"The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them." - Stephen King

So thank you - we hope that we can show you how much we mean that - because words will never be enough.

Here are some more pics of the Community's Environment Club and their earth day project...

and here is a link to contribute to this movement...

Full Circle Azerbaijan

Who Run the World?... GIRLS... So much for subject-verb agreement - but I must admit, it adds a little sass.For the last few months, my main focus here in Ganja has been RUN THE WORLD (RTW)...a girls' club for students in 9th grade through University. The goal is to create a safe and uplifting environment where girls can come to feel safe, strong, and confident. We choose monthly topics for discussion and activities...body image, health and fitness, leadership, etc.

This may not sound like much in a world where a girl can do just about anything she pleases - but that's not the kind of world these girls live in. These are girls that are struggling with limited options, little-to-no say in their futures, and a culture where their value is often limited to the kitchen.

The girls of RTW are seeking some help with funding for the summer and fall activities. If you are so inclined, you can help us out by making a tax deductible donation through the following link...

Peace Corps Partnership Program

Thanks so much for your help! These girls can run the world, and it'd be a much better place if they did.



RTW - Decorating for their "International Women's Day" (March 8th) Party... 

RTW - Women's Day Party

RTW - Making "Media Says" Collages...which we then proceeded to destroy with scissors...

RTW - Discussion about the media's distorted representation of "beauty"...Peace and Love and Thankful Hearts - from RTW, Ganja, AZ...

...after five months of frozen water and frozen toes, we're finally starting to thaw. This past week Azerbaijan celebrated the Novruz holiday - a Zoroastrian tradition celebrating the spring and the new year - which means we got a nice week off. In the last few months we've hit several major milestones - 7 years of marriage and a 30th birthday. Also, we're now well past our halfway point and have gotten our official "close of service" date - November 9th -- see y'all around Thanksgiving! Here are a few shots from the last few weeks...

The first sign of spring in our backyard - a little color in a world full of gray does good things for the soul, my friends...  My AzETA Counterparts - Humay and Shahla. Shahla is pulling out one of Humay's hairs to do a little fortune telling - a Novruz tradition for most women in Azerbaijan.

Most of the "fortune telling" has to do with marriage and babies. Shahla's taken Humay's hair and wrapped it around my wedding ring - they dip it in the water three times, then count how many times the ring hits the side of the glass - that's the age they'll be when they get married...

In an Azeri classroom - "Dream Babys"...love it...

A statue in one of our favorite parks - she seems a little weepy - I think i would be too if I was sitting in the snow all day. 

...Soviet Swan...

Sunset in GanjaGanja's Russian Orthodox Church

The "Bottle House" -- a Ganja attraction - a house...covered in bottles...and other stuff

The Birds In Ivanovka - a little Russian village in AZ

Following is a link to a video about the open microphone event we started in our city....

My Microphone Azerbaijan

We helped start the city's first student run environment club. Here are a few pictures they took around the city to raise awareness...

“Hand me a microphone, man…I’ll change the world.” We’d been sitting at a street side café under the canopy of a huge umbrella on one of the multitudes of public squares in Wroclaw, Poland drinking beer and indulging in a bit of sidewalk philosophy – everything from parenting to politics. We’d met our friends, Nat and his wife Haley, in Germany where he was stationed with the U.S. Army, then travelled to Poland to see the sights. Our conversation that day had been quite the marathon – the kind of conversation that lasts for hours and when you’ve finished, you’ve solved all the problems of the world. Nat’s line has become famous in our household…first as an endearing tribute to Nat the character, now as a mantra of truth and possibility. Why the change? Very simply, we joined the Peace Corps, and moved away from a world of luxury – luxury not measured in material goods, but in the freedom to express ourselves with variety and volume. We serve in the city of Ganja, Azerbaijan; an ancient city of over 300,000 which houses five Universities and a host of international NGOs. You’d think, that in a city whose heart beats with youth and education, the town would be a hot bed of thought and activity. However, with a tradition of Soviet stoicism and a current economic climate inhospitable toward creative pastimes, the city’s youth have struggled to find positive outlets.After a few months at site, I realized that the city’s youth aren’t without thought…aren’t without passion…aren’t without identify. They are simply without an outlet by which to convey them - and in the Spring of 2011, Ganja, My Microphone was born. It all began with a group of volunteers teaming up with the local NGOs and youth centers to mix interest with action and create a safe place for artistic self-expression. The event draws on the country’s rich history of poetry, music, and dance. Participants, most of them high school or University students, are given 5 minutes at the mic. Soon, an organic growth of both eastern and western artistry began to emerge – traditional dance, choreographed hip-hop, mugham, the poetry of Nizami Gencevi, the poetry of e.e. cummings, rap, beat box, traditional Azeri music, saz, tar, violin, piano…all merging and melding to create the new voice of the youth of Ganja.The event is held monthly in an old Russian Orthodox church, now a state puppet theater, on the banks of the Ganja River. I can’t help but enter the building with a sense of reverence, not only for the building itself – the intricate inlaid wood floors and the solemn slope of the rafters - but for the history and the future of the building itself – for what it has witnessed. A house of worship that once swelled with the sounds of praise to an all-powerful creator now fills with the sounds of a generation of hope. This building breathes life itself. I think of the voices that have changed the world – the words of humble men and women who had a chance to speak and an outlet with which to convey their voice to the masses, and I can’t help but scan the faces in the room searching for that voice. There’s no way to adequately express the sensation of watching a young man or a young woman walk slowly to the mic, head down, voice quavering…and to see that same person walk away changed – new and energized and full of both the realization of self and of community. As the one year anniversary of the event nears, with an average of 120 students in attendance each month, with 25-30 performers at each event, and with My Mic now spreading into neighboring regions, it is evident that as voices emerge and praise for expression abounds, hope itself grows. “Hand me a microphone, man…I'll change the world.”Kelly Windham

After almost three wonderful weeks at home, and over 30 straight hours on almost every conceivable mode of transportation, we're back in Ganja - safe and sound...and cold.

