In Istanbul now. It's 3:33am, but here it's 10:30am. We're leaving for Baku at 1:30. The flight wasn't bad, I picked up some medicine from some fellow PCV's and I'm a true believer now in medicating oneself before such an endeavor. I felt absolutely wonderful. :) No worries here....

Now I'm tired. I'm kind of hungry, despite the yummy croissant on the plane. Knowing some Azeri helps with the signs in the airport. Travelling with 53 other people helps too.

Once we get to Baku we'll begin orientation until Sunday and then move on to our host families, where we'll stay for the next three months. This is where letters will come in handy :)

That's all I can write for now. Like I said, I'm tired, I'm hungry, and I'm in Istanbul.

HELLLLOOO!!! I made it to Philadelphia - completed a few days of training and in about two hours will head to JFK airport and onto Baku (by way of Istanbul) I haven't had email access, and I'm sure not to have it too much in the coming months.

I'll try to post as much as possible...

This time two weeks from now I will be on a plane to Philadelphia. What?
Everything is ready. I'm done purchasing various items which may or may not make my stay any more or less pleasant that it would otherwise be.

Here are some things on my packing list:

- bourgeois wool socks
- elitist-style laptop
- digital camera which includes settings such as "Baby" (1 and 2), "Pet", "Food" etc.
- iPod holding space for more songs than I could possibly listen to, or probably even
like
- Leatherman tool which includes useful items such as a saw, wire stripper and diamond-coated file

I think with these items I'll really fit in with the Azerbaijanis. I jest.

I'm also bringing some other things: a journal, some skirts, some pants, some shirts. My black peacoat, duct-tape (you never know), photo album, etc.

It's hard to comprehend that in three weeks I'll have been in Azerbaijan a week. I can't wrap my mind around it. I'm becoming more and more excited and less nervous. I feel as mentally and physically ready as I will be and look forward to spending time with friends and family until the big day arrives...

Next on the list:

Last day of work (10th)
Go up north (10th-13th)
Cedar Point (14th-15th)
Going Away party (16th)
Move out of apartment (19th)
Begin new life (24th and beyond...)

It's official. I've made my travel arrangements and am set to leave at 11:45am on Sunday, June 24th.

I've made all the plans, bought all the goods, I will get the Power of Attorney signed today....here I go....

I was waiting until I received the next piece of Peace Corps mail, my instructions on how to make travel arrangements to Philadelphia, but I grew impatient (who, me?), so....

There is an address you can send letters (lots and lots of letters!) to during my pre-service training
(June 27-Sept. 10).

I don't want to post it here for all to see, so feel free to email me if you want it.

I will receive mail about once a week (think: Americorps). They ask that no large packages (books etc.) be mailed until after training (so not to this address). I ask that too, since I'm going to be carrying everything with me to my new home once training is over.

Now I'm just waiting for that letter and studying Azeri. I now know more Azeri than any other foreign language. How useful!

Also, here is something I found from a fellow blogger (http://vera-causa.blogspot.com/) about Azeri cuisine:

Traditional food in Azerbaijan includes bread, pancakes and thick soups. Pilaf (plov), both savory and sweet, is a favorite in Azerbaijan. The savory pilaf is prepared using rice with meat, or fish, and vegetables and spices; the sweet version often contains dried apricots and raisins (which are also used on occasions to flavor meat recipes).

Spiced poultry, lamb, mutton and beef are featured prominently in Azerbaijani cuisine. Kebabs and lamb, or pressed minced meat, grilled on skewers are popular. Minced meat is also combined with rice to stuff aubergines, cabbage leaves and vine leaves. Savoury pastries filled with vegetables make a tasty snack. Vegetables, such as aubergines and tomatoes are often pickled. Dairy products, for example, yogurt and "kurut", a dried type of cottage cheese, are used in recipes.

Cakes and sweets include baklava and halva. Fruits available are apples, cherries, grapes, melons, raspberries, plums and peaches.

Sherbet drinks are very popular; mineral waters are available and sweet black tea is a favourite drink.

