moving forward "malko po malko"#2

So aparently "moving forward 'malko po malko'" is my most popular blog.  I have tried to figure out why to write a #2 but haven't figured anything out.  But here goes...First off "malko po malko" means "little by little" and that's a very common expression for me.  There's also "stupka po stupka" which means "step by step.”  Both are uttered by me on a daily basis pretty much.  The language and my tutoring have suffered I’m afraid to say.  I still have tutoring 2 hours a week but went without all summer until this past January I think without a "formal" lesson.  Of course sitting with my neighbors at the end of the day during the summer and, well, just living here are tutoring themselves!  I have to say I’m not doing a good enough job at being proactive in speaking or getting out and practicing my B.  Of course I’m not a hermit all the time either but I did a much better job my first year.  But I have come to the conclusion, actually I came to this conclusion awhile ago, that I work in and English school, speak E with the students, work with E teachers, and the people I meet that know E want to practice, so the fact that I'm not going to be fluent in B is something I've learned to accept.  As long as my community sees me trying that's enough for me!  When I go other places and people compliment my B it does bring a smile to my face and make me feel good.  Another factor in this is my counterpart, Nargis, who wants to practice her E.  SInce we both want to practice each other's languages we have made a deal to go week by week, 1 week E and the next week B, although sometimes I slip up;  talk about our work is usually done in E.  When I mentioned the "pochievka" time in the middle of the day and said things shut down...they don't.  In the middle of the day, 12:30-4, is usually when people stop and take a break, but everything stays open here.  When I first got here I learned about this time and not to disturb anyone during this time, basically no one goes gosti.  THen I was invited  gosti during that time period and got confused.  So now I've learned it's pretty much an individual thing, some people sleep during this time and just relax and some people don't.  I don't and Nargis doesn't, she gets bored, but my neighbors do.  Sometimes I will hear one of my babas out working in the hallway of our building, go out to help her, and she will invite me for coffee at 2:30-3, right in the middle of "pochievka time."  Or one time (this isn't about the pochievka time but it's a cute story about a pochievka- literally pochievka means "rest") I was coming home from somewhere and noticed baba N. in the hallway tearing cardboard for her stove.  I think I blogged about this...oh well.  I asked her if she wanted help and she said I could help if I wanted.  I closed my door and went to help her and she told me to get some cardboard from inside her apartment.  Right when I went to ask her if I had the right cardboard she said "you've been working hard, let's take a break."  In all reality I had not been working hard but I went with it.  We preceeded to watch a Turkish program, of which I understood nothing but I heard baba N. laugh at parts so it must have been pretty funny, and have coffee.  When I went to leave after about an hour she said "but this next program is the best one!  You aren't going to watch it with me?"  Anyway, where else can you take a break from working hard without having worked hard?   I just decided I'm going to break this up into 2 blogs, so more of the same coming on Thursday.  Sandy, keep your chin up and R, glad things are going well!  Love and hugs from here!  I neverpictured Peyton anything but a Colt!!  I guess things change!!