Azer-[bye]-jackie

2010-05-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

http://twitpic.com/1d67uh

PEEP SUSHI!!! I love this! Check it out.

Wanna help a future leader of Azerbaijan?

2010-04-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

http://www.americancouncils.org/donation/project/66

Shams is one of the girls that we work with here in Lankaran. She is amazingly ambitious and really sweet. She was one of the student leaders at the summer camp I did last summer, and now, she has been given a great opportunity to study in the US. Here's some more info she wrote about herself. If you are willing, interested and able, she and I would both really appreciate your financial support! THANK YOU in advance! :)

"My name is Shams Alizada and I am FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange Program) alumni of 2008-2009.

I am 18 years old, and live in a small city in Azerbaijan called Lenkoran. I have three older sisters, and I currently live with my mother. I lost my father 4 years ago and this was a very challenging period in my life. My mother is a single parents and she works as a schoolteacher. I had to overcome many challenges by myself. I failed a few times, but failures did not stop me. I got more encouraged and succeed a lot.

I graduated High School, and got accepted to Lankaran State University on a full scholarship. That same year I into the FLEX program, and went to study in the USA. Studying in America taught me a lot. I learned how to overcome challenges and interact with different kinds of people. I improved myself, experienced different culture, and I shared my own culture with others.

Recently I was informed that I have been awarded the Iacocca/U.S. State Department full-tuition scholarship for Global Village 2010 in the amount of USD 6500. The program’s purposes is to increase business and industry knowledge, enhance leadership and entrepreneurial skills, and develop global and cultural networking among the participants.

Earning this scholarship has been one of the biggest successes in my life. It will influence my future career in the business field. I live in a rural area where most people rarely accept female leaders. The most suitable jobs for females are being doctors, teachers, and nurses. We have very few women who work in the business field, and most of them do not have educational backgrounds in this field. Mostly males have business opportunities in Azerbaijan. This program is giving me a great opportunity to get more educated in the business field and to be able to organize new international projects in the future. It will influence the plans I have made for the next five years and my whole life. Five years from now I will have graduated from university. I will apply to study for my master’s degree in international business in the U.S., because U.S.A. is a democratic country and has an improved educational system. I see myself as a highly educated person with great professional and personal skills. I will apply my gained knowledge in my country, realize international projects and be able to bring innovations to my country. By that time female leaders will be more accepted in my country. I want to be a role model for them.

The Iacocca/U.S. State Department full-tuition scholarship for Global Village 2010 I had mentioned above does not provide travel and meals expenses. The airfare ticket will be approximately $1700 and the cost of meals and personal expenses is estimated between USD $900-$1600 during the six-week program. So $1700 for ticket and $1000 is for meals, which is a total of $2700. I need this money by May 15^th. Unfortunately my family and I cannot afford to pay this amount of money, since my mother gets paid 160 AZN each month and I get a stipend of 34 AZN from my university for getting good grades. I really need the support. I hope you can help me achieve my goals. Any amount would be appreciated.

Thank you!"

AZ Cookbook

2010-03-18T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is a really beautiful website. I'd like to use it when I return to remind me of home cookin' in Azerbaijan :)

http://www.azcookbook.com/

Azerbaijan in the 2010 Winter Olympics!

2010-02-19T03:58:00.000-08:00

http://www.sbnation.com/2010/2/12/1308580/olympic-pants-war-advantage

World Map Project

2010-02-16T04:59:00.000-08:00

This is the World Map Project, developed by a PCV and reproduced often by current PCVs! I'm planning on doing this in the new Resource Room at my school! Hopefully ours will look as great as this one! In this picture, my good friend Löki is helping a PCV in Thailand with his project. She did this while she was on vacation there! Amazing :)

Here's some more info about it:

The World Map Project brings people together to create large, colorful maps of the world.
Initiated by a Peace Corps Volunteer, this project promotes geography literacy in an
engaging way while also building a sense of community among mapmakers. It is one
example of how Volunteers meet the goals of their Peace Corps service.

Since 1988, enthusiastic Volunteers have carried this highly acclaimed program to over
40 countries around the world. Returned Volunteers have spread the idea across the
U.S. as well. Because of the wide appeal of the activity, this guide (a revision of an earlier
manual) has been written for many different groups: U.S. teachers, Peace Corps Volunteers,
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, scout leaders, youth workers, and others.

February 27th is the tentative date that we're planning on doing this in our village! Wish us luck!

Long Awaited and Long Overdue

2010-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

It’s been a long time since I updated this blog so I think I’ll present you with a sort of list of things that are going on now and things that have happened in my life recently (slash in the last 3 months).

October. November. December. And now it’s January?! The end of 2009 was such a whirlwind which has in turn made the beginning of 2010 seem like it’s dragging on. October was full of guesting, weddings, birthdays, parties, exciting news, and new volunteers in Azerbaijan! November consisted of lots of travelling (to work, yes, but also to visit friends!) and reading, an international teaching conference in Baku, a trip to my host sister’s university, and Thanksgiving! December was when both good news and new site mates arrived, and also when I went HOME!

The new trainees (now volunteers) arrived in-country on October 1st. They have about 60 people in their group, most of whom are female (this is typical of Peace Corps worldwide). Shortly after their arrival, they made trips out to the regions to visit us current volunteers. [[Note: Their group’s name is AZ7, and our group’s name is AZ6. This has to do with the fact that we are the sixth group to be in Azerbaijan, and they, well they are the seventh…clearly.]] In Lankaran, the city near me, we had five girls come to visit! It was so much fun. We got to show them around Lankaran, take them to a conversation club, show them how to go to the bazaar, and even how to cook Peace-Corps-style. My site mates, Rachel & Hiba, and I answered a ton of questions. It was a nice time to get to know some people from the new group in a relaxing atmosphere. Plus, they bring a lot of refreshing energy with them. Shortly after that visit, I was off to Baku to be a mentor for the TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) volunteers during their practicum. I attended one week of the two-week practicum, and was assigned to one individual group of five trainees. I watched each one of them teach a lesson everyday and offered advice and words of wisdom (yes, after being here for a year, I am considered wise). It was a long week, but one in which I learned a lot about myself and about 5 more of the trainees. I got to stay with my old host family for the entire week, which was awesome. The girl who stayed with them from AZ7, Amanda, is great. We got along really well and I enjoyed being a part of her psyche during that time of training; it gave me a chance to see how far I’ve come in just a year’s time.

In between the site visits from the AZ7s and being a practicum mentor, I somehow found time to go to three weddings, all of which were pretty different. I also celebrated Halloween…twice. I celebrated it once in Baku with my Peace Corps friends and once at site with my site mates, counterparts and about 30 of my students! We told the students to wear a costume and to bring a pumpkin, and that the rest would be set up by us. So, we got to work. I got some amazing donations from home from my oh-so-wonderful aunt Paulette and my lovely mother, including decorations, candy, and random Halloween supplies. My site mates and I cooked a spider web cake and put together goodie bags. Then, on the day of the party, we all set up the room (which is plain white, with desks and a chalkboard) to look as much like Halloween as possible. The students started showing up early, of course, and were so excited. I was so impressed by the creativity of their costumes especially because they were all soooo nervous about their costumes J. They didn’t have the option of going to a costume store, but to me their costumes were 100 times better. One student even had someone sew him a Dracula costume! The party began with making Jack-O-Lanterns and then proceeded on to snack time. After that we had a “funniest ghost face” and “scariest jack-o-lantern face” drawing contest. We then took many, many pictures and wrapped up the party by choosing from the huge pile of Halloween greeting cards my mom had sent. It was such a success. The students were talking about it for weeks afterward.

