The two links at the bottom of this post relate to projects that are beginning in or will possibly occur. These are not development projects, of the sort that Peace Corps generally becomes involved with, but they are of interest, particularly to someone who has been involved in the development of the country and seen the difference between the regions and the capital.
Even in the past year that I have been here, Azerbaijan, and Baku in particular, has changed drastically. New buildings are constantly being constructed, mostly to be new stores, but also apartments, offices, and hotels. In Baku, anticipation for Eurovision is accelerating. The representative for Azerbaijan has been chosen, and search for a song is now underway. A side note, two PCVs participated in the contest to be selected to represent Azerbaijan in the Eurovision contest, and while they only finished 8 out of 9 in their week (of seven weeks), they brought some wonderful attention to Peace Corps.
The song that started it all: This is their first music video which launched them to international fame.
Introduction Video/In Azerbaijan: For Eurovision, they filmed this video introducing themselves and included a new video clip, which involved filming at the new cultural arts center that is under construction.
Payiz Geldi: The second night at Eurovision, all the contestants performed traditional Azeri music.
Baku Girls: The third night of the competition.
Final Night: On the final night of the competition, they were joined on stage by a whole host of other PCVs who were in town for the week for our group's mid-service conference.
As Azerbaijan barrels towards hosting the event, and endeavors to put its best foot forward, the country’s enthusiasm has grown exponentially, and the government has made bigger and grander changes and projects. Here are two proposals:
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/design/2012/02/azerbaijan-build-one-kilometer-tall-skyscraper/1188/#.TzY33y7U--c.facebook
http://www.news.az/articles/54051
Regardless of what projects are completed in time, and which remain for the future, being here in Azerbaijan at this time is certainly interesting. While most of the changes are focused in Baku, even the regions of Azerbaijan are getting in on the building. Ismayilli has finished its Great Wall of Hiding Trash, and a new row of shops is on its way.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Peace Corps and Long Distance Relationships
I’ve been trying different ways to discuss this topic, and no matter what, it seems to come out preachy or self-centered. Of course, this is my blog, so I guess a certain amount of self-centeredness is acceptable and expected. So forgive me this.
Peace Corps is hard. When we are sworn in as volunteers, we pledge to serve in conditions of hardship. Right there in the pledge, so we know what we’re getting ourselves in for, or at least, we know it won’t be easy. Peace Corps does try to prepare us for the hardship we will face. We receive plenty of pamphlets and paperwork about the type of work our program does, and cultural reports about our post countries. But, for prospective volunteers in committed relationships, they go one step further. They send surveys to make sure we are prepared for the upcoming challenges to the relationship.
Of course, no paper can predict all of the challenges that a couple goes through, much less when one person goes to the other side of the planet. And my relationship has definitely had its share of bumps and twists. There have been times when we’ve come pretty close to the brink. But here I am, and here we are, still together. We’ve made it through nearly seventeen months. Nine months and one week to go.
The first weeks were the hardest. Contact was so sporadic and uncontrollable throughout PST, though it did become easier once Peace Corps issued us cell phones. Then we could at least send text messages (though only if the US person has AT&T or Sprint, not Verizon). My girlfriend would call when we couldn’t meet, using Skype, which remains much cheaper than calling on a normal phone plan. It seems so long ago now, but the emotions and frustrations of that time still seem raw and real, and while our relationship has become stronger as we’ve gone through the stresses of PST, sometimes the shadow of that time has reared its ugly head. But, a lot has happened in the 13 months since then, which overwhelm those three months of aggravation and difficulty most of the time. The problems then were no one person’s fault; unless you make the case that they are my fault since I left. But they were and I suppose still are, issues that strain these long distance relationships. No matter what one does, one person is still in another country, usually with spotty Internet contact.
Once I got to site, the relationship became easier for one simple reason—we were able to create a regular talking schedule. The IREX (a community Internet and computer center) had wireless internet which enabled us to speak easily and with minimal irregularities (such as power outages and the like), and my ability to make my own schedule gave us a new flexibility for planning. Last summer, my host brother went to Ohio as part of the MUSKIE program, and my host family installed Internet, meaning I have even more scheduling freedom, and can now plan to talk after IREX closes (this came in huge when the IREX wireless stopped working). Seeing each other’s faces and hearing the other’s voice went a long way to keeping us connected. Sure, we were changing, the typical problem that faces distant couples, but we were able to grow together, not apart. Thank Newton for the wonders of technology. I can’t imagine how difficult this may have been for the first groups of volunteers back in the 60s.
The other thing that made our lives and our relationship easier is that we were able to see each other. We’ve now seen each other three times. First, as soon as was possible (Peace Corps Azerbaijan stipulates that we must remain in country and at site for the first four months of service), we met in Glasgow, Scotland. At that point, I only had a few saved up vacation days, so it was a short trip, but much needed, because it confirmed to us that we still worked when we were together. There was no awkwardness in our conversation or in our actions. All the little things—talking, joking, laughing, holding hands—were still there. We were still us.
The next time was even better, though it was not always fun. She came to Azerbaijani. At the beginning, she was steadfastly against coming. But little by little, she opened up to the idea and eventually decided she would come for ten days at the end of July. The visit was not a vacation, and in addition to the fact that it was brutally hot at the time, it was not always fun. But the fact that she came, that she had opened herself up to the idea and the experience, that she had trusted me to come around the world, meant a lot for the relationship, and meant a lot to me.
The third and most recent visit was over Christmas, and finally I made the trip home. This was my turn to be initially opposed. At the beginning of my service, I worried about not being able to come back to Azerbaijan because I liked being home too much. And while I did like being home, I knew I was far enough along in my service that I would be too stubborn to give up and stay in America.
And she supported that determination. When I got my assignment to Azerbaijan, after we figured out where it was exactly, we were on two different sides about whether I should go. But I went. And now, as we have traversed the ups and downs, suffered through the power outages and dropped phone calls, she said something to me the other day that meant a lot to me. She told me that if something were to happen that would cause me to be sent home early, she would be upset for me. At the beginning, she not entirely jokingly wanted me to suffer some minor but significant enough injury that I would be sent home. Now, though, she understands. She understands me, and that if I were sent home now, or anytime in the next nine months, I would not feel like I had completed what I set out to do, and would forever feel unfulfilled. For that understanding, I know more than ever that this is a relationship worth fighting for, and I thank her for that.
Who knows exactly what will happen in the next nine months (and one week). But at the same time that being in a relationship is made difficult by being in Peace Corps and in turn makes being in Peace Corps more difficult, it also makes it easier in many ways. Even better, someone who visited and now understands what I’m doing here all the more, makes me feel even more motivated and positive about the work I’m attempting to do. And as long as I know that she is there to listen when I need to talk, to talk when I need to listen and even when I’m not ready to listen but always willing to, I know that we will survive and in fact, thrive.
