Holiday Greetings from Masalli, AZ

I got wonderful help on Christmas Day while in Lenkeran from PCV Clarissa who set up my Google Video and Google Chat. I actually talked to my mother for the first time since Sept 24th and also saw Anton for the first time since I left. It was 8PM AZ time but only 10AM MN/WI time. I had a dose of homesickness when I came back to Masalli. Technology makes everything so quick and close - almost too much sometimes.

I'll write a bit about some things that are particularly different for me here. Since there is really not much for indoor heating systems (other than small stoves or electric heaters) I have resorted to the following attire for teaching: my pink thermal underwear underneath black leggings. I wear 2 pair of socks - a knit pair underneath black knee-highs since black seems to be the color favored by teachers. I always wear a skirt to school so I alternate between a grey suede one and my black AZ skirt (very geseng, i.e. very nice). I wear either a black turtleneck or black cotton top with a grey sweater underneath my pink fleece jacket or my red jacket - which you can see on just about every photo so far. I plan to go to the bazar in a few days to get another turtleneck sweater (with silver or rhinestone trim) and maybe another black skirt or warm dress. Then I put on my black raincoat and a black scarf and of course black thinsulate gloves! I am really down to a few basic clothes. Can you tell I'm already looking forward to warmer days in March. Oh please I hope this doesn't mean a hot hot Summer!

Shoes are never worn in the house - so they are left outside or near the entry where I put on my own pair of house slippers. Whenever I leave the apartment, I change from my slippers into either my black loafers or black wedge shoes. I timed my walk to school and it takes about 25 minutes - I think it is about 1.5 miles. To the best of my knowledge, there are no geese along the route tho' that may change when Spring comes.

In the morning, I often get a ride from my host dad since he drives host mom, brother and sister to nearby school. Their school starts classes at 8:30 and mine starts at 9AM, so that gives me time in the teachers' room to figure out where I'll be and what I'll be doing for the day. I feel so welcomed and wanted, and the other teachers want to practice their English with me. Of course, this is no way for me to learn Azerbaijani if they keep talking in English.

A big fat thank you to my friends who sent care packages that arrived Wed. Dec. 29th. I'll be able to have peanut butter with fresh tandoor bread every morning. I especially appreciate the many things (lotion, notebooks, granola bars, hangers, mascara remover! candy kisses) that I have taken for granted. You are all so kind and thoughtful!

I am looking forward to teaching English to eager Azerbaijani students in the coming year. Best Wishes for a Happy New Year to All!

My favorite meal in Masalli - so far!

Let me describe this particular traditional Azerbaijani meal. First notice that there are no large plates on the table but several small plates nested at each place setting. There are no knives, only large spoons and forks, and small glasses for fruit juice. A large platter of plov (basmati rice) is the centerpiece and it can be made in different ways such as plov with raisins, apricots, and dates. The most desirable part of plov is the brown crusty rice from the bottom of the cooking pot. This is scraped from the pan in several large pieces and placed on top of the mound of rice. 

The plov platter may also have several portions of chicken added to it. Plov is served by spooning it onto the largest plate and it is eaten with a large spoon. If plov includes chicken, that is also placed on the same plate. At most plov meals, it is eaten first but it can also be brought to the table last as the highlight of some celebrations.

A plov meal may have numerous side dishes including a separate chicken dish which has a yellow color. Chicken always includes the skin and is so well cooked that the meat readily falls away from the bone. It is acceptable to use your fingers to eat the chicken. (Try not to think that this chicken was outside in the yard only yesterday.)

Dolma (stuffed grape or cabbage leaves) may also be served with plov, although dolma can be a main meal in itself. Other small plates of tomato and cucumbers are typical and an added treat is pickled tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant. Fresh yogurt may also at each place setting in individual glasses. Of course, there is always bread at the table and here in Masalli there is an abundance of tandoor ovens providing fresh bread for every meal.

