First kidnapped, now homeless

Where to start?

OK, first, I have had a terrible stomachache yesterday and today. I think it was something I ate- specifically, I think I was given tap water to drink, and not knowing it, I drank a lot. Today is not as bad, but still bad. Yesterday I was miserable, then I threw up, and then I slept all day. I was so weak I couldn't move. Today it just hurts.

And now the big story. I was "kidnapped" and now I am "homeless." On Saturday, I took the bus from Ganga to Baku. 7 hours! I sat with a guy named Lolu, who was so excited to meet an American and speak English. When we got to Baku, he asked me to come to meet his family. Even though I was tired, I felt that I had to say yes. Well, I went to his apartment and met his grandmother, brother, and cousin- all very nice. Then it was getting late, and they all just assumed I would stay there instead of going home, so again, even though I wanted to go home, I stayed. I joked that they had kidnapped me.

The next day, yesterday, I was so sick. I was in bed until 5PM weak and miserable. Everyone else was out except for me and grandma. I was finally feeling better, everyone came home, we ate, talked etc. I finally managed to convince Lolu that I should go home because I had work today. So me, Lolu, his brother, and his cousin went together, planning to go for a walk after dropping my backpack off at home.

Get to my apartment, and my key doesn't work, and I can see that the lights are on. Why? My landlady had returned while I was in the regions, and moved back in!!! Her little daughters were home alone, and they would not let me in. I was freaking out, seriously. I knew that someting bad was going to ahppen sooner or later with her. So, I was calling people from work and freaking out. Finally, my landlady shows up and started yelling and going crazy immediately. She was saying that I should have been gone on the 29th or something, which is nonsense, we signed a contract until the 4th of August, when I leave. But she doesn't care. She had already gone and put all my things into my suitcase and bags. I was so incredibly mad at her for having gone through all my things. I wanted to kill her. There were so many people there, my three friends, her kids, and like 4 other people. It was an absolute madhouse. Finally, we left and took all my things with us, refusing to give her the key, which made her so mad but I just couldn't let her have it and said that I would go through the agency.

Anyway, she is a terrible human being, end of story. I stayed again last night with Lolu's family. They are great, but the place is small. THe diresctor of my orgnanization has offered for me to stay with him, but I don't know if I can get away from Lolu's family. They might be offended if I go, but at the same time, their place is small and I am an added expense. Oh well, we'll see!

So I'm homeless and sick. My god, life is just crazy! But I will survive, I know. And then Friday I leave for Moscow. My office is actually closed, I can come in only in the afternoons. So I won't achieve much this week, but given all the other stuff going on, I think it's OK!

Pics of Ganga:

My lunch- fried dough stuffed with potatoes and spices + a coke. Cost? A lot less than a buck.

At the Immamzade shrine.

Statue of Heyday Aliyev on the main square

Chess school!

Wonderful town hall on the main square

Still in Ganga

Still in Ganga, will write more because I'm more confident in this computer. I had an interesting day- and by interesting, I mean yes, interesting, but with strong hints of frustration!

I decided to only schedule one meeting so that I could have some time to see the city and surroundings. I met this morning with the Western regional center of the Helsinki Group, an international human rights group. I was very interested in talking to a human rights group out here in the regions, to see how they got on with the local gvernment here, etc.

Instead, I managed to find some pro-government, President Aliyev loving guys! Honestly, I think they may hate me. I tried to ask them questions, which they often did not understand, and maybe now think that I think Azerbijan sucks. Which I of course do not. THey hostily told me that I can't write my thesis without first reading the ancient poets of Azerbaijan, such as Nizami, who they quoted at length. I of course would love to read Nizami. Their organization is not really human rights so much as a legal rights and advocacy center. People write to them with their problems and they tell them what they need to do. I mean, this is a totally necessary activity, but I was let down that they weren't a better source of info for me. Did I mention that they share their office with a political party? On the other hand, this is reality for NGOs in AZ. Learning, learning.

After, I went out to an Islamic shrine called Imamzade. OUt of all the places listed in my guide, I thougth it sounded the most interesting. I took a marshrutka out to the train station, and then waited around for 20 until the bus (to the "meat factory") came. THe bus was crowded and I had no idea when to get off. Today was a squinty and humid day, and I was still trying to recover from the morning's interview and not let in get me down. We were giong through the countryside, and as soon as I saw something mosque-y, I went and asked the bus driver. Luckily, another woman was taking her family to the shrine, so she helped me find it.

Anyway, it was small and very run down. A wall with a dome let you in to a courtyard with a cemetary, some people selling Islamic trinkets, and a masoleum ( I don't have my guide book with me, so I can't remember the name of the person). You go in, and the remains are surrounded by a black curtain. People go around the four sides, kissing it and praying. In general it was very interesting for me to see, given that it was my first time visiting such a place. But again, a whole lot of work to get out there. It's just been one of those days!

So afterwards I just hid out in my room and watched TV until I came here.

