This is Nargiz. She and I teach two 6th form classes and one 1st form class together. Her name means daffodil in Azeri. She came to a teacher's conference in the fall, while I was a still a trainee, and we've been friends ever since. She had never used the internet before I came but recently decided to buy a laptop. Now she is learning how to surf the web, (she was especially interested in what "the secret of the Mona Lisa is") sends emails to her niece in Russia and my mother in San Diego, watches DVDs and listens to mp3s I gave her, and practices her typing skills with Bruce's Unusual Typing Wizard. I go to her house every Thursday afternoon just to hang out. She's amazing!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
My amazing counterparts
I'd be completely lost without my counterparts at school. They help me with everything from creating English clubs for this summer to translating confusing text messages from my landlord. At school, we teach together, brainstorm ideas for future projects, and of course, drink lots of tea.

This is Nargiz. She and I teach two 6th form classes and one 1st form class together. Her name means daffodil in Azeri. She came to a teacher's conference in the fall, while I was a still a trainee, and we've been friends ever since. She had never used the internet before I came but recently decided to buy a laptop. Now she is learning how to surf the web, (she was especially interested in what "the secret of the Mona Lisa is") sends emails to her niece in Russia and my mother in San Diego, watches DVDs and listens to mp3s I gave her, and practices her typing skills with Bruce's Unusual Typing Wizard. I go to her house every Thursday afternoon just to hang out. She's amazing!
This is Nargiz. She and I teach two 6th form classes and one 1st form class together. Her name means daffodil in Azeri. She came to a teacher's conference in the fall, while I was a still a trainee, and we've been friends ever since. She had never used the internet before I came but recently decided to buy a laptop. Now she is learning how to surf the web, (she was especially interested in what "the secret of the Mona Lisa is") sends emails to her niece in Russia and my mother in San Diego, watches DVDs and listens to mp3s I gave her, and practices her typing skills with Bruce's Unusual Typing Wizard. I go to her house every Thursday afternoon just to hang out. She's amazing!
Asiyet is the youngest English teacher at my school. She and I teach two 5th form classes together - that's 30 ten-year-olds, 4 days a week! Asiyet is a lot of fun and very stylish. She always looks very sweet and innocent, but the students know not to mess with her because she can twist their ears like nobody's business.
Arzu is the English teachers' representative at my school. She is always very busy and important. Her name means "wish." Along with being an excellent teacher, Arzu is also raising a beautiful 6 year old daughter who, unsurprisingly, already has a better English vocabulary than most 11th form students. This is Arzu and her 7th form class. The letters are made of wheatgrass (for the springtime holiday, Novruz) and spell both AZETA (Azerbaijan English Teachers' Assoc.) and the dreaded iEarn logo. (Future AZ7 TEFL volunteers with sadistic tendencies, go to iearn.org and view the horror that awaits you. Azeri teachers LOVE iEarn.)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Gorgeous Georgia
Duuring my two week break from school for Novruz, Azerbaijan's springtime holiday, I went to Georgia with Tim and Kim. Georgia is a WOW! The food.... and the food.... and the FOOD... oh, and the architecture, the people, the wine, the food. Wow. We spent 5 days in the capital, Tbilisi, and 2 days in the countryside. Everyone keeps asking us how our trip went, and now all I say is - don't ask. Just go. Georgia is still on my mind as I head back to school this week. More pics below.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
how to do laundry in winter...
Monday, January 26, 2009
Ismailli Photo Exhibit
My sitemate, Colleen, a Youth Development Volunteer here in Ismailli, organized an exhibition of her photography class students' work (and YDV Nate's class in Mingechevir) earlier this month. It was a rare opportunity for the kids to have their work displayed to the public and lots of volunteers came out to support it.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
AZETA Ladies
Monday, December 08, 2008
In Ismailli, Marina Is Smiley
Thursday, December 04, 2008
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