START Reunion on December 21-22-23

Dear friends,

We are back from START reunion in Almaty. Here're some pictures from the party at Denis's place. NEWS!!!! - next reunion is scheduled for June 06 at Issyk-Kul. Please, let me know if you would like to help organize it.
Dina, Dina, Sholpa, Savrisha, Jaka, Shams, Denis under one of Almaty's christmas trees

Sholpa, Saule, Mdina at Denis&Madina's kitchen

Shams and Sasha posing...well, Sasha posing

Sasha's Din wife and Togzhan at Denis&Madina's guest room

having tea with old colleagues

Skaji-ka diadia, ved' ne darom....

Ladies aving their 5 o'clock tea....Dinara, Bakha's wife, Madina. Saulekha, Savrisha

Big city people - Misha and Ksenia

Gosti razmarilis - Sasha, Ella, Oksana, Dina, Savrisha

ia vse piu-piu, a mne vse huje i huje....

Tri devici pod oknom...Liuba, Sholpa, i Togzhan

tri bogatiria

rebenki

vipiem niania, gde je krujka!

Sasha i Kolia ne daut Savri skuchat'

Nu vot, vse tolko nachalos, a oni uje ukhodiat. This lady is Andy's wife

another cup of tea (old Kazakh tradition)

Photographer was drunk, as well as the models...

Revealing

Jaka, thank you. Here're my answers (eto Denis K):

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?- No. They just liked name Denis.

2. When was the last time you cried? - In June 07.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING ? - No

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?- Pork and mutton. beef is also good... as well as rabbit...

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?- No, and not really looking forward

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? - kaneshna!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM ALOT?- Yes. i think i use is too often... tak cho, ne obijaites!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS ?- Yes. I like them. (hot' uznal, chto takoe tonsil).

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?- Never in my life. Just thinking of it scares sh*t out of me.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?- Cake - 4 chocolates...yammmm

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?- No. I untie them when i'm going to wear them again,

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?- I think i am. krepki oreshek.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?- banana

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE - how they smell and if thewy smile or not

15. RED OR PINK?- Red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF?- my inonsistancy

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?- I miss me 10 years ago

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?- YES! No exceptions, please!

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING- blue jeans and black cowboy shoes

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? - for breakfast: French fries, fried egg, and a toste with butter

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? - nothing

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? - Green

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?- wood, grass, coffee, fried chicken, man there are many things with odor i like

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED to on THE PHONE?- my mom

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?- Kaneshna! she's one of my best friends and she's very cool! And she likes figure skating too.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?- Figure skating

27. WHAT IS YOUR BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE?- i'm too shy to say:):):)

28. DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING?- I collect garbage under my sink :)

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?- No

30. FAVORITE FOOD?- My granny's borsh

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?- enjoy watching both. I watched 6 trillers yesterday!!! of which i would recoment "The plightplan" - super film!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? - "Pod pricelom". the movie is about a man whos daughter was shot by an idior in her school. The man kidnapped a women who is whife of the gun manufactury president. nive movie, lots of blood and deaths.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?- it's winter. hello! i'm wearing a sweater

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?- Summer

35. HUGS OR KISSES?- Both! (hey, Jaka! we're similar in that!)

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?- Bird milk

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?- ne ponial voposa

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?- a. ponial. a her ego znaet

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?- I just finished TOEFL prep book. Jaka - thank you for lending it to me (you see... Jaka is cool. i told you!)

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?- a mouse

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?- i watched 7 trillers. i told you

42. FAVORITE SOUND?- the sound of heart bearing. i know that if the sound stops, there is something to happen shortly after

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?- Sophia Rotaro forever!

44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?- I don't know. Should be eiher Thailand or Amsterdam. Both are far.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?- too shy to say:):):)

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?- Russia

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?- Vsekhnie

48. YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY?- Kurmanait this year!

fun and informative

I couldn't think of another title for this message!