Tomorrow, it's Baku to Baku and my life as usual! Looking at what I just wrote, it's funny- Baku is my life as usual! I wish! Anyway, one week until Russia. God, I'll be back in America 8/14.

Tomorrow moring I'll see the museums and sites in Ganga, and then I find a bus. When I get back I'll put up pictures!

sigh

i just wrote a really long post but then the computer ate it. So, in brief:

I am in Ganga. It is the second boggest city in AZ. It is quite small. People here are incredibly nice.

I've been travelling since Friday, I'm on my own now, but it's totally fine. Will put up pics and stories later!

Doing lots of interviews, learning a lot.

The post I lost was great! But i just can't sit here and write another one and loose it again, i'll go crazy. Sso that's all for now!

Pics of Sheki:


Me and Malina: Andrea and I met Malina in Lahic, she was travelling alone. I met her again in Sheki- we ate together, and went out picture taking, it was nice. She had just travelled all over Iran- for like a month- by herself! She was a very nice person.

Sheki is famous for it's silk. There was a silk scarf shop in the caravansaray, i bought 3, all for me. Scarf madness!


Hansaray, Sheki: Fantastic!


Streets of Sheki


THe beutiful caravansaray- now it's a hotel, I stayed there. Single room? 12 bucks a night!

Up at the Albanian church in Kish, up in the mountains

At the teahouse at the caravansaray

Made it

Mountains around Lahic


Seven Beauties waterfall: a little restaurant perched over the water

Hiking around Lahic


The family we stayed with outside Qabala

I'm in Sheki now, a beautiful city in the northwes of Azerbaijan. Unfortunately I can't post pics now, but I'll just tell one story.

We (me and Andrea) stayed in Lahic friday night, leaving Baku after work, making it to Lahic at 11PM. Left Lahic next day on a bus, went to Ismaiyi, where the guest house in Lahic had arrnaged for a taxi to meet us and tak us to a hotel in Gabala. All very last minute, but we went fo it. In the taxi, we were happy to be on the road, that we had made it! Anyway, things the fell apart. We told the driver that we would actually rather stay in a place outside of the city, and we discussed options, but nothing was available. By this point he had picked up someone of the street (that he knew) to "help us" find a place. They took us to a indescript business hotel that wanted 50 bucks a night, and was not in the city, or in a nice area for hiking. We just refused- things had been tense for a while already, and this was just it. Tried calling back to Lahic, but couldn't gt a hold of the guy who booked the hotel (it was NOT this one) for us.

The driver took us to find another hotel, which everyoe said was closed for renovations. Me and Andrea were just waiting to call Lahic again. The driver stopped to ask a STRANGER where we could stay. This guy ended up saying we could stay with him. I was really skepical, it was CRAZY! But me and Andrea discussed it- he was more for it than me- and we decided to do it.

And it was GREAT!

We stayed with his wife, mother, and daughter. He was also a taxi driver and was gone during the night. We played with the neighborhood children for huors, then ate, talked a lot, and had a great time. Slept great, and then we went all together to a few places around Gabala and then to Sheki. Saw some sites, and then I went to the hotel and they took Andrea to get a taxi back to Baku.

Crazy, huh? But in the end, it was OK. I'll post pics and write more soon.

Rushing

What do they want you to put down the toilet?

Me and the staff of a refugee center. We drank tea, ate cucumbers, and sang Russian songs until Oksana dragged me away:

Hello loved ones!

This afternoon I am leaving for the regions, and it has finally happened to me- i look like a granola hippy backpacker. Earth tones, big backpack, yup. But no big boots or tevas! I have my limits!

I'm still trying to set up interviews, it's all pretty seat of the pants. But I'm just crossing my fingers and plunging in. For Ganga I have a bunch of interviews planned, but right now for Shekhi I have only one! And I'll be there first! I've got some leads to hunt down though.

The last few days have been hectic. Notes:

-got my Russian visa!
-met the first reader of my "news" blog!
-had longest interview to date (over 3 hours!!!!)
-met with a lot of human rights org's recently, very interesting
-walk so much!
-yesterday was crazy windy! see frizzy head in abive picture.
-met a truly inspirational person here

Things have been good. Rest of Azerbaijan, here I come!

Partying and Working

2 out of 3 sceptics- one is obscured by the cushion. We packed into the taxi like sardines! And the last one is andrea.
A poorly taken picture of the party.


Yup, that's my life.

Saturday night I went to a party that was put together by the Alumni Network, which brings together Azeris who studied abroad. AAA is the American educated group of this, and they are great- I'm going to their offices tomorrow beacuse the new US ambassador is going to be there for a Q & A. Anyway, the party was pretty far outside of town in a big new house- like 3 or 4 floors, still empty (no furniture)- I can't wondering what the heck was going on with that place. There were tons of people there, and some people from the NATO conference. So it was good, had lots of fun, danced, drank, and then went home. Great stuff.

