Top 50 Volunteer/Activism Blogs

So apparently my blog is noteworthy enough to go on this website for volunteerism, who knew? I had a comment on my last post and it informed me that I was on this website (which I thought was spam, probably is). But, as I'm currently lying in the Peace Corps lounge, because standing up is not an option in this day of intense illness, I thought I'd check it out. Sure enough I'm on it! Some fellow PCV's from Azerbaijan and other places are also on this site. So if you want to learn more about other people's volunteering experience head on over to:

http://www.onlinedegrees.org/top-50-volunteeractivism-blogs/

Of course there's always:

http://www.peacecorpsjournals.com

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You CHEATERS!

Oh My Goodness, the cheating on tests is out of control!

I was on facebook and saw that my 8th grade English teacher (Hi Mr. Hayes!) was grading papers. He was noting that he had already found 8 students who had copied their book reports off the internet. When I read this I instantly thought, "How dense are those kids? Mr. Hayes tells them numerous times that he will be checking and with all of the problems it's just plain smarter to read the lousy book?" But then I thought about my classes and how the children are not only expected to cheat but it's encouraged. With the education system and bribes and blah blah blah it's simply expected.

During my tests that I give the students I try my hardest to split the students but then they just yell across the classroom at each other and the teacher laughs. I thought this was pretty bad but I was recently witness to the most intense cheating EVER. It's time for Country-wide testing. All 9-11 form students come to school on a Saturday and take a test that can last for 1-3 hours ranging on all of the subjects they are enrolled in. A student asked one of my counterparts for her cell phone number for the test and she gave it to him. I didn't even bother asking why, it was one of those days. I didn't care.

That Saturday brought me to my club in the village. Since the older students were getting ready for the test I was just waiting for the younger kids to come. A group of 10th form girls came in and asked for my phone number.
Me: "Sure, but why?"
Them: "For the test."
Me: "What do you mean, you'll be in the test?"
Them: "If I don't know an answer I'll text you and you'll send the answer."


WHAT? This was completely normal. When I explained that I wouldn't do that they all got pretty angry with me and said that this is Azerbaijan not America and I live here. I stood firm with my no and they stomped off complaining about how I was rude and they would fail. I began asking just about every teacher I came into contact with this week and found out that they all do it. I was in shock, no wonder I can't get honesty out of my kids in class. Cheating is expected of them.

This made me cut back to America and I was even angrier with the students who cheat there because they are given these opportunities and are throwing them away. Uh oh, cut to 12th grade where I didn't study, cheated, got caught and was terribly embarrassed. After seeing this intense cheating and with that watching the learning opportunities slip away from these kids, I'm truly ashamed of that time.

My new goal is to calm down when the kids cheat because they're taught to do it. To use these new emotions and realizations to do some good and to push integrity even more than before. This is the new goal...integrity.

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Remember that one time where I WIN!?!?!?!!

Well for those of you who are wondering who would be so silly as to doubt me, I will fill you in.

Around last March Mr. Big Daddy J and I were discussing food at his hFam's house. I say that surhulu, xengel, girs, qutab and mostly all dough-based azeri foods are all from the same dough. Sure they end up getting cooked in a different way but the dough is exactly the same: flour, water and salt (in the exact same proportions). Well Mr Chef (that he is), disagreed. I give in assuming I know nothing, but every time I eat any of those foods I get into mini arguments. Now it's just within my head as opposed to across the table at Big Daddy.

Well I went over to my counterparts house and made some delicious pumpkin qutab (more or less a quesedilla but with pumpkin instead of cheese). Normally food is just served to me but I've been complaining about this so she taught me. As I was standing there making the dough, that re-occurring argument I have with myself popped up. So I ask, and you know what......I WAS RIGHT! Boom!

So for your pleasure you may now watch me prepare Pumpkin Qutab using the same dough as every other dough based meal. PS Note how awesome it is that I get pumpkin qutab! It is so delicious.
The dough balls, pumpkin, flour and rolling board

Me getting the perfect thin dough, you wrap it around the rolling pin and it is super easy.

Freshly filled and pressed qutab's ready for frying.

Fry the qutab and then coat with butter!

As I have promised when something goes well for me I will develop it. As this has been haunting my meals (this is a no no folks, food is sacred) I decided merely posting developed wasn't good enough. So it's branded. Will he kill me...probably but I'm in Azerbaijan - try and catch me now!

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