As we inch into summer, my first summer living on my own, I find that this is a season of utility management challenges. Fall and spring seem to have few utility challenges, with winter and summer having more. As this utility season starts, I remember the issues from when I lived with my host family, but they were already prepared and had several ways to mitigate. Primarily a secondary cooking source and a water cistern. I have neither of these so need to keep my water management up to date and have food available that I don't have to cook.
Water seems to be the easiest to manage since it is somewhat predictable. Water has good pressure until around eleven in the morning, then the water pressure either drops or there is no water at all. Water seems to return in the evening between five and six, but usually low pressure until ten. I think this has a lot to do with the watering of gardens that seems to begin around six. Lack of gas and electricity seem to be quite random but frequent. There is a lot of construction going on. Baku is hosting the first European Games next year and it seems that no matter where you go something is being dug up, paved, torn down and constructed.
Sunday's utility schedule was as follows: 9:00 am took sheets and towels over to my host family's house to use the washing machine while there was good pressure (a load takes just under two hours), water cut off just about then. Back home, hoped to make another cup of coffee - no gas. Read and finally made coffee, but no water. Went to the store and bought a chicken to roast for my upcoming week's protein. Got the chicken ready, no electricity until just before 9:00 pm, popped chicken in and ate just after 10:00. Since I had clean sheets, I wanted to take a shower and wash my hair. Initially no water then really low pressure. Took my shower anyway but washing and rinsing my hair took 3-4 times as long.
The chicken came out great and I went to bed clean. As the saying goes; all's well that ends well.
P.S. While I was washing my clothes, I asked my host mother for some potatoes. The potato crop is in. So off to the garden we went. First we hit up the tut (marionberry) tree and noshed a bit there, then on to the potatoes, red basil, cucumber, green beans, apricot, cherry tree and some fruit that has a stone and is tasty but I have no idea what it is. I came out of the garden with two small plastic bags with all of these items and she threw in four eggs. Cut down on my shopping list. Later there will be pomegrande, apple, figs, pears, carrots, tomatoes, and eggplant. The garden is large and a huge amount of work, but it provides lovely food.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
A typical day - #3 update
I went home last night and decided to try to figure out why the water to the sink in the house didn't run. After getting out my leatherman for its pliers, I unscrewed the faucet head and found it to be crusted with sediment. The dirt here has a lot of clay. I basically had to pry the encrusted clay and minerals off this plastic piece. Then I ran a sharp knife around to get into a small channel. Rinsed off the screens, put it all back together and voila, I have water in my house again. A little peeved with myself for taking so long to work on it, but alls well that ends well. This will reduce my water management time a lot.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
A typical day - #3
On Friday, June 14th I will mark the one year anniversary of my service. So I think it is time to go over a typical day. No day goes exactly the same, but this is a good example of a typical day.
8:30 - 9:30 - I start each day making coffee with my french press. It has become a ritual that I enjoy. My current coffee selection is coffee I bought on my recent trip to Italy (another pending post). I drink it with milk and a little sugar. I usually eat yogurt and muesli for breakfast. While I eat breakfast, I finish getting dressed, collect the items I want to take for the day and pack any food I need for lunch.
9:30 - Head out for work. A thirty minute walk. School is out and sometimes I see more kids playing in the road, but it really depends. Temp is currently in the low-80's when I head out. Usually listen to music on my IPod and often sing along. I pretty much know all the songs on my shuffle.
10:00 - 1:00 - Arrive at work Say hello to Mysick (English spelling of a Russian word) the clinic's dog. She is about 7 months old. A little nervous. Sometimes I have hot dogs to feed her. Head into the office and say hello to people I see and join my office mate, Sabina. Put any food that needs to refrigerated into the fridge and get a cup of instant coffee. Check email and news. I successfully applied for a SPA grant (small project grant) for a vision health care activity book. The end result will be the publication of an activity book to give to our younger patients. This should be completed early next year. I am still working on building databases and reports. Also, will begin working on updating financial report.
1:00 - lunch - I have been making pita bread about every three weeks. My typical lunch is half a pita with chicken/tuna/egg salad with vegetables and/or fruit. Yesterday I added a bag of chips. I'm still drinking Coke Zero and used to start one at lunch, however, it has become more difficult to find, as of late, so I save that item for when I get home from work.
1:30 - 4:00 - Continue working.
4:00 - Head home. If I want to go to the store on my way home, I either walk an extra ten minutes, catch a bus or a ride. I have a favorite market about a ten minute walk from my house. If it is really hot, I will buy an ice cream sandwich (dondurma) and eat on my walk home. Now that it is hot in the afternoons, I walk a little slower home.
