This posting seems to be rambling thoughts.

This week I had the privilege to go to village of Khirdilan to assist in the Pre-Service Training (PST) of the AZ8’s. It was a joy to see 14 men and women preparing to serve the people we have come to love. It is a difficult and trying time for them as they learn the language and are exposed to the cultural differences. I was quite impressed by those I met with their dedication and desire.

The first photo is from our training days. The first week of November the Trainees receive their site assignments to where they will go after their swearing-in ceremony. Linda and I are pointing at Shirvan on Azerbaijan map. Two years have passed since those training days. Little did we know what all lay ahead of us.

Now that we are looking towards the date of November 10 when we will return to our family and friends, we spend a lot of time evaluating our Peace Corps experience. I always like to ask other Volunteers, “If knew then what you know now about what you would go through, would you do it?” Others like ourselves answer with a “Yes!”

I worked with my Program Manager to present a session on Teaching Computers in Azerbaijan. I basically offered what I had observed. Everyone knows computer skills are important for future jobs. However, basic computer skills are not taught in the schools. In the United States teaching the keyboard begins in the earliest grades. In Azerbaijan it is not taught at all. It is laborious to watch a bright student with a hand written document enter it into a Word document. My cousin Melissa who teaches 5th grade wrote me that her students’ interest in using the computer potential was proportional to their keyboard skills.

One of our PCVs counterpart has translated a basic typing course into Azerbaijani and sells the books for 5 AZN. We have purchased these books for our counterparts to examine and use. We encourage everyone to use computer keyboard learning programs, such as Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. The students enjoy the games used in the program, but don’t take time to learn the basic finger positions which the games reinforce.

The good news is that IREX is also offering training in using Facebook, Youtube, and blogs as social journalistic tools.

When I went to Khirdilan, I took a taxi, and was scared to death during the ride. Drivers are either accelerating or breaking. In Azerbaijan in an 8 month period there were 539 people killed in motor vehicle accidents with the primary cause was speeding. In that 8 month period there were also 199 pedestrians killed, and another 350 injured.

That seems like a lot to me for a population of almost 9 million, but less than half of the families own motor vehicles.

The second photo is a photo of one way we were felt to feel welcome at our host family upon our arrival in Shirvan. It is a salad with the red color provided by beets, and the “Welcome” being cucumbers.

The third is a pumpkin. While staying with a host family in Khirdilan for one night, I was served a delicious rice and pumpkin dish.

The fourth is of a pomegranate still on the tree. Now is pomegranate season, and they are tasty and cheap. Linda does not care for pomegranates because they are messy for her to eat and she does not like to eat the seeds.

Lastly is a note about souvenirs. When we shared with our family that our invitation from the Peace Corps had come from Azerbaijan, my brother said that he envisioned a tee-shirt which read “My brother served the Peace Corps in Azerbaijan and all I got was this lousy tee-shirt.” I hate to tell him, but he isn’t even getting a tee-shirt. When we pack to go home, we are 2 years older, and we will bring only what we can carry - which isn't as much as we would like to think. There is no souvenir which will be able to fully represent our Azerbaijan experiences. We will not bring souvenirs for our many friends and family, but we will bring our memories.

Tomorrow will mark 1 month to go, so it will be a Diet Dr. Pepper day for Linda. My cousin, Melissa Williamson, sent Linda 6 Diet DP’s and for that we are very thankful because we’re absolutely sure Linda can make it to the finish now!

Second picture is of Matt and Parvaneh Daneshmand who will be Mr. and Mrs. Matt Rives very soon. They called to give us the news last Sunday, and we couldn’t be happier. We will have 2 daughters-in-law and Linda will no longer be outnumbered 3 to 1, but it will be 3-3.

The third picture really needs no explanation other than the Peace Corps does not allow Volunteers to operate any motor vehicles in Azerbaijan, but sometimes temptation is just too great.

The fourth photo is three sheep in the backseat of a car. Not an uncommon site. Automobiles outside of the major cities are used as all purpose vehicles. I have observed men cutting grass and then stuffing it into every available space of the 4-door Lada for later use in feeding cattle. There are automobiles loaded from ceiling to floor with apples, watermelons, and any local produce. Often building supplies, furniture, refrigerators, and local luggage are on top of an automobile. In regards to the sheep, it really isn’t too expensive if they split the taxi fare 3 ways.

Linda and I just returned from Peace Corps headquarters in Baku completing our medical and dental exams before closing our service. We will be covered by Peace Corps insurance for 1 month following our departure from country. If there are any later complications caused by our time in Azerbaijan, including mental health issues, we can they apply for treatment from the government.

While in Baku we saw 2 tourist attractions. One is a Zoroastrian Temple. Azerbaijan has always been known as the land of fire. Zoroastrian worshipers used fire in their cleansing ceremonies. The temple is built with five walls to resemble a star. In the center of the temple is a flame which was once natural gas escaping and a natural flame (now piped in due earth quake damage). The flame is housed under a square roof with a smaller brick square like a chimney on each corner. Each corner represents one of the four major elements, earth (soil), water, wind, and fire. It was quite interesting and we had a very good guide. It was an important site because it was on the Silk Road from India to Europe. Many Indian Zoroastrian followers and priests came to this site. There are 26 small rooms in the outer walls for worship and meditation.

The second site was the “burning stone” near Baku. The natural gas fed rock has been “on fire” for centuries. The heat was amazing, and such a site. I thought of the burning bush of Exodus. (We were not anticipating this opportunity and did not have our camera.)

Another Peace Corps moment to relate from our day in Baku; we were returning to our hotel via the Metro (Baku subway system). As we made our way from the train to the surface, we ran into Rauf. Rauf is one of the most computer savvy people I have met in Azerbaijan. He was the Director of the IREX IATP (Internet Access and Training Program) at the Central Library from 2001 – 2005. Rauf always concludes his conversations with me with “How can I help you?” My reply is always, “Nothing now, but just to know that I have a friend as you is enough.” Linda and I told him we were finishing our service in a month and would be returning the United States and 2 new daughters-in-law. He congratulated us, and then added, “Thank you for what you have given to Azerbaijan. Thank you for your service.” Rauf’s spontaneous gesture warmed our hearts on a cool evening.

These are the final pictures of our adventure in Ilisu. All 9 of us were walking from our hotel which is just outside the actual village through the village to a restaurant which is famous in the area. The first photo is of a side passage in the village. Ilisu is very old and is a good example of village life.

There were a few small markets and one nice market which we decided to stop at on our way back. We continued through the entire village and had not reached the famous restaurant. Linda, Leslie, and I were ready to quit, go back to the store and buy a few things to eat. But, the group had the better wisdom, and also flagged down a car and asked the driver how far was it to our desired location. Only 1 kilometer was the answer! We trekked on and found the most unique restaurant we have seen in Azerbaijan. The castle look, the bear, the camel, and the horseless carriage were all there. They gave us our own room in a castle tower (second floor), and the food was as good as the atmosphere. Now, one may ask, how much to eat in such a fancy place? The answer is 9 AZN or about 12 dollars each for grilled meat (lamb and chicken) grilled potatoes, drinks, bread, and a few small side salads of cucumbers and tomatoes, pickles, and mushrooms.

Needless to say, it was a great end to the hour and a half journey. We relaxed, talked, and refreshed – good thing, we still had the hour and a half journey back (now uphill). We stopped at the fine store and bought snacks in place of supper that evening. We were going to hire a taxi to take the food, and a couple of the group back to the hotel while the rest of us walked. The driver wanted 5 AZN which is what we paid for from the city 15 KM away. We shot back 2 AZN, he said 4, we stuck with 2 and ended up carrying all our groceries back up the mountain (formerly hill). By the time we were almost to our rooms we were huffing, puffing, and I was sweating profusely as I carried my load. Bill said, “the 4 AZN sounds like a bargain now”!

On to cultural adjustments we have had to make. In Azerbaijan there is little sense of personal property. I was discussing this topic with my best conversation group, and I said this is my computer, and they just laughed. No, in Azerbaijan, anything in public is ours. If I lay out my materials for a conversation club, someone will come into the room, even a library employee, and just pick up anything, look at it, examine, put back somewhere different than where I had organized my presentation. Pens and paper are just picked up or someone will say to me “give me a pen”, “give me your pen”, and never say please or return it promptly after use. If I leave sheet of paper with writing on the top half, pieces are torn off to write down information, phone numbers, web sites, etc.

In the schools chalk and erasers are not provided. Students are asked to bring chalk. When no one has any chalk, they always turn to Mrs. Linda who keeps chalk at ready supply along with an eraser in her purse. If Linda ever forgets to take the chalk or eraser with her, and goes back to get it later – oh, well, you can guess – never there.

There is no sense of a line or queue when using the ATM or at the markets. I will wait patiently to purchase something, and a man, woman, or child will walk in front of me and start to talk to the clerk or pay for something they want to purchase. At the post office it is the same situation. People gather, push, and never consider others as they are only focused on what they need. I mentioned this at a conversation club, and the result was a discussion of the topic and the video which you can watch at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxFNpbLAm7I

Please note the faces of those who observe people waiting for an ATM in an orderly line. The video is a group of students who went to an ATM and formed a line to demonstrate a fair and good method of using an ATM.

All in all we are always learning patience and flexibility as Peace Corps Volunteers.

Last week Linda and I traveled to the village of Ilisu in the region of Qax. We were just a few kilometers from the Russian border. It will be the final traveling within Azerbaijan except for our necessary excursions into Baku for Peace Corps requirements.

We met the other mature Volunteers and said our farewells, and enjoyed one last adventure together.

Leslie from Salyan spent Thursday night with us, then we left about 10:30 for Hajacabul to catch a bus for Qax. I had gone to Hajacabul that morning to find out what time the bus would leave for Qax and was told 11:00 a.m. and to be there by 10:45 a.m. We arrived via taxi to the bus stop around 10:40, and the bus to Qax arrived at 11:15 and we were off.

