Quick note!

Last night, the logistical manager here, Ali (he calls himslef the logistical manager, everyone else calls him the driver) (he picked me up form the airport) invited me over to his place for the birthday of his one year old daughter. It was nice- food, food, food. They eat meat and rice wrapped in grape leaves, like in Greece (but don't tell them it's a greek dish). His mother-in-law kept putting more food on my plate like I'm a child. I don't have pictures, but the entire evening was videotaped by his brother-in-law. I think Ali is trying to set me up with him, but I think he's a few years younger than me.

Aftereards, we went for a walk (the post-Soviet national pastime) because it was the last day of school (poslednii zvonok) and there were going to be foreworks. We walked on the shore of the Caspian, where there is a park, it was great! However, the fireworks were cancelled and there were cops everywhere and no one knew why. We then went to other parks that I don't have tome to explain but were amazing and will be included later.

SO, the result of all this is that I got home at 1 and slept until 9:30 (I don't have an alarm clock, it's on the to do list). I got lost on the subway this morning and didn't get in until after 12. I am going to an anti-corruption round table at 3, and am doing my first interview afterwards with the head of an organization that fights the trafficking of women in Azerbaijan. I bought a voice recorder yesterday, thank god, because I just completely forgot to get one in the US before I came. So I printed out all my authorizatio forms, figured out the recorder, and am now writing questions for the interview, because women's groups aren't really my focus so I'm even less prepared.

Hectic!