They say you can never go home again...

Again, I have neglected my duty of keeping people up to date with my adventures in the land of fire. So, I will do my best not to make this the worlds longest blog entry, but alas, I have much ground to cover. So where to begin?

I am currently home in America for the very first time in 2 years, 3 months and 5 days. I am spending 30 days visiting with family, friends, and taking care of business that needed to be done. Needless to say, now that my body is down to a size 11 from a size 18, I needed all new clothes. I must say, walmart looks pretty good when your options are few and far between at the local bazaar in Ganja. I've managed to eat terriyaki, Thai, pho, Mexican, Italian, and traditional good ol' unhealthy American food since I've been home. And it all tastes even better than I've been imagining. I've driven a car for the first time in almost two and a half years. I washed laundry in a washer, and then dried it in a dryer. I've had countless hot showers that don't require me to heat the water before hand. When I got cold, I turned on the heat. I've even enjoyed helping out around the house. Vacuuming seems so much more fun when you haven't been able to do it for so long. Seeing so many people has been a great joy. But sadly, it is true what they say. You can never go home again.

Since I have extended my service, I had worried that coming home for a month would make me not look forward to coming back to Azerbaijan. Many volunteers say that it's hard to find motivation once you go home and then come back. I, on the other hand, have found it more of an inspiration than anything else ever could have been. This chance to come home has been good, but it has made me appreciate the things that I do miss about Azerbaijan.

First and foremost, I miss my Azerbaijani husband. He is kind, honest, sweet, hard working, has a great sense of humor, and always knows how to make the bad days into good ones. On September 21st, we were married at the ZAGS office in Baku, Azerbaijan. That day is by far, the happiest and most incredible day of my life. It was the highlight of my Peace Corps experience, and I feel honored to have found my soul mate on the other side of the world while trying to find myself. We will be doing a larger wedding ceremony at the end of November, but this one was even more wonderful than I could have ever imagined. With the dates for my extension of service leave already set, and the ministry setting our wedding date, my hands were tied. I had to leave only 2 weeks after our wedding. Not really how we had imagined our first month of marriage to be... apart. However, having higher speed Internet connection does have a bit of an advantage, but nothing can substitute for being by his side.

Second, I miss the pace of life in Azerbaijan. I miss making my own schedule. I miss not having to worry about time. In Azerbaijan, I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful community. My host organization is run by the most amazing and wonderful boss I've ever had in my entire life. He is kind, patient, open to new ideas, optimistic, and always works to keep his volunteers and staff happy. So I am fortunate enough to be able to make my own schedule. I don't have a set time to come into the office. I come in whatever time I finish my housework or morning errands, and then I stay until my planning, classes, clubs or activities are complete for the day. Then I go home. And every day is a joy. I actually look forward to going to work. How many people can say that about their job? I miss that life in Azerbaijan is at a more leisurely pace. I miss that schedules are lose, and that people just go with the flow. It's harder to come back to America when everything runs by the clock all the time. It can be inescapably stifling at times.

Third, I miss the people. I miss their open minded, positive attitudes. I miss the optimistic youth who are constantly striving to make a better world for themselves and their families. I miss how the people sincerely care about your answer when they ask "how are you?" The culture can be so much more intimate. Which at first, can be frightening, and feel intrusive. But in reality, I have more best friends in Azerbaijan than I do now in America. My friends, host family, and students all genuinely are a big part of my life. They are what carries me through the rough days. They are my Azerbaijani family. And I miss them.

Finally, I miss my job. It gives me a sense of purpose in this world like nothing I could ever describe. I love being a Peace Corps Volunteer. The lack of money and material possessions are nothing when compared to the rewards I receive in return. This summer, I saw the graduation of more than 60 students from three consecutive 8 week programs for my annual Youth Civic Leadership Academy. Then, I took not just one group, but two groups of students to a summer Leadership Camp. I got to know them, what they dream of, what their passions are, and what gives them so much strength and determination. It was the highlight of my year. I worked along side of three of the most amazing Azerbaijanis I've ever met. One of which I married the following week, and the other two were standing right by our side as if they were blood related family. My job is closely tied to my heart. I cannot separate it because it is what gives me so much joy. Being a Peace Corps Volunteer may be difficult at times, but there are a million moments of joy for each moment of frustration.

