Final Softball.

As you might know, I've been involved with Azerbaijani softball since the first season I was actually a volunteer. I've written about it a few times and I hope I've conveyed how much this project has meant to me. I absolutely love softball and thoroughly enjoy the time I get to spend with the kids I get to through it. I've seen this project through 4 seasons (Spring and Fall) and, sadly, this season was my last.

This season's end was completed with a national softball tournament in Bilasuvar and one last scrimmage back in Mingechevir.

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the first day of the Bilasuvar tournament, but I was able to make it for the evening's PCV game, the sleepover at the Olympic Complex, and the second day's games. Mingechevir is a very strong team and has yet to lose in a tournament. There are many reasons for their strength... they know the rules, we have quite a few people that have been on the team since my first season and, well, they're older than a couple of the other teams. I was met with the news that they did not lose in the day's games and they also did not lose the second day's ones though the championship game against Gence was quite tense and had our team nervous. Champions since the inception. Glad it wasn't in my years that that proverbial ball was dropped...

We returned to Mingechevir and organized a final scrimmage since me and Laura are out of Mingechevir soon. Seeing the team organized for probably the last time was incredible. I met a lot of these guys 2 years ago when I was a brand new volunteer adjusting to all that is here and, now, I'm saying goodbye. I've seen them grow and they've seen me do the same. We've laughed, played, learned, etc. I think I've somewhat expressed to many of you my frustrations here being a woman and dealing with men, but these guys... they've always been the source I go to when I'm looking for an Azeri male that does not fit within those frustrations.

I miss it already.

Colonel Mustard.

Something phenomenal about living in Azerbaijan is that it takes creativity. A lot of times you have to think out of the box to get something very simple done. This thinking paves the way for new approaches and, sometimes, creating new ideas and challenges to motivate oneself.

Earlier this year, Baku friends decided an amazing way for them to entertain themselves and further explore Baku and Azerbaijan was to buy a 1980 Lada, Colonel Mustard. And, I've been lucky to reap some of the benefits of their collective fine decision. This car has provided me with so many good times and memories thusfar, but the best just occurred: the Lada and visitors came to Ming.

The first challenge the 'comrades' created was to test out my 'street cred' and find me without my aid. They didn't even tell me they had arrived in town. After about 20 minutes and talking to around 7 people, there was a knock at my door. Friends had arrived and I fully realized too many people I know nothing of know where I live. But, hey, looks like I passed that test with flying colors.

Our next mission was to find Lenin in Yevlax. There's a halved Lenin statue from the Soviet days around my areaish. I was able to navigate decently in the right directions and we had to ask a few people, but we found him... sitting in dumpyard of sorts with decrepit vans and a bunch of goats. My favorite part of this venture was asking the first random man about Lenin's whereabouts. We didn't quite know how to ask about him, so my friend explained that the Lenin statue didn't have a head on his body. The man was confused.

Riding around and traveling in a beaten up (down-to-earth) Lada older than me attracts a good amount of attention. People watch and stare in disbelief as foreigners are driving about in an almost 30 year old car. Azeris tend to think foreigners/Americans are rich and the visual of us in this particular car is something completely astounding and shattering. It provides Azeris with something else to look at and us with hours of entertainment. I think that's called a win-win.

Ming's Got a Mural.

When I was pleading for money in March for my 2nd year Environmental Project, it was mainly for what has just been completed in Mingechevir today... a mural.

I have had this in mind since I came to Azerbaijan to be a Peace Corps Volunteer. I didn't quite know what was going to be done, but I knew I wanted to bring a mural to wherever I was placed. And, now, it's done. There was a scare the morning of the first session because of an untimely rain (morning session was cancelled), but the rain eventually decided to stay in the looming clouds over our heads and give us some relatively cooler work days. This project has been one of my main focuses for the past year and now there's finally tangible evidence of the work. Awesome. This past week, there were 3 days completely dedicated to the mural and the completion of this project as a whole. My Azeri counterparts were all peaches and did the jobs they were supposed to do. Our artist was fantastic and accommodating, the Ministry connection's faith never failed and connected us to the right people in the Excom and media and Lale was exactly who she's always been to me - a patient, kind and supportive friend. I'm incredibly proud of this project and am glad to have been able to complete it. Now, on to the paperwork...

Below, you can see the progression of the sessions. I hope you enjoy. Thank you all so much, again, for your donations. Because of your funding, Mingechevir has its first legit public art.