We had such a great trip home - we (or maybe just me) shed a few tears over Target and lettuce and washing machines and central heating and actual lines at the grocery store. It was a great time to recharge and start thinking about what we want our lives to look like when we come home in 10.5 months. Thanks to those of you that took time out of your hectic holiday schedules to check in on us. We are so thankful for you all.

There's no better medicine than a little bit of home.

Here are a few pictures from our trip, enjoy.

Happy, Happy New Year!!

Happy Birthday, D! @ Chuy'sOne of the best places on the planet Earth...

KJ, Landon, and Jared after a very intense POP-IT war on New Year's Eve...

Kelly, Darrell, Jerry, and Dustin - New Year's Eve Brews

@ Cis and Dave's

Dustin and Peggy

Peggy, Ron, and The Girls...

All But One Accounted For - Stephen's Asleep in Peggy's Room...

Lydia and Easter in their PJs...

Got to spend some time with my A&M buddy, Heather and Little Miss Tatum...

Dustin and Mike - @ Lustre Pearl...Foosball and Lone Star...

Miss Karen Getting Acquainted With The Neighbors in Beaukiss...

After a tough game of touch football...

Hello Happiness...and 10 Pounds...Well Worth It

So I've been creeping on other PCV's blogs and realized that I've fallen down on my photag duties. I guess when you settle in and things become "normal" you forget that this normal is temporary...as is my memory. So, I'm going to work on keeping an eye out for things that won't be "normal" forever. Just to catch you up...things are good here. We're crazy busy - not always a problem, so I'm diggin' it while it lasts.Here are the bullet points:- We're both teaching at a local university. The Agriculture University is piloting a program with a small group of students in which all of the courses are taught in English. D's course is covering transnational corporations...or something like that...mine has a public speaking / technical writing focus. Yes - public speaking...no jokes, doubters - I did it every day for five years in a high school classroom - a relatively intimidating arena, so I think I can manage. It's a lot of fun, but we spend most of our free time getting our lessons ready since there's no set curriculum.

- D's "My Mic" event has become something truly incredible...something sustainable - a Peace Corps buzz word, and a pretty elusive goal for volunteers. Last month it had traditional Azeri music & dancing, break dancers, beat boxers, a guitar club, a rock band, and poetry reading. It's amazing to realize that you can actually see confidence grow in these young people...they step up to the mic one person and leave another. It sounds dramatic, but it's true. This event gives them a chance to shine, and that's exactly what they do.

- The Ganja AzETA (Azerbaijan English Teachers' Association) branch - my primary host organization - is showing great promise this year, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We're starting an "AzETA Serves" chapter that is doing a clothing drive for a local orphanage this fall and will start another drive in the spring. We're also planning a literacy project with little ones that will focus on storytelling and creative writing.

- And all the hour here, hour there gaps in our days are filled with conversation clubs, essay revisions, and lesson planning.

We're getting so excited for our trip home in December. I cannot wait. Only seven weeks to go...Of course, I've been keeping a list of all the things I miss (which means food because I am an Atwood / Lanfear). Dustin thinks this is totally unproductive, but there are far worse things I could do, right?...So, here are the big ones...- MEXICAN FOOD...all of it, including Taco Bell enchiritos (which some people don't consider Mexican food, but I say stop being so snotty and eat it already...) - BBQ - TEXAS BBQ...that means beef brisket, my friends - MARGARITAS...which some people would lump into the Mexican food category, but I think it deserves a category all its own - WAFFLE HOUSE...I know my Georgia crew is hearing this one...smothered, covered, and peppered, kids - AUNTIE ANNE'S PRETZEL DOGS & PEOPLE WATCHING...you know you do it - MELLOW MUSHROOM...bring it on...LUBY'S LUANNE WITH FRIED FISH...because there's nothing like eating moderately priced cafeteria food with elderly people. Oh yeah...We love you guys. Thanks for keeping up with us. Hopefully we'll catch up with some of you in TX! Here are some pictures to show you what we've been up to lately...

AzETA teachers playing a game at "Start Strong" - a few weeks of workshops just before school started.

My AzETA Teachers at the End of Start Strong

Working on 4Mat Lesson Planning and SOAS - Select, Omit, Adapt, Supplement

A Few Weeks Ago We Decided It Was Time To Get Busy Cleaning Our Rugs / Sleeping Bags Since Winter Was Coming (It's Here Now, By The Way) So I Documented Our Fall Cleaning...I Got A Little Dramatic Near The End...And Apparently All My Hair Is Falling Out - Gross...

We got to go to the World Boxing Championship and Olympic Qualifying Rounds in Baku a Few Weeks Ago...This is American, Jesse Hart pounding someone from Qatar...

The Arena Was Pretty Empty - So All The Americans Waving Flags and Chanting "USA" Were A Little Obvious

We've Now Been To Two Azeri Weddings. This is Ilaha - She Was a Peace Corps Trainer and Works At Dustin's Office. This Day Also Happens To Be Our One Year Anniversary In Azerbaijan. Azeri Weddings Are Pretty Glamorous - Hence The Golden, Sparkle Walls...

Remember Kama, Our Host Sister in Sumgayit? We Went Back A Few Weeks Ago For Her Oldest Brother's Wedding. So Much Fun...I Think We've Got The Azeri Dancing Down To A Science...

Here are Vusal, his wife, Sadeat, and Baby Muslim At The Wedding...He Seems To Be Eyeing The Green Stuff...

Muslim Look A Little Irked, Maybe It's The Hat...Here He Is With Dustin and His Uncle (Sadeat's Brother). He's a Wonderful Man Whose Family Is Always So Kind and Welcoming...Do You Remember The Post Where The Kids Are Teaching Dustin Azeri? Those Are His Kiddos.

The Groom Getting Ready To Pick Up His Bride...What You Don't See Are All of His Relatives Dancing In the Parking Lot In Front of Him...

