It’s been a while since I’ve updated my blog, and I do apologize for the delay. Yes, I’m alive and thriving in Ganja. I’ve been very busy lately with new projects as the fall season always brings fresh students to work with. So I’m going to warn you now, this blog will be a long one.
I was recently interviewed by local television for the World AIDS Day project my counterpart and I conducted. We presented a two hour Youth Health Education Workshop that helped to inform local youth about HIV and AIDS. It was a great chance for youth to talk about an issue that is rarely ever discussed in an open forum setting. We gave two presentations in both Azeri and English, the first of which was a basic introduction to HIV and AIDS. Since many local youth have never heard of HIV or AIDS, we started from the very beginning. Focus was placed in three topics: What are HIV and AIDS, How do you get HIV/AIDS, and How can you protect yourself from HIV/AIDS. All information was very basic elementary school level information, without a lot of scientific language to confuse or exclude students from understanding. Students were surprisingly more comfortable answering questions about risky behavior than I had originally thought. This just goes to show that I can always be surprised by the youth I work with. I do however need to say that two of my counterparts helped make this project possible. Although my language level is decent, it’s not up to the caliber necessary to teach this difficult of a topic. Both Tural and Gultekin have enabled me to be successful with this project. So thanks guys!
Prior to the World AIDS Day Health Workshop, I had a nice quiet thanksgiving. This year we were once again invited to spend the weekend before Thanksgiving with embassy employees, but with the change in the schedule of training, it was only my group (Az 5) that took part in the festivity. Az 6 celebrated at their training sites with their own clusters. Although much smaller this year, the food was still amazingly good, and I managed to make several turns to the buffet table. On the actual day of Thanksgiving, two of my site mates, and two counterparts joined us in a Thanksgiving dinner. It was small, but nice to spend time with good company.
Going further back, before Thanksgiving, my office hosted the annual International Education Week in Ganja. It was great, as this year I got to plan the entire event. With some confusion, I only got 4 days notice, but the events were still educational and fun. Each day of the week had different activities. The first of which included a guest speaker from AEGEE the European Student Union group. Students talked about leadership, being active in their communities, and about the importance of education. Day two was a celebration of world cultures, featuring activities from around the world. Students learned how to write their name in the Greek alphabet, how to say hello in 30 languages, made Chinese paper lanterns, played children’s games from around the world, and did a picture quiz game for the wonders of the world (both natural and man made.) Day three was an American Culture workshop, where students got to learn about wedding, funeral, holiday, and other American traditions and customs. The workshop was followed by an American speaker’s panel which included me, two of my site mates, and two guests who were traveling around Azerbaijan. Day four was the American Film Festival with an emphasis on cross cultural interaction. We watched “Coming to America” (minus a few fast forwarded parts to keep it culturally appropriate for viewing with youth) and “The Other Side of Heaven.” Both movies provoked dialogue about travel around the world. Day five was hosted by IREX, an international education exchange organization. The regional director came and spoke about opportunities for study abroad in America through the UGRAD program (undergraduate study exchange for one year) and about the application process. The final day of the International Education Workshop was a Study Abroad Alumni roundtable. Alumni from several different study abroad programs including UGRAD, FLEX, MUSKIE and TEA participated in the event. The week was incredibly successful and I was happy with the overall results.
Going even further back, I hosted a Halloween party at the Ganja Education Information Center. I tried to focus more on cultural activities this year as opposed to just telling them about our traditions. I was grateful for a small grant from IREX to purchase supplies and decorations to make the party more authentic for them. This year we had pumpkin carving, mask making, a ghost story, Halloween themed riddles, a pumpkin shaped piñata (made by yours truly), and a costume contest, bobbing for apples, dancing, pot luck and tons of candy. The party was a bit larger than I had hoped for with close to 60 students in attendance. It was a great way to share some cultural traditions with the students I work with.
On top of all of those, I’ve also been conducting three conversation clubs a week (one for beginners, one for women, and one for university level English speakers.) I conducted an 8 week cooking class, where students learned how to make some traditional American foods such as potato salad, macaroni salad, Cole slaw, potato chowder, French onion soup, beef stew, spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, tacos, and a spicy pumpkin soup. (Yes, I know not all of them are originally American, but they want to know what we eat, and learned some basic cooking techniques.) My movie club is still meeting about twice a month as well. I also conducted workshops for essay writing, preparation for the FLEX exam, and information sessions about TEA and Muskie study abroad programs.
Needless to say, this fall I’m able to do much more than my limited language allowed for last year. I’m glad that this year I’ve been able to really get into projects that both the students and I enjoy. Staying busy helps me to forget about the slow decline in temperature that means winter is surely on its way. In the coming weeks, I will be showing traditional Christmas movies to my movie club, and hosting a Christmas party with all the trimmings! With that, I hope you haven’t quite forgotten me yet, and I wish all of you Happy Holidays!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
My thoughts on the previous post...
Ok, so I know it's two posts in one day, but the repost of the article from the LA Times is very significant. As most of my friends and family are aware, PC life not only has a lot of rules and regulations, but a lot of the daily convieniances of every day life are not available or affordable to a volunteer. For example, clothes are washed by hand here, lots of food items aren't available, eletricity not only fluctuates but goes out often, water freezes in the pipes in winter, clothes are expensive, internet is dial up (and more often than not it is unreliable,) we aren't allowed to drive so we are dependant on public transportation for everything, and most of us have zero to minimal privacy for the entire two years we are here... that's not even 1% of the list. So, in light of the article, I'd like to bring a few things to the attention of the general public... and my lovely readers.
Peace Corps is a volunteer organization. Meaning, that not only do the people working in the field have to work with limited resources, but all of us don't make more than the standard of living for our community. We are provided with housing, food, and a little money for necessary transportation and communication. We are not "ex-pats" working for big international companies making thousands of dollars a month. Simply put, we make enough to do our jobs.
The few "luxuries" we have, have been mentioned in the article. Newsweek magazine has been traditionally provided to us. Most of us would rather have old news, than no news. And I know that I am not the only one who uses the magazines for projects after I've finished with them. I was able to host a book club/current events class with them. When they get to be over a year old, my office uses them for art projects and for conversation clubs. Advertisements are a great way to get kids speaking. So without the magazine, it means that not just the volunteer will miss out, but potentially thousands of people around the world who would have improved their English via a passed along magazine.
Another luxury we have always been able to say is that no matter how rough it is for the volunteers, we've had a super staff here to support us. Sadly, PC Azerbaijan has had to cut and combine several support staff positions that have helped volunteers be so successful at what we do. These people are usually local people who work in the headquarters offices, and that means fewer jobs for the community in country. These people have played a vital role in ensuring our safety, health, education, and happiness in our sites. I can honestly say that I will miss at least one woman in particular who has helped me on more occasions that I can count.
Finally, training is the most important tool Peace Corps has. We spend almost 3 months trying to learn enough of a language and culture to be successful when we finally arrive at our 2-year placement sites. I don't know about many of you, but 3 months is a very short time to learn a language, and every day counts. I felt prepared just enough to not be absolutely terrified when I entered my community. Not only do we learn language during our training, but we get to ask the tough questions for often sensitive cultural issues. It's a lot easier to ask a PC trained Language and Cultural Facilitator questions about what is appropriate than it is to ask your host family, or people who often don't speak our native tongue. Training is probably one of the most expensive parts of bringing volunteers overseas. But it is necessary. Without it, we wouldn't be able to do our jobs. In light of the financial tightening of the belt, PC Azerbaijan will have to shorten its training time to only 9 weeks.
Now, as the new volunteers are arriving in less than two weeks, we are being asked to do the same great service as a team, but with fewer resources to make the magic happen. Even as our number of Volunteers will increase from about 80 to more than 100, the budget will in effect be reduced year on year by more than twenty percent. Volunteers are being asked to be more resilient and self-supporting, and all staff members are doing everything they can to continue providing the excellent service we are now accustomed to. In essence, we will carry on and do the best that we can, with all that we have.