Flower Holiday.

Once upon a time, I took things seriously. Well, serious enough. I don't know if that's the case so much anymore. There's a lot that goes on here that I can't take serious. Like this, for example. I read about it awhile ago and forwarded it on to a friend. You can read what his thoughts are about it here.

I don't use this medium as a place to really talk about this country per se, but more of me in this country. I do this because I would definitely have an issue being PC (in PC, haha). And, that's an issue because, as PCVs, we're supposed to take the middle way in a lot of instances. Anyone who's really ever talked to me knows this is just not my style. So, I save my opinions, for the most part, for Skype dates, emails, and any other means of communication.

I bring all this up because today was the culmination of what I find absurd here. Today was Flower Holiday. I understand the need to celebrate random things. Fremont has the Daffodil Festival, Wilmington has Azalea Fest, and, heck, Mt. Olive has a Pickle Festival! I find all these quite entertaining. I think I understand these a bit more because they're quirky, particular, and little small town/regional things and not National Holidays. To be fair, though, Flower Holiday was something added onto the celebration of Heydar Aliyev's birthday and was not originally just some random thing to celebrate. But, still, there's something up with that original celebration.

I provided a rather lengthy article, so if you're not into reading all that, read this (even with the nonsensical English, you get the gist):

It is necessary to page chronicle of life of this nice person, read, study and propagandize reading, studying it, because the life of Heydar Aliyev is a history of Azerbaijan we lived through.

...He left us at his 81st year - at the top of wisdom, leadership. However, he had become apart only partially. Heydar Aliyev will always stay with us with his ideas, with the works, which he couldn't finish, big plans, desires in 10, 20, 50, 100-year future of Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev was raised to this top by nation, its trust and belief. The highest top he was able to conquer was the soul of the nation. From that top along with yesterday and today of Azerbaijan, the future, prosperous tomorrow can be seen obviously. Let us be able to move in the light of that top thinking about tomorrow of Azerbaijan...

This was from one of the main (and only) news sources. It's legit press. Nationalistic and not too free press. Here's a link to an Azeri blogger that has some of the same thoughts as me.

Don't get me wrong, I like getting flowers as much as the next girl and I received a lovely bunch of them today (seen above) from one of my favorite students, Nigar. But, this is the snowball of the ridiculousness that is life here sometimes. One absurd thing leads to another... to another.

Oh, Azerbaijan...

My Evil Eyes.

Here's the thing: I would not be able to survive being part of the Peace Corps without a social network outside of Peace Corps. Don't get me wrong, I like my Peace Corps people quite fine, but it's a small world and I do enjoy being able to step out of the Peace Corps realm every once and awhile. In this regard, I am incredibly fortunate because I have the best group of friends in Baku that a girl could ask for - the Baku Evil Eyes.

The Evil Eyes are an International group of awesomeness who get together every week to play Ultimate Frisbee. I love it. We're a close-knit group that wake up early to play on the weekends and get together and enjoy each other's company afterwards. There might even be theme parties involved. I cannot express how incredible it is to be part of this group of people. I started playing with them last June and came to plan my Baku trips around game day. It's been a staple of my time in Azerbaijan and I hold it quite dear. I will never not think of this group of people when I reflect on my times in Azerbaijan. The Evil Eyes are one of my homes and I consider them an integral part of my Azerbaijan family.

This past trip to Georgia, too, was planned around Ultimate. A couple months ago, Kent brought up Baku Evil Eyes vs (the impressive, hospitable and brilliant) Tbilisi Flying Khatchapuris and I jumped at the chance to go. I was able to arrange Writing Olympics judging for the Monday after our 2-day tournament in Tbilisi, so all my plans worked out beautifully. We all hopped on that aforementioned almost midnight train to Georgia (minus Dorje who had to fly) as an official touring team. We arrived into Tbilisi around 1:30 with a game slated for 4. So, we ate, rested, and headed out.

From our Captain, Steve: "So, to business. How did we actually get on the field of play? Well we played as an Evil Eyes Team five times in total, against a variety of different [Flying Khatchapuris] Teams. The games were to 5 and we won 4 and lost 1. After that we mixed the teams up and played for fun."

So, we did what we had to do... Go in, demolish, and then have fun.

I love being an Evil Eye.

I've Been Adopted.

