Appletree + Astana, Kazakhstan

Laura with the Sasha and ??? ... it was a nice day so we got to play outside

Playing our own version of volleyball... me with Vera. I love this girl! Despite not being able to communicate intelligibly with her... =)

In action shot of Michelle running after our train as we left Karaganda for Astana...

Bayterak - the Statue of Liberty equivalent to Kazakhstan... you can see the entire city's amazing architecture from the top

Trying to fit my hand into the President's hand mold... apparently if it fits, a song plays throughout the building. My hand didn't fit... =(

=)

Appletree is the amazing small institution Laura volunteers as that is open to abused children in the suburbs of Karaganda. The kids go for a few hours before or after school and hang out and get a warm meal. Because it was nice they were able to play outside for a few hours but it made me really sad to see little kids running around in a lot filled with pieces of broken glass. I don't know, I'll definitely remember it as one of those 'wow, that's some much need perspective' kind of moments...

Astana is Kazakhstan's capital. It's an incredible city because the capital used to by Almaty (further south) and after moving it, the government has gone to great strides to make it aesthetically pleasing. The architecture is INCREDIBLE wherever you turn. It actually seems slightly out of place given the dry stretches of steppe that surround the outskirts of the city.

Gotta stop procrastinating... =)
- H