*Donna News*

Note from Tati:  So, I must beg your forgiveness in the current lack of updates on Donna.  This time it has nothing to do with her not being online with us, it is me getting wrapped up in my work's busy season and life in general.  I hope you will forgive me with this post!

Welcome to the sixth edition of Donna News!!

Last time Donna was ill and trying to get healthy and study  for a test.  She beat that illness, passed the test, learned where she was going to, and met her counterpart.



Now to diverge some from the normal format of giving a little paragraph or two about Donna and then going into clips from her emails, I want to share a funny story that may give some insight into Donna based on learning more about her family, including me.  For those of you who aren't crazy fanatics, or don't watch TV ever, part one of the last Harry Potter book was released in theaters on Friday morning at midnight.  Donna has gone with me to every book release and movie I have been to, its tradition.  Needless to say, I was a little depressed when it came to my realization that she won't be here for the last movies.  So, Donna came up with the idea to bring her photo with us to the midnight release.  Well, we (Mom and me) went a little crazy with the idea.  We took pictures of us with her picture EVERYWHERE.  We started to freak people out, I think they thought she was recently deceased and we were honoring her memory or something.  We even stuck her picture in a movie seat and took her picture and then no one would sit there! It was hilarious, we had to convince them that it was OK to take the seat, and that we weren't crazy.  Now, one would think that once the premier was over, things would go back to normal, but no, Mom kept the picture through to the following morning, and "buckled" Donna up so she wouldn't get hurt in an accident and put her picture in the window so Donna could see the sights as we were heading up to Conroe.  And just in case you thought that Mom had calmed down, Donna's picture is stuck to our wall so she can be in the living room and a part of day-to-day life.  As you can see, Donna has reasons for not being the most normal person, just look at her family!

Sarah and I waiting outside the barrier between us and the theater.

Here I am showing that I am taller than Donna and I have my Aggie ring!

Mom, Donna and me in the theater.

Donna in her "seat" for the movie.  She was the cheapest of all of us!

Donna all buckled up for the trip to Conroe the morning after the premier.

Ok, now what you guys really want, information about Donna in Azerbaijan!

"I need to be sent to a country where pistachios are cheap!  I bought a little bag of them for 3.20 azn!!!! That’s insane.  Oh I’m feeling better, which I’m sure you already know by now but it’s given me a new sense of direction as well as a ton of regret.  But we all get sick sometime and mine just happened to land on days that I was suppose to present. 

You know what is amazing? Some of the silly things that nana use to tell me is said here too.  Like if you get cold you’ll get sick or the best one is that if you chow down on cherries that the next morning you will be healed.  I don’t know how many jars of canned cherries I ate in Baker but it’s nice to find others that believe in the power of the cherry.  I personally want the fresh ones but to each their own.

I just returned from my doctor’s visit and I got the all clear.  Well I’m still recovering but at least now I’m on the right track.

(2hrs later) I just had dinner with my host sister.  I still have not conquered eating the fish for dinner.  I’m hacking like a cat with a hairball because of the fish bones stuck in my throat.  Fabulous.

I figured out how to type in azeri on my computer!! Isn’t that cool?!  I just finished writing 15 sentences in future tense and since I’m writing to you, little sister, one of them is “I will write a letter to my sister.”  Fabulous, huh?  I know that I probably have some of my stuff wrong but I think it is said, “Mən bacıma məktub yazacağam.” Yeah..now that I look at it, it looks really wrong, but that is how I learn. Tomorrow I’ll just get my teacher to explain how to say “to my sister”.  That’s the part where I’m having the most trouble.  I have to write a paragraph about my normal day but I’m too tired to do that part of the homework.  A headache has formed and that means I need to call it a day and just read some.

I have read The Bell Jar, Charlie St. Cloud, The Lucky One, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and The Girl that Plays with Fire.  I am currently reading Atlas Shrugged.  Yes, I know..Ayn Rand but I’m going to try to see what this book is all about.  Right now, it seems just like The Fountainhead, which happens with all writers, but I will stick it out!  Liz said she really likes it and now I have to find out why.  OH!  I think mom would really like Charlie St. Cloud.  It wasn’t what I expected and now I’m anxious to see how they did with the movie.