I have a new xanam friend. Her name is Rosa. A couple posts back, I actually introduced her. It was her birthday party I unknowingly walked into after that random ride from Baku.

Today after my club at School 13, I went back up to Rosa's (she lives in IDP housing in the school) to say hello and tutor with Little Rosa and Tural. Little Rosa forgot and didn't tell me, but Rosa xanam welcomed me in nonetheless. I hung out, ate some fruit, and chatted a bit with her; and, soon, the awkward 'I want to leave, but don't know how' time hit. Instead of being able to successfully maneuver my way out of the room, I found myself pretending to nap on the couch for a good amount of time under Rosa's instruction. Rosa was sweet, covered me up and told me that I should come very often since we both live alone. She also told me that I was now her daughter.

I eventually almost made a successful getaway (I really wanted to come home and sleep), but I was then informed I couldn't leave because she was making me dinner. So close. It's funny the silly little situations I can get into here.

Side note on this day: I've always heard how small our sites really are and how everyone talks about everyone else, especially the foreigners. I got inklings of this this past week hearing little things about Ming visitors, but today at Rosa's it fully hit me. Lankaran Aaron was here last week and I heard a bit about him from others kind of in my circle on the streets (because he's quite tall and handsome). Today Rosa and her daughter was talking about him, too! They kept asking me questions about him whilst I was laying on the couch and, yes, commented on his handsomeness.

A Random Azeri Day.

I've been back and forth from Mingechevir to Baku a couple times this month for various reasons. A big milestone visit was MSC (Mid-Service Conference), a little late. My 2nd visit was a follow-up visit because of Medical things from MSC. I'm all and well, just in case you're concerned. I roll in Friday for follow up things, end up spraining my ankle Saturday (minor- no worries), doctor appointments out the wazoo Sunday and Monday, and relaxing the ankle until Thursday. The supposed to be 2 day trip ended up to be much longer. Thank goodness for friends and other lovely characters in Baku for making it quite a nice trip. This turn of events set me up for something I never could have predicted - the best Azeri day I've experienced during the entirety of my service.

Not wanting to hop on the 5 hour marshrutka (overfilled van) ride from Baku to Mingechevir, I wasted a good amount of time in the Peace Corps lounge Thursday morning. I finally motivated myself to leave the lounge after a couple hours to make the journey back. I cannot express this enough... I hate traveling in this country. Typical traveling here includes being stared at and harassed, cramped spaces, no leg room, bumpy roads that give me headaches, and overall lameness. I get to the bus station and I find my marshrutka. As soon as I put my bags in the back and make my way to the back section of the van, the driver asks if I would like to sit in the front. Usually this doesn't happen because I'm a girl and only men sit in the front (most times). I say yes because the front is loads more comfortable. Score. Since I'm a girl, a xanam (old lady) rolls up and sits in the front with me. Double score.

We eventually get on the road and the front seat is a pleasant place to be. We're all joking, laughing, and enjoying our time. We stop at a little store and the driver buys me and the xanam sunflower seeds and drinks. Amazing. We continue on our journey still comfortable. Eventually we arrive at the midway stopping point for the break and I was getting hungry, so I ask the xanam to let me out of the front seat. She begins to follow me as she knows no one else. The rest stop, of course, has no salads, so we get tea and watch some Olympic hockey on the TV while chatting away. Before we left, she had the driver stop to buy me bananas and mandarins. Azerbaijan really decided to let me have a good day. The xanam continues to talk to me telling me that she's going to a birthday party and I'm going with her. I decided that the day was working in my favor, so I just agreed.

Me and the xanam make random observations on the

road and laugh about all the sights. She points out a midget and yells that he is little - I laugh hysterically. I love midget humor. We get to Mingechevir and she makes the driver drive us into town. We get off the marshrutka and we're right by my apartment and we go to School 13 to the party. I was surprised as I have never been in IDP (Internally Displaced People) housing. This family lives in a section of a school that I sometimes teach at. I go in with the xanam, eat salads, and thoroughly enjoy my random Azeri day/night. I had to leave come about 9:30 because I was exhausted from Baku. When I left, I had a gang of people following me to walk me home. I left my new friends with promises to go back basically every Tuesday and to call my new xanam friend, Samaya, when I return to Baku to walk the boulevard with her.

I think things are taking a turn for the better. And, on another very positive note, I've got news that my landlord in Russia is not planning on returning for another year. This girl is not planning on having to move. I win.