After the table is cleared, a bowl of fresh fruit is brought out and a woman will peel and cut apples, bananas, pears, oranges, and kiwis into bite-size pieces. Black tea is then served along with sweets. Many enjoy drinking hot tea by first placing a sugar cube on their tongue and then drinking the tea to melt the sugar cube in their mouth.

People I've met usually ask me how I like the food in Azerbaijan and I can say that this is my favorite so far. I expect to taste many other national dishes in the months to come.

Traveling to Masalli

I am happy to report that I arrived Friday December 10th in Masalli to a sunny and warm welcome by both my teaching counterpart and my host family. There are 2 other Peace Corps Volunteers in Masalli, plus 2 more PCVs in nearby Billosavar. We hired a marsrutka from Sumgayit and traveled with all our worldly possessions for about 5 hours. The school director in one Masalli village accompanied us and treated us on the way to tea plus another stop at a restoran for borscht. It feels so good to be welcomed and wanted.

A bit of confusion initially about who I was living with because I believe my teaching counterpart expected me to live with him and his wife. In fact another volunteer Sally will be living with them so that we do not spend our entire lives with the same teacher at the school and then go home and live with them too.

My host family and living quarters are great - English teacher mom plus Masalli Cultural Center dad and boy 8 and girl 10. They have a 3 bedroom apartment up 5 flights of stairs with many conveniences including TV. I won't worry about getting enough excerise. Mom and children walk to nearby school where another PCV Sally will be serving as an English teacher also. As with many of my posts, I will not post photos of my host family or housing to insure their privacy. I may include other general photos of the area.

I plan to describe more as time goes on, but I have one first impression that will make many laugh - especially my siblings who remember a particular incident that happened to me growing up on a farm. I noticed on arriving that there are many geese along the streets in Masalli.  Years ago I came to fear geese because they can be downright mean. When I was about 12 years old one actually chased me, bit my butt and hung on to me as I ran into our farmhouse! 

Here in Masalli, I will have to think to myself: you've come this far and you're not gonna let some old goose stand in your way!

I'm a Peace Corps Volunteer

Swearing In Ceremony

Peace Corps has been moving so fast that I didn't have time to write or post to my blog for several days. Of course the most important day was the swearing-in ceremony December 9th conducted at the beautiful Sumgayit government building. Our host families and friends were invited to the afternoon program which was followed by a reception. My host mother and my 25 year old brother attended.

Television crews were there from several stations in Azerbaijan, and since I was seated at the end of one row, I did have 2 seconds of fame that night on one AZ news channel. My host family was thrilled that I got on TV.  But even more moving was the singing of the Azerbaijan and US anthems by one of our own - a trained opera singer accompanied on the piano by another who is a pianist. It was awesome and made us all so proud. My host family talked about that more than seeing me on TV.

My gray-haired friends and I headed to a local restaurant before going home to finish packing. Friday, my host family got up early to see me off at 9AM and there were many tears. I had TLC while living with people with limited resources. I gave them a photo album with half dozen photos that I took during my stay, plus a pair of magnifying eyeglasses for host mom so she can read the little AZ history book I also gave her.

They gave so much of themselves and I will always remember my short stay with them.

My Birthday in Sumgayit

My birthday celebration sorta (new English word) began Friday night December 3rd when I attended a huge toy (wedding). Very elaborate and important cultural event in a wedding palace with 4 other PC trainees invited. Got home late and fell asleep in bed with my study cards for Language Proficiency Test Saturday-birthday.

Studied until 2PM, then walked to school for 15 minute recorded discussion in Azeri with PC language coordinator. I did awful, but not so bad that I won't be sworn in. After I walked out of the test room, my 5 cluster mates presented me with 2 huge chocolate bars.

Then when I got home, my host family fed me dolmas with fresh yogurt followed by a gift of a beautiful red and black silk scarf (very teacher-y). Then we all enjoyed a beautiful birthday cake made by Ilhame, the daughter-in-law.

Later the host family had a pleasant visit from family cousin Eunice. While I'm getting ready for bed, I got a birthday text message from Anton who also mentioned 8 inches of snow in Minneapolis. I laughed. No snow here; hasn't even dropped below freezing.