The few "luxuries" we have, have been mentioned in the article. Newsweek magazine has been traditionally provided to us. Most of us would rather have old news, than no news. And I know that I am not the only one who uses the magazines for projects after I've finished with them. I was able to host a book club/current events class with them. When they get to be over a year old, my office uses them for art projects and for conversation clubs. Advertisements are a great way to get kids speaking. So without the magazine, it means that not just the volunteer will miss out, but potentially thousands of people around the world who would have improved their English via a passed along magazine.
Another luxury we have always been able to say is that no matter how rough it is for the volunteers, we've had a super staff here to support us. Sadly, PC Azerbaijan has had to cut and combine several support staff positions that have helped volunteers be so successful at what we do. These people are usually local people who work in the headquarters offices, and that means fewer jobs for the community in country. These people have played a vital role in ensuring our safety, health, education, and happiness in our sites. I can honestly say that I will miss at least one woman in particular who has helped me on more occasions that I can count.
Finally, training is the most important tool Peace Corps has. We spend almost 3 months trying to learn enough of a language and culture to be successful when we finally arrive at our 2-year placement sites. I don't know about many of you, but 3 months is a very short time to learn a language, and every day counts. I felt prepared just enough to not be absolutely terrified when I entered my community. Not only do we learn language during our training, but we get to ask the tough questions for often sensitive cultural issues. It's a lot easier to ask a PC trained Language and Cultural Facilitator questions about what is appropriate than it is to ask your host family, or people who often don't speak our native tongue. Training is probably one of the most expensive parts of bringing volunteers overseas. But it is necessary. Without it, we wouldn't be able to do our jobs. In light of the financial tightening of the belt, PC Azerbaijan will have to shorten its training time to only 9 weeks.
Now, as the new volunteers are arriving in less than two weeks, we are being asked to do the same great service as a team, but with fewer resources to make the magic happen. Even as our number of Volunteers will increase from about 80 to more than 100, the budget will in effect be reduced year on year by more than twenty percent. Volunteers are being asked to be more resilient and self-supporting, and all staff members are doing everything they can to continue providing the excellent service we are now accustomed to. In essence, we will carry on and do the best that we can, with all that we have.
Basically, I just wanted to make the people at home in America more aware of what is happening here. This isn't a vacation. It isn't a game. This is the life of every Peace Corps volunteer, and every dollar counts in an international organization with over 8,000 volunteers working in 74 developing countries around the world. We give everything we have when we join the Peace Corps. For those who have followed my blog from the beginning, you know I have sacrificed over a year to get into the Peace Corps, thousands of dollars in medical and dental work, and over two years of my life to come here and help. Almost everyone here has had a similar experience. At a time when the world is facing some of it's worst natural disasters, falling economies, food and fuel shortages, drought, famine, conflicts and war in nearly every region Peace Corps works in, Peace Corps volunteers are needed NOW more than ever. It is a sad day that more than 400 communities around the world will not have the help they need this year. I can only ask the communities at home to think, if we don't stand up for an organization that promotes peace, friendship and understanding... then what will we stand up for?
Budget-crunched Peace Corps cuts volunteer positions
Reprint from article by Cynthia Dizikes, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer September 14, 2008 WASHINGTON --
THE BEGINNING: Sargent Shriver, the first director of the Peace Corps, talks with prospective volunteers at Rutgers University in New Jersey in 1961. About 190,000 volunteers have served in 139 countries since the program began that year.Volunteers who thought their assignment was a sure thing learn otherwise.
The Peace Corps boasts that it's "the toughest job you'll ever love," but this year, just getting hired may be the toughest part. At a time when both presidential candidates have pledged to promote and expand national service, the popular humanitarian assistance program that sends thousands of Americans abroad annually is now planning to cut 400 volunteer positions in the face of an unexpected multimillion-dollar budget shortfall. With fewer spots, an increasing number of Peace Corps nominees who were expecting to begin service this fall have seen their deployments delayed at least until next year -- and in some cases indefinitely."There are more people waiting this time than in years past," said Rosie Mauk, the Peace Corps' associate director of volunteer recruitment and selection. "The recruiters don't like to tell people that there isn't a spot for them. To have to tell people that they have gotten to know -- and they know are passionate about the Peace Corps -- that there is just not room for them now is the most difficult part."
Jen Casto, like many aspiring Peace Corps volunteers, applied to the program during her senior year of college. A double major in English and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia, she volunteered for years as a youth mentor and student tutor and speaks French and Spanish.Last October the Peace Corps nominated her to a secondary education program in sub-Saharan Africa, with an expected departure this month."At the end of the interview, [my recruiter] said that I was definitely nominated and that she was going to find me a spot in Africa," Casto said.
Over the next six months, she visited an array of doctors to complete the famously thorough Peace Corps medical clearance process. Although she passed without much trouble, others have had to have wisdom teeth removed and costly blood work done to gain medical clearance.But last month, about six weeks before she was expecting to leave for 27 months of service, Casto received an e-mail informing her that her program was full. Along with about 125 others, she was told she would have to wait until another program could be found."There is just a sense of frustration," said Casto, who turned down several summer internship offers to prepare for deployment. "I am really committed to this. I have wanted to do this for so long that I am willing to put my life on hold . . . but at what point do I just move on?"
The Peace Corps usually nominates twice as many people as it needs, so delays are not uncommon. Recruiters also make it clear that a nomination does not guarantee a formal invitation. But this year, as the agency cuts volunteer positions to save money, a greater number of competitive applicants like Casto, who have spent considerable time and money to join the Peace Corps, are finding themselves sidelined at the last moment. With the bar suddenly higher, some of these delayed applicants have enrolled in extra classes and volunteer programs to improve their chances. After Dorian Connelley, 24, found out she would not be leaving in October as planned, she began studying French to make her application stronger. She is waiting to hear if that has made a difference."You have to go at it full steam, with no guarantees, because that is the only way you will be qualified," said Connelley, a 2007 graduate of Cal State Long Beach. "That is why people are frustrated. They have jumped through all these hoops and now the Peace Corps is saying, 'Not in this economy.' "
The agency, which has a budget of $330.8 million, is preparing for an $18-million shortfall over this fiscal year and next, primarily because of the declining value of the dollar and increased food and fuel costs worldwide. It estimates its foreign-currency losses from 2008 alone to be $9.2 million."We are preparing for the $18 million, but that is a worst-case scenario," said communications director Richard Parker.The budget for fiscal 2009 has not yet been passed. The House Appropriations subcommittee that sets Peace Corps funding has supported the Bush administration's request for $343.5 million, and its Senate counterpart has approved $337 million. But until Congress passes that budget -- which could be delayed until after the presidential inauguration in January -- the agency must operate at its existing funding levels.
Even though the new budget is likely to mitigate some of next year's shortfall, the current funding problems are real. In addition to cutting volunteer positions, the agency has asked its managers in Washington and its 11 regional offices to reduce their budgets by 15.5%.In what Parker called a move toward a more efficient recruiting model, the agency is planning to merge its Minneapolis office with Chicago's and its Denver office with Dallas'. Although the Peace Corps has made an effort to insulate current volunteers, the budget cuts have been felt overseas as well. This year the agency plans to stop providing copies of Newsweek to volunteers -- a magazine it had provided since the 1980s -- because subscription costs are expected to rise $140,000. Foreign posts have also taken measures to reduce spending. In some cases, two or more employee positions have been folded into one and volunteer training time reduced."This all adds up to less training and less support for volunteers on the ground," said Sunaree Marshall, who served in Mongolia as a volunteer from 2005 until August.