Sick Supremely Sucks.

I've been missing lately; you might have noticed. If not, don't worry about it; I really don't mind.

I can't honestly say I've seen much outside of my own apartment for the past week as I've been caught in the grips of some horrific illness that's kept me bedridden and miserable. But, such is life. Luckily, (typically) I only get really sick about once a winter, so here's hoping I don't have to deal with anything like this for the rest of my time here.

Pre getting sick and whiny, I visited Gence (twice) for 2 different things. The first reason I had to go was to get my swine flu vaccination. Me and some other Ming kids hopped a marshrut early one morning to go get our shots in a hotel room with one of the trusty PC doctors... not sketch at all... Overall, though, it was a pleasant day as I got to see 2 of the new volunteers that I hadn't seen in quite awhile (amongst other great people). Flash-forward 2 days and I was making that trip again, but for a more social and fun reason - Sabina's birthday. Last year, about this time, I blogged about visiting Gence for Sabina's birthday. She was my first Azerbaijani teacher and friend. It was great to be with her again and see her hit year 22. We all had a sleepover and it was lovely.

Upon my arrival back, I kept thinking

about how this year has officially become my 'year of lasts'. It was my last year spending Sabina's birthday with her. My last Christmas and New Years have already passed. This is my last full winter and, inshallah, my last sickness. All these other lasts are popping up all over the place as well. I'm trying not to think of everything in this context, but, sometimes, I find it to be a difficult thing to do. The thing is, a lot happens in 10 months and I can't quite see that finish line quite yet, so I best not let my mind wander there.

Hungry for the Holidays.

I love the Holiday Season. This wasn't always the case, but it most assuredly is now.

This is my second and last Christmas I'll be spending in Azerbaijan. So, I'm kind of going as all out as I currently can. There's a small tree involved as well as other little decorations around the apartment. Yesterday I also did my first round of Christmas baking (motivated mostly by a neighbor's help in getting my electricity box to work again and wanting to thank them). I'm excited; I have some presents wrapped, garland up, Christmas movies ready, and am currently trying to perfect my Christmas '09 playlists. T'is the Season.

I found myself thinking about how my past few Christmases were before coming here. I honestly don't remember the day of very well... actually, not at all. But, I do remember the basic sections of life I was at. I think I'm able to remember that only because of the albums I had in rotation each year. I remember Holiday '05 (the old 111 Records catalogue and a Drive-Thru band sprinkled with various other bands I knew) because I was on the road all the time baking for and hanging out in seedy bars and decent venues all around NC with my band friends. That year, I spent the coldest night of my life at an old friend's house... that is, until I came here.

Holiday '06 (Lydia, Sufjan Stevens, Bright Eyes, Band of Horses) had some of the same, but it also included working at Bath and Body Works, trolling through Gravity Records, and reading at Folks Cafe way too much. I remember '06 for providing an especially amazing Thanksgiving and, on Natalie's birthday, the 22nd, my first tattoo. That was also the Christmas Break of Atlas Shrugged. I think I calmed down a bit Holiday '07 (still Lydia, The Swell Season, Glen Hansard, Stars, Joseph Arthur) but I was still working a lot and stayed in Wilmington for the majority of the time. Cinematique, Thalian Hall, and spending time with Heather processing French Existentialism are my most vivid memories from that year. With all of these memories, I thought about who I was each of those years and how I barely recognize the person I was in '05... and how much I miss being that girl. There are so many people I wonder about from that chapter in my life, but I guess all of that is the cost of 'growing up'. Nevertheless, each of my past Seasons have held some memorable events.

My Holiday '08 and '09 will be forever instilled in my head as the ones I spent in Azerbaijan (provided I don't suffer from some sort of amnesia; knock on wood). Though they're probably not as eventful as the hustle and bustle of American consumerism and fueled with to-go Peppermint soy mochas, I think they're special nonetheless. '08 was my first not in the States and as an actual PCV. I pretended New Years trees were Christmas ones and I was good to go. It also may or may not have included a hat making party. This year, with me having a place of my own, I'm able to just be me and share my holiday with the Azerbaijanis I like the most. We'll bake Christmas goodies, watch old Christmas favorites, listen to Christmas music and I'll get to give presents! I think that for sure qualifies as a wonderful Holiday '09.

