Azeri Women Speak

Here we go! These are the answers to the original questions plus some answers to questions individuals posed. The questions were answered by girls from Shamakhy and Kurdamir and are their own opinions. Brackets are added by me for the sake of clarity. I have had such a great time talking about these issues, similarities and differences with the ladies. I hope that this is equally interesting and enlightening for you!!

What do Azeri Women Wear?
~Trousers, Jacket, jeans.
~I can tell that it depends. I prefer casual dress. I usually wear jeans, boots, sweater, t-shirt, and sneakers. But sometimes I can wear more luxury [read: lacey, ruffley, or sparkly].
~Azeri women wear dress, skirt, and pants
~I love classic clothes but sports clothes are much more comfortable.
~I wear skirts, dresses, and heels. Not everyday, only when I am at work. But daily I like to wear jeans, sweaters and sneakers.
~I like both stylish clothes: luxurious and daily clothes like jeans, sweaters. But I never wear baseball shoes, I prefer heels. I don’t like to wear charming jewelry. I always wear makeup, but not a lot.
~Azeri women don’t differ from women in the rest of the world in their clothing. They go along with modern fashion. They prefer casual sport-style clothes in their daily wear. Young women usually wear pants, skirts, different shirts, shoes, sneakers and in the winter coats, jackets, jeans, scarves and hats. Their evening or going to wedding clothes are more luxurious and sparkly. But our mothers’ dress (I mean the middle-aged generations) differ from our style. They wear long skirts and sweaters and shoes. They wear shawls or scarves on their heads. They never wear jeans or close-fitting dresses.

When do Azeri Women get married?
~25 years.
~I’m 23. I’m not married yet. But my sister was married when she was 20.
~Our women get married at 23 or 25.
~After entering or graduating from University.
~I would like to marry at 24-25-26.
~I am 22 years old. I am not yet married for several reasons. First, I am not in love, then I am not ready for marriage.
~I guess most of the girls in Azerbaijan get married by their parent’s offer and agreements. Some of them get married at ages of 18, 20, 22. When I studied at high school, there was a girl getting married at age of 14. But she was not happy that she got married forcefully at her young age. But currently I am not ready to get married. 'Cause I have a job and education. Maybe I will get married at age of 29. 'Cause after graduating from university I will go on travels.
~I can’t say correctly a time of marriage in Azerbaijan. They get married in different times. But for our laws, they must get married after 18 years old. We prefer our parents opinions when we get married. Some families make their daughters get married early. They make them get married after they graduate from Secondary School [Equivalent U.S. 11th Grade]. They don’t let the girls live independently. But some parents want their daughters to be educated and prepared for the future. I can say that now our girls prefer to study and to get something out of life.
~There isn’t any line for Azeri women in marriage. But it mustn’t be before eighteen years old. If they get married before eighteen years old, it is for a specific reason I think [read: pregnant].
~They [specific ethnic group] get married at 14 or 15 but everyone else when they are twenty or older.


How many children do they have?
~Eight children.
~We have three children in our family. I have a sister and a brother. But I’d like to have three daughters.
~I like two children.
~Two.
~[I want] Two girls, two 2 boys.
~We are four children in our family. But in the future I would like two…because it’s a lot of responsibility!
~It depends on them, some women have many children, some have only one or two children most of all. But I want only to have a baby girl.
~Before, in Azerbaijani families, there were seven or eight children. But now they want fewer children. At the moment they have maximum four children because they want to give their children all opportunities. We are six children in our family. I’d like to have twin daughters and a son.
~I think that every family wants the number of children that match their economic situation. They have at least children. Sometimes they have four or five children. I can say that the couples agree about how many children they will have.


Do Women Use Birth Control?
~Yeah, surely. Most Azeri families prefer sons, and if they have any daughters in the family, they don't want any more. So they have an abortion if the woman is pregnant or prevent pregnancy with pills or some medicine.
~Yes, they can get an abortion.
~Abortion.
~I can’t say correct answer about this cause I never meet with like this situation. I think so. If they have 2 or 3 children after getting married and they don’t want to have another child then they can be allowed to use birth control.

