After a four week’s holiday, it is often difficult for many to return to work. You may understand that it can be even more challenging for those who work abroad, far from home. This summer I had a wonderful holiday, it was so good to be home again with Ilona my wife and Reino the cat, meeting my (adult) children and my granddaughter, and stay with my closest for a while.

But it was also nice to return to Baku - it is always nice to come back when you feel welcome. The first surprise was that the taxi driver receiving me in Baku airport was my friend who often drives me from the Ministry to my apartment. Next morning in the Ministry of Education, the first person I saw was the cleaning lady, who came to welcome me. And it was great to return to work with my colleagues in the office and in the Ministry. These are warming encounters. Neither my taxi driver, nor the cleaning lady speak English, neither do I speak Azerbaijani. But it does not matter, we are friends, and happy to see each other again.

Now, the second year of our EHEA Twinning project is moving fast forward. The steering committee had its quarterly meeting, the first two missions of the second year are behind, and the autumn calendar almost fully booked for missions. Tarlan is here with me and also Aytaj will join us soon, we are a team and I am sure success and luck will follow us. Inshallah, I’d say.

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