Good for a Queen! Moment with Arzu in Ganja! The Caucasus One year ago, I was preparing to leave for the Caucasus. From my young America, I was excited to head in a direction with so much history. What do thousands of years of history leave behind? I was intrigued by what had Queen Tamar left behind after bringing her country’s history to its peak. What a surprise to learn that she was so [...]
Can peace be spontaneous? Azerbaijan, December 1st - arrival and follows a rhythm I appreciate. December 2nd, meeting at the UN - recommended by the UN office in Baku. I met Mr. U. Mirzayev, president of The International Press Institute on December 3. A long encounter, where he talks about his childhood shattered by conflict and his family’s refugee status. Will I understand the Nagorny Karabakh conflict that has been lasting for 30 years? I might not find [...]
How is you trip going? How is my trip going? It depends. The day and the time the question is asked can produce difference answer. The emotions while travelling pass like the clouds in the sky, sometimes under a gray and dark sky and sometimes lightly, under a bleu and clear and sunny horizon. My reflections and emotions navigate as on a stormy sea. Can everything go wonderfully on a research trip? Perhaps on vacation, when the sea [...]
I am in Telavi, in the Kakheti region. Why Kakheti? Why go east of the capital and not west? I included in my choice, the importance of this region in the history of the country and a little in ours. It represents the past and future economy of the country. Wine is here to stay. It is an area that was not part of the Ottoman Empire. For me, it is an important information to understand that the [...]
There were no borders within me This morning I wake up and the word that comes to me is "border." For those who dream of a world without borders, I would invite you to be patient. I was born 24 kilometers from Ontario. On Rural Road 7, which is now Route 388 in Duparquet, the last village before the border. Men came and went from lumber or mining jobs. We never talked about borders. The word was not [...]
My life unrolls before me I am settled in this city already. I live near the market, I make my breakfast, tea. No coffee maker. I have to learn to make a good Turkish coffee. They still offer Nescafe. I had forgotten it existed. I also forgot about cigarettes and men and women smoke in important quantity. A busy week. I have had meetings all week. 3 x at the UN, 1 x at the University, 1 [...]
Octobre 19th, 2019 There are no rules at the taxi stand in the wee hours of the morning. The drivers come to ask me one after the other. A woman tells me that they are raising prices in front of a stranger and that it would be better to take a Bolt, the equivalent of Uber. I cannot order until I have a new phone number. At the end of the night, I trust one of these [...]
