Ambria Mainil gained a new appreciation of being Canadian, after having the opportunity to explore the country of Azerbaijan. Mainil talked about her experience to the Weyburn Rotary Club, explaining that “the people I met there were so generous and I am so grateful that I got to meet them and explore their country with them.”
Azerbaijan is a country in the South Caucasus region, situated at the crossroads of Southwest Asia and Southeastern Europe. Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, is often referred to as a mini Dubai, since of the fast-growing economy and architectural infrastructure in the city that is linked closest to the oil industry.
One of the main cultural differences in Azerbaijan is that whenever Ambria went out to a restaurant with her cousin Erin (nee Sidloski) and her husband, it was the man at the table who ordered for the whole table. Ambria also noted that instead of each individual ordering their own plate, it was more typical to have a family-style meal, with everyone getting a little of everything. Plus, most of the restaurants were set in beautiful natural settings, where a table would have its own seclusion from the rest of the tables.
Women were allowed to go out in public on their own. However Mainil noted that if a man was present it was presumed that he takes charge more often than not. While noting that most of the citizens were Muslim in faith, Ambria said that their custom of dress was quite fashionable, and even though she brought good clothes with her, she still felt under-dressed in many situations.
Ambria spoke briefly on the politics of Azerbaijan, noting that even though the president is elected, it is still more of an authoritarian country than any other time since the country had achieved independence. The current president, Ilham Aliyev, sort of inherited the position from his father. It was noted by Ambria that no one spoke badly of the government, and that most people boasted about the country itself as a source of pride. There were also people who were jailed for speaking against the government.
She noted that the laws in Azerbaijan were very strict, and while tourists are generally safe from being taken to jail, the same is not true for the citizens of the country. Ambria related one story, where the family was playing cards on the beach, and an official told them that they had to stop for the reason that since gambling is illegal, it could have been mistaken that their fun game was for profit.
The divide between the rich and the poor is also very drastic. Ambria explained that it is very difficult for the poor to work their way out of poverty, since they are paid so little. Wealthy families on the other hand will employ several farmers, such as having a different supplier for eggs, bread, butter, fruit, vegetables, and sheep (both for meat and wool).
Things outside the main city were as different as night and day. Ambria had the chance to visit some smaller towns and villages, including Xinaliq, which is known as one of the oldest settlements in the country. The local legend is their village is where Noah’s Ark had landed.
In the small villages, animals were free to roam, and often were seen in the streets, or sharing the roads. She also said there is little tourism promotion of any of the historical sites, such as Gobustan, a UNESCO World Heritage site where they have petroglyphs that date back tens of thousands of years. Due to the effects of the oil industry on the environment in Azerbaijan, Ambria also had the chance to visit some unique sites, including mud volcanoes and the eternal flames. She enjoyed seeing the historical sites, and expressed that there were many sites that they could not reach in the mountains of the country, simply because there were no paths.
Overall, she found her trip to be quite memorable, and while staying with the family of her cousin’s husband, she felt welcomed and a member of their family.
