Paka-Paka Papa

Frank flew out of Aqtobe this morning. He will arrive in Charleston very late Friday night.

Milo misses him and so do I. Milo was outside with his group this morning when I arrived, and after I picked him up in my arms he looked at and pointed to the car, waiting for Frank to come out. He made his cute little questioning vocalization, which sounds like “Hi???” I just gave him big hugs and said “Paka-Paka Papa." (Bye-Bye Papa in Kazakh.) It took him awhile to stop looking for Frank.

We had good visits together despite Frank’s absence, but it’s quite different here without him. Frank is worried about me being here alone, but I feel assured that I will be fine. I do really wish he could be here for our Gotcha Day and our first days together as a full-time family. It is not going to be the way I had imagined it, but then again almost nothing has!



I do worry about not getting a break from our very active boy once I have him 24/7. He almost wears me out in just the 4 hours a day I spend in the orphanage! Of course, the heat doesn’t help either. It really takes the oomph out of you. I also worry a little about the plane rides home, but many single moms have done it before me, so I can do it too! Can't I???

You wouldn’t believe the paperwork we had to sign in order for Frank to leave. It was Power of Attorney papers, which allow me to make decisions and sign papers in his absence. They needed to be notarized, and so we went to this notary’s office. The notary was a brusque, middle-aged Kazakh man who stamped and stomped and signed papers with a weary kind of gusto. Unlike in America, notaries here do their jobs full time instead of “on the side.” They stay very busy, and they often have an assistant or two.

The bureaucrats here remind me of characters in the movie The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It's a very quirky, Monty Python-esque little movie based on a book. It does a great job of poking fun at bureaucratic bull.

The bad guys are aliens called Vogons who love paperwork, red tape and bureaucracy. On their planet there are many forms, rules, procedures, queues and long lines galore. And if people ever have an independent thought, then these little paddle creatures pop up out of the ground and smack them in the face, which is why their noses are all smashed in. The Vogons wouldn't lift a finger to save their own grandmothers without orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months.

I agree this process should be tough. This country is giving us this little precious life and entrusting to us his future well being. This can't be taken lightly. But there is only so much a piece of paper can guarantee. I heard from the French couple that they were required to have their dentist provide a statement that he would indeed be their son’s dentist in France. At least we didn’t have to do that!

Last night there was a soccer (futbal) game in process in the stadium across the street. Soccer is huge here, as it is in most all of Europe and Asia. Aktobe had the #1 soccer team in all of Kazakhstan last year. This year they are #3. People were out in droves, and hearing the rise and fall of the chants and cheers was remarkable. I kept thinking that this kind of crowd noise is such an ancient, universal sound heard all over the world and throughout history. It took me back to when I visited the Roman Coliseum, and I could imagine roar of voices from the crowd. Last night, the only chant I could understand them saying was "Aktobe." The locals pronounce it Oct-TOE-Bay-Uh. The Uh on the end is very quick and slight.



Ceric said that in the winter they hold international dog fights in the soccer stadium. Aie-yie-yie. But the dogs do not fight to the death if that makes you feel any better.

After my morning visit, Aina and I went to the indoor market behind the soccer stadium. They have everything… clothes, shoes, jewelry, toys, electronics, music, movies, housewares and foods of every kind. I bought some Brie for now. After this afternoon's visit I just had a light dinner, did laundry by hand and hung it out on the porch to dry. It’s already 10pm our time, but it just turned dark. There isn’t much dark time here.

I’m falling asleep at the mousewheel, so I’m off to bed. Without Frank. Boo. At least he won’t steal the covers.

We miss you, papa!