6

It rained yesterday for the first time since I have been here, and I cant articulate how happy it has made me! Obviously the main effect has been the reduction in the dust, and therefore a nicer walk to school, and tri-weekly run around the football pitch. It has however, had the effect of making the weather nicer as well. Since the rain stopped, the sky has been a wonderfully dark shade of blue, with barely a cloud to be seen. The snow-capped mountains are once again clearly visible, and starkly white in contrast to the sky. And the temperature is a more manageable 20ish degrees.

Still nothing exciting to report, sorry. I played football again last night with my host brother and his friends… at 11pm. The Astro-turf pitch is up in the mountains, with a lovely view over Almaty which would be great for pictures if it wasn’t so late. I have reverted to my normal position in defence (was a forward in Japan), and my only sellable skill is still paying the bills, namely I am bigger than everyone else.

I cant wait to get out to my real site, hopefully up in the mountains, and really start doing what I came here to do. The teaching has so far been, frankly, easy and even a little dull. Nothing that different from Japan really, namely local teachers with a limited knowledge of English, and textbooks that hinder rather than aid teaching. Making my own unit and lesson plans, as well as getting involved in community is daily becoming more appealing. Even if that means the loss of my double bed and indoor plumbing.