Despite the cutbacks, Parker said, each foreign post still must meet Peace Corps competency requirements in such areas as safety, language skills, and cultural and technical training."Our priority would be to make sure we get as many volunteers out there as we can, but to support them," he said. "We believe that quality, safety and security is much more important than quantity."About 190,000 volunteers have served in 139 countries since the program began in 1961. Long a symbol of U.S. efforts in person-to-person international relations, the Peace Corps now supports 8,079 volunteers in 74 countries -- more than in the last 37 years but well off the 1966 peak of about 15,000."Congress loves the Peace Corps . . . and in most cases accommodations are made to give it a little bit more," said Maureen Carroll, who went to the Philippines in the first wave of volunteers in 1961 and still helps with training."But if they think it is a good thing or a nice thing, it seems they don't think about it enough to double or triple its funding. There are a lot of competing forces."In fact, while the actual dollar amount appropriated to the Peace Corps has risen steadily, when adjusted for inflation it has remained relatively flat for the last 30 years"We are trying to do as much or more than we did before, but with less," said Parker. Those waiting on invitations are still hoping they might come through with a new administration, but they aren't going to wait forever.
"The Peace Corps application process is kind of like roulette -- you don't know what you're going to get," said Rocio Enriquez, who was supposed to leave in September and is now working at a nonprofit in New York City. "You have to have Plan A through D."
THE BEGINNING: Sargent Shriver, the first director of the Peace Corps, talks with prospective volunteers at Rutgers University in New Jersey in 1961. About 190,000 volunteers have served in 139 countries since the program began that year.Volunteers who thought their assignment was a sure thing learn otherwise.
The Peace Corps boasts that it's "the toughest job you'll ever love," but this year, just getting hired may be the toughest part. At a time when both presidential candidates have pledged to promote and expand national service, the popular humanitarian assistance program that sends thousands of Americans abroad annually is now planning to cut 400 volunteer positions in the face of an unexpected multimillion-dollar budget shortfall. With fewer spots, an increasing number of Peace Corps nominees who were expecting to begin service this fall have seen their deployments delayed at least until next year -- and in some cases indefinitely."There are more people waiting this time than in years past," said Rosie Mauk, the Peace Corps' associate director of volunteer recruitment and selection. "The recruiters don't like to tell people that there isn't a spot for them. To have to tell people that they have gotten to know -- and they know are passionate about the Peace Corps -- that there is just not room for them now is the most difficult part."
Jen Casto, like many aspiring Peace Corps volunteers, applied to the program during her senior year of college. A double major in English and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia, she volunteered for years as a youth mentor and student tutor and speaks French and Spanish.Last October the Peace Corps nominated her to a secondary education program in sub-Saharan Africa, with an expected departure this month."At the end of the interview, [my recruiter] said that I was definitely nominated and that she was going to find me a spot in Africa," Casto said.
Over the next six months, she visited an array of doctors to complete the famously thorough Peace Corps medical clearance process. Although she passed without much trouble, others have had to have wisdom teeth removed and costly blood work done to gain medical clearance.But last month, about six weeks before she was expecting to leave for 27 months of service, Casto received an e-mail informing her that her program was full. Along with about 125 others, she was told she would have to wait until another program could be found."There is just a sense of frustration," said Casto, who turned down several summer internship offers to prepare for deployment. "I am really committed to this. I have wanted to do this for so long that I am willing to put my life on hold . . . but at what point do I just move on?"
The Peace Corps usually nominates twice as many people as it needs, so delays are not uncommon. Recruiters also make it clear that a nomination does not guarantee a formal invitation. But this year, as the agency cuts volunteer positions to save money, a greater number of competitive applicants like Casto, who have spent considerable time and money to join the Peace Corps, are finding themselves sidelined at the last moment. With the bar suddenly higher, some of these delayed applicants have enrolled in extra classes and volunteer programs to improve their chances. After Dorian Connelley, 24, found out she would not be leaving in October as planned, she began studying French to make her application stronger. She is waiting to hear if that has made a difference."You have to go at it full steam, with no guarantees, because that is the only way you will be qualified," said Connelley, a 2007 graduate of Cal State Long Beach. "That is why people are frustrated. They have jumped through all these hoops and now the Peace Corps is saying, 'Not in this economy.' "
The agency, which has a budget of $330.8 million, is preparing for an $18-million shortfall over this fiscal year and next, primarily because of the declining value of the dollar and increased food and fuel costs worldwide. It estimates its foreign-currency losses from 2008 alone to be $9.2 million."We are preparing for the $18 million, but that is a worst-case scenario," said communications director Richard Parker.The budget for fiscal 2009 has not yet been passed. The House Appropriations subcommittee that sets Peace Corps funding has supported the Bush administration's request for $343.5 million, and its Senate counterpart has approved $337 million. But until Congress passes that budget -- which could be delayed until after the presidential inauguration in January -- the agency must operate at its existing funding levels.
Even though the new budget is likely to mitigate some of next year's shortfall, the current funding problems are real. In addition to cutting volunteer positions, the agency has asked its managers in Washington and its 11 regional offices to reduce their budgets by 15.5%.In what Parker called a move toward a more efficient recruiting model, the agency is planning to merge its Minneapolis office with Chicago's and its Denver office with Dallas'. Although the Peace Corps has made an effort to insulate current volunteers, the budget cuts have been felt overseas as well. This year the agency plans to stop providing copies of Newsweek to volunteers -- a magazine it had provided since the 1980s -- because subscription costs are expected to rise $140,000. Foreign posts have also taken measures to reduce spending. In some cases, two or more employee positions have been folded into one and volunteer training time reduced."This all adds up to less training and less support for volunteers on the ground," said Sunaree Marshall, who served in Mongolia as a volunteer from 2005 until August.
Despite the cutbacks, Parker said, each foreign post still must meet Peace Corps competency requirements in such areas as safety, language skills, and cultural and technical training."Our priority would be to make sure we get as many volunteers out there as we can, but to support them," he said. "We believe that quality, safety and security is much more important than quantity."About 190,000 volunteers have served in 139 countries since the program began in 1961. Long a symbol of U.S. efforts in person-to-person international relations, the Peace Corps now supports 8,079 volunteers in 74 countries -- more than in the last 37 years but well off the 1966 peak of about 15,000."Congress loves the Peace Corps . . . and in most cases accommodations are made to give it a little bit more," said Maureen Carroll, who went to the Philippines in the first wave of volunteers in 1961 and still helps with training."But if they think it is a good thing or a nice thing, it seems they don't think about it enough to double or triple its funding. There are a lot of competing forces."In fact, while the actual dollar amount appropriated to the Peace Corps has risen steadily, when adjusted for inflation it has remained relatively flat for the last 30 years"We are trying to do as much or more than we did before, but with less," said Parker. Those waiting on invitations are still hoping they might come through with a new administration, but they aren't going to wait forever.
"The Peace Corps application process is kind of like roulette -- you don't know what you're going to get," said Rocio Enriquez, who was supposed to leave in September and is now working at a nonprofit in New York City. "You have to have Plan A through D."
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
It's been a good year...
It's funny how fast time flies when you're having fun. For the first time ever, I really love my job. I love everything about it. I have one of those mythical jobs where you just can't wait to get out of bed in the morning and go to work. I owe that largely in part to my host organization, and to my co-workers... but for the most part, it's the students I work with that keep me coming back for more. It's hard for me to think that I've already been here a year. At times I felt that it would go on forever, but in general... it went by in a flash.
So, in honor of my successful survival of the first year, I figured I would share some of my experiences and memories with you all.