How do you live?
~I live with my family
~I live with my parents now. I guess most Azeri girls live with their families. But when I studied at the University I lived by myself and my friends.
~I live fine and I live in Shamakhy
~I live with my parents in Shamakhy
~I live with my family. In my free time I like to put on make up and straighten my hair (hair dryer). I pray, read the Koran.
~In our country the women live with their mothers and fathers till marriage. Now I am not married yet. Therefore I live with my family.
~Hey all the Americans! My name is Seva. I am from Azerbaijan. I am at age of 20, but in 2nd January I will be 21 years old. I’m a student of Economic University. Not only I’m studying but also I’m working in HR at a company. At 8 o’clock I usually leave home and come back at 7:30 in the evening. Although it is difficult for me, I always do my best. Now I am trying to learn English. I should improve my speaking language. I am very grateful to meet you by email. When Emma showed me these questions I was very curious about these. I liked your questions. In my spare times I usually read interesting books, listen to the music or go for a walk with my friends.
~We are doing different things in our free time. Each person has a hobby. Some women read books in their free time. Some knit, write poems, listen to music. Others go for a walk. I write poems in my free time and sometimes I ride a bicycle. But I am a student and so I am around books. I enjoy reading books.

What work do Azeri Women do?
~Teacher, doctor, actor.
~Most women in Azerbaijan prefer to be teachers or doctors. My mom, my sister, and I are teachers.
~Our women work as a teacher, doctor, or everyday housewife.
~In Azerbaijan most of the women are teachers and doctors although I graduated in American Studies.
~In Azerbaijan everybody has the opinion that all the girls must be a teacher or a doctor. But now, the women are allowed to work in different jobs. They work as policewomen, journalists, lawyers, actresses, deputies and other jobs. I wanted to be a lawyer but I am a teacher. But I think that it’s never too late and I’ll try for this.

If you lived in America, what work would you like to do?
~Teacher
~I have worked in HR before, now I’d like to work as the HR manager again wherever I live.
~If I live in America I am working as a Businesslady.
~I’d like to work in a bank in America.
~If I were in America, I would realize all my dreams. I’d like to be an editor-in-chief in the magazine sphere.
~If I lived in America I my dream job would be management.
~If I was in America I would change all the things in my life. I would like to be a journalist although I could be a journalist in Azerbaijan also. But I think there are more opportunities to be a journalist in America. I would want to be free in I lived there but I wouldn’t forget our mentality because I’m an Azeri girl. But I can’t answer this question exactly because I’m not in America. If I were to go to America then I would be able to tell my thoughts more clearly.
~If I were in America I’d live my life independently. I’d make my career. And I’d like to live more independently from my family. I’d be a policewoman there.

What is different about Azerbaijani women than women in other countries?
~Azeri women are very kind, patient. But they are not free as most European and American women. But I guess we have more independence than most Muslim countries. For example, our families don’t choose a bride for us like other Muslim countries. We can study, love, marry.
~Our women do not have freedom, because they are housewives.
~They are in make-up every time.
~I think the opportunities for women in Azerbaijan not so bad, not so good. But they are very patient women because it is not everybody treat to them good. This is one of the important (gender) problem in our country. The men and women’s rights are not equal.
~After reading your answers I guess the main differences between you and us, I see you have more freedom unlike us. I like your way of living. There is a difference that we should live with our parents until we get married. We are not free to make our own choices and opportunities. ~After getting married we have to obey them and take care of husband and children. In our country women can’t do things that men do. And there is some women doing like that is being met by others badly.
~Azeri women don’t differ from any of the world’s women but they don’t live independently after they are eighteen years old like in America. They live with their families until they get married. They try to be an ideal wife for their husbands. They are kind and frank. The family is a sacred duty for them.
~Azeri women differ for their beauty, charm and positive characteristics from others. Azerbaijani women differ for their outlook too.