5:00 - Put my groceries away and start the ritual of my evening coffee. Usually read for a little bit then start my evening chores. I have a few flowers that I started from seed, so I water them. They look a little on the sad side. Last night I decided to do some laundry. Whites, so I soaked them in bleach water and will finish tonight. Also, cooked chicken and made barbecue sauce for pulled chicken sandwiches. Water continues to be problematic. The water into my kitchen doesn't really work. I think it is plugged due to the dirt in the water. A chore for tonight. So I have to get water from the bathroom, which is close but still a hassle. With the weather getting hot, I need to make sure that I keep my drinking water supply up. This is a three step process, boil, cool, filter. We have Britta water filters, which are plastic, so I have to cool the water before filling. I also did dishes and made egg salad last night. It doesn't sound like I did a lot, but the time it takes to do each of these items is two/three/four times as long as it would take in the states. I listen to music and read during the wait times. I took a shower last night too. I currently don't have hot water so a shower can be a two step process, hair first than a quick shower. It is amazing how fast the evening passes. Some nights I head over to my host families for a chat, tea and frequently dinner.
9:00 - start to get ready for bed. This sometimes involves a batch or two of popcorn. Read a bit in bed and a game or two of solitaire or hearts and then off to sleep.
The pace of my day is slow, but they don't drag. Weekends often include a trip into Baku to meet with friends and have a cup of coffee. You can tell I'm from Seattle, coffee is an integral part of my day.
8:30 - 9:30 - I start each day making coffee with my french press. It has become a ritual that I enjoy. My current coffee selection is coffee I bought on my recent trip to Italy (another pending post). I drink it with milk and a little sugar. I usually eat yogurt and muesli for breakfast. While I eat breakfast, I finish getting dressed, collect the items I want to take for the day and pack any food I need for lunch.
9:30 - Head out for work. A thirty minute walk. School is out and sometimes I see more kids playing in the road, but it really depends. Temp is currently in the low-80's when I head out. Usually listen to music on my IPod and often sing along. I pretty much know all the songs on my shuffle.
10:00 - 1:00 - Arrive at work Say hello to Mysick (English spelling of a Russian word) the clinic's dog. She is about 7 months old. A little nervous. Sometimes I have hot dogs to feed her. Head into the office and say hello to people I see and join my office mate, Sabina. Put any food that needs to refrigerated into the fridge and get a cup of instant coffee. Check email and news. I successfully applied for a SPA grant (small project grant) for a vision health care activity book. The end result will be the publication of an activity book to give to our younger patients. This should be completed early next year. I am still working on building databases and reports. Also, will begin working on updating financial report.
1:00 - lunch - I have been making pita bread about every three weeks. My typical lunch is half a pita with chicken/tuna/egg salad with vegetables and/or fruit. Yesterday I added a bag of chips. I'm still drinking Coke Zero and used to start one at lunch, however, it has become more difficult to find, as of late, so I save that item for when I get home from work.
1:30 - 4:00 - Continue working.
4:00 - Head home. If I want to go to the store on my way home, I either walk an extra ten minutes, catch a bus or a ride. I have a favorite market about a ten minute walk from my house. If it is really hot, I will buy an ice cream sandwich (dondurma) and eat on my walk home. Now that it is hot in the afternoons, I walk a little slower home.
5:00 - Put my groceries away and start the ritual of my evening coffee. Usually read for a little bit then start my evening chores. I have a few flowers that I started from seed, so I water them. They look a little on the sad side. Last night I decided to do some laundry. Whites, so I soaked them in bleach water and will finish tonight. Also, cooked chicken and made barbecue sauce for pulled chicken sandwiches. Water continues to be problematic. The water into my kitchen doesn't really work. I think it is plugged due to the dirt in the water. A chore for tonight. So I have to get water from the bathroom, which is close but still a hassle. With the weather getting hot, I need to make sure that I keep my drinking water supply up. This is a three step process, boil, cool, filter. We have Britta water filters, which are plastic, so I have to cool the water before filling. I also did dishes and made egg salad last night. It doesn't sound like I did a lot, but the time it takes to do each of these items is two/three/four times as long as it would take in the states. I listen to music and read during the wait times. I took a shower last night too. I currently don't have hot water so a shower can be a two step process, hair first than a quick shower. It is amazing how fast the evening passes. Some nights I head over to my host families for a chat, tea and frequently dinner.
9:00 - start to get ready for bed. This sometimes involves a batch or two of popcorn. Read a bit in bed and a game or two of solitaire or hearts and then off to sleep.