1. My first big culture shock experience in the 'baijan came from the 3 months we lived and trained in Sumqayit. I lived with a host family that had two teenage daughters on a small farm in the middle of a suburb. My host family didn't speak any english, and I spoke only enough Azeri to tell them that I don't like tomatoes. Washing laundry in the states is a relatively mundane, and easy task. It takes you 3-6 min to sort and load the laundry into the washing machine. Unfortunately for me, I had never washed anything more than my unmentionables by hand in the sink... let alone, jeans, dresses, and every article of clothing I've worn. It took me hours to wash my clothes by hand. I had blisters from wringing, I had limited access to warm water, and yes, I had to hang dry my clothes on the line, for the whole family to view. Luckily, my underwear was sent to dry in time out in a more private area... the chicken coup.
2. My first big moment of realizing that I liked where I was and what I was doing came about 2 months into my service. Volunteers first start as "trainees" and then after passing training (language, culture, and work) we are sworn in as a volunteer. One of the highlights of our training time is our PCV visit. We get to go for a 3 day trip to visit a current volunteer, see where they live, where they work, what they do, and meet the people in their community. It's a real chance to see what life is like after training. On the Marshutka (think of a large passenger van with too many seats crammed into it) I was listening to music, and we were driving through the hills and valleys of Azerbaijan to a town called Barda. I finally saw trees, rivers, and real nature that made me reminisce of home. Azerbaijan has more variety in climate zones than I've ever seen in one small country before. It was a great experience to finally get out of the desert and see more of the country.
3. New Home Sweet Home. The visit to Ganja came close to our swear in date, and I was finally able to meet the host family I would be staying with, and see the city I'd be living in for the next two years. Ganja was love at first site. It is green, fairly large, has lots of fountains, parks, museums, historical sites, and tons of places to just get out and enjoy the breezy sunny fall afternoons. Ganja was what helped make everything click for me. My host family (Sabina and her mom) were amazing, and I was lucky enough to be living with a FLEX alumni (Sabina spent a year in America, so she is fluent in english.) That made communication problems drop from 60% down to about 1%. Having a "sister" that was both close to my own age, and who spoke a common language, helped me to better understand life in Azerbaijan for young women.
4. The Children's Village. As you know from my last blog, each volunteer is assigned to a host organization. However, we are only required to spend a portion of our time with the host org. The rest of our time is up to us to determine what we want to do in our community. I chose to get involved with our local children's orphanage. From the first day, we played games, sang songs, danced, and I acted as if I was 6 years old all over again. It's hard to feel self-conscience about my language skills when children don't care if you speak the same language... they just want someone to play with them. I have done several events and projects now with the children's village, and am happy that they are a part of my experience here. Sharing our traditions, and learning theirs, helped me to feel needed... even if only as a friend.
5. Soros. The move to a new host organization can be difficult when the first might not have been a good fit. But finding a host organization like mine is a dream come true. Since day one, I've had everything I could ever ask for. I have an office of my own, I have a resource library full of materials, I have great co-workers and volunteers that help with anything I need, and a director who supports every idea I think up. I've done so many projects in the last 7 months at Soros... AIDS education workshops, Civic Leadership Academy, professional development training, book club, movie club, conversation clubs, women's club, Novrus/Easter Celebration, valentines day art project, mothers day card making and even a talent show. I'm lucky to have a host organization that makes my time here well worth every moment.
6. A great host family can make all the difference. Living with Johnny and Arzu has been a great opportunity. As much as I miss Sabina and her mom, moving host organizations put me a little too far to walk in my commute. So, finding a new host family and starting over again was a bit of a challenge. From the first day meeting Arzu and Johnny, I knew they were a good match. I had a great room, two host sisters in high school, a house close to the bazaar, 4 min from my office, and a host family that really wanted to learn about an American. They don't speak any english, and I've been grateful for that. My language has improved so much by living with them. Although there are times we don't always understand everything each other says, they are still very supportive of what I'm doing here, and help me with anything I need. Since the move, I've now changed rooms, and have my own private end of the house... but I still feel like part of the family.
7. Food in the 'baijan is both interesting, and unique. If you've never had dolma, you're missing out on something truly spectacular. Azerbaijan is very proud of it's national dishes, and they are the centerpiece of every family occasion. From weddings, funerals and holidays... to family events, birthdays and parties, Azerbaijan always has an occasion to show off it's food. It's funny how much I eat here, but I've lost so much weight. When I came, I was a size 18... I'm now fitting into a size 10. The food is organic, often bought fresh the morning it's made. Women take pride in the hours they put into making food that is both beautiful and delicious. I have collected over 20 recipes since I arrived... and I will be sharing some with you in a future blog. Although at times I find myself craving something from home, I never pass up a chance to eat dolma, plov or borsh. The food is definitely worth mentioning as a highlight of my last year.
8. The students. Awww... the whole reason I'm here. I work mostly with older high school, and college students. I'm lucky enough to have not just 1, but more than 15 study abroad alumni living in Ganja. These kids are the future of Azerbaijan. They run their own programs here in Ganja, they work for international organizations, they volunteer, they work, and they still find time to help me with all the projects that I do. A handful of them have been by my side from the very first days in Ganja. I wouldn't be able to do most of the work I do without their help. It's always funny when I meet with them... they get such a kick out of hearing me speak Azerbaijani. Even though most of the students I work with are not study abroad alumni, their english is amazing. I have a solid group of about 40 kids that just keep coming back for everything. I can't imagine what it would be like without these enthusiastic kids.
9. My site mates. One of the best things about living in Ganja is knowing that I have site mates. Fellow volunteers that live in the same town. I don't always see them all on a regular basis, or even more than once a month, (we all have different jobs, schedules, and activities going on) when I do see them, they always make me laugh. They cheer me up when I just need a few moments with some fellow Americans. I'm lucky enough to share this city with 5 other PCV's, who are all incredibly helpful with my work as well. I have done a couple joint projects now with my site mates, and I am thankful to have them.
10. Frustration is part of being a volunteer. It's what teaches us, refines us, and helps us to remember that this isn't America... exactly the reason why I'm here in the first place. Remembering why I came can often be a humbling experience, and usually comes at times of frustration.
When you realized that some foods only last for 2 weeks a year in the bazaar, and then they are gone for another year...
when your family calls for days on end and can't get through on Azercell lines...
when you are about to dry your hair and the power goes out for 3 hours...
when you waken to the sound of a mouse eating your last chocolate bar...
when you type an email and the power goes out before you hit send...
when you get a letter from home that was post marked 5 months ago...
when you wait 2 hours for a bus that eventually breaks down when it finally comes...
when you spend 9 hours on a bus just to go see the doctor...
when you get the words for pillow and pervert mixed up in conversation...
when you buy your vegetables for the week, only to not have any gas to cook them with...
when you can't take a shower cause your water pipes are frozen for the whole winter...
when you are down to 2 manat to last you the rest of the month, and you still have a week left...
when you see children begging for money on the street instead of studying in school...
when one of your students finishes her art project of her "house" and you see that 6 people share one room...
Then, and only then, do you finally appreciate what you really have. The patience that you learn as a PCV is so much more than just a language thing. It makes you grateful for the things you have in your life, and the things that are waiting for you at home. For the people who live here... people who are born here... this is life. This is their reality. Throughout the last year, as frustrating as these moments may often be, they also remind me that this is why I'm here.
So, in honor of my successful survival of the first year, I figured I would share some of my experiences and memories with you all.
1. My first big culture shock experience in the 'baijan came from the 3 months we lived and trained in Sumqayit. I lived with a host family that had two teenage daughters on a small farm in the middle of a suburb. My host family didn't speak any english, and I spoke only enough Azeri to tell them that I don't like tomatoes. Washing laundry in the states is a relatively mundane, and easy task. It takes you 3-6 min to sort and load the laundry into the washing machine. Unfortunately for me, I had never washed anything more than my unmentionables by hand in the sink... let alone, jeans, dresses, and every article of clothing I've worn. It took me hours to wash my clothes by hand. I had blisters from wringing, I had limited access to warm water, and yes, I had to hang dry my clothes on the line, for the whole family to view. Luckily, my underwear was sent to dry in time out in a more private area... the chicken coup.