What worked for us will not work for everyone, but, in a small bout of wishing that this is not solely self-centered, I hope that some prospective PCV reads this and gleams some encouragement that they can make their long distance relationship work. We hear time and time again that long distance relationships never work, and I’ve seen and been a part of relationships that have not worked. But sometimes, once in a blue moon, they do. And thank goodness for that.
Peace Corps is hard. When we are sworn in as volunteers, we pledge to serve in conditions of hardship. Right there in the pledge, so we know what we’re getting ourselves in for, or at least, we know it won’t be easy. Peace Corps does try to prepare us for the hardship we will face. We receive plenty of pamphlets and paperwork about the type of work our program does, and cultural reports about our post countries. But, for prospective volunteers in committed relationships, they go one step further. They send surveys to make sure we are prepared for the upcoming challenges to the relationship.
Of course, no paper can predict all of the challenges that a couple goes through, much less when one person goes to the other side of the planet. And my relationship has definitely had its share of bumps and twists. There have been times when we’ve come pretty close to the brink. But here I am, and here we are, still together. We’ve made it through nearly seventeen months. Nine months and one week to go.
The first weeks were the hardest. Contact was so sporadic and uncontrollable throughout PST, though it did become easier once Peace Corps issued us cell phones. Then we could at least send text messages (though only if the US person has AT&T or Sprint, not Verizon). My girlfriend would call when we couldn’t meet, using Skype, which remains much cheaper than calling on a normal phone plan. It seems so long ago now, but the emotions and frustrations of that time still seem raw and real, and while our relationship has become stronger as we’ve gone through the stresses of PST, sometimes the shadow of that time has reared its ugly head. But, a lot has happened in the 13 months since then, which overwhelm those three months of aggravation and difficulty most of the time. The problems then were no one person’s fault; unless you make the case that they are my fault since I left. But they were and I suppose still are, issues that strain these long distance relationships. No matter what one does, one person is still in another country, usually with spotty Internet contact.
Once I got to site, the relationship became easier for one simple reason—we were able to create a regular talking schedule. The IREX (a community Internet and computer center) had wireless internet which enabled us to speak easily and with minimal irregularities (such as power outages and the like), and my ability to make my own schedule gave us a new flexibility for planning. Last summer, my host brother went to Ohio as part of the MUSKIE program, and my host family installed Internet, meaning I have even more scheduling freedom, and can now plan to talk after IREX closes (this came in huge when the IREX wireless stopped working). Seeing each other’s faces and hearing the other’s voice went a long way to keeping us connected. Sure, we were changing, the typical problem that faces distant couples, but we were able to grow together, not apart. Thank Newton for the wonders of technology. I can’t imagine how difficult this may have been for the first groups of volunteers back in the 60s.
The other thing that made our lives and our relationship easier is that we were able to see each other. We’ve now seen each other three times. First, as soon as was possible (Peace Corps Azerbaijan stipulates that we must remain in country and at site for the first four months of service), we met in Glasgow, Scotland. At that point, I only had a few saved up vacation days, so it was a short trip, but much needed, because it confirmed to us that we still worked when we were together. There was no awkwardness in our conversation or in our actions. All the little things—talking, joking, laughing, holding hands—were still there. We were still us.
The next time was even better, though it was not always fun. She came to Azerbaijani. At the beginning, she was steadfastly against coming. But little by little, she opened up to the idea and eventually decided she would come for ten days at the end of July. The visit was not a vacation, and in addition to the fact that it was brutally hot at the time, it was not always fun. But the fact that she came, that she had opened herself up to the idea and the experience, that she had trusted me to come around the world, meant a lot for the relationship, and meant a lot to me.
The third and most recent visit was over Christmas, and finally I made the trip home. This was my turn to be initially opposed. At the beginning of my service, I worried about not being able to come back to Azerbaijan because I liked being home too much. And while I did like being home, I knew I was far enough along in my service that I would be too stubborn to give up and stay in America.
And she supported that determination. When I got my assignment to Azerbaijan, after we figured out where it was exactly, we were on two different sides about whether I should go. But I went. And now, as we have traversed the ups and downs, suffered through the power outages and dropped phone calls, she said something to me the other day that meant a lot to me. She told me that if something were to happen that would cause me to be sent home early, she would be upset for me. At the beginning, she not entirely jokingly wanted me to suffer some minor but significant enough injury that I would be sent home. Now, though, she understands. She understands me, and that if I were sent home now, or anytime in the next nine months, I would not feel like I had completed what I set out to do, and would forever feel unfulfilled. For that understanding, I know more than ever that this is a relationship worth fighting for, and I thank her for that.
Who knows exactly what will happen in the next nine months (and one week). But at the same time that being in a relationship is made difficult by being in Peace Corps and in turn makes being in Peace Corps more difficult, it also makes it easier in many ways. Even better, someone who visited and now understands what I’m doing here all the more, makes me feel even more motivated and positive about the work I’m attempting to do. And as long as I know that she is there to listen when I need to talk, to talk when I need to listen and even when I’m not ready to listen but always willing to, I know that we will survive and in fact, thrive.
What worked for us will not work for everyone, but, in a small bout of wishing that this is not solely self-centered, I hope that some prospective PCV reads this and gleams some encouragement that they can make their long distance relationship work. We hear time and time again that long distance relationships never work, and I’ve seen and been a part of relationships that have not worked. But sometimes, once in a blue moon, they do. And thank goodness for that.
February
The past month has been a bit rough. I remember last winter was tough and cold, but this seems like a whole new level of cold. Of course, Azerbaijan isn't the only country getting hit by ridiculous cold. Europe has been swept by intense cold weather, that has even caused deaths.
The weather has had a strong impact on my clubs. Since returning from Mid-Service Conference, attendance has been way down, and the cold weather is a big part of that. I started English conversation clubs, as well as an arts and crafts/creativity club. I am continuing, with one of the teachers here, to work on an exchange program with a Japanese school (in which we collaborate to complete a cultural mural on a large canvas), as well as a teacher conversation club for non-English teachers, and a small conversation club/English test preparation course that started out as a one-on-one tutoring session to prepare a student for FLEX.
My grandparents sent a pile of National Geographic maps and posters, with which I decorated my classroom, but no students have even set foot in the room since I spent an afternoon deciding which ones to use (surprise, I used them all!). I get excited just walking into the room. Now I just need students to be allowed back outside.
The most disappointing part of the attendance dip has been that I came back from Mid-Service Conference energized and re-motivated. These conferences with Peace Corps are not always the most exciting or informative times, but I love hearing about everyone else's work and projects, and enjoy stealing the best and most useful for my own school. This is just one of those times when I know things will get better, it's just a matter of waiting for the better to come.
We got a step forward (though I'm sure there will be a step back at least once or twice) today, when the sun came out, and stayed out all day. After what seems like a month (really a solid two or three weeks), having the sun on my face today has been rejuvenating. It certainly has not hurt that there was finally enough gas that I didn't need to spend the day hibernating in my brown monster sleeping bag. Next step: I need my pipes to unfreeze during the morning so I can get water. The last few days of filling up my water filter with snow and waiting for it to melt and filter takes a little too long for not much water.