October was also the month of good news. I found out that one of my students passed on to the third round of FLEX testing. FLEX is a scholarship program that allows 9th-11th grade students in countries who were part of the former Soviet Union to study abroad in the US for a year. It is a huge deal that he, a student from the village school in Liman, has passed on to this level. So, he did the test and completed the application, and now we have to wait until about March or April to find out if he’s been accepted or not. The applications for the third round are sent to the US to be read. We’re so excited and nervous! The good news is, even if he doesn’t make it, he still has two more years of eligibility. Cross your fingers! The other good news is that I found out I would be going home for Christmas and New Years. My mom called almost in tears one day saying how bad she wanted me home for the holidays, and from that point, it’s all history. Haha. Somehow it worked out that I could come home and spend about two weeks with my friends and family…but more on that later.

In day-to-day news, I continue to be involved with the South Branch of AzETA (Azerbaijani English Teachers Association), which is based in Lankaran. We have a meeting every other Sunday, a book club once a month, a movie club once a month, and conferences twice a year. The most recent movie we watched was The Sound of Music! My favorite! It was a hit, of course. In November, Hiba and I, along with about 10 members from the South Branch attended the International AzETA Conference, held in Baku. There were people from all over, including the US, Great Britain, Iran, Turkey and of course Azerbaijan. It was such a great conference. Azerbaijani teachers got to learn about everything from “how to use music and art in the classroom” to “how to teach lessons on character”, and it was great for me, too. I did not go to university to be a teacher, so any help or extra training I can get is much appreciated. AzETA continues to be one of my favorite things to be a part of in Azerbaijan. I am constantly encouraged by the talent and drive of the teachers involved in this organization.

Also, I have begun to tutor my counterparts on a twice-weekly basis. Our main goal is to improve our speaking skills, and thus increase the amount of English spoken in the classroom. So far, it’s been pretty productive. We’re still trying to figure out the best way to do our tutoring sessions, but if nothing else, it’s an enjoyable time spent with two lovely ladies. FYI, what are counterparts? Peace Corps requires us to not only teach classes, but to also work alongside at least one counterpart. The thought is that if we teach the teachers how to teach using new, interactive teaching methods, our development work will be more sustainable. It is both extremely challenging and extremely rewarding working with counterparts.

School is a daily challenge. Teaching is such a roller coaster. It is very difficult for me to not take teaching personally. I struggle dealing with the emotional burden that teaching brings. True, my students have it better than students in many other places in the world, but they still face huge obstacles just by being a part of the education system here. Let it suffice to say that there are some things that aren’t perfect about it. Of course, in what country is the education system flawless? Our world does not value education like it should. Not even close. Anyway, as Peace Corps volunteers, we try to bring in new, interactive teaching methods, yes, but quite possibly our greatest goal is to simply be a good example. I want students to value being on time, respect each other and their teachers, and enjoy school. If I teach some English along the way, excellent. The new methods we try to implement are just that, new. And new things/changes are hard for children, and even harder for teachers who have taught using the same method for years. So, I say all that to say, I do enjoy teaching, I enjoy seeing the light bulb turn on in my students’ heads when they understand something for the first time, I enjoy seeing them excited about taking a test, and I definitely enjoy it when they give me a standing ovation after I’ve returned from a vacation! J Children are special people, difficult, funny, annoying and lovely all at once. And I could use those same words to describe teaching.

November was when we had the AzETA conference, and also when we had Thanksgiving! The current US Ambassador hosted a dinner for Peace Corps Volunteers at his house in Baku. There were probably about 100 people there and we each brought a dish (I brought mashed potatoes, duh). We had turkey, all kinds of veggies, casseroles, mac-n-cheese, fruit salad, regular salad, bread, and lots of delicious desserts! After we were all thoroughly stuffed, we had a talent show. I, unfortunately, had not prepared anything (I know, I know), but I enjoyed watching my fellow AZ6-ers singing, dancing, and acting. It was such a fun evening and a great way to spend Thanksgiving- not to mention the food was incredible!

Also in November, I made the trip to my host sister’s university in Baku. It is the university of languages, and her major is American Studies and English, with a sort of minor in Spanish. For those of you who know me, you’re probably thinking how ironic that she is my host sister. I agree. Anyway, Johanna and I went, and answered questions about the US. They asked us about everything from idioms (I’m probably the world’s worst person to ask about idioms, I’ve found) to our current and past presidents. I was so impressed by their curiosity and English skills, and it was really encouraging and a pleasure to be around educated, motivated students.
In other day-to-day news, I read an amazing, very touching and difficult-to-read book, Half the Sky. It’s a book about the obstacles women have faced over the years and continue to face today. The book is written by a couple who have been journalists for years and eventually decided to write a book about what they saw in the field and what they feel to be one of the world’s most neglected populations, women. They write about everything from sex slaves to women not having access to education. This is a subject about which I am extremely passionate. I would encourage every person to read this book, and then do something about it. As citizens of the world and especially as Americans, we have great power to make changes. If only we would act towards that change on a regular basis. Anyway, read the book. And then, let me know what your thoughts, opinions or ideas are about it.

And finally…December. December was such an exciting month! We had our final VAC (Volunteer Action Committee) meeting of 2009. The new volunteers had their swearing-in ceremony, which I was lucky enough to attend. The ceremony was a really nice time, with inspirational speeches and lots of energy from newly-sworn-in PCVs. I felt extremely patriotic during the playing of the national anthem and while listening to one of the new volunteers talking about what it means to be an American. What an exciting time for these new volunteers and also for Azerbaijan who has the privilege of accepting this awesome new group of PCVs. Lankaran is excited to welcome two new volunteers as our new site mates. Their names are Aaron, who is from Wisconsin and is a Community Economic Development volunteer, and Eli, who is from Alaska and is a Youth Development volunteer. Lerik, the mountain town close by received a TEFL volunteer, Jessica, and a CED volunteer, Mason. The southern region of Azerbaijan overall received 7 volunteers! We worked hard to get more people in the South because it is such a large and underrepresented region…success! I traveled back to site with all of our new volunteers and enjoyed getting to know them a bit. It was amusing to think back to my own experience moving to site with all my bags and awkward water filter and huge sleeping bag and more!

Before I left for home on December 21st, I found out that the grant I had written for an English Resource Room at my school had been officially approved. YESSSS! It is called a SPA (Small Project Assistance) grant and is a grant sponsored by USAID especially for Peace Corps volunteers. We’ve been approved for a little over $3000 and will use the money to buy computers, technological equipment, furniture, and other supplies. I’m working on the project with my counterparts and students, and am extremely excited to see the finished project. We’re hoping to paint a map of the world on the wall, put up posters and visual aids that we’ve both made and bought, and collect a good amount of books. While I was home, I found that my always amazing aunts had collected books from their friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Unfortunately, we’re still trying to figure out a way to get them over here. Shipping is very expensive and the grant will not pay for shipping from a different country. Sooo, let me take this opportunity to say, if you’d like to make any donation, $1 or $100, I’d be forever grateful. You can contact me for more information (jaclyn.gilstrap@gmail.com).

Well, that's all the energy I have. Next time, I'll write all about being home. Until then... happy days to all of you!