The Bride and Groom Make Their First Appearance Together. We Were All Just Upstairs Where There is More Dancing, The Red Ribbon Ritual - The Brother of of the Bride / Groom Ties a Red Ribbon Around The Bride's Waist to Symbolize Purity, An Exchange of Gifts Including a Mirror and a Lamp - More Symbolism But I'm Not Sure What Specifically...Here the Bride's Looking Up As Her Friends Throw Flower Petals From the Apartment Above.

My Buddy, Xayal - A Peace Corps Staffer...and the Coolest Tie Ever...

PCVs Got Together To Show Them A Good Time...This Is In Our Backyard...My Favorite Part of This Picture Is the Collection of Ziplocs Drying On The Line In the Background...Nice...

His hands are constantly moving. Controlled like a good mechanic or someone who has spent a lifetime serving in the military. He talks as he works, methodically trimming and preparing the meat, then sliding it onto stainless steel skewers. At intervals, as if determined in some prehistoric era, he glances back towards the fire to examine its heat. His cigarette joins in the dance and adds allure to the fluid and precise movements of the speaker. The smoke from the meat fire combines with the Winston and frames the scene. His hair is dark, dappled with grey in all the right places, he wears a manicured mustache and his skin is tan like most men in the region. Short but solidly built. Round shoulders and rough hands, hardened by 30 years of work with wooden handled tools. But unlike most men I’ve met, he carries himself like a poet, seeing radiance when the rest of us see routine. Shrouded with mystery and magic and protected from the harsh shapes and bold outlines that often define the existence of lesser men.

His name is Saladin. He has agreed to share his story with us and a meal with me. The story began centuries ago in the Middle East, when a charismatic leader won a momentous battle at Hattin that marked a turning point in a historic struggle. On a Roman road near Tiberias, in present day Israel, Saladin the first sultan of Egypt and Syria defeated the Crusaders, delivering a crippling blow that paved the way for the re-capture of Palestine in 1187 by the Ayyubid dynasty. Saladin founded this Muslim empire centered in Egypt and of Kurdish origin. His chivalry and vision distinguished him as both a leader and adversary, a unique man then and now. Despite being the nemesis of the Crusaders, King Richard the Lionheart spoke of him with respect and even today he is a celebrated example of the principles of chivalry in both eastern and western cultures alike, a legacy of balance in an atmosphere pitching with conflict and contradictions. Our Saladin is also a king, both in name and character. Situated in a new crucible of conflict, but also marking a turning point and acting as a catalyst for change still to come.

Commanding chisels and gouges, instead of armies, our Saladin spends his days carving doors, staircases, and moldings, for Azerbaijan’s few, but powerful elite. When he is without work, which often occurs in a changing and developing country, he shakes off the title of tradesman and turns to his relief carvings for outlet and expression. Relief carving is a limitless form of artistic expression as old as antiquity. It is a sculptural form in which figures and scenes are carved in a flat panel of wood. The figures project only slightly from the background rather than standing freely. The process is unique because it involves removing wood from a flat panel in such a way that the object appears to rise out of the wood. My host adds that other forms of sculpture are based on adding material, clay for example, but when tasked with removing material the difficulty increases. Our Saladin sometimes spends long hours bent over a project, ripping away at layers of life built over hundreds of years, while at the same time creating a new one that will outlast the previous. Persian walnut is his material of choice, a tree native to the Caucasus region, and known for its beautiful tone, tight grain, and unequaled density, which is evidenced by the layers of callus on the bottom of our hero’s hands.

Back at the dinner table he serves us barbequed mutton. He tells me about how he got his start as an artist 20 years ago and that he feels he has never finished a piece because like the world around him it too is alive, and changes with him. He tells a story, pausing to stare with reverie at the bruise stained sky, about hanging a carving on the wall, then 10 years later taking it back down to alter a detail or add a dimension. A self-taught carpenter and artist, his art hangs on it’s own merit in the local art gallery in Ganja, and he tells a proud story of one of his pieces being displayed in a Russian Government building somewhere in St. Petersburg, a city often described as the most western of Russian cities and known for having the largest art museum in the world. It is fitting that our Saladin’s work finds residence here in Russia’s majestic former capital. With deep breaths and passionate tones he describes his pictures which are overflowing with waterfalls, shady trees, and soaring mountains. At first glance they look like utopian dreams reflecting nature on a good day. But upon inspection you see that the trees take on human qualities with the curve of gender and evolve into clouds with eyes and tears that drip into the life below. Other reliefs echo symbolic references to the number seven. The Koran’s seven heavens, creation’s seven days, and the rainbow’s seven colors. From East to West, Nile to Amazon, Abraham to OZ, his pictures illustrate for the viewer age old wonders and herculean thoughts.

After dinner he demonstrates his process by taking a blank walnut panel and quickly sketching out a scene in pencil. He escapes into his work as I wonder about the simplicity of his success and the elegance of his hand. He continues talking about the direction the picture could go, as well as commenting on the direction of art and creativity in Azerbaijan. He agrees that there is a need for more imagination in this culture struggling with its past and path. Like shaping a piece of art, he carefully encourages his children to be artists in a political and economic environment unfriendly to imaginative means. Back at the table with tea, we travel back in time with him as he lays out pictures of past projects and a life time of work. But according to our leader his work is not work at all, but rather a release. When I ask what he thinks about while he labors, he describes a flight to a new world surrounded by the scene he wants to create. Fashioning his future with each thrust of the hand and sealing his heroic fate. I’ve traveled enough to know how rare it is in both this culture and abroad to enjoy your occupation. Most men can’t see beyond the nearest supervisor or the era’s social expectation. But like a King, our Saladin rules his work and inspires, building his empire out of imagination and love of details and the ability to escape into a fantastic world swirling with regal white birds silhouetted against a purple sky.

Our Saladin’s story may not appear in the history books, but he has left his mark on me.

