Pictured above are (left to right) Clarissa, Linda, and Jade. They are a part of the AZ7 Volunteers. They will be sworn in and deployed to their sites on December 10. Overall it is a very outstanding group.
We wrote about Connie and Sarah who were part of the original 61 AZ7. AZ7 training began in Philadelphia as did ours. They lost one person there who decided they could not go. After arriving in Azerbaijan they lost a second person due to health reasons, an allergic reaction to the pollution. Connie will be going to Qazax in the far northwest corner of Azerbaijan, and Sarah to Xachmaz which is in the north east corner.
Now for an even more interesting part of the story. While in Philadelphia there were 2 other countries staging at the same time. One of them was Turkmenistan. On the morning they were to leave, the Director of Central Asia and Eastern Europe region of the Peace Corps came to tell them that Turkmenistan had decided that it would not host new volunteers in 2009 and would wait until 2010 (after 17 years of continually receiving of volunteers). The group was devastated to say the least. One couple was like us and had sold their home. The Peace Corps did everything they could. They returned the group to their homes and said they would try to place them as quickly as possible, but it could be months.
Azerbaijan Peace Corps expanded its AZ7 group to include 7 more for the program of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). They joined the 9 week training - two weeks late. They have been working very hard to catch up with the cultural and language training. They missed the Peace Corps Volunteer site visits. To help with their training the 7 went to 5 sites nearest to Baku. That is how we got to meet and spend time with Clarissa and Jade.
Clarissa is a Chinese American (as she has to repeatedly explain to the Azerbaijanis that she meets). Her grandfather still lives in Hon Kong, her brother in Hawaii, and her parents in Berkley, California. She loves the Berkley area. She had researched and planned on serving in the Peace Corps for several years. She is very dedicated and wants to share herself with the people of Azerbaijan.
Jade's grandfather immigrated to the United States in 1950 from Tehran, Iran. Jade is from the Seattle area and had wanted to serve in the Peace Corps since she entered the University. Jade fits right into the Azerbaijani appearance.
We were very impressed with their dedication and desire to be good volunteers - consequently they will be great volunteers. Clarissa is going to Neftchala, and Jade to Masalli which are in the southern sector of Azerbaijan, and only a couple of hours from us. We hope to be able to keep in contact with them during next year.
The ethnicity of the AZ7s is enhanced by Sharif Hussanein who is one of the 7 from the Turkmenistan group. He was born in the Sudan, escaped the genocides with his older brother. He ended up through many circumstances in Florida, and is a graduate of Florida State University, and a U.S. citizen. He wants to serve the United States through the Peace Corps. He arrived in Azerbaijan and was told by the host family that they wanted a real American and he could not stay with them. The Peace Corps immediately found alternative housing for him. His attitude is always positive. Children at the school where he trains will lick their fingers and rub his skin, and he just smiles. Linda met him during one of her presentations and was captivated by his special qualities.
We try to explain to our co-workers here in Azerbaijan, that these are really more American than we. They represent the very best of our nation - God Bless the U.S.A.
Saturday, November 21 we will travel to Baku and be housed by an American family working in Azerbaijan and living in Baku. In the afternoon 55 AZ6 volunteers will go to the home of Don Lou who is with the Embassy staff in Baku. Don Lou is a RPCV and has great affection for the volunteers.
One other note: Robert Kelsay commented that Linda was wearing an Oregon Ducks tee-shirt in one of the photos. When volunteers go home, they generally leave as much as they can in Azerbaijan for volunteers and Azerbaijanis. Linda inherited the shirt from an AZ5 - she is still a Baylor Bear, Kansas Jayhawk, and Central Missouri Mule through and through.
No comments:
Post a Comment