Yesterday, was our OFFICIAL BAKU VISIT!
God, I felt so Metropolitan.
I took the Metro. I walked around so much my calves hurt. I went shopping. I had a friggen' VANILLA LATTE!
Ok, rewind.
Hopped on the 140 and it turns out it took us right to the Peace Corps Office. Of course, this building has gates that are straight out of The Wizard of Oz (no little peepholes, or muchkins - that I could find...). After that we went to Martyr's Lane, a memorial park to remember the lives of those who died in 1990 in conflict with Russia, and in 1992/93 in conflict with Armenia. It was really a beautiful park, and parts of it reminded me a little bit of memorials in DC (Eternal Flame, Vietnam Memorial).
In 1990, Russia came in a last-ditch attempt to reclaim Azerbaijan as part of the Soviet Union, and instead ended up slaughtering a lot of Azerbaijanis - on the way to work, school, etc. One story that stuck with me was about a couple, a 28-year old man and his 20-year old pregnant wife. Apparently (this is what my LCF recounted to me) he went out of his home and was immediately killed by a Russian soldier. His wife ran outside to see what had happenned, and upon seeing him dead, killed herself as well. Such a Romeo and Juliet tale - but these things actually happen. People actually fell this way.
After that, we made our LCF take us to Baku Roasting Company. Which equates to a little bit of Heaven. Run by Americans, I had a vanilla latte, a piece of quiche, and was able to supplement my stock of ground coffee by buying a new bag. (Of course, these three items equated to a week's worth of my living allowance - but I save). Walking into that place was like walking into a warped dimension - Americans, children running around playing scrabble and shouting in English, soccer Moms, the sound of an espresso machine. It could have been any coffee shop on the Upper West Side. Oh, and free Wi-Fi! Could it get any better?
From there we headed down to Fountain Square, did a little bit of shopping (yes, my credit card DOES work in Azerbaijan - haha. Good thing I had a job this summer...), and just enjoyed seeing familiar brands. We went to CitiMart, an ex-pat grocery store, and could've gone even more crazy, but I restricted myself to a 4 manat bottle of maple syrup for pancakes this morning (homemade of course - the box of Hungry Jack was 10 manat - flour and milk and eggs for me!). My friend bought bacon (you can't find it here - Muslim country, so no one eats or sells pork), and it was 6 manat for 8 slices. Peanut butter was 7 manat, and a bag of Hershey's chocolate chips for cookies was 8 manat.
I'm going to live for my care packages. Seriously, anything that gets sent my way can't be bad.
I wonder, I've only been here for about 2 months, how I'm going to react to, say, Costco, after being here for two years?
I'm either going to have an anxiety attack or an entire week of binge-eating.
Meh, that's a long way away.
All in all, it was a successful day, and we're going to try to go back in sometime this week for lunch.
Only a few more days of language, and only a few more days until swear in, which means, Permanent site...I'm on my way. Which is awesome. But, I have to pack up all my crap again. That sucks.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Turkey - not like the Country
I just ate enough food to feed a small village.
Basically: Thanksgiving in Azerbaijan was a resounding success.
We headed over to Melissa's house – she lives right next to the school – after a compulsory morning of language class (I may work for the government, but I don't get holidays yet...), and began cooking around 1pm. She lives with an older couple, who have a lovely house and a beautiful kitchen (complete with oven) so it made the most sense to head there.
We cooked turkey (yours truly had nothing to do with it, though I almost had to season the thing until everyone realized that making the vegetarian rub down the raw turkey was a little unfair), butternut squash/pumpkin soup (i'm not sure if it classifies as a pumpkin or a butternut squash – the taste is pumpkin-y, but the appearance is squash-like – so it's some sort of squash), mushroom risotto (how proud was I that I was able to create it without a recipe! Not like it is terribly difficult, but small successes), garliky mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and apple crisp.
God, it was so good. Honestly, even the last few years, I've had fabulous meals, (including the one time we had Thanksgiving in a hotel room – complete with from-the-box-once-were-flakes mashed potatoes) but I have to say this one wins. Because we made it, using our own wiles, in a completely foreign country.
It really was wonderful.
We said a little prayer (a non-denominational, to the universe, sort of thanksgiving), for our families at home and our new little family in Azerbaijan. I got to talk to my family, which was lovely, and I was surprised at how not homesick I was. It's good, it's ok. I miss them, of course, and I wish I could be with them. But today wasn't such a bad substitution, and it's just one of the sacrifices I have to make to be here. And I can do that.
I have a lot to be thankful for this year. It started out a little rocky, but I feel like my life has started to settle out (funny, how I move to a foreign country and am somehow finding balance...). My life is filled with good people, who support me unconditionally, family and friends, and lots of blessings.