What is your favorite place in Azerbaijan?
~Parks
~There is a lot of sightseeing to do in Azerbaijan. There are amazing views of my city. But I love Inn City (Ichery Sheher) in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. This is the oldest part of the city.
~Nabran, the Caspian Sea.
~I like Baku very much (The capital of Azerbaijan).
~My favorite place is to be with my family and meet my friends from the University.
~There are many sightseeing places in Azerbaijan. It regions are like a paradise. Some of them are Gabala, Ismailli, Guba, and others. In Baku there are the Maiden’s Tower, Shirvan Shah’s Palace (Before it was in Shamakhy but after the earthquake in the 12th century they moved it to Baku), Heydar Parks. In Baku there are historical places. Lahic, a village of Ismaille is a historical place.

Do Housewives like being provided for, or do they wish they could take a more active role in working to support the household?
~Most of the women like being provided by their husbands, there is a few women like taking a more active role in working to support the household. Maybe I’ll also be one of them in future. I like to do everything myself. I never like being provided by someone.
~There is an unwritten law that the man must work and the woman must take care of the house. But this is for housewives. Some women made their careers before they got married. But some women got married in their youth and get money from their husbands when they need. I think it is not good. Every person must think about herself, make her career and provide for her own future.

What kind of food do they cook?
~In general Azerbaijani women cook all kinds of food such as dolma, ash, dovğa, a pea soup with meat (a kind of eastern dish), chicken stuff and etc. But I have no free time to cook something in accordance with studying and working all the time
~I love my mom's meals, she cooks a lot of national meals. She usually cooks dolma, plov, chopped meat, dovga. Our people use meat a lot. Especially mutton and veal. But we love chicken and fish too.

I’m curious about where you get your food from-small markets or directly from farmers? I would guess that you have far less variety than we do but maybe yours is fresher. And do you have cookbooks or are recipes handed down verbally?
~My parents usually purchase some foods from the markets but not from farmers. Some people like getting their foods to be fresher only from the farmers. And everyone has cookbooks and recipes. While cooking the meal they usually use from the cookbooks or recipes. My younger aunt likes cooking the meals by cookbook or recipes. This is her favorite job.
~At home usually my mom cooks and she doesn't use any cookbooks for meals, I can tell that she is not the only one; all Azeri women cook from heart. But when we cook cakes, biscuits or make salads we use cookbooks or recipes.
~We have market in our town which brings food products from other towns and countries. My dad goes there once a week and buys what we need. We buy meat from butcher's and milk and eggs from farmers. Because they are fresh and healthy. But there is a big department store near our house and there are a lot of departments in it and there is food department too. We get sugar, tea, candies, cookies, chewing gum, etc. from there.

Which American movie star has the best clothes?
~I think Monica Belluci, Jenifer Lopez, Giovanna Antonelli etc.
~My favorite movie star is Hillary Duff and I like her clothing. She is cute.

First day of school

Emma isn't a huge fan of timed photos. I, on the other hand, can't get enough of them, ha ha. Here we are just before heading out on the first day of school. September 15th 2009.

Where There Is No Gas...

On a day like today, when the sun is out and the snow is melting, sometimes the powers that be decide that it's best to shut off the gas during daylight hours. This was one of those days.

Some of you may remember when I was living in LA I stumbled across one of my favorite lines from a news report. It was about a "cold snap" in LA and a man on the street complained:
"I'm wearing pants AND a Jacket and I'm STILL cold!!!"
Well, I'm happy to report that I'm wearing

• Long underwear
• Thigh-high socks
• Knee-high socks
• Ankle-high socks
• Knit shorts
• Stretch Pants
• Long Wool Skirt
• Long-sleeve shirt
• Wool turtleneck sweater
• Cardigan
• Long wool coat
• Scarf around neck
• Scarf on head
• Fleece scarf around waist
• Gloves
• Wool/leather slippers

...And I'm STILL Cold!! (temperature in room 52F)

(No, the petç isn't on in this one-but I'm pretending it is!)