The next milestone to look forward to is next month's Novruz holiday. You may remember, this is Azerbaijan's biggest holiday, and usually means spring is starting to come around the corner. Last year, there was snow on the ground, but we didn't need to bundle up anywhere near as much as we are now. So, fingers crossed that I make it through until then. Think warm thoughts. Think warm thoughts.
The weather has had a strong impact on my clubs. Since returning from Mid-Service Conference, attendance has been way down, and the cold weather is a big part of that. I started English conversation clubs, as well as an arts and crafts/creativity club. I am continuing, with one of the teachers here, to work on an exchange program with a Japanese school (in which we collaborate to complete a cultural mural on a large canvas), as well as a teacher conversation club for non-English teachers, and a small conversation club/English test preparation course that started out as a one-on-one tutoring session to prepare a student for FLEX.
My grandparents sent a pile of National Geographic maps and posters, with which I decorated my classroom, but no students have even set foot in the room since I spent an afternoon deciding which ones to use (surprise, I used them all!). I get excited just walking into the room. Now I just need students to be allowed back outside.
The most disappointing part of the attendance dip has been that I came back from Mid-Service Conference energized and re-motivated. These conferences with Peace Corps are not always the most exciting or informative times, but I love hearing about everyone else's work and projects, and enjoy stealing the best and most useful for my own school. This is just one of those times when I know things will get better, it's just a matter of waiting for the better to come.
We got a step forward (though I'm sure there will be a step back at least once or twice) today, when the sun came out, and stayed out all day. After what seems like a month (really a solid two or three weeks), having the sun on my face today has been rejuvenating. It certainly has not hurt that there was finally enough gas that I didn't need to spend the day hibernating in my brown monster sleeping bag. Next step: I need my pipes to unfreeze during the morning so I can get water. The last few days of filling up my water filter with snow and waiting for it to melt and filter takes a little too long for not much water.
The next milestone to look forward to is next month's Novruz holiday. You may remember, this is Azerbaijan's biggest holiday, and usually means spring is starting to come around the corner. Last year, there was snow on the ground, but we didn't need to bundle up anywhere near as much as we are now. So, fingers crossed that I make it through until then. Think warm thoughts. Think warm thoughts.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Fantasy Congress
I recently read an article about Congress. Here’s the depressing part:
"Of the 449 bills that became law in the 110th Congress, 144 of them — 32 percent — did nothing more than rename a federal building. In comparison, the 109th Congress passed 121 ceremonial bills, about 25 percent of the 483 bills that became law. The 104th Congress — the first time in 40 years that Republicans held a majority in the House — passed 337 bills, and only 35 were ceremonial naming bills, or just over 10 percent. No Congress since 1975 has introduced fewer pieces of legislation than the 7,991 bills and resolutions offered in the 104th Congress."
Okay, so that’s pretty ridiculous. At least they can agree on names of buildings. It’s not exactly health care or education reform. The article also had information about individual Congressmen and women’s bill statistics.
"Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) introduced 67 bills during the 110th Congress, including a bill “to prevent the president from encroaching upon the Congressional prerogative to make laws” by eliminating signing statements that allow the White House to interpret legislative intent. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced 70 bills, including a bill “to end membership of the United States in the United Nations.” Neither bill became law or even received a vote in committee.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) introduced 88 bills, more than any other Member of the House in the 110th Congress though some bills were introduced several times as different versions. On Jan. 29, Maloney introduced seven bills to limit tariffs on individual chemicals, none of which became law. Two bills that Maloney sponsored have become laws since January 2007, but several others were incorporated into other legislation that became law.
"In the Senate, each Member tends to sponsor more bills, befitting their larger constituencies. In the 110th Congress, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) introduced more legislation than anyone else — 163 bills — despite spending much of the session campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination."
Sorry that was a long quote. But it gave me an idea, and as Rule 34 of the Internet states, “If you can imagine it, it exists online.” Rule 35 is, “If it does not exist, you are obligated to create it.” So here’s my idea. Fantasy Congress. Each fantasy player would select a team of Congress people, both senators and members of the House of Representatives. The stats would be about bills introduced, with more points if the bill gets out of committee, or is openly debated, and even more if it passes into law. Points off if the President vetoes it. Points off if it is rejected or voted down. Should points still be awarded if the bill is a new version of another bill, or is that a reduction, or nothing? What about if it is one of the bills that merely renames buildings? Someone with better programming knowledge needs to make this happen. In addition to being yet another fantasy league for people to obsess over, it'd be a great way to evaluate Congress. Information like this seems to me an important way to influence voting. It's not what they say, it's what they do in office. If all they're doing in office is renaming buildings, then it seems to me that different people need to be given the chance to make something happen, regardless of whether they're Democrat, Republican, or a third party.
These are the things I think of in my spare time. Maybe I should be reading, or studying for the GRE, or planning a club, writing a grant. But no, I think about Fantasy Congress.
"Of the 449 bills that became law in the 110th Congress, 144 of them — 32 percent — did nothing more than rename a federal building. In comparison, the 109th Congress passed 121 ceremonial bills, about 25 percent of the 483 bills that became law. The 104th Congress — the first time in 40 years that Republicans held a majority in the House — passed 337 bills, and only 35 were ceremonial naming bills, or just over 10 percent. No Congress since 1975 has introduced fewer pieces of legislation than the 7,991 bills and resolutions offered in the 104th Congress."
Okay, so that’s pretty ridiculous. At least they can agree on names of buildings. It’s not exactly health care or education reform. The article also had information about individual Congressmen and women’s bill statistics.
"Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) introduced 67 bills during the 110th Congress, including a bill “to prevent the president from encroaching upon the Congressional prerogative to make laws” by eliminating signing statements that allow the White House to interpret legislative intent. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced 70 bills, including a bill “to end membership of the United States in the United Nations.” Neither bill became law or even received a vote in committee.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) introduced 88 bills, more than any other Member of the House in the 110th Congress though some bills were introduced several times as different versions. On Jan. 29, Maloney introduced seven bills to limit tariffs on individual chemicals, none of which became law. Two bills that Maloney sponsored have become laws since January 2007, but several others were incorporated into other legislation that became law.
"In the Senate, each Member tends to sponsor more bills, befitting their larger constituencies. In the 110th Congress, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) introduced more legislation than anyone else — 163 bills — despite spending much of the session campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination."
Sorry that was a long quote. But it gave me an idea, and as Rule 34 of the Internet states, “If you can imagine it, it exists online.” Rule 35 is, “If it does not exist, you are obligated to create it.” So here’s my idea. Fantasy Congress. Each fantasy player would select a team of Congress people, both senators and members of the House of Representatives. The stats would be about bills introduced, with more points if the bill gets out of committee, or is openly debated, and even more if it passes into law. Points off if the President vetoes it. Points off if it is rejected or voted down. Should points still be awarded if the bill is a new version of another bill, or is that a reduction, or nothing? What about if it is one of the bills that merely renames buildings? Someone with better programming knowledge needs to make this happen. In addition to being yet another fantasy league for people to obsess over, it'd be a great way to evaluate Congress. Information like this seems to me an important way to influence voting. It's not what they say, it's what they do in office. If all they're doing in office is renaming buildings, then it seems to me that different people need to be given the chance to make something happen, regardless of whether they're Democrat, Republican, or a third party.
