I had 2 days of training in Baku and decided I needed another 2 days to re-energize and relax from the challenges here. Two of the TEFL PCV's and I took a night train. The bus takes 7 hours to get to Baku and the train takes 13 hours. But on the night train we got a sleeper car and they even had a bathroom on it (that is very important, buses do not have a bathroom). We brought snacks and slept on and off and got to Baku around 8:30 am, we were able to find our hotel and I got to take a long HOT shower and rest until I had to go to training. It was wonderful. After training a few of us ventured out to old town and found a fabulous Indian restaurant where I had spicy chicken. It was really good (have not had any meat for over a month). The next night after training, it had started raining and snowing. Oh no, not again, we ended up buying pizza at a restaurant closed to the hotel, it was good and cheap. The next day, I had a meeting with other PCV's for a camp we are putting on for girls in Azerbaijan in the summer. The meeting went well and afterwards we moved to our hotel in the old city, a nice accommodations and affordable on our budget. I went with a couple of volunteers in search of an Irish Pub for St. Patrick Day. We were told about O'Mally's and got the address and ended up at a Tequila Pub that was ran by an Azerbaijani women with Russian servers and cooks and they served Scottish food. This use to be O'Mally's but they moved. The food was great and cheap and we promised to come back the next day. We were suppose to meet other PCV's at O'Mally's but ended up staying at this pub because of the great food and not a lot of people. The next day I was able to go to church and it was a beautiful day, not warm, but the sun was out and it was not raining or snowing. Baku is a beautiful city and I enjoyed walking around. The parks are awesome and the local art work is fun to see. On my next visit I will definitely bring my camera (I brought my computer this time and left my camera at home) and take some pictures of this area.
I had a great time and enjoyed being with other PCV's but now "Getting Back to Zaqatala". Well, Murphy's law, I love this country, I had forgotten that Tuesday was a big holiday here (Norvuz-Spring Break) and this week there was no school, so guess what the buses were packed and I didn't think about buying my ticket ahead of time! So we get to the bus station and of course the bus is packed (no room at the inn so to speak) and the reservation guy who yells kept telling me yoxsdur. Hmm what to do? I know Sheki is close to me, if I get there, maybe I can take a murshruka to Zaqatala. I checked it out and they were full too, but the driver told me to wait that they may have a place for me. So I waited and waited and then it just left and I watched it go (I thought he was just moving the bus). Okay, back to the Zaqatal bus, this time a vendor befriended me and he spoke English enough to talk with the bus driver and negotiate with him to let me on. He said I had to sit on a stool between the seats all the way up to Zaqatala but at least I was on the bus (with an additional 2 manate for that privilege). So I text my friend in Zaqatala to please call and let the family know I will be very late coming back and I pray that sitting on that stool for 7 hours won't be too painful. At one point the reservation guy came on board and started telling me to get off (after I checked my bag and paying the money). I showed him the stool and pointed to the bus driver and he kept yelling at me and then an older gentleman in the back started yelling back at him and the reservation guy shook his head and left. I turned around and thank him very much for his help and he just smiled at me. Whew,.. I'm glad I stood my ground. If I hadn't been able to take this bus I would be in the bus station for the night. Well, just before we left a seat became available in the very back of the bus. Thank you God (normally women are not suppose to sit in the back of the bus) but I wasn't going to complain and say anything. The ride was long and I was happy to have a comfortable seat and the woman sitting next to me decided she was coming back to America with me. I got back into Zaqatala around 7:30 PM and no murshrutka running to my area and the taxi wanted 3 manate and it is usually .50-1 manate. It was because I was American so I just walked the 1 1/2 miles up the hill. I got home, made tea, put on a movie and got into bed; it was all good.
Life Challenge: Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. Mahatma Gandhi
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