“Adventure without risk equals Disneyland.” Courtesy of Accordian Guy.

Just think of that gap as a mini hiatus. Of course, I think you’re supposed to announce a hiatus, but whatever. I haven’t been in the mood to write much lately. Life has been exactly the same as ever, no better and no worse, and it doesn’t seem to generate the kind of emotions that need to be written about.

Spring is finally approaching. It has been three days since it rained, and the weather was beautiful last night – sunny and clear skies. I suppose it will get way too hot now.

Been proofreading Ian’s dissertation over the last few days. It’s great – all about the history of Tashkent and conveniently answering questions I have been wondering about since I first moved to Uzbekistan. I have always felt that Tashkent wanted to be a teeming Asian city of bazaars and courtyards; Ian’s paper seems to agree with me. Now I just wish I could read something similar about Ashgabat.

I started thinking about grad school yesterday. I am pretty sure I want to do either a DrPh or a PhD in public health, because I’m good at school and I like it. I also want my doctorate to be mostly funded - I don’t want to go further in debt for it. That will necessitate a balance between the kind of school I really want and the kind of school that really wants me. Or a really great scholarship. There are a few out there, and I plan to apply.

So I was searching the internet for information about programs and emailing schools with questions. I think, in the end, I’ll end up following Kir. I already have two degrees from prestigious schools – he doesn’t. He needs a big name more than I do.

Speaking of Kir, keep your fingers crossed. There may be an interesting job prospect on the horizon for him. I am afraid of jinxing it if I say too much, but if it happens it will happen in large part because I am a pushy, pushy woman.

And on the subject of my extreme coolness, I got email from Rani last night asking me for my opinion of her roommate’s bloody stool. (That’s me, expert on peculiar bowel movements and sexually transmitted infections) I diagnosed it as probably just hemorrhoids, which it turns out it was. I inherited this impressive diagnostic ability from my Dad, who is also not a doctor.

Discovered today that Brita filters are $12 each here in Ashgabat. I think I’m going to buy one for the office anyway. I really like having my tea metal-free. And I’ll bring back more Brita filters when I go to San Francisco in June.

The San Francisco tickets were purchased yesterday, so I am really going. This is exciting. I will see my brother and my mom, who I have been missing desperately, and also go to California, where I have never been. I know we’re going to go camping, but I am hoping there will also be seeing of the city.

Rani is also buying tickets. She’s committed herself to coming out this summer whether she gets grant money or not. Kir and I are really looking forward to having a friend conveniently installed in our house, and I am looking forward to having someone to work on this new education project with me. It’s not actually so much work, but it’s a lot to think about with nobody to strategize with.

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USAID is one of many donors for the project I work for. The views expressed herein are the author’s own views and do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer or especially those of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. And I mean it. I probably give the US government heart attacks.