Saladin has artwork for sale and can be contacted at the following email address: saladinartwork@gmail.com

Dustin WindhamPeace Corps VolunteerGanja, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan won the Eurovision Song Contest (http://www.eurovision.tv/page/baku-2012) last year so they get to host it in 2012. A couple of our friends put together this video to prepare the music lovers that will flock to the capital....

Baku State of Mind

Western popular culture seems to think that mortality is a choice. Take this pill, drink this juice, eat that food, and your body will forget it’s made for seasons, both beautiful and bland. But what do Azerbaijanis think is required to live a healthy and fulfilled life? This is the question I presented to a group of students at the Agriculture University in Ganja, Azerbaijan. In an unused laboratory once a place to measure quality, and distill ideas, now dormant, dry and dust covered, we mused on one of humanities oldest questions. From behind empty beakers and broken pipettes I saw hands go up. “Vugar, yes what is your opinion”….The students are in the their 2nd year at the Azerbaijan State Agrarian University, a school with an enrollment of around 3,000 students, and a history dating back to 1929, making it the first and only agriculture university in the country. Vugar responds with, “never drink cold water (in fact the less water you drink the better), mix jam with hot tea to fight a cold, use cactus to combat computer rays, and don’t sit on uncovered concrete,” typical answers for this formal and skeptical culture. The goal for the day was to discuss the organic agriculture movement both in Azerbaijan and abroad. Worldwide Industrial growth, a hungry and growing population, and a jump in scientific capabilities has led to questionable practices and a growing concern for the impacts modernity has on our health and environment. In the US the concept of organic is in vogue, and although I have not heard of a cactus cure for radiation, just about every other remedy exists - coconut water to wash away the toxins, a cut from a cow that’s been treated kindly, or a peanut butter and potato diet. Azerbaijan’s organic movement seems to have started out of necessity, but now has the opportunity to transition to a market driven by demand. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, farmers were left with little choice, no nearby industry, poor infrastructure, limited access to fertilizers and pesticides, but as the country moves towards development farmers are being given other alternatives. In the US, organic begins with a set of standards that limit: pesticides, hormones, radiation, antibiotics, genetically modified inputs, and is monitored through strict documentation. This process usually leads to higher quality, but higher prices and lower quantities as well. Here in Azerbaijan the question is whether or not people will choose organic when given the option. As Vugar and the rest of the class continue to argue over what is the best way to fight against mortality, I thought about the food we eat and the benefits of a choice. I believe freedom starts with a choice. But what about the source of that choice? Is it internal, something you have the power to control, or external, only available when offered by the standing government or nearest bully. I believe the former, and because of that I see the steps towards organic as monumental. Not due to the added nutrition value, or the few extra years it might add to your life, but that it will provide the people of Azerbaijan with a new choice. We may not have a choice in life or death but in everything else the freedom lies in the option not the outcome. Vugar, the boys, and the one girl in the class, never conceded agreement with my argument, but I saw Vugar’s eyes shift to the floor when towards the end of the discussion one student stood up and mockingly ask “What good is another head of cabbage on the shelf if it costs twice as much?”….

Dustin WindhamPeace Corps VolunteerGanja, Azerbaijan

Everywhere I Go...

"They left me

with your shadow,

saying things like

Life is not fair

& I believed them

for a long time.

But today,

I remembered

the way you laughed

& the heat

of your hand

in mine

& I knew that

life is more fair

than we can

ever imagine

if

we are there to live it"

Brian Andreas - StoryPeople

A little glimpse into the dance culture of Azerbaijan...

Check out the videos by clicking on the links below...

Dustin's GABA Office Party

Ganja My Microphone - July 2011

Summertime in Azerbaijan is a lot like Texas - hot. We made our two best purchases of our PCV lives the last few months, a fan and a kiddie pool, which we spend most of our waking moments in or around.

We've been traveling around the regions for the last few weeks, spending some time with PCVs around the country. Here are a few pictures...

July 4th - Hot Dogs, Watermelon, and 3 Stitches in an Azeri Hospital after a Little Horse Play...Here's the progression. Looking good D.Windham...

The "Qarpiz" Car

A Restaurant That Serves "Lobster"...Also Known As Crawdads...Mine is Chasing a Boat...

The Beach -- The Ming Reservoir -- About 1.5 Hours Away by Bus

The Tendir Ovens

Our Host Home @ a Village in Gusar Region - On a CBT (Community Based Tourism) Trip

The Kitchen @ the CBT Host Home

On the Walk Through a Village in Gusar Region

Boy With Bird...Which Sounds Sweet Until You Realize He's Tied To a String...

The Village School

I got a little car-sick on one of our trips...shocking, I know. This little guy came and guarded me while I recovered.

I named him Toby Ziegler.

The Riverbed in Lahic (Lahij)

Tobacco Leaves Drying

The River, Balakan

 My host organization in the community is Ganja Agribusiness Association (GABA), one of the country’s leading Agriculture NGOs. GABA is committed to sustainable development of the country’s agriculture sector, which employs over 30% of the working population. GABA's activities include work in the following fields:

-Agriculture Extension

-Greenhouse Agriculture

-Organic Agriculture

-Agriculture Policy Reform

-Market Research

-Environmentally Sustainable Land Use

Last month we went into the field to evaluate some of our ongoing projects…

                                                          Greenhouse agriculture project

                                                                 A family affair

                                                        Farmer group meeting under the trees

                                                       The beginnings of a new barn

                                                         Collecting a soil sample

Azerbaijan made an appearance on The Discovery Channel's "Build it Bigger" a few weeks ago. Check out this link for a clip of the footage. It is broken up into three segments on You Tube, but once you view the first, it will give you the option to watch the rest. Enjoy...

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

...but rest assured - we're here! It's 11 PM, and I'm pretty tired...so I'll give you the bullet point version of what we've been up to and then bombard you with pictures. (which, by the way, will only open in Internet Explorer...it's a technological mystery)

- D's started an Open Mic Night in Ganja that's been incredibly successful...

