Sad farewells.

The second death of someone famous,  that I have actually met,  in the last few days is very sad. Stuart Hall is someone I studied in my degree, he is such a significant academic (not long after the death of Jock YOung) and I was once very pleased to have met him once when out for  a meal with my Dad. The death of Roger Lloyd Pack was more personal as he used to be on the PPA of my son's school and I used to occasional see him at yoga.

Not a death, but it seeems that I am not the only English teacher struggling at times here, one of my colleagues, perhaps not surprisingly fed up living somewhere with no water, and maybe being a vegetarian in a meat eating culture, but someone who in every sense has embraced life here, may be heading home.   I wait to hear more.And it turns out one of the male staff has left whilst I have been away, he has workin Moscow, I will miss him as though we could not speak together we always said hi and I liked him and felt comfortable with him, so this apparently static place changes again

A long awaited week.

Got a lift to work which was useful. In theory I thought I was teaching till 4.30 today, but finished at 3.30. This is the week I have in theory been looking forward to, one because year zero and year one are off, so there is slightly less teaching and two as a result I wanted to get on with just practical things like making resources, but to be honest felt too tired today and had to catch up with schemes of work updates and marking instead.  Also no sign of our head, so no chance to have our long planned meeting for this term and colour printer still being repaired so limited what resources I want to make.

I realise that we have had snow for 4 months now, but compared with the floods, that seem to be bedevilling more and more of England I am very well off.

I have to laugh on Saturday, when because it was my birthday I was quite looking forward to eating with the family. I could hear everyone in the family eating next door, so thought they usually call me, so I waited, then when I came out they had finished and the owner's mum challenged me as to why I had not gone and eaten in the restaurant with the other guests. Maybe because I did not know that there were guests and that I have suddenly become a guest again rather than a family member. Luckily all I fancied was bread and jam so was just stayed in the family quarters instead, only eating as a guest in the evening and Sunday, now today I am having to be a family member again so I am waiting for everyone to eat, but again cos still not really right, really just want bread and jam and to go to bed.  Tomorrow there are guests, so again my status will change, more of the food merry go round, that is life here.

(I did have dinner with the family, but I do not know why, but again the owner's mum picking up a wodge of meat and trying to put it on my plate, just completely put me off - I am used to sharing a plate of food e.g plov, but that is just a touch too familiar.  Understandably as she is used to organising things here she keeps telling me how to do things such as locking doors or turning off lights, forgetting that I have lived here for several months and on my own at times.

My birthday walk.

Not fully functioning.

Neither me nor the internet have been fully functioning the last few days.  Either of us could go off again any second, but despite having felt like I was 159 the last few days, I am feeling happy to be 59.  It is Saturday  here, not Friday as stated on the blog.  I know compared with my fathers who will be 85 and 88 this year 59 is nothing, but it still feels amazing to have been on the earth this long, to have experienced so much history, to have experienced and thankfully forgotten many stupid and painful things done over the years but sadly not to be able to remember as clearly as I would like the many brilliant and astonishing things I have done.

Three days ago, suddenly throwing up in the middle of the night I was not so happy. The spectre of a doctor, next day, a very square woman, with a huge dollop of egg on her front chest, inspecting for what was probably last week's bout of sickness and not what has laid me out this week, was the soul entertainment the first day.  I slept, got two tantalizing minutes of a radio programme on teaching maths, then read bits of Conrad complaining about his health, till on Thursday he suddenly died. So he was right to complain.  But as compensation, the whole Ashu family is here at present, so I have been emerging from my room more and more to have more and more bits of food and it is very peaceful just sitting with everyone, they really enjoy laughing together.  On Friday we had some fresh trout from their fish farm, just what someone who is still feeling queasy needs, rather than their usual very fatty soups, which I usually loved, but could not stomach at present.  So I have told them I am celebrating my birthday today and they have all wished me a good day, so that is nice.

It seems strange to me, when I first got here, the matriach of the family seemed a lot older than me, but the truth is we are virtually the same generation, however, since her trip to America, she is dressing very trendily and I realise I have more wrinkles than she does.   But she has this large amazing family, whereas I have a small amazing family.  I told them on Thursday that we were the same generation and she immediately piped up, "Are you retired?", there was something about the way it came that made me pleased to be able to say in the UK we have to work till we are 66, but of course I am not really thrilled about it, especially when I feel as tired as I have this week, but it turns out several of my colleagues have been off ill too and they are all younger than me, so that is a relief, that it is not just me.   It is perhaps connected to the weather, it has been down to -30 at night and apparently my school has been closed this week, and I have felt cold at night. But I think it is probably still better than in all the rain that has been falling in the UK.

If I can get the internet to work long enough I will load pictures from my short birthday walk.

me resisting making angels in the snow but look how deep my footsteps are.

A cosy evening.

Very tired at school today, I only do three lessons on Tuesday and usually stay and work after, but today just came home, enjoying some sunshine at last, but still cold and just wanted to rest on return. Internet off most of the time and skype so no chance to catch up with the news or friends and family. Got up about 7 and have been sitting and chatting with the owners wife and playing with her son ever since, the best part of life here, having just a nice cosy evening in the warm.

Mixed Blessings.

I did not sleep well this weekend, I think it is having so many people in the building suddenly and even less pattern that usual. This morning as I nipped into the kitchen, hoping not to disturb anyone there was grandma and the baby and she tried to get me all organised, when I just wanted a lemon and when I came back for breakfast she insisted on learning some English - definitely not what I want.

But this evening when I came back, her daughter in law was the only person around, she  speaks a bit of English so we talked a bit, then I rested, I thought I know let's be bold come out of my room half an hour before dinner and join everyone, in the lounge area - which I did. It turned out that they had already eaten, and were now watching pictures of their wedding. So that was a nice way to spend an hour or so.  Then I just grabbed what food I wanted, from the meal, their daughter in law had prepared. Apparently the whole family is here for a fortnight.

 It is still very cold here, no sun to lighten the day, my head did not know what had hit it, if felt so frozen at times, even with all my clothes on, thermals, warm winter trousers, muffler and hat (both found at school I am pleased to say)

A bit of a non day.

I actually got up earlier than originally planned today as I thought it would give me a chance to chat to the Chinese (Taiwanese and Korean) guests who arrived yesterday, for Chinese New Year.  They live in Bishkek where they work as teachers, so speak Russian, but also speak great English.  However,   I was too early at 9, but when I went to lunch there was no sign of them either. Perhaps they left early as the weather is still bad.    So I resumed my plan of just having a quiet day still recovering, so have been reading more Conrad, who really struggled to write and editing the last winter festival video. For some reason the movie file is not working properly, though so I am not sure whether to upload it and I feel sad that so little of the English contribution is there, e.g. no dance or song. And the puppet play that is there fell apart for the  the kids are wearing costumes for another show, and they forgot their words.  (an hour spent trying to upload the video, also came to nothing.) Skype and the internet have been down most of the day, my computer keeps freezing and I seem to have another cold coming. So not completely abortive, but not exactly an exiting day. either.


Feb 8th spent another hour not uploading video. will try again.