Quba visit

As usual, I'm running about a week behind with my posts and the actual event.  Last weekend I took my first solo trip out to a rayon (region).  My trip was a short distance, 180km a 2 1/2 hour bus ride from the Baku Avtovagzal (bus station)  The Avtovagzal is designed to look like the Titanic. Local buses and some marshruks to the regions depart from the lower level. The "bigger" buses depart from the upper level. There is also a two store outlet mall at the avtovagzal.  Below is a picture of the part of the upper level with the lower level in the background.  The bus station is incredibly busy with local buses departing every couple of minutes.

 My bus to Quba was one of the smaller buses, with "jump" seats in the aisle.  There is a bench seat in the back and two seats up with the driver.  These are primarily for men only and should be rejected by women. The bus driver will try to rearrange the seats so that women are not uncomfortable. The rest of the bus is two seats and one seat.  Once they are filled up, the aisle seats are filled from back to front.  On the way to Quba, I got the last regular seat, however it was over the wheel well and I sat for the entire trip with my bag on my lap and my knees towards my chest.  Most uncomfortable, especially since the padding on the seats is not exactly cushy.

 

The trip to Quba follows the coast north for the first part and then for the last hour heads west towards the mountains.  Quba is known for apples and the region is much greener and a little cooler than Baku.

 

I stayed with another PCV who works with a carpet factory that is all women (a token male, who is related and the driver). There are two rooms with looms and I was able to see women making carpets.  It is incredibly labor intensive, but beautiful to watch.  The factory primarily makes carpets to order. The director sits down with clients to discuss the type, color and design of the carpet. The designs are traditional as part of the mission of the factory is to preserve the designs.The design dictates the sizes that are possible.  Also, while you may order specific colors; the carpet may change as it reveals itself. We had tea in the factory's garden before moving on to our next destination, another PCV's home.

 

Hospitality is incredible in Azerbaijan.  When we arrived and had settled in for the visit, we were served tea and sweets.  Then dinner and capped the visit off with dondurma (ice cream). Ice cream is difficult to find outside the warmer months, so the PCVs look forward to when ice cream becomes available as an end of the cold.  During our visit a couple, who were relatives, stopped by for shots.  Yes, I mean injections.  Like Americans pop pills, the preferred method of delivery of medication appears to be shots.  So, just after tea and before the table was cleared, out came the stuff to get the three injections prepared. Thank goodness they were delivered in a bedroom and we didn't have to watch.  This is all treated with a casual routine that is very matter-of-fact, which makes is all the more interesting.  I hope this doesn't catch on in the states.

 

The next day, we woke up and I got to go to Qirmizi Qesebe the "big red village"  It is reached by a pedestrian bridge(see below)  and is across a river from Quba.  In guide books it is described as the only all-Jewish town outside of Israel and some believe that the inhabitants are direct descendants of one of the "lost tribes".

 

After walking through the village, I grabbed my bags and started my journey back home.  This time, I got a more comfortable seat.  Also the bus was newer and air conditioned.  I really scored. After letting the driver know that I wanted to get off before the Avtovagzel, with help from my fellow passengers. I got off and walked the fifteen minutes home.  The buses will pretty much stop anywhere on their routes, including the side of the freeway.  This is a little odd, but incredibly helpful.

A street in the red village.  Looks very similar to those in Quba, but many have the Star of David instead of the Crescent Star. 

Next weekend, a trip to Mingachevir where there is a large reservoir. I've been told to bring my swimsuit.  This is a longer trip, but I will have company.

Patti

P.S. Azerbaijan words are not necessarily spelled correctly.  There are several letters that I should insert as symbols, but I'm a little lazy.



A typical day - part 2

I described a typical day during training and I want to post a new Daily Activity Schedule (DAS) as a volunteer.  I plan on posting this “typical day” format a few more times during my Peace Corps adventure.  In part, for me to review and see how it changes over the course of 27 months.  I have been a volunteer for about 4 weeks and have been at my site for just about 3 weeks. While I have a work schedule – I work from 9:30 – 4:00, four days a week at one organization.  As I get more comfortable and my language improves, I will expand my service. There is a lot less structure to my week.

