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The evening snow was getting heavier with every step back home from work. Incoming message interrupted the music in headphones. It was an invitation to become a participant of Novruz Festival in Azerbaijan. The idea of visiting a new country, experiencing new culture, broadening my network and knowledge warmed the cockles of my heart. I arranged everything at my job, bought souvenirs for those I was supposed to meet in Baku, packed my suitcase and was ready to go. I have read about the people, traditions and customs of the country before, but could not imagine that I would face the hospitality those people are famous for already on plane, on my way there. It was a direct flight to Baku, and my seat was next to two old gentlemen. “Is it your first visit to Azerbaijan?” I immediately recognized the accent. Getting my affirmative response he assured me that I would love my travelling there. We talked as if we were old friends about people, countries and how life is different, and in some time the meal tray in front of me became full of food. There were some vegetables, fruits and sandwiches. “Here, help yourself! They are not providing snacks on this kind of charter flights.” This was the first time in my life when I saw that some stereotypes do not lie. Upon arrival, one friend of mine met me at the airport. It seemed like I moved from winter to summer in just a couple of hours, it was a great sunny day, just perfect for walking along the quayside, exactly where we headed off. The Caspian Sea in March was different from others I’d seen before during summertime. Modest, strict and proud-hearted, it met me with the strongest wind. Unlike the people who cordially welcomed us with hot tea and feijoa jam in the café on the sea shore. After a long day with so much impressions and emotions experienced I was glad to finally reach my hotel for getting some rest and getting ready to explore more. I was confident that after such a warm reception the rest of my trip would be even more interesting. During the week we have seen and visited so many places in the country! Every day I was finding out something new about Azerbaijan. And every day I was more and more surprised to know how close it is to me and my own culture. We had a chance to visit Maiden Tower in Old Town which is the heart of the city full of history and mystery. We went to see how the world gets the best carpets, and how much work and patience it requires from women creating them by hand. We visited the place called Ateshgah and got to know and see ourselves why they call the country “Land of Fire”. We were invited to one of the best architectural buildings in the world projected by Zaha Hadid – Heydar Aliyev Center. All these places have so much energy and history. They are representing love and pride of the locals to be citizens of the country they were born and they live in. On our way to Sheki, the ancient historical city, I first got the feeling of home. The oil wells on the fields along the highway reminded me of my native land, Tatarstan. And the more I got to know Azerbaijan the more I had this feeling. People were impressed when during our introductory course of the Azerbaijani Language I could count without an accent or could understand them speaking. Every day I found something that was similar to my culture and wanted to learn even more. These common features made me learn my own culture more deeply. And this local connection with the most hospitable people I’ve met in my life has been broadening till now. I was confident that after such a warm reception the rest of my trip would be even more interesting. And I was so happy not to be mistaken.