It is true, you can never go home again... my physical home is no longer where my heart lies. Azerbaijan has captured it deeply, and I am looking forward to returning. I don't know what my third year in the Peace Corps will bring, but if the first two years are any indication, the adventure is far from over.

A Table for Tyrants

Re-Print from The New York Times article from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/11/opinion/11havel.html?_r=1

By VACLAV HAVEL (president of the Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003, and leading figure in Human Rights)
Published: May 10, 2009

IMAGINE an election where the results are largely preordained and a number of candidates are widely recognized as unqualified. Any supposedly democratic ballot conducted in this way would be considered a farce. Yet tomorrow the United Nations General Assembly will engage in just such an “election” when it votes to fill the vacancies on the 47-member Human Rights Council.
Only 20 countries are running for 18 open seats. The seats are divided among the world’s five geographic regions and three of the five regions have presented the same number of candidates as there are seats, thus ensuring there is no opportunity to choose the best proponents of human rights each region has to offer.

Governments seem to have forgotten the commitment made only three short years ago to create an organization able to protect victims and confront human rights abuses wherever they occur.

An essential precondition was better membership. The council’s precursor, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, was folded in 2006 mainly because it had, for too long, allowed gross violators of human rights like Sudan and Zimbabwe to block action on their own abuses.
The council was supposed to be different. For the first time, countries agreed to take human rights records into account when voting for the council’s members, and those member-states that failed to, in the words of the founding resolution, “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights” would find themselves up for review and their seats endangered. For victims of human rights abuses and advocates for human rights worldwide, the reforms offered the hope of a credible and effective body.

Now, it seems, principle has given way to expediency. Governments have resumed trading votes for membership in various other United Nations bodies, putting political considerations ahead of human rights. The absence of competition suggests that states that care about human rights simply don’t care enough. Latin America, a region of flourishing democracies, has allowed Cuba to bid to renew its membership. Asian countries have unconditionally endorsed the five candidates running for their region’s five seats — among them, China and Saudi Arabia.
In past years, Western countries encouraged rights-respecting states from other regions to compete for election. This year, they have ceded the high ground by presenting a non-competitive slate for the council elections. New Zealand withdrew when the United States declared its candidacy, leaving just three countries — Belgium, Norway and the United States — running for three seats.

Even where competition is guaranteed, it is minimal. In the Eastern Europe region — which under the United Nations’ rules includes all countries behind the former Iron Curtain, including my own, the Czech Republic — the countries running for re-election are Azerbaijan and Russia, whose human rights records oscillate from questionable to despicable. Only Hungary has stepped forward to compete for the region’s two seats. The reluctance of Eastern European states to reclaim leadership from human rights abusers does not inspire confidence.
Like the citizens of Azerbaijan, China, Cuba, Russia and Saudi Arabia, I know what it is like to live in a country where the state controls public discourse, suppresses opposition and severely curtails freedom of expression. It is thus doubly dismaying for me to see the willingness of democracies in Latin America and Asia to sit by and watch the council further lose its credibility and respect.

Activists and journalists in Azerbaijan and Cuba have already appealed to the international community not to elect their nations to the Human Rights Council. States committed to human rights and the integrity of the council cannot remain indifferent. Countries must express solidarity with the victims of human rights abuses and reclaim the council by simply refusing to vote for human rights abusers in this shamefully uncontested election.

(Personal comments to follow in coming blog)

Staying in Azerbaijan

My dear readers, as I’m sure you are aware, the work I have been doing here for the past 22 months has been both beneficial to the people I’m working with, as well as a life altering event for me. I have had many ups and downs, but every moment is one that has taught me something about either Azerbaijan or myself. Through my time in the Peace Corps, I have been able to experience some of the most remarkable events of my life. I am fortunate enough to have accomplished some of the major goals I had set out for myself prior to my departure. My time in the Peace Corps has allowed me to tailor the experience to the needs of my community, and my own interests. It is not often that one can wake up looking forward to her job each day. Simply put, I love being a Peace Corps volunteer; so much so, in fact that I am not quite ready to leave yet.