Traveling in Azerbaijan is always exhausting for us. It is the worry about making sure of the times and destinations with our limited language skills. The bus was very nice, 55 passenger, about 10-15 years old with working air conditioning. We stopped once for a break and made it to Qax about 4:30 p.m.

We were immediately met by a taxi driver willing to take us to Ilisu and our resort, Ulu Dag. The other Volunteers had already arrived and were in their rooms. The taxi driver drove at about twice the speed that would have been sane, and somehow we made it safe and sound.

Ilisu is called mini-Switzerland by the Lonely Planet travel book which is a bit overstated. The views were lovely. We hiked about a mile to a waterfall and were greeted by workers harvesting shale. The workers were from Georgia, and they were taking the stone for walls. The truck was to travel back down the trail and all the way to a coastal city in Georgia. They say Georgians are very optimistic people.

I will share more about Ilisu next posting, but we did have an interesting experience while hiking on Sunday. We were told to bring our passports, because of the proximity to Russia there are soldiers in the area. We started out hiking along the trail parallel to the river to visit some hot mineral baths in the area. (note: Linda and I were along for the hike only.) We had proceeded about a kilometer when we were stopped by 2 soldiers who asked to see our passports or documents. Now, Linda and I had faithfully brought our passports from Shirvan and they were safely tucked away in our hotel room. 5 of the 8 had their passports. One soldier radioed in our names, and told us to wait for the soldier in charge. Sure enough in about 10 minutes 2 more soldiers came walking up and wrote down a few names, examined documents, asked a few questions. Then they told us it was too dangerous and we must not go that way. We had seen many local people walking the trail which is why we ventured out. The resort personnel said if we were Azerbaijani, it would have been OK, but they were being protective of the Americans.

This experience was the first time we had been asked for our passports outside of the airports. It was a bit unnerving in that the soldiers looked like such young men. They were very polite and friendly, and we never feared anything, but just a little nervous. It is too close to the end of the adventure to be calling the Peace Corps security officer for help.

We are under 50 days, and have scheduled our final medical exams for the first week in October. Our dreams are filled with home, and our memories are filled with our dear Azerbaijani friends.

This week we are going to get together with the other older Volunteers in a village of Ililsu near the city of Qax. So, I am posting a little earlier in the week.

Last week during the Ramazan holiday, we visited Todd and Sarah France who are AZ7’s and serve in Kurdamir. Kurdamir is north and east of us, and about a 90-minute bus ride. Todd is 30 and played in the European NFL as a kicker. Sarah taught art for 3 years in the Las Vegas school system. They are an outstanding couple with many talents. It is always a joy to spend time with them (far right in the photo).

Kurdamir is a region with over 50 villages, and the main city has a population of 15,000. We did not see any of the soviet style apartment buildings as we have in Shirvan. The France’s have rented a home that has 3 rooms and a kitchen. It was one of the nicest refrigerators I have seen in any Peace Corps housing. They also have a washing machine (a tub with an agitator which must be hand filled and drained). We were very envious of their luxury, except for the toilet, which is basically a hole in the ground. They have a cistern and overhead water tank, which they fill by buying water from a truck. The water was clean and they have a nice system. Their water heater did not work, but during the summer the sun heats the tank sufficiently for a nice shower in the evenings.

The France’s were very kind to us and gave up their bed. Their bed is very comfortable. They have an Azerbaijan mattress on the floor and foam rubber on top of it. The mattresses in Azerbaijan are cloth stuffed with wool. During each summer the wool is removed, washed, fluffed, re-stuffed, and re-sewn. The fluffing is performed by allowing the wet wool to air dry, then a woman takes a stick and beats the stick into the wool, lifts the stick bringing a few strands of wool to the air, and dropping back onto the pile. When I am running in the summer, I often hear the whack, whack, whack of those refurbishing their mattresses.

Now, the floor is very comfortable with a mattress, and many homes with many people usually stack the mattresses during the day, and then lay on the floor at night. The beds are 2 basic types. One type is a metal frame with a small headboard, then inside the frame is a metal mesh and the mattress is placed on top of the mesh. This is very soft and a little springy. Our beds in Saray during our training were of this type. We sagged into the middle. We had 2 beds pushed together, but were different heights.

The second type of bed is a board inside of the metal frame – like sleeping on the floor, but higher. Our bed board has the thinnest layer of foam rubber I have ever encountered. We have added other layers of foam rubber and it is more comfortable.

The problem for us is that the wool mattress does not stay fluffed very long. Soon there are deep indentations of each person. We often grip the mattress on opposite sides and shake vigorously to even it out a little.

All that is to say this: The Peace Corps sets aside $225 (now $275) for each month of training and service. Then at the end of service, we are given this money as a Readjustment Allowance. A good portion of ours is going for the highest quality of bed we can purchase, and never ever take it for granted!

The bus rides to and from Kurdamir were quite eventful, but usual. The bus to Kurdamir was a large 50-passenger bus probably built in the 1960’s. It was well worn, and soon after we began there was a loud, very loud thumping noise at the rear of the bus. Linda had observed that the driver and helper had been working on one of the underneath baggage areas when we boarded. Evidently, the repair did not hold, and the door was flapping. The sound was like someone slamming a metal door as hard as they could every 5 seconds. We stopped a couple of times, and finally the noise subsided. When we first heard the flapping we thought we had a flat tire because of the vibration, but that was just normal shimmy of unbalanced tires.

Our return home was on the bus that runs from Shamakha to Shirvan each day. I have included the photo of our Salyan bus again. The Shamakha bus is not quite as physically sound as that bus. I stood the whole 2 hours plus because we were very crowded, and women always get first priority for seating. I stood next to Linda behind the driver. When we stopped, an assistant would uncover the engine compartment, which was to the right of the driver. He would add water to the radiator while the engine was running. He added 10 liters during the 2-hour trip. It was over 2 hours because of all the stops we made letting off and picking up passengers for the villages between Kurdamir and Shirvan. However, the worst part of the trip was the fumes. The weather has moderated, and our return day was cool, or I’d be dead.

This is the last time we will be remembering the September 11, 2001 tragedy while in Azerbaijan. Linda and I, as most Americans alive at that time, remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we first watched the unfolding of the events of that dreadful day. I recall the feelings after 9/11 when everyone was patriotic, kind, courteous, and caring. That period lasted far too briefly and then we went to war. Little did we realize that 9 years later we would be living in a Muslim country albeit very secular. Our Muslim friends share our pain and during a conversation club in Kurdamir this week, a young man looked us in the eyes and with great emotion said, “I am sorry that so many Americans died on September 11.”

This week the library was closed on Thursday and Friday for the end of Ramadan holiday. It is celebrated by visiting with those who have had family members die in the past year, and visiting with family. One of the foods of Ramadan is Hava, which is in the first photo. It is very simple, butter is heated and flour and sugar are fried until the brown color. Linda and I do not care for the taste, but deeply appreciate our two neighbors bringing us dishes of Hava yesterday and today.

On Monday and Tuesday this week we had media training at the IREX Media Center. Lunch was served for all those who participated. There were about 20 young adults and each day we were provided with Lula Kebabs for lunch. The kebab is a mutton sausage cooked over an open flame, then cilantro and onions are added and all is rolled in a lavash, which is a flour tortilla. The drink served is called Iran – which is buttermilk. The photos try to illustrate.

The final photo is of women making lavash. One will prepare and cook the dough, while another rolls it flat before the cooking. It takes a lot of practice and skill to make lavash quickly.

The main stable of life here is bread. The common loaf of bread is round and about 10 inches in diameter. The loaf cost 25 qepek (30 cents). The price has varied between 20 and 30 qepek in our time of service. Loaves can be purchased in every market, out of boxes on a corner, or at the isti chorek (hot bread) store. From the bakery (isti chorek) the bread is hand stacked and carried by the armful out to a vehicle either a small truck with a shell or an automobile trunk, back seat, front seat, wherever there is room. The bread is then placed in rows in boxes. I would estimate the age of these boxes at about 18 months, and they are used again and again. The bread is then taken to individual sellers and hand carried into the selling area. Placed in boxes with blankets to cover. I do not enquire as to the laundering practices of these blankets, but I would guess annually. Again the bread is placed in rows by hand, customers then come in and search through the box, handle a few loaves and select the ones they prefer. If we buy bread at the market, there is no way to estimate the number of hands, which have touched each loaf.

Linda and I buy very little of the round bread. It is difficult to toast, and we like the traditional slices for sandwiches. The purchased bread is a little chewy, but if warm, can be okay. When visiting in a home we can tell immediately if a woman bakes her own bread by the texture.

We have a market, which has someone prepare bread in what we would call a traditional loaf, and I pay 30 qepek for it. When it is fresh, it is great for our lunchtime sandwiches. Linda says all bread is good if you put peanut butter on it.

There are also many buns sold in the markets, and they are all very sweet. We have purchased and tried to use for sandwiches and hamburger buns, but the taste is just too sweet. They are primarily snack breads.

A week ago, we cooked our own hamburger buns, and I must say they were wonderful!

During the winter and spring months we have been able to purchase a whole grain bread, and if fresh is very good. I found a rye like bread, but only have seen it occasionally.

I think we sometimes dream about those homemade rolls and crescent rolls that are brought to basket dinners in Missouri – our friends, please make note.

With the time left we will blog about our daily life and Azerbaijan culture. The pictures are from the International Museum Day on May 16, 2009 with the traditional Azerbaijan dress and musical instruments.

The name of the round drum is galval and the stringed instrument is a tar. The children were performing a traditional dance.

It is still very hot here with the temperature in the 90’s. We prepare a lot of ice each day because we cannot buy it anywhere. Azerbaijanis drink cool, but not ice cold drinks. There are many ice cream bars available, but you must eat quickly before they melt.