So next Thursday I plan to be sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer, age 67!

How I keep it together!

Just a short blog this weekend since I'm spending more time studying for the Language Proficiency Test next Saturday December 4th - followed by some kind of birthday thing. I really need to kick it up to understand Azeri when natives speak it, and also learn more vocabulary. In Masilly I'll be staying with a host family where the mother is an English teacher. I'll have to make a rule so that I learn more Azeri because I'm sure she'll want to practice her English with me!

Had a totally delightful Thanksgiving Day here - way ahead of the USA, so hope you've enjoyed my picasa photos. Here's one of the trainees I spent it with.

Here are a few thoughts that popped into my head on Thanksgiving about how much more connected I still am to MN/WI and the USA due to technology. Sometimes listening to my iPod can make me homesick, but mostly it continues to amaze me that I can enjoy some of my favorite radio and music programs.

Here's what I do: Listen to the MN Orchestra. Via iTunes and $9.99 I have Beethoven's 2nd and 7th symphonies played by the world's best orchestra conducted by Osmo Vanska. What an incredible treat to pretend I'm in Orchestra Hall! Friends, we will be going to a concert or 2 together when I get back! Can someone send me a postcard of it to show my students?

I also subscribed to free public radio podcasts of Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, This American Life, To the Best of Our Knowledge, The World and PBS' Newshour (I usually only get the Friday night broadcast with Brooks and Shields.) I can't begin to tell you about the first time I heard the theme music here. It'd been over a month since I'd heard it and it gave me goosebumps. Guess I'll have to become a member now!

That' me making pie crust for a pumpkin pie. Also made Apple Crisp for Thanksgiving with trainee friends. One other little thing I've done is create an old-fashioned sachet made of an orange stuck with cloves. This is a holiday aroma for me and consider making one for yourself this year. Cloves are very inexpensive here, but one orange cost over a dollar.

Site Assignment: Masilli

As of December 10th, I'll be living in Masalli - a city in the south of AZ and highly regarded here for its sightseeing - especially ancient mausoleums and burial mounds, mineral springs, local lore museum and mosques. The population of Masilli is about 185,000 located along a main highway about 230 km (7 hours by bus) from Baku. A national park and wildlife refuge is situated between Masilli and the Caspian Sea which is about 15 miles east. To the west of Masilli are the Talish mountains - home to an ethnic minority known to live past 100 years of age.

The climate is subtropical - I did ask for a warm place.

The school I am assigned to has nearly 700 students with 73 teachers. Five English teachers expressed interest in having a Peace Corps volunteer, so I will be the one they get! I will observe classrooms for 2 weeks in December, then choose which teachers and classes. I will co-teach a minimum of 15 hours per week which does not include time to prepare lesson plans with my counterparts. That means developing classroom materials and activities based upon the textbook. There is a one week holiday and classes resume January 6th, 2011. One additional enticement: the school has internet!

I will be near 2 other AZ8s, Sally and Alicia, plus there are several other PCVs who will be spending their 2nd year in the area.

The Peace Corps housing coordinator has already found a host family for me. I will be staying for atleast 4 months with mom, dad and their 2 children - 10 and 8 years old. The father works in a cultural center and the mother is a teacher. Their home is listed as very good and I'm not sure what that means.

Weddings in Azerbaijan = Big Business!

You may think that the economy here depends on the oil under the Caspian Sea. But if you drove through any of the main thoroughfares in the larger cities, you would know that weddings (called toys in Azeri) are the real business here. For example, along the street to my school there are 5 relatively new "wedding palaces" - buildings whose only business is hosting weddings every day of the week. Weddings are so important in this culture that there are 2 weddings for each couple - the bride's wedding and the groom's wedding. (Yes, they attend both weddings together.)

Weddings are a cultural practice, not a religious one. Since weddings are so important in a family-focused society, it is not surprising that wedding palaces have sprung up as separate entities. Name anything in America related to a wedding, and Azeris have it 10 times over!

