Friday, October 23, 2009

What IS it with these animals?

Hey all!

I am back from my trip to Siyezan. It was a really nice vacation from Pre-Service-Training life (going to language class, going to technical training, struggling to communicate with my host family, then going to sleep only to wake up to do it all over again). We had pancakes, burgers, and spaghetti (Those are in order of importance to me, I hit the motherload!!). My host was awesome, a Peace corps volunteer doing Youth Development and working with the Ministry of Youth and Sport. She has started dance groups, conversation clubs and a youth as volunteers project. She is a super hard worker and I took a lot of tips home with me. I was able to really help with the sports group because she had a sprained ankle, so I felt of some use. She is one of the only people still living with a host family, which is pretty cool. Their relationship is super-good, and she speaks Azeri VERY well. She says the benefits to living with them is that they always tell her when she is about to something stupid, which is something I may need...

So, we were chased by geese the other day and I got a great opportunity to relate my father's story of being chased in Florida by a pack of angry geese. He really should have dropped the bread and run for his life... Anyways, we had no bread, and just kept walking at the same pace to show we had no fear (even though we obviously were terrified of these murderous geese) and they just kept honking at us and followed us a little ways, but did not bite. Just another animal to keep my eye on in Azerbaijan. Who would of thought when joining PC Azerbaijan that your main threat would be wild/domesticated animals? I mean, out in the desert, maybe. There are snakes and scorpions and things that go bump in the night all over the place, but here, they say you have to be "lucky" to encounter one of the 4 venomous snakes that habitate in this country. Personally, I think you would be unlucky, but there are those crazies out there who enjoy the occasional snake.

I had tripe the other night for dinner. It was actually pretty delicious if you don't think about what exactly you are eating... I would eat it again if served to me.

We visit the mud volcanoes soon (sounds like something out of The Princess Bride, along with the Cliffs of Insanity), so that should be pretty cool, and we have a big Holloween get together planned in our Tech Group because our Mid PST language interviews and site placement interviews are going to be held on Halloween and are pretty stressful.

Anyone going to be anything interesting for Halloween?

-Amy

4 comments:

  1. Inconceivable!

    I have someting in mind . . . I'll tell you after halloween if I actually do it or not.

    I'll make sure to tell Dad that you were attacked by geese. He got a kick out of my dog story and "does your doggie bite?"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gladiator again. Glad to hear you've fucked with geese on 2 continents now. - Jeremy

    ReplyDelete
  3. So glad you graduated from Chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn...but tripe is a deep dive.
    Love and miss you. Mom

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'll have a very mature costume as opposed to my old buzz lightyear and buddy the elf costumes..... I'll be Elmo this year! I'll def send you a picture haha

    ReplyDelete