- We're addicted to The West Wing and have no idea what we'll do with ourselves once we've finished the last season...be productive, I guess...ugh.

- We've moved into our own little home - YEAH!!

- We're teaching a U.S. Government class and are totally embarrassed by how little we know about our own country...

- We're gearing up for some summer trips around the country...birding is on the list (shocking, I'm sure, for those of you that know Dustin Windham)

- We met some Aggies in Baku! Gig 'em.

We've gotten so much good news from home lately -- babies born, first steps taken, cancer defeated, milestones reached. Know that we celebrate with you...on the other side of the world, we celebrate with you. We love you all SO much! Thank you for your continued concern and support. We couldn't go on without you.

See...still here! We're at Dustin's work party at "Magara" ... the cave. It's one of two restaurants in town where women are officially "olar" -- allowed. Yeah, Magara!! :)

The Ganja Peace Corps Crew and the New U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Matthew Bryza. He toured the country with the Peace Corps Country Director to celebrate P.C.'s 50th Anniversary - Happy Birthday, Peace Corps!

Azeri Road Block - Water Buffalo

What will soon be the downfall of my waistline -- tendir bread. There's a shop around the corner from our house. Tendir bread is cooked, well - vertically. Sounds crazy...I know. I'll take some pictures at the bakery one day. The ovens are these concrete, open-ended domes about 3 feet tall. They've got a fire in the center, and the dough is slapped (literally) onto the side of the oven. It is, with the exception of Granny's, the best bread on the face of the planet. ISTI COREK....mmmmm... (hot bread).

Dustin and Ilqar (pronounced Ilgar). We're in the backyard of the home he shares with this wife, children, mother and father. The garden is incredible -- full of potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, strawberries, string beans, plus every fruit tree you can imagine. I love that about this country - everyone's got a garden. Ilqar's learning English and D's learning Azeri (much better than me, by the way)...so our dinner conversation is a crazy mix of both. Ilqar kept saying "organic, organic" every time a new plate of food came to the table. haha...

Kelly and Ilqar's Niece. Ilqar is one of Dustin's friends form work - he's such a wonderful man. When his family invites over, they treat us like we're one of the gang. Ilqar's sons and niece - (her name means Poppy - love it). The boys look like they've been in a bit of a marker war -- it's actually chicken pox medicine. HA...Every time I'd walk into the room, they'd start screaming and run away - does wonderful things for your self confidence, let me tell you. The giant yellow-haired woman... (AKA - Sari Sach "Yellow Hair") 

Dustin and Saedat's Little One, Muslim. Saedat is our host sister-in-law from training in Sumgayit. We went back for an education fair in Baku this weekend and took a trip to Sumgayit to see the new baby. It was a strange feeling going back to that town, back to that apartment, but it was so nice to see them.

Aunt (Bibi) Kelly and Baby Muslim

 A Packed House @ Dustin's Open Mic Night! 120 in Attendance - Way to Go, D! I'm sure he'll want to fill you in on all the details, so I'll leave it at that for now.

The Cure-All For a Crappy Day - Homemade French Fries and Beer

Rebecca and I on "Grown Up Night" ... although I'm not quite living up to the night's goal here. Rebecca's boyfriend, Mark, is here on a Fulbright Scholarship. Rebecca's been such a great friend these last few months. She'll be leaving in a week...along with my sanity! Ladies, never underestimate the need for and the power of a good friend!! To all my ladies at home, I miss you so!

Dustin & Ruzi at the Ganja International School Carnival - Ruzi was officiating the Ping Pong tournament.

A Little Bit of Hitchcock

 The Lone Poppy - This is a walk along a road by the river. It opens up into a big clearing with an awesome view of the mountains...when they're not covered in clouds...  The New House! Two Bedrooms, A Living Room / Kitchen, and an INDOOR BATHROOM!! Lovin' It! - Dustin at the Kitchen Table - We've Got a 70's Thing Going On...We're planning to paint quotes on our walls in the next few weeks - put a little D&K into this place.

The Ganja Softball Team - YEAH!

My New Talysh Socks...

FYI - a great way to support Peace Corps Azerbaijan and the Talysh population of Lankeron - not to mention very cool hand-made gifts...Here's the link:

http://talyshsocks.blogspot.com/

Little Ones...because they do this at softball practice.

Springtime...because who doesn't love this...

Our little team of actors performed their hearts out last week. It was a great success, thanks to those kids. Dustin and I were blown away by how much this project affected us. Neither of us have a background in drama (dramatic background, yes - but that's not quite the same thing), but it wasn't about the theatrics, although there were plenty. This was about creating something together - making the script at the kitchen table, watching them turn words on a page into their own little personalities...

In the end, these kids reminded us of home -- goofing off when they're supposed to be serious, girls pretending to be shy, guys being too cool for school...kids are kids no matter what country you're in...

We are so proud of them...not for their English ability or their dazzling performances...we're proud of them because they have such good hearts. This group took us in...foreigners, strangers they'd never met before, and trusted in us. They showed commitment, dedication, goodness, and a hunger for something new.

We can't wait to try it again in May...

Here's a link to the abbreviated version of their play. Hope you like it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3bWdjRu5mU

MINOR IRRITATION...

First...for any technology savvy people out there...does anyone know why pictures are disappearing from the blog at random? No idea where they're going, and trying to re-post is useless...and annoying. I've never wanted to strangle an inanimate object so much in my entire life -- ugh.

Anyway...

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. We've celebrated the Novruz holiday with our family and taken a trip to Tbilisi, Georgia. I'm going to post some pictures of both, so get a quick look - they'll disappear into the blog picture abyss with their brothers and sisters within the week.

NOVRUZ....

