballots at the embassies. Even though I'm sure Kerry/Edwards will take CA, I'm glad R and I voted just for the principal of the matter. This way we can complain about Bush validly :)
Last night we went to Malika opa's as guests. We were fed to the 9's - I'm so glad R is with me - he gets the brunt of the heavy feeding since everyone we visit already knows me. Poor guy - he came home so full he had a tummy ache. R is doing so well at communicating with people and learning the language and getting around - I'm really proud of him. He really got along with Malika's kids and drank vodka with her husband Nurdin aka. I had a remarkably successful lesson - it was the first time this year that I've felt like I've gotten in 'the zone' with the dutar - I was totally grooving on the new piece she was teaching me - and she was too. I was picking up the melody fairly quickly and starting to add all the complicated ornaments and pitch bends.
This morning I got up and translated my abstract for November's conference into Uzbek - it was tough and doesn't always get the complete point across, but I did my best and got it done. It's nice to feel accomplished and get things sumbitted.
It's so nice when things go smoothly :)
I hope I can remember this feeling next time I'm feeling flat out stressed.
Oh and today is the first day of Ramadan. The government is quite nervous about terrorist/insurgent attacks at the moment, so lots of places have heightened security today. The road on the way to the institute this morning was blockaded and I was asked for my documents as I passed the barricade. It is raining today and this is the first time I've seen the police uniform raincoats - they are really cool looking, they are big green trapezoidial cape like things with holes so that the officers can stick their hands through - it makes them look like villans out of comic books or something...very odd and funny.
Anyway, other than that the holiday isn't very noticable - Tashkent isn't a very observant city, with its large Russian population and its Soviet heritage - I think it would be more noticable if I were in the provinces. All the same, most of my Uzbek friends will be fasting and I need to remember to be mindful of who I'm eating in front of.
R and I went and voted at the embassy yesterday and started our accreditation process. I'm so glad that we got to vote - we made it in by the wire - the last day we'd be eligable. When it was so tough to get an absentee ballot from CA, I thought we wouldn't have a chance, but there are special absentee write-in ballots at the embassies. Even though I'm sure Kerry/Edwards will take CA, I'm glad R and I voted just for the principal of the matter. This way we can complain about Bush validly :)
Last night we went to Malika opa's as guests. We were fed to the 9's - I'm so glad R is with me - he gets the brunt of the heavy feeding since everyone we visit already knows me. Poor guy - he came home so full he had a tummy ache. R is doing so well at communicating with people and learning the language and getting around - I'm really proud of him. He really got along with Malika's kids and drank vodka with her husband Nurdin aka. I had a remarkably successful lesson - it was the first time this year that I've felt like I've gotten in 'the zone' with the dutar - I was totally grooving on the new piece she was teaching me - and she was too. I was picking up the melody fairly quickly and starting to add all the complicated ornaments and pitch bends.
This morning I got up and translated my abstract for November's conference into Uzbek - it was tough and doesn't always get the complete point across, but I did my best and got it done. It's nice to feel accomplished and get things sumbitted.
It's so nice when things go smoothly :)
I hope I can remember this feeling next time I'm feeling flat out stressed.
Oh and today is the first day of Ramadan. The government is quite nervous about terrorist/insurgent attacks at the moment, so lots of places have heightened security today. The road on the way to the institute this morning was blockaded and I was asked for my documents as I passed the barricade. It is raining today and this is the first time I've seen the police uniform raincoats - they are really cool looking, they are big green trapezoidial cape like things with holes so that the officers can stick their hands through - it makes them look like villans out of comic books or something...very odd and funny.
Anyway, other than that the holiday isn't very noticable - Tashkent isn't a very observant city, with its large Russian population and its Soviet heritage - I think it would be more noticable if I were in the provinces. All the same, most of my Uzbek friends will be fasting and I need to remember to be mindful of who I'm eating in front of.