Pictures: Summer into Fall 2009

2009-10-24T00:41:00.001-07:00

Dancing with Nana at the wedding in Mingechevir. She's my fav.
August 2009

Jale, Me, Khadija at the wedding in Mingechevir.
It was located next to a river- really quite pretty!
August 2009

The view of the Blue Mosque at night (from our guesthouse!)
August 2009

Johanna, Caroline (her mom) and me drinking tea in the huge Turkish bazaar!
We found a guy who had lived in New Orleans for years and decided to move back to Turkey after Hurricane Katrina. He was so fun and sweet, and charmed us with his extremely American accent, but also extremely Turkish-man ways!
August 2009

Johanna and Me on a boat in Boyukada.
August 2009

1 Year Thoughts

2009-09-29T03:59:00.000-07:00

Well, it's rainy season in Azerbaijan and what that means to me is a lot of mud and frequent power outages! This week alone, I've seen a rainbow and hail for the first time ever in Azerbaijan! But it's also the start of school. School started on September 15th so I'm just now really getting in to teaching lessons. The schedule is a touchy topic, as it is yet to be set in stone, but it must be really difficult to make a schedule for 1,000 students without a computer! This year, I'm looking to teach three 8th grade classes, one 7th grade class and maybe one or two 3rd grade classes :) It's already a lot of work, but the summer definitely gave me a nice break and some extra energy. Although as the weather gets colder and colder, it gets harder and harder to get out of bed in the morning! Oh, and those of you who know my sleeping habits will be SHOCKED to hear that I have taken on three lessons that are in the first hour of the morning, meaning at 8:00am! I don't care what they say, it never gets any easier to wake up in the 7's, especially when it's dark outside!

Last weekend, I traveled to Baku for a VAC (Volunteer Advisory Committee) meeting, which is where a small group of PCVs meet with staff to discuss any problems that PCVs are having in general. It's a great time to work with staff and to be apart of some decision-making processes.

I stayed in Baku afterwards since it was a holiday (end of Ramazan), which turned out to be an excellent decision. I attended a fellow volunteer's photo exhibition opening-- extremely impressive! She had photo camps around Azerbaijan this summer for interested students, and the best photos are on display in the capital for any and all to see!

Then, Johanna, Lexi and I spent the weekend with new friends, eating delicious things like BBQ ribs, Mexican style potatoes-au-gratin, buffalo style chicken, salad with real lettuce and ranch dressing, and some delicious spirits. Eating like this occasionally definitely wards off the cravings! Thanks Brent!

I also finally bought black boots, which I've been looking for ever since last winter.

I'm working on writing a SPA (Small Project Assistance) Program grant to fund an English Resource Room in my school. My director has agreed to giving me a room in our school for me to create this masterpiece. The grant will hopefully cover the costs of buying some furniture, computers, a TV/DVD/VCR, head phones and lots of books! I am really excited about this, and feel that this will be one of my bigger projects during my service. As part of the SPA Program, which is funded by USAID, the organization is required to give at least 20% of funds needed. This 20% can be in cash contributions, items donated, or labor/time donated. My director was really excited about this when I came to him with it, and was more than willing to give 20% of the funds, which I was nervous about. NOW... if YOU (or anyone you know) back in the USA are interested in helping out with this project in any way (host a book drive, send a book or two, send magazines, send computer games for learning English, send markers, or anything else!) please, please, please let me know. I would LOVE to have as much help as possible with designing and creating this resource room.

Next on the list of things to do here is a Halloween party! My students get so excited when talking about Halloween, so I've decided (along with my counterpart, Taliba) to host a Halloween party for interested students. We're hoping to dress up, make masks and have some Halloween-y snacks!

Thursday, October 1st is when our new group arrives in country. They'll be named AZ7- we're AZ6. So far, all I know about them is that there are 60 of them (17 of which are male, 43 of which are female), and there are 3 couples. My site, well the city near my site, Lankaran, is likely to get 2 or 3 new volunteers after they finish training in December! We couldn't be more excited! The new group is coming about one week later than we did last year, and because of that, their training will be cut short. This is due to unfortunate budget cuts within the Peace Corps, already one of the cheapest things the US Federal Government funds!

I'm starting to learn Russian! It's not easy! Russian is very common in Azerbaijan since Azerbaijan was part of the Soviet Union. In Baku, it is spoken a ton! But in the regions, not so much. Older people generally speaking know Russian, but they are very proud of their Azerbaijani. Many government workers in the capital, Baku, have some (or a lot of) knowledge in the Russian language. I'm mostly looking to be able to read it and have a basic conversation. So far, I've only learned the letters--no easy task. My host sister swears I speak Russian with a Spanish accent! haha. I don't doubt that I probably do :)

Well, that pretty much sums up what's going on for me in-country. I don't have any words of wisdom to offer, unfortunately. But I would like to encourage you to tell people about the Peace Corps, and make it known. I feel like often times, Peace Corps is severly misunderstood. Use this blog as a way to explain it to people. Go to the Peace Corps website for more information. Peace Corps is an organization I truly believe in, an organization that has a hugely positive impact on our world as well as on our country. And I don't think it's given enough credit.

Anyway... this year has been such a great learning experience for me in so many ways! I've grown up a lot. I've gotten older (my half birthday will be in October! haha that was for Olivia). I've even gotten wiser. I've been culturally inappropriate at times (although not purposefully). I've learned from my students, counterparts, and from other Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff. I've traveled. I've nearly frozen to death at times! I've been outside my comfort zone more times than I'd like to admit. I've been homesick! I've laughed a ton and cried some. I've eaten things I never thought I'd eat. I've taught many many Azerbaijanis how to make pizza! I've made incredible friends. I've been adopted by the best family imaginable. I've been criticized and praised. I've been thanked and ridiculed. But through it all, I've stayed positive. I feel so fortunate that I've been given this opportunity to learn about myself and learn about such a rich and beautifully complicated culture, country and people.

I am so excited for what the remaining 15 months have in store for me and for this country. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family and friends for all their incredible support. I would never have made it this far without you all. I miss you all on a daily basis, and think of you often. It is not uncommon for me to get inspiration from thinking about what is going on in your lives, or from emails, letters and packages you send me. I will never be able to thank you properly. Cheers to you all!

1 YEAR!

2009-09-27T05:25:00.000-07:00

September 23, 2009!!!!!

Last Wednesday marked our 1 Year Anniversary in country!

In the news...

2009-09-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/07/200972183710343820.html

"Five Women in a Turkish Sauna"

2009-09-18T05:32:00.000-07:00

For a really great article written by a wonderful Finnish lad about my friends and I at a recent soccer game in Lankaran, please see my site mate Hiba's blog:

http://hhakam.blogspot.com/2009/09/five-women-in-turkish-sauna.html

Packing List for AZ7

2009-09-13T23:23:00.001-07:00

** I am a 23 year old female TEFL volunteer in the south of Azerbaijan. This list may not be for everyone, but it should at least give you a good idea. Here are the things that I feel are necessary when packing for 2 years; however, these are only my suggestions.

Jeans: 1-2 pairs, depending on how much you like wearing jeans (I have 3, 2 that I brought and 1 that I accumulated, and I wear them all). Note: dark jeans are best. Don’t worry about them being too tight.

Skirts: 3-4 Bring knee-length or longer. My school allows us to wear pants, but they love it when I wear skirts. Some schools require you to wear skirts. When I wear my really long skirt (ankle-length) I get made fun of, they’d prefer a “fashionable” knee-length, or mid-calf length, but bring what you’re comfortable with as long as that’s not a mini-skirt. During the winter it’s nice to have ankle-length because you can layer underneath it. You will also wear skirts a lot during the summer since girls cannot wear shorts and the weather will be hot.

Dress Pants: 2, black in color (or dark gray/navy blue). I wear my black pants all the time to school! Make sure they’re big enough to wear leggings underneath. It’s important that the black pants are good quality, because they’ll get worn out by wearing them a lot and then hand-washing them.

Leggings: 2, Underarmour is the best brand and has worked wonderfully for me. It gets really cold. During the winter time, the only time I took off my leggings was for my weekly shower. I would wear one pair for one week, and while washing and waiting for them to dry, I would wear my other pair.

Long-sleeved shirts: 2 dark-colored shirts for layering, 2 button-down to wear with skirts and pants to school, and maybe some others for lounging and/or casual wear

Short-sleeved shirts: 5 or more, Summer is hot, and you will sweat a lot! I appreciated having a variety of shirts to change into.

