Teresa Hamlin of Azerbaijani Socks is interesting on so many levels that it’s hard to decide where to begin telling her story. When I first met Teresa through our mutual friend in Baku, she amazed me with her fluent Azerbaijani and the way she pronounced her name – Tereza – just like the locals do. […]
4 Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp
Vacation lowers your IQ Summer is my favorite season and it’s the time of the year known for vacations. It’s up to us how to spend them – but most of us, at least in the northern hemisphere end up soaking in a lot of sun. Research shows that downtime, especially in hot places and […]
Where Do You Find Your Inspiration?
In this photo, taken on my last trip to Hungary, I am about to sharpen my writing skills by touching the pen of the Anonymous. Standing (or rather sitting) two meters tall, in a park tucked away in the heart of Budapest, this statue is a monument to a faceless writer and notary of the […]
More Than a Border Crisis
Children cooped up in cages crying and pleading with strangers for help. Migrant parents torn away from them, arrested and detained elsewhere. Public rage at the regime behind all of this. The equally loud outcry from those in power who justify their actions as a consequence of a long-standing problem inherited from previous administrations. This […]
The Flag Once Raised or 5 Lessons from 100 Years Ago
Where I come from, in Azerbaijan, as well as in other parts of the globe, that are home to Azerbaijanis, May 28th is celebrated as the Republic Day. And if all previous years this date was important, in 2018 it’s signified further by the 100th anniversary of the inception of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic. Why […]
YES TO SAYING NO!
As long as I remember myself I found it hard to say “no” to people – whether it was helping them with their school essays, giving endless rides, translating documents or taking care of their children. The list could go on and on – I just couldn’t bring myself to let anyone down. As nice […]
Fresh Year – Fresh Start
Happy New Year and hope your holiday season was great. I am one of those people who expected to get a lot done during the holiday downtime in terms of catching up on my personal goals and planning. Yet, what I actually accomplished during that time was less than what I had anticipated. The remaining […]
My Gift to You
Can you believe a whole year passed since the launch of this blog? It has been quite a journey and it would have never been so joyful and meaningful without all of you, my dearest readers – those who have been with us since day one and those who have joined in the more recent […]
Dear Santa,
I have a wish for Christmas and I hope you can kindly make it come true. It all started the first year I moved away from my home in Azerbaijan to go to school in the US nearly two decades ago. During the months leading up to my first winter break, my university roommates instilled […]