My Monday thru Thursday DAS is as follows:

7:30-8:00 -wake up, get ready for the day, make and eat breakfast

8:45 – gather my bag, lunch and head out to work.  It is a 30 minute walk.  Right now the temperature averages in the 80-90’s so it is a toasty walk.

9:15 – arrive at work and say Salam

9:15-1:00 – talk with my counterpart and other staff members.  Look at information/data. Talk with the PCV that am overlapping with until October. Research. Study language.

1:00 – 1:30 lunch

1:30 – 4:00 more work

4:00 – 4:45 walk home.  I’m a little slower at night and often stop in at a store on my way home. I haven’t kicked my diet coke habit and indulge in one a day, in addition to my cups of tea.

On Fridays, I have a two hour tutoring session with my Azerbaijan language teacher.  She is due to move closer to my site in a couple of months and then I should have tutoring in person.  I need to bring my language skills up to intermediate – mid.  They are progressing.

Saturdays I've been exploring and Sundays I rest.

I have gone into Baku four times by myself and have had little adventures each time.  I’m getting a handle on the buses.  There doesn’t appear to be published schedules or routes.  I just ask people who know, including PCVs, my host family and co-workers.  The buses run often, but I need to factor in traffic and construction to get places on time. It also helps if I remember to bring my map.  Directions include behind the mosque near the Turkish Embassy, so time needs to be factored in for the preciseness of the directions.  I now feel comfortable getting to the Peace Corps office, the office by the mosque, a couple of universities and the old city. Right now I’m focusing on the bus system and next I’ll tackle metro. But since you can’t see landmarks in a subway tunnel, I’m staying above ground for now. 

Typical food has not changed much but the timing and serving has. Meals are served family style in the kitchen. I have kitchen privileges and that makes a world of difference.  Though grilled cheese is my only kitchen adventure to date.  I am, however, watching and assisting in the kitchen.

·         Breakfast

o   Yogurt & muesli

o   Eggs

o   Tea

·         Lunch

o   Leftovers – my office has a microwave (Yipee!!)

·         Dinner – lots of variety

o   Bread

o   Soup – not every dinner but often (I really like lentils)

o   Main dish

§  Dolma (grape leaf, cabbage leaf, tomato, eggplant, pepper)

§  Plov (rice dish – supposedly 140+ varieties)

§  Potatoes

§  Potato cutlet (hash browns with greens)

§  Eggplant – fried, steamed, with other stuff

§  Bulger and other grains

§  Salad – combination of cucumber, tomato, onion, pepper and greens

§  Usually some sort of meat (typically beef or chicken) in combination with one or more of the above

I’ve also had a couple of yogurt drinks, which are good in small quantities.

Lots and lots of tea.  Sometimes there is a light meal when I get home from work and then another meal between 8:00 and 9:00.

I’m eating small meals, I think primarily because it is so hot.  The last time I weighed myself, I had lost 15 pounds. I’m looking pretty good.

My family lives on a small salt lake.  The house is on a rise, so we get a nice breeze that really helps with the heat.  There is a wonderful garden, with fruits and vegetables and about 80 chickens.  Only 40 chickens belong to my immediate family, the other half belong to my host father's brother who lives next door. We are currently enjoying cucumber, greens and the tomatoes are starting to come in season.

 

Salam

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 [

End of Life Observance

Last week an aunt of my host family passed away.  I am going to try to describe the mourning observations, as I understand them. 

On they day of death, the body is buried according to tradition.  Azerbaijan is a secular Muslim country and the vast majority of population are members of the Muslim faith.

The mourning period is forty days.  Days of particular importance are the 3rd, 7th and 40th days, along with four Thursdays during the mourning period.  On those days people pay their respects to the family and pray for the soul of the deceased.  I was invited to attend the 7th day observation.  The observation was held in a community hall that had five rows of tables.  Each row sat 60 - 100 people.  Approximately 600 people attended and were served dinner. Not all families' observations include dinner.  Some may only serve tea and sweets.

