Doing Business in Azerbaijan 2009 - Azerbaijan Export ...

142 DOING BUSINESS IN AZERBAIJAN
Living & Working in Azerbaijan
“Khosh Gelmishsiniz” - Welcome to Azerbaijan! Hospitality is one of
the special talents of the people of Azerbaijan. Whoever travels to
the South Caucasus - and especially to Azerbaijan - will leave
deeply impressed by its hospitable people. Walk around anywhere
in rural Azerbaijan and you will be immediately invited by a friendly
family to have “cay” (tea) in their home. Of course, such an
invitation is less likely when walking down the streets of modern
boomtown Baku, but nevertheless the hospitable attitude of the
Azerbaijani people can be felt everywhere. Therefore you will have
no difficulties to feel “welcome” while being here.
For most expatriates, living and working in Azerbaijan means living
and working in Baku and “Absheron” (the peninsula on which the
two biggest cities of the country Baku and Sumgayit are located).
The European look and feel of the modern city centre of Baku is
quite a surprise to most visitors. But there is a lot of history to
discover – as the face of Baku has over the centuries been
influenced by many different cultures. That is also why the city
centre of Baku is a very unique mixture of ancient and modern
architecture, ranging from 11th century Caravansarays (kind of
combined motels cum marketplace for ancient trade caravans) to
Belle Époque Mansions build by Oil Barons in the 19th Century and
the whole bouquet of Soviet Architecture. In some of the streets
you will feel like in Paris, in others like in an old desert village on
the Silk Road and in some corners like in Moscow or East-Berlin.
However, despite almost 3 Million inhabitants, Baku has kept its
cosy small town flair.
This particular flair has however been recently distorted by the
unprecedented construction boom which has taken over half the
city. Standard twenty-storey office and apartment buildings are