Rare to see news about Azerbaijan on HN—glad this one made it to the top! If you haven’t been to Baku or Azerbaijan, definitely add it to your travel list. These days, many skilled Azerbaijanis contribute across various sectors in Europe and beyond. If in the past we were mostly known in Russia for bringing fresh tomatoes and produce from sunny Baku, today’s generation is more globally aware and engaged in tech, finance, and many other fields.
Also, if you have an Azerbaijani friend, don’t hesitate to celebrate Nowruz with them today/tomorrow—and Ramadan later this month! Salute to all former compatriots who went abroad in pursuit of a better life and a better version of themselves.
But the image of the city (even if they occasionally visit) gradually becomes more blurred and erased over time, and slowly, on their mental map, only a few places remain—those associated with something personal. A few backdrops where various events in their lives unfolded.
This is so true, even for small hometowns. Yet I recognize that these old places while seeming listless to me and my cohort now as we have all moved on and our old haunts are closed or transformed, are very much alive to the young generations now.
Also, if you have an Azerbaijani friend, don’t hesitate to celebrate Nowruz with them today/tomorrow—and Ramadan later this month! Salute to all former compatriots who went abroad in pursuit of a better life and a better version of themselves.