50 Days to COS! (days 50 - 45)

So for any of you who have been reading my blog, you know that Peace Corps is full of acronyms. For every committee, conference, part of your service and position, there is a 2-4 letter acronym that when strung together sounds like a made up language. Of all these tricky little letters, the most important acronym in all of your Peace Corps service is COS. 

Close of Service. It is the date that you receive that signifies the transition from PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer) to RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer), in other words your "Parole Date".  Each volunteer is given a different date, based on a lottery system with 4 PCVs leaving each day, 3 days a week for however long it takes. 

While counting down to the finish is exciting, terrifying and overwhelming, I decided to spend the last 50 days reflecting on my days.  For my final 50 days, I will be posting a photo (or event) a day (or whenever my electricity/internet permits) reflecting on my service.

Here's to the Beginning of the End...

 Day 50... COS Conference!

COS Conference - AZ9's (the amazing group of people I came in with and will finish with)

  

CED Cluster 2 - COS Conference (Sept 2013)

CED Cluster 2 - Swearing In (Dec 2011)

 Day 49...  Last week my friends and I were invited to attend a wedding of a close Azeri friend. 

 

(L to R) Kelsey, Me and Ashlee

Elvin & Leyla

               

 Day 48...

Bloody Mary Brunch at my house with friends!
(L to R) Steven, Me, Julia & Ashlee

  Day 47... 

 

Lezgi Socks - One of my main current projects. My organization sell these hand-woven wool socks. Amazingly warm and really bright & colorful!

  Day 46... How I spend rainy days

It has been an unusually rainy summer here in Quba. Two things that help get through the monotony of the weather, are Tendir Lezgi bread (above) which is cooked on the side of a kiln-like structure and comes out warm and fluffy and Adictos (above) whose name says it all. 

  Day 45... Morning Commute

This old Soviet Lada seems to be in need of a jump start, so naturally the towns most talented mechanics come out to help. These little guys helped push him down the road.

Woman & family walking about my town

Stay Tuned!

Whole Foods hasn't made it to Azerbaijan yet

It's Pear Season!

So recently my director took me up to the Piral village in the Qusar region, which is close to the Dagestan (Russia) border. We went to visit one of our Sumax carpet workshops.

After inspecting the workshop, we stopped at one of the weaver's homes to gather some fruits and vegetables. Women here cook seasonally, as that is usually their only option for many of the produce items. It can prove a challenge, but one I've really enjoyed.

My Director Fatima & I

Shaking the pears out of the tree

                       We picked pears, tomatoes, hazelnuts and a few other in-season produce.

My director gave me a massive bag of pears, of which I ate maybe 1. I was like, what on Earth am I going to do with this many pears?! So I got on Google and started looking and came up with this recipe!

Thought you all might enjoy another "Cooking with Corina" session, so here it is....

Pear Bread

Ingredients

3 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Ground Ginger

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

2 Cups White Sugar

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil (Sunflower Oil works well too)

1/2 Cup Melted Butter

2 Tsps Vanilla

4 Eggs

2 Cups chopped fresh pears

**Sprinkle of Brown Sugar optional

Instructions 

1. Preheat Oven to 250 F (120C)

**You can cook it at a higher temperature if you trust your oven, but as our little red ovens are temperamental, I prefer to go lower and for longer when cooking.

2. Peel, Core, and Chop 2 cups of pears (easier to do this while watching a show or movie)

 

3. Mix melted butter, sugar, oil and vanilla together. Then slowly add the eggs, 1 by 1. The mixture will thicken and turn a yellowish color. (see picture)

 

4. In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients in one bowl and set aside.

 5. Combine all ingredients together and fold in the chopped pears.
**Optional, sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on the top for taste and appearance. 

 

6. Spread in a greased pan and put in oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, keeping a close eye on the bread and rotating often.

7. Bread is done when a fork/knife comes out clean. Let it cool, then slice and Enjoy!

I plan on bringing to my director as a thank you for giving me so much fruit! We'll see how my director likes the bread tomorrow!

Peace Corps Azerbaijan's 10 year Anniversary

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Peace Corps volunteers serving in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan itself has only been independently established since 1991, making Peace Corps' presence here a significant percentage of the country's history. Recently, a PCV was asked to put together a slide show for the anniversary. Take a look! (I show up in a bunch of the pictures if you look closely.)