The dinner was prepared and hosted by family members.  The meal was served in two sittings. The first sitting was for men. An Imam spoke at the beginning of the meal.  He spoke of the deceased, read from the Quran and lead a prayer. The meal consisted of plates of the following; greens and cheese, cucumber, tomatoes and red basil, dogva  (hot or cold yogurt drink with herbs), potatoes and meat, two types of bread, tea and sweets, and helva, a traditional sweet from my family's region. Serving dishes are replaced as needed.  Helva is butter, sugar, a little flour and water. It is a little grainy but has a nutty/caramel taste.   

At the end of each sitting, the Imam gave a prayer, signaling that the guests were free to leave.  The men's sitting filled  about half the seats.  While the men ate, the women were in a different space, mourning the deceased. The women's sitting filled the space.  In between the two sittings, the tables were cleared and reset.  The serving dishes were also cleaned and replenished. As people left, they contribute money to the family.  Each contribution is recorded. People who come after one of the main sittings have started/ended are sat and settings are provided to them. The family members eat after the two primary sittings, getting up as need to meet their guest needs.

There was also lots of cold water, which was greatly appreciated by all.  It was in the low to mid 90's today and no breeze to speak of.  Some women carry fans to keep cool.  The rest of us dabbed our faces with napkins. I believe that a fan is an upcoming purchase.

The event was a lot of work and a wonderful experience.  It is marvelous to see how the family members work together to make sure that each guest is greeted and made to feel welcome. Also it is a special event to remember the deceased and pray for their soul.

Part two of my travels

After swearing in we had one more week of training then on Friday, June 21st I hopped in a car with my accumulation of stuff and made the 15k journey to my new host family.  My new family also has four members, not including the two brothers (of my host father) families who live next door and across the street.  My host sister and brother are both in their mid-twenties vs. mid to late teens of my previous host family.

Our house is on/overlooks a small salt lake.  While it is pretty from a distance, not so much close up. The house is on a slight rise.  This appears to provide for a nice breeze and helps mitigate the heat.  We have had at least one 100 degree day.  Right now it is hovering in the high 80's low 90's and we still have July and August to get through.  I've been advised to stay indoors 11-4. On work days that is easy but we'll see how it works on the weekends.

View from my room through the bedroom screen. This also overlooks the garden which is wonderful.  So far it has produced tut(marionberries), blackberries (not the PNW kind, more like blueberries), cucumber and strawberries.  It also has apple, pear, pomegranate trees.  The garden will have onion, pepper, tomatoes, garlic, beans and potatoes plus lots of  herbs.  My host mother will do a lot of canning to provide vegetables during the winter.

I have regular access to the internet, but water is not terribly reliable.  It seems to have daily issues and due to a break we lost it for over 24 hours.  Typically it is either a water pressure issue or it is turned off for a short period. While it is disconcerting, it can be coped with fairly easily.  I just need to keep my water filter filled.

I continue to work on my language skills.  I will be tutoring with my training teacher via Skype. I'm hoping that she will move to Baku shortly and I can tutor in person. My family and work will also help.

I've started going to my organization but it will take some time to learn about the org, where they would like me to focus and where their is a fit with my skills and their needs.  I'll keep you posted.

Still thrilled I signed up. More to follow. Patti

The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.

Matt, Olivia, yours truly and Kim

Swearing In

After ten weeks of training, I have made it.  As of June 14^th, I am now a Peace Corps Volunteer.  The 27 AZ11’s, as our group is identified, all made it through training without the loss of a single trainee.  We still have one week of training to complete before we all head off to our two year assignments.

 

We were bused from our training site to a hotel in Baku.  We got there about an hour before the ceremony began.  Photos galore ensued. At eleven the ceremony began.  The audience included current Peace Corps Volunteers, Peace Corps Staff, members of our host families, counterparts from our worksites, Embassy staff and representatives of the Azerbaycan government. My host mother and sister attended, or as I call them my two bacɪms.

 

I went into the Swearing In ceremony, without realizing how important it was going to be. What followed was truly meaningful and emotional. Three of my peers performed the national anthems of both counties. The Swearing In ceremony also celebrated the ten year anniversary of the Peace Corps

in Azerbaycan.  Speakers included a woman who has worked for Peace Corps since it began in Azerbaycan, the Country Director, our Training Director, a representative of the organizations Peace Corps work with, a representative of the government, a former volunteer, the US Ambassador and an AZ11.  Each speaker was wonderful.  Ambassador Morningstar swore us in. We received our AZ Peace Corps pins and IDs. 