Sweaters: 2-3, You’ll want at least one heavier sweater, and at least one lighter weight sweater.

Tank tops: 2, conservative in style (thick straps, not showing too much chest). In most regions, tank tops are fine. Even if they’re not okay out in public, you’ll want them to wear around your house.

Undershirts: 2-3, They take up very little room, but I always wear one under my clothes- less washing!

Shorts: bring one pair to wear around the house during summer time. DO NOT leave these at home!

Capris: I wish I had 1 pair of capris to wear for the summer. I hate wearing skirts, but it’s too hot to wear pants. Capris are fine by Azeri standards.

House clothes: 1 pair of sweat pants and 2-3 t-shirts. One of the best things about Azerbaijan is that at home, they dress completely for comfort. Embrace this. Bring lounge clothes!

Socks: Many pairs! Bring nice, thick socks, but also bring thin socks for layering. It’s worth it to spend the extra money to get quality wool socks, it makes a huge difference in the winter. My favorite brand is Smartwool (a little pricey but worth it!).

Tights: 5 pairs, bring wool tights as well as thick black tights to wear with skirts and to use for layering. Remember that tights get holes pretty often.

Underwear: Many pairs! I have about 15 pairs and I’m always wanting new ones. They get really warn out by washing them constantly. Hand-washing takes a toll on underwear.

Bras: 2-4, including one sports bra. Bras also get really sweaty in the summer time and worn out by hand-washing!

Shoes: 1 pair running/tennis shoes. 1 pair flat sandals and/or flip flops. 1-2 pairs black closed-toe flats that can be casual as well as dressy. 1 pair of dressy boots, with heels or flat (Azeri’s prefer heels, and won’t understand if you wear flats as a girl, but do what you’re comfortable with). If you like hiking, bring hiking boots (although I would suggest waiting on this and possibly having them shipped). I would also suggest bringing a nice pair of slippers for the winter- you’ll wear these around the house 100% of the time- if this doesn’t fit, there is the possibility of getting them here fairly cheap.

Coat: 1 pea-coat type (heavy), 1 NorthFace style casual coat/jacket, and possibly a sweatshirt to wear around the house and in casual situations. One light weight sweater to wear when it’s cool but not cold enough for a coat.

Hat: 1 baseball cap, 1 toboggan/beanie/whatever you call it. Azeri people do not wear toboggans and they will look at you funny if you do, but do it anyway. It will keep you warm. Also bring gloves and scarves for cold weather.

Linens: 1 towel, 1 flat sheet, 1 wash cloth

Other: umbrella, jewelry, purse, hair ties, a couple of books, journal, small backpack or overnight bag, toothbrush, glasses (2 pairs), sunglasses, adapters, Tide pen (!!), a pocket knife (I use mine all the time), nail clippers, a foot scrubber

Supplies: It’s nice to have some school supplies to start out with, for making visual aids and such. I would suggest 1 duct tape, 1 pack of construction paper, 1 package of markers, 1 Elmer’s glue

Electronics: I find my laptop to be an absolute must. If you don’t have one, think of investing in a used one. I mostly use it for Microsoft Word, watching movies, and occasionally internet. If you don’t want to bring a computer, I would still highly suggest bringing a portable DVD player. It’s also nice to have a USB drive as well as an external hard drive. My two favorite things I have in country are my mp3 player and my head lamp! Bring a small flashlight, too. A camera is a must. Don’t forget to bring any battery chargers and maybe an extra set of batteries for any electronics you bring.

Toiletries: (enough to get you started, you can get most everything here): make-up (if you wear it), face lotion, body lotion, deodorant (I love my America deodorant! I’d bring extra of this.), toothpaste, shampoo, a razor, soap, contacts and contact solution (if you wear them. Remember Peace Corps does not help out with contacts, only glasses), 1 package of baby wipes (a lifesaver during winter months where showering is rare), face wash, comb/brush

Feminine Care: Peace Corps gives ob tampons, panty liners and pads. You can get tampons with cardboard applicators if you ask for them. No plastic applicator tampons so if you like plastic, bring them.

Luggage: I would suggest bringing 1 large rolling suitcase, 1 small rolling suitcase, 1 small/medium sized backpack and 1 purse. OR 1 large rolling suitcase, 1 large backpack (with a much smaller one stuffed inside) and 1 purse. If you can pack in less than this, good for you. (Note: do not leave home without some sort of backpack!) Otherwise, just get ready for carrying your luggage from one place to another to be a pain in the ass. Everyone will be in the same situation.

**General note on clothing**
Here is a summary of things I wish people had told me about clothes before I came. Do not dress frumpy. This is not okay by Azeri standards. Yes, we must dress more conservatively than we might in the US, but this does not mean frumpy, grandma style. They will respect you more if you look sharp. Think of how you might dress for a job interview. Also, for women, they love it when you wear “stylish” things. Other teachers are constantly commenting on my earrings or shoes. Azeris do not mind if you wear tight clothes (to an extent), they’re more worried about you showing too much skin (knees, chest, and back mainly), so you do not need to worry about bringing all loose-fitting clothes or buying things in sizes bigger than you wear. Don’t bring all black or dark colored clothes. You’ll want some color. I keep my pants and skirts dark-colored, but I love my colorful shirts. During the winter, most people choose one or two (max) outfits to wear during a week. Azeris wear the same outfit pretty much the entire season, and although it may seem gross now, you, too, will be wearing the same outfit most of the time, so don’t worry so much about bringing a variety of clothes. Bring the necessities and a few extras to keep you comfortable.

**Other**
- Bring stuff to do! You will be really bored sometimes. I would suggest some kind of Sudoku or Word Puzzle book, a deck of cards and/or a hobby (yarn and needles for knitting/cross-stitching, stuff for painting, whatever!). Also, it’s nice to have some stationary/paper for writing letters. You can get envelopes and paper here, but I’d bring some with you. Bring a couple of books, but know that there are tons of books in the Peace Corps lounge. Also bring any of your favorite DVDs- this is also something that doesn’t take up much room but that can provide you with much entertainment!
- If you like spicy foods at all, bring spices/hot sauce/spicy mustard/etc. They do not have any spicy food!! If there’s any particular spice you’re really addicted to, bring that as well.
- Bring pictures! Bring a few of your family and friends for yourself and to show to others. It’s also nice to have pictures of your house, your car, your university, the grocery store, a US classroom, the street, etc. Azeri people love to compare things! And these can be great teaching tools.
- I brought a light blanket that can fold up really small, and it has been extremely useful (but isn’t a must).
- You should bring gifts for your host families (there will be 2). Gifts should be inexpensive and small. Good ideas are magnets/postcards/books about your state or university, American candy, small toys, kitchen items, hand lotion, etc.
- If you have anything that makes you feel at home or comfortable, bring it. I love my small, soft blanket and my own pillow.
- Maps are great teaching tools, but also make for great decorations in your room.
- An exercise band doesn’t take up much room and is nice. Some people even brought a workout DVD. Working out can be a great stress-reliever, and who knows, maybe you’ll start an exercise class for people in your community?!
-A small stash of your favorite candy (especially if you like sour things).
- Note on coffee: there is only instant coffee here, so if you’re a coffee addict, bring the necessary things for that.
- Crystal light packets are good for putting in bottled water.

Things I wish I hadn’t brought: any kind of medication or medical supplies (except I love my vitamin C pills), a rain jacket, hiking boots (have them shipped if you find you need/want them), clothes that need to be ironed, stuff for when I moved out on my own, conditioner (although I used conditioner daily in the US, I just don’t wash my hair enough to use it here), floss (Peace Corps will give it to you).