Hope to see all of you next Christmas! The thing, aside from being a RPCV, I'm looking forward to next year is meeting my niece. :)

Softballin': Fall Fun.

I love softball.  

We play softball in Mingechevir and it is awesome.  This season was something a bit different... it was all AZ6.  The experience was tumultuous but, in the end, it proved successful.  Not only was it AZ6 running it in the country - in Mingechevir, it was only girls.  I know that doesn't sound like a big deal for all you people back home who're able to mingle with the opposite sex and enjoy the company of anyone you choose but, here, it's a big deal.  The season started off slow with bad weather and very low attendance, but the past 2 weeks were pretty incredible and we were able to gain some very valuable players.  We even named one of our favorite guys, Mensur, Captain!  

Today was the one and only Fall Tournament for this year.  Only 2 teams participated, but it was fun nonetheless.  Tim, Lucy, and Danielle traveled in (though Danielle had to take an emergency trip home) and brought much team spirit and support.  Rolling into town this morning was Gence bringing Mathias, Chris, Katie, Elmer and a really great team.  With my Cubs gear on and a strong team led by a new Captain, we played.

The first game was a close one and Mingechevir squeezed out a 16-15 win with only minutes left on the clock.  Mensur did fabulously guiding our team, creating a line up and manning the field.  We even had a new All-Star player, Allahverdi, shine through the sweetest slide into second I've ever witnessed!  My girls (Sabina and Sama) even came out and played quite wonderfully.  It was a tight game and Gence definitely gave us a run for our money!

The second game was very low in points for the first few innings and Mingechevir's defense was phenomenal - I am so proud!  We were leading that game 8-5 (I think) with only 15 minutes left when the whole game took a huge turn for the worse...  In true stereotypical Azeri male fashion, a group of guys show up and try to force us off the field even though there was another free field right across the way.  Things escalated very quickly and reached a very frustrating peak which included a bit of physical contact from the Azeri guys toward one of our Volunteers.  We were seriously being attacked... over a field.  Since it was near the end of the game, we decided to be the bigger people and leave, letting them treat the guests of their country so badly.  What gets my goat is that they pushed out the kids!  The kids!  Thanks guys for being so selfish.

We pushed aside our frustrations, bonded over the absurdity, and took our lovely group photos.  As angry as the last part of the day made me, I can't forget how incredible of a season it's been (even with the slow start).  I got to continue working and deepen relationships I made last season as well as create new ones.  These kids we worked with are truly the special ones, in my opinion.  They're the ones that make me want to be here and the ones I enjoy spending time with.  These are the kids I'll look back on with fond memories and wonder how they turned out while secretly hoping they're still the special ones who're polite, respectful, and full of untarnished life.  They are why I'm here and I'm better for knowing them.

A Kick in the Face.

Sometimes, as I'm sure you're all aware, things just don't go right.  Today was one of those days.  The days where everything goes wrong - where one bad something falls right after the previous bad thing.  

I began my day on the hunt for money.  ATMs get really crazy at the end of the month and just causes me migraines that last all day.  I was hoping to beat the crowds and I did!  But!  I also got behind one of those people who have multiple ATM cards.  To make matters worse, the ATM was only giving out 1 manat bills at 20 manat increments.  So, after waiting behind one person for over 20 minutes, I had to leave to go to work.  Fail.

I strolled onward to work unable to pay my phone, water and gas bills because my lack of money as it all remained in my bank account.  Minding my own business and hiding behind my sunglasses, I tried to breathe and let go of the too typical ATM challenge.  Then, out of no where, pops in my old counterpart/director from my first Host Organization.  I had quite a few issues with this guy and I always like to tell myself he doesn't exist outside of those horrible stories I tell of him.  But there he was.  Existing.  And yelling my name.  I shouted out that I was on my way to work and moved on.  Fail.

I arrive at the lyceum and heard 

the loud children upstairs from outside.  'Oh, geez,' I thought.  After my Tuesday experience, I was not excited to step in that room.  I get into a classroom and I try to be happy and positive, I really do.  But the kids! 

They yell and don't listen and I either have to talk over them, yelling to be heard, or just sit there miserable while all of them yell.  Not fun.  The director at that school wants me to tach them English songs, so I went with 'Twinkle, Twinkle' and 'BINGO.'  The problem with this class is that I have no place being in that room.  They speak very little to no English.  Not to sound exclusive, but since I've come to Mingechevir I've worked with Intermediate skills at the lowest.  I'm not trained to be a TEFL and not having an Azeri teacher with me makes for a very rambunctious classroom with more disciplining than teaching.  I end up kicking a couple kids out, not letting really late ones in, semi teaching some songs, and playing a disastrous game of 'Simon Says'.  Fail.

