I have looked at several websites for Azerbaijan, and they give me the basic facts about the country. I am hoping that some of the folks here can give me personal accounts on things like social customs, weather, politics, and so on.
Good luck, and I’m officially jealous!
Check out www.rfe.rl for English-language news, and www.travel.state.gov for the State Department Country Conditions report…I’ve got lots more stuff bookmarked at work, including (I believe) some Azerbaijani newspapers.
What is your level of knowledge about the place? What are you going to be doing there? Do you know any Russian or Azeri? I really don’t know where to begin.
Oops, I mean www.rferl.org.
I know very little about Azerbaijan; I have been in the region, but not this particular country. I will be working in the petrochemical industry there. I have no Russian or Azeri language skills.
There are several english language Azerbaijani newspapers listed here. (Select Azerbaijan in the “Find a Newspaper” menu on the left side of the page, and click “search.”) They’ll no doubt contain much useful information on local trends and conditions. By way of example, I’ve just learned that the locals are engaged in a massive hunt to find the newest native pop-star sensation.
Thank you for the responses. I was hoping for some anecdotal information or personal experience dealing with the cultural differences between the U.S. and Azerbaijan. I appreciate your input, Eva Luna and Squink. I’ll keep you posted on my adventures, if you like.
Well, I’ve never been to Azerbaijan, but I’ve known a bunch of Caucasians in my life, and there is nothing as wonderful and warm on Earth as Caucasian hospitality. If you are invited to a local family’s house for dinner, go for it! You will be welcomed with the most open arms you can imagine.
The Azerbaijanis are also known for their delicious and healthy cuisine (likek the Geogians, but don’t let an Azerbaijani hear you say that, because there is frequently a great deal of animosity between Azeris and Georgians). It emphasizes grilled meats (shashlik, or shish kebab, is one of the few things men will cook in general; the rest is left to the women) and fresh vegetables and copious quantities of herbs. It’s a bit like Persian food. And then there is *plov,[/v] a variation on rice pilaff: the Azerbaijani version is a bit different from the various Central Asian versions, but everyone is proud of theirs and says their mom’s, or their village’s, is the only authentic one.
Other things: although the vast majority of Azerbaijanis are Muslims, many are not terribly observant (although that has been changing rapidly in recent years). So there is a lot of pressure, especially for men, to drink in social situations.
If you have any specific questions, post them; one of the guys who comes to my monthly Russian Dinner is Azerbaijani, and I’ll ask him. I’ve also got his web site bookmarked at work, and he’s got some stuff on Azerbaijani culture and history. (I haven’t been able to wangle his mom’s plov recipe out of him yet, though.)
OK, I found his website; it’s www.elchinibadov.homestead.com. He’s moved everything around, though, so I don’t know what’s there anymore.
Since you’re looking mostly for opinions and personal experiences, I’ll move this thread to IMHO.
bibliophage
moderator GQ
Some more links for you about Azerbaijan, as promised:
Azerbaijan International Magazine
Caucasus Foundation
http://www.kafkas.org.tr/english/
Ethnic Diversity: The Empire that was Russia (really cool old photos on the Smithsonian site)
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/ethnic.html
Maps (the U. of Texas at Austin has one of the best map sites ever! Especially if you like historical atlases)
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/azerbaijan.html
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwealth.html
I have lots more links, but unfortunately most of them are not in English…but this should give you a start.