Wedding dresses: many look right out of Barbie but I've also seen photos of a Muslim bride in a beautiful white hajib. The bride has 2 dresses - a colored one for her wedding and the traditional white with veil for the groom's wedding.

Jewelry: the bride can hardly lift her hand there are so many rings - with matching earrings and necklaces of course.

Makeup and hair: Beauty salons specialize in wedding parties, i.e. glamour.

Gift baskets: these can be huge baskets of candy, toiletries, food etc delivered to the bride or grooms home.

Furniture: It is expected that the bride provide the furniture and the groom provides the home. All that money given at the toy is expected to pay for home furnishings.

Car decorations: don't get me started on tulle-covered Humvees. I've seen 'em.

A wedding palace offers all the amenities that any family would want for a wedding. They prepare the invitations, the ceremony is held there, food goes on for many courses, dancing for many hours, and toasts. Of course all of this must be captured on video and still photos and a wedding palace provides the emcee, limousines, the band, the food, the photographer, the decor. That's the business of wedding palaces and you'll be reminded of them every time you watch your 4-hour wedding video.

What really intrigues me is the expectation that those who attend contribute a specified amount of money at the end of the evening. In fact, the amount of money is written on the invitation and there is a clerk who records who gives what amount. Money is given instead of a wedding gift.

There is much more to the culture of weddings, but I only mention the industry that surrounds it. As a PC volunteer, I expect to be invited to many toys. However, we do not contribute money to any weddings - we are guests of our host family. And sometimes the attendance of an American can turn into a separate side-show since we are expected to dance along with the other guests. I can't wait!

School in Sumgayit brings on a nasty cold

It was cold and rainy last week and I started 2 weeks of practicum, i.e. student teaching and lots of contact with  children. I began getting a cold Friday (Oct. 29) and I'm still coughing and blowing my nose. The sinus decongestants and lozenges just aren't working. (I'm not one for taking OTC, but thought about Tylenol Cold something - daytime, night-time, whatever, I could use some.) 

I called the PC doctor so yesterday he arranged to have a car pick me up and take me to Baku 45 minutes away for a physical exam. My complaint is that it has become painful for me to cough - lower left side hurts. Yes, they sent a car to pick me up and drive me to Baku to see Dr. Fuad. He was very thorough. Health and safety of PCTrainees is utmost.

My lungs are clear and it seems I just coughed too hard and that is why my left side is now tender. He gave me some Mucinex, but thinks it really will be several days before it starts to taper off.  I also got vitamin/mineral supplement since recent meals have been mostly potatoes and rice and bread.

IMHO, I really need some rest. We start at 8 in the morning for classes, bring a lunch from home, have 2 hours language class, then go home to study and prepare lesson plans for the next day. It is a grind and I'm not the only one to think so. So I skipped Thursday's afternoon language session and went home and slept. That's when I started feeling better.

My host mom really looks after me and actually counts the layers of clothes I'm wearing before I leave the house. She also kisses my forehead to see if I have a fever! Glad there is always tea on, but the soups can be oily. The host dad delivered a "petch" which is a small natural gas heater and that seems to take the chill out of the house.

I will add that teaching is quite the learning experience. The classes are 45 minutes long and I was assigned to prepare and co-teach 12 - 7th and 8th grade English classes for the past 2 weeks. There are never more than 12 students in a class. One PC teaching objective is to get children to think their own thoughts even if it's just saying their favorite color. 

No photos to add this week. Too bleary-eyed to bother. But I'm working on a blog about the business of weddings in Azerbaijan! Next week - Inshallah!

Gobastan & Mud Volcanoes - Saturday October 22

Not the best planned event, but what can we do. Trainees were informed Friday afternoon that our host family's should pack a lunch for us and to wear comfortable shoes plus bring an extra pair since we will be walking in mud. Friday night, Sumgayit had a horrendous wind storm and some families had no electricity Saturday morning. 

