Hi Mom!

Just thought I would throw that out there in case you are still awake. Weather is great this morning here. Overcast and a little windy. I'm not wearing a jacket, it's great! See you in a week! Love You!!!!

A little advice

So about this time last year I was trolling the internet for information on Azerbaijan since I was getting excited to go halfway across the world. I found some PCV blogs and figured for those out there looking like I was last year I would offer some advice you won't find elsewhere.

1.) When you first get to Azerbaijan during orientation your picture will be taken, probably in fornt of an Azeri flag. That picture will follow you for the next 27 months. It will be on your I.D. card, it will be up in every staff members office, it will be on a giant map in the office, basically you can't escape it. So make yourself look pretty (or ridiculous) and get ready to see it and have it be seen for a long time!

2.) When you first get here and find a public bathroom but can't decide which door to go into, dudes you are K and ladies you are Q.

3.) Start practicing telling people that you "feel ill" because sick is a bad word in Azeri.

4.) So is polk.

5.) Bring a roll of toilet paper or a travel pack of kleenex. You will have t.p. in staging and orientation but once you get dropped off with your host family all bets are off. Technically the host fam is supposed to provide you with toilet paper but it doesn't always happen and once that bus pulls away leaving you with all your stuff and no language ability it might be a couple days before you can hit up a store. Be prepared.

6.)During orientation the Peace Corps gives you: a medical kit with everything from pepto to condoms to avian flu medication, a water filter that is rather large and cumbersome but effective, and a smoke detector. During PST you will also get a sleeping bag that is warm but huge and heavy and a fire extingusher. To this add a bucnh of books and training manuals all of which you get to lug to your permanent site on your own.  Pack accordingly.

7.) Speaking of packing, Azerbaijan gets cold EVERYWHERE and hot EVERYWHERE. You have to pack for both. Enjoy.

Georgia, Day 1

I made it into Georgia with Hannah and her friend Joy yesterday. We met an Azeri guy at the border who lives in a village just across the border and he helped us find a bus into Tbilisi. After we checked into the guest house we went to the Peace Corps Georgia office and got some help getting info, directions, and suggestions from their amazing safety and security officer Nino. Then went to a restaurant with another PCV from Azerbaijan, and a German Volunteer. Dinner was great and not because of the food. The owners were a family and their grandpa gave us some of his homemade wine and "chacha" which is like Georgian grappa. It was interesting to hear a mix or Russian, Georgian, English, German, and Azerbaijani being spoken at one table but I loved it. Then this morning I talked with one of the Peace Corps Trainees who was in town about how their program is. The differences and similarities were really interesting and I gotta say although Georgia is great and seems like a place I could be happy I have realized that I have settled in in Azerbaijan and come to terms with it. Oddly enough it feels like home. Not my only home by any means but I have gotten pretty comfortable there. Can't wait for the next few days here in Georgia though!

So much to update

I went over to Devechi awhile ago to hike up to Gala Alti, an old run down castle type thing. You have to go through the sanitorium to get there but it was pretty fun.

Then to Sheki. I went up to the day camp a couple weeks ago for sports and games week and had a blast! I got to run around with kids all day playing frisbee, volleyball, softball, and some bad ass relay races. I had an amazing time and the kids were pretty awesome as well. Didn't get a chance to see much of Sheki itself but I don't really mind, it just means I will have to go back sometime.Judo day


A few of the girls with Lucy and I. I have since broke those sunglasses.

After Sheki I went over to Ganja for the day to check out Mingechevir vs. Ganja softball. It was crazy hot out that day but was worth it for the first game. Not gonna lie, left during the second in search of shade and cold beverages.

On to G.L.O.W.! Last week we had our Girls Leading Our World camp and it was great. We had 49 girls and 8 Azerbaijani women come and help with the camp that covered topics such as leadership, gender, self-discoverym, and community development. We also made tie dye shirts and s'mores. The girls were great and I think they had a good time despite all the teaching we tried to do. "Boom chicka AIDS"

Finally, FOURTH OF JULY!!!!!!!
Basically we enjoyed the fact that we were American at Jake's house. It was great!