September 12, 2006

• First 3 Days in Ust-Kamenogorsk

  I arrived in Altmaty, Kazakhstan on Sunday morning about 12:30 a.m.  My Kazakhstan coordinator Galina and and an interpreter met me at the airport.  They escorted me to a hotel that was in walking distance from the airport to spend what was left of the night.  I had to be back at the airport by 6 a.m. the next morning, which is the only reason I can think they chose this hotel. 

  While waiting in the hotel lobby to register, another woman from Washington, D.C. arrived with her coordinator. Her name was Lenna Aoki and she was returning to Kazakhstan to pickup the second daughter she had adopted from Kazakhstan.  She adopted her first daughter 3 years ago and her name is Saule, which means rays of sunshine in Kazak.  Her new daughter’s name is Aruzhan, which means beautiful soul in Kazak.  The hotel ended up only having one available room which Lenna and I agreed to share.  Given the nature of the accommodations, I was very glad I wasn’t spending the night alone in this particular hotel.  The only good things I can say about it is that it was one block from the airport and we had an ensuite bathroom and didn’t have to use the communal bathroom down the hall.

  Needless to say, we spent the whole night talking about adopting from Kazakhstan.  It was very comforting to hear how successful  her first daughter’s adoption  went and how well her first daughter Soule is doing.

  On Sunday morning, I traveled to Ust-Kamenogorsk with Galina and we arrived about 10:30am.   A driver and an interpreter whose name is Ahz (sounds like Oz) met us at the airport.  Ahz has an American accent and I learned he went to school in Ohio and Texas.  He is also the tallest Kazak I have met since arriving (he is well over 6 feet tall).  

  While in Ust, I will be staying at the Hotel Irtysh.  The hotel is modest, but nice as is my room, which has air conditioning and a small refrigerator.  There is a grocery store across the street where I am able to buy just about anything I need.  There is also a farmer’s market, which I haven’t visited yet.  Since I can’t read or speak Russian, I will probably eat most of my meals in my room and my diet will be primarily milk, yogurt, cheese and fruit. 

  I think there is only one hotel employee who speaks English; therefore, if I need anything,  I have to ask Ahz to interpret or write down my questions/requests in Russian.  Most of the Kazaks I have met and/or tried to communicate with have been patient and friendly, but you do feel a little isolated not being able to speak to most of the folks you encounter.

  This hasn’t been too bad the last two days because there is one couple and another single woman from the U.S. who are here adopting children from the same orphanage.  They elected not to go home after their court date and have been in Kazakhstan 7 weeks so far.  They will be given custody of their children on Friday and will travel to Almaty to finish their paperwork.  They are hoping they will only be in Altmaty for a week.

  Until today, I have had numerous technical difficulties.  I haven’t been able to use my laptop because the battery was low and I had forgotten to bring an adaptor. I’ve been bugging Ahz to help me buy one and after two failed attempts, the couple I previously mentioned, Misty and Matt, gave me an extra adaptor they had this evening. I also tried unsuccessfully several times to access the internet via dialup from my room and finally figured out tonight that I was dialing the wrong number!  I probably would have figured this out earlier if I could read Russian.  I also had problems using the Global phone Vivek Talvadkar loaned me.  I must have tried over two hours to figure out how to open the phone and insert the Sim card I had purchased on Sunday.  I followed Vivek’s advice and went back to the shop I bought the Sim card and asked the nice man there to open the phone.  I realized I was definitely technically challenged when he did it in a matter of seconds!  So as of today, I can use my computer, log onto the internet and receive phone calls from the U.S. on the Global phone.  Yeah!!!!!!

  I would like to thank Cynthia Behn who bought and sent via federal express an adaptor to me yesterday along with some important vitamins I had forgotten.  Thanks Cynthia! I now will have a spare.

  First Meeting with Alma -

  I made my first visit to the orphanage yesterday morning and met Alma Askarova.  I was amazed at how alert and curious she was.  I was also very concerned about how small she is and how fragile she appears.  Our first meeting only lasted about 15 minutes and took place in the Orphanage Director’s office.  It was the first time I got to hold my daughter.  It was also the first time (and I’m sure not the last) she wet on me.  The orphanage had run out of diapers so she wasn’t wearing one.  Ahz told me there is a Kazak saying that if a baby wets on you it is a sign that you will dance at the baby’s wedding.  I guess I will be dancing at Alma’s wedding!

  I will be visiting Alma twice a day while in Kazakhstan.  We visit in the morning from about 10am to noon and then in the afternoon from 2:30pm to 4pm. 

  I have to admit the first day was rough.  One of the doctors I consulted with before leaving the U.S. had told me one of the symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was a baby’s failure to thrive.  Given the poor nutrition children receive in orphanages, it is very difficult to determine if a baby is not growing because they are sick or because of malnutrition and living in an orphanage/institution.  Fortunately, I was able to contact one of the doctors I had consulted with before leaving the U.S. this morning about Alma.  Dr. Skurkovich specialized in international adoptions and is formerly from the Russia.  Given her alertness, curiosity, ability to almost sit unassisted, roll over and creep a little bit, he think’s Alma is probably not growing because of poor nutrition.  He is going to work with my U.S. coordinator to try and see if we can convince the orphanage director to let me provide Alma with a more nutritional and caloric formula as well as baby food.  I will offer to buy enough for all the babies in her group.

  Most orphanages in the former Soviet Union do not feed babies formula like we do in the U.S. and other Western countries.  Instead babies are given a yogurt type of drink that does not have many calories.  They also stop giving babies bottles very young.  Alma is no longer given a bottle, but must drink from a cup and only when sitting at the table being feed by a caregiver.  If a baby doesn’t eat at the scheduled time, they just don’t get any food.  She is so small,  I don’t think she can eat as fast as they try to feed her; therefore, she also ends up spitting up some of what she is feed.  I’m hoping I can work something out where by I can start feeding her a more nutritional formula before I am awarded custody. 

  I’m very glad I brought the extra suitcase of toys and clothes.  Alma loves playing with the rattles, blocks and   baby Einstein gym set.  She also likes being touched and held.  She does not “talk” very much which is to be expected of a baby who has been in an orphanage since birth.   The best way to get her to laugh is to lift her up in the air and back.  This is usually sure to make her giggle.  

  Alma’s measurements are:  Length 62 cm; Head circumference 42 cm; and weight 5.5 kg or a little over 12 pounds.  She was born on December 19, 2005.  I hope to pick a name for her in the next day or two.

  That’s it for now.  I’ll try and do another post in a couple of days.

   

   

   

  • 6:54 pm
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