2. My first big moment of realizing that I liked where I was and what I was doing came about 2 months into my service. Volunteers first start as "trainees" and then after passing training (language, culture, and work) we are sworn in as a volunteer. One of the highlights of our training time is our PCV visit. We get to go for a 3 day trip to visit a current volunteer, see where they live, where they work, what they do, and meet the people in their community. It's a real chance to see what life is like after training. On the Marshutka (think of a large passenger van with too many seats crammed into it) I was listening to music, and we were driving through the hills and valleys of Azerbaijan to a town called Barda. I finally saw trees, rivers, and real nature that made me reminisce of home. Azerbaijan has more variety in climate zones than I've ever seen in one small country before. It was a great experience to finally get out of the desert and see more of the country.
3. New Home Sweet Home. The visit to Ganja came close to our swear in date, and I was finally able to meet the host family I would be staying with, and see the city I'd be living in for the next two years. Ganja was love at first site. It is green, fairly large, has lots of fountains, parks, museums, historical sites, and tons of places to just get out and enjoy the breezy sunny fall afternoons. Ganja was what helped make everything click for me. My host family (Sabina and her mom) were amazing, and I was lucky enough to be living with a FLEX alumni (Sabina spent a year in America, so she is fluent in english.) That made communication problems drop from 60% down to about 1%. Having a "sister" that was both close to my own age, and who spoke a common language, helped me to better understand life in Azerbaijan for young women.
4. The Children's Village. As you know from my last blog, each volunteer is assigned to a host organization. However, we are only required to spend a portion of our time with the host org. The rest of our time is up to us to determine what we want to do in our community. I chose to get involved with our local children's orphanage. From the first day, we played games, sang songs, danced, and I acted as if I was 6 years old all over again. It's hard to feel self-conscience about my language skills when children don't care if you speak the same language... they just want someone to play with them. I have done several events and projects now with the children's village, and am happy that they are a part of my experience here. Sharing our traditions, and learning theirs, helped me to feel needed... even if only as a friend.
5. Soros. The move to a new host organization can be difficult when the first might not have been a good fit. But finding a host organization like mine is a dream come true. Since day one, I've had everything I could ever ask for. I have an office of my own, I have a resource library full of materials, I have great co-workers and volunteers that help with anything I need, and a director who supports every idea I think up. I've done so many projects in the last 7 months at Soros... AIDS education workshops, Civic Leadership Academy, professional development training, book club, movie club, conversation clubs, women's club, Novrus/Easter Celebration, valentines day art project, mothers day card making and even a talent show. I'm lucky to have a host organization that makes my time here well worth every moment.
6. A great host family can make all the difference. Living with Johnny and Arzu has been a great opportunity. As much as I miss Sabina and her mom, moving host organizations put me a little too far to walk in my commute. So, finding a new host family and starting over again was a bit of a challenge. From the first day meeting Arzu and Johnny, I knew they were a good match. I had a great room, two host sisters in high school, a house close to the bazaar, 4 min from my office, and a host family that really wanted to learn about an American. They don't speak any english, and I've been grateful for that. My language has improved so much by living with them. Although there are times we don't always understand everything each other says, they are still very supportive of what I'm doing here, and help me with anything I need. Since the move, I've now changed rooms, and have my own private end of the house... but I still feel like part of the family.
7. Food in the 'baijan is both interesting, and unique. If you've never had dolma, you're missing out on something truly spectacular. Azerbaijan is very proud of it's national dishes, and they are the centerpiece of every family occasion. From weddings, funerals and holidays... to family events, birthdays and parties, Azerbaijan always has an occasion to show off it's food. It's funny how much I eat here, but I've lost so much weight. When I came, I was a size 18... I'm now fitting into a size 10. The food is organic, often bought fresh the morning it's made. Women take pride in the hours they put into making food that is both beautiful and delicious. I have collected over 20 recipes since I arrived... and I will be sharing some with you in a future blog. Although at times I find myself craving something from home, I never pass up a chance to eat dolma, plov or borsh. The food is definitely worth mentioning as a highlight of my last year.
8. The students. Awww... the whole reason I'm here. I work mostly with older high school, and college students. I'm lucky enough to have not just 1, but more than 15 study abroad alumni living in Ganja. These kids are the future of Azerbaijan. They run their own programs here in Ganja, they work for international organizations, they volunteer, they work, and they still find time to help me with all the projects that I do. A handful of them have been by my side from the very first days in Ganja. I wouldn't be able to do most of the work I do without their help. It's always funny when I meet with them... they get such a kick out of hearing me speak Azerbaijani. Even though most of the students I work with are not study abroad alumni, their english is amazing. I have a solid group of about 40 kids that just keep coming back for everything. I can't imagine what it would be like without these enthusiastic kids.
9. My site mates. One of the best things about living in Ganja is knowing that I have site mates. Fellow volunteers that live in the same town. I don't always see them all on a regular basis, or even more than once a month, (we all have different jobs, schedules, and activities going on) when I do see them, they always make me laugh. They cheer me up when I just need a few moments with some fellow Americans. I'm lucky enough to share this city with 5 other PCV's, who are all incredibly helpful with my work as well. I have done a couple joint projects now with my site mates, and I am thankful to have them.
10. Frustration is part of being a volunteer. It's what teaches us, refines us, and helps us to remember that this isn't America... exactly the reason why I'm here in the first place. Remembering why I came can often be a humbling experience, and usually comes at times of frustration.
When you realized that some foods only last for 2 weeks a year in the bazaar, and then they are gone for another year...
when your family calls for days on end and can't get through on Azercell lines...
when you are about to dry your hair and the power goes out for 3 hours...
when you waken to the sound of a mouse eating your last chocolate bar...
when you type an email and the power goes out before you hit send...
when you get a letter from home that was post marked 5 months ago...
when you wait 2 hours for a bus that eventually breaks down when it finally comes...
when you spend 9 hours on a bus just to go see the doctor...
when you get the words for pillow and pervert mixed up in conversation...
when you buy your vegetables for the week, only to not have any gas to cook them with...
when you can't take a shower cause your water pipes are frozen for the whole winter...
when you are down to 2 manat to last you the rest of the month, and you still have a week left...
when you see children begging for money on the street instead of studying in school...
when one of your students finishes her art project of her "house" and you see that 6 people share one room...
Then, and only then, do you finally appreciate what you really have. The patience that you learn as a PCV is so much more than just a language thing. It makes you grateful for the things you have in your life, and the things that are waiting for you at home. For the people who live here... people who are born here... this is life. This is their reality. Throughout the last year, as frustrating as these moments may often be, they also remind me that this is why I'm here.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
What is a host organization?
I've decided to explain a little more about my job, and my work here in Ganja. So that everyone can get a better understanding of what I do here. After our initial training, we are all sent out to our cities, villages, and towns. As you all know, I've been assigned to Ganja, the second largest city in Azerbaijan. There are approximately 300,000 people in my city. Each volunteer is then assigned to an organization in their community that matches their program goals. Since I work in youth development, I have been placed in a youth development organization. That can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people though. My host organization is formally called "Ganja Education Information Center." GEIC, or also Soros, as it is funded by the Soros Foundation. Most people in Ganja call it Soros. My office is two story, with a covered courtyard. Downstairs, we host a computer center, kitchen, bathroom, a small office for NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) to host meetings, and also my office. Upstairs is where the magic happens. We have an entire library of materials for students. With big tables and chairs, and an office manager in one large room, the library is lined with bookshelves. Almost all of our books are in english. We have recently undergone a long process to organize and catalogue our library, so now we have sections for fiction, non-fiction, english grammar, english listening, english speaking, TOEFL test prep, GRE test prep, SAT prep, encyclopedias, dictionaries, translation dictionaries, and tons of books about colleges in america. We have a few smaller sections on art, animals, foreign materials in german, chinese, russian, french, swedish, and a few more. Our library is where most students come to find reading materials in english. Students often come to study, or just to read in the library. 
