Ramadan in Azerbaijan Nobody seems to care. I think, Soviet Union has affected our religion a lot...People talk about it less and nobody is really excited here...

I was feeling Ramadan more in USA than here...  ¶ 2:57 PM 6 Comments

  Only In Azerbaijan... Only in Azerbaijan the cars coming on the otherside of the road will flash the lights to warm you that there is a cop standing with radar in his hand just around the corner.

The other day, late at 1 am, I was driving about 180km/h(110m/h) and suddenly the car on the other side of the road flashed me his lights. I reduced the speed to the limit and half a km later, there was a cop holding the radar. Thanks to him, I didnt get the penalty...

hehe  ¶ 2:49 PM 11 Comments

  Ichim ozum yandirir, cholum de bashgalarini... Life has been pretty busy. I have to deal with everything by myself. It has been very difficult for me phycologically. Everything is new for me in this country. Everybody seems to know everything and everybody tells you how to do it. It is just sad...

The translation of the title of this post is: My inside kills me, outside kills others...
WHat I mean by that is, people consider me happy as if I have everything, with no problems. People think I am lucky and I am set in this life. But I know I am not. I have so much to do, s much to go...

I am long long way from what I want to be...  ¶ 2:43 PM 1 Comments

  Well, they want me back!!!   ¶ 2:44 PM 0 Comments

  Only in Istanbul
Well, if you speak Turkish you don't need the translation.

This car owner posted a message board for the thefts who usually steals tapes of the cars: "THIS CAR DOESN'T HAVE TAPE, Dont worry about stealing"

In the morning he gets a message from thefts who stole the car completely: "Dont worry sir, I will install tape to the car"

lol  ¶ 5:41 PM 4 Comments

  A picture from a great Party Saturday, I was at the party of Azeri students who studied abroad. Well, amazing stuff!!! Amazing...Thanks Tebriz for invitation and I am looking forward to see more of it. I met amazing people and was able to dance in Azerbaijan first time for so long.

The slogan of the event was "CHANGE THE WORLD". We made a call for Iranian President to open first Azerbaijani school in Iran as a sign of respect for Azerbaijani culture and language. This topic is not well known in the world media - 30 Million Azerbaijanis in Iran (40% of Iranian population, see UN report on Minorities in Iran) have no single school in Azerbaijani language:

http://www.freewebs .com/azerbajdzja n-ungdomsforbund et/engish. htm


Here is a pic from the event:

Leyla, Tebriz, Seva and me

  ¶ 11:58 AM 0 Comments

  Life is great...It makes me happy... Career: My life here has been great. Silverkey Azerbaijan will be official very soon. Adam Brand is coming to Azerbaian for BakuTel exibition and some meetings. I am still looking for office..Almost closed my first sale. Applying for membership to American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan...

Health: My health is getting better. Finally, I am close to get rid of cough. It is more than 50 days that I have been coughing...

Love and Family: Family is doing great. Met a really nice girl. Looking forward to get to know her better...

Well, happyness for me is the balance of these three and they are in balance..Thanks God!!!  ¶ 11:53 AM 0 Comments

  Dating in Azerbaijan - part 2 In Azerbaijan, some think that, if you are financially stable, successful guy with a car, house, job and enough money for entertainment then you are lucky, because girls will be after you... well, as a guy who has all the above mentioned I feel completely opposite. I feel endangered. I would never want a girl like me for my car, job, house and money... Please...what about me?

"It is not about fish, it is about fishing". I would feel as a loser to be liked for my material status not because of me...

I want to be loved for who I am... and I had to make additions to requirements for happy relationship with me...Before here were only 3, now they are 4!!!

- don't lie to me
- don't cheat on me (I dont care who you had before me, or who you will have after me)
- don't create drama (don't make a big deal out a small thing...be a problem solver not a creator)

addition:

-do not USE me!!! (if i will find it out, it will be the end...)  ¶ 11:42 AM 1 Comments

  Dating in Azerbaijan... Dating in Azerbaijan is a different story...There are 3 ways of doing it:

- you can "take care" of the girl - (in azeri it is called: giz saxlamag) -you will pay for the rent, buy clothes, buy phones, pay for the phone and so on...

- you can have a "serious" relationship - she must be "virgin", you have to control her all the time...no guy can talk to her...bla bla bla...

- you can date "independent" girl - she works for foreign company, gets a good salary, can stay late, will go out with you, doesn't care about what others think about her and so on...

I am into third option. It sounds more western, something that I am used to, although it is not exactly the same...

The worst thing about dating here is that, you are never able to set up a relationship in western style. Girls usually do not take the lead...Don't expect Azeri girl taking a lead and inviting you somewhere. You have to take care of her all the time...Girls expect to be controled. They need protection. According to many people here, you cannot give complete independence to any girl as a boyfriend. You should not trust them completely and you should be jealous as well...

Well...I hope I will get used to it, but I wish to have a western style relationship here...  ¶ 4:05 PM 1 Comments

  ICT News from Azerbaijan - A total of $450 million worth communication services was provided in Azerbaijan in 2005. This figure has grown by 36% in comparison with the total of 2004. The share of the non-government sector in this figure constitutes 75.8%

- In the last 2 months of 2005 Azerbaijan signed bilateral agreements with Egypt, Italy, Israel, Korea and Sweden for cooperation in the field of ICT; additionally, conclusion of agreements is expected with a number of other countries as well

- The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has ratified the 2005-2008 state programme on development of communication and information technologies in the Republic

- The Azerbaijan Ministry of communication and information technologies is preparing a framework bill on electronic government

- A free economic zone of information technologies, i.e. techno-park, will be created in Azerbaijan by 2008 in order to give impulse to the development of the information communication sector in the country

Source of info www.bakutel.az  ¶ 6:06 PM 0 Comments

  Change... I love to change...myself and others... I hate being the same all the time and I completely believe in theory of "be the change you wanna see in the world"...

And I have changed a lot...Since I left in Azerbaijan, I am no more part of this society...can't think like them, can't live like them, can't act like them...can't can't can't...

But I know, I can build my life here...the way I want. it is not easy...but I can...I should...

Today, I have been encouraged by a friend of mine... Last time I saw her was like 7 years ago. She was different...a girl that I would not want to say more than a "hello and how are you?"

Today, I heard her voice, have not met her yet... But I was shocked...Did the voice came from other person? Yes it was her voice but this time it was full of carisma, strength and self confidence... She has changed...

Talking to her a bit later, I learned about the reasons of change and process of change. Of course, I dont know much... But I must say, I am impressed...To do that change in society like ours...I would say pretty impossible...Bravo!!!

Well, I can't wait to hear more... but people like her keeps my faith in this country, in its people...People like her makes me believe that no matter what, Azerbaijan will be great...Great Great country...It all starts from people...and I hope there are more people like her...Although I don't know yet...

For now, I know that, I have to kiss her hand and show my highest respect as it is in the picture below:
  ¶ 5:48 PM 0 Comments

  Azerbaijan!!! Azerbaijan is far far away to be developed country... I mean, it is developed...Great buildings...new roads, interest in IT, amazing cars, rich people, perfect shops...

but mindset???

It is still the same... It is based on shame and fear... People are generally pessimistic about everything... They hate change...they hate education...not the book education, the life experience one...

99% of Azeri youth is in trouble... we will see...what will happen to this country!!!

but I love it  ¶ 12:51 PM 1 Comments