December 27, 2009
Merry Christmas!!! I hope you all had a very blessed and joyful Christmas. While I wasn’t with my family, I thought of you all often throughout the day. Spending Christmas in a different culture has been very interesting. But first let me catch you up on what’s been going on here since I last wrote.
There was a lot of sickness, seasonal flu they called it, in November and early December. There were some reported cases of the H1N1 flu, mostly in the capital city. So, on Dec. 7th, the Minister of Education announced that all schools would be closed for 10 days, reopening Dec. 21. This meant that I basically had 10 days off. While it was nice to have some unexpected time off, that isn’t exactly why I joined the Peace Corps. However, I decided to use the time as best I could to plan for the next half year. I had found that not knowing the curriculum and not having had a chance to look at all the books being used was getting harder the more we got into the school year. So, I’ve been going through the books used in each form (grade), picking out the grammar being introduced and making up exercises and activities for it.
I’ve also had lots of time for crocheting. I am so thankful that I know how to crochet, for it has been a real time filler for me. So far I have made 6 afghans, a scarf, hat and a placemat. Four of the afghans were for other PCVs who had bought the yarn and I just supplied the labor. I have one more afghan to make for another PCV and then I’ll move onto something else. Luckily there are quite a few yarn stores in the town near me, and a great one in the capital city that I go into whenever I’m up there. I might even try to learn how to knit, since that’s more popular among volunteers so I’ll have access to more patterns.
Each day I tried to take a walk, sometimes down to the town, other days just around the village. The people in the village have gotten used to seeing me walking around. They don’t walk just for the sake of exercise, but in order to go some where. At first they couldn’t understand why I was just out walking, but now that just accept that that’s what I like to do. Besides good exercise, it’s a good way to meet some of the villagers.
One of the other PCVs, Shannon, moved into a new apartment last weekend, so we helped her move her stuff. It’s very interesting seeing the looks on people’s faces as we walked from one place to the other with all her stuff. We only had to make two trips, which was good because she moved into an apartment on the 5th floor, with no elevator.
I found out on Sat., Dec. 19, that the schools were not reopening until Jan. 11th, so I will have had 5 full weeks off. I was disappointed that schools were not reopening, since I came here to help in the schools, but I realize that for health reasons it’s better to keep them closed. So I have decided to take a road trip next week, with Shannon, to visit some of the other volunteers in the northern part of this country.
I used this past week to get ready for Christmas dinner and my overnight guests and to relax a little. It was strange not having any last minute Christmas shopping to do, or any crowds to hassle with. In Armenia they celebrate Christmas on Jan. 6th, but their really big celebration is on New Year’s Eve/Day. That is when they exchange presents and gather at people’s houses, and have fireworks. So their last minute shopping is happening now. They are also just putting up their decorations, when I know in the States some are already taking down their decorations.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day turned out really nice. 25 of us gathered at Barbara’s apartment for Christmas Eve dinner and then they all came up to my house for Christmas dinner. For most of the younger volunteers this was their first Christmas without any family, so it was good for them to be with the rest of us. I had 4 stay at my house and we sang Christmas carols Friday morning while we got everything ready. We had a grab bag so everyone got a gift and they could exchange among themselves if they wanted. Not too many did. While we didn’t have a lot of Christmas decorations, we did have some. Thanks to Jackie and Brendan, I had a stocking and a small Christmas tree, to which we added a reindeer. Actually the reindeer had started out as a paper maiche spider for Halloween, then was transformed into a turkey for Thanksgiving, and now is a reindeer. A little imagination and good old US ingenuity go a long way here.
In some ways for me it was like being with my family. Most of the younger volunteers are the ages of my own children and some of them even call me Mom. I enjoy being with them, as I enjoy being with my own children. Having them here definitely made it easier on me not to be with my family. The one thing I really missed, besides my family, was being able to go to Church. There are no Catholic Churches in Armenia, at least in the part where I am. So I have decided that next Christmas I will visit Georgia, where there are Catholic Churches.
As New Year approaches my wish for all of you is peace and happiness.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
A belated Happy Thanksgiving to all. This has been a busy two weeks for me. On Sunday, Nov. 15, I moved into my own house. I was fortunate to have the school director find this house for me and act as an intermediary with the landlord. The house has 2 bedrooms, a living room, eat in kitchen, and bathroom. For the winter I have closed off the 2 bedrooms, so I don’t have to heat them, and have set up myself in the living room. The house faces east, so I see the sunrise every morning. It’s wonderful!
