Baku in Memory: A City Map for Emigrants

Over one million Azerbaijanis live abroad, and this article focuses on their memories of Baku. These 35-45 year olds, who left Baku more than five years ago, often return, but their memories of the city remain fixed at the time of their departure, when Baku was still an integral part of their lives. Through the stories of several emigrants, the article reveals specific locations deeply intertwined with their personal experiences. These places aren't imbued with nostalgia, but rather serve as backdrops to fragments of their past. From waiting outside a courthouse to a first date in a hidden courtyard, from a basement cafe and friendships to encounters on the way to music school, each location carries a piece of their former selves. These memories, like multiple exposures in photography, blend and overlap with their current lives in foreign cities.