Guesting

An integral part of Azerbaijan culture is guesting. I know it sounds weird to use guest as a verb, but it’s an action here.

A week ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to go guesting at a current Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) site. I spent three great days enjoying delicious food (Vy hooked it up), fun company (Vy, Barbie and Will are awesome), intriguing debates (we watched all the past Presidential and VP debates), and learning about what it’ s like to be a PCV in AZ.

Of course, we talked about the basic stuff- make sure to utilize your Counterpart’s contacts, go guesting often to build strong community ties, and make sure to develop relationships with adults as well as youth.

But the real money answers were the stuff that wasn’t so obvious - don’t wash your jeans in the winter: they take 3 weeks to dry, nobody will believe you when you say you saw a camel, and you can get oatmeal here - the label just happens to be in Russian.

Thanks Vy for being such as awesome hostess! I can’t wait to return the hospitality!

The Greatest Story Ever

For an amusing AZ Peace Corps training story, read Baku to the Future's blog about toilet etiquette!

Spanglish

One of the funniest things about learning the AZ language is how us Trainees seem to revert back to whatever language we learned last when we don't understand something. For many of us, that seems to be Spanish. Just the other day, a fellow PCT-mate of mine asked our Language and Cultural Facilitator (LCF), Por Que?

Like the picture?! It is of my Language Cluster and our AWESOME LCF!