So, thanks Universe. I hope next year is just as great.
Basically: Thanksgiving in Azerbaijan was a resounding success.
We headed over to Melissa's house – she lives right next to the school – after a compulsory morning of language class (I may work for the government, but I don't get holidays yet...), and began cooking around 1pm. She lives with an older couple, who have a lovely house and a beautiful kitchen (complete with oven) so it made the most sense to head there.
We cooked turkey (yours truly had nothing to do with it, though I almost had to season the thing until everyone realized that making the vegetarian rub down the raw turkey was a little unfair), butternut squash/pumpkin soup (i'm not sure if it classifies as a pumpkin or a butternut squash – the taste is pumpkin-y, but the appearance is squash-like – so it's some sort of squash), mushroom risotto (how proud was I that I was able to create it without a recipe! Not like it is terribly difficult, but small successes), garliky mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and apple crisp.
God, it was so good. Honestly, even the last few years, I've had fabulous meals, (including the one time we had Thanksgiving in a hotel room – complete with from-the-box-once-were-flakes mashed potatoes) but I have to say this one wins. Because we made it, using our own wiles, in a completely foreign country.
It really was wonderful.
We said a little prayer (a non-denominational, to the universe, sort of thanksgiving), for our families at home and our new little family in Azerbaijan. I got to talk to my family, which was lovely, and I was surprised at how not homesick I was. It's good, it's ok. I miss them, of course, and I wish I could be with them. But today wasn't such a bad substitution, and it's just one of the sacrifices I have to make to be here. And I can do that.
I have a lot to be thankful for this year. It started out a little rocky, but I feel like my life has started to settle out (funny, how I move to a foreign country and am somehow finding balance...). My life is filled with good people, who support me unconditionally, family and friends, and lots of blessings.
So, thanks Universe. I hope next year is just as great.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
So. Much. To. Do.
I think this has been the most emotionally violent week so far.
I've been really high, and I've been really low too.
Translation: I am exhausted.
Started with Wednesday, a rather trying day of waiting and wishing and hoping and wanting to throw up from nerves, and then getting some really great news. I'm very excited about where I'm going, because it seems to be everything I am hoping for, and lines up with all of the reasons I joined PC.
Thursday we had more language class (always a trial) and then we went out to wait for our favorite bus, the 12A (Twelve is on-iki in Azerbaijani, so that's what we call it). Let me tell you something about the on-iki – it is a Soviet Relic. I mean, I've seen newer things in museums. This bus is about 40 years old, has probably never been washed in that 40 years, and sounds like it's operated by a toy engine. It clicks, it bumps, it sputters, (even my host sisters make fun of it – they bounce up and down in their chairs and go “tick tick tick tick tick” mimicking a bumpy ride), and even broke down once on the side of the rode when we were on it. The driver got out, walked around, beat something on the side of the bus, and then got back in. The ceiling is cracked, last time I could see the road through a hole in the side of the bus next to the wheel well, and it is entirely possible that the floor is made of cardboard. It has these 'gesheng' (Azerbaijani for 'nice' or 'pretty' – but our new slang term for 'totally awesome') red curtains over the windows, and of course the rearview mirror is decorated with all kinds of ornamentations, including the evil eye and a few unrecognizable fuzzy bits with sequins.
This adds to both the on-iki's charm and it's state of decrepitude (is that a word, I don't know...). Now, it gets us into Sumqayit in an hour, and we can't complain because it picks us up on the main road, and drops us off right in front of our favorite internet cafe, only a few minutes walk from our favorite restaurant, and our hub school. The on-iki has never failed us, until Thursday.
Thursday was also the coldest day, and it was raining. So we stand by the side of the road hoping to catch the bus on the half hour. And then maybe the hour. And then after 45 minutes of standing in the 35 degree rain, we decide, “Hey, we need a new plan.”
It is also completely common in Azerbaijani culture to walk around on the highway, crossing the highway at will and flagging down buses and taxis which will stop, and pick you up, on the highway. Our only options when the on-iki did not come were to take a bus to the Baku bus station, and then take a bus from Baku to Sumqayit. (Baku is the opposite direction from Sumqayit, so this would add much time to our trip that we did not have). Our second option was to take a bus to the highway, walk out and flag down the Baku-Sumqayit bus. This is what we did. Although, the bus we got on took us close to the highway, but not quite to it. So we walked five minutes to the highway (Marie and I almost got hit by another bus along the way), and by now the wind is whipping. We get to the highway and see not one, not two, but THREE on-ikis in a row, going in the opposite direction (meaning even if we had gotten on those we would still be about an hour and a half out of Sumqayit). Marie, in all seriousness, curses the buses and the drivers, wishing them bad fortune (which in retrospect was not a good idea because it would only serve to hurt us...), and we're at the highway. But of course, we need to go to the OTHER side to get the bus going in the proper direction, so we run across the overpass, walk down the entrance ramp, and begin hiking along the highway. By now it is freezing, we are walking into the wind, and I felt like I should have been climbing Mount Everest, not trying to get to Sumqayit to meet a representative from my new school. After about ten minutes of walking, we finally see a bus, begin jumping like maniacs to flag it down, and we get on. Of course it is packed, Sharif, our clustermate, was barely inside the bus when it started moving, and once the door finally closed (several attempts had only served to hit him in the back a few times), his backpack was stuck in it. But we were on the bus, the bus was warm, I'm sure everyone was laughing at these absurd Englishmen (because we aren't seen as American here – we are defined by our language), faces frozen, nearly crying, and a hot mess by Azerbaijani standards.
