Before I could see my family, I had to wait through a two-day counterpart conference for the YDs. Now, that feels like it was ages ago. I can complain a lot about what we cover in these conferences is just repeating what we’ve heard and talked about (sometimes ad naeuseum), but after these conferences, I do always walk away with a renewed motivation for projects I could do. I enjoy hearing what others are doing, and thinking about how those projects could be done at my site. Some, I have brought to Ismayilli, some I’ll have to wait to do when school starts back up (I am now without an organization since the school is locked at the end of the month). I was also happy with how my counterpart reacted and understood the conference. She’s an older teacher, but probably the best English teacher in the rayon, and has known a number of volunteers over the years. Maybe not the best choice in regards to sustainability, but someone who I knew would understand and appreciate the ideas from the conference.
So I made it through the conference, and the morning came to meet my parents and sister. I took my bag to our hotel—early, as it turns out, and was unable to check in. Definitely flustered the kid at the desk, who told me he was new. Sorry, kiddo. Then I took the subway to the station nearest the airport, and went in search of a bus. The bus I found that said it went to the airport ended up stopping at the end of the long road to the airport, and I was forced to cross the highway, hopping the meridian on the way, and walk the rest of the way. The security at the airport had no problem with this. A couple funny stares, but that was it. I brought a book with me, which came in handy. I had a minor freak out at the beginning because my family’s flight wasn’t on the Big Board. The only flight from Istanbul was in five hours. “I’m going to need another book,” I thought, before realizing that there were two waiting areas for flights, and I had to go next door. It still felt like an interminable wait, but finally, they emerged from customs.
We checked to make sure we were real, got some money changed, and I got to show off my dazzling Azeri haggling over a taxi. They were satisfactorily impressed with Baku’s construction as we went, and immediately loved to Old City (Icheri Sheher) architecture. After being allowed to check in, freshening up, and checking out the Suitcase of Wonder (complete with New Yorkers, honey, Pop-Tarts, and Frosted Mini-Wheats—it’s really all about the food), we headed out to wander around the city. By that I mean, we went to get gelato, with a tour of the city on the way. For dinner that night, we met with my younger host brother, Orxan, and went to the Karavansari, a restaurant in one of the old centers where traveling caravans would stay. There was even traditional music and a man who stood on swords and nails and spat fire (not so traditional).
The next day we climbed the Maiden’s Tower and visited the Peace Corps office, where my family got to meet a bunch of volunteers. My parents enjoyed comparing to the offices when they were volunteers. Amidst the tourist must sees and wanderings through the Old City area, we also got Lebanese food and more gelato. That night’s dinner was at a German restaurant called simply, The Brewery, which is Azerbaijan’s only microbrewery. My LCF, Rashad, joined us and lied his pants off saying nice things about me. Bless him.
That was our time in Baku. It was two days of wonderful eating. It reminded me a little of when they would visit during college, and we’d go out to eat at the nice places that I couldn’t afford. The next morning, thanks to help from my older host brother, Seymur, we were off to Ismayilli.
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