The Fires You Always Wanted to Make

In Azerbaijan, this is their version of 'Happy Holidays,' and I wish you all a Happy Holidays from across the ocean. You see, right now in Azerbaijan is Novruz, the biggest national holiday. Children (and teachers-woot woot) are off from school and go Novruzing-which is throwing their hat or bag onto doorsteps so people can fill it with candy and sweets. Each town and village throws a big festival, with singers and clowns and cockfights (which was unexpected) and speakers. The national dishes and sweets are prepared, like plov-a rice dish topped with apricots, pumpkin, raisins, and meat, or shorab-a pastry with a mild spice inside. And each and every household lights massive bonfires.

Oh the bonfires. One of the best parts of living in a developing country is the lack of fire safety and regulations, so the fires you create are exactly as large as you've always wanted to create. Got some old clothes? Throw them in the fire. Is that backpack broken? We need more fuel for the fire. And every house (literally, every single house you walk by) has a massive bonfire. The columns of flame easily reach 7, 8, 10 feet high. Azerbaijan translates to Land of Fire, and many many years ago it was inhabited by the Zoroastrians, fire worshippers, who heralded the coming of spring with these massive bonfires. Walking last night the entire street was illuminated by a campfire glow with bursts of glowing flame spaced every house-distance apart.

Once these bonfires are lit, the tradition is that you jump over them. In jumping over the fire you wish for all the bad that has been staying within you to drop into the fire and to be consumed. You do this three times to ensure you're being thorough. Afterwards you go inside and eat yourself silly.

In other news I finally found an apartment which is a huge weight off my shoulders. It was worth the effort and, dare I say, stress because it is pretty much exactly what I wanted. Its the center or town and everything I ever go-close to work, my host brother's office, and a couple other organizations I work at. Its an apartment, which means it has indoor plumbing. It is extremely clean-cleaner than my first apartment in Denver and has a nice kitchen and good furniture. Finally, it already has a phone line running into it, so I should (and it is always in Azerbaijan a big 'should') be able to get internet.