These are the things I think of in my spare time. Maybe I should be reading, or studying for the GRE, or planning a club, writing a grant. But no, I think about Fantasy Congress.
Christmas Holiday Addendum
Four events stood out amidst the trip, which I feel are worth sharing. One was seeing my extended family for dinner. A large portion of my father’s side of the family visited one evening, shortly after Christmas. A dinner of brisket, macaroni and cheese, and a delicious salad. Yeah, food’s important, too. In addition to all the people, four family dogs came, bringing the house total up to five. What a circus! Anyway, it was wonderful to see them all so close to Christmas, to catch up on their lives and share parts of mine, and of course, share Christmas gifts. I gave my cousin a bottle of homemade zogal (a type of berry) vodka. I must admit to enjoying a moment of pleasure at sharing Azerbaijani drinking traditions with him and then seeing his grimace after swallowing the first shot.
The second event that was memorable was sharing Christmas with my host brother, studying in Ohio for his master’s degree. The first morning I was there I drove (first time in 15 months!) out to White Marsh to pick him up. I could write a whole entry about how nice it was to drive again, to be in control of my own speed and direction, but I’m getting distracted. So, later that day, echoing an event almost a year ago, I took Seymur as I went to get a haircut. For my first haircut in Azerbaijan (I somehow made it through all of PST without one), Seymur escorted me. It was a lot of fun to return the favor, taking him to my hair place, which he found amusing because it is a “qadin salonu” or “women’s salon.” The shampoo beforehand is totally worth it. I suppose more importantly, I enjoyed sharing our Christmas traditions with him, after he has shared his family’s traditions for several holidays, particularly Novruz. It won’t be the same without him this year.
Third, though not in importance, I traveled with my girlfriend, her mother and boyfriend, to New York’s Hudson Valley Mohonk Mountain House. Started by Quakers almost 150 years ago, Mohonk is now a huge retreat in the mountains that looks like it belongs in the Alps. Each room was different, but all with amazing views of the valley on one side and the lake on the other. The building itself was really several smushed together, each with slightly different architecture and feel. The grounds sprawled out along the top of the hill, with trails going off in every direction. The first evening, fog rolled in, locking us in, evoking certain upbeat comedies such as The Shining. But when morning came, the wind had blown the fog off revealing the truly impressive views.
Even though it was windy (and I mean Windy), we went hiking through the woods, though we did pass on the ice-skating. Ice + wind = Nate falls on his butt. The place was what we’d call here “qesheng,’ meaning pretty, beautiful, fancy. Dinners were jean-less and dress shirt and jacketed. When there’s snow on the ground, there’s snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and there’s a whole spa complex. Caroline and I tried out the pool, and I will be honest, it was cold and I didn’t want to get in, but a certain someone pulled me in against my will. What? I don’t like cold pools, especially indoor ones.
Finally, the last night. The Ravens vs. Bengals. First Caroline and her dog, Nora, and then a whole gaggle of my best friends from back home. Some brought chips, with which we made nachos, another pizza (thank you Kathryn and David). Others just brought themselves, and that was enough. As the dogs chased each other, we talked, cheered, and the Ravens won. It was above all else, completely natural for me to be there. I was home, comfortable and warm.
Thank you to all the people—both family, friends, and other—who took time out of their holiday season to see me and make me feel like I had never left. It made me feel truly blessed to have friends and relatives with whom I can pick up again after over a year as if it had been just yesterday. You are all home to me.
The second event that was memorable was sharing Christmas with my host brother, studying in Ohio for his master’s degree. The first morning I was there I drove (first time in 15 months!) out to White Marsh to pick him up. I could write a whole entry about how nice it was to drive again, to be in control of my own speed and direction, but I’m getting distracted. So, later that day, echoing an event almost a year ago, I took Seymur as I went to get a haircut. For my first haircut in Azerbaijan (I somehow made it through all of PST without one), Seymur escorted me. It was a lot of fun to return the favor, taking him to my hair place, which he found amusing because it is a “qadin salonu” or “women’s salon.” The shampoo beforehand is totally worth it. I suppose more importantly, I enjoyed sharing our Christmas traditions with him, after he has shared his family’s traditions for several holidays, particularly Novruz. It won’t be the same without him this year.
Third, though not in importance, I traveled with my girlfriend, her mother and boyfriend, to New York’s Hudson Valley Mohonk Mountain House. Started by Quakers almost 150 years ago, Mohonk is now a huge retreat in the mountains that looks like it belongs in the Alps. Each room was different, but all with amazing views of the valley on one side and the lake on the other. The building itself was really several smushed together, each with slightly different architecture and feel. The grounds sprawled out along the top of the hill, with trails going off in every direction. The first evening, fog rolled in, locking us in, evoking certain upbeat comedies such as The Shining. But when morning came, the wind had blown the fog off revealing the truly impressive views.
Even though it was windy (and I mean Windy), we went hiking through the woods, though we did pass on the ice-skating. Ice + wind = Nate falls on his butt. The place was what we’d call here “qesheng,’ meaning pretty, beautiful, fancy. Dinners were jean-less and dress shirt and jacketed. When there’s snow on the ground, there’s snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and there’s a whole spa complex. Caroline and I tried out the pool, and I will be honest, it was cold and I didn’t want to get in, but a certain someone pulled me in against my will. What? I don’t like cold pools, especially indoor ones.
Finally, the last night. The Ravens vs. Bengals. First Caroline and her dog, Nora, and then a whole gaggle of my best friends from back home. Some brought chips, with which we made nachos, another pizza (thank you Kathryn and David). Others just brought themselves, and that was enough. As the dogs chased each other, we talked, cheered, and the Ravens won. It was above all else, completely natural for me to be there. I was home, comfortable and warm.
Thank you to all the people—both family, friends, and other—who took time out of their holiday season to see me and make me feel like I had never left. It made me feel truly blessed to have friends and relatives with whom I can pick up again after over a year as if it had been just yesterday. You are all home to me.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Where the Heart Is
There’s nothing like an eight-hour layover in Istanbul to drive one to reflection. Three flights to Baku have left since I arrived. Why I wasn’t booked on any of them is a little beyond me.
A divisive issue amongst PCVs is going home mid-service. Most volunteers leave the country, but not all go back to the United States. Many worry that going will make it too difficult to come back. Others want to take advantage of countries nearby that they wouldn’t otherwise visit. To some, going home is a sign of a lesser commitment to the Peace Corps work. When I left for Peace Corps, I did not intend to return home before the end of my service, but as time went on, the idea became more and more attractive. When was not a difficult question to answer once I had decided I liked the idea, and if I had not gone home at this time, I doubt I would have at all. The answer was Christmas. As much fun as last year was, it wasn’t Christmas.