This Azeri holiday is a reminder of the culture's Zoroastrian roots - a celebration of new life through the worship of water, fire, earth, and wind. The unofficial celebrations begin the first Tuesday of March with plov (a national dish - mainly rice) and fire jumping - literally. That continues each Tuesday until the fourth week (20th - 28th), during which everyone is off of work and there are family and community celebrations. Some of the traditions of Novruz are: the growing of samani (wheat grass) to symbolize the coming of new life with the beginning of Spring, "Spring" cleaning to get rid of the old and start clean and new, egg dying - after which you play a little game where two people bash their boiled / dyed eggs together and whoever has the dud (the one that gets crunched) loses their egg, door-to-door candy collection - boys go around to their neighbors houses, take off their caps and put them on the doorstep, knock on the door and run...the caps are filled with candy, and the boys come back to pick them up after the door is closed again - sound familiar-ish? I'm sure there's plenty I'm leaving out, but you get the picture...

Gul - Fire Jumping...

Kelly - Post Jump, Nabat On Deck...

FYI - Prior to jumping, they will say a prayer for good health, long life, etc...I heard lots of "bebe...bebe" in my prayer...hmmmmm....

Samani Grass

Traditional Azeri Dancers - Getting Ready to Perform

Yep...That's A Camel...TBILISI, GEORGIA

Our official three month travel leash was off in March, so we decided to use up a few leave days and take a little trip to Tbilisi, Georgia. It's about a 3 hour trip from Ganja, much closer than the 6 hour ride to Baku. Tbilisi's an incredible place -- feels much more like "home" than what we're used to. Lots of diversity...lots of food...lots of music. Unfortunately, we both got the flu in route and were sick for the entire trip. Boo.

Oh well...still got to see some amazing things, still got to have some amazing food, still got to feel "normal" for just a little while. Can't wait to go again...

The sun made its first appearance in weeks the day before Kell's birthday and decided to stick around for a while..."and I say, it's all right..."

The Puppet Theater...

Kukla Theater -- The Puppet Theater -- Once a church, now converted into a puppet and drama venue...Dustin and I were snooping around it taking pictures a few weeks ago when the basement door opened and a few people came out to see what we were up to. They invited us inside what turned out to be the sketch and sewing room and gave us tea and cake and an impromptu Azeri lesson. We've been back several times since and have gotten nothing but kindness and continued invitations to return. It made us think...how likely is it that we would have responded the same way in our own country? What would we have done if we'd seen a "foreigner" snooping around our home? I'd be lying if I said that we'd have been as gracious as these sweet people...humbling lesson. Drama Club...Jack and the Beanstalk

Kelly-Made Cow...Nice, huh?Little Bitty Birthday Party...Lemon Birthday Cake -- Thanks, Vivian!

Kelly and Vivian

Gul, Kelly, & Nabat...In Our Birthday Best...

We got a chance to go to Baku, the capital city, last weekend.

Here are a few shots from our trip.

The Maiden Tower , known as the symbol of Baku, was originally built between the 4th and 6th centuries and completed sometime in the 12th. Countless myths and legends tell tales of the structure's existence and purpose -- most of which involve incest, lust, and suicide -- guess they beat Shakespeare to it. The Caspian Sea, now several hundred feet away, once lapped at the base of the tower. The architecture itself speaks of the cultural collisions that define the country -- a fusion of Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman influences. Very cool...Baku -- East meets West ...Ancient meets Modern Made a stop at the local tattoo parlor... Old Star Tattoo's the best! Thanks, Khazim...Paisley Scarves -- Paisleys, an Azeri symbol and tradition, are the ancient representation of life and eternity...

- we celebrated Gul's birthday...

- a park just around the corner from our house, the King's Garden Park, was reopened after over a year of renovations - beautiful. It will be our solace once spring comes...

- our drama club got their "Jack and the Beanstalk" scripts - rewritten KJ & D style, of course...

- one of the ladies' roosters went rouge and had to be "dealt with." Dustin got to prove his manhood with a big bread knife...

-we both got showers - miraculous...

More to come...we love you guys!

Gul's Birthday FlowersXan Bagi - "The King's Garden Park" The Rowdy Rooster -- Before...The Not-so-Rowdy Rooster -- After...

Here's some Azeri news footage of our swearing-in ceremony in December. Thought you guys might get a kick out of it...sorry it's so late.

...a walk up a mountain, a kiss from a friend, a smile from a stranger, and a laugh from a child. We had a great weekend visiting a solid friend that lives 36 kilometers from us, straight up, in a mountain town named Dashkasan. A harbinger of growth, and weekend of mirth. We are thankful for the friends we have made and an opportunity to share winters and springs.

- Dustin

During our walk around town The sites on our walk up the mountain

the walk The town the Friend "Joe" and his lil host brother Hussein Hussein, extremely close to the edge

So...we've been here one month and two days...Yep.

Dustin’s working with an organization called GABA. Here's a list of some of their recent / current projects – strengthening organic agriculture, organic farming certification, greenhouse construction, agriculture extension, wild collectors' program (certifying people that gather wild herbs and fruits – cherry plum, nettle, blackberry, and hawthorn – to export to Europe), constructing cold storage facilities and fodder mills, agricultural forestry, environmental education, and fighting desertification in rural / agricultural Azerbaijan. This is Dustin's list - I have no idea what most of these things mean, but they sound pretty awesome! :)I'm working with AZETA (Azerbaijan English Teachers' Association). My role here is to strengthen the organization through teacher training (introducing student-centered, interactive methods, varied professional development, strategies to improve the level of spoken English among English educators, etc). We live in a host home until April. Our host sisters – Gul (59) and Nabat (69) are pretty good cooks, are insistent upon having “grandchildren” in the next two years, are always animated in an effort to be understood, and stress that we are allowed to do what we want in the house because it is a “democratia”... they're great people. The "baby" conversations do wear on us a bit... me especially considering that they nearly rushed me to the emergency when they realized that D and I have been married for nearly six years and have not yet had any children. I managed to wriggle my way out of that one somehow...but not for long, I'm sure. D's most interesting experience to date would have to be the xas (pronounced haash) outing with his boss at 7 AM one Saturday. Xas is a soup made by boiling down the head and / or hooves of a cow or sheep until only a marrowy, soupy substance is left...mmmmm. It is served with garlic, vinegar, wheat bread, and vodka. Yum. This is a gentlemen only type of affair, which is a-okay with me. I'm not a fan of throwing up in public, though I have been known to do so from time to time - and xas day would probably be one of those times. No thanks. My stomach's not so keen on Azeri food to begin with.We visited Sheki for Christmas and stayed in Ganja for New Years, neither or which really felt like holidays. Now we're just plugging away, trying to get into a groove with work. "Night time" officially begins at about 6 PM, so we've been watching a lot of movies and television series...if you have any suggestions, pass them along. We'll need them this winter!

