Celebrating a birthday

Site mate Sally and I discussed a few differences in children's birthday celebrations as we ate dinner with 9 other adults invited to Layig's 9th birthday party Friday night. That was a difference right there as it was dinner for adults while the invited children were 2 cousins and 3 younger children who lived in the same building. No school friends were invited.

Host mom cleaned and cooked for 2 days including a huge chocolate cake in the shape of a bear. An extra table was added to the living room so that all 18 of us could be seated. As in America, every available chair and plastic stool was put into service and the youngest sat on laps.

Of course Sally and I stick out like sore thumbs, but those invited had already met us on other occasions. We managed a few pleasantries in Azeri, but also kept a quiet  commentary going about the evening. And there's nothing like a table full of food, to break down language barriers.

One thing we noted was the invitation to Sally. HMom Konul told her about the party but did not specify when to come over. As we reflected on this, we surmised that everyone already knows the time to come for a dinner party. However, when I pressed Konul to tell Sally what time, she said she didn't want to offend Sally by telling her the time! Apparently Sally should just feel welcome anytime - proof of Azerbaijani hospitality, i.e., you are always welcome! To tell someone the time to come over is just not done.

Other differences: men sit at one end of the table and women at the other. Gifts for Layig were opened by him apart from the adults. Happy Birthday was sung in English, but the line where we sing his name was changed to "We love you." (There is no liking someone here. Students tell me they Love me. Liking is for things not people.)

One darling little cousin of Layig's captured our hearts with his outgoing personality. He lives in the family compound with Sadig's musician parents and came to the party with them and his mother. The photos are of Layig and his mother (my host mom) Konul, the children with Layig's grandpa, and another of darling boy who was tired but insisted on playing playing the piano by rolling his hands over the keyboard.