Pictures from the last few months

2009-09-02T03:49:00.000-07:00

Thailand. Buddha statue right on the street.

My 23rd Birthday. My students surprised me with a party complete with decorations, cake and tea! The board read, "Happy Brit-day!"

I took my students to the local park that girls literally never go to. Pushing the boundaries!

Me digging for potatoes with my host mom in our backyard garden!

Me, Johanna and Lexi at the soccer game in Baku! There weren't bathrooms for women... that was an adventure :D

Teshekur Edirik! (We Thank You!)

2009-08-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

I would like to send out an enormous Thank You to everyone who helped out with Summer Camp 2009 in Lankaran, Azerbaijan. It was a huge success, and it could not have been possible without you all.

Jane and I have sent out Thank You notes to those of you who donated to our Peace Corps Partnership Program grant, and allowed your information to be released to us. However, we know for a fact that some people donated and did not release their information. Thank You to those of you. We would love to know your identity so if you did not receive a Thank You note from one of us, or if you don’t receive it in the next two weeks or so (developing country postal system, be patient!), please email us to let us know that you donated to the site so that we can properly and personally thank you. My email address is jaclyn.gilstrap@gmail.com.

Again, thank you so much for your continued support. It was incredible for me to see people from literally every part of my past donating to this camp including coworkers, friends, family members and even some people I will meet in the future. I am extremely encouraged by your ability to see the same vision for the world, and specifically for my community here in Azerbaijan, that I have. I urge you to continue to support other community workers in any way possible, or become one yourself. This world sure could use more people like you!

Thank you. Teshekur edirik.

Turkey and Toys...but not how you think!

2009-08-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

Warning: This is quite a lengthy blog, but it is a wealth of information so push forward.

TURKEY:

The first week of August was a glorious week for me. I spent it vacationing in Turkey with a fellow PCV (Johanna) and her mom (Caroline) visiting from America. We spent half of our time in Istanbul and the other half on an island called Büyükada about two hours away from Istanbul by boat.

Our goal of the trip was to relax, be lazy and simply enjoy ourselves in any and every situation, and I feel 200% sure that we accomplished just that. In Istanbul, our time was dedicated to taking walks, people watching, Starbucks, decent wine, delicious food and sleep in an air-conditioned room! We visited the historical and awe-inspiring Blue Mosque, spending a long time on the inside, taking it all in, watching people and enjoying the simplicity and peacefulness of its interior. We did not go inside the huge church that faces the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sofia, because it was too expensive. Instead, we sat outside, reading about it and appreciating its beauty and historical importance from a distance. One full day was spent at the famous Istanbul bazaar, which proved to be quite the entertaining experience. The salesmen at that bazaar have really got their pitches down! Here are a couple of our favorite examples:

Us: “Excuse me, how much is this scarf?”
Salesman: “20 lira, but let me see your eyes…”
>>PAUSE<<
Salesman: “for those eyes, 10 lira.”

Us: “Excuse me, how much is this bowl?”
Salesman: “That bowl? Oh, that bowl is usually 20 lira, but for you I give the angel price- 10 lira.”

After we had taken in a lot of Istanbul, we decided to finish out our trip on a nearby island to reward ourselves for being such faithful PCVs and accomplished tourists. We took a two-hour boat ride to the nearby island of Büyükada, which of hundreds of charming qualities boasts things such as no cars, only horses and carriages, beautiful flowers and homes, and is home to an endless supply of charming and handsome Turkish men. This small island did not have the same amount of fluent English speakers, so most of the time we ended up speaking a mix of Azeri-English-Turkish, which was another entertaining situation in and of itself.

A quick funny anecdote for you, my faithful readers. When we arrived on the first day, we caught a horse cab up to our Pensiya and were immediately ready to get on a beach. We asked the kind of concierge/host guy at our Pensiya about where we could find a place to lay in the sun. He wanted to take us to the beach where you had to pay, but we asked if there was a free place and he looked at us for a second, and then started walking away. Although one could have taken this as a rude gesture, we decided to just follow him. Well, turns out he was taking us to a beach, well sort of. We walked into a locked gate (he stuck his hand through the gate to unlock it), walked down about 500 stairs, passing a beautiful porch and then a hefty garden. Finally, we reached the water and our “beach”, thoroughly confused. Why were we confused? Well, this “beach” ended up being a woman’s private house, and we were ushered out her long dock to lay out next to her, and then our host man just kinda said a few words to the woman and left. TALK ABOUT AN AWKWARD SITUATION! I, of course, was giggling. The woman, thanks be to God, spoke some English and was actually extremely welcoming. We got the feeling that she truly did not have any problem with us sharing her dock. She was incredibly gracious and sweet, but for the two hours that we were there, the awkwardness of the situation did not ware off…not even a little…in fact, it may have gotten even more awkward. haha. (Insert Awkward Turtle here, Melinda!) The next two days, we opted for the beach where you have to pay, and let me tell you, this was not a decision we regretted in the least.

The pay beach was glorious, and by beach I mean the astro-turf complex with tons of umbrellas, lounge chairs, big cushions, water slides and handsome/charming Turkish men galore. It was perfect. We spent two entire days there, from sun up to sun down, and enjoyed every second of it, taking in the sun most of the time, but enjoying reading under the shade of our umbrellas when our pasty, Caucasion skin had had enough sun. After our time was up on Büyükada, we headed back to Istanbul, had lunch at a Mexican restaurant (YUM!) and then made our way to the airport, and back to Azerbaijan. It was hard to leave fun in the sun to get back to the real world, and that may or may not be an understatement.

TOYS:

Two of the main things that brought me back to Azerbaijan were the much-anticipated toys that were in my future. I’ve mentioned this before in my blog, but “toy” is Azerbaijani for “wedding”, which is something I love. I think comparing weddings to toys is dangerously accurate. Anyway, both of the weddings were relatives of my host family, so we were the envied family of the bride (in one) and groom (in the other).The two weddings were extremely different; at one point, I questioned if they took place on different planets.

The first wedding took place in Mingechevir, one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan. At this wedding, we were the bride’s family. Also, these were my host mom’s relatives with whom my host family is super close. I was most excited about reuniting with my long lost Nana! She came to live with us for a month this past March for the Novruz holiday, and we fell in love with each other. J It was so great to see her again, and have her adore me and take care of me during my time there.

Fast forward to the day of the wedding. My host sisters and I (and the other girl cousins) all went to the salon to get our hair and make up done, well, I ended up doing my own makeup for time reasons, but it was probably a good idea. Let’s just say weddings here are the place to not be shy about the amount of makeup you wear. I went in to the salon expecting to get my hair straightened with the blow dryer and came out with about 4 inches less hair. The woman was so sneaky and cut my hair while my head was looking down! Did I mention that I never asked for a haircut, nor did she ask me, and actually I even mentioned at one point that I was growing my hair out. Hmmm…Go figure! Finally, at about 6:30 or 7:00 pm, the groom came over to “get” the bride. We took a lot of pictures and finally left for the 7:00 wedding at about 7:45, arriving and sitting down at about 8:00, 1 hour late, true to Azeri style. All the guests were already sitting and eating, and there were no reserved places for the family. So strange. The location would have been really gorgeous, outside and right next to a river, except that it started raining and kept raining for the remainder of the wedding. We tried to ignore the rain, but eventually the dancing and music were moved under this covered area. It was a lot of fun dancing around with my host fam and their extended fam. And I must say, I was basking in the light of being celebrity for the night! We finally got home around 2 in the morning, sweaty and exhausted after a full and successful day.

One of the coolest parts of this wedding was that the bride and groom actually signed wedding certificates. Most weddings in Azerbaijan are kind of affirmed by religion, which as you can imagine can lead to a lot of problems if things go sour. One of my fellow PCVs actually works with an organization who is going around, teaching women about signing legal wedding certificates and the benefits of doing so. So, it was really cool to see this in action. It made me think (again!) how cool my host family is, extended family included. They’re so forward thinking!