The washing of the carpets is done in hot weather. During the winter the carpets are beaten. Since we are nearing the end of summer, any water day there are many women washing their carpets outdoors. Our neighbors take the carpets and lay them outside on the sides of the streets, wet them, poor laundry detergent, on hands and knees scrub with a brush, then rinse and squeegee with a flat wooden piece at the end of a handle, repeating the rinsing and squeegee several times. The water comes from a hose and a lot of water runs down the street and into the courtyard. The wet carpets are then hung to dry on the clothes lines if sturdy or on the benches and playground equipment in the courtyard. Washing and drying the carpets take precedence over any other use of the courtyard. Every water day the past two weeks we see dozens of carpet washings while we walk.

With my deepest apologies to the 46% of the households in the world without running water (National Geographic, April, 2010) we think it is difficult having water every other day. In extremely hot or cold days we may only get a few hours of water on a water day. Because of where our apartment is situated and with reduced water pressure, our neighbors or other buildings may have water, and we do not. We keep the faucet on and wait, sometimes for small trickles, and sometimes a nice flow of water. This is to make a point. When we do not have water I envy those with water tanks, or those who are getting water when we are not. Then when we do not have water and I observe waste, I become resentful. This experience has made me realize what the third world must feel when they see abundance and even waste in developed countries.

Today is a market day for us. We generally buy something at a market daily due to lack of storage and freezer space. We once bought some unripe peaches, but stored them in the refrigerator because the dark and warmth helped them ripen. Anyway, it made us recall a woman named Lillian Garland who was in her eighties and would walk to the local grocery store about 2 blocks away almost every day. She would only buy what she could carry. Life is like that here in Shirvan. People buy what they can carry, and if they purchase more than that, a taxi is needed at a cost of 1 AZN ($1.25).

After visiting the United States my counterpart asked me why there were no small markets? Now the inventory of a small general market here is about like a 7/11 with better prices and some bulk items such as flour, cookies, and candy. They are important because of the carrying factor. We try to support a couple of local markets, and a larger “super market” in the bazaar. The super market has better prices, the prices are marked, a little variety, a shopping basket, I get to pick the items off the shelf, and a computer checkout.

No matter whether we buy from a small market or the super market, or anywhere, our items are placed in plastic bags. (I keep remembering seeing the Wal-mart and Hy-Vee plastic bags caught in the trees along our street in Kansas City.) These bags are very important! We use them to cover and store our leftovers, carry out our daily trash, and use to transport any items we need to take to work. The really nice plastic bags that are not transparent are used for lunch boxes, toolboxes, and suitcases.

Today we purchased a litter of milk, 30 eggs, flour, peaches, tangerines, butter and bread. We have enough bags for a day or so!

Such is a portion of our daily experience.

The first picture is of the group of AZ6 Volunteers who were then not even Trainees. We were checking in at JFK airport in New York, September 23, 2008. Little could we imagine all that we would do in the next 2 years.

The second photo is our celebrating being in country 1 year, and thinking how much we had already experienced.

The third is of a fire near the Central Library. A small shop which sold household items including small electronic appliances had an electrical fire which destroyed most of its inventory.

The fourth is the entrance of the Shirvan Humanitarian and Economic College. The college campus is the building in the background and a courtyard which includes a football (soccer) field and exercise bars. It is similar to a community college or trade school in the United States.

Finally, it is our Country Director, Meredith Dalton and us. It is always an honor and an excitement when the Country Director visits on site. Meredith has an awesome responsibility for the over 100 PCVs and staff serving in Azerbaijan. The Americans on staff are giving of themselves to the Peace Corps, and their country. All are former Peace Corps Volunteers who have later become employed by the Peace Corps.

From Linda:

This week was the end of Courtyard English Club for elementary-aged boys and girls who live in our apartment complex (5 large Soviet-built apt. buildings). Usually there would average 12 boys on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 16 girls on Mondays and Wednesdays. I had no blackboard, white board, desks, walls, maps, etc. that a classroom usually has. All my materials I carried in a box. The club lasted for 1 hour each day for the months of July and August. Some children had had a little English in school but most were non-English speaking. The children would gather before I got there and were glad to see me. Often students that did not have club that particular day would stand outside the open little shelter and listen to the lessons. Children in Azerbaijan have nothing to do during the summers. Unlike in America, Azeri children seldom travel and there are no camps, summer school or sports for children during the summer. On the last day I gave each student a pencil (sent from America) and a piece of candy. They were very sorry that the club was finished.

The parents and adults have also been very appreciative that I will do English Club and not charge any money. Often the parents, grandparents or older siblings would sit or stand around so they could hear what we were doing. Most adults in the apartment complex smile and speak to me when I go out. Several have thanked me for the English Club. I now hear English words and phrases every day in our courtyard. I hope that some day there will be children who remember the American teacher that came to Azerbaijan and taught them beginning English.

From Denney:

We will have about a dozen more blog postings including this one. If there is anything subject you would like us to share our thoughts or experiences, please just add it in a comment, and we will post.

We are working with our Power of Attorney, Lyle and LaVerna Baker on our coming home. Thinking about places to live and needs such as a car. One of the goals we have set is to lose some weight in the next 10 weeks. Our friends and fellow Volunteers, Bill and Dorothy, had to return to the United States for 4 weeks in July to care for family. Bill reported that in the 4 weeks he quickly gained 7 pounds. We realize that we will eat much and not always healthy foods when we first return – oh how good that first meat lovers pizza will be!

The photos are of random thoughts. We have about 80 days until we board a plane destined to the United States. In between our preparations and work we reflect on people and places in Azerbaijan or on our life when we return.

The first photo is of our neighbor girls when they brought to me a birthday cake. We will certainly miss the fine neighbors and will never forget them. As we reflect on the many people who have had us in their homes as in the second photo.

No matter what country, the children are always lovely, but I don’t know why the child is so scared in the fourth picture.

Finally, there is a repeat picture of the bus that goes from Shirvan to Salyan. How far we have come in these 23 months. That bus was so significant because it was our first journey outside our site community all by ourselves. We were really traveling in Azerbaijan. Now, we have been from one end to the other, north to south, east to west, and 2 other countries, Georgia and Turkey. I will say again, do not be deceived the bus is not nearly as nice on the inside as it is on the outside!

This week my counterpart, Alma, posted a video on Youtube. IREX (Information and Research Exchange) funded by USAID has training concerning using Youtube, Facebook, and other such sites as potential means of publishing the news and events of a local area. It is a great use more than just funny videos. Alma has scheduled several presentations in the library on Citizenship Journalism. So, this week she said what Linda does in the courtyard is news for our community. Visit below and comment!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJAQTdFHkl4

We are in the midst of Ramadan (Ramazan) and below is information provided by our Language and Culture Coordinator concerning Ramazan.

Ramadan, (Ramazan), the Holy holiday (this year it will begin on the 10th or 11th of August)

Millions of Muslims across the world begin fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In Azerbaijan, you will note that not everyone fasts and prays during Ramadan. More religious families will fast, while others will not. Some Azerbaijanis will join in on the end of Ramadan celebrations, in order to spend time with family and friends.

Ramadan was the month in which the first verses of the Qur’an were claimed to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) fasted during this month and directed his followers to do the same. Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations from dawn until sunset. (Exceptions are made for young children, those who are sick, pregnant or traveling). Fasting is meant to teach the Muslim patience, modesty and spirituality. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of God and to offer more prayer than usual. Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives; it is time of worship and contemplation.

With respect to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving forward about ten days each year. Fasting starts in Ramadan from the day when new moon is seen and continues 29- 30 days. Koran says: “Eat and drink till it gets light.” At the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called iftar, usually each day ends with feasts and visits to friends and family.

Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involved the preparing of special foods and inviting people for the iftar meal.

What we have observed here in our community is that not many people fast. If you are young, old, sick, working, pregnant, or at risk, the Qur’an states you are excused from fasting. In fact the only difference we see during Ramazan is that there is an increase in begging much like our charitable giving during the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays.

Our deepest sympathy goes to the mid-west and the heat warnings. To quote Bill Clinton, “We share your pain.” It seems that there are so many natural disasters right now. We follow closely the floods in Pakistan, the fires in Russia and the resultant air problems in Moscow, and the floods with landslides in China. All any of us can do is ease the misery of others the best we can. The disasters around the world certainly makes the devastating floods of Azerbaijan last May seem minor.

The summer is a busy time for me. The pictures were taken on August 13. On Monday, Wednesday and Fridays I have four conversation club sessions. The pictures show the first 2. There is an older group of university students and graduates, and then the second at 11:00 is younger children. I then have a session at 3:00 p.m. with a novice English speaker and his wife, and better English speakers at 4:00 p.m. On Tuesday and Thursday I try to save time for the computers and then 1 club at 3:00 p.m.

There were a couple of very tender moments this week. My birthday was Monday, and as mentioned before, I deeply appreciate all the cards, e-cards, and e-mails. Your support is so important. Our neighbors asked Linda what time I would be home. We had planned a special birthday dinner of chicken grill (toyuq gril) and green beans. I had to pick up the chicken and was home a little later than usual. After I arrived, there was a knock at the door, our neighbor was holding a birthday cake and the 3 children were singing “Happy Birthday” to the tune of a toy guitar which had that song on its music chip. Words cannot describe the emotion.

Yet as much as the neighbors expressions of friendship meant to me, that morning I went to the library and my counterpart wished me a happy birthday along with everyone else who passed by that day. However, my counterpart wanted to get me a meaningful present, but did not know what I might need or want. She insisted on giving me money to purchase what I might need and like. I tried to refuse without offending, but she insisted. She slipped the money to me and said that was the price – no more and laughed. I got home and the amount was equivalent to one fourth a monthly salary. I was already moved by the fact that she wanted me to have a present from her, but the amount was an indication of our friendship. It is her friendship and help which I so deeply appreciate.

Last week was our Close of Service Conference, and our date to close our service is November 9. We will receive details such as flight and travel information later, but we should leave within 24 hours of our COS date. That means we have less than 90 days to take physicals, return Peace Corps property, say good-bye, see parts of Azerbaijan that we want to visit, and wrap up our work. These days are filled with many emotions of anticipation.

