#1

the city where we spent the last 3 months training was listed by the bbc news as one of the (if not the) most polluted city in the world. those of you who are curious and savvy oughta google it.

other bits and pieces: I'm officially a volunteer now. Today was the first day of school and I've been out at site for a few days. My town is really perplexed by the "Japanese" girl who is living amongst them to teach English with the Peace Corps. Though, I think I would be confused too if I was Azeri. I also found out it costs roughly $40,000 to maintain each volunteer in the Peace Corps Azerbaijan program. That's more money than I made in a year back in the States! But keep in mind we OBVIOUSLY don't get that 40 grand...a lot of it pays for stuff like our health care, program staff, maintenance, training, etc...I think maybe 10% of it actually goes through our hands for housing, etc.

Also, chatting with my expat buddy last night made me realize just how much a difference there is living in a foreign, developing country as an expat and as a PCV. Us PCV folks really are living at the local level albeit middle class compared to our fellow countrymen who have all living expenses paid for them on top of salary. I've forgotten what it's like to work for a salary let alone have an abundance of this thing called "money." I feel like making a mock informercial for youtube/people at home saying "and you! for only $2 a day...can help support a peace corps volunteer" like the sally struthers type of people because...well..that's pretty much what we're living on out here.