I had a Skype date with a friend, too.  So, I thought, this will make up for my bad day.  I go over to the fancy hotel and wireless doesn't work.  Fail.

So, I walk home breathing in the Fall air, looking around at the plants that still live and the colors of it all.  I glance at the fountains and the sunset trying to fill my mind with positive things and focus on the good as opposed to the full blown migraine and day's frustrations. With some Fall-type tunes in my head, I stopped at a different ATM and successfully got money, stopped by the store with the nice cheese lady and, though they didn't have my chocolate milk (I didn't let it bother me), got some banana juice instead and yogurt.  I finished my walk home to rest a little when I get a call.  I didn't know the number.  I don't usually answer when I don't know the number, but with new trainees in country, I decided to, just in case.  And, I'm glad I did.  It was Nazim!  He is one of my best students and only real male Azerbaijani friend!  He's in the Army right now (as it's mandatory for all males here).  It was nice to chat with him and see how he's faring where he is (a not very safe region).  I immediately updated Lale that I heard from him.  Finally, something good.

Now, something very good is about to happen.  Step Up and brownie night with Sitemates Laura and Alexis.  It might sound a little lame watching Step Up again this month (once in my film club), but nothing's wrong with dance parties, cute guys, and a bit of chocolate overload.  My migraine is already subsiding...

Thank goodness for the simple things.  

So It Ends.

Mingechevir has been saying goodbye to loved volunteers slowly.  June marked Cindy's departure.  September was blue as Bev made her way back to the West Coast.  And, now, we've said our 'so longs' and 'heleliks' to Nate and Mariko.  Last week, Nate and Mariko hosted their final Hub Night and it was a bittersweet event.  We ate good food, played fun games, cleared out their apartment of stuff and took our final Ming pictures.  

It's just beginning to hit me that we're down to the final four for the moment until the 7s come over in December.  While we will have some new faces popping in in the next couple weeks with the 7s coming to visit, we won't have new 'staples' for a bit of time.

So it ends.  This chapter being the newbies in a city where American volunteers have already grown accustomed to the way of life is over.  Now we're the ones who have routines, ideas, and contacts who get to treat the new volunteers as wonderfully as ours treated us.  

Chapter 2 - Year 2 has begun.

Welcome new volunteers!  And, goodbye old friends.  Inshallah I will see you all back stateside.

A New Season, A Year Down.

My favorite time of year begins today... Fall.  It's extra special this year, too, because not only is it my mom's birthday (Happy Birthday, mom!), it's my one year mark of being in Azerbaijan!  It's kind of a milestone for me marking my first year completed and knowing that there's only a bit over a year left.  Not at my half way mark yet, but it's coming...

All of this is making me think that I really need to get motivated and start up all the activities I want to do over these next 15 months.  It's about time I start to focus on a bigger project, write some grants, and come up with some fresh ideas work wise.  I'm starting to do all this by revamping what it is I do.  I'm less focused on Conversation Clubs and general activities and am approaching this year with a  mentor type of attitude.  With Lale, my go-to girl, working in Baku until December, I needed to rethink what it was I wanted to do.  So, at the moment, I'm working with younger girls with their English and Critical Thinking skills through film, essay writing, podcast listening, and more photo clubs.  I'm also toying with some other ideas, but I need to flesh them out a bit more.  I'm also actively opening my house to these girls and other older youth to come over, hang out, and have some one-on-one time to improve skills as well as attempting to provide a safe haven of sorts whenever a growing teenager needs it.  My way of being a PCV is to try to impact the people I feel close to as much as possible.

With Fall coming also brings cooler weather 

foods in season!  Pomegranates have begun popping up in the bazaar and streets, apples fill trunks and cars and are getting to be cheaper, I saw spinach for the first time not too long ago, and soon persimmons and clementines will show up!  

It's getting to be that perfect weather time where wearing long sleeve shirts, sweaters and jeans is comfortable.  It's almost that time where a steaming hot cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate is refreshing and you can feel it go down your throat and hit your stomach.  Soon it won't be unbearable to cook a meal in the kitchen because of the heat and I can snuggle up in a thick blanket without sweating profusely.  