Now, after the wedding in Mingechevir, my host family and I made the 8 hour bus ride (!!) back to Liman, and rested up for the wedding that would take place three days later. This wedding was my first tent wedding, and took place in Boladi, the willage that is next to Liman. My host mom’s husband (RIP-Allah Rehmet Elasin) was from Boladi, and this wedding was for my host family’s relatives on his side of the family; we were relatives of the groom at this one. Whenever we go to Boladi to visit, I get the same feeling I did when I would go to visit my grandparents in Greenville, South Carolina as a kid, leaving Charlotte and going to Greenville. I loved visiting my grandparents every summer, but Greenville is not exactly Heaven (although it has really improved in the last 5 years or so!).

So we arrived at the wedding site, which I can best describe as a compound type location. There were three houses on this piece of land, all sharing a garden and an outhouse, with the tent set up on the land next to the garden. All of the houses belong to relatives, and I’m guessing about 20-30 people live on that property at any given time. One of the houses was a shack and, I was told, was Nana’s house. I never could clarify if she was actually still living there or if she had lived there, although I hoped (for her sake) that she was not still living there. Everything was already set in motion, the tables were set with appetizers, drinks and bread, and there was a place for the happy couple to sit. The chefs (aka the neighbors and other female relatives) were cooking away and the musicians were playing for the tradition of a little pre-toy dancing with the groom’s family members. Chickens, ducks, cows and kids were running around and causing havoc in every direction. Needless to say, I was feeling a lit-tle overwhelmed as I walked around with my host sisters, all of us in heels. Everyone else was dressed village style, which means one of three things.

1. All men wore suits-some shiny, some not.
2. Several (usually older) women wore house clothes.
3. Most women wore extremely “loud” clothing, meaning lots of patterns, sequins, tassles, shiny stuff, make up and pointy shoes.

The fashion statements made at that wedding were truly remarkable.

After we danced for a bit, it was time for us to get into a line of cars and drive, slowly, while honking out horns loudly and without stoppint, to the other side of the willage to pick up the bride, to take her to where she would not stay permanently.

We went to her house and danced some more. Another tradition was taking place as we danced… the groom’s family takes (it looked an awful lot like stealing to me) an item from the bride’s house to keep. At first, they were looking in the chicken coop, which made me confused. Afterall, I’d just seen at least 8000 chickens running around back at the compound- what would 1 more do?! Besides, it is okay to take someone’s live chicken!? Anyway, I kept my mouth shut and kept dancing, trying no to be “too smiley” as that can evidently cause some serious damage to your rep at such toys. After dancing and waiting for at least 30 minutes, and attaining a fabulous migraine from the extremely loud and high-pitched music, the bride finally came down and we could drive back to the compound.

On the way, we followed the bride’s ride, which was fabulously decorated with gauze, fake flowers and some sort of bird-basket-y thing on top, and which was also curiously giving out money to kids on the street. When I asked why they were giving out money, the reply was simply, “it’s tradition”. I was beginning to get used to this answer, and little did I know it would explain many of the curious things that were to come that night…

We arrived at the compound and as soon as the cars pulled up, the bride, in her wedding dress, was quickly and secretly ushered straight inside the newer of the two brick houses where, I found out, according to tradition she would stay for the entire evening! SHOCK! SHOCK! SHOCK! She would not actually attend the wedding. I am not kidding. Instead, she would sit on the couch (bought and brought as part of her dowry) in her dress while all the women came in to look at her, look at the house, and look slash judge all the brand new items (that were out for presentation) that were her dowry. This includes brand new pots and pans, furniture, washing machine, bed room set, mattresses, pillows, dishes, tables and even toiletries and stuffed animals! I was shocked by all of this, but “it’s tradition” was all I got. None of her family was there, except that there was one other woman who stayed in the house for the extent of the wedding. When I asked about her, they said she was the woman who waits for the couple to do the deed to make sure the girl is a virgin- you guessed it, tradition.

So, after we went and looked at the bride, took pics with her and observed her impressive (at least to me) dowry, we went downstairs to the other side of the compound to eat under the tent. Well, at least I thought that’s what we were going to do. SIKE! We went to sit at the picnic tables that were set up under the house, and by we, I mean my host family, me and ALL the other women in attendance. The young women relatives, who were serving the men all sitting comfortably under the tent, would bring us food and drinks but only after all the men were served and satisfied. Then, as the sun went down and the men were beginning to get a buzz and dance the night away, the women were kinda sitting around or walking around aimlessly. Finally, the women, one by one, began to pull up chairs outside the tent to watch, longingly, the dancing divas. After we sat there waiting for about an hour or two (!!), our male neighbors requested a song and called us to come dance with them. We (my host fam and I) were the first women to dance. I felt like I’d been taken out of timeout or set free from prison, and was overjoyed.

You would think that that would have opened the flood gates immediately for the women to begin dancing, but not so. It took a few more songs and the hostess grandma calling people up to dance for the women to start dancing. And still, it wasn’t like a free-for-all, whoever wants to dance, come dance… but rather, a man or group of men would request a song and then call up a group of people (i.e. so-and-so’s classmates, so-and-so’s extended family, etc.), and if the woman was part of that group, she could go up and dance. Since we were part of the groom’s family, we danced a good bit, but I was still bitter about sitting on the outside of the tent.

The wedding went on and on and finally finished a little after 2 am when the group of drunken men quit requesting songs. We got back to Liman around 3 am and were absolutely exhausted. My entire family slept in the next day, not waking up until well into the afternoon.

Both of these weddings were incredibly eye-opening cultural experiences for me. Every wedding I’ve attended in Azerbaijan (4 so far) has been different, but that tent wedding topped them all!

I wish both of these couples a long, fulfilling and happy life together!

Sualim Var. (I have a question)

2009-07-23T07:14:00.001-07:00

I am incredibly appreciative of what the military does for our country. I think anyone who is in the military makes an incredible sacrifice for our country, often affecting far more people than just themselves. Families and friends of people in the military have it the hardest, no doubt. I can't imagine sending a son or daughter or a brother or sister off to war, never knowing what might happen.

My question is: Are other forms of service to our country seen in the same light? And if not, what is the general opinion of organizations such as Peace Corps, Foreign Service, etc?

I definitely know how I feel about all of the things and people mentioned above, but I'm curious to hear what other people think?

Sun. Fun. Almost Done. All In One.

2009-07-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

Two weeks of summer camp down, only one to go. Although I’m exhausted from camp and from being around 120 kids everyday, I’m truly sad to see this camp coming to an end. The kids have enjoyed every single minute of it, even when it was blazing hot and they were getting tanner (tan is despised here) they didn’t complain. They wore smiles on their faces even when they were hungry and tired at the end of the day. They have inspired me and all of the other Peace Corps Volunteers working with them. It’s incredible to watch them trying new things, doing things out of their comfort zones, learning how to be creative and meeting new friends. If you’ve worked with kids before, you’ll know what I mean when I say that they give off this intense energy that is so contagious to everyone around.

The first week was Environmental Awareness Week, where we did everything from a nature hunt to planting plants in recycled bottles, from a trash pick up to building a trash monster from the week’s worth of recycled materials. And get this… 100 students picked up 436 bags of trash on trash pick up day! That’s something to brag about, for sure.