The pace of my day is slow, but they don't drag. Weekends often include a trip into Baku to meet with friends and have a cup of coffee. You can tell I'm from Seattle, coffee is an integral part of my day.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Cultural moment and animal stories
Cultural moment
Over the last three weeks, my organization has been attending a four session leadership training class. The trainers are native English speakers with some awesome Russian and Azerbaijan language skills. They have been assisted by one of the best translators I have yet to meet. One of those incredible people that you want to listen to even if you don't know what they are saying. So each day of training we had two-two hour sessions. The first session was delivered in English and translated into Russian. My organization's administrative language is Russian. Services are primarily in Azerbaijan. The second session was primarily in Russian.
At the second to last session, we were discussing our personal work goals. One of doctors, who is in his early 50's, stated that it at this stage of employment is the time to rest and let the younger workers take the lead. Retirement is around 55-60,depending on your employment. I was aghast, since I plan on working into my mid-70's and feel that I still have a lot to contribute.
Then I realized that our cultural norms are very different in this area and while I feel that I inhabit this culture in a fairly comfortable way, this is still a different culture and I will likely get a bit of reverse culture shock when I return to the States next year.
Animal Stories
I woke up a couple of days ago to some activity outside my house. I figured it was one of my landlords out in the yard and went back to sleep. Soon I discovered what the earlier activity was about. Outside my bathroom is a small chicken coop which when I first moved in housed several chickens. They were moved in with the turkeys in a larger coop across the yard in early winter and during the snow were moved up to the vacant second floor of the main house. Well the early morning activity was a single rooster being returned to the small coop. Now I wake up at all hours to his crowing. I think he likes to let the chickens in the big coop know that he is still around. There appears to be some "twilight bark" effect to his crows. Even the male turkey lends his voice from time to time.
This morning I was walking to work and saw this single cow walking down the road with her minder. Now that it is spring, I see an occasional small herd walking down the street or munching in a vacant lot, but a single cow is not common. She was a little concerned about me and crossed over to the far side of the road to avoid coming in contact. You'll have to blow this picture up to see her, since she is off in the distance.
Over the last three weeks, my organization has been attending a four session leadership training class. The trainers are native English speakers with some awesome Russian and Azerbaijan language skills. They have been assisted by one of the best translators I have yet to meet. One of those incredible people that you want to listen to even if you don't know what they are saying. So each day of training we had two-two hour sessions. The first session was delivered in English and translated into Russian. My organization's administrative language is Russian. Services are primarily in Azerbaijan. The second session was primarily in Russian.
At the second to last session, we were discussing our personal work goals. One of doctors, who is in his early 50's, stated that it at this stage of employment is the time to rest and let the younger workers take the lead. Retirement is around 55-60,depending on your employment. I was aghast, since I plan on working into my mid-70's and feel that I still have a lot to contribute.
Then I realized that our cultural norms are very different in this area and while I feel that I inhabit this culture in a fairly comfortable way, this is still a different culture and I will likely get a bit of reverse culture shock when I return to the States next year.
Animal Stories
I woke up a couple of days ago to some activity outside my house. I figured it was one of my landlords out in the yard and went back to sleep. Soon I discovered what the earlier activity was about. Outside my bathroom is a small chicken coop which when I first moved in housed several chickens. They were moved in with the turkeys in a larger coop across the yard in early winter and during the snow were moved up to the vacant second floor of the main house. Well the early morning activity was a single rooster being returned to the small coop. Now I wake up at all hours to his crowing. I think he likes to let the chickens in the big coop know that he is still around. There appears to be some "twilight bark" effect to his crows. Even the male turkey lends his voice from time to time.
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| Mr. Rooster |
This morning I was walking to work and saw this single cow walking down the road with her minder. Now that it is spring, I see an occasional small herd walking down the street or munching in a vacant lot, but a single cow is not common. She was a little concerned about me and crossed over to the far side of the road to avoid coming in contact. You'll have to blow this picture up to see her, since she is off in the distance.
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| Ms. Moo |
Friday, April 11, 2014
Bits and Pieces
It snowed on March 30th, the first time it has snowed in recent memory after the first day of Spring, which is celebrated by the Novrus holiday. I will post more on that holiday later. Other than an unusual thunder and lighting storm last weekend, the weather is quite pleasant.
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| March 30 snow |
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| Pita Bread |
Some expat-women volunteered to update my organization's kids area. It is beautiful.
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| Children's Zone |
I have been busy at work; attending a series of leadership trainings (half in English translated into Russian and half in Russian translated into English), working on a grant application, creating a small database in Access and working with the organization on strategic management and financial reporting. A little bit of this and a little bit of that. It has been amazing how much of the training in Russian I have been able to follow at times. Many business/technical terms are similar and if you know the general topic and catch a few words here and there, I can pick up the gist of the conversation. But I'm glad that it is translated. All the staff of my organization speak Russian, for some it is their first language. But not all speak Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has only been the official language since the early 1990's, when Azerbaijan gained its independence.