But we eventually got to Sumqayit and all was well.
We were onto the coordinator's conference, where I got to meet a representative from the school that I will be teaching at for the next two years. My coordinator was adorable – a 65-year old widow with four grown children, who took one look at me and said “You will be my daughter.” I think over the course of the two day conference, I learned more about her and her family than I did about the school, but that's alright. The school is bigger, there are 15 English teachers, and it sounds like computers, a library (in need of English books – so that's one project right there), and she even mentioned something about a play. Either they had done a play, or she wanted me to do a play, either way, I'm set.
*Basically what will happen in December, is that I will go to my site (how I get there is still up in the air, and I just pray that it's not on public transportation!), meet a new host family (with whom I will stay for the next four months), and start going to school. For a few weeks I will observe the classes, sit in on things, meet with teachers and the school director (who happens to be a woman – how's that for progress?), and then we'll have winter break. (Which will be hard, but I seem to have a pretty great site mate, so I'm sure we'll figure something out). After break I'll return, and choose of those 15 teachers about 3 to begin teaching with. I'll teach 15 hours a week, somewhere in the 5, 6, 7, or 8th forms (AZ forms are Am grades), and begin doing conversation clubs, a drama club (I hope!), and whatever else the community wants.
It was good to meet someone from my Rayon, because it is really making thngs imminent. Thanksgiving is next week, and after that only two weeks until I move out. It'll be very sad for me to leave my family, but fortunately they are close to Baku, so I can visit them whenever I am in the area, and I'm sure we will keep in close touch. For thanksgiving, our cluster is getting together to cook a good ol' fashioned American meal (though I think we're reduced to Turkey breast, because no one actually wants to kill a Turkey – and of course, vegetarian yours truly is completley fine by this...). Today I stayed home, and tomorrow I probably will too. Trying to get my energy back so I can bear down for the last two weeks and get some serious progress made on my language...I've suddenly realized that there is just so much to learn...
I've been really high, and I've been really low too.
Translation: I am exhausted.
Started with Wednesday, a rather trying day of waiting and wishing and hoping and wanting to throw up from nerves, and then getting some really great news. I'm very excited about where I'm going, because it seems to be everything I am hoping for, and lines up with all of the reasons I joined PC.
Thursday we had more language class (always a trial) and then we went out to wait for our favorite bus, the 12A (Twelve is on-iki in Azerbaijani, so that's what we call it). Let me tell you something about the on-iki – it is a Soviet Relic. I mean, I've seen newer things in museums. This bus is about 40 years old, has probably never been washed in that 40 years, and sounds like it's operated by a toy engine. It clicks, it bumps, it sputters, (even my host sisters make fun of it – they bounce up and down in their chairs and go “tick tick tick tick tick” mimicking a bumpy ride), and even broke down once on the side of the rode when we were on it. The driver got out, walked around, beat something on the side of the bus, and then got back in. The ceiling is cracked, last time I could see the road through a hole in the side of the bus next to the wheel well, and it is entirely possible that the floor is made of cardboard. It has these 'gesheng' (Azerbaijani for 'nice' or 'pretty' – but our new slang term for 'totally awesome') red curtains over the windows, and of course the rearview mirror is decorated with all kinds of ornamentations, including the evil eye and a few unrecognizable fuzzy bits with sequins.
This adds to both the on-iki's charm and it's state of decrepitude (is that a word, I don't know...). Now, it gets us into Sumqayit in an hour, and we can't complain because it picks us up on the main road, and drops us off right in front of our favorite internet cafe, only a few minutes walk from our favorite restaurant, and our hub school. The on-iki has never failed us, until Thursday.
Thursday was also the coldest day, and it was raining. So we stand by the side of the road hoping to catch the bus on the half hour. And then maybe the hour. And then after 45 minutes of standing in the 35 degree rain, we decide, “Hey, we need a new plan.”