Alas, we met up at 9AM with others (lunch and extra shoes in hand) for marsrutka ride to PC offices where we waited some more and played cards. Then 60+ Americans and 5 Azeris were herded into 2 nice buses and rode south for 1 1/2 hours through Baku to see historical site of 2000+ years old carved petroglyphs. (Incredible sights en route, but no one from Azerbaijan knew anything about the pipelines, oil rigs, market place, industrial sites et al.) Paid 3 manets each for guided tour through small interpretive center (funded by Norwegian NGO) and then walked to see actual ancient carvings.

 My cluster mates Kelly, Lilli, and Dai. Nancy also a cluster mate, but she was eating lunch in the bus!

Due to high winds, we ate our lunches on board buses about 1 PM. Buses then took us to road leading to mud volcanoes, but bus drivers refused to drive buses on very sketchy road. After 40 minute negotiation, all climb into 1 bus for 1/2 mile drive closer to volcanoes, then we hiked 1 1/2 miles up hill to see mud volcanoes. 

Difficult for many to hike but younger male trainees enthusiastic about playing in mud. A beer at the top would have made it worthwhile. Hiked back to buses and started back about 6PM for 1 1/2 hour drive to Sumgayit. PC Trainees broke the "no one out after dark" rule, so needed to call host families that we would be home late. Arrive home via marsrutka about 7:30 and host mom has dolmas and yogurt waiting for me. Better ending for a long day. 

More photos on my picasa album.

This PC Trainee visits Sheki

I have to admit that volunteering has its serendipity moments. Who would have thought that I would have a once in a lifetime experience while serving in a developing country? Monday, I visited a UN-designated World Heritage Site, Xan Saray. Check that off in my 1000 Places to Visit book! 

I drew the coveted AZ location of Sheki for my site visit to stay with a current PC English teacher for a few days. Xan Saray is the last remaining palace of the Khans, and we also went into Caravan Saray, another restored site of historic importance in trade during the 1700's. I'll add a few photos to this blog and send a link to more via my picasa album site.

The site visit is an opportunity to live for a few days the life of an English teacher. Another trainee and I stayed with Irene, an AZ7 PCV who lives with a host family in  a charming house inside a walled compound - typical Azeri yard housing with separate buildings for the toilet, the shower, a large garden, and a chicken coop. This family also has a Winter house and a Summer house ! (Then step outside their gate and a farmer is tending his 3 cows along the cobbled street.)

Irene took us to her school where we answered questions in her English classes. Every PCV teacher has an Azerbaijani counterpart who learns new interactive teaching methods. At the end of each class, we sang a Raffi hit, "Five Little Ducks" and everyone loved the quack, quack, quack part. I laugh to think they'll be singing that song for years to come. FYI - My response to a question about Minnesota was that I live near the Mississippi River.

Best of all, I know I can do this. Pre-service Training is a stress-filled aberration compared to the daily activities and lessons taught in school.  Next week, we start practicum and I'll be standing in front of classes with the Azeri English teacher trying to show that I know what I'm doing. Inshallah - God Willing!

Learning to Teach

Along with learning to speak Azeri, we also have regular classes on how to teach English and new methods for English teachers here. I am very impressed with the materials and information that PC provides  us, but also amazed at current teaching methods. Best of all, teachers and students are eager to learn - especially if they have never heard a native-English speaker, particularly an American and not  someone from England.

All this information means that I am overloaded with books for teachers plus we follow the textbooks that are distributed to every class (also called form) by the Ministry of Education each year. We are encouraged to modify and change the lessons, and that is scary for me. Have I ever written a lesson plan? No!

My demo lesson plan will be on Planet Earth. (Thanks to Latitude store in St. Louis Park for the 2 inflatable globes I brought along.) I also have some Raffi songs about the big beautiful planet we call home and plan to teach that to 7th form students. All those wonderful songs I once sang with Anton. Lovin' it.

Today (Sunday night) I take the night train to Sheki, which is an ancient city in the Caucasas mountains and considered a tourist haven by Azerbaijanis. I'm looking forward to staying with current PCVs, but also Monday is National Independence Day here, so I'm hoping to get some great photos.

