"It" bit me

I was supposed to leave Azerbaijan the 29th of October but as I wrote in a previous blog entry I got bit by an ownerless dog on our excursion last week. This little fellow, together with a terrible cramp in my left leg, made me go to one of the many private hospitals in Baku where they recommended me to immediately start with anti-rabies vaccination. Somewhat hypochondriac as I am, this meant something similar to death and when the doctor two days later explained that the hospitals in Azerbaijan don't have the short term vaccine HRIG that you have to take the latest seven days after the first vaccination, I decided to leave Azerbaijan earlier.

Thus, four and a half month ended in a moment and I must confess that it wasn't an easy thing to do, emotionally or practically. In one and a half day I managed to invite our lovely landlady to Lebanese dinner, say "see you later" to most of the people I've met in Azerbaijan, give a lecture at Azerbaijan University of Languages and a final English lesson in Yasamal community. And of course, pack my 30 kilos in less than two hours. It was a tired Karin that arrived to Stuttgart airport about 24 hours later just to go directly to the hospital.

First impressions: 1) relief of having the hospital and the right substances against rabies right around the corner. 2) Guilt of living such an "easy" life in Europe with low levels of corruption, stable political system, clean environment, no need to bribe or bargain, constant access to electricity, water and information. 3) Gratitude of having been in a country as amazing and complex as Azerbaijan. 4) Desire to work with the Eurasian countries also in the future.

("It" = dog in Azeri)