Packing became more complicated when my host parents asked me to carry some things to their son, currently studying as part of the MUSKIE program in Ohio. And so I became a pack mule. They loaded me up with jams, chocolates, homemade vodka, honey, and other items that they felt he was most in need of and missed most. Their son had decided he would spend Christmas morning with my family, and then go down to Washington, DC, to spend the rest of the week with a former PCV, their first hostee.
As soon as I had wrapped up my school’s theater assembly, I set to packing. Intending to insure that everything made it in one piece, my host mother decided she would help. At first frustrating, I later became glad she did, because together we were better able to weigh the bags to make sure they stayed under the limits. I left the next day for Baku; worried that there might be weather (every time I’ve traveled so far this season, weather has proven difficult) I had decided to go a day early. I was also able to wrap up some last minute Christmas shopping.
Flights to and from Baku seem to be deliberately timed to be most inconvenient to those of us without personal transportation, and my flight was scheduled for 5:30am, meaning I needed to be at the airport around 3:30am. Our housing coordinator had organized a taxi to pick me up, but the driver decided he could not make it, which caused several desperate moments while I stood outside the PC office, until the housing coordinator himself showed up, to take me. Words cannot begin to explain how thankful I am to him for that kindness.
Finally through security, it came time to check my baggage. One line was shorter than the others, with what looked like just one party in front of me. Choosing this turned out to be a mistake. The party was a huge Brazilian family with small children, child seats, strollers, and about a million bags. The man working the counter seemed in no hurry to get them checked in, typing slower and slower with every passing minute. This went on for an hour. My check in took about three minutes.
The flights themselves were nondescript, but customs on the American side proved almost as taxing as the Azeri side had been. As it turns out, vodka must have a label on it; the next time I bring homemade vodka, it will be taken. To be fair, as the vodkas were in reused bottles, I think I may have gotten through with them anyway.
Stepping out of the customs/baggage claim area and being greeted by cheers from those I love filled me with the exact warmth that I hoped it would. Apparently, they had decided, after waiting for so long, that they would take the next guy that came through the gates. Glad it was me.
I had had this obviously deranged idea that there would be plenty of time to relax and rest, to walk our dog, to watch TV and enjoy high-speed wireless Internet. To go see movies and eat tons of food. This proved to be completely ridiculous. I did get to eat. A lot. I had Mexican, burgers, brisket, macaroni and cheese, bleu cheese dressing on salad, buffalo wings, steak, fresh fish, gold bar brownies, doughnuts, really just about everything that was on my list.
But I was constantly going from one place to another, seeing someone or spending time with someone else. It was hectic, tiring and absolutely perfect. Well, maybe not perfect, as I’m realizing now that there is quite a list of groceries I wanted to pick up before coming that I forgot because I was forced to cram in all my shopping on the last day.
Now I’m back in Azerbaijan. I arrived several days ago around 4:30 am, and managed to get back to the Peace Corps office via London-style tax, which actually had a meter(!). I promptly passed out on the sofa until around 8am when a couple new PCVs were rummaging around on their way back to their sites. A few hours later, when I woke up again, I got a taxi to the bus station and then headed back to Ismayilli. I woke up part way through the ride to discover the country covered in white.
It’s been warm the last few days, and the snow is quickly melting. Readjustment has been relatively easy. Having a puppy helps a lot with that. It’s worst at night, just before bed. There’s something very comforting in sleeping in one’s own bed, and without long underwear. I know I have less time to go than I have completed, that I’ve come further than I have left to walk. Just knowing that doesn’t always make it easier when the winter’s closing in and it’s getting to be time to hunker down for the season. For that reason, I will be happy to be starting up clubs again next week. I’ll be beginning a couple new clubs now that theater has finished. My main idea right now is a broad Creativity club, encompassing arts and crafts, poetry, and other similar activities. Not sure what the other club will be. Environment? Cooking? Health? I’ve got a few options. A couple kids asked me if I would be doing English clubs again, so I might just have to fall back on that old chestnut. As much fun as I have doing non-English conversation clubs, they are a big draw, and something people here often ask for and find important. So of course, I have to find the balance between doing what I want and fulfilling the needs and wants of my community and organization. But the latter is a story for another day.
A divisive issue amongst PCVs is going home mid-service. Most volunteers leave the country, but not all go back to the United States. Many worry that going will make it too difficult to come back. Others want to take advantage of countries nearby that they wouldn’t otherwise visit. To some, going home is a sign of a lesser commitment to the Peace Corps work. When I left for Peace Corps, I did not intend to return home before the end of my service, but as time went on, the idea became more and more attractive. When was not a difficult question to answer once I had decided I liked the idea, and if I had not gone home at this time, I doubt I would have at all. The answer was Christmas. As much fun as last year was, it wasn’t Christmas.
Packing became more complicated when my host parents asked me to carry some things to their son, currently studying as part of the MUSKIE program in Ohio. And so I became a pack mule. They loaded me up with jams, chocolates, homemade vodka, honey, and other items that they felt he was most in need of and missed most. Their son had decided he would spend Christmas morning with my family, and then go down to Washington, DC, to spend the rest of the week with a former PCV, their first hostee.
As soon as I had wrapped up my school’s theater assembly, I set to packing. Intending to insure that everything made it in one piece, my host mother decided she would help. At first frustrating, I later became glad she did, because together we were better able to weigh the bags to make sure they stayed under the limits. I left the next day for Baku; worried that there might be weather (every time I’ve traveled so far this season, weather has proven difficult) I had decided to go a day early. I was also able to wrap up some last minute Christmas shopping.
Flights to and from Baku seem to be deliberately timed to be most inconvenient to those of us without personal transportation, and my flight was scheduled for 5:30am, meaning I needed to be at the airport around 3:30am. Our housing coordinator had organized a taxi to pick me up, but the driver decided he could not make it, which caused several desperate moments while I stood outside the PC office, until the housing coordinator himself showed up, to take me. Words cannot begin to explain how thankful I am to him for that kindness.
Finally through security, it came time to check my baggage. One line was shorter than the others, with what looked like just one party in front of me. Choosing this turned out to be a mistake. The party was a huge Brazilian family with small children, child seats, strollers, and about a million bags. The man working the counter seemed in no hurry to get them checked in, typing slower and slower with every passing minute. This went on for an hour. My check in took about three minutes.
The flights themselves were nondescript, but customs on the American side proved almost as taxing as the Azeri side had been. As it turns out, vodka must have a label on it; the next time I bring homemade vodka, it will be taken. To be fair, as the vodkas were in reused bottles, I think I may have gotten through with them anyway.
Stepping out of the customs/baggage claim area and being greeted by cheers from those I love filled me with the exact warmth that I hoped it would. Apparently, they had decided, after waiting for so long, that they would take the next guy that came through the gates. Glad it was me.
