ButTheyWereMadeOutOf.Thin.InvisibleSteel.

My favorite statue in Baku, "The Liberated Woman" commemorates the decision abolishing the hijab as compulsary for women in Azerbaijan.

View of the "Old City" and further on, the "new city" in Baku from the Maiden's Tower.

Double Gates of the Inner City in Baku, leading to the Maiden's Tower, various carpet shops, and a tasty tea and drink establishment reminiscent of Grand Avenue.

In the past month, the weather has turned from wet to hot. Being from Minnesota, I am used to a humid heat—the kind where warmth hangs in the air like rain. In Salyan, the heat is intense and drying. From noon until the early afternoons, the streets become significantly less crowded, the sun having driven people into their homes for shelter. As a result, most of my clubs have changed to the mornings and I look forward to the alteration in the ebb and flow of my days. As it is, the days are longer and despite the fact that flooding in the south still remains a clear vestige of the not-so-distant past, I have to a admit that a good thunderstorm would be a welcome change. On the upside, I no longer receive lectures regarding the practicality of my Chacos in keeping my feet warm!

Salyan post-flood. Most yards were similar to this one after the river overflowed into the streets of Salyan and the local villages.

The Kür River, Salyan

This month has and will continue to be a rather eventful one—full of “hello” and “see you soon, Insha Allah.” At the beginning of the month, my good friend, Gale bid Azerbaijan farewell. She will be spending a year in Vienna with her daughter who will be delivering twins later this summer. I did get a chance to spend time with Gale in Baku before her departure which was fabulous in all senses of the word—tea time, Italian food, bookstores, the sea. This week week, Greta my former Globalite traveling buddy and good friend from St. Olaf came to “the land of fire” as a part of her time off from working as an English language teacher in Eastern Jerusalem. In an effort to give a good crash course in “PCV life,” we split our time between my site in picturesque Salyan, a regional southern village, and of course, the capital city of Baku. Between village guesting and World Cup watching as well as visits to historical “must see sites” like the Maiden’s Tower, the time passed quickly, despite the heat. The same week, I said “so long” to one of my site mates who will be heading out on holiday to Turkey.

One of the reasons why the Inner City is one of my favorite spots in Baku. Perhaps Peace Corps should have an "Inner City" post? Unlikely.

Şirvan Shah's Palace, Baku.

Me getting my Azeri papax (hat) on...

Finally, at the end of the month, I will say another so long to one of my brilliant, fantastic, and amazing students as she ventures on her own journey to the United States! And, it must be said, it is because of her photography skills that I am able to present to you the fantastic photos in this entry! By that time, I will be saying “hello” to July and my 10th month here in Azerbaijan and my 7th month as a Peace Corps Volunteer. In other news, I found out that three of my students will be representing Salyan at GLOW (Girls Leading Our World)—a state-wide summer camp run by PCVs and host country nationals. Participants, will have the opportunity to meet and interact with young women from other regions, learn various life-skills, and spend time outdoors. As it is, my next few weeks in Salyan will consist of courting the coveted “permission slip signature!” Must go for now but I hope that this summer finds you well and quite happy.

Only 6 months till Christmas (Insha Allah!).

P.S. I just registered for the GRE...in Georgia. Awesome.