All in the Family

I've finally gotten a chance to get to an internet cafe and so much has happened in the past several days, I'll try my best to fit it all in.

On Sunday I got to see a whole lot of Yerevan. Setting out on my own, I eventually ran into fellow volunteer Saro, from LA, who arrived the night before. We walked around taking pictures for a while and decided to climb "The Cascade" which gave us a great view of the city and everywhere we had been that day.

While we were up there we were trying to spot Mt. Ararat because we heard you could easily see it from up there, but we couldn't find it. We asked a local who was climbing and he kept pointing to a place high above the horizon near a cloud, but we couldn't see anything there. Eventually when the cloud moved, we spotted the snow on the summit and were completely overwhelmed by the size of the mountain in the distance. It was probably 20 times larger than we expected to see. I wish it had been a clear day so I could have gotten a picture of it, but maybe I'll have the opportunity before I leave.


Saro and I headed back to our host family in Yerevan to get some rest and met up with some of our host brother Avo's friends. As Saro speaks Armenian practically fluently, he spent a lot of time chatting with Avo and his friends on the balcony while I sat inside and read with some other volunteers. Eventually they coaxed me outside and the three Armenians tried very hard to communicate with me. Between their broken english, my broken Armenian, and a lot of patience on their end, we were able to have a decent conversation.

Later they brought us down to a river and we talked some more before heading to Republic Square to see the fountains. Republic Square at night was surprising in that it made Armenia feel like any other European country when just a couple blocks over, the differences were very obvious.

The morning after, we left our temporary host family and heading to our long but informative orientation. As we were leaving the mother asked if we would visit her and gave us each a hug.

After orientation we headed to Gyumri where we'll be staying for the duration of our stay. I must say I like Gyumri much better than Yerevan in that people are friendlier, the city feels more open, and the weather is definitely much more agreeable. I do miss how close everything was in Yerevan, but then again I wasn't really doing much while I was there.

My host family is incredibly kind and we do our best to communicate. My host mother Sofik works rolling out dough from about 8 in the morning to 8 at night. The first thing she does when she comes home is make me coffee and sit to talk about my day. I haven't talked to my host father much as he comes home late from taxi driving, but I've seen him on the street a couple times and he always calls me over and asks me how I'm doing. My host brother Misho is at University studying something related to computers. He typically prepares dinner when I come home and he and I eat together and do our best at talking. We spend a lot of time passing back and forth the dictionary, but it's becoming easier.

Any hopes I had of losing weight while here I've pretty much given up on. Not only is all the food delicious, but everyone is trying to feed me all the time. When I'm invited over for coffee or tea, I'm usually completely full afterward. Usually with cake and candy. Everytime I turn around someone has put more on my plate!

Even during my first language class last night, everytime Anahite, our teacher, would ask us what the word for candy was, she'd open one up and give it to us. Language class seems like it will be a great help, and while I know a lot of what we're going over, it is very conversational, which is clearly my weakest point.

Today was also my first day at work in the 'Gyumri Healthy Center' which seems like it will be a lot of fun. The three women there know enough English that I can meet them halfway and we don't have much trouble communicating. Today they explained exactly what they do, showed me pictures of their patients, and (of course) invited me for tea (apricot jam, cake, cookies, and a cup of tea) over one of their houses. They work mostly with children with cerebral palsy, scoliosis, or another physical handicap.

Noune, the oldest of the women at the health center kept telling me that I was now her son, that her home was my home, and that she was so happy I was there with them. Last night Sofik told me the same thing as she was saying goodnight to me. Our language teacher gave us her cell phone number in case we ever needed help with anything outside of class. I think it's safe to say that I feel incredibly welcomed here, by everyone I meet. From the Birthright coordinator in Gyumri who brought us each to our homes, places of work, and even instructed our taxi driver where to go over the phone when another volunteer and I couldn't tell him where we needed to be last night, to the woman whose son sat in my lap today on the marshutka, even across a significant language barrier, I feel at home.