More gadgets

This portable hard drive will hold about 60 hours of video or 2 hrs of video/day I am in Kaz so that will be much easier to handle than trying to take blank disks and burn them there. It is about the size of a post card and 1/2" thick so it is very small. I laid out all my electronic that I am bringing on the table today. It looks like a small electronics store! I also have about 100 movie DVDs packed so I should have enough to keep me occupied as long as my computer is functional. I have no idea of Internet capabilities in Shymkent, but since it is a larger city, there should be Internet cafes at least and hopefully I can get semi-reliable Internet in my apartment. I have been on cable Internet for so long, I am not sure how well I will handle using a very slow dial up system.

No update on when I will get my LOI. All I know is that when I get it, they expect me on a plane within 5-7 days. It doesn't sound like I am going to get any advanced warning. My suitcase is packed except for clothes which is really a very small part of the packing. It has to be since the suitcases are already full. Most of what is packed in my check-in bags is donations, gifts, baby stuff and a few things for the apartment. My electronics and dossier/paperwork fill up my carry on. Now that it is getting colder, i will also have to drag along a winter coat. I hope I don't have to lug all of this very far once I get to Kaz. Most of the apartments seem to be on the 5th floor with no elevator so the first trip up with the luggage may be very interesting.