This is a serious and hopefully final attempt on my part to keep a regularly updated diary. It might not be this one but at the moment i will experiement on what there is available.

Understandably retelling the last couple of years, or even couple of months is a Herculean job. So i will be going backwards from the freshest notable memories to the olderst ones as there will be time in schedule.

Weekend 22-24 July 2005

Reception

Last weekend, 23-24 July 2005, was a rather peaceful, fruitful but also a relaxing one. More on that later, but let me preceed with a story of 10th anniversary of the office where i work. Around 300 people were invited of whom 250 appeared. My colleague and i visited the hotel earlier to make sure all is set and ready. we were shown around by the manager and found out that the restaurance (or terrace how they call it) presents a lovely setting for a less official celebratory occasion. one could also rent out the premises of Japanese guarden nearby and order outside catering from hotel. that is a good (but not cheap) option for a beautiful wedding party

originally i thought my job was to socialize with people, but it later turned out that i would be part-time photographer and cashier for the 2 hrs of the event. the first one is a job i like so i enjoyed despite the heaviness of the camera and lack of a chance to talk to all the nice people gathered for this occasion, like NGOs and students. alas.... then i was on and off caught by individuals requesting reimbursement of transportation expenses. at some point there was a short time to have some food and chat with former and current colleagues, take pics of chaps from our youth programme and simply enjoy the evening. students were keep to enjoy the evening as well. they finally got enough courage to greet ambassador and other guests, then get hold of musical instruments of hired jazz band and take zillions of pics. in the end, besides the staff of the office, they were the only ones left in the room. finally they got the hint that its a private party from now on and departed leaving my colleagues with numerous ironic smiles and comments on the fact of the first reception in students' history!

we then continued with some hot drinks and toasts mixed with jokes. pics or compromat were numerous. after all alcohol was gone part of us moved to a bar and others left.

Saturday and Sunday

on Saturday we had a couple of hrs meeting with students discussing logistics and representation of a summer camp planned for midaugust. then cousin and i went to a market to buy some pottery to finally transfer the flowers brought all the way from issyk-kul to tashkent. then we went to her place briefly dropping by another, bigger market to buy (water)melons and boiled corn. i love that market at sunset!

we had a great meal in the evening followed by chilled watermelon. rest of the time nothing significant: watching TV, chatting, sleeping. i left the place at 8 am on Monday, back to work and office routine....