Cemeteries, Cinnabon, and Sleepovers

Though there is a sizeable expat community in Baku, we've hardly met any Americans here.  Except for a Christmas party in December, we've mostly hung out with locals and people from other countries (including a surprising number from the Philippines).  But recently Jillann, a teacher who was here before us, put me in touch with her friend Elly.  Last weekend, for Colleen's birthday, she took us around to some of the sights we hadn't been to yet.

 

First stop was Martyr's Alley.  Part of a much larger cemetery, this particular section memorializes the deaths of approximately 93 civilians during a protest of Soviet rule on January 20, 1990.  It was sobering, walking down the row and seeing the pictures of those who had been killed.  The oldest we saw was a 77-year-old woman, and the youngest a 13-year-old girl.  

 

The very first one you see as you walk down the alley is a married couple.  The husband was killed in the massacre and the wife killed herself when she heard of it.  She was only 20.  It is so unbelievably sad.

 

Our day got a little more light hearted after that.  We enjoyed exploring a part of the city we'd never been to before, and took advantage of the new scenery to take some more fun team photos.

 





If it wasn't so hazy that day, you could see where we live across the bay.



With our new friend and the Flame Towers- still my favorite
(and definitely the most recognizable) landmark in Baku

Hungry after an afternoon of walking, we set off in search of... wait for it... Schlotzky's Deli and Cinnabon!  I didn't even know they had a Schlotzky's here, and I'd heard of the Cinnabon but hadn't experienced it yet.  A roast turkey sandwich and a cinnamon roll for dessert?  I'll take it. :)  Then home to spend the evening chilling with a movie.  Happy birthday Colleen!

 

 



While we were walking, Elly invited us to her place this weekend for a game night.  Since it took an hour and a half to get to her apartment from ours, we decided to make it a sleepover.  Three games, two movies, a pancake breakfast, and some guitar playing later, I am quite excited about our new friend.  I didn't realize quite how much I'd missed having an American friend.  ::contented sigh::  I needed this.

PS. I updated the "Pictures" page again.



The Best of Both Worlds

If you read my recent entry, "Up in the Air," you may recall that they were talking of sending Colleen to teach at another school.  Since then, they tossed around the idea of each of us going there one day a week.  But again, nothing came of it.  We just decided to go about business as usual, while knowing that, if anything happened, it would probably happen quickly.  That has definitely proven true.

Monday morning I walked in the front door of the kindergarten and before I'd finished signing in, I was told that someone was there to take me to the other school.  Fortunately, the man who was driving me only spoke Azeri.  Our limited conversation options gave me most of the ride over to try to plan an introductory lesson on the fly. 

I ended up not needing it, though.  While they had planned for me to start teaching that day, the groups on my schedule were all from the Turkish section, which was on vacation for the week.  So I spent the day observing other English classes, trying to get a feel for the different levels and how the school works in general.  Apparently they want us there every day now, but Colleen and I will be alternating between this school and the kindergarten.  I will be there Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, teaching mostly 5th and 6th grade, and Colleen will be there the other days teaching 3rd and 4th.  Since they already have an established class schedule, we'll be taking half of the students for a supplementary conversation lesson during one of their regular English classes.

I've loved all the classes I've had so far.  Here are some highlights from my first two days there:

• Word about the American teacher got around fast- during one of the breaks I was standing in a 5th grade classroom, and I looked out into the hall to see a group of kids from the next room peering in at me.  The teacher had to shoo them away!
• We'll alternate which half of the class we teach each week. Their English teacher chose the students who would be in the first group, and they were jumping up and down in their seats trying to get her to choose them. I know the novelty and excitement of having an American teacher will wear off soon enough, but it's nice in the meantime. :)
• Teaching the kids to say "Teacher, slow down please!" because, let's face it... I still get excited about things sometimes and forget where I am and who I'm talking to.
• Getting to know the other teachers in the break room.  They're really wonderful women.  I already have a few offers to help me with my Azeri. 
• Walking home from work- that's one thing I've missed, and this school is only a 30 minute walk from our apartment.  Plus, they let us leave after our last class, so I'm usually home half an hour before I would have even left the kindergarten.

So all in all, I'm pretty excited about it.  I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of my students and planning some real lessons.  But it's the perfect compromise- I love our kids and coworkers at the kindergarten as well, and it would have been sad to leave them permanently.  Here's to getting the best of both worlds!