I had had this obviously deranged idea that there would be plenty of time to relax and rest, to walk our dog, to watch TV and enjoy high-speed wireless Internet. To go see movies and eat tons of food. This proved to be completely ridiculous. I did get to eat. A lot. I had Mexican, burgers, brisket, macaroni and cheese, bleu cheese dressing on salad, buffalo wings, steak, fresh fish, gold bar brownies, doughnuts, really just about everything that was on my list.
But I was constantly going from one place to another, seeing someone or spending time with someone else. It was hectic, tiring and absolutely perfect. Well, maybe not perfect, as I’m realizing now that there is quite a list of groceries I wanted to pick up before coming that I forgot because I was forced to cram in all my shopping on the last day.
Now I’m back in Azerbaijan. I arrived several days ago around 4:30 am, and managed to get back to the Peace Corps office via London-style tax, which actually had a meter(!). I promptly passed out on the sofa until around 8am when a couple new PCVs were rummaging around on their way back to their sites. A few hours later, when I woke up again, I got a taxi to the bus station and then headed back to Ismayilli. I woke up part way through the ride to discover the country covered in white.
It’s been warm the last few days, and the snow is quickly melting. Readjustment has been relatively easy. Having a puppy helps a lot with that. It’s worst at night, just before bed. There’s something very comforting in sleeping in one’s own bed, and without long underwear. I know I have less time to go than I have completed, that I’ve come further than I have left to walk. Just knowing that doesn’t always make it easier when the winter’s closing in and it’s getting to be time to hunker down for the season. For that reason, I will be happy to be starting up clubs again next week. I’ll be beginning a couple new clubs now that theater has finished. My main idea right now is a broad Creativity club, encompassing arts and crafts, poetry, and other similar activities. Not sure what the other club will be. Environment? Cooking? Health? I’ve got a few options. A couple kids asked me if I would be doing English clubs again, so I might just have to fall back on that old chestnut. As much fun as I have doing non-English conversation clubs, they are a big draw, and something people here often ask for and find important. So of course, I have to find the balance between doing what I want and fulfilling the needs and wants of my community and organization. But the latter is a story for another day.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
A Play's the Thing
This update’s a little late, but I’ve been a little busy the last few weeks.
This fall, I decided I wanted to branch out a little from the English clubs I had mostly stuck to the first semester I was at the school. So, I put up flyers for theater clubs, one in the morning for the younger students who attend school in the afternoon, and one in the afternoon for the older kids. As with anything here, attendance varied, until we got closer to the assembly I decided to hold as a culmination of the students’ work.
With each group, I led a brainstorming session to decide on a story, and then planned setting, characters, plot, and some dialogue. Then, based on what we’d discussed, I wrote up the plays in English. The younger kids chose a folk tale called Tuk-Tuk Xanim, about an ant that is lonely and goes in search of a friend. With a little rewriting to emphasize the lesson of friends helping each other, the play was all set to go. The older kids chose an original story about vampires and werewolves, and a group of people at a school. This one took a little more molding and forming.
We faced some difficulties with rehearsals as the assembly room was often in use by others for everything from meetings to chess lessons. But rehearse we did, and as the day for the assembly grew closer, students seemed to come out of the woodwork with interest to take part. Suddenly, the shepherd had a whole flock of sheep as I attempted to find parts for the kids. Eventually, a line had to be drawn and I regrettably had to turn away some kids. One boy decided he wanted to be Santa Claus, or as he is called here, Shaxta Baba, and before I could turn him away, he showed up with a costume, gifts to present to the director and teachers which he had purchased with his own money and money he had collected from other students, and masks for the cats in the Tuk-Tuk Xanim play. Sure, he may have bought his way in, but his enthusiasm was pretty darn contagious.
The assembly day came, and I had to rush to the passport office to get my new local ID card before buying last minute supplies for the production. When at last a meeting for the parents of graduating seniors ended, we flooded into the room to decorate it for the assembly. Suddenly, there were balloons and garlands, and kids trying on their masks and practicing their lines, while others tried desperately to sneak in to watch or peak through the door. It was madness, but it was a wonderful, seasonal madness in which I couldn’t help but find myself reveling. The head of the local Education Ministry joined the school directors and teachers, and kids streamed in to fill the rest of the seats.
First up were the younger kids with Tuk-Tuk Xanim, which just about went as perfectly as I could hope. Next, a couple teachers read a dialogue they’d written with very minimal help from me about their home rayon (Ismayilli, of course). A third teacher backed out at the last minute, so his parts were scrapped. He had gotten stage fright because he didn’t think his pronunciation was good enough. He is learning, but it’s slow going as he must still write everything first as it is written and then phonetically, so he knows how to pronounce each word. Third, the older kids performed their play. It was a bit looser as they had had fewer days to practice. So much of their time is taken up with tutoring sessions to prepare them for university exams. Some days three would show up, and the next day, three different students would come. In retrospect, perhaps I rushed them a bit, but I had hoped they would put in effort at home to memorize the lines and places. The last part of the assembly was a rendition of “Jingle Bells,” while Santa and Qar Qiz (Snow Girl) came to the front of the room and gave out presents. The students were a little shaky on the verses, but when they came to the chorus, they brought the house down. Of course, no assembly is complete without a few speeches, so the school director and Education head gave their holiday greetings, thanks to myself and to the students, and words of wisdom (I presume, I didn’t follow everything). I was then ushered, along with my sitemate, who had recently returned from her medical leave, into the director’s office for tea, and the director was very kind with his compliments. And really, who doesn’t like tea and compliments?
This fall, I decided I wanted to branch out a little from the English clubs I had mostly stuck to the first semester I was at the school. So, I put up flyers for theater clubs, one in the morning for the younger students who attend school in the afternoon, and one in the afternoon for the older kids. As with anything here, attendance varied, until we got closer to the assembly I decided to hold as a culmination of the students’ work.
With each group, I led a brainstorming session to decide on a story, and then planned setting, characters, plot, and some dialogue. Then, based on what we’d discussed, I wrote up the plays in English. The younger kids chose a folk tale called Tuk-Tuk Xanim, about an ant that is lonely and goes in search of a friend. With a little rewriting to emphasize the lesson of friends helping each other, the play was all set to go. The older kids chose an original story about vampires and werewolves, and a group of people at a school. This one took a little more molding and forming.
We faced some difficulties with rehearsals as the assembly room was often in use by others for everything from meetings to chess lessons. But rehearse we did, and as the day for the assembly grew closer, students seemed to come out of the woodwork with interest to take part. Suddenly, the shepherd had a whole flock of sheep as I attempted to find parts for the kids. Eventually, a line had to be drawn and I regrettably had to turn away some kids. One boy decided he wanted to be Santa Claus, or as he is called here, Shaxta Baba, and before I could turn him away, he showed up with a costume, gifts to present to the director and teachers which he had purchased with his own money and money he had collected from other students, and masks for the cats in the Tuk-Tuk Xanim play. Sure, he may have bought his way in, but his enthusiasm was pretty darn contagious.
