Thanks, Di! It's really scary that he doesn't understand why he's in the hospital, can't remember any of our names and can only give one-word responses. I really hope he improves as he recovers from the surgery.

I arrived back in Kazakhstan yesterday, and I'm trying to get over the jet lag and get things ready for the new school year. I have to be back to work on Monday for staff orientation, but I'm going to the school tomorrow and Friday to start working on my classroom.

Exhausted, jet-lagged and very worried about my dad, who just had brain surgery and is experiencing memory loss.

Not sure what you mean about traveling around the world. Do you mean in one flight?

When I lived in China it used to take about 13-14 hours to fly from Washington, D.C. to Beijing, and then another 3 hour flight to reach Chengdu (the city where I lived).

Trying to scrounge up a ride from the airport when I get back to Almaty. I might have to just take Yandex (like Uber), but I'll have 3 large suitcases so I was hoping for a bigger vehicle.

Nope! Hi Dee! Hi river!


Mike?

Does anyone else love pickles? Rosendale International Pickle Festival (in New York) will be held on October 15 this year. You're welcome.

It was definitely Mark. Super shifty.

Did you know there's a type of coffee in Bali that is super expensive? Kopi Luwak is the world's most exclusive (and most expensive) coffee. The main factor of its high price is the uncommon method of production. It is produced from coffee beans which have been partially digested by the Indonesian palm civet and then excreted.


When I lived in Indonesia one of my classroom parents had my TA and I over to her house and she served us this coffee. I had a really hard time taking my mind off the fact that I was drinking coffee made from coffee beans that had been pooped out by a mongoose.

I'm in an LDR, but I would never intentionally choose one. It was just the way the cards were dealt. Wouldn't you prefer to be able to touch and spend time together in person with your partner?

I know, right? What a novel idea. Thank goodness we came across this thread.

Sitting at the table with Mark, both of us on our laptops. I've been trying to get stuff ready for the new school year. I return to work on August 14!

STORMY IS BACK!!!! I'm so happy so see you, girl!



OT: Thinking that I only have a week left in the USA. It's been a rough summer, but I'm really enjoying my time with Mark right now.

Hi Delightful! Congrats on the new fridge/freezer! Grocery shopping is not very fun, but I hope you get to put some yummy new things in your new fridge!

I enjoy the paradoxical pairing of your Albert Einstein hair (which obviously means that you're brilliant) and your poor grammar when posting (obviously designed to throw us off).

Thinking that of the four movies we've gone to this summer, here's how I'd rank them:

1. Sound of Freedom
2. No Hard Feelings
3. Oppenheimer
4. Barbie


Mark rates them this way:

1. Oppenheimer
2. Sound of Freedom
3. No Hard Feelings
100. Barbie

That's fun, Crystal! I hope you enjoy it! I like to write too, but I'm not great at it. I just do creative journaling for myself.



OT: Feeling really tired. I need more coffee!

I like how self-aware she is. Plus she is fun to post with!

Thinking this was the first time in years that I've slept until noon (without being jet lagged). But at 2:45am the fire alarm went off and the entire hotel had to evacuate in the middle of the night (in our pajamas) and stay outside until the fire trucks came and gave us the all-clear to go back inside. There was no communication explaining what was happening. People were NOT HAPPY and everyone was talking smack about the hotel (we also didn't have hot water for two days either). Fun times.

Hi Pumpi!

She's a lovely person and very welcoming!