The second week was Sports and Games Week, where we played kickball, wiffle ball, Old Maid, Spoons and even Yahtzee. These were all so new, and the best thing they’d ever done…that is, until we had Field Day on Thursday. It started out slow with a dreaded 3-legged race, shot up to hilarious with the wheel barrow race and got insane and off the Richter scale with the water balloon toss and the proceeding water balloon fight! Those kids have never experienced such freedom and adrenaline in their lives, I assure you of that. It was amaaaazing. We all left the field happy and soaking wet. The few that didn’t get hit with a balloon were feeling extremely left out and depressed. On our weekly evaluation forms, we actually got back about 5 forms that said the worst part about camp was that they didn’t get hit with a balloon. Aww pobrecitos. 

Next week is Arts and Crafts Week, where we’ll make God’s Eyes, popsicle stick picture frames, friendship bracelets, tye dye t-shirts, still life pictures and homemade play dough, to name a few. I’m excited to see what these kids will think up! When we give them permission to be creative and allow them to think outside of the box, it’s amazing how quickly they catch on to the idea. It’s also very encouraging. In the schools here, they are taught to stick to the straight and narrow. Thus, one of our main goals at camp is to break those suffocating boxes and let their imaginations and creativity run wild!

Now, besides camp, there are actually other things going on, believe it or not. I have had a lot of time to hang out with the host fam. My host sister who typically studies in Baku is home for the summer. She studies American Studies, English and Spanish. I’ve been helping her perfect her speaking skills, teaching her how to apply for a job (résumé, cover letter, application, etc.) and also learning a lot from her about being myself in this community. I’ve gotten so incredibly close with all of my three host sisters and my host mom, and cannot even think about what it will be like to leave them when the time comes. One of the things we often do is go to the sea, the Caspian. We go around 4:00 in the afternoon and come home around 7:30 pm. It is quite the experience. I appreciate so much just being near water, it’s easy to block out the “crazy”. The beach has black sand, and there are waves. There’s a lot of trash (food, wrappers, etc.) on the beach. Men and women have separate beaches. I’m not sure what the men do or wear, but many of the women wear pants and shirts, or perhaps a night gown type thing, or any other clothes. Few women wear bathing suits. Kids go naked or topless. My host family and I all wear bikinis. I have had to borrow a friend’s bathing suit because I didn’t bring one. It’s a tankini, and my host family keeps giving me shit about it, telling me not to be embarrassed, and why am I wearing something so conservative!? haha. Another interesting thing is that my tattoo shows when I wear a bathing suit. My fam has never seen it, and the Azi’s are all shocked. Women in this country would never dare have a tattoo so when they see mine, it’s like SHOCK! SHOCK! I’ve tried to listen in, and I’ve heard both positive and negative reviews. My family likes it, that’s all I care about.  What I do here is refer to my sister, saying she has more than me. haha, sorry Sara, I gotta get the attention off of me somehow, and by now they expect you to be a little wild and free.

One more piece of news. After camp, and after the Beer Olympics that my friend is hosting as a Bon Voyage party for the AZ5’s (the group that came a year before my group- they leave the first week of September), I’m headed to TURKEY! I cannot wait. I’m going with my bestie, Johanna and her mom, who’s coming to visit, and I couldn’t be more excited. I’ll be there for a week, and plan on relaxing a lot, shopping a good bit, and eating well. Cheers to Turkey! After that, I’m going to my host fam’s cousin’s wedding in Mingechevir (a city in Azerbaijan)! I’m busy and loving it. I’ll spend August and the first two weeks of September getting ready for this school year, making visual aids, writing a grant for an English Resource Room (Inshallah!) and maybe having a teacher training workshop or something. We shall see.

Until next time, I’d like to end with a list or three because lists help keep me sane in life. Yaxşı Yol!

Things and people that inspire me at the moment:
- watching my kids at camp
- erin barksdale
- t.d. proctor
- fans (not the screaming kind)
- water balloons
- the mere thought of sushi that once was and that will again be
- visual aids
- AZ 6
- my dreams, day and nighttime ones
- the introduction of Coca Cola Light to Azerbaijan

Things and people that inspire me always:
- my family, especially my sister, my mom and my aunts
- peace
- driving with windows down, music up
- laughing till it hurts
- Chapel Hill
- katherin mcfarland
- traveling
- ambition without apology
- fearlessness

Things that interfere with me being inspired:
- mosquitos
- insomnia
- addiction
- war
- death
- corruption

Summer Camp: In Full Motion

2009-07-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

**This is an article I wrote for our Peace Corps Azerbaijan newsletter, the Azlander! Enjoy :)

July 6, 2009: Yay Camp, Day 1 (dun dun dunnn)

8:00 am: Jaclyn wakes up in her village home to Jane’s energetic, “morning person” text about camp, reminding Jaclyn what she’s to do today. Jane has been awake since 4:59 am.

8:10 am: A student arrives an hour and a half early at Jaclyn’s host family’s house. Jaclyn sends her 11 year old host sister to deal with this Anxious Annie. Jane starts and finishes calling all 150 of her students reminding them of the camp today.

8:20 am: Jaclyn actually gets out of bed. Jane has already made a trip to the local Lankaran Starbucks, read the newspaper, and finished the NYT crossword puzzle…twice.

8:45 am: Jaclyn has now eaten breakfast and sent some text messages. Jane has woken up the PCVs at her house with the smell of fresh bacon and pancakes, as well as a happy wake up song.

9:00 am: Jaclyn has on clothes and even one eye of mascara. Success. Jane has given everyone in her house makeovers, including Josh. That stache will have a special shine to it today.

9:10 am: Jaclyn receives a call from her driver that he’s gonna be 30 minutes early, if that’s okay. Jaclyn is confused, but gives in hesitantly. Jane is in the middle of a first-day-pep-talk with the PCVs, which includes props and scratch-n-sniff stickers.

9:20 am: Jaclyn, feeling anxious and still confused, takes a 5-minute power nap before heading out. Jane is headed to her school, 7 PCVs in-hand.

9:30 am: Jaclyn arrives at her school in Liman, to a crowd of smiling, excited, scary-looking kids. Jane has set up the check-in, prepared all the classrooms, and even dealt with her apprehensive director and the cleaning ladies.

9:45 am: Jaclyn finally leaves Liman, only 3 kids short. She warned them she wouldn’t wait… what a badass. To make up for the shortage of students, two mothers have deemed it necessary to come as well, complete with picnic and annoying infant. Jane is putting out the proverbial fires, organizing groups, and changing the temperature by giving into Kat’s desire to lead the students and other PCVs in an environmental “cold” dance (you know, like a rain dance, but to bring cold breezes instead)

10:00 am: Jaclyn and her village group arrive at School #10 in Lankaran. Jane is singing the Teetaneec (aka Titanic) song to calm students down, and wow them.

10:20 am: As planned, camp is off to an awesome start. Students are so anxious and excited. PCVs are freaking out about the heat but elated to be surrounded by 100 Azi children-duh. J

Yay Camp, the 2nd Edition, has begun in Lankaran! This year we expect about 180 students (yikes!), both from Lankaran School #10, as well as Liman village School #1. Jane and I are so excited to have so much help coming from every single area of Azerbaijan- Qazax, Zaqatala, Agcabedi, Xacmaz, Goycay, etc etc. We could not be more thankful to the PCVs (Peace Corps Volunteers) coming; this camp simply would not happen without them. We also have about 15 extremely talented Azerbaijani Student Leaders, who will be invaluable to the camp and the PCVs. The three weeks include an Environmental Week (July 6-9), a Sports/Games Week (July 13-16) and an Arts/Crafts Week (July 20-23), everyday beginning at 10am and finishing at 2pm. During these weeks, we have activities of all shapes and sizes planned- everything from planting plants to building a trash monster, from a Wiffle Ball tournament to a Field Day, from making God’s (Evil) eyes to tye-dye t-shirts, wrapping it all up with a ceremony for the students’ parents, friends, and directors.

