Chivarly is dead and other Western customs RIP

I'm mourning chivalry. It's a tough thing to bury.

Baku is a progressive Muslim nation, women are free to dress as they choose and seem to be given every right and opportunity as men. I even read that universal suffrage was granted in 1919, one year ahead of the USA. Without getting too far out of my league, my personal theory is that the underdevelopment of chivalry (or is it a complete disregard?) is a religious notion held over from days gone by. Or maybe a Soviet state of mind. A combination of both? Perhaps the stories of Lancelot, damsels in distress and as of recent, Edward Cullen, which are so often told in the West, are not a cultural thread deemed worthy here.

My biggest case in point has literally been slammed in my face. Just two steps behind the previous person entering the building? Do not expect the door to be held, propped or extended open. The invisible sign says, "fend for yourself" or maybe a stretch, "you are not welcome here."

When squeezing through a narrow walk way on a busy street, a woman should not expect that she will be given special clearance. Instead, fight with elbows to push through. Or, use the 4 bags of groceries that you're hauling for extra effect. Allowing a mother pushing a stroller and holding hands with a toddler to finish crossing the pedestrian crosswalk, forget about it! She should instead stand in the middle of the street and wait for a sparse opening in traffic to dash to the other side. And finally, little old ladies "babuskas" should not be given a single courtesy. Instead, bump into them on busy sidewalks, honk at them as they shuffle across the road and give them a broom and bucket so that they can sweep the gutters for 8 hours a day.

(Note that in this picture, the babuska was not just bent over to sweep. She walked like that permanently.)

Venting about the lack of smiles is futile. Complaining about crazy Baku drivers is worthless. Getting furious over horrible service in restaurants is not worth the effort. But the death of chivalry, now that's something to be saddened by. You never know how much you'll miss it, until it's gone.