How to make your own fun in Baku

So in the past week I have learned the different ways people make their own fun in Baku. One option, one of the best I think and certainly the most amusing and creative, is to have theme parties. My first such party was a "Top Gun" themed party where the movie played a central role as a constant source of humor and hilarity (it is particularly all the more funny against the backdrop that is Baku - shown projected against the big white wall of an Old City apartment where a kind and funny British couple live). But there have been others of course, the most infamous of which so far has got to have been the Austin Powers themed party- where party-goes went the extra mile and had costumes and Austin suits made at the local tailor. THIS is how to have to fun in Baku.


Another simpler way is to frequent a local pub or restaurant with friends, where the company is good and the talk inevitably turns political. Whether it's nachos with fellow American, Russians and Dutch folks at an area pub, or dinner at a nice Italian restaurant with Italian, Swiss, Dutch, Austrian, Polish, Ukrainian internationals - the talk still makes its way to the political situation. But even so, it is only here where I have experienced such conversations with this broad an international group. It is diverse and interesting and the people are among the most aware and thoughtful that I have ever met, I think.


I have several mini-announcements. One- I am well aware of the dozens of grammatical errors and the numerous misspellings of the city of Tbilisi - I just can't be bothered to go back and correct it now (and one some computers I have too much difficulty with the spell check features being blocked). The other - this will not be a forum on which I will comment on my work here. Since the primary audience is designed to be family and friends and loved ones and not a political platform, posts will be limited to more social aspects. Rather an eye into my life in Baku and daily adventures as I make my way in the new cultural terrain.

For example, I received my first care package yesterday. A welcome box of nice soft sheets (lets not even go into what they have for sheets here) and loads of chocolate, hot cocoa and other goodies. It was a fun surprise - and proof that I can receive packages at the address I listed in earlier posts.

I also went to the fancy gym for the first time. It felt very serious and full internationals - a place where power goes to work out and work off the excess energy and stress of being away from home. The facilities are very good, and I was happy to go and have that place to get to that feels like a normal to me that I understand. And similarly, in that gym and in other places, meetings, buildings, I feel very much like I could be in my own "West Wing" episode. One that particularly stands out (don't laugh, this is all Ben's fault...Ben and his "West Wing" addiction!) has got to be when Donna is in Israel. Seriously, I am SO Donna right now. And the other night, in an Irish-named pub when we said hello to the Italian mysterious drifter of an election monitor could be right out of the episode where Donna meets the reporter in the expat bar in Israel. Perfect. Not to mention all the journalists here and war photographers that make it all the more surreal, mysterious and ready-for-television. I have to say, I love it.

As always, feel free to email me at kristine.herman@gmail.com for more personal updates of course.