International Museum Day

So, how did you spend May 16, 2009, International Museum Day? Linda, Lela, and I went to the Shirvan History Museum at the invitation of the Director of the Museum. Linda and I have been to the Museum many times with Conversation Clubs and on our own. Lela is a member of one of my Conversation Clubs, and was asked to come with us to interpret.
The pictures are of the children dancing the Yalli. From the wedding pictures you may remember that the Yalli is done holding hands, and the final person holds a handkerchief. The dance is one of unity. There are 3 of the national musical instruments, the galval (tambourine looking drum), the tar (similar to the guitar), and one I can never remember the name. There is a picture of the staff of the Museum with the Director of the Music School, the Museum Director and us.
The celebration consists of information and historical readings, children performing cultural dances, national music, and speeches. Linda and I both were asked to speak. Linda emphasized the reasons we joined the Peace Corps. I emphasized the goals of the Peace Corps and concluded that people ask where we are from. Everyone wants to know if we are Russian or American. I told the audience, “I always want to answer I am from Shirvan because this is my home.”
Shirvan is a relatively new city built during the Soviet Union. Its original name, Ali Bayrami, was the name of the man who brought Communism to Azerbaijan. The city is not historical like Baku, Shamakhi, Sheki, or Ganja. The museum has 3 rooms. The first highlights the power plant and resources here in Shirvan. The second room contains archeological finds of pottery, tools, and clothing. The final room has tools, money, and traditional clothing. After the 3 rooms of the museum is a room dedicated to the former president Heydar Alyiev.
We feel it is always important to attend any public celebration that we can. It helps integrate us into the community. The more people know who we are, the better.

SCHOOL IS OUT Linda’s school ended today with the Last Bell celebration. The Last Bell honors the graduating students and those who just completed the first grade. We will have more information in a later blog with pictures.

So, now that school is finished Linda will be combining here 2 student conversation clubs into one. She will also be conducting conversation clubs for adults at our apartment in the evenings for 10 sessions. One other plan of Linda’s is to conduct activities for the children in our apartment buildings. There are 5 buildings that share a courtyard park where children gather and play every day.

I will continue to work at conversation clubs and have been discussing various possible projects with people here. We hope to take some time and travel to Quba, Azerbaijan, and then to Tiblisi, Georgia. The trips will be with fellow older volunteers. We get to accumulate 2 vacation days for each month of service. So, we hope to have greater information and pictures in the future.

One last bit of disconnected information. When we complete our Peace Corps service in Azerbaijan, I will I have accomplished at least one significant thing. For background, during my conversation clubs we often talk about music. There are times when I take our IPOD and play music for the club. We discuss the meaning of the songs, listen for words, and try to show how listening to music can help their English skills.Second, one of my good friends is named Ibo (short for Ibriham). He walks with me and helps me with language, and I speak English with him. The other day Ibo had me call his cell phone, and I could hear the ring tone – Peter, Paul, and Mary’s Blowin in the Wind. Ibo has memorized the first stanza and chorus. He knows the meaning as well as the tune. Drop by drop we make a lake.