Time

California Iowa Washington Jeddah

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Long Time No Update... Sorry....

Well we are still working on getting Internet access at home so that is why.  I do have a new Android phone that I can make a Hot Spot, so that's what I'm using now.  Slower than I'd like but it does the trick.  Now my phone is pay as you go, I pay 500 Rubles a month and I get 300 minutes talk time and unlimited data and SMS.  Work is good and Jolene is liking her job.  Crystal is doing good in school and has started playing soccer.  We've taken some pictures and will get a few up here and there.  The weather is getting cooler, leaves are changing and falling and winter is right around the corner.  Lets see, cost of living is higher here but sometimes it's hard to see the difference when dealing with rubles.  Bottle of soda might be 55 - 60 rubles and I've got 1100, 1200 rubles in my wallet so I get a soda and then I realize I just paid about $2 for a bottle of pop.  Electronics are much higher, a 300 dollar flat screen could be as much as 700 here.

Well time to chat with friends... looks like one in the states and one in China are on right now...

Sunday, September 4, 2011

In Moscow

Well things are settling down a bit. We've been here for 4 days at the time I'm writing this. Not sure when I will get to post it. The flight was about 10 hours and the cats didn't like it a bit. They are flying as cargo next time, and in hard cases. Both the cats started chewing through their kenels. Let's see, next one of our suitcases was lost, after a brief chat with lost and found "suitcase not here." I handed the lady my baggage claim ticket and she breezed off. 5 minutes later she was back with the missing luggage. Yay! So, since it took sooo long to get our luggage, there was no line at customs and we were through customs like it wasn't even there.
The ride home on on the MKAD (freeway that circles Moscow) was like sitting in a parking lot. It took almost 2 hours to get to our new home. Our sponsor had stocked our fridge with odds and ends that we needed to make it through our fist few days and our social sponsors brought over some yummy chicken and rice for dinner.
My first couple of days at work have been good. Learning my duties and standard procedures and checking in. Jolene will be starting work soon too, so that will be nice. The cost of living is much higher here. Crystal is in school and I think she will be challenged this year. The cats are settling in too and making themselves at home.
Yesterday Crystal went out to a mall with a couple of her new friends from school and today we are heading off to get some groceries. Hopefully I can get this posted tomorrow when I go to the high school to get my parent ID.