Moving day was very interesting. My village doesn’t really have roads, so I had to take the path I usually take to school, which goes behind houses, up rock inclines, etc. Four other volunteers helped me move, which made it a lot easier, luckily one of them being a strong young man. I started to move some of the smaller boxes myself in the morning. On one trip one of my students came along on his donkey and took the boxes from me and he and his donkey followed me to my house. On the next trip, two other students came along and carried the boxes. The other volunteers came around noontime, and we were able to carry the rest in two trips. On the last trip, my young friend on the donkey came along again and once more carried the heavier boxes. It was quite a sight to see 5 Americans loaded down with stuff trudging along these paths, especially when the donkey joined us. Barbara had made soup and brought it with her, so we had lunch in my new abode, of course with a wine toast for good luck.
The only heat I had for the first few days were my electric heaters, which the Peace Corps provided, plus one that the owner had left. So that night I plugged in the owner’s heater and went to bed. Some time around 4 AM the heater blew a fuse so I woke up to no electricity! I thought the whole village was out, but I soon saw lights in the other houses, so I knew it was just me. Luckily the electrician was working in a neighbor’s house and soon discovered what had happened. He came to school to get me, and after a few minutes I had electricity, except in the one outlet, which also affected my refrigerator. That night I blew another outlet when I mistakenly plugged a heater into a surge protector which is also a converter. The electrician and I are becoming fast friends.
There was supposed to be a wood-burning stove in the basement of this house, but when I went to check it out, it wasn’t there. One of the advantages of living in a small village is that everyone knows what’s going on with everyone, so that afternoon my neighbor offered me his extra stove. My counterpart’s father installed the stove for me on Wednesday, which meant I was finally going to have heat. My counterpart had also arranged for another of my neighbors to deliver a meter of wood to me. That night I went to light the stove and discovered that I didn’t know how. Once again back to the electric heaters. When I saw my neighbor the next day he asked how the stove was and I told him I couldn’t light it. He came over and showed me how. Finally a working stove and a very warm house. He also brought over some Cognac, to welcome me as a neighbor, so I was warm inside and out.
The only thing that remains to be fixed in this house is the hot water heater. The old heater had been ruined a few years ago when the pipes froze and burst. I’m supposed to find out today what size geiser I need and then my friend the electrician will come and install that and fix the other two outlets. It’s been adventure moving and settling into my new house, but it’s worth it. Paraphrasing Hillary Clinton, it takes a village to train a Peace Corps Volunteer.
This past week we had an All Volunteer Conference in the capital city, Yerevan. There are currently 79 Peace Corps Volunteers in this country. My group went to Yerevan on Friday for 2 days of meetings and the other group joined us on Sunday. It was great to see all the PCVs I had trained with and catch up with them and compare notes on how we’re doing. Some of the meetings were specific to each sector, so for instance all the TEFLs met as a group and discussed our common problems ad frustrations. There was also a development fair, with representatives from different organizations active in this country. My only problem is that not a lot of organizations come down to where I am. But it’s nice to know they have a presence in the country and maybe if we keep pressuring them, they will eventually come down.
The highlight of the Conference was Tuesday night when we celebrated Thanksgiving with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. All of the volunteers participated in the preparations in one way or another. I was on the decorating committee, so we had a huge paper maiche turkey on the food table and small turkeys on every other table. We also made hats for everyone and placemats. The food was so good. We had 7 turkeys, stuffing, cranberry sauce, breads, a ton of different vegetables and of course pies. The night ended with a talent show that was a lot of fun. While I wasn’t with family and friends, I was with my new family and friends and all of you were remembered during our moment of silence. Yesterday at school, I brought in wine and chocolates to celebrate Thanksgiving with the staff (that’s how they celebrate things in my school). It was nice to be able to explain this holiday and share some of it with them. Last night 4 of us got together again for dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. I have a lot to be thankful for this year, not the least of which is the support of all my family and friends back home.
Friday, November 27, 2009
A belated Happy Thanksgiving to all. This has been a busy two weeks for me. On Sunday, Nov. 15, I moved into my own house. I was fortunate to have the school director find this house for me and act as an intermediary with the landlord. The house has 2 bedrooms, a living room, eat in kitchen, and bathroom. For the winter I have closed off the 2 bedrooms, so I don’t have to heat them, and have set up myself in the living room. The house faces east, so I see the sunrise every morning. It’s wonderful!
