My First Week in Sheki!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world. It’s the only thing that ever has.”

This is my 10^th day in Sheki. And my first day home all day. Im sitting in my room with a shirt, sweater, jacket and hat on. (also 2 pair of socks and a hat) The petch (gas heater) is going making things a little warmer. I’ve discovered the amount of time it takes clothes to dry when you hang them on the clothes line in the winter… forever! (I’ve started to move clothes in a few at a time and am hanging them near the petch.) Im fighting off a bit of a cold I think. There has been no water all day because the pipes froze last night. (hopefully soon, I definitely need a shower) The first snow has been falling all weekend. It is very cold, icy (no salt on the sidewalks and roads, so very slippery… I think an embarrassing fall is inevitable) My host mother has been cooking blintchkes (Im sure I messed up the spelling… Russian word that sort of sounds like blitzes). They are very delicious. Its beautiful outside. I love the students  and I am content!!!!

I have a really wonderful site. The other 4 new volunteers in Sheki from my group got together yesterday, wandered the bazaar in the snow, had the best doner Ive had here (street food…. Thin strips of meet in bread or lavash… which is like a tortilla) and just caught up on our first week. Last night, the 2 volunteers who have been here for a year had us over . We said goodbye to the AZ8 volunteer who is leaving on Tuesday and planned a Christmas in Sheki. I am very lucky to be at a site with 2 volunteers who know the ropes and are going out of their way to welcome us.

I had a very busy week at the university. I sat in many classes, gave suggestions, talked with students and began conversation clubs. (they practice English, I teach life skills) The students are eager to learn so far and the teachers are very welcoming. I have a great host family!!!

The only thing missing is my friends/ family from America. I miss all of you. It’s a week before Christmas and Im already thinking about Christmas Eve services, hot apple cider, having a stocking that “santa” lovingly filled and a Christmas feast with a family who took me in and treated me like one of their family. And the kids at River Rock…. I miss talking with them. All and all, I am very blessed. Family/ friends in America and being able to participate in something I love in Azerbaijan.  I just hope I am able to contribute something good here… with God’s help. Inshallah!

More next weekend. Christmas is my favorite time of year, so Im sure next week’s blog will be even more mushy and sentimental.

Merry almost Christmas

My room

pictures of home and Africa

My family's bear

The best thing in my room... my gas petsch which goes whoosh when I light it.

The beginning of my walk to work

almost to the university

The haman at the university. This is great for school standards 

The view from the teachers lounge

Conversation club

Wood petsch in the teachers lounge

The beginning of the first day of snow at the bazaar. I think this dress will need some dry cleaning

Sheki AZ10's reuniting and catching up after week 1

Dave and John carrying our new storage units home.

my house when I came out of my bedroom yesterday morning

Jack trying to stay warm

At Kathy's house last night

My host sister cooking lunch

Everything from scratch today

pipes are frozen, spare water heating

Yum. Its like a cassadilla except with greens in it instead of cheese

From right outside my bedroom door

A proud day

I Merrill Nosler, do solemly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, domestic or foreign, that I take this obligation freely. And without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. And that I will well and faithfully discharge my duties in the Peace Corps, so help me God.

After a lot of speeches by Peace Corps and ministry officials, 48 of us raised our right hands and took this oath. I have done this once before, but I believe I was even more excited and proud this time. I have the honor and privilege of serving my country and doing what I love... working with youth. Life is good.

The next day, 7 of us, with the help of an LCF and a host brother, crammed all of our stuff onto a little marshuka and moved up north to the middle finger of Azerbaijan. (If you look at Azerbaijan on a map, it is shaped like a hand and has fingers, so people say which finger they are it.... no comment please!) We dropped of 2 people in Oguz and then the other 5 of us came to Shaki. We were dropped off at the bus station and Kathy (a volunteer here for a year) met us with Azeri friends and a sign she made. It was a wonderful welcome. I rented a taxi and took my stuff to my house, dragged it up the stairs (Im never moving again) and have been settling in this weekend.

So far, I went to a meeting yesterday with other volunteers and we then went to the bazaar to buy stuff for our rooms, and then checked out the local stadium where the bike club was having a demonstration. I spent time with my host family last night, who slaughtered me playing dominos. Today, I made home, home by finishing unpacking and putting up pictures. My counterpart took me to Khans palace (pics next time) and then I came home to a great dinner of plov. And then, I got on the internet (my family has wi fi.... posh corps) and blogged with the Staffords... and here I am.

Tomorrow is my first day of work. Im excited and a little bit nervous. Im hoping to blog once every week or two. If there's anything in particular you want to know, let me know. I think I am going to do a blog on squat toilets...... and some of the historical places in Shaki. A lot of diversity there.

Im posting the address you can send letters/ packages. It is to the post office in Shaki.

And, if you ever want to skype, send me an email a few days in event and we will have a skype date.

I pray you all have a great holiday. Its different being somewhere with no Christmas music going in the backround. Miss you all!!!

Merrill

Mail address:

Merkezi Poct,

Sheki  AZ5500,

Azerbaijan

If you sent something to the PC address or to my home address, dont worry, that will get there too.

Dave and Jen, A great couple in my group.

xengel

some of the baby boomers in our group

the backdrop at our swearing in

Zuleha,my LCF

Khayel in charge of training. Check out the tie. Khayel rocks!!!

My country director

Mary, a business volunteer

Jess

The wonderful woman who administered my language test. I passed!!!

John, an English teacher... we are almost the same height

the media

the shaki crew. Left to right, Dave and Shani (married) me, john and cliff

Myself, the ambassador and his wife (ambassador Morningstar) Jeyhun and Jess

Jeyhun... one of the fabulous LCF's

My host sister and mother from Jarombatan

My cluster. Zuleha, renee, emily, iain and me

all the lcf's after the swearing in

all my stuff on moving day. Lots of stuff from PC. water filter, med kit, books....

on the way to shaki during an interesting conversation about blimps

I was in the front. My view

snow on the mountains in shaki. Russia is just on the other side... some say it may snow this week

The only church in azerbaijan other than the ex pat one in baku. This one was closed during soviet times

shaki

New host family: Sevda, Ilham, Shams

Jack

Jack

This is koran verses on a plaque outside me bedroom door. Anyone know what it says?