April 17, 2011
It's Sunday, the one day we don't have school… but my alarm rings at 7:20 and I question if it's really worth it… it is. I've gotta hit the street before the Sunday bazaar-crowd starts their migration to the market. If I wait too long, I'll draw unwanted attention. "Is that a girl? Running? Why?" I crawl out of bed, promising myself an afternoon nap.
Lunch rolls around, I eat alone, then sneak off to my room to start cleaning. I wipe down all counter space- still alarmed by the dust buildup. The outside comes in with more ferocity in Kazakhstan than at home- probably because the windows are always open and the streets are paved with dirt.
Five o'clock: I take the two year old out for a walk- a meager effort to wear her out before a non-existent bedtime. We see a man ride past on a camel. I'm dumbfounded. Why isn't anyone stopping to stare? There's a man on a Bactrian trotting right alongside the 80's style cars as they put down Main Street.
The toddler refuses to walk another step twenty minutes from home… so in addition to some cardio, I get an arm workout today.
At 7:30 I settle into a chair by my window to use the fading light for a rare treat: a New York Times dated February 28th. Ah yes, real news! As the sun dips lower into the mountains, I read about Libyan rebels, a new approach to White House fitness, and the fresh look for the Oscars.
Another lulling Sunday and it's life as usual, yet everything feels so surreal.
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