Moving day was very interesting. My village doesn’t really have roads, so I had to take the path I usually take to school, which goes behind houses, up rock inclines, etc. Four other volunteers helped me move, which made it a lot easier, luckily one of them being a strong young man. I started to move some of the smaller boxes myself in the morning. On one trip one of my students came along on his donkey and took the boxes from me and he and his donkey followed me to my house. On the next trip, two other students came along and carried the boxes. The other volunteers came around noontime, and we were able to carry the rest in two trips. On the last trip, my young friend on the donkey came along again and once more carried the heavier boxes. It was quite a sight to see 5 Americans loaded down with stuff trudging along these paths, especially when the donkey joined us. Barbara had made soup and brought it with her, so we had lunch in my new abode, of course with a wine toast for good luck.
The only heat I had for the first few days were my electric heaters, which the Peace Corps provided, plus one that the owner had left. So that night I plugged in the owner’s heater and went to bed. Some time around 4 AM the heater blew a fuse so I woke up to no electricity! I thought the whole village was out, but I soon saw lights in the other houses, so I knew it was just me. Luckily the electrician was working in a neighbor’s house and soon discovered what had happened. He came to school to get me, and after a few minutes I had electricity, except in the one outlet, which also affected my refrigerator. That night I blew another outlet when I mistakenly plugged a heater into a surge protector which is also a converter. The electrician and I are becoming fast friends.
There was supposed to be a wood-burning stove in the basement of this house, but when I went to check it out, it wasn’t there. One of the advantages of living in a small village is that everyone knows what’s going on with everyone, so that afternoon my neighbor offered me his extra stove. My counterpart’s father installed the stove for me on Wednesday, which meant I was finally going to have heat. My counterpart had also arranged for another of my neighbors to deliver a meter of wood to me. That night I went to light the stove and discovered that I didn’t know how. Once again back to the electric heaters. When I saw my neighbor the next day he asked how the stove was and I told him I couldn’t light it. He came over and showed me how. Finally a working stove and a very warm house. He also brought over some Cognac, to welcome me as a neighbor, so I was warm inside and out.
The only thing that remains to be fixed in this house is the hot water heater. The old heater had been ruined a few years ago when the pipes froze and burst. I’m supposed to find out today what size geiser I need and then my friend the electrician will come and install that and fix the other two outlets. It’s been adventure moving and settling into my new house, but it’s worth it. Paraphrasing Hillary Clinton, it takes a village to train a Peace Corps Volunteer.
This past week we had an All Volunteer Conference in the capital city, Yerevan. There are currently 79 Peace Corps Volunteers in this country. My group went to Yerevan on Friday for 2 days of meetings and the other group joined us on Sunday. It was great to see all the PCVs I had trained with and catch up with them and compare notes on how we’re doing. Some of the meetings were specific to each sector, so for instance all the TEFLs met as a group and discussed our common problems ad frustrations. There was also a development fair, with representatives from different organizations active in this country. My only problem is that not a lot of organizations come down to where I am. But it’s nice to know they have a presence in the country and maybe if we keep pressuring them, they will eventually come down.
The highlight of the Conference was Tuesday night when we celebrated Thanksgiving with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. All of the volunteers participated in the preparations in one way or another. I was on the decorating committee, so we had a huge paper maiche turkey on the food table and small turkeys on every other table. We also made hats for everyone and placemats. The food was so good. We had 7 turkeys, stuffing, cranberry sauce, breads, a ton of different vegetables and of course pies. The night ended with a talent show that was a lot of fun. While I wasn’t with family and friends, I was with my new family and friends and all of you were remembered during our moment of silence. Yesterday at school, I brought in wine and chocolates to celebrate Thanksgiving with the staff (that’s how they celebrate things in my school). It was nice to be able to explain this holiday and share some of it with them. Last night 4 of us got together again for dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. I have a lot to be thankful for this year, not the least of which is the support of all my family and friends back home.
