Department of Education

My interview at the Department of Education was a success!  It was definitely a bit like a job interview.  The interview had to be rescheduled from a couple of days ago and we booked it at the last minute, so we had to rush back to my apartment so that I could quickly change into my good clothes, and of course, my new lipstick!  Gulnara lent me a silk scarf to complete my outfit.  I was quite well prepared for the interview questions, thanks to all of the other international adopting parents who had told me what to expect.  In addition to the usual questions about my daughter and my job, house, income, neighbourhood, and family in Canada, I was quizzed on some basic knowledge of Kazakhstan.  My coordinator Gulnara and translator Alex actually weren't expecting these questions, because apparently the woman who likes to ask them is relatively new - and they were somewhat impressed that I actually knew the answers!  I was asked to name the President, the capital city and where it was located, and describe 'recent important political events that had occurred in Kazakhstan in the month of December.'  Fortunately, I was prepared for all of these questions.  I was also asked about my knowledge of international adoption law.

Tomorrow is court day!  It is not guaranteed that I will get through the court procedure tomorrow, however, because we are waiting on updated adoption documents coming from Canada, that are currently in transit with UPS and are somewhere between Germany and here at present.  If the judge will not accept non-original copies of these documents, his decision might be delayed until they arrive - but we are going to court tomorrow and hoping that he'll make his decision without them.