Saturday, March 16, 2013

The Day Before Departure

I can't believe how rusty my writing has become. The words just don't fall into place and I search for something interesting to say. Bear with me.

It's Saturday morning the day before I fly from Minneapolis to Baku. That sounds easy but it's really a long time from early Sunday morning departure to Newark, change planes there for flight to Istanbul, then change again to Turkish airlines for my flight into Baku. I arrive Monday evening March 18th in Baku.

It's a bright Saturday morning in March and all's well. Only an inch of snow overnight instead of the 5 inches predicted but it is cold. I've already changed the bedding and took a load of laundry downstairs. Someone is frying bacon in my building. Salivate. My thoughts go to the luxury of a washer and dryer. I won't have those for the months I'll be in Azerbaijan, and I'll be bacon-less.

My big red duffel bag sits on the floor in my living room. I've already packed some school supplies and gifts into it, but there are piles of clothes I'll also need to squeeze in later today. For sure I'm taking a nice dress for any weddings or dinners. I've pared down the clothes I'll wear daily to school - everything will go with black. I'm taking tennis shoes plus black loafers and high heels - can never have enough shoes.

I've set aside the clothes I'll wear on the plane: blue jeans, black top with 3 little pins (Irish clover leaf, Peace Corps logo with AZ and American flags, plus an American flag), pink fleece jacket (always a reminder of General Mills friends), heavy socks to wear with my hiking boots, and my black raincoat. I'll top it off with the beautiful scarf from friends at St. Joan's. And just for these long flights I'll put on elastic stockings. It's a thrombosis thing.

In a little while, I'll phone my 99 year old mother for our weekly chat. I'll do that again next Saturday from Azerbaijan but then I'll dial her phone via my computer. It seems so normal.

Later today my son Anton and my friend Pearly will come over to load the duffel bag into her car. If I'm not too stressed, Pearly and I will head to a grand St. Patricks Day dinner at the home of longtime college friend Phoebe. Then a sleepover at Pearly's and an early morning ride to the airport.

It's time to move the laundry from the washer to the dryer so I'll end this post. I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to write again. I'm so looking forward to seeing my English teachers, students, PCVs and staff. I'll arrive just in time for the great celebration of Novrus in Azerbaijan.

I like to add at least one photo to each blog post, so here's the comfortable bed I'm leaving behind. 

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