It is also completely common in Azerbaijani culture to walk around on the highway, crossing the highway at will and flagging down buses and taxis which will stop, and pick you up, on the highway. Our only options when the on-iki did not come were to take a bus to the Baku bus station, and then take a bus from Baku to Sumqayit. (Baku is the opposite direction from Sumqayit, so this would add much time to our trip that we did not have). Our second option was to take a bus to the highway, walk out and flag down the Baku-Sumqayit bus. This is what we did. Although, the bus we got on took us close to the highway, but not quite to it. So we walked five minutes to the highway (Marie and I almost got hit by another bus along the way), and by now the wind is whipping. We get to the highway and see not one, not two, but THREE on-ikis in a row, going in the opposite direction (meaning even if we had gotten on those we would still be about an hour and a half out of Sumqayit). Marie, in all seriousness, curses the buses and the drivers, wishing them bad fortune (which in retrospect was not a good idea because it would only serve to hurt us...), and we're at the highway. But of course, we need to go to the OTHER side to get the bus going in the proper direction, so we run across the overpass, walk down the entrance ramp, and begin hiking along the highway. By now it is freezing, we are walking into the wind, and I felt like I should have been climbing Mount Everest, not trying to get to Sumqayit to meet a representative from my new school. After about ten minutes of walking, we finally see a bus, begin jumping like maniacs to flag it down, and we get on. Of course it is packed, Sharif, our clustermate, was barely inside the bus when it started moving, and once the door finally closed (several attempts had only served to hit him in the back a few times), his backpack was stuck in it. But we were on the bus, the bus was warm, I'm sure everyone was laughing at these absurd Englishmen (because we aren't seen as American here – we are defined by our language), faces frozen, nearly crying, and a hot mess by Azerbaijani standards.
But we eventually got to Sumqayit and all was well.
We were onto the coordinator's conference, where I got to meet a representative from the school that I will be teaching at for the next two years. My coordinator was adorable – a 65-year old widow with four grown children, who took one look at me and said “You will be my daughter.” I think over the course of the two day conference, I learned more about her and her family than I did about the school, but that's alright. The school is bigger, there are 15 English teachers, and it sounds like computers, a library (in need of English books – so that's one project right there), and she even mentioned something about a play. Either they had done a play, or she wanted me to do a play, either way, I'm set.
*Basically what will happen in December, is that I will go to my site (how I get there is still up in the air, and I just pray that it's not on public transportation!), meet a new host family (with whom I will stay for the next four months), and start going to school. For a few weeks I will observe the classes, sit in on things, meet with teachers and the school director (who happens to be a woman – how's that for progress?), and then we'll have winter break. (Which will be hard, but I seem to have a pretty great site mate, so I'm sure we'll figure something out). After break I'll return, and choose of those 15 teachers about 3 to begin teaching with. I'll teach 15 hours a week, somewhere in the 5, 6, 7, or 8th forms (AZ forms are Am grades), and begin doing conversation clubs, a drama club (I hope!), and whatever else the community wants.
It was good to meet someone from my Rayon, because it is really making thngs imminent. Thanksgiving is next week, and after that only two weeks until I move out. It'll be very sad for me to leave my family, but fortunately they are close to Baku, so I can visit them whenever I am in the area, and I'm sure we will keep in close touch. For thanksgiving, our cluster is getting together to cook a good ol' fashioned American meal (though I think we're reduced to Turkey breast, because no one actually wants to kill a Turkey – and of course, vegetarian yours truly is completley fine by this...). Today I stayed home, and tomorrow I probably will too. Trying to get my energy back so I can bear down for the last two weeks and get some serious progress made on my language...I've suddenly realized that there is just so much to learn...
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
I Can See Russia From My House!
Yesterday at the TEFL sessions we were like children on Christmas Eve. Bugging Flora and Gulnara (our TEFL program managers - our bosses) about where we were going to be placed. We just wanted to peek under the wrappings and get some sort of idea - but no, they held firm and made us wait until today.
This morning I woke up to the wind howling, and a grey sky, and I seriously thought for a moment it was Christmas morning. I put on my pretty dress and my make up, and headed out for a difficult morning of language (because I couldn't pay attention to anything) and then off to Sumqayit.
I don't think I've been this nervous about something since maybe waiting for a cast list Junior year of college.
My stomach was flipping, my muscles were tense, I was kind of doing that shivering/shaking thing you do when you are really anxious. (Granted, it is also FREEZING outside - very windy - so I was also trying to keep myself warm). And I kind of wanted to throw up a little...
Gulnara called my name, told me the town, and I'm thrilled.
I'm in a town in the north, I have one site mate, and she and I will be the first Peace Corps Volunteers in our region. Apparently the atmosphere is a little bit more liberal (yesss...), and this may give me a chance to learn some Russian!
