So much to do, So little time left...
I have not written for quite a long time. For those of you that check my blog regularly I apologize. I guess it’s just been business as usual here and so I haven’t felt inspired to write. The past two weekends I have been going hiking in the Goycay foothills with my site mate Kelly. The weather has been amazing and it has been nice to get out into nature. I have been traveling a lot and working on various projects. There have been a bunch of birthdays that I have gone to celebrate in the regions. I also attended AZ6’s In Service Trainings (IST) both in Baku and Gange. In Baku I was there giving a training session and in Gange just to get to know the AZ6’s a little better. It’s nice to see what the “fresh blood” is thinking about and helping them move forward on their projects. One thing I was approached about was how to compost. I have been composting in country since I moved into my own place and have become well known for it. Mainly because I’m on the environment committee and I try to support environmentally friendly initiatives among volunteers. So, I sent out an email inquiry about who would be interested in a composting tutorial and had over 30 people respond including a Peace Corps Volunteer’s (PCV) host organization. So I will now be bringing composting tutorials into the regions; which I am very excited about. I am also pleased to stay that my porch garden created with my composted dirt is thriving. This is new to me as I am horrible at gardening. Yet, I will be having fresh zucchini and parsley this summer! I will also be going to help out at other PCV’s camp projects throughout the summer.
As for my internet café for women, it has been slow on progress. Basically, we have an internet café with no internet. You can see how this is a problem. In the mean time we have been giving courses on Windows and Microsoft Office while struggling with the ministry (the local government offices) to get us a DSL port. At the moment it has been promised to us for June. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. My organization also been chosen to participate in the Human Rights Summer Film Festival again and will be beginning preparation for this. Last year this was an excellent project and a lot of fun so I am excited about doing it again.
As for the immediate future I am preparing for my Close of Service (COS) conference. This is where they will tell us everything we need to know about re-entering the USA, now only 4 months away. As well as what we have to do to finalize our work here in Azerbaijan. The most exciting part of this conference is that it will be at “Aqua Park” which is as close as we get to a fancy hotel with water slides! It will be a good chance to spend some quality time with all the AZ5 PCV’s who made it the full two years. We plan on having a slide show down memory lane as well as many other shenanigans I’m sure.
Right after COS I will be headed off to Georgia and Turkey for my final vacation. My friend Jill and I will be taking trains and buses from Baku to Tbilisi and throughout Turkey; including Cappadocia, Izmir, Troy, Istanbul, and Ankara. I’m really excited for this trip. Turkey and Azerbaijan have a lot in common and I should be able to get along ok with my Azerbaijani language. I will for sure write a blog when I return about my explorations through Turkey.
That’s all for now; sending lot’s of love back home.
KZ
Disclaimer: “The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.”
As for my internet café for women, it has been slow on progress. Basically, we have an internet café with no internet. You can see how this is a problem. In the mean time we have been giving courses on Windows and Microsoft Office while struggling with the ministry (the local government offices) to get us a DSL port. At the moment it has been promised to us for June. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. My organization also been chosen to participate in the Human Rights Summer Film Festival again and will be beginning preparation for this. Last year this was an excellent project and a lot of fun so I am excited about doing it again.
As for the immediate future I am preparing for my Close of Service (COS) conference. This is where they will tell us everything we need to know about re-entering the USA, now only 4 months away. As well as what we have to do to finalize our work here in Azerbaijan. The most exciting part of this conference is that it will be at “Aqua Park” which is as close as we get to a fancy hotel with water slides! It will be a good chance to spend some quality time with all the AZ5 PCV’s who made it the full two years. We plan on having a slide show down memory lane as well as many other shenanigans I’m sure.
Right after COS I will be headed off to Georgia and Turkey for my final vacation. My friend Jill and I will be taking trains and buses from Baku to Tbilisi and throughout Turkey; including Cappadocia, Izmir, Troy, Istanbul, and Ankara. I’m really excited for this trip. Turkey and Azerbaijan have a lot in common and I should be able to get along ok with my Azerbaijani language. I will for sure write a blog when I return about my explorations through Turkey.
That’s all for now; sending lot’s of love back home.
KZ
Disclaimer: “The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.”
(Anonymous)
Awesome Stuff
BTW someone tattled and said you were leaving SF early and driving across country....... hmph. PS I wish you were hear to help with my garden, right now it is a big empty concrete square waiting for a mosaic title, fountain, and dirt. We could work on it in September though, its still warm then.