Livestock in my life

Oh this might make you think a little more about eating meat.
I see more animals along my route to school that I just had to add some photos to prove it. There's the pen of 6 goats watched over by a oh-so-typical elderly man in one of the persian wool hats. I'm trying not to be too obvious when I take photos, so haven't got a good photo of him yet. Of course there are chickens in the backyard, but mostly it's the butchers I hear sharpening their knives and a calf about a block away awaiting its fate.
Some other pics of the boulevard that I walk and the general condition of the street. I get the impression that I'm in a fast growing suburb of Sumgayit that is also having a housing downturn. That is, many new and vacant buildings. And did I mention no housing code? Men herding sheep along the street, little structures thrown up to sell fruits ad veggies, and 3 huge luxurious "wedding palaces" all along the same road. Plus people waiting along the street for the right-numbered marsrutka (minivan) to stop for a ride.

So here goes a few photos - server slows down when lots of PC trainees come here, so can't upload as many as I'd like. And yes, there are roosters in the neighborhood that wake me up a little before I hear the call for prayer from the local mosque.

Week 3 per Azerbaijani time

I've been catching up with some via email, but want to post more about my 2 weeks so far. Hard to believe nothing but action-packed days. As an older trainee I do have to admire all the effort that the PC staff here has put into the arrival of 63 potential volunteers. Indeed, it seems like herding cats. So many different personalities, experiences and expectations of all of us, I can't believe they've got all of us settled into housing with host families. And about all that any of us could initially say was: Salam, and how are you in Azerbaijani.
I have language lessons with 4 other women each morning at a nearby school - I walk about 1/2 mile to get there, walk home for lunch, then get on a bus to another school in Sumgayit for teacher training. Our cluster (5 of us) does have a language and culture facilitator with us most of the time. He is great.
I love my host family - especially the 50 year old mom who bakes bread a couple times a week. And then there are the hard boiled eggs from the chickens in the coop attached to the house. So fresh and so local. To really see what that means I'll attach a couple photos. I think Sumgayit can be compared to the Wild West. People came here from rural areas with rural livelihoods, so chickens,  goats, sheep are regular sights on my way to school.

And my name: yes, my host mom calls me Peggy, but she also started calling me alagews - which means blue eyes. There is a song by that name that she likes to sing to me. We smile and nod and point a lot.

Moving On

It's early Tuesday AM and lots of things filling my mind before my flight to Philly tomorrow. Might as well make one last "to do" list. That includes moving this Applicant blog over to the Country blog for Azerbaijan.
I am amazed and thankful for the many well wishes from strangers when I mention that I am leaving for the Peace Corps. This happened even when I called Comcast and T-mobile to discontinue service.  In fact, the T-mobile rep. was very supportive and offered the option of turning off my phone service for 2 years - the same program offered to members of the military service. Yes to that means having the same phone number when I return from overseas. Sweet.

I'll add a couple photos taken Sunday at the family reunion in Fond du Lac. Top one is my son Anton, mother and sister Sarah. Photo below is of my siblings - Dick, me, Barbara, Diane, Sarah, and Tracy.

Mindful in Minneapolis

Do I have time for this? Less than 2 weeks before flying to Philly and I'm blogging! Getting my thoughts written down helps. This probably should be in my private journal but that's under a pile of stuff to pack. Arghhh!
Here goes:
1. go to nearby UPS store, get my AZ address into their computer, and find out cost of mailing to AZ
2. sell teak dresser, my car, TV and iMac on Craigslist (send email to MN RPCV)
3. empty desk drawers, book shelves and clean them
4. pack give-away items for siblings for family reunion
5. go to bank re: my account while I'm gone and set up account with Anton
6. disconnect Comcast, electric, T-mobile, Netflix
7. pick up Winter coat from Irina and box it for Anton to mail if needed
8. take down pictures et al from walls and pack for storage
9. go to Midwest Mountaineering, Macy's and Target - thanks to gift cards!
10. last pickup of CSA veggies tonight and phone mother
11. empty kitchen cupboards - too early to empty fridge
12. listen to Azeri language lessons
13. get out my calendar planner and write these things there so I don't feel so stressed!
14. Wean myself away from news, computer, TV - except for tonight's Colbert Report lol
15. Look forward to Bon Voyage gathering with friends this Saturday night!