I know it’s silly for me to be so obsessed with music but songs like Easy Silence and The Best of What’s Around really help me get through some rough patches. "

That first part is the oldest email I have in my inbox.  As you can see, she refers to getting better after her sickness.  I like that she is still having "fun" with the food she is trying to eat.

"First, it’s strange how I’ve always wanted to move back to Florida for that tight family feeling and now I’m in a country that their culture is just like my family in Florida.  Second, I’m in a program where I may be doing similar work to what I was doing in the states.  No one is as shocked as me that I could possibly be working in a lab during my time in the PC.  There was some talk that I would also be working with one of the Agricultural Universities, female farmers, and many other projects.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!  I didn’t want to say anything until I went to site but I want to get out of that habit of “jinx-ing” situations.  I hope this all comes to fruition and that I am able to provide a valuable service to my new program.  Third, I seem to be really relaxed with the whole situation which I attribute to learning how to change cultures every two years growing up and also because I’ve become less neurotic.  When one of the previous pcv’s came to talk to us about his organization I was so drawn in and wanting to become apart of his organization but at the time I didn’t feel like I was qualified for the job.  I’m now taking over his spot, sort of and so excited.  I didn’t mention that in the interview but somehow it came about.  Lately I’ve been so shocked by all the coincidences that I can’t seem to talk.  It feels like the most fantastical dream and at any moment, I’ll wake up and need to get to class.  This is the thought that I wake up every morning with.  It’s all so overwhelming and lovely at the same time." 

She is getting so close to finally being a PCV, just a few more months and it seems like she is slowly getting more and more information about what she will get to do.   Also, she seems to be growing in so many amazing ways and learning so much more than just about the Azeri people.

"Today we have technical sessions then language in the afternoon.  I doubt I’ll be much use after those two lessons.  THEN tomorrow we have language for 2 or 3 hours followed by a conference.  I don’t know if that is a good idea for me.  After language I’m usually a drooling buffoon and then to add in a meeting with my future counterpart, fabulous.  Red Bull needs to make a bigger appearance in this country.  We will be having our conference in our original hotel, but now we have more of the language and can talk to the staff.  As odd as that may sound, it is exciting for us.  I think some of it is proving that we actually did make progress during these 2 months.  I can’t believe that in a couple weeks I will be moving to site!  SO intimidating!  Tonight I have to compose my thoughts about what I will be doing at my new organization and what my goals are for the organization and me.  I still haven’t received the official document saying what I’ll be doing or whom I will specifically be working with so the “goal setting” has not progressed past the point of “Step 1: Learn Azeri”.  Yeah..I’m on top of this, but I wouldn’t like it any other way!  I have been communicating with my teacher from Baker and the whole process makes me so excited!  I’ve already received questions and they have sent off letters.  OH!  I need to work out my address.  EEK!  I also need to obtain some envelopes so that I can send off letters in true PC style!"

I find the last line funny, if she has troubles composing emails because she can't think of stuff to talk about, what is she going to put into a letter??

"My counterpart told me that my first goal is to learn Azeri.  Good thing we have our goals aligned.  She said that I could come into work during the regular hours to see how everything is run and that they will be taking me everywhere to get me acquainted with the farmers, labs, and other buildings. I need to contact my new host family and arrange to be picked up.  They said I could take the weekend to spend with the new family and then come into work on Monday.  HOW CRAZY IS THIS?!?  I am so close to being a volunteer!  I may not reach my goal in the language but I know I will get it eventually. Today on my “To Do” list is: memorize medical terminology, personality terminology and email tati.  How is that for an awesome day?! " 

LOOK!! I am on her to do list, but the bigger question is...how quickly does she go through that list? I still find it awesome that she will actually be in a lab and working with farmers, that is what she was dreaming of being able to do in the Peace Corps.

I hope you all are able to enjoy this blog pot and I promise to attempt to update more often, even if they are short posts.

If nothing happens before Thursday, I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh! and I need to have a shout out to the Texas A&M Aggies who BTHO Nebraska! WHOOP!!!!

Have a great day!