Went to the party with Andrea, he's an Italian who's working at the Asian Development Bank for the summer. We're plannign to go out to the regions together next week, for research and siteseeing. It should be great, but hopefully not as hot (but probably as hot). Also went to the party with a bunch of guys who call themselves the "marginalized intelligentsia" because of their skeptical views on civil society and the political situation in AZ. It was fun talking to them, and i hope to get them on tape for my reserach when i get back to Baku. I also met the guys from the Free Minds group here, a bunch of Azeri libertarians! I met one of them at the conference, met the other organizer at the party. I mean, these guys have interned at the CATO institute, it's unbelievable! So we talked about it all, and how libertarianism is possib;e/different out here in AZ. Wacky, crazy, interesting stuff.

Anyway, I've been bust last and this week with my research. Two interviews a day usually, or someting else, went to a conflict resolution training on Monday, for instance. Been meeting with human rights groups this week, which is my real specific interest, and i'm meeting 2 more today,

which is all FASCINATING, but EXHAUSTING, because (not to beat a dead horse) it is SO HOT HERE, today is over 90 and humid.

Anyway, less than three weeks until Moscow- so little time!

New post on my serious blog

Howdy! I just put up a new post on the Eurasianet blog. Check it out! It's not about shoes!

http://azerbaijan.neweurasia.net/

As usual, I hope to God it is not stupid.

I've been had!

Quick story:

If you know me, then you know that i really like shoes (cliche I know), and also that I am incredibly picky about my shoes. I've been looking for a comfortable pair of sandals for a while (as mentioned, my shoes have all fallen apart). They sell shoes on the metro and in underpasses, and i've been to a big indoor market to look around too. Shopping here ranges from normal stores, with prices marked and salespeople, to a guy with a table on the street and all the shoes in a big huge pile and you have to root around for your size and whatnot and then haggle.

So, yesterday, in my travels, I saw a pair of shoes I liked on the metro. As usual, they did not seem to have my size in the color I wanted. The seller disappeared for a bit and then came back with my shoe, my size (all of this complicated by the fact that he, like many other dudes who sell stuff outside, did not speak much Russian and me almost no Azeri). So after much deliberation (including being told that i could not walk in the shoes when trying them on, to see if they fit!!!) I bought them.

Here's the kicker!

They were not the size I asked for! I am a 39 or 40, and I asked for a 40. When I thought he was running around trying to find the 40, he was actually rubbing out the size on the shoe! The size stamped on the bottom he tried to ink over! They fit, but damn, he got me! THe shoes are fine, but it's the feeling of someone else getting the better of you. All I can do is shake my fist and realize that i lost this battle of street smarts.

MP, baby!

Woah! Big picture!

Hello all, yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Asim Mollazade, member of the parliament of Azerbiajan. He is a founder of the Popular Front Party here and now is the chairman of a new political party, the Democratic Reforms party.

Here is their website

It was quite interesting- they are super liberal, in the school of political thought sense, not in the opposite of conservative sense. If you are intersted, read the website!

Today (it's Thursday) I'm going to a conference that he invited me to, the topic isn't so very interesting to me, but the process is. So I'll go check it out for a bit. And then I have another interesting interview tomorrow!

Things are hopping here, yesterday I applied for my Russian visa and met with someone from the open society institute (yesterday was a day of walking and transportation, I was melting). Today I'm popping by the conference. Tomorrow, interview, Saturday 2 interviews maybe and a party! + one of my interviewees got me in touch with an italian guy working/interning at his organization who also wants to travel for his research and so we are going to try to travel together- it's safer, easier, and more comfortable that way.

I feel like I have so little time left here!

NATO continued!!!

Mountain singer who we found in the woods around Quba


1:30 AM: the first person leaves. Note the bust of Heydar Aliyev:


Me eating Baclava outside the carpet factory in Quba:



We will dance anywhere! In the forest where we found a traditional singer. He was amazing.

Souvenir shop:
Me in Krasaya Svoboda, a town of 6,000 Jews in Azerbaijan:

The picnic: Jaynura from Kyrgyzia and me:

Almost everyone bought a hat. It ruled.


THe most amazing sunset:


Musicians at a caravansary, Baku:


I will write about it all later.

NATO and stuff

I'm at the NATO conference. It's at a water park (see pic above for all the slides and fun) but the weather has been terrible (see ominous clouds in pic above). But tomorrow it should be nice and there will be swimming.

THe conference is on security and the intergration of this region into NATO and other organizations. IT's been pretty interesting- not all the sessions are incredibly productive (a lot are led by professors from the US National Defense University, and sometimes they seem to be saying just whatever comes to mind). Other sessions have been great, led by diplomats from NATO, and the Azeri, Ukrainian, and Georgian foreign ministries. Just having access to these people is great, and the questions and discussions with the other participants have been really good.

THere are people here from everywhere from Latvia to Pakistan, with about half from azerbaijan and a bunch from Central Asia. After the day, we walk, play games, and dance at the disco. Today is the first day we have wireless, so I really should be working on setting up interviews for next week!! But i"m not!! Monday, when we arrived, was hurricane stregth windy. The electricity was off and on all day. It's still off and on, but ususlly on! This hotel is kind of a shambles.

Anyway, I'll recap more later when it's all done.