Greetings from Baku

Hello my friends and family. I know it may surprise you that I am writing on a blog, as well, its not really my thing, but I am already basically composing one for the NGO I am working for, so I figured I would get with the times and share some of that with all of you. First of all, I have to admit the title of my blog is a bit of a misnomer, but only because I am not Azeri. Secondly, you may ask, where is Baku? Well, its the capital of Azerbaijan, and that may not be so helpful either, so here is a link to a map (http://www.reliefweb.int/mapc/cis/reg/cau/caucia.jpg).

So a brief description of what I am doing here and such. I am working this summer for NHE (Norwegian Humanitarian Enterprise), and NGO that specializes in development work here in Azerbaijan. They just started a new project this year that has a storefront here in Baku that sells locally, handmade (aka only in Azerbaijan) goods created in the countryside of Azerbaijan. The project operates by fair-trade principles, attempting to allow these disadvantaged persons access to the market here in Baku that does not necessarily exist in their hometown. One of the main motivations for the project stems from the fact that local artisans are losing market access due to the large amount of Chinese and Indian imports of handicrafts.

So for the summer, I will be helping them get this project off the ground. That will entail working around 20 hours a week at the store here in Baku, travelling every Monday to either a small town or village that NHE either already has a partnership with or to do exploratory work to look for potential artisans to work with. Think Lewis and Clark, but in the Caucus. I will also be creating a map of the other retail stores in the Old City, helping NHE get an accurate idea of what else is sold in the city and at what prices, especially to foreigners. So here think James Bond, but only searching for the price of small handicrafts. I have also been "assigned" to attend various cultural activities, such local ballets, theaters, music series, etc) and to make sure to eat all of the local food specialties. Soon I will be posting some of my initial thoughts on Baku and a little history and culture of the place to give you a better understanding of what life is like over here.