We have received 2 very kind invitations to stay with friends until we find a place of our own. Our initial plans are to live with Andrew and Emily until that time when we have an apartment of our own. We have decided to live on or near the Plaza for a time. Living on the Plaza seems like a bit of a new adventure.

We will also very quickly be taking trips to see our family and friends.

Let the countdown begin.

This week there we attended our Close of Service Conference (COS). The Peace Corps works very hard first to recruit and invite people to consider and join the Peace Corps. After we accept the challenge and responsibilities, the PC trains us for a little less than 3 months, places us in our sites and working assignments, continues to train and support us, and then prepares us for our lives after our Peace Corps experience which begins with COS.

Peace Corps Azerbaijan took us back to Aqua Park, which is where all AZ6’s began our training in Azerbaijan. The COS is actually 2 full days, and 2 days are allowed for travel 1 day each for to and from our sites.

The first picture is from our Aqua Park room those first 3 days September 23-25, 2008. The second is from our balcony during the tourist and resort season in Azerbaijan, and our COS. The pictures reflect what we have been through. When we arrived the water was gray, and the weather was windy and cool. The beaches were deserted, dirty, and had a few wild dogs roaming and savaging for food. That was our introduction to Azerbaijan, and actually the Peace Corps’ way of easing us into our lives in Azerbaijan.

For Linda and me the first time in Aqua Park is full of difficult memories. We could not sleep, we were quickly introduced to the language, and we were frightened as to what we had taken on.

There were 61 one of us who began this journey together, AZ6 (the 6th group of Trainees/Volunteers to come to Azerbaijan). There are still 52 of us serving. Only 9 people have early terminated (ET); 3 for health reasons, and 6 for personal and family reasons. That means just under 15% have Eted, and that is compared to the 40% rate for the Peace Corps. This has been an outstanding group of committed people because Peace Corps service is difficult and certainly not for everyone, and there is no disgrace or sense of failure in ET. We returned to Aqua Park and it was the last time we will all be together again in one place at one time.

The third photo is our van preparing to take our language clusters to our host families on September 26, 2008 and where we first experienced Azerbaijan life and culture. The fourth is of those at the COS, and lastly are the older volunteers who have become a group (2 are missing, Leslie, who took the photo, and Linda G. who was elsewhere). We all wanted to have our feet in the Caspian together.

During the COS we reflected upon the past 22.5 months, and then anticipated how we will have to adapt afterwards. During the discussions Linda said that she had only anticipation and excitement for our return home. First, because we will get to meet Andrew’s Emily, and second that she knows she has confidence that she can adjust because she was able to adapt and succeed in Azerbaijan.

For me the most meaningful reflection was sharing that one of my motivations for joining the PC was that I never served in Viet Nam or the armed services, and I have felt a debt to my country. I so admire and appreciate all those men and women who have served their country in the various branches of military service. But for me, Linda and I were walking one evening and she said, “Denney, you have done more for your country here than you ever could have done with a gun in Viet Nam.”

We were told by those who have experienced it that we would face culture shock and having to adjust to all the benefits of life in the United States – bring it on!

I want to thank the many people who have sent me birthday cards as I approach number 62 (now eligible for SS) on Tuesday. When I went to the post office and there were double digits in counting the number of letters, I became a bit of celebrity. Reading those cards and such kind words Linda and I know why we have been able to serve here; your support, love, thoughts, and prayers. More of our date of return later.

Finally, another Peace Corps moment occurred on the way to COS. Linda and I began Tuesday at 9:30 on a bus to Baku, met up with other Volunteers for lunch, and then made it to our room at 5:30 p.m. On the bus to catch the bus to the hotel, there were 7 of us scattered about the bus. I sat next to a woman who was kind enough to understand my Azerbaijani, spoke slowly to me and shared my responses to 2 other women across the aisle. She asked if we (pointing to the obvious group who had gotten on) were English? I responded that we were from America. I told her we had lived in Azerbaijan for 2 years in Ganja, Shirvan, Qazak, Tovuz, and Salyan. She asked what we did, and I said English language teacher (pointing to individuals of the group) and Youth work. The ladies across the aisle wanted to know our salaries and ages. I said 61 for me, and my seat companion responded with she was 61 and worked in medicine. Then I said we are given no salaries, but money for house and food. My companion relayed the message, and then turned to me with all sincerity and said “chox sagol, chox sagol”, thank you, thank you.

The photos are of the third leg of our trip to Turkey. We saw Istanbul, the ruins of Asia Minor, and finally Capadocia. Capadocia is a collection of 5 regions or like counties in the states. Because of volcanic activity, earthquakes, and wind it has a unique topography. It is famous for “fairy chimneys” which are rock formations that grow from the earth. The wind eats away at the softer rock and the tops are made of a harder substance leaving a mushroom like effect.

We saw some of the most beautiful scenery in the entire world. It rivaled Alaska. One way to see it is from a hot air balloon. One person traveling in the area many years ago suggested how nice it would be to see the beauty from a hot air balloon. Now there are over a dozen companies offering the experience during the tourist season.

The ride begins with a pickup at the hotel at 5:00 a.m. and then driven to a remote gathering area. Everyone watches while the balloons arrive on trailers and the preparation process begins. We wait anxiously to discover which of the many balloons will be ours. Finally we were taken to ours during the final 30 minutes of filling with hot air and righting the gondola. There were 4 sections with 3 people in each section in each gondola. What an experience! Our pilot took us high and low over the majestic geological wonders. After a little more than an hour, we landed gently. The euphoria spread amongst all the passengers as we awaited a champagne toast and the receiving of a certificate of flight.

Our hotel was one of many “cave hotels.” Small boutique hotels, which were once, cave homes, but now remodeled into hotels. It was a great 3 days with the only hitch being that it began and ended with overnight bus rides. In Turkey the intra-transportation system are buses. The buses are much like the nicest buses you would see in the US. We were served tea and coffee, made comfort stops of about 20 minutes, twice. The problem is sleeping is difficult, but it was much easier the return trip when we knew what to expect.

Once again leaving our trip to Turkey and back to our daily life as Peace Corps Volunteers. Linda is assisting a private kindergarten one day a week. The kindergarten building was once a government building and was purchased by an entrepreneurial couple. They began their private kindergarten four years ago. They reinvest the tuition into remodeling and equipment. It is a combination daycare and educational institution. The teachers work with the children to learn Basic English skills and prepare them for the first form (grade). Linda and I toured the building together, and then Linda arranged to assist. The facilities were quite impressive by Azerbaijan educational standards.

The kindergarten has classes year round, and even though the building is impressive – there is no air conditioning. There are no fans even in the napping area. For practical reasons the little boys run around in their underwear and light tops while the girls little shorts and tops. The main teacher that Linda works with is Gunay. Gunay uses any and every thing that Linda suggests and provides. She is one of the most impressive and hard working teachers Linda has met.

On a practical side soft drinks are available in abundance at every market or shop. The standard carbonated drinks are Coca Cola, Sprite, Fanta, local brands, sometimes Pepsi, and Dusesh. Dusesh is a carbonated pear flavored drink and is very tasty indeed and a nice change of pace. Anyway, the point of this is that diet drinks are nowhere to be found, but there is a Coca Cola Light and a Pepsi Light on rare occasions. We have made good friends with one of the closest shop owners. He speaks a little English and always greets me with “How are ya maaan?” He would sometimes have Cola Light and I would buy and mention how much my wife enjoyed it. He has begun ordering Coca Cola Light a case at a time. A case being 12 1-liter plastic bottles. Whenever he gets in a case – I buy it. Now, that is quite unusual, and I have been seen carrying these cases of Coca Cola Light to our apartment.

This week Linda was teaching about food in the courtyard club. She asked what drinks they like, and one boy responded with Fanta. Then one boy pointed to Linda and shouted “Cola, Cola, Cola” and pointed to Linda. “Mister Denney…” he could not form the words, but pantomimed out carrying a heavy load. Oh well, we will be remembered here in Azerbaijan!

The pictures are of the Roman ruins in ancient Ephesus. The hoard of tourists are making their way to the library which was the third largest in the world during its time. We visited Ephesus, Pergamum, and Hieropolis. The scenery was wonderful, but ruins are ruins after a while.

The weather here has moderated a bit. This summer we have had electricity every day, and it has been rarely off even for an hour or so. The water on the other hand is scarce even after all the flooding. We have access to running water every other day, but the water is usually very muddy in the mornings. We have moderate water pressure for about an hour on water days. The water begins to flow around 6:00, and we begin transferring settled water into usable water containers, and refilling the settling containers. Boil and filter all day. Our showers are primarily bucket baths, but when we can we rinse off in the evenings to help cool off.

Linda invited Irada to tea today. Irada is an English teacher at school number 18. She is always looking for new teaching techniques and ways to improve her teaching. Irada’s English speaking is very good, and it is always a joy to spend time with her. She lives with her mother who is 77 and still an active Azerbaijani literature teacher. Irada was a counterpart for a younger AZ5 Volunteer. Irada is very kind and has only spoken kind words for the Volunteer.

We shared with her the photos of our trip to Turkey. We had tea, brownies (thank you Nancy), Turkish Delight (candy from Turkey), and a little cake that Irada brought for us. Irada shared that she is attempting to join AZETA (Azerbaijani English Teachers Association). She traveled to Baku, but their offices had moved. Irada is determined and will try again in September.

AZETA has 6 branches. Each branch will have activities to assist its members in improving their English teaching skills. As with any organization, interest ebbs and flows. It is an excellent concept and many Volunteers try to assist in their activities.

Linda’s courtyard clubs continue and are very good. They not only provide an educational and constructive time for the children, but they enable parents to see interactive teaching methods. A byproduct is that all the surrounding people know Linda and respect all her efforts. Some of the mothers come and listen and participate in the activities.