So yes, I'm really really happy. And now I'm going to go home and make some Chili and celebrate with my family. (Who I will be moving very far away from, but I hope they'll come visit!)
This morning I woke up to the wind howling, and a grey sky, and I seriously thought for a moment it was Christmas morning. I put on my pretty dress and my make up, and headed out for a difficult morning of language (because I couldn't pay attention to anything) and then off to Sumqayit.
I don't think I've been this nervous about something since maybe waiting for a cast list Junior year of college.
My stomach was flipping, my muscles were tense, I was kind of doing that shivering/shaking thing you do when you are really anxious. (Granted, it is also FREEZING outside - very windy - so I was also trying to keep myself warm). And I kind of wanted to throw up a little...
Gulnara called my name, told me the town, and I'm thrilled.
I'm in a town in the north, I have one site mate, and she and I will be the first Peace Corps Volunteers in our region. Apparently the atmosphere is a little bit more liberal (yesss...), and this may give me a chance to learn some Russian!
So yes, I'm really really happy. And now I'm going to go home and make some Chili and celebrate with my family. (Who I will be moving very far away from, but I hope they'll come visit!)
Sunday, November 15, 2009
I'm so Smart I Surprise Myself
I just realized today that technically, I am in Asia.
Woo hoo, add another continent to my list friends, I'm up to four!
(but how dumb does that make me? I guess I figured it wasn't really Europe, but somehow I just assumed...)
So half of our group has our site placements, and the other half (my half) does not. I'm terribly jealous, and dying for Wednesday to come so I can at least have a NAME of somewhere. I'm sure it will be very small, and I still won't really know much more about it, but that's ok! I just want a name!
I've been here about 6 weeks – 7 weeks (?) I'm not really counting, and though I'm holding up well, there are definite moments where I profoundly miss some things. A list (family and friends is a given, I'm talking random stuff):
Things That I Miss:
New York (yeah, it's surprising how much I miss it. I could just be detoxing from graduating from college and all, but I really miss it...)
Everything bagels with reduced fat cream cheese and a tall black coffee.
Hot chocolate with marshmallows and cinnamon.
Clothes that don't make me feel like an orthodox jewish girl. (*this is not meant in a mean way, but I feel like one of those girls I'd see at the gym at NYU running on the treadmill in a knee length black skirt and tights. I look like that ALL THE TIME.)
ChristmasTime. (Like the build up, think Target in late November/early December. So happy.)
An oven.
The gym.
Decent wine. (Yup, that feeling has hit resident-wino yours truly already)
Rosemary anything.
Normal cheese (baked brie would make my life right now)
Google. 101Cookbooks.com. imdb.com. (basically, access to look up anything whenever I want).
Target, at any time of the year.
NYC 3rd Avenue and 60th street. (it's that corner with Bloomingdale's and Dylan's Candy shop – for some reason the image of it at night won't leave my head...)
Things That I Really Love About Here:
My host family (can I take them with me to permanent site? I guess I'd have to ask them first...)
Tandoori Bread
Cay that is always hot and ready.
Mercimek (killer lentil soup – served with lemon and red pepper, I swear I eat it every other day).
How they put corn on pizza...
Azerbaijani Baklava.
Not having a mirror in my room.
Not using facebook.
Some of the best awful television. (there's one channel that's like watching YouTube videos all day)
Turkish music and soap operas.
How they play the Pirates of the Carribean theme as the background to their News. (This is true, and it's not some close approximation of the theme, it's the soundtrack)
*note how most of the list relates to food items. I have discovered that I have the personality of a fat kid, and though I don't consider myself fat, I have been called chubby here a few times. I console myself with the fact that I could probably take all of the girls who have called me chubby with one hand tied behind my back. Not that I would, but I could...
Woo hoo, add another continent to my list friends, I'm up to four!
(but how dumb does that make me? I guess I figured it wasn't really Europe, but somehow I just assumed...)
So half of our group has our site placements, and the other half (my half) does not. I'm terribly jealous, and dying for Wednesday to come so I can at least have a NAME of somewhere. I'm sure it will be very small, and I still won't really know much more about it, but that's ok! I just want a name!
I've been here about 6 weeks – 7 weeks (?) I'm not really counting, and though I'm holding up well, there are definite moments where I profoundly miss some things. A list (family and friends is a given, I'm talking random stuff):
Things That I Miss:
New York (yeah, it's surprising how much I miss it. I could just be detoxing from graduating from college and all, but I really miss it...)
Everything bagels with reduced fat cream cheese and a tall black coffee.
Hot chocolate with marshmallows and cinnamon.