Aside from all the books, our library also has audio materials. A few VHS, DVD, CD and cassettes in english. We have a smaller room upstairs called the alumni resource room, which is intended for study abroad alumni to have access to a quieter space that has a TV and a couch to read or watch movies on. The director’s office is upstairs, and he is always open to talking to any student who wants to speak with him. In the library, we host all sorts of events. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, we host english language conversation clubs in the afternoons. These clubs are a way for students to come and have conversation, debate, games, art projects, and any other activity you can imagine conducted in english. They give students the opportunity to practice english in a practical setting outside of the classroom. In the middle of the day, Monday through Friday, we host classes sponsored by the Democracy Commission on all sorts of topics. Leadership and Diversity, History of Democracy, American Government, Critical Thinking, Public Speaking Preparation and Presentation, and Debate. The students have two hours of classes each day. All of these activities are free to youth in Ganja wishing to improve their education.
Soros does more though. We often host other local NGO's, seminars, trainings, and meetings for local businesses. Occasionally, computer training is conducted. TOEFL test preparation is conducted. Education Fairs are conducted annually. "America Days" are done to teach about foreign culture; and the local branch of Azerbaijan English Teachers Association is able to gather resources for classroom work. In the community, it is a well-known center, and we see a lot of students (both school and university age) in our office daily. My job is to keep students busy. Keep them active and learning. Keep them dedicated toward creating and following through with their goals. In some ways, I feel like I could be working at the local YMCA. In many ways, I know that this organization is the driving force for so many youth being active in their community. The students are interested in so much... it's just having someone to help them organize, plan and conduct their own activities that they are often lacking. Hence, the Peace
Corps Volunteer. The best part of my job, is that every day is both familiar and different. I see many of the same faces, but all of the things we do every day are different. I have the freedom to come in and decide to plan an art exhibition, essay contest, movie night, resume workshop, computer typing class, or an American Game Day. Whatever I do, students come. It makes me feel excited to go to work. I find myself often going into the office on both Saturday and Sundays, and finding there is always something to do. And although every day presents it's own challenges, it also has it's own rewards. It is true what they say; Peace Corps really is the toughest job you'll ever love. Saturday, April 12, 2008
Will you marry me?... wait which girl is it again?
So my host uncle Ramiz turned 33 in March. Since his mother passed away last year, he has been living alone in her house... as is custom for the sons to live with their parents. However, Ramiz is not married... yet.
Yesterday, to my surprise Arzu (my host mother) and Johnny's (host father) sister both got dressed up and were preparing traditional wedding baskets. They went shopping for clothes, cosmetics, and jewelry the day before. When I asked what all the huff was about, I was informed that Ramiz was getting engaged. I know that Arzu has been very stressed over her youngest brother being the last single person in the family, so I was very happy for her. However, on further questioning, I found that they have never even spoken, let alone seen each other. They have never even seen a photo of each other. So, yesterday, for their first time meeting, he proposed. She is 24, and is an english teacher at one of the local institutes.
This struck home for me a bit, as in 2 weeks, I will be turning 25. The official last year of hope for marriage in Azerbaijan. Many girls joke that you must be married by 25 or you will be forever stuck at home since no one wants to marry an old person. I have to laugh a bit at the oddness of thinking 25 is old. It does sadden me a little to think of people getting married out of fear of being alone. I could never imagine marrying someone I didn't love, let alone someone I know nothing about. In defense of their tradition however, both of them are so happy just to be getting married that I can't help but be excited for them. Weddings are the major social event in Azerbaijan. It's how women get out of the house and can be seen by eligible men in a respectable manner. They can dance, eat, and drink (a little) while spending time with their friends and family. It is the way to meet new people.
In fact, weddings are so important here, that they not only have one... but two. For each couple. They begin with the "giz toy," or girl wedding. This wedding is usually all friends and family of the bride (about 1-2 hundred at the one I went to last weekend.) Food can usually be anything from all sweets (cakes, cookies, fruits, nuts, etc.) to a full on meal (plov-like rice- meat dishes, fruit, kababs, etc.) The tables are filled with drinks of all kinds... champagne, wine, juice, sparkling water, soda, etc, etc, etc. There is a ceremony where the bride will cut a ribbon, and then we all dance for hours on end. Not to mention the speeches that go on for hours. This wedding, the bride has the option to wear a dress of any color she chooses. Many choose big fancy red dresses. Also popular, is a white dress with a red ribbon around the waist. She will also finally be able to pluck her eyebrows. A sign that she is married in this culture.
After the giz toy, there will be an "oglan toy" or the boy wedding... also known as the real deal. This one is much bigger, usually has all the guests... some weddings have hundreds of guests. There are traditional dances, singers, speeches, presentation of the plov, and so much food it puts American Thanksgiving to shame. The bride will wear white for this ceremony.
Before the ceremony, the groom will drive to the brides house, and they will present her with a wedding mirror for luck. Then, they will all get into festively adorned cars, and a whole procession will drive through the town blaring music and horns as they head to the wedding hall. There are at least 20 wedding halls in Ganja that I know of. Then, they will announce the couple as they come in, and the first thing they will do is sign the wedding certificates. Then, a toast of champagne is made, and pictures and dancing will begin. Each table has their pictures taken with the couple, and generally at least one camera man will be following us around all evening.
Needless to say, these events can be difficult for PCV's. With limited language abilities, and a smaller social net work, we are often told to eat more, dance more, and wind up with a head ache from 6 hours of very loud music. All in all, the event is fun. I have now been to two giz toy's, and they were both upwards of a hundred guests. Ramiz's wedding will be my first oglan toy. I'm nervous, but am looking forward to it immensely.
Yesterday, to my surprise Arzu (my host mother) and Johnny's (host father) sister both got dressed up and were preparing traditional wedding baskets. They went shopping for clothes, cosmetics, and jewelry the day before. When I asked what all the huff was about, I was informed that Ramiz was getting engaged. I know that Arzu has been very stressed over her youngest brother being the last single person in the family, so I was very happy for her. However, on further questioning, I found that they have never even spoken, let alone seen each other. They have never even seen a photo of each other. So, yesterday, for their first time meeting, he proposed. She is 24, and is an english teacher at one of the local institutes.
This struck home for me a bit, as in 2 weeks, I will be turning 25. The official last year of hope for marriage in Azerbaijan. Many girls joke that you must be married by 25 or you will be forever stuck at home since no one wants to marry an old person. I have to laugh a bit at the oddness of thinking 25 is old. It does sadden me a little to think of people getting married out of fear of being alone. I could never imagine marrying someone I didn't love, let alone someone I know nothing about. In defense of their tradition however, both of them are so happy just to be getting married that I can't help but be excited for them. Weddings are the major social event in Azerbaijan. It's how women get out of the house and can be seen by eligible men in a respectable manner. They can dance, eat, and drink (a little) while spending time with their friends and family. It is the way to meet new people.
In fact, weddings are so important here, that they not only have one... but two. For each couple. They begin with the "giz toy," or girl wedding. This wedding is usually all friends and family of the bride (about 1-2 hundred at the one I went to last weekend.) Food can usually be anything from all sweets (cakes, cookies, fruits, nuts, etc.) to a full on meal (plov-like rice- meat dishes, fruit, kababs, etc.) The tables are filled with drinks of all kinds... champagne, wine, juice, sparkling water, soda, etc, etc, etc. There is a ceremony where the bride will cut a ribbon, and then we all dance for hours on end. Not to mention the speeches that go on for hours. This wedding, the bride has the option to wear a dress of any color she chooses. Many choose big fancy red dresses. Also popular, is a white dress with a red ribbon around the waist. She will also finally be able to pluck her eyebrows. A sign that she is married in this culture.
