And Finally, February is over

I didn't have a terribly descriptive email last week because the main descriptor ('sucky') wasn't terribly positive. It was a week of wading through 2 inches of slush over the entire city. It was a week of conducting hours of interviews each day for a new, advanced level, conversation club. It was a week begun with the emotional hangover that follows a Baki weekend, all the worse (better?) because it was spent in the comfort of a wealthy Bakuvian's house.

As if a metaphor for the month of March itself, this past week carried over all that stress but as the week wore on, more and more problems were solved and loose ends were tied up. And, I even got to see the sun (literally) a couple times this week as well.

The interviews that were an absolute killer last week resulted in an incredible group of about 13 15-17yo students who all speak English quite well and truly have an actual shot of achieving their stated goals, ranging from becoming a doctor to studying in the US to working to help poor countries. Our first meeting left Lannea and elated, this was why we joined the Peace Corps, this was who we wanted to work with.

Another building stressor is an English Party that the English Teachers at my school have gotten very excited over. Now office party planning is pretty much the bane of my existence (queue knowing head nods from my former team at Aspen Grove); I have no passion for it. But I do have a passion for helping people achieve what they want to achieve and was enthusiastic to help them execute idea, despite my hesitations, stated numerous times, in giving ourselves only a month to prepare it and to have it on the day before one of the biggest holidays in Azerbaijan-Novruz. I found myself growing in frustration as the teachers both complained to me that there wasn't enough time and wouldn't consider the obvious solution of moving the date.

But more frustrating was the fact that I had no clue how to express my frustration in a way that was culturally appropriate and proactive. While complaining to an Azeri friend (who was laughing because he said he has heard this exact same bitch session at the exact same time of service from no less than 4 volunteers) I finally struck upon it. The next day I told my counterpart "Tamilla, I know how to plan well with Americans, but I don't know how to plan well with Azeris. I need your help to learn this." Suddenly, the weight of the party was off my shoulders, it was moved back a couple months, and all the last minute requirements of my time were gone.

And there were little things. My Program Manager visited this week and confirmed my suspicions by calling my walk from home to school, 'unnecessarily excessive and unacceptable'. I found out this week that we have about 8 days off from school this month. And, as its now March and the last month of host family living, thank god, I could officially begin my search for apartments. So far nothing that works, but it feels good to be working towards a solution.