Activities at the Central Library were very busy this week. I am having great participation in the 10:00 MWF club with the better English speakers. We have 3 new participants at the 4:00 p.m. MWF group who are also the better English speakers.

One of the young men at 4:00 p.m. is a vegetarian and practices Yoga. He is a university student with the Russian faculty. He has brought new interest into our group.

Another young man is from the private Turkish school here in Shirvan. The private school provides an excellent educational opportunity, but only for males.

As always we are thankful for all the support we receive from family and friends in the United States. As we enter the final phase of our service here, we realize even more how much you have meant to our work.

This week we take a break from pictures from Turkey.

Someone asked what we are doing this summer, do we get the summer off? For Linda school is out, but she has Courtyard English Clubs. If you read the blog last year, you know that Linda discovered that many of the children in our 5 apartment quadrangle have little to do in the summer. She began by posting notices in the buildings if anyone was interested they would have the lessons. After 2 months she had over 40 children 2 days a week. Many adults took notice of what she was doing. One grandmother who teaches at Linda’s school number 9, came to school in the fall and told everyone how Mrs. Linda had taught her grandchild English in the summer. Linda did teach greetings, colors, days, family terms, numbers and as much as she could some basic English words.

I thought the best result was that parents could see interactive teaching methods and what those methods could teach in an enjoyable and productive way. The educational system is still rote and recite. Linda uses games and activities to create thinking as well as memorizing vocabulary.

Linda has conducted 8 sessions, and again has over 40 students. Not all of them arrive on time, and the two pictures are of those who are prompt.

For me, the summer is always great! There are university students home in the summer who want to practice English with the best English speakers at the library. We get to discuss important and relevant issues. Linda envies me when I come home at lunch with such excitement about what people are thinking and saying. She is working on colors, and we discuss the middle-east issues, democracy, cultures, and history.

About a month ago I wrote about a group of us going to Qobustan. Qobustan has cave drawings dating at least 10,000 B.C. It is a rich historical for the entire world, much less Azerbaijan. Many Azerbaijanis study and learn about Qobustan, but never visit the site. We arranged a bus and took a group to Qobustan. Everyone had such an inspirational and fun time that they wanted to travel again. So, on July 10, we took another journey.

This day trip was to Shamakha which was once the capital of Azerbaijan until it was destroyed by an earthquake. Rebuilt, it is has beautiful nature. Outside of Shamakha is an observatory which has 6 telescopes, one of which is active while the others are under repair. We visited the Observatory after going into a forest for a picnic.

After the observatory tour we visited the museum of M.E. Sabir, a satirical writer who died in 1911. His commentaries were important for the citizens of Azerbaijan to move ahead with the rest of the world in technology, science, and politics. He inspired many other writers.

The journey was 3 hours each way. We left Shirvan at 6:00 a.m. and returned at 7:00 p.m. Everyone was overjoyed, and Linda and I were exhausted from the heat and physical demands of the trip.

IT IS SO HOT…

We never realized how mild last summer was. This summer is “normal” with temperatures in the 40-45 Celsius range. For my non-mathematical friends, 104 – 114 range. It is so hot the chickens are laying hard boiled eggs.

My cousin Melissa says it is just like south central Texas. The problem here for the Volunteers is that we never cool off. There is no place that is actually cool. The coolest building I have been in is the store where we buy chicken and eggs.

We “sleep” under fans, and hope. Azerbaijanis think that sleeping or being in the direct path of a fan is unhealthy. We are just hot and trying to survive.

The photographs are all of Haggia Sophia which was a church built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. It was built on a site which had previous churches destroyed by fire and earthquake. It was the largest church in the world at its time. When Justinian walked into the church the first time, he was reported to have said, “Glory to God that I have been judged worthy of such a work. Oh Solomon, I have outdone you.”

The architecture is remarkable with no pillars of support for the dome. It was a church until 1453 when it became a mosque and the Christian symbols were covered. Then, in 1935 it became a museum and restoration began.

Next week will be pictures from old Ephesus.

We hope each of you had a great Fourth of July. We had originally planned a quiet time at home, but on Thursday evening we received an email inviting us to be two of ten Volunteers to go to the United States Embassy in Baku for ice cream, soft drinks, and patriotic music to celebrate the holiday. And, the guest of honor was the Secretary of State.

As many of you may know, Hillary Clinton had been on a very strenuous tour of several countries in our area. On the fourth she flew in to Baku and was greeted by the Foreign Minister. They then met with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev and his wife Marhiban. After the meeting with the Azerbaijan President, she meet with a group involved in the freedom of the press in Azerbaijan. Last year, 2 bloggers were arrested and are presently in jail. There have been some calls for their release. During the meeting this situation was brought up by the organization.

We have had many conversations about the importance of freedom of speech, responsible journalism, and news reporting. It was very encouraging and inspiring to see this issue addressed. Of the leaders of the organization, half had been educated in the United States. One of my conversation club members wrote “Democracy cannot be brought to any country from without, but only can be achieved within by its citizens.” The United States cannot bring democracy to any country, but can only provide for citizens education and help enable citizens who want a democratic process to achieve that themselves. That is one reason Linda and I teach children, youth, and adults, and try to represent you the people of a more perfect union.

We have a picture in the library of one of the monuments dedicated to the victims of Soviet violence against the people of Azerbaijan, and its title is “Freedom Is Not Free”. We are thankful for all Americans who have worked and died for our freedoms.

After the meeting with the journalists, Hillary came to the Embassy on her way to the airport and Armenia and Georgia. She only had a few minutes to address the approximately 300 people. The participants were Embassy staff (American and Azerbaijani) and their families, American organizations working in Baku staff and families, and the Peace Corps staff, family, and 10 Volunteers. Two of the Volunteers also brought a softball team of Azerbaijan youth which represent one of their projects.

The Secretary of State had only a few minutes, and she spoke briefly and essentially affirmed the importance of this young republic and thanked all those working to help the country’s democratic process mature. It was one of those “Peace Corps Moments” for us. She had her picture made with the youth of the uniformed softball team, and walked the garden area shaking hands. Yes, Linda and I both had the privilege to shake her hand.

We wish everyone a happy Fourth of July. Peace Corps Service has made us appreciate the United States, our freedoms, prosperity, openness, diversity, education, freedom of the press, and foods. We will hopefully never take for granted those national attributes, and we ask you to celebrate the birth of our nation for us. Even with all the problems, issues, and difficulties you face in the United States, it is a time to celebrate.

Our photos continue to be from Turkey. We took well over 1000 digital shots. We have deleted 200 or so, and will continue to pare down the number. The first photo is of the Spice Bazaar. All tourists are taken to 2 bazaars. The Spice Bazaar is known for its aroma of spices and the availability of items such as caviar. The other bazaar is the Grand Bazaar, which has over 4,000 small shops. The atmosphere in both is hustle and bustle. People can barter the prices, but generally the shops give a reasonable price on the smaller items.

The largest mosque in Turkey is the Blue Mosque. It is the only mosque with 6 minarets. The sultan who built the Blue Mosque died within a year of its completion. It is still an active mosque, so tourist must be courteous of the worshippers during prayer times. There are no furnishings other than the lights and carpets. The third picture is of the dome, which is supported by four large columns. One of the columns can be seen in the fourth photo. To the far left of the column is a stairway upon which the Friday sermon is delivered. The religious leader does not go to the top, but only halfway to symbolize humility before God. Before microphones and sound systems an assistant would be in the cube like area and repeat the sermon for those farther away.

The final photo is Linda entering the women’s section which is very small because very few women attend the prayer times, and usually only during Ramadan and Qurban. Namaz (prayers) are said anywhere.

We are settling down into the summer routine after our trip to Turkey. The weather is hot and dry here. Many more homes have an air conditioner for one or more rooms than when we arrived almost 2 years ago. We estimate 1/5 of the homes have an air conditioner. We use 2 small fans to cool down. The hot dry air now brings dust with every breeze.

In the fall, winter, and spring generally Azerbaijanis do not drink anything cool. But, in the summer we can buy cool drinks (cola, water, juice, etc.), which are kept in a refrigerating unit. Sometimes they are cool to cold, but most of the time just a little under room temperature. That is why we enjoy being in our own apartment. Even though we have a small refrigerator, we have ice trays, and iced drinks. The first thing Linda wanted when we returned from Turkey was a glass of iced tea.

Another joy of summer is that is the only time ice cream is available in the markets. The quality and variety is not Baskin Robbins, but some of the different bar treats are quite good, and bring joy to a hot day. It reminds us of the hot Texas summers as children and the happiness of going out to our local ice cream parlors for an ice cream cone. I still recall going to Polar Bear for lime sherbet cones.

Again, happy Fourth of July and God bless America.

First, the great news is that Andrew Rives and Emily Taylor are engaged. They are both history teachers at Harrisonville High School. We have never met Emily, and look forward to welcoming her into our family as I am sure her family will welcome Andrew.

We had a wonderful trip to Turkey. It was a great 11 days and 10 nights. We traveled with 3 other Peace Corps Volunteers, left to right in the first photo is Connie Hayes, Linda, myself, Suzan Moyer, and Leslie Schoolfield. We are at the Hosh Seda for our first meal in Istanbul. It was such a delightful atmosphere. The restaurant features fish, and I had a swordfish kabab, while everyone else enjoyed a tasty chicken kabab. We literally watched the world go by. We saw so many nationalities, heard many languages and observed different cultures while sitting in this central square.

Our flights were with Turkish Airlines and they were very comfortable, and the food was delicious. When we landed in Istanbul our travel agency OneNation Travel representative met us and transported us to our hotel in the heart of the old city. Our hotel was the Q-Inn Sultanahmet. We were within walking distance of the Sea of Marmara, the Blue Mosque, the Ana Sophia church/mosque/museum, and great restaurants.