After the giz toy, there will be an "oglan toy" or the boy wedding... also known as the real deal. This one is much bigger, usually has all the guests... some weddings have hundreds of guests. There are traditional dances, singers, speeches, presentation of the plov, and so much food it puts American Thanksgiving to shame. The bride will wear white for this ceremony.
Before the ceremony, the groom will drive to the brides house, and they will present her with a wedding mirror for luck. Then, they will all get into festively adorned cars, and a whole procession will drive through the town blaring music and horns as they head to the wedding hall. There are at least 20 wedding halls in Ganja that I know of. Then, they will announce the couple as they come in, and the first thing they will do is sign the wedding certificates. Then, a toast of champagne is made, and pictures and dancing will begin. Each table has their pictures taken with the couple, and generally at least one camera man will be following us around all evening.
Needless to say, these events can be difficult for PCV's. With limited language abilities, and a smaller social net work, we are often told to eat more, dance more, and wind up with a head ache from 6 hours of very loud music. All in all, the event is fun. I have now been to two giz toy's, and they were both upwards of a hundred guests. Ramiz's wedding will be my first oglan toy. I'm nervous, but am looking forward to it immensely.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Work-a-holic... nothing new there
Well this weekend will be another working weekend for me. We finally kick off the Inter-Caucasus English Writing Olympics (competition between 4 countries). I'm excited to say that my city has had winners published the last couple years, so I'd like to keep the tradition going if possible. Ganja State University has been kind enough to let us use their building for the event. This should be a good opportunity for some of the high school students to meet some of the older students that are participating.
Aside from that, I've been once again working on getting the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial project going. It looks like I will be able to get a little bit of help from the Azerbaijan Alumni Association (or a few of their members) in coordinating the event. A few of my fellow PCV's are also helping out with the project. I'm looking into writing a grant for the cost of candles for the event. (Yeah, grant writing is defiantly not my thing...)
Our advanced level book club is now entering its third month, and the students are fantastic! We cover everything for current events (courtesy of Newsweek) to classic fairytales in English. We will shortly be moving on to poetry, theater, short fiction, and eventually our course will culminate in the translation of English materials into Azerbaijani. The students enjoy the chance to use their current skills, while improving their knowledge of western culture through reading and discussion.
Movie, Art, and Conversation Clubs are all still going in full swing. I am staying as busy as ever, but am certainly looking forward to a little bit of a break!
Aside from that, I've been once again working on getting the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial project going. It looks like I will be able to get a little bit of help from the Azerbaijan Alumni Association (or a few of their members) in coordinating the event. A few of my fellow PCV's are also helping out with the project. I'm looking into writing a grant for the cost of candles for the event. (Yeah, grant writing is defiantly not my thing...)
Our advanced level book club is now entering its third month, and the students are fantastic! We cover everything for current events (courtesy of Newsweek) to classic fairytales in English. We will shortly be moving on to poetry, theater, short fiction, and eventually our course will culminate in the translation of English materials into Azerbaijani. The students enjoy the chance to use their current skills, while improving their knowledge of western culture through reading and discussion.
Movie, Art, and Conversation Clubs are all still going in full swing. I am staying as busy as ever, but am certainly looking forward to a little bit of a break!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Settling In for the Long Haul
This month is my ninth month in service, and with that mark comes the right to move out on my own finally. There are many benefits of living independently in Azerbaijan, including privacy; the ability to cook for yourself; the ability to have guests over whenever you want (as late as you want) without disturbing anyone; and the ability to feel slightly American in a foreign land. All of these things can often improve moral, and can lead to a volunteer enjoying their time in Azerbaijan independently.
However, living independently here is a choice. It is not a right, but a privilege. A volunteer must find their own housing that meets the Peace Corps standards (and there are many of them.) On top of meeting the standards, a volunteer must also meet cultural standards... many women are turned away from independent housing because Azeri culture does not deem independent living as normal for most young women.
All that being said, I must also point out the disadvantages of living independently. The cost is higher. On top of rent, we must pay electric, water, gas, telephone, and any other utilities that are not covered in the monthly cost. We must purchase our own food, which can be much more expensive than having a host family cook for us. Independent living also decreases our daily interaction time with Azerbaijani culture and lifestyle. As a result, our language abilities may decline with less daily usage. Host families can be incredibly helpful in introduction to the right people, protecting us from the wrong people, and for teaching us about cultural norms.
In light of all this, I have decided to stay with my host family for the duration of my time in Azerbaijan with a few modifications. I have switched rooms, and now have two rooms on the end of the house with my own entrance. One room is now my kitchen, the other is my living/bedroom. I have two big built into the wall cabinets for storage. (One is my pantry.) I have a small wall cabinet, and a big closet dresser. I also have a vanity and cabinet, and a desk. I have plenty of natural lighting as my kitchen is windows mid-wall to ceiling on two walls. This affords me plenty of space and storage, and a bit more privacy than what I had previously. My host family has graciously agreed to give me all this space for an even lower cost, which gives me a little bit more money to buy my own food. I have finally unpacked all my items for the first time in nine months, knowing that I won't (hopefully) have to move again until September of 2009.
I must state that it is not the norm for a volunteer to choose to live with their host family for the whole of their service. However, I feel that this is an opportunity for cultural experiences and learning that I would not be able to get through independent living. It certainly will not always be easy, but I know that I will learn much more for the experience. Sacrifices and challenges are part of being a Peace Corps volunteer... and as the saying goes, whatever doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger.
However, living independently here is a choice. It is not a right, but a privilege. A volunteer must find their own housing that meets the Peace Corps standards (and there are many of them.) On top of meeting the standards, a volunteer must also meet cultural standards... many women are turned away from independent housing because Azeri culture does not deem independent living as normal for most young women.
All that being said, I must also point out the disadvantages of living independently. The cost is higher. On top of rent, we must pay electric, water, gas, telephone, and any other utilities that are not covered in the monthly cost. We must purchase our own food, which can be much more expensive than having a host family cook for us. Independent living also decreases our daily interaction time with Azerbaijani culture and lifestyle. As a result, our language abilities may decline with less daily usage. Host families can be incredibly helpful in introduction to the right people, protecting us from the wrong people, and for teaching us about cultural norms.
In light of all this, I have decided to stay with my host family for the duration of my time in Azerbaijan with a few modifications. I have switched rooms, and now have two rooms on the end of the house with my own entrance. One room is now my kitchen, the other is my living/bedroom. I have two big built into the wall cabinets for storage. (One is my pantry.) I have a small wall cabinet, and a big closet dresser. I also have a vanity and cabinet, and a desk. I have plenty of natural lighting as my kitchen is windows mid-wall to ceiling on two walls. This affords me plenty of space and storage, and a bit more privacy than what I had previously. My host family has graciously agreed to give me all this space for an even lower cost, which gives me a little bit more money to buy my own food. I have finally unpacked all my items for the first time in nine months, knowing that I won't (hopefully) have to move again until September of 2009.