A belated Happy Thanksgiving to all. This has been a busy two weeks for me. On Sunday, Nov. 15, I moved into my own house. I was fortunate to have the school director find this house for me and act as an intermediary with the landlord. The house has 2 bedrooms, a living room, eat in kitchen, and bathroom. For the winter I have closed off the 2 bedrooms, so I don’t have to heat them, and have set up myself in the living room. The house faces east, so I see the sunrise every morning. It’s wonderful!
Moving day was very interesting. My village doesn’t really have roads, so I had to take the path I usually take to school, which goes behind houses, up rock inclines, etc. Four other volunteers helped me move, which made it a lot easier, luckily one of them being a strong young man. I started to move some of the smaller boxes myself in the morning. On one trip one of my students came along on his donkey and took the boxes from me and he and his donkey followed me to my house. On the next trip, two other students came along and carried the boxes. The other volunteers came around noontime, and we were able to carry the rest in two trips. On the last trip, my young friend on the donkey came along again and once more carried the heavier boxes. It was quite a sight to see 5 Americans loaded down with stuff trudging along these paths, especially when the donkey joined us. Barbara had made soup and brought it with her, so we had lunch in my new abode, of course with a wine toast for good luck.
The only heat I had for the first few days were my electric heaters, which the Peace Corps provided, plus one that the owner had left. So that night I plugged in the owner’s heater and went to bed. Some time around 4 AM the heater blew a fuse so I woke up to no electricity! I thought the whole village was out, but I soon saw lights in the other houses, so I knew it was just me. Luckily the electrician was working in a neighbor’s house and soon discovered what had happened. He came to school to get me, and after a few minutes I had electricity, except in the one outlet, which also affected my refrigerator. That night I blew another outlet when I mistakenly plugged a heater into a surge protector which is also a converter. The electrician and I are becoming fast friends.
There was supposed to be a wood-burning stove in the basement of this house, but when I went to check it out, it wasn’t there. One of the advantages of living in a small village is that everyone knows what’s going on with everyone, so that afternoon my neighbor offered me his extra stove. My counterpart’s father installed the stove for me on Wednesday, which meant I was finally going to have heat. My counterpart had also arranged for another of my neighbors to deliver a meter of wood to me. That night I went to light the stove and discovered that I didn’t know how. Once again back to the electric heaters. When I saw my neighbor the next day he asked how the stove was and I told him I couldn’t light it. He came over and showed me how. Finally a working stove and a very warm house. He also brought over some Cognac, to welcome me as a neighbor, so I was warm inside and out.
The only thing that remains to be fixed in this house is the hot water heater. The old heater had been ruined a few years ago when the pipes froze and burst. I’m supposed to find out today what size geiser I need and then my friend the electrician will come and install that and fix the other two outlets. It’s been adventure moving and settling into my new house, but it’s worth it. Paraphrasing Hillary Clinton, it takes a village to train a Peace Corps Volunteer.
This past week we had an All Volunteer Conference in the capital city, Yerevan. There are currently 79 Peace Corps Volunteers in this country. My group went to Yerevan on Friday for 2 days of meetings and the other group joined us on Sunday. It was great to see all the PCVs I had trained with and catch up with them and compare notes on how we’re doing. Some of the meetings were specific to each sector, so for instance all the TEFLs met as a group and discussed our common problems ad frustrations. There was also a development fair, with representatives from different organizations active in this country. My only problem is that not a lot of organizations come down to where I am. But it’s nice to know they have a presence in the country and maybe if we keep pressuring them, they will eventually come down.
The highlight of the Conference was Tuesday night when we celebrated Thanksgiving with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. All of the volunteers participated in the preparations in one way or another. I was on the decorating committee, so we had a huge paper maiche turkey on the food table and small turkeys on every other table. We also made hats for everyone and placemats. The food was so good. We had 7 turkeys, stuffing, cranberry sauce, breads, a ton of different vegetables and of course pies. The night ended with a talent show that was a lot of fun. While I wasn’t with family and friends, I was with my new family and friends and all of you were remembered during our moment of silence. Yesterday at school, I brought in wine and chocolates to celebrate Thanksgiving with the staff (that’s how they celebrate things in my school). It was nice to be able to explain this holiday and share some of it with them. Last night 4 of us got together again for dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. I have a lot to be thankful for this year, not the least of which is the support of all my family and friends back home.
