December 23, 2009
Today is holiday in Azerbaijan, so I take the opportunity to visit Peace Corps office in Baku. For the 1st time, I travel to Baku alone. My Azerbaijani is still very rustic, and my host sister does not think it is a good idea for me to travel alone in a big city. I explain to her, I grew up and lived my whole life in a city. I am not afraid to go anyway alone, PERIOD!
I have enough Azerbaijani vocabulary to travel.
- To Baku is Bakiye, bus station is: avtovagzal
- From Sumgayit is Sumgayitdan
- Get off is: dusmek Get on is: minmek
- To stop is: Saxlayin
Etc…..
First I take the minbus #14 to Baku bus station, then take bus #90 to Peace Corps office, simple as that. BUT, I do not know where to get off and do not know how to tell the driver where I am going either. I have the map with me but it is written English, so it does not help. No Problem, I call my teacher at the bus station in Baku and hand my phone to the driver. The driver gives me a smile and I just sit tight and wait for his sign. I arrive at the Peace Corps office safe and sound.
Azerbaijan people are very friendly and helpful. If you ask a question, someone will try their best to help you. The other day, I took a wrong bus and got lost somewhere (AGAIN!). A man overhead my question to a woman and he waved me to join him in his car. Of course, I would never get in a car with a stranger, so I just got the information from him and walked. He kept following me with his car to make sure that I would get to my street ok. Finally, I arrived at my street and said thank you, then he drove off.
I never felt unsafe here; Azerbaijan men have a very good manner. On the bus, I often see men offer their seats to women, elder people and children. If you ask them why they are so nice, they would respond with a strange look and say “by God, but why not, it is my duty!” See what I mean.
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