The Luxury Tour

So as my time in country winds down (86 more days to go!), I am trying to make sure I do all the things I wanted to. One of my main goals is to document my daily life and experiences, so that I will always remember my time here.

One of the things I have been asked for in the past 2 years, that I had not gotten around to doing, was making a video tour of my house. Well, I finally did it, and here it is for your viewing pleasure...

 

Another check off the Bucket List

Today marks my 597th day in Azerbaijan, which is a little over 85 weeks. With 187 days left to go in my Peace Corps service, I have been thinking a lot lately about my Azerbaijan Bucket List. There are so many parts to this beautiful country that I have yet to explore, and I am making it a personal goal for my last 26+ weeks, to to all the things I've been saying I want to do and see.

On the road from Baku (capital) to Quba (my town) there is a main rest stop where all buses take a break, before continuing on their journeys. I must have stopped here a million times on my way to and from Baku, always absently gazing out the window at the sites going by.

Beş Barmaq

 Besh Barmaq is a natural fortress which separates the Caspian Sea and the plain-like coast with the mountainous region. Beş Barmaq in Azeri translates into The Five Fingers.  It is widely considered to be one of the most famous and spiritual places in the Caucasus Region. Pilgrims and worshipers have climbed it's peaks for centuries, coming from a multitude of cultural backgrounds and languages. Historically people of both Islamic and Animistic (Animism) religious affiliations came here to worship, giving the area an otherworldly quality.

This past weekend, a few of us set out to climb it's peak and take a look back through history. We set out early morning from a neighboring town, Siyəzən and took a Marshrutka to the rest stop. From there, we hiked several hours to the base of Besh Barmaq.

"1st Finger" PCVs (left to right) Steven (Siyezan), Kelsey (Xachmaz), Joel (Qusar) and Corina - Me! (Quba)

We made a few friends along the way...

 

 

And stopped to do some car shopping...

 

At the base of the rock mountain, Azeri families take rest before making the pilgrimage to the top. We joined them for a quick refuel, before continuing our ascent.

The stone stairs wind up through the flowery fields, as they climb higher and higher into the bright blue sky. Along the way, there are prayer stops and rest areas.  For myself and my other female friend, we covered our hair out of respect for the cultural traditions.

 

Many of the women who climb this mountain area, are advanced in years. They flock from regions all across Azerbaijan and Southern Russia to take this spiritual journey. 

 

Gypsies also frequent the area, begging for change as pilgrims climb up.  They have special prayers they mutter as you walk by, and some "bless" you wish smooth stones.

    

The steep stairs climb up through an intricate caves and corners, twisting and turning through the mountain side.

 

At the  top of the mountain, there are several trees. Here, you will see dozens of ribbons and pieces of fabric tied to the branches. Each piece symbolizes a prayer or intention left behind by someone. 

 

 

We took a moment to break and enjoy the stunning views of the Caspian Sea below. 

 

Then began our descent back down the mountain and the very narrow stone stairs.

 

The hike down was needless to say, a lot easier. :D

Giorgoba (St. George's Day)

Within Azerbaijan, there are many ethnic minority groups, as well as residents from neighboring countries. In the Northern mountainous city of Qax, there lives a large population of Georgians. Along with Azerbaijan and Armenia, Georgia makes up the Caucasus region of Central Asia/Eastern Europe.



St. George is the patron saint of Georgia. Every year on May 6^th (His death) and November 23^rd (His Birth), in honor of St. George's Feast Day, Georgians living in Azerbaijan, pilgrimage to an Albanian church that sits at the top of a steep hill. 

 
This year, a few fellow PCV friends and I joined the pilgrimage. Typically people walk up the rocky ascent barefoot, to show respect for the Saint and give penance for their sins.

 

 

Before climbing, people purchase bundles of 10 home-made, thin, beeswax candles. One bundle costs 1azn.

Along the walk, people light the candles and say prayers, before sticking the candles to the sides of rock mountain.

 

 

Once the church is reached, at the peak of the hill, people circumnavigate the building 3 times, kissing and praying to each of the 4 corners. 

 People also bring livestock to the church, to bless them before sacrificing it below.

Upon finishing the 3 circles of the building, next people enter this ancient place of worship. Inside, more candles are lit and prayers and intentions said. 

 

Upon exiting the church, there is another short ascent to reach a spectacular view of the church and valley below. 

After the pilgrimage is complete, friends and family gather at the base of the hill for music and picnics.