We celebrated Thanksgiving in Baku. Our group AZ 9's were invited to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at the home of the Deputy Minister in Baku. As many of you know, last year we had to make due with our clusters because we were in training and weren't official volunteers. Last year it snowed and was miserable and in our group, our turkey was about the size of tiny chicken and two of the guys had to kill it with a pen knife!! NOT a pretty site. But ooh, this year in Baku. We stayed with Embassy personnel that hosted us. Unfortunately, my host was out of town, but the apartment was awesome. I can't tell you who or where I stayed (because they would have to kill me!!) but it was an apartment on the 11th floor and the view was amazing from the Caspian sea to the Fire towers. I stayed with three other volunteers and since I got to the apartment first, I got the master bedroom (with my own bathroom!!) and a memory foam bed. The apartment was warm in every room, and I slid across the hardwood floors in my stocking feet. The kitchen had two refrigerators, dishwasher and microwave. Boy I could get use to this!! Now I understand, why they wait for a year to have us stay in luxury!! If this was the first year we might have ET (early termination). The neighbors in the next building who also works for the Embassy are friends with my absent host (they also hosted 2 volunteers), invited us over for breakfast of blueberry pancakes with syrup, ham quiche, grapefruit, bacon, fresh fruit dish, vanilla (Starbucks) coffee and NO bread. I ate so much and it was wonderful.
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| View from the apt. |
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| A washer & DRYER |
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| My own bathroom |
In the afternoon, we went to the Deputy Minister home and the friends of our host drove us there. The food was fabulous, I went back for seconds on the turkey and gravy (I prayed not to get sick) but if I did, this was so worth it!!!! After the awesome meal, we had a talent show, since I have no talent, I just supported the ones who did!! Some pretty funny talent. I didn't want to go back to my site, having too much fun and enjoying the comforts!! But I had a reprieve, I had to stay a couple of extra days as I had to be retested for this parasite I got, and to see if the three antibiotics killed it (I tell you, it almost killed me with all the side affects!!). So Monday morning I got to the PC office at 9:30 and off we went to the hospital. I asked the doctor, will they be putting that camera down my throat again????? No, she said, this test does not hurt (yea, that what she said about the camera down my throat... can't believe the doctor!!). So now I am a little nervous... got to the hospital and the first thing they ask "did you fast?" No, was I suppose to? Yes, for 6 hours, now we go back to the PC office and I need to fast for 6 hours and then go back to the hospital. Once back at the PC office, the doctor gave me a physical making sure I was okay and she took my blood pressure which was back to normal. She then asked "when did you finished the antibiotics?" On Wednesday, let me check what the procedure is for retesting (yea this is a good time to check) she said, oh "you can't be tested until 4 weeks after you finished your antibiotics", so you need to come back on December 21st. Oh joy Doctor, that is the day the world is ending according to the Mayan calendar, go figure....Murphy's Law!! We both laugh and now I am coming back in December.
I did some shopping in the PC lounge, a book for a co teacher, sleeping bag for a site mate, a towel, pie pan and more thermals for me and went back to the hotel. I went to dinner in old town at this pub and had Chicken Fajitas, hmmmm, awesome... I don't want to go back to my site!! But, the next morning I took the 9 am marsh to Zaqatala. No snow yet, rain a little but it is getting colder. I am on layer 2 and just got a heater and will be winterizing my apartment. Here is some pictures of the talent!!!
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| Our Talent show WC doing the Splits |
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| Singing Mary had a little lamb in Azeri |
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| Putting on makeup for a TOY |
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| Even the Ambassador sang a song!! |
Life Challenge: The most imaginative people are the most credulous, for them everything is possible..... Alexander Chase
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