Post Soviet Union is an interesting place

Hello Friends and Family!
I am writing to you from an internet cafe in Sumgayit. Sundays are our day off and this is when I can come blog. So far, I like it here. The first night was tough. Getting used to the smell of burning trash in the morning and the sad look on the stray dogs' faces while I wonder if touching my hair in public is accetable was a little overwhelming. But in just five short days, I already feel like a part of my host family and am begining to find my way around.
My host family lives in one of the forgotten soviet apartment buildings accross from the shops in town. I have a mama, bagi (sister) and a gardash (brother). Thier dad is away working in Moscow. They lived in Russia for many years before coming back to Azerbaijan. My brother is 20 and went to Russian schools. He has a hard time reading the latin alpabet. My sister is 18 and does all the work in the house. She cooks, cleans, washes, everything. While my mom is a tailor in the shop accross the street. I did not think it would be possible to become family after a few short days with no language, but it is.
During the day I go to language classes in the morning, then take the marshooka, a small van/bus thing to technical training in the afternoon.
Last night was a much needed mental health night as my family went to a wedding and I got to stay home. I showered, ate Domea (meat wrapped in cabbage and cooked) infront of the TV with BBC on and drank some tea. ahhhh, alone time. Watching BBC last night really helped me put everything into precpective as I got updated on the chilean mine workers, and the elections in Bosnia. I was reminded that I am acting as part of the global community here, and in a sense, living out one of my dreams. Watching international news while in a forgien country, eating strange yet familiar food, listening to children play outside, yelling in a language I hope to learn soon... its all finally coming together, and this is just the beggining.  PS - BBC over here is way better than BBC America. Like, better graphics, more world coverage...Im so nerdy.
As for Azerbaijan itself, it is much more industrial than I anticipated. Old forgotten oil wells and nuclear cylos run along the Caspain like the old aparment buildings do intown. The Russian obviously exploited what they could and left them with hardly an infastructure. The Russians did however build schools and railroads and get the Oil pumping started. As for culture, because of the economic situation, women are more independent than I thought they would be because they have to work. Yet they are still expected to do everything at home. Private is the woman's domane and public is the man's. I can not go to the tea houses unless I am with a group of mixed company, work walk alone with a man, or sip out of a bottle in public, or wear anthing exposing my knees. So it looks like Russia, but acts like the modern Middle East. Next week I plan to have a better, more eloquent account of this paradox. Sal gon!