Even though Jane is an annoyingly self-proclaimed morning person, I have really enjoyed working together with her planning such an intense event, and it’s so rewarding to see it all finally coming together! Maybe some of that morning-ness will rub off on me, and I’ll at least get used to the fact that I have to wake up in the 8’s for the next three weeks. I have a feeling that anyone who has ever been my co-worker, friend, mother, sister, aunt, etc. is doubting that this will EVER happen! :)

2 things:

2009-06-04T01:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, as of today only $152 left. Thank You all so so much. If you haven't donated and would rather donate supplies instead, email me at jaclyn.gilstrap@gmail.com

Also, here's an informative and somewhat depressing article about the United Nations Human Rights Council that mentions Azerbaijan if this kind of stuff interests you. This is exactly the kind of stuff that gets me going, gets me all worked up and passionate (ooo la laa)...in case you were wondering :)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/11/opinion/11havel.html?_r=1

The Final Stretch

2009-06-01T02:37:00.000-07:00

ONLY $417 left!!

Please help us out. Tell all your friends. There's so little left to raise.

Here's the link to Summer Camp in Azerbaijan

THANK YOU!

Giving=Receiving

2009-05-13T01:54:00.000-07:00

The school year in Azerbaijan ends on May 31st with a big celebration called the "last bell". The students are so excited to not have to go to school for another 3 1/2 months; they're just as excited as students in the US. When I think back to my summer "vacations", all I can remember is that there was something to do every single day, whether that be going to Carowinds, making trips to go see my Grandparents in South Carolina, cookouts, going to Myrtle Beach, church camps, sports camps, or just hanging out at the pool with friends and family. I would imagine many of you remember the same sorts of things.

The children in Azerbaijan do not have any of this to look forward to. Sure, they don't have to go to school, and yes maybe they'll go visit a family member in Baku or make a day trip to the sea, but for the most part, these kids are sitting at home watching TV or playing with their neighbors in the yard. While being lazy is great for about 15 minutes... they quickly get bored!

SO...

My friend Jane and I have decided to do a Summer Camp for these students in July of this year. Let me assure you that the idea of a summer camp is something these kids have NEVER even heard of! And yet...they could not be more excited about it! Jane orchestrated this camp last year by herself at her school in Lankaran (the city close-by), and this year we're working together so that the kids from my village of Liman can participate too! We'll have three weeks of camp: an Environmental Week, a Sports Week and an Arts & Crafts Week.

And here's where YOU come in.

I need your help.

We need money. We need money for camp supplies, for fans (no A/C here!), and most of all for transportation. I will have to transport my students from Liman to Lankaran (about a 30 minute drive) everyday, and I do not want these kids to have to pay. I don't want one single obstacle to get in the way of these students being able to participate in the camp, giving them something constructive to do during their summer vacation. The transportation will be about 80 cents per day per student, which sounds like so little, but can really add up over a three week period of time. A lot of the money we raise will go to buying arts and sports supplies that just don't exist in Azerbaijan, and to the shipping costs we will rack up in getting them over here. I have already been spreading the word about camp. Believe it or not some of the childrens' parents will not allow them to go, all of them girls. I cannot begin to explain how disappointing this is for me. However, I must say, it makes me want to work even harder for the children who will be able to go. And I need your help with that.

How can you contribute? Good question...
"For it is in giving that we receive" (St. Francis of Asissi) :)

Jane and I have been approved for a Peace Corps Partnership Program grant. This is an excellent opportunity that Peace Corps has set up for PC Volunteers' friends, family members, and other communities back home in the US get involved and support the Volunteer they know doing projects abroad. All you have to do is go to the website that Peace Corps has set up for us and give the amount that you can afford. Now, I know there is an economic crisis going on, but any little bit counts. I encourage you to tell your own friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors etc. about this opportunity.

Here's the link!

PCPP- Summer Camp in Azerbaijan

Let me just say thank you, right now, in advance, for the contributions you will make to this project. I will be forever grateful and so will the students and their families in Azerbaijan.

World Wise Schools e-Newsletter

2009-05-07T05:12:00.000-07:00

Check it out! I'm published! :)

http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/enewsletter/archives/may09b.cfm?cid=wwsaskvol

World Wise Schools (WWS) is the program that sets Peace Corps Volunteers up with classrooms and teachers in the US for an awesome opportunity of cultural exchange. They asked a bunch of volunteers about Mother's Day in their individual countries, and my response was one of the ones chosen. Enjoy!

it's not all delicious plov and birthday celebrations...

2009-04-23T03:29:00.000-07:00

Plov and birthday celebrations are things I really love about Azerbaijan.

Whenever people comment on my blog, they always say I sound so upbeat and like I'm having a great time. Although I am having a fabulous time and enjoy being in the Peace Corps, I don't want to give off the impression that everything is really easy for us here. So, I thought I'd write a list of things I miss to give you a little insight...

1. my family, duh
2. my friends, duh
3. convenience
4. cell phone plans, i HATE pay as you go!
5. sushi sushi sushi
6. fast food
7. hot sauce
8. cooking occasionally
9. exercising occasionally
10. driving (with the windows down and music up)
11. related to driving, i miss my car and its moon roof
12. bagels and cream cheese
13. taco bell
14. going out to dinner
15. going out to a movie
16. going out in general
17. technology (easy access to internet mostly)
18. western toilets
19. real showers
20. going shopping
21. my own place
22. my social and night life
23. hanging out with my sister
24. deep conversations and deep relationships
25. coffee
26. my VICES. yes, I do have them.
27. sitting and talking for hours over wine
28. my iPod
29. my blond hair and good hair cut (and days at the salon with my sistah!)
30. Sunday night stir, Monday night library, Thursday night deep end and every other night topo
31. Mill Creek
32. Sports and women being interested in sports
33. productivity and real work (sadly i do miss this at times)
34. washing machines
35. bad TV and lifetime movies

I have come to appreciate these things immensely, but I also know now that I can live without them. Although I certainly feel empty at times without the people I love and yes sometimes even the things I love, I am becoming a better person having to live without them.

I also want to take this time to thank the people that have supported me up to this point in my life and in my Peace Corps service, and those that will in the future. Your phone calls, letters, emails and facebook messages have meant more to me than I will ever be able to express. Thank You.

Now, go drink a glass of wine, eat Mexican food and talk all night on your phones for me, then go take a nice shower! :)

Cheers!

Spring Brings New Life

2009-04-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

My nana. She came from Mingechevir to visit for a couple weeks. I love this woman. It's mutual. She thinks I'm hilarious and calls me Nasti (not nasty, but more like nastuh haha), the same thing she calls her 2 year old granddaughter. One month later, she still has not left, that's how strong our bond is. :) Here she is preparing for Novruz. All the families have that little mini table for rolling out dough, etc. I must get one!

This is called a honcha, which means tray. All the families prepare them for Novruz. You put as many candles as there are people, and whoever's candle burns out the quickest... well, let's just say, that's not so good. On it are sweets, colorful eggs, nuts, popcorn, fruit, etc. And in the middle is the semeni, my favorite symbol of Novruz. It's supposed to signify Spring and new life and all that. Isn't it pretty?

My family and I sitting down to eat our Novruz meal. Nana did the cooking- sooo delicious!

Bangs! Fringe! чёлка!

After I went to throw my hat at my neighbor's house, she invited me in to see her new chickies. So cute! They were all piled on top of each other in the box for warmth. Precious.

Mart/March/Marzo

2009-04-14T00:17:00.000-07:00

Jala, Me and Khadija on Women's Day in Baku.

It's an international holiday you know...

At my counterpart's house, preparing the fires.

Me jumping over the 7 fires! Such an adrenaline rush. Sounds lame, I know, but it was scary!

Me jumping over the fire at my host family's house. This picture is mostly for my sister.