Clothes that don't make me feel like an orthodox jewish girl. (*this is not meant in a mean way, but I feel like one of those girls I'd see at the gym at NYU running on the treadmill in a knee length black skirt and tights. I look like that ALL THE TIME.)
ChristmasTime. (Like the build up, think Target in late November/early December. So happy.)
An oven.
The gym.
Decent wine. (Yup, that feeling has hit resident-wino yours truly already)
Rosemary anything.
Normal cheese (baked brie would make my life right now)
Google. 101Cookbooks.com. imdb.com. (basically, access to look up anything whenever I want).
Target, at any time of the year.
NYC 3rd Avenue and 60th street. (it's that corner with Bloomingdale's and Dylan's Candy shop – for some reason the image of it at night won't leave my head...)
Things That I Really Love About Here:
My host family (can I take them with me to permanent site? I guess I'd have to ask them first...)
Tandoori Bread
Cay that is always hot and ready.
Mercimek (killer lentil soup – served with lemon and red pepper, I swear I eat it every other day).
How they put corn on pizza...
Azerbaijani Baklava.
Not having a mirror in my room.
Not using facebook.
Some of the best awful television. (there's one channel that's like watching YouTube videos all day)
Turkish music and soap operas.
How they play the Pirates of the Carribean theme as the background to their News. (This is true, and it's not some close approximation of the theme, it's the soundtrack)
*note how most of the list relates to food items. I have discovered that I have the personality of a fat kid, and though I don't consider myself fat, I have been called chubby here a few times. I console myself with the fact that I could probably take all of the girls who have called me chubby with one hand tied behind my back. Not that I would, but I could...
Friday, November 13, 2009
This Has Nothing to do with Azerbaijan...
I promise you, it really doesn't...
Oh, Roman Holiday. What a film.
Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, how do I love thee...
Memorable moments: Audrey Hepburn standing on her bed bemoaning her nightgowns and udnerwear. When Audrey Hepburn checks to make sure she is still wearing pants when she wakes up in a foreign apartment. The cute old Italian man yelling at the Italian kids standing outside the door. Physical comedy! Gregory Peck breaking chairs over the heads of “Secret Service of a Country that Shall Remain Nameless.” Audrey Hepburn's last look to the press, and Gregory Peck's long walk away from the stage at the end...wondering if she'll run after him. But she doesn't...oh, my heart aches thinking about it.
Really, what do you think happens after the movie ends? Is there a torrid love affair between Princess Ann and Joe Brady of the American News Service? Or did they only get 24 hours?
I think they only got 24 hours...not because I'm a pessimist, but because I think when Audrey Hepburn locks eyes with him for the last time in the film – she knows it is the last time. You can see it in her eyes, she's saying goodbye.
God, what good acting does to me.
On that note, what bad acting does to me...
I watched the original Fame again the other day, and was reminded of why I went to see the new one. Because the old one is SO GOOD.
The original deals with so much in a span of two hours...and NYC circa 1980s just makes it even more real. Back then, the city was dirty and dangerous. The lives these kids are living are dirty and dangerous. There's abortion, assault, homophobia, racism, poverty, exploitation, you name it, they deal with it. And they actually act...you believe what they are going through, you care about where they end up. And in the end, like in life, you really don't have any answers. (Oh, and the theme song is actually IN this version...)
The new one, well, it's set in a New York that is glamorized by shows like Gossip Girl, and it's basically a rich kids playground. The stuff they did in the first movie never would have passed the ratings board today, and that's a damn shame. There's no conflict in the new one. Just cute kids singing a little bit and whining about how bad they want to “make it.” You don't really ever believe a thing they are saying. There's no conflict when your soul isn't on the line...plus they added a bunch of new crap songs that are just filler. Shoulda stuck with the original soundtrack friends...
I've been thinking about acting a lot lately. Not quite enough to want to go back into it, but certainly enough to make me realize that I did spend a significant chunk of my life dedicated to the theatre, and I can't forget that.
I think because I didn't have such a great experience with theatre at NYU, I'm keen to pretend it didn't really happen. But I can't do that, because then I would be ignoring a solid quarter of my life. (More if you want to count how long I've been in theatre, just generically speaking).
It'll always be there.
Oh, Roman Holiday. What a film.
Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, how do I love thee...
Memorable moments: Audrey Hepburn standing on her bed bemoaning her nightgowns and udnerwear. When Audrey Hepburn checks to make sure she is still wearing pants when she wakes up in a foreign apartment. The cute old Italian man yelling at the Italian kids standing outside the door. Physical comedy! Gregory Peck breaking chairs over the heads of “Secret Service of a Country that Shall Remain Nameless.” Audrey Hepburn's last look to the press, and Gregory Peck's long walk away from the stage at the end...wondering if she'll run after him. But she doesn't...oh, my heart aches thinking about it.
