Bumpy roads to Baku

Time is flying lately!

Travel here always leaves me very tired and it takes me a couple days to recuperate from bumpy roads, hot vehicles, tested patience, and lack of any personal space.  In-country travel is a daunting task, but, typically, the destinations make it worth the troubles.

Last week, I was in Baku for medical and a PDM (Project and Design Management) workshop.  The medical was nothing big and provided me 2 days of vacation and good food in Baku.  I hurt my foot somehow, but it healed pretty nicely... pretty much right after I arrive in Baku.  So, I was in Baku for a couple days before the workshop which was, really, my real reason for being there.

The PDM conference was actually a quite pleasant and educational workshop.  The idea of this workshop is for volunteers to bring in a host-country national counterpart that one works on projects with.  I took my best Azerbaijani friend, Lale.  I wanted to take Lale for a few reasons.  One being the educational aspects of projects as well as understanding of the Peace Corps.  Another, more fun reason, is that I wanted to show her Baku, American styled.  

Though this is a small country, many people don't visit Baku to just visit.  When people go to Baku, it's for a reason and all down time is usually not as it's spent with families.  Our cultures, obviously, are incredibly different and we (volunteers) go into Baku for completely different reasons than Azerbaijanis would.  So, it was the first time Lale was able to be in Baku, walk around with friends (even in the evening!), and go to restaurants and try new foods.  She easily integrated into what Baku is for Americans and, I think, she thoroughly enjoyed that glimpse.  I was there for the first time she tried Indian and Mexican food, for those 3 days where everything she drank, pretty much, was cold and she didn't die and, inshallah, isn't barren, and for those secret friend things that brought us a bit closer.  I was there for that chunk of time where Lale experienced more freedom than she has ever been able to.  

We've talked a lot about this experience, before and after with thinking about and processing.  She had a blast, I had a blast, but the both of us were tired and needed to rest after the fact.  And, it was nice to be next to Lale on the bus on the way home and see how visibly happy we were to be home.