Sadly, I know, the perfect chunk of perfect weather will pass and become freezing quicker than I I had the chance to enjoy it and I'll be wanting it to be hot again, but I'm not going to think about that quite yet.  Today I'm enjoying the mild day with my coffee under a light blanket.  

Happy one year to me and my group and Happy Birthday, mom!

Learning Azeri From Spiderman?!

Hanging out in Baku, I stumbled upon this with the help of Kim's roommate. So, AZ7s,  enjoy your first glimpse of the strangeness that is Azerbaijan and learn some Azeri while being entertained (while you still have fast enough internet to take pleasure in random videos)! Nush!

A Major Necessity.

Peace Corps has opened me up to a lot of new things and experiences.  I have new dependencies and addictions and have gotten rid of old ones.  One of my newer needs is TV on DVD.  I watch more TV here than I ever did in America and have caught up on a lot of pop culture that fell by the wayside when I was home.  Now, I know I'm now missing new shows and all that jazz, but I doubt it will be as important to me when I get back.  It makes sense to me... watching a lot of TV as when it's really cold, going outside isn't preferable, and neither is it when it's super hot.  

I don't really discriminate what I watch here and my standards now are quite low, so I've seen a lot of shows that really aren't that great, but I have watched a couple that I believe are pretty incredible.

The Wire

I don't know why I ever thought this show wouldn't interest me - it has murder, corruption, and some good looking men, everything a good show should have.  It started out slow and I wasn't sure if I was really into it, but it developed quickly and the next thing I knew, I was hooked.  I now firmly hold the belief that this has been the best show I've watched in this country... perhaps ever.  It's gritty, hard-hitting, enticing, and completely addicting.  If you haven't watched it, you should.  It really hits its stride in the 3rd and 4th seasons.

The West Wing

I remember watching this on and off in the background with my dad, but I didn't understand the complexity of this show until watching it here.  Now that it's been able to get the focus from me that it deserves, I've come to thoroughly enjoy this show.  Maybe it's the combination of entertainment and reminders of DC visits and America, but this really is a fast talking and captivating show with humor, drama, and American idealism.

Mad Men

It surprises a few people that I like this show as much as I do, but I truly find this show fascinating as a time piece and a drama.  It's entertaining while also giving me a glimpse on what was a reality for some of my close friends back in the day.  Don't get me wrong, there are parts of the reality that I don't like and makes me feel uncomfortable, but that's kind of the beauty of it.  The advertising environment is compelling and the characters intricate.  I think that the acting is fantastic, for the most part, and that, if for not anything else, watching the change that occurs during this time period is enough to keep one interested.  This is one show I wish I were able to watch every week back home.  

I could go on and share all the other shows I've watched, but I kind of fear that you all would think the list absurd in the amount, so I won't.  I will, though, tell you that I have watched the entire The X-Files series as well as Grey's Anatomy.  I've rewatched all the TV I brought here with me and have probably done so multiple times.  I'm sure that within the next 16 months, I'll watch a lot more and find new favorites, but, for now, these are my tops.

Who knew I'd be going half a world away to watch so much TV?  

When You See Asparagus, Buy it... Always Buy it.

Last week, wandering through the bazaar, me, Agsu Rachel, and sitemate Laura almost had a cow - we saw bunches of asparagus! Typically, this would not be a highlight of the day, much less the week, but here in AZ, it's a world where those types of ideas are flipped.  Normal here is no way normal by home standards and typical is what you all would probably think atypical.  

I've slowly learned a lesson here about products, though, when you see something you want, buy it (especially in the regions)!  Yes, it hurts the volunteer budget, but the likelihood that you'll see that particular something again is a gamble that you'll probably lose.  I've been good at taking my advice about buying things (chocolate chip cookies, Pringles, curry, Ferrio Roche chocolates), but this past month, with the move and coming off Georgia spending, I've been dirt poor.  So, that day in the bazaar, I saw asparagus and I passed it up.

Further more, I banked on asparagus man having asparagus today.  I planned an asparagus stir-fry tonight with a box of tofu an amazing sitemate, Bev, provided, but, alas, no asparagus, no asparagus stir-fry.  The main ingredient is non-existent and, for the second day in a row, I've been disappointed with a small thing about AZ.

When life doesn't give you asparagus, make a better stir-fry.  :)