Friday, November 27, 2009
A belated Happy Thanksgiving to all. This has been a busy two weeks for me. On Sunday, Nov. 15, I moved into my own house. I was fortunate to have the school director find this house for me and act as an intermediary with the landlord. The house has 2 bedrooms, a living room, eat in kitchen, and bathroom. For the winter I have closed off the 2 bedrooms, so I don’t have to heat them, and have set up myself in the living room. The house faces east, so I see the sunrise every morning. It’s wonderful!
Moving day was very interesting. My village doesn’t really have roads, so I had to take the path I usually take to school, which goes behind houses, up rock inclines, etc. Four other volunteers helped me move, which made it a lot easier, luckily one of them being a strong young man. I started to move some of the smaller boxes myself in the morning. On one trip one of my students came along on his donkey and took the boxes from me and he and his donkey followed me to my house. On the next trip, two other students came along and carried the boxes. The other volunteers came around noontime, and we were able to carry the rest in two trips. On the last trip, my young friend on the donkey came along again and once more carried the heavier boxes. It was quite a sight to see 5 Americans loaded down with stuff trudging along these paths, especially when the donkey joined us. Barbara had made soup and brought it with her, so we had lunch in my new abode, of course with a wine toast for good luck.
The only heat I had for the first few days were my electric heaters, which the Peace Corps provided, plus one that the owner had left. So that night I plugged in the owner’s heater and went to bed. Some time around 4 AM the heater blew a fuse so I woke up to no electricity! I thought the whole village was out, but I soon saw lights in the other houses, so I knew it was just me. Luckily the electrician was working in a neighbor’s house and soon discovered what had happened. He came to school to get me, and after a few minutes I had electricity, except in the one outlet, which also affected my refrigerator. That night I blew another outlet when I mistakenly plugged a heater into a surge protector which is also a converter. The electrician and I are becoming fast friends.
There was supposed to be a wood-burning stove in the basement of this house, but when I went to check it out, it wasn’t there. One of the advantages of living in a small village is that everyone knows what’s going on with everyone, so that afternoon my neighbor offered me his extra stove. My counterpart’s father installed the stove for me on Wednesday, which meant I was finally going to have heat. My counterpart had also arranged for another of my neighbors to deliver a meter of wood to me. That night I went to light the stove and discovered that I didn’t know how. Once again back to the electric heaters. When I saw my neighbor the next day he asked how the stove was and I told him I couldn’t light it. He came over and showed me how. Finally a working stove and a very warm house. He also brought over some Cognac, to welcome me as a neighbor, so I was warm inside and out.
The only thing that remains to be fixed in this house is the hot water heater. The old heater had been ruined a few years ago when the pipes froze and burst. I’m supposed to find out today what size geiser I need and then my friend the electrician will come and install that and fix the other two outlets. It’s been adventure moving and settling into my new house, but it’s worth it. Paraphrasing Hillary Clinton, it takes a village to train a Peace Corps Volunteer.
This past week we had an All Volunteer Conference in the capital city, Yerevan. There are currently 79 Peace Corps Volunteers in this country. My group went to Yerevan on Friday for 2 days of meetings and the other group joined us on Sunday. It was great to see all the PCVs I had trained with and catch up with them and compare notes on how we’re doing. Some of the meetings were specific to each sector, so for instance all the TEFLs met as a group and discussed our common problems ad frustrations. There was also a development fair, with representatives from different organizations active in this country. My only problem is that not a lot of organizations come down to where I am. But it’s nice to know they have a presence in the country and maybe if we keep pressuring them, they will eventually come down.
The highlight of the Conference was Tuesday night when we celebrated Thanksgiving with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. All of the volunteers participated in the preparations in one way or another. I was on the decorating committee, so we had a huge paper maiche turkey on the food table and small turkeys on every other table. We also made hats for everyone and placemats. The food was so good. We had 7 turkeys, stuffing, cranberry sauce, breads, a ton of different vegetables and of course pies. The night ended with a talent show that was a lot of fun. While I wasn’t with family and friends, I was with my new family and friends and all of you were remembered during our moment of silence. Yesterday at school, I brought in wine and chocolates to celebrate Thanksgiving with the staff (that’s how they celebrate things in my school). It was nice to be able to explain this holiday and share some of it with them. Last night 4 of us got together again for dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. I have a lot to be thankful for this year, not the least of which is the support of all my family and friends back home.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Today is the traditional Veterans’ Day and lately I’m always reminded of the trip to Washington,DC, with Colin when he won the Veterans’ Day poster contest. It was quite an experience to be part of the traditional ceremony at Arlington, and of course having breakfast at the White House was also awesome.
