the down times just get crazy

when i say "down time", i mean those few times i'm actually relaxing by myself in my apartment in mingechevir. two funny incidents as of late:

1. bat flew into my room. yeaaaah. i have no idea if it every flew out. it was my fault, i left the windows wide open. BUT it is already about 100 degrees outside, so what's a girl supposed to do? my bed is already surrounded by mosquito net, so i actually decided just to go back to sleep. yes, living in the peace corps lowers one's standards quite a lot. i do think it flew out. i've seen no traces of a bat. also, i haven't been home much sense then, so maybe it will just eat all the creepy insects in my home and then amicably depart. oh, only in a perfect world.

2. so, i was showering and i forgot to lock my front door. it happens. of course all of a sudden construction begins on the apartment either below me or next to me. this creates a sound on my pipes like the whole thing is gonna burst in my face. it took me a minute to realize this was construction and not impending doom. i relaxed and finished my shower. because i live alone, i walked out naked into my hallway. well, a xanim (which is the word for azerbaijani women) knocks on my door and opens it at the same time. i yelled "no no no!!!" (in azeri OF COURSE), but no she doesn't listen. she just comes right on in, smiling, laughing, and preceding to my kitched to check on those very pipes. I continually yelled "go go go!" (in azeri OF COURSE) but she doesn't listen to word i say. i eventually get into her face and say "GO" and she asks "you want me to leave?" lady! you've got to be kidding me here. she left. i locked the door.

3. yesterday i was hanging out at my friends place in sheki. i've been helping with their camp and then lazily enjoying the afternoons. well, all of a sudden i see a baby bird hanging upside down. its leg is caught on something. baby bird saving operation commences! my friend (a tourist from chicago) and i cut the bird down just when it seemed like it was giving up on life. we cut the gnarled hair off of its foot and before you know it, baby bird was running around, flapping its wings, and calling to its parents. hopefully it will learn to really fly. and hopefully we didn't prevent the parents from helping.

ok, thats the end of my three random stories. tonight i'm going camping. whoooopeee