We miss you guys. We love you! Thanks for keeping up with us. Shoot us some e-mails - let us know what's going on with you! To all my kiddos in GA keeping up with us, thanks!! Do your homework! To all my soon-to-be baby momma friends out there, we love you and think about you and the little ones all the time!! We want the news ASAP...not the "man" version either - I need full names, weight, length, hair status, labor and delivery stories (not the gross ones) etc -- the lady-style update. To our family -- we love you more Blue Bell ice cream...more than popcorn with Tabasco sauce...more than Sonic strawberry limeades. To our friends, we'll meet you for a drink in about 23ish months - get babysitters now. To my soon-to-be 11 year old nephews -- YOU ARE THE COOLEST PEOPLE ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET!! WAY COOLER THAN SUPERMAN...WAY COOLER THAN JUSTIN BEANER or BEAVER or WHATEVER HIS NAME IS...WAY COOLER THAN HARRY POTTER (and you know HP's my main man...). We love you so! Miss Y'allHappy Birthday, D!! The House Across the Street

An Azeri "Yeni Il" Tree - Complete With Saxta Baba and Clown...

Look Really Close...

My Construction Paper Christmas TreeThe Walk to the Bathroom...

Sorry for the delay folks. We're in Ganja - doing fine, but the transition has been rough. Send us some good vibes to keep us going. Thanks for the e-mails!! Keep 'em coming. We love you all and miss home like crazy. We'll post when we can but our access to the Internet is a little sketchy right now. D can check e-mails at work, and he saves all of mine to a word document that I read at home, but I won't have consistent access to reply for a while. We'll do our best to keep up with the weekly postings. Here are some of our favorite Sumgayit shots and a few from Swearing In as well.

The Notorious Apple Car

The Shop Where I Bought My Dress... Love It...

The Book Store - My Favorite Site in the Bazaar

Kell and Miss Lilly at Swear In - If Lilly's Mom Is Reading This - Hello!! Your Daughter is a Gem!

...My Oguz People...Miss Lilly and Colin...

Dustin, Trey, and Jake at Feyton After Swear In - Showing Some Azeri Brotherly Love

Kelly and the Saray Girls at Feyton After Swear In

On the Way to Ganja -- This is About 1/2 of the Crew on the Bus :)

...for the clothes on our backs, the food in our stomachs, the roof over our head, the air in our lungs...

...for being given opportunities each day to recognize both our strengths and our weaknesses and for the chance to learn from both

...for being raised in a place where we were free to make our own choices...even bad ones...

...for bus stops and umbrellas...

...for fond and vivid memories of broccoli and cheese casserole...

...for you...

Our First Azeri Thanksgiving...

As promised...here are a few pictures that the computer refused to load last week - I think we're on better terms today... My AZETA Counterparts

KJ and D and the Caspian Sea

My favorite soon-to-be butchered cow...

My favorite soon-to-be butchered sheep...red ribbons and all...

We're All Going To Ganja...

We're counting down the days to the end of PST. Things are busy and we're exhausted, but all is well. Here are a few pictures from my McDonald's trip in Baku...The computer is refusing to load any other pictures...I think it is trying to make me feel guilty and disgusted for demolishing a "royal cheeseburger" in less than one minute...Oh well - it was the best minute of the last two months!! (Not really...but close...)

McDonald's Day in Baku...I Think I Cried A Little...

This week we learned where we'll be spending the next two years...Ganja.

Ganja is the second largest city in Azerbaijan - population approximately 300,000 - and is located in the center of the country. We are really excited about our next step. There will be more to come as we learn about our organizations and host family.

Check out these links for more information...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganja,_Azerbaijan

http://www.travel-images.com/az-ganja.html

Here are a few photos from the week...

Our language lesson from an 8 and 4 year old...humbling

Dustin And Our Azeri Teachers - Khayal, Gaymar, and FuadD, KJ, and Jane - Celebrating Site AnnouncementCelebrating Site Announcement With the CED Guys - Trey, Jonathan, Jim, and Colin

Another week of PST down...five more to go. Here's what's new this week...

- Practicum went very well, but I'm very glad it is over. The lesson planning is pretty hectic because you have to create all your own resources. I've become quite the stick figure artist. I taught 5th, 6th and 9th forms. My kids were awesome. I've included a few pictures of one 5th form class...just pretend they're all smiling. The serious face in pictures is an Azeri tradition - even wedding photos! I managed to convince a few of them to show some teeth - mainly because we learned the word that day! :)

- D shaved his beard today!! :( Our host dad told him he looked like an unsavory religious zealot...in so many words...so that was the last straw. We're back to baby-face Dustin...for now anyway.

- D gave a presentation this week that was a great success. We were both running on empty by the end of the week and have used most of the day to recoup. We are SO excited to go to sleep every night...so sad!! Hahaha...

- D's program (CED) finds out their region placements on Tuesday!! That means in just a few short days we'll know where we'll spend the next few short years...exciting and terrifying! Keep your fingers crossed. We'll let you all know ASAP.

We love you all and miss you like crazy. Please keep the e-mails coming...the "little things" at home are the "big things" to us...



Our "ata and gardash" - father and brother - cooking at the garden house.

Ata and Dustin making a toast at our Ana's birthday party...