Really, what do you think happens after the movie ends? Is there a torrid love affair between Princess Ann and Joe Brady of the American News Service? Or did they only get 24 hours?
I think they only got 24 hours...not because I'm a pessimist, but because I think when Audrey Hepburn locks eyes with him for the last time in the film – she knows it is the last time. You can see it in her eyes, she's saying goodbye.
God, what good acting does to me.
On that note, what bad acting does to me...
I watched the original Fame again the other day, and was reminded of why I went to see the new one. Because the old one is SO GOOD.
The original deals with so much in a span of two hours...and NYC circa 1980s just makes it even more real. Back then, the city was dirty and dangerous. The lives these kids are living are dirty and dangerous. There's abortion, assault, homophobia, racism, poverty, exploitation, you name it, they deal with it. And they actually act...you believe what they are going through, you care about where they end up. And in the end, like in life, you really don't have any answers. (Oh, and the theme song is actually IN this version...)
The new one, well, it's set in a New York that is glamorized by shows like Gossip Girl, and it's basically a rich kids playground. The stuff they did in the first movie never would have passed the ratings board today, and that's a damn shame. There's no conflict in the new one. Just cute kids singing a little bit and whining about how bad they want to “make it.” You don't really ever believe a thing they are saying. There's no conflict when your soul isn't on the line...plus they added a bunch of new crap songs that are just filler. Shoulda stuck with the original soundtrack friends...
I've been thinking about acting a lot lately. Not quite enough to want to go back into it, but certainly enough to make me realize that I did spend a significant chunk of my life dedicated to the theatre, and I can't forget that.
I think because I didn't have such a great experience with theatre at NYU, I'm keen to pretend it didn't really happen. But I can't do that, because then I would be ignoring a solid quarter of my life. (More if you want to count how long I've been in theatre, just generically speaking).
It'll always be there.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A Rainy Day
I woke up this morning to the sound of rain splattering against my window. The power was out, and I was the only one up. (It was 9:30 am).
I woke up, put the hot water on, and made myself French toast (honey, instead of syrup). I ate in my room, in the dark, contemplating turning on some music, but preferring the soft pitter patter outside.
I cherish these mornings, when it is just me, just existing in this place.
Sometimes, I sort of forget I'm in Azerbaijan.
This is not to say that I have any desire to forget where I am. I really am happy here. But living abroad, there is constantly a feeling of living abroad. The knowledge that you are an outsider in another place follows you everywhere, and is awakened everytime you see a sign you cannot understand, or hear a conversation that you don't know.
Moments of familiarity are blissful.
A few of us have taken to creating a little cooking club, our endeavors have included Fajitas (successful), crepes (not successful - non-stick cookware is a myth), and tomato sauce and gnocchi (moderately successful - we were in a rush, and you cannot rush gnocchi, but it still tasted pretty good). Again, those moments of familiar food, with a language I can speak in complete sentences, is really nice.
I came home last night and even looked out the window of the bus and thought to myself "That street looks a little like Brooklyn, or maybe a place in Cleveland..."
It was kind of a cool feeling.
A final note, for those of you who were worried about me, I have yet to feel unsafe here. Sure, there are things that are uncomfortable, but I have yet to feel insecure, or concerned for my safety. I can navigate this area without too much fear. Certainly I keep my guard about me, but it is nothing I'm not used to from living in NY for four years.
Today I'm in Sumqayit, existing in the rain, and enjoying the company of other Americans, because I know once I get to site, that is going to be a little bit harder to find.
I woke up, put the hot water on, and made myself French toast (honey, instead of syrup). I ate in my room, in the dark, contemplating turning on some music, but preferring the soft pitter patter outside.
I cherish these mornings, when it is just me, just existing in this place.
Sometimes, I sort of forget I'm in Azerbaijan.
This is not to say that I have any desire to forget where I am. I really am happy here. But living abroad, there is constantly a feeling of living abroad. The knowledge that you are an outsider in another place follows you everywhere, and is awakened everytime you see a sign you cannot understand, or hear a conversation that you don't know.
Moments of familiarity are blissful.
A few of us have taken to creating a little cooking club, our endeavors have included Fajitas (successful), crepes (not successful - non-stick cookware is a myth), and tomato sauce and gnocchi (moderately successful - we were in a rush, and you cannot rush gnocchi, but it still tasted pretty good). Again, those moments of familiar food, with a language I can speak in complete sentences, is really nice.
I came home last night and even looked out the window of the bus and thought to myself "That street looks a little like Brooklyn, or maybe a place in Cleveland..."
It was kind of a cool feeling.