Just in case anyone was wondering...
The following is a timeline of my Peace Corps application process:

November 16th - Sent in electronic application
December 21st - Interview
January 8th - Nomination to NGO - Youth Development
February 20th - Begin medical appointments
March 9th - Sent in medical clearance application
March 22nd - Invited to Azerbaijan - class 5

Quit Job - check
Graduation - check
Trip to Maine - check

6 weeks and counting...

Peace Corps creeps closer and closer...
In the next few weeks I'll be receiving instructions for buying my plane ticket to Philadelphia.
Between now and then I'll be studying Azerbaijani.
But it's hard.
There's a lot of words that look the same but have different meanings.
Like Sag Olun (pronounced sarolun - with a french "r") which I've seen translated both as "thank you" and "goodbye" ugh....
There are so many things I won't understand until I get there...
You can only prepare so much...
I can now say (or at least read and understand) a few phrases such as, "where is the bathroom", "I don't understand" and "do you speak English"

Found someone to sublet my apartment.
Selling my old computer soon.
Then my car.
Don't know exactly what I'm going to pack.
I've been talking to a friend who's off to Moldova for PC at the beginning of June.
Yeesh.
Can't fathom what my life will be like in six months...

Here are some of the details of my new life:

I will be leaving for Philadelphia, PA on June 24th
I will have two and a half days of training
I will leave for Azerbaijan on June 27th
There are 54 people who will be going with me
Some of them are doing the same thing as me (Youth Development)
We will be the first ones to do Youth Development in this country
There have been 139 volunteers before us
None of them have died or been irreparably injured
We will not have hot running water
We will have cell phones and occasional internet
Sometimes we will have electricity, maybe even all the time, but probably not
Azerbaijan is the size of Maine
The weather is the same as here
I will not have to wear a burqa or a hijab
I will not wear shorts
I will live with a host family for the three months of training and for the first six months in my community
I will be the only PCV in my community
I will be within one hour of another PCV
I will have two vacation days for every month I am there
This adds up to 48 vacation days
I might get malaria
The Caucus mountains run through Azerbaijan and it borders the Caspian Sea
I hear the Caucus mountains are beautiful
I hear the Caspian Sea is disgusting (environmental degradation)
I am bringing my laptop, ipod, and digital camera
It's a good time to do Peace Corps
I will have an address and am able to receive packages
Especially books and American things like twinkies and high quality lotion
I don't really like Twinkies
I can get most everything I need in Azerbaijan
I will not always be able to get things I want
So I am bringing with me the things that I might want
My perfume, incense, candles, tapestry (not Ganesha), photographs...
Between now and then I will continue to write
I am grateful for all of the support I have received
I have received a lot of support

The following is some interesting information I found about Azerbaijan in relation to the religious practices. I copied it from a blog of another Azerbaijan PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer)

"For those who don't know, the countries in Central Asia and the Middle East that are known as the "stans" are so called because stan means "the land of". So, Afghanastan is the Land of Afghans. Azerbaijan obviously does not fit this mold, and is literally translated as "The Fire Land".

The naming is interesting because it is based on an ancient religion called Zoroastrian, founded by Zarathustra. The Greeks estimated that Zarathrusta lived 3,000 years before Plato. His religious philosophy is believed to be the basis for most modern monotheistic religions. Fire is the symbol of the religion, hence "The Land of Fire". On the Persian New Year the villagers build giant bonfires and jump over them seven times.

It is interesting that these traditions have survived both Russian rule and Islam. On grave stones that are centuries old the fire symbol can be found next to Christian, Islam and Jewish symbols."

On another note, I have completed my Visa and Peace Corps Passport paperwork as well as sending in my resume and aspiration statement to the host country (Azerbaijan). Now I await my "staging" materials and assorted paperwork which will be coming in the next couple months.
As I'm writing this, it seems kind of boring compared to posts to come.

Okay. Before anyone calls me in a panic "You're going WHERE???!!!" "Did you know Azerbaijan borders GEORGIA, ARMENIA and IRAN!!!???" Please visit the following website. It was referred to me by a fellow nominee at the PC potluck I recently attended. It is written by PCV's currently serving in Azerbaijan.

www.peacecorpsjournals.com