40 Day Funeral
July 7, 2007

Today after language lessons I went over to my uncles where I was able to participate in part of the Azeri culture. My Nana died 40 days ago today and here in Azerbaijan when someone dies you throw a big feast 40 days later.

By big I don’t mean your extended family and a few family friends I mean massive. They had a tent set up in the road out front that blocked the entire road making people turn around and find a different street. In the tent were three rows of tables about 30 meters long. Then the massive courtyard was filled with rows of tables, and there were people spilling out all around the tent.

You would think it would be difficult to feed all these people. I have to tell you Azeri Women are amazing, they would put any military chow line to shame. Everything was family style on the table and things that needed to be hot were hot and things that needed to be cold were cold, which is pretty impressive for a 100+ degree day. Then after everyone was done all the dishes were collected washed and about an hour later I was called back to the table and we ate again. This happened over and over again all day long no joke. We went through 1 cow, 2 sheep, and more cheese, vegetables and bread then I’ve ever seen. In between the rounds we would drink tea and eat this stuff everyone says is “very very healthy for you” it consists of oil and sugar! And no they weren’t being sarcastic.

Something kinda funny about this stuff. I was sitting next to someone that spoke about as much English as my Azeri. Between our language abilities or lack there of I was trying to figure out what it was made of and for about an hour I had thought I had just eaten a cremated nana! He told me ah sugar oil and pointed at it and said nana and shook his head and then everyone at the table shook their heads and said ah, nana as they pointed towards the mystery substance. Finally someone with better English skills showed up and assured me that no I had not just eaten our dead grandmother but that this is a dish you only eat when someone dies and they were trying to tell me the reason we were eating it was because nana had died. Assured but still a bit freaked out I stayed away from it the rest of the day and night.

I’m still having a great first week with my family. It’s hard to believe I’ve only been in my town a week tomorrow! It feels like it’s been a month. As I think about it though I’m happy it’s seems so long. In the big scheme of things when life is easy time seems to fly by and you wonder where it went. I’m happy things are uncomfortable enough to help me realize that I’m alive every day. I hope and wish everyone can experience life like I am in there own way. I challenge each of you to go about there and do something outside you comfort zone everyday I think it will help you live a richer life.

Ok I’ll get off my soapbox now. I did warn each of you in my first post that things could go anywhere. These are just some thoughts and feelings I’ve had the last few days.

Other interesting things:

4th of July my site got together at one of our host families house and they made BBQ chicken and BBQ beef spare ribs with a couple of beers for s to share. It was a great gesture on there part to make us feel welcome.

I found out that I’m already 30! In Azerbaijan they count that when you are born that is your first year and so on! Not sure I know how I feel about that yet! I thought I had one more month more to come to terms with that one!

Well I hope all is well back home,

Donny