I must state that it is not the norm for a volunteer to choose to live with their host family for the whole of their service. However, I feel that this is an opportunity for cultural experiences and learning that I would not be able to get through independent living. It certainly will not always be easy, but I know that I will learn much more for the experience. Sacrifices and challenges are part of being a Peace Corps volunteer... and as the saying goes, whatever doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Spring on the horizon
I must apologise once again for the delay in an update. Life has been a bit busy the last month or so. Alas, that is the life of a Peace Corps Volunteer. Now, with the coming of better weather, I have more changes than ever to blog about. So without further ado...Since January, work has been more than just amazing. This past week I was in Baku for our Youth Development Program Counter Part Conference. My counterpart and I attended a three day conference about Project Planning and Implementation, and I'm excited to get back to site tomorrow to begin some new projects. It was an intense week, and I ended up staying an extra day in Baku in order to do a bit of work at the office, and to get my cell phone back (long story.) I've been emailing a few different international organizations, and I will be writing my first ever grant (this one will be my baby, no co-authors) to put on the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial this year in Ganja. I'm looking at planning an event for upwards of 1000 Azerbaijani's in my community. I think I may be able to get more than 2000 in attendance if I can get ministry support for this project. However, this means that since I missed the international registration for the Community Coordinators, I will have to catch up on the last two months worth of planning for the event. I'm sure I can do it without problems, and have already set the wheels in motion for approval from several different levels. If you are interested in finding out more about this project, it is a worldwide annual day to increase public awareness of AIDS/HIV and the effects it has on the lives of all people. You can check out more info at www.candlelightmemorial.org
To piggyback off of that idea, I'm also having our Volunteer Advisory Committee bring up an issue at their next quarterly meeting in mid March to form a Volunteer Committee for AIDS/HIV Education and Awareness. Currently, Peace Corps Azerbaijan only has three programs implemented... Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Community Economic Development, and Youth Development. Our next program could very well be a Community Heath Education program. If that happens, this committee could pave the way for their entry into the community. As part of the pilot program for the new Youth Development Program, I wish we would have had more groundwork laid for us. Needless to say, I've become very passionate about the work I'm putting into this project, and feel that it may just be a project to carry me through the next year and a half. The combination of the Memorial and the Committee will doubtlessly take up most of my time for the next several months. World Aids Day is in December, so I'm hoping to have a committee by that time to further my work in this area. I know I will probably meet a lot of resistance in this process, but any advancement I make here will have a direct impact on not only the Azerbaijani community I live in, but Azerbaijan as a whole. That's worth all the effort in the world to me. Besides, nothing in life worth having comes easy.
On top of my new AIDS/HIV projects, I'm hosting a "Women's Week" at the Ganja Education Information Center. March 8th is National Women's Day in Azerbaijan, and I would love to use this as an opportunity to educate women more about their rights, and to hear from them about their own lives. I'm hosting a movie night to watch "Mona Lisa Smile," where we will compare American in 1953 to Azerbaijan in 2008. I believe that the movie will help to generate a lot of discussion about similarities in the developmental process of women's issues in both countries. In addition to the movie night, I'm also hosting guest speakers, providing women's health information, and will be doing a themed Art Enrichment Program on "Who are Azerbaijani Women?" My train arrives back in at 8am, and I will be working most of the week non stop to take advantage of a national holiday that promotes understanding between the genders.
I've also finally started a beginners level conversation club that assists a local Azeri teacher with her 9th through 11th form English classes. We only have 10 children in the club, but they are all hand selected as the most motivated students in their courses. I'm happy to report that I will be sharing stories, music, and pictures with them in the coming week. My first few weeks were spent answering questions about American life, and playing games to develop speaking skills.
My book club will begin on Wednesday this week, and seeing as how we are beginning during Women's Week, I will start with Adrienne Rich's poetry. I figured an American Feminist Poet would be a great first week for discussion. My request for a book grant was awarded by Darien Book Aid (http://dba.darien.org/) was granted and shipped this last month as well. So I should have lots of materials to begin my advanced level Book Club. We will cover several units that include American, British, Irish, and other English language Fairy Tales, Poetry, Theater, Fiction, and Periodicals. This project is aimed at developing reading for life skills in students who are at least at a 7th grade English reading level. Currently, my numbers are limited to 10 students since I'm providing the materials out of my own pocket until I can write another grant for the materials I need.
I sometimes forget that I've been here almost nine months already. Time really flies when you keep yourself busy. Life with the host family has been wonderful, and is drawing to a close. As of the 12th of March, we are all finally allowed to move out of host family housing! I am in the process of getting an apartment or house within the allotted amount. At this moment in time, it looks like an apartment will be more affordable than a house. Since housing in Ganja is considerably more expensive than in the Rayons, I will have to pay twice as much for the same or smaller size place than most other volunteers. However, that is a fair price to pay to live in a city where I have access to more resources, contacts, and facilities than other volunteers in country.
Ironically, I will be moving out now that my host family has purchased a real washing machine! Johnny purchased a washing machine for Arzu as a Valentines Day present. I've washed laundry less than 6 times since I came to the country (I know you say that's disgusting, but it isn't feasible to wash in the winter) and the machine would have made life a least a little easier. Freedom to cook is worth the hand washed laundry though. I will miss my host family though, as they have been more than just kind to me. They have made my transition into the community possible. I will forever be grateful for their help and hospitality. I've learned so much from them that has changed my outlook on life in Azerbaijan. My host sisters are both talented, smart, and beautiful young ladies, and I am very grateful to have been a part of their learning experience. I will undoubtedly keep them as friends throughout my time time here, even if I am not living in their home anymore. Arzu has been very kind, and has started teaching me Russian. She knows that I could pay her for this, as I have been officially approved to study Russian through the PC Language Coordinator, but she would rather just enjoy the time she spends teaching me something she is good at. I feel that the time spent in "class" with her makes her feel needed and appreciated... and she truly is. Johnny has proven to me that Azerbaijani men are not all the same. He cooks, washes dishes, serves tea to his family and guests, tells his wife he loves her, is always home early, and really cares about his children's future. He even hemmed my pants! The host family stay has helped me to learn through the school of hard knocks about Azerbaijani life. They are people who love, and fear, just the same as everyone else. I will miss them.
And on that note, I am sure you are all exhausted from reading about the new events that are happening in conjunction with all the other old ones... I know I'm tired reading it myself. If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to shoot me an email. I will actually be in the office about 50 hours this week, and should hopefully find time to check my email on my break. Raechelle.Watkins@gmail.com
Thursday, January 24, 2008
New Year Brings Changes...
New years has brought much to share... lots of new things going on for me here in good ol Ganja. We celebrated New Years here in Ganja, and had several friends in from out of town. It was nice to see some familiar faces, and even nicer to have a small break from work while the offices were closed. It gave me a chance to recharge my internal batteries, and got me ready for the new challenges to come this year. I have officially switched host organizations to a place that has a lot of needs, and really utilizes my abilities. In the first two weeks I've already started two new clubs, including an American Movie club, and an English Language Reading Club. They given the youth in Ganja a chance to practice hearing and reading english... two areas of learning that are often neglected here. There are conversation clubs galore, including the three I'm doing. So these two add some variety to the list. My club is limited for the time being to 10 students for the Book Club, as I'm having to pay for copies of materials myself... and every book that has a lot of pages, adds up to a lot of money. The movie club is available to all youth in the community. I also sent out a request to Darien Book Aid to beef up the materials for my new club... they have graciously granted my request to further the english reading in Ganja.
I've also been spending a lot of time with the host family, and had the pleasant experience of celebrating some traditional Azeri holidays, namely New Years, and Qurban Bayram (a day of sacrifice). Both were great and gave me a chance to really finally bond with my host sisters "Nushu" and "Mimi." We have decided that I won't start looking for independent housing till sometime in April so that I can celebrate Novrus Bayram with them. As I'm told, there will be fire jumping for the holiday in mid-March. I will hopefully have some good pictures to share with you from that one as well.
The weather in Ganja is taking it's toll as it's been below zero a few nights. Needless to say, it's colder than anything I've every felt in a Washington Winter! Aside from all that, I've been busy as ever improving my Azeri, and have picked up a few words and phrases in Russian. I'm not cleared to officially study Russian, but my host family speaks a little and have been sharing with me.
I just figured I would let you all know I now have a more regular connection to the internet, so please feel free to comment or email me now. I should be able to get back to you all a little faster now that I'm working at a host organization that has internet access. Also, in order to start posting more regular blogs, I'd like it if you could all think of questions you'd like me to answer in the blogs. It will help spur topics for me to post about, as by now, the newness has worn off for me, and I forget what may be interesting or new for you guys!
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