Photo Day and 1st Day of School

Photo Day

Many times I traveled the road going south from Masalli to Lenkaran. And many times I wanted to take pictures of the things I saw along the way. But it is not possible to ask a marsrutka driver to stop for photo ops. His job is to get passengers from point A to point B in about 40 minutes. People just don't care about the scenery because they have seen it many times probably.

But sitemate Sally reminded me that we had talked last year about hiring someone to drive us along the route so we could do just that: take photos for memories when we return to America. Sally is leaving in June after nearly 3 years and she knew someone who would drive us.

So on Tues (another no school day) we hired a good taxi driver and invited an English-speaking friend Javida to come along us as we took pictures. We started out about 10AM and Sally immediately spotted an old bus stop from soviet times. The local people had made a mosaic depicting typical scenes – selling vegetables and weaving items from yarn. The bus stop is no longer used but the mosaic remains.

 It had only been a week since my return and I was flooded with memories along the way. Since it is early Spring, the flowers and trees are budding and not in full foliage. I saw boys keeping their cows from wandering onto the highway, Mercedes and Lada cars careening along, men sitting on their honches while their sheep safely graze, other men having tea at a cayxana (chai hana = tea house) sitting at tables under trees , small shops for car repairs and car washes, lush green acres of flat fields with hoop houses for early vegetables.

We stopped to take photos at a river where many men catch sturgeon to sell; a rookery for herons; a sign honoring an Azeri hero, a house built during the Russian era, a crumbling train station, a memorial to fallen soldiers and their weeping women. We stopped to buy tandir bread, then took the road thru Lankeran to Lerik which overlooks a valley village. Onward to a hike to a hidden waterfall that I know my hiking group would enjoy.

We topped off our day with a dinner at the best restaurant in Lankeran, Levengi. Most restaurants outside of Baku do not have open eating areas, but have private rooms for dining. No one knows if you are there and you don't know who else is in the restaurant – unless you bump into them in the restroom.

A full day taking over 100 photos!

First Day back to Digah School

I arrived at school at 9am via marsrutka with some girls I knew from last year. I was greeted by the new school director, but unbeknownst to me the school day now starts at 8:30am! I was earnestly greeted in the teachers' room by many non-English speaking teachers who remember me. And in the hall many times I could hear shouts of, “Miss Peggy Xos Gelmisiniz” (hosh kelmisiniz – Welcome).

Since this will be my last 2 months of Peace Corps service, I will observe and coach the English teachers instead of co-teaching with them. It was heart-warming to know that the youngest teacher now begins each class with asking the date and the weather! Yes! As I suspected, the newest teacher Shalala has adapted new language teaching methods the best. Unfortunately she has also been assigned a class with less able students and no books. But she used the time to write their lesson on the board and encourage all.

I stayed the full class day and walked home about a mile. Ay! How could I forget how dusty and lumpy the walk home could be? But my host mother was waiting with a full plate of rice and chicken.