 

Çay and treats followed, along with more pictures.  Then we were released for the day with instructions to be back at sight before dark.  We separated into smaller groups and went different ways. Many of the groups ended up in the same part of town and the groups intermingled until it was time to head for home.  Three buses later, I arrived at sight precisely at nine (the equivalent of Cinderella’s midnight).  I could still see part of the sun on the horizon. One more short bus ride and I was home.  Tired, happy and pretty proud of my achievement of becoming a Volunteer.

 

Now the work continues.  We have one more week of training. Typically we would be heading for site, but the ceremony was held a week early to accommodate staff schedules.  We have three more days of language, one of technical, a summer camp project and two HUB days.  Then we move to our permanent sites.  I am moving 15 kilometers closer to Baku. I start my work on Monday, June 24^th.  I need to continue to work on my language and will be working with a tutor to continue my studies.  It is becoming easier to distinguish words and I can for the most part negotiate the basics of life, but I have a long way to go.

 

I will have greater access to internet at my site and plan on updating my adventures more frequently.  I hope all of you are well and I wish all of you peace. Inşallah.

Baku Visit

Last week we had our first outing to Baku.  Our guides were current Peace Corps Volunteers. We met at the local bus station and traveled to the big Baku bus station, where we transferred to a bus to the city center.  First stop, the Peace Corps office.  There is a lounge there for volunteers that I will be able to access once I'm sworn in. Then on to the train station that is across from the world's largest KFC.  I went in. It has two red curved staircases that go up to the second floor where you can get beer along with your fried chicken. No fried chicken for me today.

From the train station we went to the Metro and took Metro to the old city and then a bus to Martyrs' Lane, a memorial to Azerbaijans killed in during the struggle for independence. It is a very moving site. Last to Old Town.  I bought a scarf for my growing collection. I plan on going back to Baku and exploring more.

We went to a restaurant owned by two ex-pat couples.  It is a "Mexican" restaurant.  I shared a pulled pork sandwich and chicken nachos with a friend. Not exactly like home but familiar flavors.  I really like the food here but a taste of home is always welcome.

Wandered around for a hour then back to the bus experience for a trip back home.  We have to be off the roads between sites before dark.  I feel a little like Cinderella. My host mother was a little worried and called looking for me.  I had just turned the corner to home around 8:30.  It is both nice and a little odd to be watched out for this much.

I'm trying to add pictures, but for some reason the majority of the picture is being cut off.  I'll find someone to help me fix.

I will soon have regular access to the internet and hope to post more frequently.  Only three weeks to swearing in.  In four weeks I'll be at site.  I've been assigned to work with a local organization that provides health services to lower income individuals across Azerbaijan. The office is located in a suburb of Baku, so it will be easy for me to travel all over Azerbaijan.

Patti

This  blog does not represent the views of the Peace Corps

Gobustan Redux

Gobustan – Saturday, April 27^th

 

 We went to Gobustan National Park, which is also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the quality and number of its petroglyphs.  It was our first real trip outside Baku and Sumgayit, which is a suburb like Bellevue is to Seattle.

We piled into a large bus, all 27 of us along with Peace Corps staff, a friend or two and some children.  At Gobustan, we split into two groups for a private tour of the museum that opened last year.  It is very nice.  The tour guide ran us through the two floors in record time. Then we went a short distance to another guide who took us on a path that gave us access to the petroglyphs.

After lunch we got back on the bus and drove to the mud volcanos.  The driver got lost, but got directions from a local and after driving on a dirt side road with ruts so deep that if wet would have been impassible.  We then had to hike half a mile up a hill to the volcanos.  One girl was standing on the edge of one and it collapsed and she got sucked into her waist.  Another girl, pulled her out and rescued her shoe which was sucked off.  Later a small mud fight ensued but I stayed out of it.  I had brought a change of shoes but not clothes. 

 

 

Back on the bus to Sumgayit and home.

This blog does not represent the views of the Peace Corps