I have finally found my niche here, and have started a few projects that deserve some more time to make them just right. I won’t be able to do them justice if I don’t stay longer here in Azerbaijan. My level of language has finally reached the point where I can communicate about most subjects on at least a basic level. I’ve developed several friendships and important relationships that deserve more time and care to foster, and I am hoping that my time here will help those to continue growing. It is with great pleasure that I announce to you that I have been approved for a third year as a Peace Corps volunteer. This is truly an honor and a privilege for me. I know that this will be hard for my family and friends, but Peace Corps has given me the opportunity to fulfill my personal and career goals through an extension of my service. Please trust that this is something I need to do for myself at this point in time.

I will stay in ganja, and I will stay with the Ganja Education Information Center. Nothing changes other than the date of my return. I will be staying for an additional year… which will bring me back to the US in October of 2010. For those of you that may be sad that I won’t be back for good this Fall, please take heart in the fact that I will have a one month vacation time to come home for a visit sometime between September and November. You will be able to see me this year, but I won’t be back permanently till the next. It is a fair compromise, and I hope that I will have your understanding and support as I embark on my third year in country.

Over the next year, I have decided to start drafting my first attempt at a non-fiction novel about life in Azerbaijan as a Peace Corps volunteer. I am also hoping to see more of the country, as I have been heavily devoted to staying in my rayon and its surrounding areas. I believe that it is both my duty and obligation to have a thorough knowledge of life outside of my city… what kind of volunteer would I be if I left Azerbaijan without seeing half the country? These personal goals are something that only more time will help me to accomplish. Please look forward to more frequent updates, more personal stories, and more cultural information over the coming year. I hope that as my loyal readers, you will enjoy what lies ahead. So, as the great Dumbledore said… and now we shall pursue that flighty temptress, adventure!

March comes in like a lion...

This month marked the beginning of the spring project season. Although it is still cold, and the rain is still to come, March has been a good month here in the 'baijan. I've recently began the 2nd Annual Youth Civic Leadership Academy. Some of you are aware that I created and hosted this project in Ganja last year. This year however, there have been several changes to the project.

First and foremost, the project has more students and is over a longer period of time. Each group of students is interviewed and selected for both their english language ability, and their diversity. We choose students who represent a variety of different universities and schools, majors, professions and backgrounds. Not all of the students are originally from Ganja, and those who are represent different communities within Ganja. We have selected 21 participants between the ages of 15 and 25 for the first group. This group is currently in week 5 of an 8 week program. They meet daily Monday through Friday for two hours a day, and two lessons a day. The lessons this year include classes on leadership, diversity, history of democracy in the western world, history of democracy in a Muslim society, volunteerism and civic engagement, public speaking and debate, US government and human rights. I'm currently teaching leadership, diversity, speech and debate, and human rights for the project. Two other volunteers are helping to assist with the project and teaching their own classes.

The first group of the project will end toward the end of April, but the second group will start its 8 weeks immediately after. The third group will begin in June. Finally, our project will not only conclude with a summer leadership camp, but it will host two camps this year in order to include more students. We are hoping to take students back to the mountains to a team building retreat where they can build on communication, leadership, teamwork and self confidence. The camp is often a once in a life time opportunity for students to get to know each other personally without the interference of school, family or other social obligations. It is truly the experience of a life time.

I'm excited for this project to begin as it gives me great pleasure to work with new students. It's always interesting to see just how similar, as well as how different we really are.

Rough times 'a comin...

Standard & Poor's Banking Industry Country Risk Assessment places Azerbaijan in Group 9
February 24, 2009

Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has categorized the banking industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Group 9, following its Banking Industry Country Risk Assessment (BICRA), the ratings agency said in a statement.

The agency's BICRA rankings reflect the strengths and weaknesses of a country's banking system, compared with those of other countries, on a scale ranging from Group 1 (the strongest) to Group 10 (the weakest).

Other countries in Group 9 include Belarus, Nigeria, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Lebanon, and Vietnam. Azerbaijan ranks ahead of Ukraine (Group 10), but behind Russia and Kazakhstan (Group 8).

The placement of Azerbaijan in Group 9 reflects the high industry and economic risks facing the young and fragmented banking system, which is vulnerable to potential credit quality and liquidity deterioration after several years of very rapid growth, the statement says. The system is characterized by high dollarization, the economy's oil dependence, banks' single-name and industry concentrations, and weak risk-management practices. These vulnerabilities are partly mitigated by decent medium- term prospects for macroeconomic growth, banks' limited dependence on international borrowings, and their adequate capitalization and financial performance. For these reasons, the Azerbaijani banking system has so far been less affected by the global economic turbulence, compared with many other countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States, it says.