Our first evening was free and the hotel recommended the above restaurant. We began our tour of Istanbul bright and early on Tuesday, June 15. The highlight of the day was a boat ride on the Bosphorus strait which connects the Marmara and the Aegean Seas. The water was exceedingly clean. Turkey has a strong emphasis on cleaning its environment and water. The Sea of Marmara once had 110 species of fish, but now has only five, but the Bosphorus was beautiful.

We were taken to the Spice Bazaar where we could have bought anything our hearts desired. We also visited a Sultan’s Palace which was used for state visits and business. At the end of the day, we were high above the city enjoying a cool drink and the beautiful views.

The final photo is one of my favorites and is self-explanatory.

If anyone is thinking of traveling to Turkey, please go. The people, the country, and the tourist business are all top quality and at a very reasonable price. We were concerned since the flotilla incident, and we all regret the loss of life. The people of Turkey were exceptionally kind and friendly to us. We realize we are a tourist dollar, but still the feeling was genuine.

Next week, and probably every week until we return we will have photos from our trip to Turkey. Our final observation for our first report is that the women of Turkey are much more conservative in their dress than Azerbaijan. We saw many women with hijabs (head coverings), long coats, frocks, dresses. However, the women are much freer in that culture to drive cars, work, play, and interact socially than the women of Azerbaijan. Their dress is conservative religious, but their opportunities are unlimited.

The weather here has moderated a little, but still very warm. The excitement is the World Cup. Many of the teahouses have set up televisions for the games much like sports bars in the USA.

This is just an introduction – stay tuned!

The photos are of the Mature Women’s get-together at Lahuj. The first picture is of 9 of the participants who hiked on the first day. Listed are their name, site, and home state:

Back row; Linda Gies, Ganja, Illinois/Missouri, Linda Rives, Shirvan, Missouri, Dorothy Colcord, Barda, Massachusetts, Bonnie Campbell, Ganja, Michigan, Front row; Margaret Gale, Ganja, New York, Leslie Schoolfield, Salyan, Texas, Susan Moyer, Qazak, Minnesota, Connie Hayes, Qazak, Arizona, Catherine BrooksKenyon, Yevlakh, N/A.

The other photos are of the trail they hiked, obstacles along that trail, beautiful scenery, and Linda victorious in making it all the way to the waterfall destination.

There are currently 13 Mature Women (women over the age of 50) serving in Azerbaijan. On the first weekend of June, 11 of us traveled to Lahuj, a remote mountain village in the north of Azerbaijan. We all enjoyed seeing one another and talking about our Peace Corps work. The AZ6 mature women helped answer some of the questions that the AZ7 women have encountered during their first months of service. The AZ6 women also talked about our plans after leaving the Peace Corps. Seven of us hiked back into the lower mountains to a small waterfall and then up onto a higher trail and back to the village. It was rather strenuous but we helped each other and enjoyed the activity. We all enjoyed seeing the coppersmith’s handiwork. We purchased gifts for family and ourselves. The people of Lahuj were friendly and welcoming. Another day the group journeyed by 4-wheel-drive vehicle and then walked the remaining way to a small mountain village with no road entrance. The people speak their own language and villagers have no chairs but sit on the floors. All around us were beautiful mountains, cliffs, streams, flora and fauna. This is probably the most unspoiled area I have ever visited.

It is not easy to travel to Lahuj. All of us had to travel one day by several buses, vans and taxis to get to the village. The last of the road is not passable after a rain because of rockslides. On one side you were right next to a mountain wall and on the other side it was a long way down to the river valley below. At times we had to share the road with herds of sheep. We were very exhilarated by the time we arrived in Lahuj. During good weather, there are three vans that leave and arrive in Lahuj each day. In one of the pictures, we are standing in front of the Improtex Travel Bureau. A fine young man from Lahuj has just opened this business for the summer months. As word spreads of this wonderful place there will be more people coming. I like the idea that others come and see this beautiful mountain village but I also fear that it will become commercialized and loose its authentic charm.

One of the best products of the trip was the camaraderie felt among the Peace Corps Mature Women.

While the women were in Lahuj, Bill came to visit with me in Shirvan (see last week's posting). We are the only men over the age of 30 serving in Azerbaijan. All the other AZ6 and AZ7 men over that age Early Terminated, some in pre-training, some in training, and some after no more than 3 months on site. Bill and I have a great friendship.

We will post again after we return from Turkey. There are five of us, Susan, Leslie, Connie, Linda and myself. Hopefully we will share some wonderful experiences.

The pictures indicate the flooding problem which Azerbaijan has endured and is enduring still. The first photo is of the sandbag dike along the park in the old city. The water was up to the top of the sandbags. The water level would have been to the bottom of the benches in the park and there are several homes below that level. The second photo is of the ferry boat dock. It is normally about 25 feet lower. The third is of the sandbagging even below a restaurant. The fourth is of a river bank restaurant, and the fifth is of the restaurant last spring.

Linda and I revisited the river bank this week and the water is down by about a meter. The restaurant is now covered with about a foot of silt, but above water. There are still many displaced people and soldiers serving temporarily here in Shirvan.

Today Linda is back in Lahic (pronounced lahuj) with 9 other older women volunteers. They will be joined by 3 more this afternoon. It is the “Mature Women Volunteers” retreat. The retreat was begun last year by the AZ5 mature women which numbered 3. They were also known affectionately as the Golden Girls. This year after discussing with other AZ6’s Linda made the arrangements for this year’s retreat. It will be the only time some of the AZ6 and AZ7 volunteers will meet and spend time with each other.

While Linda was in Lahic, Bill Colcord came to Shrivan to keep me company. We took a group from my Conversation Clubs to Gobustan. I have written about Gobustan on earlier blogs. It is one of the earliest sites of civilization in the world with some of the drawings dating to 30,000 B.C. There were 3 males and 8 females. After the guided tour they took a 2 hour hike into the mountain rocks. Everyone had a great time.

Today was one of those “Peace Corps Moments” for me. Bill, the driver, the mother of two of the girls, and I were sitting in a shaded area, and from atop of the rocks the others were shouting and waving to us. I told Bill, “They will never forget this.” They began shouting “Deni, Deni, Deni…”, and I said to Bill, “And, I will never forget that!”

The weather is very hot here, in the 90’s. It is as hot now, as it got all last summer. We are beginning to wonder what July and August will be like. We had heard stories about temperatures over 110 in the past, but were treated to a very mild summer last year.

We hope all is well in the United States. We are of course concerned about the oil leak and damage to the beautiful coastal regions from Texas to Florida.

Recent events make for political tensions, but Azerbaijan has responded very deliberately and slowly. The official response has been one of national political maturity.

The last big event in this part of the world has been Eurovision. Eurovision is a multi-country musical competition. There were 35 countries participating. Germany won the competition, and Azerbaijan placed 5th. For more information you must take time to visit www.eurovision.tv - let me encourage you to take the time to listen to some of the music and read the history of this event.

We have less than 6 months left of our service in Azerbaijan. We have been in Azerbaijan now for 20 months, and our focus is upon wrapping up our work.

For Linda the conclusion happened in many ways this week. Due to the flooding refugees and other factors, school is over for this academic year. It is a bit sad because at the end of school there is a graduation ceremony called “Last Bell”. Those finishing secondary school this year will not have the “Last Bell” experience. School attendance is mandatory through the ninth form (grade). After the ninth form, the best students prepare for the University attending the tenth and eleventh form. For better students they may attend trade and career schools called colleges. The rest of the students begin looking for work or husbands.

Linda is planning several activities for the summer, but her main responsibilities at School Number 9 are over until next September 15. The beginning of the school year is chaotic and usually the schedule is in flux until about the first week in November. So, essentially Linda’s greatest contributions in the classroom and teacher training have been completed.

The pictures highlight our time in Lahic looking at the copper and metal working shops. Lahic area is known for its copper, silver, and bronze work, but especially copper.

Last posting had a picture of Kamal whose father and uncle have a copper works shop. Kamal’s grandfather was a copper artisan, and someday he will be also. Kamal’s family are very good promoters and businessmen. Kamal’s father works on the historical preservation of Lahic, and Kamal’s task is to find tourists and give them personal attention as to the sights and interests of Lahic.

The craftsman pictured is not Kamal’s father, but one of the first shops we entered. The work begins early every morning and literally is from sunup to sundown. The tourist season is very important to the economy of Lahic. It is listed in the Lonely Planet book, and many people make a daytrip from Baku, Ganja, and Mingachevar.

Linda is pictured holding copper earrings purchased from the man beside her. He told us these were his work. He was a good salesman, and we purchased a couple of other souvenirs.

The level of the river Kura is still the major issue facing the people of Azerbaijan currently. We went to the river in the old city on Sunday and were not ready for what we saw. We will post pictures in the future.

We leave for Turkey on June 14, and will return on June 24. We are planning on posting on the blog, June 5 and 12, then as soon as we can after we return.

We cannot express our gratitude enough for all the care packages we receive. If you are planning on sending a package, please do not mail until after June 15. Any package mailed after June 15 should not arrive until after we return from Turkey.

I’m late with this posting of the blog due to a lack of internet access, but all is OK now.

First, the flooding continues to be the major story in our area of Azerbaijan. The river Kura continues to rise and 2 more villages were evacuated this week. To put in proportion with the one million Internally Displaced People from the war with Armenia, and now the flooding, the government is providing some form of housing for 15 per cent of the nation. We walked by the tent city here in Shirvan and the stench from the makeshift latrines was noticable a quarter of a mile away.

The governement is considering using some schools to house those displaced by the flooding. Even though in our area the rains have stopped and we have hot dry weather, the river continued to rise from conditions to the north and west.

Peace Corps Volunteers, Derek and Alicia Johnson have been permanently moved to a new assignment within Azerbaijan. The Peace Corps has been in contact regularly checking with those in affected areas.