Today I recieved a message from John with a series of questions and his answers. You are supposed to respond the same questions and return them to the person who sent them to you. This is a way of learning more about your friends. So, I decided it would be fun for us to share things about ourselves too. And so, I start! You've got to answer them too because it is fun! As I promised below, I will bug you!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?- No, my parents just liked the name.
2. When was the last time you cried? - Mm, I actually cry pretty often. Must be a couple weeks ago.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING ? - No
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?- Any kind of meat .. chicken, beef..no dogs
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?- No, but really looking forward to that
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? - Of course, other people are friends with me now, and I would be my own friend too. Though, I act like I am my own enemy..I do things that are bad for me, like smoking and overdrinking
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM ALOT?- Yeah, probably. Unfortunately
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS ?- Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?- I am too much of a chicken
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?- I don't eat cereal
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?- Not if I can take them off without that
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?- I don't, I am weak.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?- Chocolate
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?- The way they talk, if they are friendly or not
15. RED OR PINK?- Red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF?- My extra weight
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?- When I was away for several months, I missed my sister the most
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?- Of course!
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING- Black pants and a grey sweater
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? - Funcheza
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? - Gorod 312
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? - Red
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?- Fresh bread, also like how it smells after rain
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED to on THE PHONE?- Some guy at the Swiss coop office
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?- A lot, he is a great person and a friend
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?- Figure skating
27. WHAT IS YOUR BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE?- I don't know? Eyes... no?
28. DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING?- No. Actually, I've collected the Cosmopolitans and Vogues. I was thinking last night that I need to get rid of them, but I probably won't. I also have the National Geographics that Will didn't want to get rid of, and somehow I ended up keeping them.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?- Yes
30. FAVORITE FOOD?- I like WIll's chilly, the Turkish rools he makes, Yulia's and John's apple pie!
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?- Happy Endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? - not the last, but the one that impressed me greatly- the Life of David Gail about people that fought against death penalty. Brr, a very impressive movie.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?- I'm wearing a sweater, remember?
34. SUMMER OR WINTER?- Summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES?- Both!
36. FAVORITE DESSERT?- I like chocolate cakes and apple pie
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?- I will bug everyone to respond
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?- I will bug everyone to respond
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?- The Devil and Miss Prym by Paolo Coelho. Just started yesterday
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?- I don't have one
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?- I watched my yoga DVD and tried to follow too
42. FAVORITE SOUND?- the sound of rain
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?- Stones
44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?- the US probably
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?- I can sleep for hours and hours! Is it a talent? :)
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?- Bishkek, years ago when it was called Frunze
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?- Everyone's
48. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY?- The New Year

Hiya!!!!

Guys,

can we try to get together for our traditional X-Mas, pre New Year party, please! I am even willing to host it, or we can go out (which may be hard because cafes are all booked already, most likely)

Keep in touch. Keep this flame alive!

Hugs,

Jaka

Vova Ivanov

Vsem privet!

Vovka Ivanov (who used to be our intern a couple of years ago) asked to say hi to all. This is his recent picture from Moscow - big boss! :)

START PARTY

Guys,

For those of you who doesn't know, there will be a START reunion in Almaty on Dec 22-23. Jarkyn and I are taking off from Bishkek on Friday, Dec 21. Everyone is welcome to join the party. Denis, Saule, and Liuba will try to host us all but we need to let them know how many people exactly there will be comming. So, if you decide to go, please inform either Jaka or me. The agenda is pritty much flexible:

22nd morning - Medeo skating ring
22nd evening - dinner at a cafe
23rd morning - shopping, othodniak
23rd evening - departure to Bishkek

Looking forward to see you there. We're going on marshrutka, BTW.

Hugs,

DK

You are so creative!!!

Deniska, spasibo! Ty zdorovo vse eto pridumal, gde by my ni byli, my vsegda smojem byt' vmeste. I na scating davaite, vot eshe by snow vypal, bylo by sovsem 4udesno.
Vsex AEDshnikov obnimayu!
Dina

Thank yuo!

Denis, kakoi ty molodetc a, vsetaki...da tebe ceny net..
Tak vse klassno.
Jaka, ia za to chtoby pokatatsia...nado by pouchitsya toje.

Lera

Scating

This is right, Jaka!

Let's all go to Bely Parus this Sunday to rehearse.

I've heard that they charge 150 an hour to use the ring, and 150 for the koni rent. In total it's 300 per hour. A little expensive but it's healthy and good for your legs.

LET"S GO!!!!!!

DK

December 3, 2007

Hi All.

Denis, thank you for starting the blog. Ok, I need to start doing something exciting right now so that I have staff to share with you all :) In the meantime, I am enjoying the beautiful weather from the window in my office. Wish I could get out and drive outside the city to the mountains!

Have you guys been to the skating rinks yet? I think we should all go. Denis and I need to practice before Medeo!

Cheers,

Jaka

START Blog launched

Dear START friends!

It's my honor and a great pleasure to launch this blog where we all (including family members) can post our news, share thoughts, update everybody on our moves, post pictures of our hapy friends and families, and do a lot more. The beauty of blogs is that every user in our group will be web-developer and an exclusive author at the same time. We all can change the way our blog look. Feel free to try.

I very much hope that this site will be a place for us to meet often (although, there's no doubt that meeting is person is more exciting). I think we can even post videos here but i'm not sure how. Well, this is why good people created "help" link on the top-right corner of the blog page. silly i'm, to put video you need to click on the film picture on the bar.

Ok, happy launch!!!

And let's keep it alive...at least for some time:)

DK