The weather here has turned colder. But I can’t complain as we had an incredibly warm October. We’ve been using the wood burning stove the last few nights. In fact for the past two nights I’ve been sitting by the stove and crocheting. Yesterday we didn’t have electricity from about 10:30 AM until 6:30 PM, so we all sat around the stove until the lights came on. I’ll have to make sure I have candles when I move. They don’t lose electricity a lot, but they are putting in new poles for the wires, so they shut it off occasionally. Just another reminder that I’m in the Peace Corps.
I will be moving this weekend into my own house. It’s a 2 bedroom house, but I’ll probably close off the bedrooms in the winter and use the living room, so I won’t have to heat the whole house. I’ll have a wood burning stove for heat, which will be an experience. But I’ll also have 2 electric heaters for help. The house is a lot closer to the school and will cut out the most “interesting” part of the walk to school. I have gotten used to my walk in the morning and afternoon, but I’ll find other times for walking. I’m especially glad to be moving before we have any snow. Some people have told me to expect to be snowed in a few times this winter. I can’t wait.
Next weekend all the PCVs in this country gather for a conference in the capital city. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the other new volunteers that I haven’t seen since coming to my site. It’ll also give me a chance to get some more yarn from this great yarn store I found on my last visit there. I want to stock up so I have something to do in case I do get snowed in.
The school here is still under the old Soviet style influence, which is rote memorization of the text, without any real comprehension. The students aren’t encouraged to use critical thinking or to think outside of the box. The teachers have very little in terms of outside materials or visual aids. It’s been interesting to watch their interest in the few things I’ve introduced here, like a graphic organization, Venn diagram, etc. And the students really get excited by them as well and look forward to their English lessons to see what new thing they’ll get. They only have English twice a week, and unfortunately none of their parents speak English so it’s not reinforced at home, so it’s a struggle for them, and us. But little by little they are beginning to use more English, at least in my class.
I have really been fortunate with my counterpart. Taguhie speaks very good English and is eager to try new approaches to teaching. We are very similar in our outlooks. She has also been a great help in arranging for my house, and in translating for me. I’m still struggling with the language, so I rely on her a lot.
This blog is being posted 2 days later because we haven't had electricity but there also wasn't any gas in the town for the cars or buses. Ah yes, life as a Peace Corps volunteer!!
Today is the traditional Veterans’ Day and lately I’m always reminded of the trip to Washington,DC, with Colin when he won the Veterans’ Day poster contest. It was quite an experience to be part of the traditional ceremony at Arlington, and of course having breakfast at the White House was also awesome.
The weather here has turned colder. But I can’t complain as we had an incredibly warm October. We’ve been using the wood burning stove the last few nights. In fact for the past two nights I’ve been sitting by the stove and crocheting. Yesterday we didn’t have electricity from about 10:30 AM until 6:30 PM, so we all sat around the stove until the lights came on. I’ll have to make sure I have candles when I move. They don’t lose electricity a lot, but they are putting in new poles for the wires, so they shut it off occasionally. Just another reminder that I’m in the Peace Corps.
I will be moving this weekend into my own house. It’s a 2 bedroom house, but I’ll probably close off the bedrooms in the winter and use the living room, so I won’t have to heat the whole house. I’ll have a wood burning stove for heat, which will be an experience. But I’ll also have 2 electric heaters for help. The house is a lot closer to the school and will cut out the most “interesting” part of the walk to school. I have gotten used to my walk in the morning and afternoon, but I’ll find other times for walking. I’m especially glad to be moving before we have any snow. Some people have told me to expect to be snowed in a few times this winter. I can’t wait.
Next weekend all the PCVs in this country gather for a conference in the capital city. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the other new volunteers that I haven’t seen since coming to my site. It’ll also give me a chance to get some more yarn from this great yarn store I found on my last visit there. I want to stock up so I have something to do in case I do get snowed in.
The school here is still under the old Soviet style influence, which is rote memorization of the text, without any real comprehension. The students aren’t encouraged to use critical thinking or to think outside of the box. The teachers have very little in terms of outside materials or visual aids. It’s been interesting to watch their interest in the few things I’ve introduced here, like a graphic organization, Venn diagram, etc. And the students really get excited by them as well and look forward to their English lessons to see what new thing they’ll get. They only have English twice a week, and unfortunately none of their parents speak English so it’s not reinforced at home, so it’s a struggle for them, and us. But little by little they are beginning to use more English, at least in my class.
