Monday, July 28, 2008

Back in the CIS

Well I managed to escape from Afghanistan after some (typically) painful job hunting to Azerbaijan, from an uber-islamic society to a semi-secular-Islamic society (actually, as the French husband of the person I am replacing said, “well, actually they drink vodka more than they go to the mosque” [that said they still don’t drink much]).

 

It is kind of amusing, I haven’t really worked in a CIS country since Moldova and I am finding *many* similarities with a few things I recognize from Afghanistan (the common thread in the later two being Islam).

 

I was hired as Head of Country for an organization here but unlike most of the (few) development organizations here my office and most of my staff are based outside of Baku which is kind of strange. I am kind of glad I am not in Baku as it is a booming oil town and I don’t make nearly enough to keep up with the people there (the expats and even some of the Azeris) plus after Afghanistan it will be nice to have something a bit quieter not to mention safer.

 

Anywho, more as I have time.