Hello friends – Happy November! Hard to believe it’s November. Was it just me or did October go F-A-S-T? It has been oh-so-glorious here and I’m savoring every last bit of fall. We’re still getting highs in the 50’s, which makes for very pleasant afternoons. I know winter is just around the corner but I’m feeling cautiously optimistic. However, it’s entirely possible that it may turn out to be one of those things that was better in my head than reality. And I sincerely hope it doesn’t get too cold, since I can’t withstand the frigid temps like I used to. I guess we shall see.
November stands to be a big month on the house front. Last week we received the last of our D.C. shipment and this week we’ll take in all the items I bought in Minnesota. I’ll spend much of November finding places for everything and figuring out what artwork goes where. I still don’t have a clear vision for this home yet, so fingers crossed that it comes together in the next month or so. I’m also itching to decorate for Christmas since we didn’t have our decorations last year. I’ve heard that there will be very few Christmas decorations out here (it’s a primarily Muslim country), so that feels a bit sad. Oh, well. I’ll adapt. Nick is off in the Maldives diving, so perhaps I’ll surprise him with the tree already up when he comes home in mid-November… :)
Russian classes continue to go well and I daresay I’m improving (although I was amazed at how much I forgot in my one week away in Paris!). My teacher and classmates are great at making class enjoyable and there’s a shocking amount of laughter present in each day. This lighter, more positive approach to language is working a lot better for me than classroom styles I’ve experienced before. We’re just over halfway, so come December, I’ll have to decide if I’m going to do another round in spring or switch over to private lessons a couple times a week. The work scene is not looking promising, so summer/fall 2024 would likely be the earliest I’d start working at the Consulate.
And finally… it took me a bit, but I think I’ve found a solid volunteer option for myself in Almaty. Curious to know what it is?? Well . . . . I’m going to try running an hour-long English-speaking club at a local women’s college. I honestly have no formal training in how to teach English, but my contact at the University said that simply speaking in English for an hour on a topic of my choosing will be great. My current plan is to start simple and gauge their level of understanding, then seek out teaching resources as needed. We’re going to start with one day a week and may progress to two days a week if it’s going well. Wish me luck!
