July 9th – July 20th
Week Three is at an end and finally the days have begun to pick up speed. Last weekend I traveled to Gəncə to visit a PCV’s and I learned the following things:
I can live for days without having stomach cramps – they’re not just from “being in Azerbaijan”
I’ll get out of Peace Corps what I put into it (just like everything else)
If I don’t get the language right away, it’s okay, charades is cross-cultural
It will be very difficult to find an apartment, but it is both possible and likely (but it is also likely that I will be kicked out at some point for doing “American Things” like being a woman and having people over and thus will have to begin the search again)
I WILL learn to live in Azerbaijan with all of its quirks and I will likely be safe

We began English Conversation Clubs last week and held two sessions thus far. There have been between 16 and 25 youth (14-24 yrs old) in attendance. I’ve never done anything similar to this and wouldn’t have expected it, but I’m truly enjoying it. The youth are eager to learn and excited to meet Americans. It’s also nice to feel like I’m interacting with the community and providing something of use instead of just learning the language and doing exercises (which I know are important). We now have enough students to hold groups individually and I am looking forward to it.

Next week I’ll meet with my Program Manager to discuss where I would like to go for my permanent site. This means a rural location or city, hot or cold climate (though it’s similar everywhere), with or without site-mate(s) and what type of organization I want to work with.

I wish I could say what I want most, but I just don’t know. There are positive and negative aspects to everything and I am at a loss as to what’s best. We find out our permanent assignments the week of July 29th. (yikes!)

****A note about blog postings – the internet is REALLY slow. Therefore, I will not be able to post pictures in the near future. I have sent some home to Mom and Adam, so hound them if you are curious.

Also, the webpages are in RUSSIAN. I don’t know how to change this, and it is a miracle anyone has been able to post anything but I will not be able to respond to comments or change my blog in any way. Therefore, PLEASE only post culturally sensitive comments. Peace Corps periodically monitors blogs and I don’t want to make mine private and sign-in only. If you want to say something risquÈ, email me. Also, I will not be able to list any information about my current location for safely purposes, so if you’re curious, email me or ask Mom or Adam.

Joe (my site-mate) said something last time we were in the internet cafÈ that I felt both obvious and telling. He said, “A month ago I was reading, ‘Jenni’s Life at the Moment’ and today I’m sitting in an internet cafÈ in Azerbaijan next to Jenni as she types her blog. Oh how far (literally) we’ve all come.