Sweeping through Baku to get to the Main Event - Tovuz Here We Come!!

It has been a whirlwind couple of days here in Baku, but I'm happy to say that I was able to get most everything I wanted to done quickly so that in the morning, my host sister Nurana (who has been in Baku visiting family) and I can go to the bus station and head for home - our village in Tovuz.  From what I've heard, the roads have improved since I left so whereas I remember the drive taking 7-10 hours, it should only take 6.  Cross your fingers for us!

Before I head out to the "rayon" (region), I wanted to take a minute to at least write a little bit about some of the highlights from my time in Baku:

On Sunday I went to meet Nurana and visit some of the family in Baku that she has been staying with.  It was a really great day of immersion into Azerbaijani for sure!  I think I've passed the test so far, which is a relief.  I also got to see some of the newest members of the family, both through marriage and birth.  And Nurana got to try on her bridesmaid dress which I brought (more information about that as the wedding approaches!) and it fit AND she liked it, so I consider that a huge success!

We went to Suraxanı where oil literally comes out of the ground and sort of mixes with the ground water.

To get to the house, we walk through a field where there are nodding donkeys for the oil.

For Sunday night, my friend Eric and I went up to take a spin at the rotating restaurant of the TV tower, something we almost did at the end of my service before deciding that it was too expensive.  We decided that it was totally worth it now because of the new features of the city skyline that you get to look down upon while you eat your overpriced fruit parfaits and drink your wine :)

There was a way in which I was going to be in most of my pictures taken through the glass so I just had to sort of accept that, but I kind of liked this one with the world's second largest flagpole (yeah, apparently Azerbaijan got beat) in my reflection.

Yum.

Flame towers from above

On Monday morning I made a surprise return visit to the Peace Corps office, having only told one staff member that I was coming (and he was on vacation and doesn't seem to have told anybody, so I doubt that counts).  It was really surreal to be back and as usual the office proved to be some sort of time vacuum that ate my morning, but it was really great to reconnect with some of the staff that was so instrumental in making my time here what it was.  And their excitement to see me back (they even gave me a present - copies of the language manual and cultural manual that I helped to create before I left but never saw) really made me feel good!

Monday afternoon was spent at my first house in Azerbaijan outside Baku in Ceyranbatan.  I lived there for the 3 months that I was in training (but I was really proud to even be able to find the place today because I realized I only know where to tell the bus to stop by an empty semi-finished building and a sign with a deer - but what if they finished the building or took down the sign??  Thankfully, neither has happened).  My host family there is super sweet.  Apparently when Ayna, the middle daughter, saw my facebook message saying I was going to be visiting in a week she started screaming and completely scared her mother that something was wrong!  We had a good laugh together when they told me about it.  Another high point of the visit was the great success of my present for Cavad - the youngest child and only boy.  He and I were best buds when I lived there (he was one of my best language teachers as we would play "Bu nədir?" - What is this? every day at lunch) but I was afraid that as he has gotten older (he is going into second grade!) that I would have gotten a present for him that wasn't right.  Instead, my present was a real hit!  It was a bag of little army men (I was hesitant to buy them and was going to opt for the dinosaurs before my ever wise friend Wesley pointed out that soldiers would be way more popular with a young Azeri boy). Cavad immediately turned the living room into a battlefield, setting up a light green colored army on one carpet and a dark green one on the carpet opposite to battle.  He then proceeded to move between the two, knocking men down.  Possibly the cutest thing was when his father tried to join him and save the men Cavad was randomly killing off (saying that they'd gone to the hospital for treatment - and finally accepting their deaths and saying "Allah rəhmət ələsin" - Rest in Peace essentially) and watching them play together, something I didn't see much before.  I also really loved that as I was literally walking out the door at the end of the afternoon, Cavad whispered to his mom to ask who the boy was that I had been kissing in my facebook picture (on the cheek mind you, and the answer is my friend - yes we really are just friends - Wesley).  I explained to them who he was, but just a warning Wes, last time Cavad thought someone might be my boyfriend it was my friend Mike during training because we would run together and Cavad totally almost came running from the kitchen to throw a potato at him while we sat on the couch.  The crisis was narrowly averted by my mother and sisters grabbing him and taking away his weapon of choice.  So Wes, I recommend watching your back for flying potatoes, Cavad has his eye on you! :)