Who's the Mama?

First off...the transportation to the babyhouse wasn't an issue. The administrator of the hotel we are staying at called us a taxi and told the company to both drop us off and pick us up from the baby house. It cost us 200 tenge each way (<$2 US) and was a breeze. Today was another great day with our little girl. The building we are visiting in has a small ant infestation so we are being extra careful where we play with Dinara. So far we have seen them in a building attached to our room but not in our room at all. Whew! We have begun to bring all the toys and stroller back to the hotel now. We decided it wasn't worth the risk of finding ants all over the stroller and toys. We have also informed the director about the problem and have been given a new room to visit Dinara in for the remaining 4 visit (2 days). She was so good today. We were a little worried about what she would do as we didn't bring the stroller back with us... she just played the whole time and didn't sleep at all. Then this afternoon we signed some paperwork with our old translator Yulia (who still hasn't had her baby yet) and then went and visited for an hour with Dinara. We didn't want to make it any longer then that as we were an hour late for our visit (5 pm) and they eat at 6 pm. That would have been one cranky girl not to get her food at 6 pm.

A little story to tell you about how heart wrenching these kids here can be on poor sappy Canadian. Yesterday morning I was returning Dinara to her dwelling with our new translator when I saw a small group of children outside. They saw me too and one of them (a very cute girl with pigtails) calls out to Dinara saying in English "is that you moma". Now this girl is probably no older then 3 and her English was good enough that the translator and I were speechless. After she said this Dinara held onto me tighter and cuddled into my neck/shoulders. This was answer enough for me. The other children seeing Andrew and I walking with Dinara were chanting "America"...I was trying to chant back "Canada" but to no avail. These kids are all so cute and many of them just walk up to you and ask "Moma?" It breaks my heart. I just keeping telling myself that their families are coming and they will all find homes. Now I know this isn't always the case as we have seen the large orphanage for children between 5 and 18...yes all those kids under one roof...but I am going to be optimistic.

Here are some pics for you to enjoy. We need to figure out how to tell our driver not to come and get us at the time we told him...Nadine said only and hour and Andrew said longer. Oh well! Andrew was right...it happens once and a while. Bye for now. Missing you all. Soon pics of Dinara will be up. Again just wait until Thursday.



These are photos of the street leading up to and one of the entry points for the large bazaar we go to. I didn't take photos within the bazaar because it would be a little dangerous in my opinion. Not only for the fact I would be screaming "look at me I'm a tourist" but also they just push and shove their way through the people. No "excuse me" or "sorry" as they go by. A bit different from in Canada where if someone bumps into you we say "sorry".


This is a picture of the Baby House. Coincidentally this is also the building that Dinara is dwelling in right now. If you look behind the big tree and the gate you can just make out the mural that I posted pics of in a previous weblog.


This is our driver's car. It is a little on the small side but hasn't failed us yet. Our driver's name is Rivel and he is very funny. He speaks both Russian and Kazak (common here) and very, very little English. Andrew is having a good time learning phrases from him. We have gotten pretty good at telling him when and where to pick us up.



These are photos of one of the many water cannals that run through Kyzylorda city. This one is across the street from the Baby House. These are periodically (in the spring and summer) filled with river water (not cleaned). I have it on good authority that many children play in these when it gets hot out...this is not always good as many of them dive head first into them. Thank goodness we haven't had to see this yet. Darwinism at work I guess.


This is the road that we take into the Baby House street. It is a one way road...in the opposite direction that we enter it but it has been blockaded on the other end so no worries. However, everyday both in the am and pm when we take it we keep an eye out for any policia. If we see one we don't take this route...I don't think Rivel wants any problems with the coppers here.