I have really been fortunate with my counterpart. Taguhie speaks very good English and is eager to try new approaches to teaching. We are very similar in our outlooks. She has also been a great help in arranging for my house, and in translating for me. I’m still struggling with the language, so I rely on her a lot.
This blog is being posted 2 days later because we haven't had electricity but there also wasn't any gas in the town for the cars or buses. Ah yes, life as a Peace Corps volunteer!!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
We have been having incredibly nice and warm weather for October in Armenia. It’s been cool in the mornings, but by mid-afternoon, it generally gets up to about 70. I’m thankful that I don’t have to be at school first thing in the morning, so when I do leave it’s already starting to warm up. It’s also been good for drying the clothes, which have to be hung out because there are no dryers here.
This week we have off from school for Fall break. While I’m enjoying the teaching, it’ll be nice to have some time to regroup and get ready for the next two months until the Christmas break. On Saturday there is a conference in Yerevan for TEFLs, my friend Barbara and I will go up on Friday and return on Sunday. This will be only my second time up to Yerevan, and I’m looking forward to being able to walk around it for a while. It’s a really fascinating city, with the old and new mixed in with one another. There are a lot of traces of the Soviet era, yet also a lot of new building going on.
Yesterday I walked down to Kapan, which is about 5 ½ kilometers, all downhill. I really enjoy this walk, because you notice different things when walking and you have the time to take them in. Like on Sunday I was walking and all of a sudden I noticed these vibrant yellow and orange leaves on a tree growing out of rock. I’ve probably started on this walk about 10 times so far, but only walked the whole way about 3 or 4. The other times people who are driving down will stop and give me a ride. This is one of the things I like about it here, the hospitality of the people. They seldom pass by anyone without asking if they want a ride. I’ve tried to refuse a few times, but they are insistent. In a way, it’s a good way to meet the people, although most of them are not villagers, but rather visitors to the village.
The one thing I’ve noticed is that Armenians do not just walk for the pleasure of it, or for exercise. Whenever I go out for a walk, they always ask where I’m going. When I say I’m just walking, they look at me strangely, and ask why. When they walk, they have a destination in mind, a purpose. My host family is finally getting used to my just walking, and I think some of the other villagers are also. I’ve been taking my camera with me lately and have gotten some wonderful shots. One day, when I just started out, I saw 4 of the village youngsters playing in the village center and I took their picture. They then posed for me and of course wanted to see the pictures. They were all smiles and giggles.
There’s this older man in the village who is blind. He usually sits on the bench in the center and I pass him about 3 or 4 times a week. He always calls out hello and I answer him. Last week, I stopped and introduced myself to him and explained who I was and why I am in the village. He now calls me the English woman, because I said I was teaching English in the school.
We have been having incredibly nice and warm weather for October in Armenia. It’s been cool in the mornings, but by mid-afternoon, it generally gets up to about 70. I’m thankful that I don’t have to be at school first thing in the morning, so when I do leave it’s already starting to warm up. It’s also been good for drying the clothes, which have to be hung out because there are no dryers here.
This week we have off from school for Fall break. While I’m enjoying the teaching, it’ll be nice to have some time to regroup and get ready for the next two months until the Christmas break. On Saturday there is a conference in Yerevan for TEFLs, my friend Barbara and I will go up on Friday and return on Sunday. This will be only my second time up to Yerevan, and I’m looking forward to being able to walk around it for a while. It’s a really fascinating city, with the old and new mixed in with one another. There are a lot of traces of the Soviet era, yet also a lot of new building going on.
Yesterday I walked down to Kapan, which is about 5 ½ kilometers, all downhill. I really enjoy this walk, because you notice different things when walking and you have the time to take them in. Like on Sunday I was walking and all of a sudden I noticed these vibrant yellow and orange leaves on a tree growing out of rock. I’ve probably started on this walk about 10 times so far, but only walked the whole way about 3 or 4. The other times people who are driving down will stop and give me a ride. This is one of the things I like about it here, the hospitality of the people. They seldom pass by anyone without asking if they want a ride. I’ve tried to refuse a few times, but they are insistent. In a way, it’s a good way to meet the people, although most of them are not villagers, but rather visitors to the village.
