I'm going to Sheki!

Yesterday Peace Corps held a sweet ceremony to reveal where each of the 31 teachers will be sent. "Drum roll please....AMANDA! You are going to DEVACHI! Woooo! Come on up here and place the yellow flag on the map!" I already knew I was going to Sheki but I was anxious to see where my new friends are going off to. Beth will be near Tovuz, Sierra and Irene will be with me, Stephanie will be about 90 minutes north of me and Gale will be in Mingachevir.

I will teach at the Sheki branch (or 'brunch' as the notification document informed me) of the Azerbaijan Teacher's Institute. Apparently I've won a PC prize because a PC staff member said, "Oh! Sheki! It's a lovely place. You will be on holiday for 2 years." The more I learn about Sheki, the more her statement seems true. An ancient, clean city on the Silk Road surrounded by mountains with a glorious springtime of flowers and trees. And - get this! - Sheki has a reputation as Azerbaijan's most humorous city. All jokes originate in Sheki. Also, rumor has it there is a women only teahouse there.

Q: Am I stoked? A: Yes.

Due to my practicum, my language skills are behind my clustermates but they improve daily. As long as I keep talking during the interview and remember to ask questions, I think I can pull off a Novice-High rating from the Language Assessment exam week after next. That's one level below the required Intermediate-Low rating but I anticipate PC will still send me to Sheki but then pay for a tutor. In truth, I want a tutor. I think I will learn more quickly with individual instruction.

More info about Sheki here and here and photos.