Photo from first wedding--forgot to post

Said and Gulnur had their wedding reception last night.....I've decided Azerbaijan weddings, well actually the reception, no ceremony actually takes place...is like a combo 1) broadway theatre production, including over abudance of food...think...dinner show...2) a disco...lots of continued dancing in order of relationship to bridal couple...a) family dances, b) friends and it's not cool to occupy the floor when it's not your turn to dance and finally, 3) a down home revival...with a shouting, frantic MC (who also sings and introduces the other multitude of singers/musicians....

Here's couple of pictures...couldn't get great shots...just too many people and too hectic of an evening...

Upcoming weekend filled with weddings

There are two weddings this weekend, Friday and Sunday....both for colleagues at the Academy

The first is the marriage of our CFO and our Career Services Coordinator, like many young Azeris...the work hook-up is quite common and popular...otherwise your mother may pick your mate....Gulnur and Said...I both adore..are having a huge event...400 people and costing probably $60,000...folks here spend a sinful amount of money...then end up living with the bride's family...but in this case they are moving into their own apartment.

Gulnur had her bridal shower...i.e. khna (henna) party (women only) last weekend....also quite an affair....though I would not describe them as the 'traditional type' with regard to the Azeri culture...you CAN NOT avoid it...brides wear red for the party...he is just escorting her in..and she being khna --the feet and hands.

4th of July Party at the Embassy

For all the excitement I generated about going to the invitation only party at the US Embassy, I didn't have a good time...inspite of the hundreds in attendance including a who's who's of the diplomatic community in Azerbaijan and the fab Azeris who are well connected and have to bee seen....it was a bust for me. But then again fortunately, my time here in the country has strengthen my resolve never get too excited (except to fly home)....I think it's because I really don't have a community here...as I've stated before...I'm kinda the exception...not part of a large private corporation like BP, yes, they have a huge presence here, I don't work for some NGO type agency...UN, NATO, etc. etc..and I don't work for the US State Dept...so I'm out there on a limb....and clearly the community of US citizens is small enough that it can be like mini-clans...bummer...but damn the potato chips (that I didn't pay $5) for were really tasty...

Advertising Azerbaijani Style

With the encouragement of one of my staff members over the last few months I have begun to ride the public buses...previously I avoided them and only minimally rode the underground Metro preferring to walk miles for my outings. However, the summer heat is brutal to send me both on the buses and underground....while on a bus this week I noticed the straphangers and thought...that's a novel way to advertise beverages! I think the cans are empty, they felt empty and light....but honestly, you never know around these parts of the world...

Two great photos but not so clear...

Being such a weather and sky junkie sometimes not knowing much about the fundementals of weather here in Azerbaijan...like why doesn't is thunder often, or where does that freakin' wind in a cloudless sky come from that rips the screens out of the windows of my apartment and it's rare to see the moon. So I was just sitting at the computer and glanced up to see this in the sky...the other photo is the closest (but then who thought I'd be in Baku) I will come to the White House by way of an invitation to the 234th celebration of the Independence of US...a party at the Embassy here in Baku next Tuesday evening......woo-woo....can I get a beer and chips and watch ESPN...Hilary C. was here on the 4th thus the usual celebratory day was cancelled....you think the new US Ambassador can get my ESPN station back...its been off for several weeks...I was told the satelite was out...another woo-woo

Two weddings, birthday party and kynha party

Okay...office photo...many of us...me on the left, tall blond is Rebecca from California is on the left ...English language teacher but she's leaving in August and Ton my Dutch pal...PhD from MIT teaching internation political ecomony...he's the tallest guy in the very back...

Good gosh...the next two weekends is going to be one be party...here's the lineup
Kyhna Party..think bridal shower with more food and henna painting of all of our hands--Fri
Party for the Dutch Ambassador who is being reposted to Brussels---I've gotten an in...and they don't party to hard...you know Calvinist---Monday
4th of July celebration at the US Embassy....can I fall on my knees now....rescheduled from the 4th as Secretary Clinton was here and everyone wants a hotdog, hamburger, and potato salad..Tuesday...CAN'T WAIT
Wedding 1 next Friday...ADA's CFO is marrying the director of career services...they are an adorable couple...400 expected to attend....starts at 6 pm and goes for 6-7 hours...I'm out at 9...
Wedding 1 Sunday 25th...ADA HR director marrying a guy she met just 2 months ago...the pressure to wed is crazy...she only refers to him as her fiance...he appears to have no name...500 expected at this wedding again starting at 6...I'll be out by 9....

oh, yes the staff is overwhelmining woman, young woman...no female Azeri instructors...but he void in the numbers studying PhD abroad and wishing to return....something else they will need to content with....

Can't keep ...welll neither can I....

Venting and not about the screen guy

I must admit I am rather miserable at the moment...the heat has abated for few hours thankgoodness...but you know when I first arrived and during the first few months I imagined that the cultural differences surrounding processing, organization, etc. to be novel and perhaps just a reflection on the newness of the organization and the youthful exuberance of my colleagues and the ambition project before them/us.
Now, nearly eighteen months later what I thought was novel is instead a consequence of a level of dysfunctionality generally engrained into the cultural identity...I realize I might be harsh on this one...but I am soooo frustrated and irritated...it is becoming increasing mentally painful and exhausting....I thought I was just being another uptight anal American struggling as an ex-pat but conversations with my closest ex-pat colleagues here just confirms that we all share the same frustrations...ugh...Tammy, of course and rightfully so, has little sympathy for my lot..so this dear friends is my only outlet...sorry but thanks...