A final note, for those of you who were worried about me, I have yet to feel unsafe here. Sure, there are things that are uncomfortable, but I have yet to feel insecure, or concerned for my safety. I can navigate this area without too much fear. Certainly I keep my guard about me, but it is nothing I'm not used to from living in NY for four years.
Today I'm in Sumqayit, existing in the rain, and enjoying the company of other Americans, because I know once I get to site, that is going to be a little bit harder to find.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Halloween AZ-style
Picture this:
My pocket knife open. Nar juice splatterred across the table, my hands stained red.
It kind of looked like I had mauled a small animal, but I did not (I'm a vegetarian, let's remember). That is just what happens when I eat nar. And it seems fitting for the time, as it is the closest I got to gruesome Halloween decor.
For you Americans, Nar is Pomegranate, and here it is in abundance. Not like in America, where it is really expensive and elitist, here, you can just pop into a yard, pull it off the tree, and enjoy. My host father brought home a gigantic box of them the other day, and they are fresh and sweet and delicious. And then my host mother made jam with them. Oh. So. Good.
Azerbaijan: 1
America: 0
Well, ok, that's not a fair tally, but you get the idea. My clustermate got a whole box of snacks the other day, and let me tell you, Pizzeria Combos never tasted so good.
Things continue to go very well here – I scored Intermediate Low on my mid-PST Language Proficiency Exam, which means I can form basic sentences in Azerbaijani. I've continued to teach, and it continues to go pretty well. The kids (for the most part) respond well to me, and I'm enjoying it. I really just can't wait to get my own class, and my own students, who I can get to know and begin to understand...
Which brings me to my next bit, our final site placements...which unfortunately, have been pushed back about a week. I was pretty disappointed at first, though I realized that knowing the name of the small village I will (probably) be placed in won't actually make any difference until I get there. So I remain patient, and keep on keeping on.
Halloween came and went rather uneventfully on my end. Which was disappointing because Halloween is my second favorite holiday (second only to Christmas), and I was surprised actually by how much I missed being in the US for Halloween. I've only been here for a month, but I already miss some distinctly US things. But it has given me the encouragement to reflect on why I'm here, and what I was looking to get out of this experience.
I'm kind of hoping I get placed somewhere small. I mean, when am I ever going to live like this again?
Host family is great, still, and I've come to the realization that I am kind of like the family pet. They feed me, let me sleep when I want to, take me out and show me off, and give me all sorts of wonderful encouragement when I do a trick, like cooking or cleaning or using my token Azerbaijani phrases. The life of a cat is a pretty good one I'll say...
Again, I suppose nothing eventful to say. Just good things...I'll post more pictures soon!
My pocket knife open. Nar juice splatterred across the table, my hands stained red.
It kind of looked like I had mauled a small animal, but I did not (I'm a vegetarian, let's remember). That is just what happens when I eat nar. And it seems fitting for the time, as it is the closest I got to gruesome Halloween decor.
For you Americans, Nar is Pomegranate, and here it is in abundance. Not like in America, where it is really expensive and elitist, here, you can just pop into a yard, pull it off the tree, and enjoy. My host father brought home a gigantic box of them the other day, and they are fresh and sweet and delicious. And then my host mother made jam with them. Oh. So. Good.
Azerbaijan: 1
America: 0
Well, ok, that's not a fair tally, but you get the idea. My clustermate got a whole box of snacks the other day, and let me tell you, Pizzeria Combos never tasted so good.
Things continue to go very well here – I scored Intermediate Low on my mid-PST Language Proficiency Exam, which means I can form basic sentences in Azerbaijani. I've continued to teach, and it continues to go pretty well. The kids (for the most part) respond well to me, and I'm enjoying it. I really just can't wait to get my own class, and my own students, who I can get to know and begin to understand...
Which brings me to my next bit, our final site placements...which unfortunately, have been pushed back about a week. I was pretty disappointed at first, though I realized that knowing the name of the small village I will (probably) be placed in won't actually make any difference until I get there. So I remain patient, and keep on keeping on.
Halloween came and went rather uneventfully on my end. Which was disappointing because Halloween is my second favorite holiday (second only to Christmas), and I was surprised actually by how much I missed being in the US for Halloween. I've only been here for a month, but I already miss some distinctly US things. But it has given me the encouragement to reflect on why I'm here, and what I was looking to get out of this experience.
I'm kind of hoping I get placed somewhere small. I mean, when am I ever going to live like this again?
Host family is great, still, and I've come to the realization that I am kind of like the family pet. They feed me, let me sleep when I want to, take me out and show me off, and give me all sorts of wonderful encouragement when I do a trick, like cooking or cleaning or using my token Azerbaijani phrases. The life of a cat is a pretty good one I'll say...
Again, I suppose nothing eventful to say. Just good things...I'll post more pictures soon!
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