Going away party for the AZ6's
23rd year of life in review…
New Favorite Words/Phrases:
•Balqabaq: Azeri for “pumpkin”
•“Liz!...Ay Liz!...Liiiiiiiiiiz!”: The standard pattern used to call me by friends, coworkers, etc.
•Invariably: An adjective Kathy often uses that I find aesthetically pleasing
•“Allah saxlasan”: Azeri phrase used when something good happens that translates to “God stop you!”
•Öp (multiple statements in sequence necessary in order to emulate the song by popular Turkish musical sensation, Tarkan): Azeri and Turkish verb for “kiss”
•Paka: Russian for “good bye”
•Can (pronounced “Jan”): Azeri for “soul” used to call someone dear to your heart
•“Nova Stroyka”: Russian for “new building” referring to unfinished buildings found in cities like Baku and Gəncə. I like it because it sounds like a linguistic cousin of “Perestroika.” Hmmmm…
Mosaics in Yeni Ganja Park
Failures: 2nd attempt at homemade kim bhap, 1st-4th attempt at homemade curry, any/all attempts to carpet-sweep (yes, this means using a broom to sweep the carpets), production of successful letter compelling Lady GaGa to partner with Tarkan on a song, proper / consistent communication with home via snail mail, essential clothing hand-washing techniques, proper appreciation for potatoes
Unsure progress: 2nd GRE attempt, reading of Əli və Nino in Azerbaijani, successful navigation of curry paste recipe, Azerbaijani dance skills, semi-conclusive post-Peace Corps vocational decision
The "river" and mountains not far from the city
I would like to send very warm thanks to everyone for the cards, emails, and phone calls of good will for my 24th year on earth. This is my second birthday celebrated in Azerbaijan and fitting that it should fall—as it often does in the States—on Azerbaijani election day. Many of my friends here in Ganja were working as election observers and are quite vocal about the importance of voting as a necessary gesture in “expressing my human rights” and “making my voice heard.” Consequently, I learned that in the absence of a desirable candidate by one’s personal / intellectual standards, the practice of “write in votes” is alive and well here too. While there are few tea parties taking place around here, their success in the States compels me to suggest that these illustrious groups widen their gaze in order to spread their republican--that’s “republican” with a small “r”-- zeal in places with a more pressing need for such hospitality and enthusiasm. I should mention that there was very little tea drinking on the occasion of my birthday. Mostly coffee and soda…
The Yeni Ganja park where Tural and I are attempting to build up our latest idea: "The Ganja Women's Running Club"
(So far the only members are us...well, really only me because Tural "is in fact" a man)
On a more picturesque and aesthetically pleasing note, I have included pictures of Gəncə. These are some of my favorite places in the city as well as out in the “New” district that is my home. Gəncə is famous for many things, among which is that was the home of famous poet, Nizami Gəncəvi who wrote several famous epics which are illustrated artistically throughout the city in the medium displayed in the photos though the exact inspiration of these mosaics is yet unknown. Must do homework…
Just your average Ganja street...
As it is, there is less than a month to go before I take a short Christmas holiday trip back to “Amerikastan” for what I imagine will involve a great deal of good cheer, food, and catching up. While I do get Al-Jazeera English in my flat, I sorely miss the intellectual and political commentary of friends, family, and the like on the events of the day. The list of “must do’s” include the following:
•Multiple visits to the lovely Grand Avenue and its many high-fat / carb eateries and coffee shops
•Nachos and Bloody Mary(s) with Mom
•Many in-depth political and social play-by-play conversations with Dad over food and/or drinks
•Late night Wendy $1 Menu/Perkins trips (complete with laughs and ridiculousness) with Lizzie, Nick, Emily, Peter and company
•Self-deprecating graduate school / professional planning sessions with Jason (probably over many coffee, dessert, and dinner sessions)
•Running and pub sessions with Matt (if it is too cold, perhaps only the latter)
•My yearly reading of The Christmas Carol by the artists formally known as Charles Dickens followed by a viewing of the play at the historic Gutherie Theater in Minneapolis (because these are completely distinct experiences!)
•A visit to St. Olaf College, Northfield, Dundas and the beautiful people who reside there (as well as Goodbye Blue Monday’s Coffee Shop)
•Tearful reunion with central heating/insulation, kalonka-less showers, and toilet paper that exists as a social norm rather than an American quirk
•Bad nutritional-choices with regard to food/caffeine consumption at Chino Latino, Dunn Brothers, Khans, and various Korean restaurants
•A meal that includes BBQ sauce (I am noticing a pattern here…must include “working out” to the appendix of this list)
•Distributing hugs, good wishes, and gifts to various family members on the occasion of marriages and / or other life-altering events that I missed over the past year
•The purchase of items I consider essential to my next year of service (e.g. tide soap bars, extra socks, an economy sized jar of peanut butter, dried seaweed, and Caribou’s “Reindeer Blend” coffee)
•All things related to St. Paul, Minnesota and the people in it
Oruc and I being...mature
Attached to all of these activities (and many more adventures) is a large “Insha Allah” due to the fact that, as you may know, I have the directional ability of a 3 week old puppy. This handicap may or may not come up during my attempts to navigate my way through the Moscow and Amsterdam international airports while en route to the land of snow and snowplows. In any case, I plan to keep an open and positive mind in hopes that I internalized some practical life skills over the past year that will help in getting my happy self home.
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