At the moment, I cannot tell who I have been, or who I will be. I can only guess who I am. This makes the written record valuable.
We are standing in line. 33 people are standing with me. Two of my group are staying with Peace Corps (one of whom is marrying an Azerbaijani). Two others are staying to work in Baku. This makes 37 finishing out of an original 54.
I have 5 weeks left in Azerbaijan. I thought it appropriate to go back to my first posts and compare what I thought then to what I know now. In the spirit of my original list…
- I will be leaving Azerbaijan Sept. 2nd at 11:55 a.m. from the Baku Airport
- I will arrive (Inshallah) at Detroit Metro at 11:30 p.m. the same day
- While here, none of the PCVs have died or been irreparably injured
(though several Azerbaijanis have been)
- I’ve not had hot running water
- Sometimes I didn’t have any running water
- I’ve never lived in a house with a bath or toilet inside
- I’ve never lived in a house with a “western style” or flushing toilet
- I’ve had a cell phone and occasional internet (at my house)
- With the exception of a few hours a day without in the winter, I’ve had consistent electricity
- The weather here has been much hotter than Michigan
(over 100 is normal and it was over 120 a few days so far this summer)
- I’ve lived traditionally with a host family for the first nine months of service, then moved in
with another family; but had my own kitchen and living space for the remainder of my service
- I’ve very much fallen in love with my current host family
- I have not loved my previous families
- I have not worn a burqa or hijab and most everyone here hasn’t either (PCVs or Azerbaijanis)
- I have not worn shorts, but some PCVs do
- Until two months ago, I’ve been the only PCV in my town. Now there is one other PCV here
- I’ve always been within 30 minutes of another PCV
- I’ve used almost all of my 48 vacation days visiting Prague, Georgia (the country) and the U.S.
- I’ve traveled to 31 regions in Azerbaijan
- I haven’t gotten malaria, but have lived in one of the only three regions requiring malaria
medication
- I dislike malaria medication very much
- The Caucasus mountains are very beautiful, but I have lived in what would be considered the
desert - far from any natural beauty
- The Caspian Sea is disgusting up close – if you are far from it – it is as beautiful as any sea
- I had to buy a voltage regulator to cope with the frequent power surges hazardous to electronics
- I’ve had good luck thus far with electronics, still using my original laptop, ipod, and camera –
all of which have been indispensable to the survival of my sanity
- I’ve broken many a piece of furniture
- I’ve witnessed a lot of other PCVs break many a piece of furniture
- I’ve found that yogurt can be combined with everything
- I’ve not always been able to get the things I wanted. Namely, quality lotions, pork, peanut
butter, and granola bars (though I could have bought these in Baku for exorbitant prices)
- I’ve received lots of packages giving me these things and more
- I continue to be grateful for the support I’ve received and have received an amazing amount of
support
We are all biding our time. Now, getting ready for the future…
- I have my medical, dental and exit interview appointments next week
- I’ve already completed much of the paperwork necessary for COS (Close of Service)
- I’ve contacted my contacts in the states
- I’ve fantasized about the technology I will use in the coming months
- I’ve fantasized about meals in the U.S.
- I have little idea of what my life with consist of in six months
- I have dreams several times a week about the process