Now, for happier times, we return to our trip to Lahic. It is a village of about 2,000. Tim Cone who is a very special person to Linda is the Peace Corps Volunteer in Lahic. In the picutre of the PCV’s pointing to their home states are from left to right; Murina who is in Ismaylli (about 1 hour from Lahic), Tim who is from Wisconsin, Sharif whose father is Egyptian, Linda, and Mariana who is from a small town in Southeast Georgia and is stationed in Shamaxi (about 2 hours from Lahic).

Tim’s school is old, but well cared for. For an Azerbaijan school there are many visual aids and art work upon the walls. In Linda’s school, nothing is permitted to be attached to the walls in any of the classrooms. Tim’s school, though it is a village school, has new blackboards, storage areas for teachers, clean, well maintained desks, and Tim even has an office he shares with the counselor with dial-up internet access.

The school has 6 computers in the math classroom, but Tim has never seen them being used. In Azerbaijan schools computers are often locked up. The schools want to publize that computers are at the schools and are taught, but the students rarely get to actually turn them on and use them. I have 2 students in a conversation club that said they received the highest marks possible in Information Technology at their school, and they have never sat at the computers in the school.

Sharif’s father is an Egyptian-American and Sharif is Muslim. Sharif is in a small village outside of Ismaylli and followed a very poor PCV. He has the greatest attitude, smile, dedication, and sense of humor. He is doing an effective job at his site. Being Muslim has given him an instant respect and acceptance.

Tim does a good job at the school and seems to be highly appreciated. Anyone in a village school is limited as to the potential counterparts with which to work. His school has a Director who has a passion for his students, and works diligently to provide a learning environment.

The last picture is of a wonderful woman who lives in 2 rooms of the ruins of an old hotel. There was once 72 rooms with a garden area. She opened her door and asked us to see her home. She showed us the gardens, and took us to this beautiful spot and the sights that she awakes to every morning. The young man in the picture is named Kamal. His father is a copper craftsman, like his grandfather, and like he will be some day. Kamal hangs around the street and finds tourists. She showed us to a museum operated by his aunt, and finally to his father's shop.

Finally, today, Linda and I celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary with a dinner of pasta with Alfredo sauce, salad, and a cheese cake (thanks to a package from the Baker’s). We never thought 39 years ago we would be here, serving our country, the people of Azerbaijan and you. Thank you for your love and support!

Like in the United States weather often brings damage and destruction. This week there has been major flooding in Sabirabad and Salyan regions. These are to the west and south of Shirvan along the Kur river which passes through all three. There was a lot of mountain snow this year and it has been an exceptionally wet spring. We are fortunate that the Kur remained in its banks in Shirvan, but thousands are displaced due to the flooding.

Many people go and live with relatives nearby. One girl named Sabina is an example. There are now 35 people living in their home. I said, “where do they sleep” – “everywhere” was the answer. Cooking is a continual process. It is what families do.

However, not everyone has nearby family and the government has erected a tent city here in Shirvan. Linda and I walk by and wish there was something more we could do to ease the human suffering due to massive flooding and destruction of homes.

In one way I wanted to take a picture of the tent city to post, but felt like I would exploiting their suffering and discomfort. Fortunately this week there has been no rain, and the weather has been sunny and very hot these past two days. No word on when people may be able to return to homes, or when homes will be rebuilt which were destroyed by the ravages of the weather.

Last week we went to the village of Lahic (pronounced Lahuj). The mature women volunteers are having a retreat on June 4&5. Linda has organized the retreat as did the AZ5’s did for the AZ6’s last year. Linda wanted to make sure everything was prepared for the retreat, so we made the journey.

It was a great weekend. We traveled to Lahic on Friday. We first took a taxi to Baku, then a city bus to the new bus station, then a bus to Ismaylli, then a bus to Lahic. The entire trip was about 9 hours, and not without incident. Everything was fine except on the way from Baku to Ismaylli our bus had a blowout. All the men, Linda and I got out to take a look while all the Azeri women remain on the bus even though their presence on the bus made the van heavier to lift with the jack. Azeri culture has the women remain seated, all the men get out and check out the problem each making their suggestions, then the repair if possible. We were so happy to see that this van had a spare tire.

In Ismaylli we had about an hour and a half layover. There is a picture of Linda taking in some beautiful scenery from the teahouse where we had tea. Now, that may not seem unusual to you, but we had to ask to make sure Linda would be served. Because Ismaylli and Lahic have some tourist trade, it was acceptable. It is quite unusual for a woman to drink tea in a teahouse. It galls Americans to have this gender difference, but the culture is what it is.

In Lahic we had marvelous weather after many days of rain and flooding in the Shirvan area. The days began with sun shinning, then clouds forming, a short rain shower, then clearing again. The mountains were cooler and very pleasant.

We saw some of the most beautiful scenery in all of Azerbaijan, only thought we would perish a half-dozen times. The driving is always scary enough, but add narrow unpaved mountain roads, we tried to concentrate on the scenery and the Lord’s prayer.

The bus stopped at the entrance to the village, and we asked where was the school. We were lucky to find out there is really only 1 main road in the village of 2,000 people. The street lead us to the school where we met with a fellow Volunteer, Tim Cone.

Tim was a member of Linda’s language cluster during training. Being in the same cluster forms a great friendship and bond. Lahic is Tim’s site, and he showed us his school (more information to come in later postings), and then on to our hotel.

The cost of the hotel was 20AZN a night. We had a wood heater, and would have shared a bathroom, but it is very early in the tourist season there, and we were the only occupants of the hotel. The hotel has 13 rooms, and 8 on the second floor. We had hot water, were comfortable, and ate one meal there at the hotel.

Lahic is known for its scenery, cool weather in the summer, and copper artisans. The narrow streets, and ancient history make it a remarkable site. Again, we will post more information on the copper shops and our trip to Lahic in the next few weeks. These pictures give you an idea of the scenery.

Pen Pals

Our Pen Pal letters from America arrived this week. I took them to school on Tuesday to hand out to the students. The students were so excited. They were yelling, laughing and jumping up and down. The class was out of control. I called students names to get their letters. Suddenly, I was almost crushed by students ready to grab their letter as soon as I called their name. They immediately wanted to know if their student was a boy or girl. They looked through the class pictures to find the picture of their student pen pals. If they could not find their pen pal’s name, they were yelling “Mrs. Linda, Mrs. Linda” trying to get my attention to help them find the student that was their pen pal. When one student found one of their pen pal pictures they had to yell at other students, “Look! Look!” It was so crazy! We only opened the letters from one of the two teachers the first day. It took the entire class time. The American pen pals had sent some CDs of their favorite music. They wanted to hear it right then. Some insisted that they should take home a CD to listen to that night.

The next day we distributed the pen pal letters from the second teacher. I was more prepared and had the class pictures spread out around the room so they would not be stepping on one another to get to the class pictures. I insisted that they all be seated and only come forward to get a letter. That idea lasted a few minutes and then they were all up ready to grab a letter and hurry to find a picture. I realized that there were other students in the room – other 8th graders and even 9th and 10th graders. It seems that they had heard about these 8th graders getting more pen pal letters at 3rd hour class. They had asked teachers if they could go to the bathroom but instead came down to our class to see the pen pal letters and pictures. Metanet (my Azerbaijani teaching partner) and I had to chase them out of our room.

Now they have to write back to the pen pals and I will e-mail their letters to the teachers in Harrisonville, Missouri so the Missouri pen pals will get a return letter before school is out. They are talking about what to tell their pen pals and asking about sending pictures. I said they could only send one picture because they were each wanting to send several pictures.

The Azerbaijani school curriculum is weak in writing goals. The textbooks have few writing activities. Most Azerbaijanis do not write letters because all their family and friends live nearby. It appears that this pen pal activity will be a great motivator for practicing writing skills.

The pictures are of three journalists who live and work in Shirvan. They attended the morning session of the Citizen Journalist Seminar. When they left, they thanked me for being an American in Azerbaijan and being interested in the political needs of their country.

The second picture has a bit of a story. The last activity of the seminar was the discussion of any important issues in Shirvan. As you have seen in past pictures of the water out of the tap in Shirvan is pretty dirty. As a joke in my conversation clubs I always ask “what color is the water in Shirvan”? Well, the journalist interviewed us, and wrote an article about the problem in Shirvan and included our interviews on radio website. Speaking about problems publicly is not encouraged to say the least. I said if I go to jail, we all go to jail together. So I linked arms with Lale and Nigar and we all committed together. Lale then asked, “will we get clean water in jail”?

The final picture is a great photograph. Next week in 3 Azerbaijan cities, Baku, Sumqayit, and Shirvan programs will be presented and information distributed on the issue of Human Trafficking. The victims of human trafficking are mostly women. The information combines the crimes against women in trafficking and domestic abuse. The best part of the events are they are being carried out by volunteers. Volunteerism is virtually missing in Azerbaijan. One of the volunteers is Nigar, a college student here in Shirvan. She is being assisted by another participant of the programs at the library, Lale.

I realize that taxes are high, and how the government spends taxes is often controversial. We can speak with sympathy since we owed money to the IRS this year when our taxes were filed. We have always wanted to pay our fair share of taxes, but of course, no more than our fair share. I think our perspective is a common one. I would like to share a few experiences these past few weeks for which I gladly pay taxes.

Two weeks ago we went to Barda to visit our friends and fellow Volunteers, Bill and Dorothy. Dorothy’s school is in terrible physical shape. It is very old, cold, and very depressing. She took us to the school so we could see the new school, 13 rooms and administration offices, was under construction and will be dedicated next September. At the site the sign read “A gift of the American people under the direction of the Army Corps of Engineers.”

A couple of years ago Dorothy’s counterpart went to a meeting where such projects were discussed, and she asked how her community could apply. She followed up, and next September boys and girls will have a much better learning environment.

Last Sunday we were returning to Shirvan from Salyan for our periodic lunch with closest fellow Volunteers, and the bus had only a few empty seats. Linda and Melissa were together and I moved to the last row where men always sit. A young man sat next to me and explained in excellent English that he lived in Lankaran and was going to a wedding in Melissa’s village.