The assembly day came, and I had to rush to the passport office to get my new local ID card before buying last minute supplies for the production. When at last a meeting for the parents of graduating seniors ended, we flooded into the room to decorate it for the assembly. Suddenly, there were balloons and garlands, and kids trying on their masks and practicing their lines, while others tried desperately to sneak in to watch or peak through the door. It was madness, but it was a wonderful, seasonal madness in which I couldn’t help but find myself reveling. The head of the local Education Ministry joined the school directors and teachers, and kids streamed in to fill the rest of the seats.
First up were the younger kids with Tuk-Tuk Xanim, which just about went as perfectly as I could hope. Next, a couple teachers read a dialogue they’d written with very minimal help from me about their home rayon (Ismayilli, of course). A third teacher backed out at the last minute, so his parts were scrapped. He had gotten stage fright because he didn’t think his pronunciation was good enough. He is learning, but it’s slow going as he must still write everything first as it is written and then phonetically, so he knows how to pronounce each word. Third, the older kids performed their play. It was a bit looser as they had had fewer days to practice. So much of their time is taken up with tutoring sessions to prepare them for university exams. Some days three would show up, and the next day, three different students would come. In retrospect, perhaps I rushed them a bit, but I had hoped they would put in effort at home to memorize the lines and places. The last part of the assembly was a rendition of “Jingle Bells,” while Santa and Qar Qiz (Snow Girl) came to the front of the room and gave out presents. The students were a little shaky on the verses, but when they came to the chorus, they brought the house down. Of course, no assembly is complete without a few speeches, so the school director and Education head gave their holiday greetings, thanks to myself and to the students, and words of wisdom (I presume, I didn’t follow everything). I was then ushered, along with my sitemate, who had recently returned from her medical leave, into the director’s office for tea, and the director was very kind with his compliments. And really, who doesn’t like tea and compliments?
Monday, December 19, 2011
A Slightly Preemptive Year in Review
Best Albums I Listened To
-Bon Iver—Bon Iver
-Iron & Wine—Kiss Each Other Clean
-Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues
-The Decemberists—The King is Dead
-The Civil Wars—Barton Hollow
-Radical Face—The Family Tree
-Black Keys—El Camino
-Blind Pilot—We are the Tide
-Paste Magazine’s Compilation of Free Christmas Music (not an album, but free, and Christmasy)
Best Books I Read (Limited to First-Time Reads)
-Best American Non-required Reading 2010
-The Raw Shark Texts
-Cold Mountain
-The Places In Between
-The Tiger’s Wife
-Johnny Cash’s autobiography
-The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
-The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris
-Black Garden
Best TV and Movies (Incomplete due to Poor Memory):
-Midnight in Paris
-The Wire
-X-Men: First Class
-Homeland
-The Social Network
-Tron: Legacy (Almost Exclusively for the Soundtrack Award)
-Sherlock (BBC)
-Doctor Who Season Six
-Vacations in the Danger Zone—Nagorno-Karabagh region
Best and Only Trips (International):
-Scotland
-Istanbul
-Assume that trip back to the US fits here as well
Best Trips (National):
-Camping in Oguz (despite the rain and leaky tents)
-Evaluation Meeting in Sheki at the Sheki Saray Hotel
-Multiple Lahic trips (with PCVs, family, girlfriend, more PCVs)
-ABLE camp in Qabala, Training of Trainers at the campsite in advance
-Halloween in Barda
-Thanksgiving in Baku
Favorite Projects:
-ABLE
-Sheki Sumemr Camp
-Softball
-FLEX Preparation (Despite temporary failure)
-(Pending) Theater Club
-(Pending) Mural Exchange Program with Japanese School
Favorite New Hobby:
-Watercolor Painting
-Cooking (at least during the summer)
Saddest Moment:
-Burying a puppy
Happiest Moments:
-Weekends in Tezekend with sitemates escaping from daily life, but not the cold
-Playing with a new puppy (slightly less happy—serving as her chew toy)
-Welcoming my family, my girlfriend to Azerbaijan and to Ismayilli, and exploring Istanbul
-A student coming back from summer camp determined to try to apply for FLEX
-Justifying playing Christmas music early because of snow in early November
-Eating homemade birthday cake made by my host mother
Funniest Moments:
-Coaxing a stray dog into the cabin of the other PCVs during ABLE
-Being pelted with water balloons in the middle of the night in retaliation
-Having a dog that likes to perch on my shoulders like a mountain goat
-Speaking to my host brother about college life in America from Azerbaijan
-Bon Iver—Bon Iver
-Iron & Wine—Kiss Each Other Clean
-Fleet Foxes—Helplessness Blues
-The Decemberists—The King is Dead
-The Civil Wars—Barton Hollow
-Radical Face—The Family Tree
-Black Keys—El Camino
-Blind Pilot—We are the Tide
-Paste Magazine’s Compilation of Free Christmas Music (not an album, but free, and Christmasy)
Best Books I Read (Limited to First-Time Reads)
-Best American Non-required Reading 2010
-The Raw Shark Texts
-Cold Mountain
-The Places In Between
-The Tiger’s Wife
-Johnny Cash’s autobiography
-The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
-The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris
-Black Garden
Best TV and Movies (Incomplete due to Poor Memory):
-Midnight in Paris
-The Wire
-X-Men: First Class
-Homeland
-The Social Network
-Tron: Legacy (Almost Exclusively for the Soundtrack Award)
-Sherlock (BBC)
-Doctor Who Season Six
-Vacations in the Danger Zone—Nagorno-Karabagh region
Best and Only Trips (International):
-Scotland
-Istanbul
-Assume that trip back to the US fits here as well
Best Trips (National):
-Camping in Oguz (despite the rain and leaky tents)
-Evaluation Meeting in Sheki at the Sheki Saray Hotel
-Multiple Lahic trips (with PCVs, family, girlfriend, more PCVs)
-ABLE camp in Qabala, Training of Trainers at the campsite in advance
-Halloween in Barda
-Thanksgiving in Baku
Favorite Projects:
-ABLE
-Sheki Sumemr Camp
-Softball
-FLEX Preparation (Despite temporary failure)
-(Pending) Theater Club
-(Pending) Mural Exchange Program with Japanese School
Favorite New Hobby:
-Watercolor Painting
-Cooking (at least during the summer)
Saddest Moment:
-Burying a puppy
Happiest Moments:
-Weekends in Tezekend with sitemates escaping from daily life, but not the cold
-Playing with a new puppy (slightly less happy—serving as her chew toy)
-Welcoming my family, my girlfriend to Azerbaijan and to Ismayilli, and exploring Istanbul
-A student coming back from summer camp determined to try to apply for FLEX
-Justifying playing Christmas music early because of snow in early November
-Eating homemade birthday cake made by my host mother
Funniest Moments:
-Coaxing a stray dog into the cabin of the other PCVs during ABLE
-Being pelted with water balloons in the middle of the night in retaliation
-Having a dog that likes to perch on my shoulders like a mountain goat
-Speaking to my host brother about college life in America from Azerbaijan
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Twenty Years Ago Today
Two decades ago, the Soviet Union was dissolved by a group of people in Belarus. Azerbaijan had declared independence several months earlier, but even today, the ties with Russia are important to many Azeris. In fact, they hold very powerful memories of the time period Azerbaijan spent as a member of the USSR. Many yearn for the days when employment was higher, and life was better.