Thinking about moving this blog from "applicant" to country of Azerbaijan! Maybe next week.
I feel better already!

Labor Day reflections

Instead of filling my mind with the Peace Corps today, I'm thinking of the construction union my dad joined after many years of farming. That union membership turned out to be a long-time blessing for my family. In 1963, my 10 year old brother John became sick and permanently disabled. Hearing of those medical costs, the members of my dad's union voted to increase their own health insurance premiums so that every union member had comprehensive medical coverage. I wonder if I could have continued in college if my young brother's medical bills had not been covered by union insurance.

And today my mother at age 96 continues to have drug coverage through the Wisconsin Laborers at a much, much lower rate than Medicare Part D - all because my dad had the good sense to join a union.

Dad also had a sense of humor, so I'll also write about one of his funny lines. In the summer of 1975 - just before he turned 65 - he was picking cherries, fell out of the tree, broke his arm, and was unable to work. He chose to retire but he would always tell people that he fell out of a cherry tree and decided to retire just before he hit the ground!

He would indeed be proud to know that I'm joining the Peace Corps.

Hiking Group - Deeply Rooted and New Adventures

It is hard to say goodbye to my dear friends who've hiked many trails together. Once again I hold back tears as it sinks in that I won't see them for 2+ years. Inshallah - God willing - that I succeed as a Peace Corps Trainee and Volunteer in Azerbaijan.

So pleased to see most of the hikers last night, but alas I was so engaged I never picked up my camera! As ever, the best food, gracious hosts, great conversation, and superb weather. And the most thoughtful gifts. What can I say to adding 20+ books to my Kindle, a 2011 calendar of Twin Cities photos, the words to Edith Piaf's No Regrets, Thomas Reiss's bestseller The Orientalist, and a gorgeous farmer's market bouquet. All made the more special with this newly treasured t-shirt. The flowers and shirt inspired this photo which I staged as another memory of this great group of friends.

Going Low Tech

College friends are indeed forever. And my classmates from the College of St. Teresa, Winona MN understand what it means to keep a journal. It is more introspective than blogging, so I will treasure their beautiful gift of a leather-bound journal plus their many kind thoughts and prayers as I leave for the Peace Corps. I've added this photo from this morning's breakfast gathering.

And I've added the words to A Song of Peace which is sung to the tune of Finlandia - and which I mentioned as inspiring me even as a child to think of people in other lands having blue skies and clover - so they must have hopes and dreams of peace as I do.

This is my song, O God of all the nations

A song of peace for lands afar and mine

This is my home, the country where my heart is

Here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine.

But other hearts in other lands are beating

With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean

And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine
But other lands have sunlight too and clover
And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.


O hear my song, O God of all the nations
A song of peace for their land and for mine.

After the Big Blue Envelope

Did I say that big blue envelope is also fat? It's filled with well-organized files for step-by-step process for accepting my assignment plus applying for a "no fee" passport and my Azerbaijan visa. Also files with instructions to prepare an assignment-related resume and PC aspiration statement that goes to Azerbaijan PC staff. And my online toolkit was updated with an incredible Azeri language learning manual to assuage my fears about learning.
So after submitting an updated resume et al, more emails from PC in DC to match me with a host family and learn my learning style; received email addresses for current PCVs in Azerbaijan as resources. I'm impressed.

Also got connected to MN Returned PCVs for a great send-off and opportunity to meet local applicants, nominees, and invitees! What an inspiring group of kindred spirits!

I took a few more steps by re-designing my blog (found a regional map and added an RSS feed), joining a FB group for AZ8 and following their blogs. Love to see their photos of hfamilies and friends and Azerbaijan. Could this have been possible 50 years ago? I'm starting to feel spoiled by technology here, but return to core values of service to others and integrity that landed me in this place and time.

Big thanks to others who run the unofficial PC timeline and journal links.

