Thoughts from Mark

I know that Marina has been updating all on our daily adventures of our trip, so I will not be repetitive, yet just inject some of my thoughts and observations.

I guess my biggest joy, which will be hard to top on this trip, has been seeing the kids waiting outside the security barriers when we got off the plane at the G2 airport. My primary goal of the trip has been, and continues to be, excellent fellowship with J1 and J2. Seeing them at the airport made all the other frustrations, stresses, and anxieties of planning and making the trip up to this point so well worth it. It was great to see their smiling faces and exchange hugs, something that I miss the most while they have been gone. Which brings up what I know will be the hardest part of the trip, which will be to do that for the last time, in the same airport, when we have to leave to come home. Our time of fellowship has been excellent, and it is especially fulfilling as we get to share it with them it in their home and what is now their neighborhood and city of residence. It is extremely peaceful for a parent to see first hand that their children really are safe and healthy. I know that J and J have done a fantastic job at detailing the fact that their needs are being met, but it really has warmed my heart to see it myself.

Other observations…

I have enjoyed listening to J and J converse in their new language with the shop owners and restaurant personnel when we get things to eat. I know that they still have a long way to go to master this extremely difficult language, but it is fun to watch them and listen to them communicate to the best of their ability. I also enjoy seeing the how they have developed relationships with many of the locals they have to do business with.

Yesterday we went to a meeting with others who have similar interests here in this country. It was interesting to see other people from the states as well as from Holland and England. It was a good time, and although this is not the normal group they get together with it was neat to be with others who have the same passions for the locals.

I have noticed that there is not a lot of obesity in the area. I am unsure if it is due to the diet, due to the fact that you have to walk a lot to get around the city, or just due to the financial status of the people. I am not saying that you don’t see some chunky people, but in comparison to what we see in the states, there are not a lot of fat people. This is probably a good thing though, as the local city buses are already packed like sardines, so more chunky people would bring the need for more buses.

J and J’s apartment is nice and comfortable, but the engineer in me has me analyzing a lot of the construction and utilities. Cosmetics are not much of an issue when laying out the power and gas lines. Their gas meter is in their kitchen, as they have one gas line that goes from the first floor through to the 8th floor…and it goes straight up through everyone’s kitchens. The power is run from transformers mounted on a pedestal in back of the building…and once it is close to the building is run through raceways in the stairways leading up the building. Some of the individual breaker boxes are even located in the stairwell, not even in the apartment it serves. J/J's breaker box is located directly above the door that enters their apartment. There is some detailing done to dress up the all concrete walls, but there is little done though, about sealing and weather-stripping walls, windows and doors. It would be extremely expensive to heat the whole apartment due to some of these issues, so there is not even an effort. More effort is spent just trying to be comfortable in the room you are occupying at the moment. J/J have provided us with a portable heater to heat our bedroom, and an electric blanket…but believe it or not we have found these to be too hot when we sleep and have matched J and J’s way of preparing for bed. We turn the heater on to warm up the room before we get in bed…then turn everything off once we are in bed. This means that the room gets down to about 45 or 50 degrees over night, but it really is comfortable under the warm blankets J1 has provided.

So far I have not had to pay any taxes on any meals or goods purchased. The price posted is what you pay…what a concept. It is also strange paying about $10.00 U.S. total for a pretty good meal for the four of us.....and no tipping! So far the only store we have been to that you can buy everything you might need to survive is Walmart. Otherwise your needs are met by shopping at local markets and shops that are scattered throughout the communities. Most shops specialize in just one thing…so if they specialize in cosmetics…then that’s all they sell, if they specialize in plumbing parts then that all sell. So shopping for your needs is a longer process as you go from shop to shop to get what you need.

I especially enjoy the outdoor markets…even got a special presentation from one of the little booth guys….let me explain. As I work in the poultry industry I have made an effort to go down and observe how chickens are being sold. Some marketers present you with whole or parts of chickens already slaughtered and processed…while others provide you with ones that are still live and clucking. While filming some of the live chickens in their cages, I was walking past one booth where the gentleman just finished selling one to a local patron. He saw me filming so gave me a mini show as he exposed the chickens neck, then with a big old smile on his face pulled out this crude and rusty knife and slit the chickens throat and bled it our over a blood collection box…pretty cool huh? They also have fresh fish for sale…can’t get any fresher than picking them out of a pool still alive in the market.

I look forward to what the next week will offer us to continue to add to our experiences of a foreign land and culture….but can sum things up like this….

The trip over was an adventure, the first three days have been eventful, and time spent with the kids….PRICELESS.