Till next time - Patti
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Chore Day
So far it has been a pretty eventful year. It started out slow and just keeps building. Highlights include "Yeni Il" (New Year) which I celebrated with my family but I was tired and headed home at ten. Then lost water for four weeks; a combination of utility work and a snow storm, followed by freezing temps. Very little in insulated so water lines froze in homes. My organization was visited by the authorities and has been closed to patients for the last four weeks. We hope to get is sorted out shortly. I have things I can work on so I'm keeping busy. It was a little disheartening but was tempered by a one week vacation to Budapest, where I connected with Jessie and Dan on their way home from a five week vacation in East Africa, culminating with them successfully climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. By the way, Budapest is lovely. Back to Azerbaijan and a leaky hot water heater. Something burst during the freeze that didn't present until the water came back on the day I returned. Almost caught up from my travels.
Last weekend I took my sheets and towels over to my host family's house and used their washer. Sheets hadn't been washed since 2013. Nice to have those clean again. The nice thing about sheets is that they dry quickly. I have drying rack that I place in front of my pec and turn on my fan to distribute the heat. Can have them dry in a couple of hours.
Today us the first day since I've gotten back that I haven't gone anywhere - so more chores. I'm in the process of heating my third large teapot of water. So far, I have washed dishes, one load of hand washing complete with another in process and made my bed nicely. Still on the list; vacuum, sweep, wash the kitchen floor, make banana sour cream muffins, wash my hair in the kitchen sink (another pot of hot water) and take a bucket shower (another pot of hot water) and call it a day.
My landlord has removed the hot water heater for repairs and I hope that it will return shortly. Having insta-hot water sure shortens the time my chores take. However, even with that step shortened, it still takes time.
I also need to get back to daily exercising. I still walk every day but stopped my exercises because of the cold. The house was getting down into the low forties and it takes about an hour to get it up 10 degrees. Can't leave the pec on when I'm not home or when I'm sleeping. I've discovered Pinterest and have marked a beginning Zumba video and belly dancing. We'll see how that goes.
My quest for this week - get my hair trimmed
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| Jessie and Dan Budapest City Park |
Last weekend I took my sheets and towels over to my host family's house and used their washer. Sheets hadn't been washed since 2013. Nice to have those clean again. The nice thing about sheets is that they dry quickly. I have drying rack that I place in front of my pec and turn on my fan to distribute the heat. Can have them dry in a couple of hours.
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| Drying System |
Today us the first day since I've gotten back that I haven't gone anywhere - so more chores. I'm in the process of heating my third large teapot of water. So far, I have washed dishes, one load of hand washing complete with another in process and made my bed nicely. Still on the list; vacuum, sweep, wash the kitchen floor, make banana sour cream muffins, wash my hair in the kitchen sink (another pot of hot water) and take a bucket shower (another pot of hot water) and call it a day.
My landlord has removed the hot water heater for repairs and I hope that it will return shortly. Having insta-hot water sure shortens the time my chores take. However, even with that step shortened, it still takes time.
I also need to get back to daily exercising. I still walk every day but stopped my exercises because of the cold. The house was getting down into the low forties and it takes about an hour to get it up 10 degrees. Can't leave the pec on when I'm not home or when I'm sleeping. I've discovered Pinterest and have marked a beginning Zumba video and belly dancing. We'll see how that goes.
My quest for this week - get my hair trimmed
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Strega Nonas
My mother used to send my children Christmas books as Christmas. We used to read one Christmas book each night in December. One of our favorites was Merry Christmas, Strega Nona.
I recently visited friends in Lankaran, a region to the south bordering Iran. As part of that visit, we went to "isti su", hot baths. To get to "isti su" you go out of the city center of Lankaran and then it is a 30 minute walk into the hillside. There are several huts with baths. You chose which hut by the temperature of the bath. After our bath, we walked back down the hill. It is lightly forested and you pass cows heading home. Much to my delight as we were walking we spotted two women walking up the hill. They were dressed in many colored layers, tights, socks, skirt, apron, long sleeved shirts, knitted vests and scarfs. Resting on their shoulders were axes. Just like Strega Nona as she went to get the Christmas tree to make Christmas. Two real life Strega Nonas. As we passed, we said Salam and got wonderful greetings back and beautiful smiles.
I didn't get a picture, but the memory is so vivid and wonderful.
We all need the magic of Strega Nona and I am so blessed to have found "my" Strega Nonas in Azerbaijan.
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