Getting my mind around Retired

Still thinking about standing in front of my co-workers and Anton Thursday afternoon at my retirement party. Hard to look at everyone and think about saying good-bye - held back tears and talked about Peace Corps and the health of Mother Earth (where did that come from)? So happy and thankful to receive a Kindle to load with books to read while in Azerbaijan. Heard there's a TEFL for Dummies book!

It's too early to sink in that I won't be going to work on Monday. I'm still filling out General Mills retiree paperwork and need to turn in my stuff August 2nd. Lots to do between now and Sept 23rd including a visit to new Restaurant Baku - yes right here in the 'burbs of Minneapolis.

It's Azerbaijan in September!

At last via classic US mail that long-awaited fat blue envelope arrived yesterday (June 12th) inviting me to Azerbaijan to teach English as a foreign language in secondary schools. Excited and a bit scared at the same time.
Story: Last week I sent a message via FB to a young woman named Gulustan who commented on a PC FB post praising PC volunteers who had come to her country and taught her English. I simply thanked her for the words of encouragement and she replied to me again praising the work of the Peace Corps. Yesterday - in one of those serendipity moments - I went back to see what country she was from and yes she is in Azerbaijan. I can hardly wait to email her again, but first wanted to post this and say to other applicants "hang in there." Patient endurance attains all things.

It's gonna happen! Retirement that is!

After I called the Retirement Service Center this morning, I realized I've been putting more energy into my Peace Corps dream and much less thought into the finality of retiring. Saying out loud my last day of work was like splashing cold water on my face.
I've been so intent on lining up my Peace Corps documents that I've almost ignored this other major change: my feelings around leaving friends, work et al. Now I'm hoping that the next couple months of work will give me time to process retirement as another life passage.
But secretly . . . I'm still waiting for that official PC invite in the mail!

Wait. Wait. Don't tell me!

It's a stir-crazy Sunday afternoon and I'm wondering how much I'll miss the news and NPR and that funny funny show from Chicago. I decided to interpret Saturday's letter from Medical Services as a positive sign! So I decided to crunch some numbers: 7600 current volunteers probably means processing nearly 4000 per year or over 300 per month. Happy to be in the mix. Yes to waiting. I can do that.

One applicant's juggling act

I called the PC placement office today - to verify the date I indicated I was available. My printed application says it's January 1, 2010. That date was changed at the time of my interview last August, and nominated for a Sept 2010 program in Central Asia that matches my public health background. I'm hoping I can dovetail my retirement date with a little time off, then embark on my Peace Corps tour of duty.

I found out that the program I was nominated for has been postponed until the end of September. So now I need to think more about what date to retire. I have May 31st in mind, but maybe I should postpone that a month - or not. Maybe I should think of Summer as time to acquire another "skill set"! Ha!

Lots of other things to consider - including if I'm not invited. Might just decide to volunteer at an organic farm or test my skills at a bakery.

As ever, sleep on it. Don't need to decide anything now. Be flexible. Be patient.

The long wait

I'll admit that I didn't consider the Peace Corps 50 years ago, but it has popped into my head intermittently for almost that long. Lots of diversions along the way (love, work, play and one wonderful son) but always a desire to help and serve others with fewer advantages than I. Not that I've lived a life of luxury, but I've always been aware of others in the world without food, housing and education.

So here I am at age 66, ready to retire and still dreaming of helping and encouraging others - knowing full well that it will be me doing the learning with adventure and challenge mixed in.

And I'm inspired by my "co-applicants" to the Peace Corps who've already started blogging about having their application toolkit updated, waiting for their invitation, and watching the wiki Peace Corps timeline to see when applicants get their country assignment and staging date. My personal timeline is sometime in the Summer of 2010.

My journey since submitting my application in July 2009 and interviewing in August has probably been longer than others. I thought I would save the PC money by having my health insurance pay for my annual physical and that was in November. From then on, it was one missing piece of information after another until I finally mailed my completed medical and dental paperwork on December 23rd, 2009.

Was that an automated email on January 1 2010 saying my status had been updated? Looks like it's still in review to me. The wait continues.