A Busy Summer

7 July 2009
Aktobe

The times between writing tend to be very busy.  The last few months have been filled with a series of projects that have been relatively continuous between planning and implementation; layered on top of each other.  I have lots of stories.  As I’ll be home in under a year, I am looking forward to sharing them.  I’ve been trying to write the “next” e-mail for a few months now.  I sit down and I think about what has happened since the last update and I’m not sure what to write.  Each day is busy.  As I’ve mentioned, our new office is a huge improvement over the location we were in when I first arrived.  We’re settled into our rooms and desks.  We have enough chairs and tables for our big volunteer club meetings, a white board, a nice book collection that people browse while waiting to meet with someone or are just bored, a solid collection of board games, an exercise ball gifted by a team of physical and occupational therapists who came to work with our disabled children for a week, and the computers are set-up – though still without Internet.

There are lots of stories – that make each day, but the big events are the projects.  Especially over the last few months, I’ve been focused on a number of projects, including the following:

Wheelchair Factory

We’ve started construction.  The place looks nothing like the building when I first saw it.  In place of the low-hanging, moldy ceiling is a smooth, concrete ceiling.  The narrow hallways have been widened by knocking down walls and combining small, dark rooms into spaces where someone would like to spend their time.  The old windows let less light in than a closed door – the new windows make it seem almost outside.  There’s still a lot of construction to go, but our crew anticipates finishing in August.  Then – we begin the next step – training.

Golden Heart II

In early June, we held the the second in what we hope to be a series of camps for disabled children in Aktobe.  The first “Golden Heart” was last November at a nice hotel in Aktobe for disabled children and their parents, supported by volunteers from our volunteer club.  This second “Golden Heart” was at a beautiful retreat outside of the city.  25 disabled children and their parents or siblings, along with 20 volunteers spent two days at the camp.  Along with the bon fire, horseback riding, darts, and disco, the team of physical and occupational therapists attended the camp and worked individually with many of the participants.  The PT/OT team had three people from the Netherlands and one from England.  Two of them, Nathan and Corrine, have been living in Southern Kazakhstan (in different places) for over two years and more than one year, respectively, while the other two, Evelien and Hanna, came to Kazakhstan for a few months to specifically work with those needing therapy around the country.  All of them were great and opened my eyes to the need of well-trained occupational and physical therapists in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan Volunteer Handbook

The handbook on “developing volunteer organizations in Kazakhstan” is finished.  What started as group work from our Volunteer Development Seminar in Almaty in March, continued with team work around the country, led to an editing trip to Almaty, and concluded with Internet editing is ready to be printed.  We will be distributing the handbook around Kazakhstan and on-line.

Tres Hombers Party: Soviet Style

A few weeks ago, my friends and I in Aktobe organized our third “Tres Hombres” charity party.  This one was again a comedy show, with an assortment of other acts, including an amazing choir, balalaika and cello players, and a fashion show.  We had around 180 people in attendance.  Unlike the last party, I did a comedy skit at this one.  I was an American “expert” who came to a Soviet collective farm.  Unfortunately, my translator didn’t know English.  Each guest received a Pioneer tie and a shot of samogan.  “Pioneers” were the state-sponsored Soviet youth group for school-aged (grades three till seven) children.  Samogan is Soviet vodka moonshine.  We decorated the room with huge banners of funny revisions of old Soviet posters, along with the Soviet leaders.  A local Soviet-themed restaurant also provided a “Red Corner” with old Soviet decorations, along with the assistance of two of their waitresses.  They were very helpful, as they knew how to tie the ties for each guest.

The money from the last party went to a number of projects helping disabled children.  We helped purchased a rehabilitation suit for a child with cerebral palsy, sponsored a women’s day party for disabled girls, supported the first “Golden Heart”, bought holiday presents, and purchased adjustable tables specially designed for individuals in wheelchairs.  Money from this party will again be focused on needs in Aktobe, possibly including disabled children and a home for orphan babies and young children.

Hippotherapy

Our hippotherapy program with disabled children has been great.  We’re at a new location, with an excellent trainer, involving more children than last year, and focusing more on therapy than just putting the child on the horse and riding.  Also, we’re working with an American hippotherapy stable, “Healing Horses”, who has helped design our training regimens and has been providing a lot of help in moving forward and expanding the project this year.

It’s very strange that I only have a few more months here.  I’ve been comfortable here for a while, but in the last few months (mainly in the time I haven’t written an update e-mail), Aktobe feels very much like home.  Part of that is due to the weather.  Walking outside at 9:30 PM when it’s still light outside, sitting in a cafe, and seeing other people relaxing at the fountain makes it more fun.  But, it’s also work going well and enjoying what I am doing.  I’m very sad to leave and am preferring not to focus on my departure yet.  But, I’m also looking forward to what I’ll be doing next.

Golden Heart II: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/2#
Pizza Party: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/PizzaParty21May09#
Wheelchair Racing: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/WheelchairRacing#
PT/OT: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/OperationMercyTrainings#
OZPG 10th Anniversary Celebration: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/OZPG10thAnniversaryCelebration#
Hippotherapy: http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/HippotherapyDay1#; http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/HippotherapyDay2#; http://picasaweb.google.com/aktobeinvalids/HippotherapyDay3#; http://picasaweb.google.com/treshombresaktobe/HippotherapyDay4#

Tres Hombres Party:
Blog: www.treshombresaktobe.blogspot.com
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/treshombresaktobe/xvyzWK#