He works (contracts) with USAID (United States Agency for International Development). He is currently a regional director for a project. As we talked about USAID and all the funds help provide in Azerbaijan. I mentioned how life was much better in Azerbaijan because it was much easier to find and purchase pasteurized milk and dairy products because of the PAL dairy products produced in Lankaran. He noted they were one of the companies that received help in organizing and developing businesses with the aid of USAID.

Then last Monday, my counterpart hosted a Citizens Journalism seminar. The seminar was conducted by Voice of America radio personnel (funded by USAID). In Azerbaijan, last year the government decided that Voice of America would not broadcast over the FM frequency. Now the broadcast is by short-wave and a very active web site (www.azadliqradiosu.az).

The essence of the seminar was to promote citizens as journalists. With the internet resources available anyone can write about issues, problems, and solutions. The photos are of the seminar. I really like the picture of the woman intensely discussing an issue. The final photo is of the leader interviewing participants about a particular problem in our community, which was then broadcast over the short-wave.

The seminar provided insight into using Youtube not for entertainment, but political activism. There were many fine suggestions. The seminar was in the Azeri language. All the people I have mentioned are Azerbaijanis helping build a better country with the help of only a few of our tax dollars.

Every day I go to work and see many young people and adults learning computer basics, using the internet, Microsoft Office, Facebook, and Google for information and communication outside their spheres. I look just above their heads to a sign “This equipment is a gift of the people of the United States of America”, and I am truly moved and grateful.

We are still 7 months from returning to the United States, but our emotional and psychological state is in the winding down mode. To help us recharge for our remaining work here we are planning little activities to look forward to spaced out over the next few months. Our planned trip to Turkey June 14-24 is aimed at giving us the big boost.

This past weekend was one of those recharging weekends. We went to Barda to the home of Bill and Dorothy Colcord on Friday. We always enjoy their company and conversation. Then on Saturday we took a trip to a village, Kish, which is just about 10 kilometers from Sheki and in the mountains. We packed a picnic lunch and had contracted with a taxi driver from Barda for transportation.

The first stop was at the Sheki Silk (ipek) Association’s store. A silk factory is located in Sheki, but tours are not allowed due to it being a working factory. We settled for the store where Linda bought two of the lower priced scarves. The scarves ranged form 10 AZN to 25 AZN with silk carpets running up to the thousands. I did not inquire about the silk suits.

Next was the highlight, we made it to Kish and to an Albanian (not related to the modern Albania) church from the first century. It is the oldest church in the Caucasus, founded in the first century by Eliseus. According to our brochure: “In the year 2000 Thor Heyerdahl gave his blessing to the study, resoration and turning into a museum of the anicient church of Kish. The project which got off the ground in 2000 and was completed in 2003 was a joint venture between Norway and Azerbaijan. Archeologists not only found interesting artifacts, including ceramics, bronze and gold ornaments, but also evidence, including graves, of this location having been used as a cultic center for centuries. The present walls date to the fifth century with evidences of an even older first century church building.

We were able to tour with an English speaking woman, Ilhama. Ilhama and her husband are quite the business people. She oversees the museum, and they own guest houses which can provide for 35 people, a small garden restaurant, and automobile transportation. I was quite impressed with their hard work and promotions.

From the church Ilhama’s husband drove us to the entrance of the trail to “GALARSAN-GERARSAN (come and see) FORTRESS. There are a few ruins of the fortress that was visited by Tolstoy who chose the fortress as the scene of the events described in the novel Haji Murad. The grave of Haji Murad, a legendary warrior is not far from the entrance to the town.

Now, the trek to the actual ruins is quite stressful. Parts of the trail are very narrow with severe drops. One spot we had to hold on to a small tree trunk and swing around to the narrow path on the other side. The driver, Linda, and I made it to the top with other Azerbaijani tourists. The young men were from the age of 24 to 30. They asked our age, at the disclosure of 61, they all applauded that we had made it. The view was spectacular, but the ruins themselves disappointing after the church.

Many of the historical artifacts have been destroyed over the years of conquest and occupation. The Soviets and those who preceded them had either no regard for the culture or wanted to destroy the culture. Now, it is only with international help that important historical sites are somewhat preserved. Gobistan which has some of the oldest cave drawings in the world is supported by the United Nations and Kish by Norway and private funds.

The last picture is of Linda and Dorothy at the magic spot in the church. People hold coins next to this spot, and if the coin does not immediately fall, then you are granted a wish. Linda’s kept falling, but Dorothy got one to stay for about 15 seconds. In my conversation clubs I showed the pictures of our weekend. When I got to the magic spot, they all understood. So, then my question was if their coin stayed for what would they wish? I got a variety of answers from marriage, jobs, long life, a car, and good health. Then, the students as what my wish would be – “That my Azerbaijani friends would never forget me, because I will never forget them.”

Last week on Thursday, Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, visited Shirvan. The purpose of the trip was to dedicate the Heydar Aliyev Center, and open a factory in Shirvan. The official news was that he toured the factory and offered his insights into the factory which will hire 70 people. His day began with a memorial wreath laid at the monument of his father, Heydar.

My day began trying to get to work at the Library. The police stopped me and said my way was closed. I tried an alternate way, and it was closed by the police also. A man came up to me and said no work today. I returned home, and spent the day working on future conversation club sessions.

Now the few days before the President’s arrival, street lines, curbs, and light poles were painted, flags were put up all along the park area, flowers were planted, grass trimmed, and you get the picture easily – everything was to look in top shape for the President’s route around the city.

I have not met anyone who personally saw the President in Shirvan. It was covered by television media, and the only people around the President were local political leaders.

My observations: It was so disappointing that the President is sheltered from the people. It was very important for the local government to look as if they were doing many things for the people. We had as good a quality of water that day as we have ever had, and natural gas pressure. Since he left – not so much. Last week I posted a picture of the construction site of the new Olympic Center. The picture above is now that site – the open field. The fencing is gone, the signs of construction are gone, and nothing is happening there. If one were cynical it would look like the local governing authorities care much more about appearance than actually improving the lives of its citizens.

On a positive note since we have been here in Azerbaijan there have been major highway improvements in some areas. Our electricity has become reliable. And, the number of products available in the markets has increased.

On Friday my program manager, Tarana, came to visit me at site. She had visited before, but this was the first time she could observe me working. It was a joy to see the Conversation Club respond. She asked if we would consider extending our service. If a Peace Corps Volunteer extends their service they receive a 30 leave and other benefits. I appreciated her encouragement, but insisted that we missed our family and friends and would not be extending. We love our work and people of Azerbaijan, and we know we will miss them from the moment we begin our journey home, but we miss our sons, immediate family, and scores of friends now.

I will not post another blog until April 24. Next Friday we will be traveling to Barda to visit our dear friends and fellow Volunteers, Bill and Dorothy.

From March 20 until March 29 Linda and I did not have to go to school or the library. It is Novruz - spring holiday. One of the customs of Novruz is for children to throw there hat down in front of a door, knock and hide. The owner of the home is to open the door, take the hat inside, fill with nuts, candy, maybe money, fruit, baked goods (palkhava or shakarbra), and return the hat to the door. Most of the students in my conversation clubs said that they had 3-6 children knock on their door. We had more than 60. We felt bad because we did not have the expected treats for them, nor could we have afforded it for 60 plus hats. So, consequently we quit answering the knocks for a couple of days.

After the actural Spring Equinox we relaxed and one day went to Baku so that Linda could get a hair cut. We could buy season 4 of House. Eat a nice hamburger and fries. We also walked for a couple of hours along what is called the Boulevard. It is a national park for about 3 kilometers along the Caspian. We walked from one end to the other, plus a bit. It was beautiful, but windy. The good weather and the holiday brought out many people. There is an amusement area in the first two picutres. If you look very closely there is a sign "Six Flags over Azerbaijan", or maybe I just imagined the sign.

During the break most of the Volunteers travel and visit each other. Two Volunteers from Salyan came to spend a day and night with us. Leslie is the older Volunteer and Beth is the younger. We walked all around Shirvan, ate at a Turkish cafe, shopped and showed all the sights of Shirvan to Beth since it was her first trip to Shirvan.

We have said many times how brave young female Volunteers are. I have become more aware of the difficulties of the Asian-American Volunteers in Azerbaijan. Everyone says Beth is from Japan or China when actually she is an American of Korean decent. We always emphasize to everyone we introduced her to, the American. They would attempt to correct us. There are Chinese immigrants that come to Azerbaijan and sell items on the streets. Most Azerbaijani people assume that the Asian-Americans are part of these sellers. Beth has been stopped by the police in Salyan and asked what she is selling. She has riden in a taxi and asked what she sells. She explains that she is a United States Peace Corps Volunteer and works at the library in Salyan. The driver then asked, "so, what are you selling?"

The people of Shirvan are very kind to us, and we feel very accepted, but when we walked with Beth there were many stares that were not as friendly. Linda and I both noticed it. Every American should be exceedingly proud of every American that volunteers with the Peace Corps, and especially proud of the Asian and African Americans who so much share what America is to be about.

The last two pictures are of our future Olympic Center in Shirvan. Almost every city in Azerbaijan has an Olympic Center. They have exercise equipment, swimming pools, basketball courts, and football field. Citizens are allowed to use at no costs. There is a hotel in each Olympic Center and the cost is set at 50 AZN a night. Now, the reality, ours has begun with ground leveling, a small basement, and fences with picutres of Olympic competitors. Where there are Olympic Centers they are primarily unused and many times money is extracted from patrons. Girls rarely use any of the facilities. In Barda we have Volunteers who have promoted the use and given swimming lessons. The facilities quickly deteriorate, but are still the nicest sports facilities around. I commented to a Volunteer in another city that when we come to visit, we will stay at the Olympic Center, and her response was that was where the prostitutes worked in her city.

Next week - the President of Azerbaijan visits Shirvan.