An expert on the region, Thomas de Waal, who wrote a strong book on the topic of the conflict that has frozen Azerbaijan's politics for a number of years (in fact since before the fall of the Soviet Union), has recently weighed in on the progress the Caucasus countries have made in these past twenty years. It has not been an easy twenty years, but progress has been made in some ways, and setbacks have come in other areas.
Here's Thomas de Waal's article:
http://carnegieendowment.org/2011/11/27/south-caucasus-almost-grown-up-at-20/7tqy
In another interview, he also makes a wonderful analysis of The Butter Battle Book, by Dr Seuss, comparing it to the Caucasian conflict. It's on page 2 of the link.
http://thebrowser.com/interviews/thomas-de-waal-on-conflict-caucasus?page=1
An expert on the region, Thomas de Waal, who wrote a strong book on the topic of the conflict that has frozen Azerbaijan's politics for a number of years (in fact since before the fall of the Soviet Union), has recently weighed in on the progress the Caucasus countries have made in these past twenty years. It has not been an easy twenty years, but progress has been made in some ways, and setbacks have come in other areas.
Here's Thomas de Waal's article:
http://carnegieendowment.org/2011/11/27/south-caucasus-almost-grown-up-at-20/7tqy
In another interview, he also makes a wonderful analysis of The Butter Battle Book, by Dr Seuss, comparing it to the Caucasian conflict. It's on page 2 of the link.
http://thebrowser.com/interviews/thomas-de-waal-on-conflict-caucasus?page=1
One Year In
September marked the anniversary of our arrival in Azerbaijan, but this week I’ll have been in Ismayilli for one year. I’m going to try and keep this from becoming one of those “so much has changed, so little has changed” posts, but it’s worth noting that a lot has changed in the past year, while at the same time, it feels like no time has passed at all. One of my site mates has moved on, and is currently traveling the world before he eventually returns home. The new group of volunteers, the AZ9s, has finished their training and is preparing to move to their permanent sites (a huge congratulations to all of the AZ9s for surviving PST!). Things are changing. For many of us who have been in the country for a year, this is a time when we are evaluating what we have done, what we have learned, what we have accomplished. It’s very easy to get discouraged, and I’m no exception to that rule. There are days when things feel like they are dragging, that the students or teachers we work with haven’t learned anything; that everything is failing. But there are days here and there when someone surprises us, and our time here is justified; we are vindicated.
So here I am, closer to coming home than to arriving, and moving closer with every day. I'm closer to people than I was, and have been fortunate to form some very strong bonds with my host family, and a number of teachers, students, and other members of the community.
A part of me has to fight off the feeling that I have to do something to make my time here worthwhile. Write a grant, conduct some huge project, build something. That’s not for everyone, though my school periodically asks me what project I will conduct, what I will do for my permanent project. To be a success, I don’t need to leave a new school room or resource center, or have brought water to my village, as some volunteers in other countries do. I'm still not sure exactly what success is, though I know it must different for everyone, even for two volunteers in the same community.
I’m not sure what my plans are for the next year. I will wrap up the theater clubs I’m doing at school with a performance at the end of December, before I travel home for the first time, for Christmas and New Years. An aside—I feel like it was a long time in between arriving at site and Christmas, but of course it wasn’t, it won’t feel that way this year. There was just so much to take in and get used to in the three weeks between site arrival and Christmas that it felt like eons.
When I return from America, I will start several new clubs, though what their themes will be I haven’t decided yet. Health? Arts and crafts? Poetry writing? Sky’s the limit! I know that I will continue the work I have done outside of school, including an English club for teachers, and a TOEFL test preparation session. On top of that, I will continue to plan and work on the ABLE summer camp for next summer. I have a pile of books that I intend to read, DVDs to watch, and music to listen to, all of which I have postponed as I become distracted with new discoveries. I have a puppy to take care of, who needs attention and play, and something besides my fingers to chew on.
I hope to travel more in the country, to the north, to the south, to the east, to the west. There’s still a lot of Azerbaijan I haven’t seen yet, and even though Ismayilli’s a bit of a black hole, I should be able to find my way eventually. There’ll be a few more trips to Baku for Peace Corps conferences. I hope also to travel more outside of the country. I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back to this part of the world, so I’d love to check out our neighboring countries—really this means Georgia, as our other neighbors are Iran, Russia, the Caspian Sea, and the country that must not be named.
Beyond that, the next year is an open book. Here we go. Forgive all the I's in this post. It is after all, about me, or I.
So here I am, closer to coming home than to arriving, and moving closer with every day. I'm closer to people than I was, and have been fortunate to form some very strong bonds with my host family, and a number of teachers, students, and other members of the community.
A part of me has to fight off the feeling that I have to do something to make my time here worthwhile. Write a grant, conduct some huge project, build something. That’s not for everyone, though my school periodically asks me what project I will conduct, what I will do for my permanent project. To be a success, I don’t need to leave a new school room or resource center, or have brought water to my village, as some volunteers in other countries do. I'm still not sure exactly what success is, though I know it must different for everyone, even for two volunteers in the same community.
I’m not sure what my plans are for the next year. I will wrap up the theater clubs I’m doing at school with a performance at the end of December, before I travel home for the first time, for Christmas and New Years. An aside—I feel like it was a long time in between arriving at site and Christmas, but of course it wasn’t, it won’t feel that way this year. There was just so much to take in and get used to in the three weeks between site arrival and Christmas that it felt like eons.
When I return from America, I will start several new clubs, though what their themes will be I haven’t decided yet. Health? Arts and crafts? Poetry writing? Sky’s the limit! I know that I will continue the work I have done outside of school, including an English club for teachers, and a TOEFL test preparation session. On top of that, I will continue to plan and work on the ABLE summer camp for next summer. I have a pile of books that I intend to read, DVDs to watch, and music to listen to, all of which I have postponed as I become distracted with new discoveries. I have a puppy to take care of, who needs attention and play, and something besides my fingers to chew on.
I hope to travel more in the country, to the north, to the south, to the east, to the west. There’s still a lot of Azerbaijan I haven’t seen yet, and even though Ismayilli’s a bit of a black hole, I should be able to find my way eventually. There’ll be a few more trips to Baku for Peace Corps conferences. I hope also to travel more outside of the country. I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back to this part of the world, so I’d love to check out our neighboring countries—really this means Georgia, as our other neighbors are Iran, Russia, the Caspian Sea, and the country that must not be named.
Beyond that, the next year is an open book. Here we go. Forgive all the I's in this post. It is after all, about me, or I.
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