The banking sector is dominated by a state-owned bank, International Bank of Azerbaijan, which has a market share of 40%, followed by very dynamic private-sector banks--about 45 of them at year- end 2008--with the market share of the largest at less then 8%.

Economic growth is expected to decelerate to a still decent 4.0% in 2009 against 8.5% in 2008, following a sharp decrease in oil prices.

Azerbaijan's economy is highly dependent on oil, which contributed 60% of GDP in 2008.
The rapid lending growth of the past few years is now slowing, owing to sluggish macroeconomic growth and reduced access to international funding. Total system loans increased by only 6% in the fourth quarter of 2008 compared with more than 40% in the first nine months of the year and more than 80% in 2007. As of Dec. 31, 2008, 49% of total system loans were denominated in foreign currencies, highlighting local banks' asset-quality vulnerability to an unlikely, but still not impossible, devaluation of the local currency.

S&P expects deteriorating credit conditions and a slowdown in growth to lead to a significant rise in banks' credit costs and problem loans, at least over the next two to three years. Although loans overdue by more than 30 days were at 2.2% of total loans on Dec. 31, 2008, this ratio does not reflect potential problem loans because portfolios are unseasoned. The expected deterioration was only partly offset by the sector's adequate capitalization (an average capital ratio of 17%) and satisfactory profitability, reflected in a return on assets of 2.2% at year-end 2008. However, banks' provisioning, which covered 6.2% of total loans at year-end 2008, provide an adequate cushion to absorb potential credit losses.

The agency's key analytical measure, which reflects the contingent liability of a banking system relative to sovereign risk, is an estimate of the incidence of gross problematic assets (GPAs) in a reasonable worst-case scenario of economic recession, expressed as a percentage of domestic credit to the private sector and nonfinancial public enterprises. S&P has estimated the GPAs for Azerbaijan's financial system to be in the 35%-50% range (on par with Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan).

Although customer deposits have continued to increase rapidly, rising 37% in 2008 after 55% in 2007, the banking system's ratio of loans to deposits reached a fairly high 162% on Dec. 31, 2008, reflecting the strong growth in lending in recent years. At the same time, foreign funding represented 23% of the system's liabilities, largely comprising more sustainable financing from multilateral institutions.

Under the agency's criteria, it considers Azerbaijan to be "supportive" of its banking system. In line with this approach, S&P gives no rating uplift to private-sector banks for potential government support. During times of financial stress, the authorities are likely to increase supervision and regulation of troubled entities, but, in the agency's opinion, would provide only limited extraordinary financial support to privately owned banks.

Did you say more peace corps?

Hey everyone, long time no update... I know, I know, I'm horrible with this. But better late tan never right? Just a quick one today because this one is important. There is now a bill going through Congress to expand the Peace Corps. If you have facebook and would like to read more, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2208730415&topic=6300

If you don't have facebook, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ and type in the search function H.R. 1066 - basically it's a bill introduced by a Congressman Sam Farr (CA-17) titled "Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2009" which aims to get more funding for PC for the next few years and roughly double the readjustment allowance based of months of service for returned volunteer types. (In other words, it helps us to actually be able to afford to eat, and live.) There are currently 40 co-sponsors and it's sitting in the House Foreign Affairs committee. If you're interested in writing your representative in Congress to support this bill I would consider it a personal favor for me. Heck, if you email me, I'll even find out how to contact your representative for you if you don't want to do the leg work yourself.

Also, I got this sent to me and thought it might help a few of you to see just how Azerbaijan compares to other countries around the world. If this gives you a good idea of the type of country this is, Azerbaijan and Iran are the only two dominately Shiite muslim nations in the world. But when you comepare the two, it's apples to beef stakes. A friend sent this survey on religion across countries and across US states. Some of you might find it fun to read and to learn that accoring to the Gallup survey;

1. Those from Alabama are as religious as Iranians
2. Those from Vermont are as religious as the Swiss
3. Georgians in Atlanta are as religious as Georgians of Tbilisi!

http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&attid=0.1&thid=11f8429586441fb3&mt=application%2Fpdf&pli=1