September 29, 2010
Last year this day, I landed on this dusty soil of Azerbaijan, knew nothing about this country, its people and my fate with them. A year has gone by, and I am still here, learning about this country, its people and my fate with them. The feeling nevertheless is different now.
After living here for a year, I come to like this country and its people. I am particularly fond of the elderly one. Their facial expression, their appearance and their gesture still carry the ancient culture and reflect the old value that once governed their daily live. They are proud of their heritage, take pride of their national meals, national dance, national music, many other national “things” that they are still trying to educate me. The younger generation, however, favors the modern music, modern dance and the western foods.
Azerbaijan is becoming a modern country. If you walk around on the Sahil area of Baku, you would think that you are walking on the street of a European country. The big McDonald sign would further deceive you. Passing by the Caspian Sea everyday, I saw young people holding their cellular phone, chatting endless with their friends, hiding behind a tree, young couple hugging and kissing each other, doing things that are considered as “olmaz” (forbidden) by their parents.
I am old fashion, I like the tradition, the old value, but I also welcome the new, the change. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, one of our missions is to educate the Azeri people about America, its culture, its value. Working for the bank, I encountered many educated Azeri youngsters, who are eager to learn about America, a world outside of their own. Most of them express their desire to study abroad and further their education. They remind me of the time when I was at their age, full of ambition, building up so many dreams. They often seek my advice. Knowing that there would be many obstacles ahead of them, I simply told that: “Every dream is possible, if you work hard to pursuit it, it will someday become a reality, because I had done it! So
Dream it, plan it and do it.
Listening to their dreams, I am certain that it is my fate to be here….
Last year this day, I landed on this dusty soil of Azerbaijan, knew nothing about this country, its people and my fate with them. A year has gone by, and I am still here, learning about this country, its people and my fate with them. The feeling nevertheless is different now.
After living here for a year, I come to like this country and its people. I am particularly fond of the elderly one. Their facial expression, their appearance and their gesture still carry the ancient culture and reflect the old value that once governed their daily live. They are proud of their heritage, take pride of their national meals, national dance, national music, many other national “things” that they are still trying to educate me. The younger generation, however, favors the modern music, modern dance and the western foods.
Azerbaijan is becoming a modern country. If you walk around on the Sahil area of Baku, you would think that you are walking on the street of a European country. The big McDonald sign would further deceive you. Passing by the Caspian Sea everyday, I saw young people holding their cellular phone, chatting endless with their friends, hiding behind a tree, young couple hugging and kissing each other, doing things that are considered as “olmaz” (forbidden) by their parents.
I am old fashion, I like the tradition, the old value, but I also welcome the new, the change. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, one of our missions is to educate the Azeri people about America, its culture, its value. Working for the bank, I encountered many educated Azeri youngsters, who are eager to learn about America, a world outside of their own. Most of them express their desire to study abroad and further their education. They remind me of the time when I was at their age, full of ambition, building up so many dreams. They often seek my advice. Knowing that there would be many obstacles ahead of them, I simply told that: “Every dream is possible, if you work hard to pursuit it, it will someday become a reality, because I had done it! So
Dream it, plan it and do it.
Listening to their dreams, I am certain that it is my fate to be here….
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