Woke up early again, I guess I'm kind of jittery about our impending departure, so I grabbed the camera and headed out the door about 7:20 AM. It is getting light and it looks like it will be fairly clear.
I get to walk around my neighborhood and down toward the river for the last time (for a while) and think back on the past three months' adventures here in Azerbaijan.
We will be back, I’m sure, just not sure when or for how long. We would like to be able to return in the fall, September or October, (even if it is just for a couple of weeks) to continue our friendships and relationships with those that we have gotten to know in our short time here.
The nation of Azerbaijan is populated with wonderfully kind people. They are interesting, engaging, and curious. Open and warm, I have only once encountered a shop-keeper that was rude. We have been welcomed like no where I’ve ever been even though we know little of the language.
The common workman is hard-working and inventive, although tending to be a little lazy in the area of excellence. There is a purvasive attitude of “good-enough” that appears to be the standard. Many things here are cobbled together--if it works, it’s good enough. Is it safe? No, but it works. Is it astheticly pleasing? No, but it works. Will it break soon? Yes, but they will patch it back together again and there will be gas or water or electricity again for a few more weeks...
I have had very little experience with the government sector here other than my dealings with the Police and the Immigration Department. These too, can be likened to the labor of the worker--they appear to create bottlenecks rather than create freedom in order to retain power over those that they govern. It appears to me that the government has lost any sense that they are the employees of the people.
A couple cases in point; The nation of Azerbaijan took and initiative in response to the recent uprisings in Egypt--they switched around a bunch of mayors. I guess they can do this, Mayors are appointed not elected. So Ganja got a new mayor. This is done to stem the corruption that ruling individuals seem to gather. Our new mayor was the previous mayor of Yavlax, a city of less than 30,000. Ganja has 300,000 so qualifications do not seem to matter a lot. One of the first things he has done was command that one of the most successful resaurants in the city, “Elegance”, pull down their outside seating area, stating that it was bad to look at. I am certain that this has had a significant financial affect on thier business, however, three tea houses within viewing distance of Elegance have been allowed to keep thier outside seating areas. Totally a double standard here. If the new mayor wanted to do something about how the city looks he should do something about all the litter. This would make him a good official.
There are numerous other points that could be made about the Immigration Department, the Police, and other governing sectors. Bribes, lax reporting, non-standard decision making processes and many other things, but I guess that the “good-enogh” mentality is at work here too. The people have grown accustomed to heavy handed governance and when the pain of change is less than the pain of staying the same change will come.
It is not intolerable, we have been comfortable enough. No, it is not American standards, but it is livable. The people here have almost no expandible money for luxury or leisure, and it shows, but they have chosen to not let it get them down. They shine their shoes and wash their 40 year old cars and drink tea while playing dominoes and celebrate the good life that they have. They are a very optimistic people, choosing to see that the gas was only off for a few hours rather than the fact that the gas went off at all.
I wish we could have gotten to stay, it would have been interesting to see how it all played out. I know we would have done more work at the Training House--they need to finish several more projects to be able to apply for another registration. That registration would permit them to reach more children and give them a quality education. I would have liked to meet the artistic community and see what they are doing. I would have loved to get into the music scene here--there is a pretty good jazz station on the radio. I would have liked to create some kind of grass-roots anti-littering campaign and coordinate some clean-up projects.
We have to trust that there was some sort of bigger reason in our “detour” at this time. There is one thing certain, we will return to Azerbaijan. Whether is is a short visit or we do find a way to live here long term, our hearts have been knitted with this land.
I will also offer this as well--if anyone reading this blog would like to experience the adventure of Azerbaijan first-hand Beloved and I will be your guide and host for a 7 day visit to Azerbaijan. You will get to meet most of the regulars on this blog, England and Mrs. P., Manchester, Berry and her family, Farshid, and get to be involved in bettering the lives of a few Azerbaijanis. If you are truly interested contact me, the cost would be about $2000, that would include your visa, airline ticket, and food and housing while in Az.
I get to walk around my neighborhood and down toward the river for the last time (for a while) and think back on the past three months' adventures here in Azerbaijan.
The nation of Azerbaijan is populated with wonderfully kind people. They are interesting, engaging, and curious. Open and warm, I have only once encountered a shop-keeper that was rude. We have been welcomed like no where I’ve ever been even though we know little of the language.
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| 200 pieces of Bread in a Lada |
I have had very little experience with the government sector here other than my dealings with the Police and the Immigration Department. These too, can be likened to the labor of the worker--they appear to create bottlenecks rather than create freedom in order to retain power over those that they govern. It appears to me that the government has lost any sense that they are the employees of the people.
A couple cases in point; The nation of Azerbaijan took and initiative in response to the recent uprisings in Egypt--they switched around a bunch of mayors. I guess they can do this, Mayors are appointed not elected. So Ganja got a new mayor. This is done to stem the corruption that ruling individuals seem to gather. Our new mayor was the previous mayor of Yavlax, a city of less than 30,000. Ganja has 300,000 so qualifications do not seem to matter a lot. One of the first things he has done was command that one of the most successful resaurants in the city, “Elegance”, pull down their outside seating area, stating that it was bad to look at. I am certain that this has had a significant financial affect on thier business, however, three tea houses within viewing distance of Elegance have been allowed to keep thier outside seating areas. Totally a double standard here. If the new mayor wanted to do something about how the city looks he should do something about all the litter. This would make him a good official.
There are numerous other points that could be made about the Immigration Department, the Police, and other governing sectors. Bribes, lax reporting, non-standard decision making processes and many other things, but I guess that the “good-enogh” mentality is at work here too. The people have grown accustomed to heavy handed governance and when the pain of change is less than the pain of staying the same change will come.
It is not intolerable, we have been comfortable enough. No, it is not American standards, but it is livable. The people here have almost no expandible money for luxury or leisure, and it shows, but they have chosen to not let it get them down. They shine their shoes and wash their 40 year old cars and drink tea while playing dominoes and celebrate the good life that they have. They are a very optimistic people, choosing to see that the gas was only off for a few hours rather than the fact that the gas went off at all.
I wish we could have gotten to stay, it would have been interesting to see how it all played out. I know we would have done more work at the Training House--they need to finish several more projects to be able to apply for another registration. That registration would permit them to reach more children and give them a quality education. I would have liked to meet the artistic community and see what they are doing. I would have loved to get into the music scene here--there is a pretty good jazz station on the radio. I would have liked to create some kind of grass-roots anti-littering campaign and coordinate some clean-up projects.
We have to trust that there was some sort of bigger reason in our “detour” at this time. There is one thing certain, we will return to Azerbaijan. Whether is is a short visit or we do find a way to live here long term, our hearts have been knitted with this land.
I will also offer this as well--if anyone reading this blog would like to experience the adventure of Azerbaijan first-hand Beloved and I will be your guide and host for a 7 day visit to Azerbaijan. You will get to meet most of the regulars on this blog, England and Mrs. P., Manchester, Berry and her family, Farshid, and get to be involved in bettering the lives of a few Azerbaijanis. If you are truly interested contact me, the cost would be about $2000, that would include your visa, airline ticket, and food and housing while in Az.
On Sunday, I was told a story about balconies of a flat building that faced a major road being torn down with only hours notice. And as happens here, some of these "balconies" had been turned into kitchens, dinning rooms or other living spaces. All for a flush, aesthetic appearance ... courtesy of the new Mayor.
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