Kamala, Me, and Saedat - The Sisters

...to one of the greatest men to walk the face of the Earth...stronger than Chuck Norris...more clever than MacGyver...more wylie than the Coyote...my DAD!! Wish we could've been there for your birthday, big guy! Our entire Azeri family is singing "Happy Birthday, Mr. Dave," every chance they get. Hope you can hear it... This is as creative as it gets with limited resources! :) WE LOVE YOU!!!This week we went on PCV site visits. That means that we were all sent around the country to the current sites of serving Peace Corps Volunteers to see what "real life" is like here once training is done. Thanks to those volunteers for showing us the ropes and being so understanding of our questions. We really appreciate all you do and all you endure. Thanks!

This week, I start teaching...ahhhhh....and Dustin will continue his CED training. I'm a little nervous, so send some good thoughts our way if we cross your mind this week. We love you!!

The Peace Corps Staff took us on a cultural day-trip when we returned. Check out some of our pictures below.

In English "Gobustan" -- Google it to find out some historical information on the site - pretty cool!

The View at Gobustan

 Our Friend, Jane...We Share An Affinity For Our Dad's Flannel Shirts...



The Mud VolcanoesBubblin' Mud...

Flowin' Mud...

Our Tired Feet At the Mud Volcanoes

Azerbaijan Looks A Lot Like West Texas...Some of it Anyway



...we're going through changes. To all of you keeping up with this little adventure of ours, thank you for the well wishes, the e-mails, the encouragement. We haven't had much time to catch up with all of you, but we think of you always. Thoughts of you are what give us energy when we're spent, a laugh when we're down, and resolve when we waiver. We are slowly but surely learning to adjust to this new home...this "new normal." Here are a few specifics for those of you that have asked...

- Dustin got his first Azerbaijani haircut last week and thinned out his beard. According to our host dad, "only painters wear beards." Not sure if that's good or bad...

- I'm taking public transportation everyday...and not barfing -- small victories, folks...that's what I live for these days. For those of you that are unaware of my little issue with all things rolling, flying, or floating -- ask Cissy...

- The weather is interesting. When we got here, it was really warm -- a lot like home, actually. Within days, things had started to change. According to our host sister, "weather transformation immediate..." sounded like a weather update on the Starship Enterprise - I was impressed. Anyway, now it is chilly in the morning and the wind kicks up something fierce in the afternoons. From what we hear, the winter can be pretty harsh.

- We have access to the Internet on a pretty regular basis because Dustin and I live in a bigger town. The only problem is that our daily schedules are so packed, that we don't have much time to visit the Internet cafes. We have language classes for about 4 hours a day followed or preceded by technical sessions (teaching for me, business for Dustin) for another 4-5 hours. Once you factor in time on buses, etc - we've got about an hour to attempt to socialize with our family in Azeri before we are done for the day.

Keep the questions coming. We'll answer when we can.

We love to hear from all of you! We'll continue to post every chance we get.

Dustin and Our Host "Ata" Father - They're Buddies -- They Even Dress Alike :)

...At the Food Bazaar...

 ...The View From "The Wheel"...Don't Worry, Cissy, It's Not Quite As Dangerous As It Looks...

 ...Heydar Park, Near Our Apartment...



...Jokes About "Crossing the Road" Can No Longer Be Limited To Chickens...

...Sheep and Satellite Dishes...

...It Is Common To See The "Before" And "After" of Your Meal Simultaneously...

...How We're Rollin' These Days...

We're here...we're safe...we're a bit overwhelmed...but we're together. We're getting to know our host family and trying, desperately, to learn the language. It is going to be a struggle, but struggle makes you stronger...I hope. We love you all, and we'll continue to post when we can. Here are a few pictures from our first week in our new "home"...

"The Old Man and the Sea" -- :)

I can't begin to number the reasons I love this place...more than anything else, it's the beautiful people that call it home. Thank you all for loving us so and for being so hard to leave...the harder it is to go, the sweeter it will be to return.

I love you all more than coconut cream shave ice...more than Luby's fried fish...more than Claussen pickles...more than Harry Potter...more than Ben Hur...more than The Judds Sing Christmas...more than Everlasting Gobstoppers...

For those of you reading this that aren't catching my obscure references...it means I love 'em a lot.

KJ

Here are a few shots of our time in Beaukiss...

 The Reason For Big Dave's Morning Tradition All My Favorite Boys Getting to Work on the Mini-Donkey Barn :) The Newest Addition...Who Still Needs A Name "Fry Night" - A Good Idea Gone Terribly, Terribly Wrong

The Coolest 10 (Almost 11 ) Year Olds On The Face of the Planet!

We are so thankful we got the chance to catch up with Dustin's family today. The girls are all growing like weeds -- the prettiest little weeds you've ever seen, anyway. Here are a few photos from our day at Peggy's.

The Family

America

Makayla

Lydia

We're new to this blog business, and to be perfectly honest, it's a little intimidating. I have absolutely no clue what to say - as usual...but I'm sure the long-winded diatribes will come with time. For now, here's what we know of the plan.

Wednesday, September 22nd: Philadelphia

- 12:00 PM - Official Registration as Peace Corps Trainees

- 2:00 - 7:00 PM - Orientation Sessions

Thursday, September 23rd: Philadelphia...and Beyond

- 11:00 PM - Hotel Check Out

- 1:00 PM - Loading the Bus for New York - JFK...Hope I Get A Seat At The Front...I'd Rather Not Have A Repeat of My Poland Bus Trip...That Poor Sweater Never Knew What Hit It...

- 9:40 PM - Flight Leaves For Azerbaijan - Connection in Frankfurt, Germany

Friday, September 24th: Another World

- 8:55 PM - Arrive in Baku, Azerbaijan

K's Assignment - TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)

D's Assignment - CED (Community Economic Development)

Approximately 3 Months of Culture / Language Training Prior to the Start of Our Service

...More to Come...KJ