The one thing I’ve noticed is that Armenians do not just walk for the pleasure of it, or for exercise. Whenever I go out for a walk, they always ask where I’m going. When I say I’m just walking, they look at me strangely, and ask why. When they walk, they have a destination in mind, a purpose. My host family is finally getting used to my just walking, and I think some of the other villagers are also. I’ve been taking my camera with me lately and have gotten some wonderful shots. One day, when I just started out, I saw 4 of the village youngsters playing in the village center and I took their picture. They then posed for me and of course wanted to see the pictures. They were all smiles and giggles.
There’s this older man in the village who is blind. He usually sits on the bench in the center and I pass him about 3 or 4 times a week. He always calls out hello and I answer him. Last week, I stopped and introduced myself to him and explained who I was and why I am in the village. He now calls me the English woman, because I said I was teaching English in the school.
Monday, October 12, 2009
October 13, 2009
One of the things I’ve noticed is the quiet of this mountainside village. Sure there are the sounds of the children playing and the occasional animal noises, but other than that there’s a stillness about it. There are no cars or trucks riding on the roads all day, no machinery noises, and no airplanes going overhead. It’s just peaceful. In some ways it’s a contrast to the ruggedness of the land, but even the ruggedness has a certain beauty about it.
The staff at the school where I’m working has really been wonderful and very patient with me as I try to learn their language. Since it’s such a small school it’s very easy to learn everybody’s name, which makes it a nice, close knit community. Most of the teachers are young, but there are a few my age. The other day we went out for a late lunch to celebrate “Teacher’s Day.” It was nice to see them in a different setting and see how well they really do get along. In some ways it was like being back home, sitting around eating, laughing, dancing and just enjoying each other’s company. Some things transcend all borders.
While I am lucky that my school has internet and so technically I can have access 5 days a week, there are many days when it is not working, or it is busy when I’m free. Actually not being able to get on the computer doesn’t bother me. It’s not that I don’t like hearing from people via email, because I do, but I didn’t expect to have daily access, so I’m not disappointed when I don’t. If it’s there’s a real need for me to use the internet I can always go to my counterpart’s house and use hers, or go down to town.
I do have a cell phone, but it doesn’t work in the house where I’m now staying. I have to go outside to use it, so I miss a lot of phone calls and test messages (which I don’t do anyway). However, when I move into my own house, I will be able to get phone service inside. But again, I didn’t come here expecting to use a phone a lot.
This past weekend two of the other PCVs came up to visit my village. I took them on my walk to school, that I do each day, which is quite unique. I mostly walk on paths behind houses or up rocky lanes, where I have to not only be careful about the rocks, but also look out for animal droppings. The good thing about it is that it helps me stay in shape. We then went for a walk up one of the hills up here and then walked down into town. They agreed that I have a beautiful village with magnificent vistas and now understand why I don’t leave my village often.
One of the things I’ve noticed is the quiet of this mountainside village. Sure there are the sounds of the children playing and the occasional animal noises, but other than that there’s a stillness about it. There are no cars or trucks riding on the roads all day, no machinery noises, and no airplanes going overhead. It’s just peaceful. In some ways it’s a contrast to the ruggedness of the land, but even the ruggedness has a certain beauty about it.
The staff at the school where I’m working has really been wonderful and very patient with me as I try to learn their language. Since it’s such a small school it’s very easy to learn everybody’s name, which makes it a nice, close knit community. Most of the teachers are young, but there are a few my age. The other day we went out for a late lunch to celebrate “Teacher’s Day.” It was nice to see them in a different setting and see how well they really do get along. In some ways it was like being back home, sitting around eating, laughing, dancing and just enjoying each other’s company. Some things transcend all borders.
While I am lucky that my school has internet and so technically I can have access 5 days a week, there are many days when it is not working, or it is busy when I’m free. Actually not being able to get on the computer doesn’t bother me. It’s not that I don’t like hearing from people via email, because I do, but I didn’t expect to have daily access, so I’m not disappointed when I don’t. If it’s there’s a real need for me to use the internet I can always go to my counterpart’s house and use hers, or go down to town.
I do have a cell phone, but it doesn’t work in the house where I’m now staying. I have to go outside to use it, so I miss a lot of phone calls and test messages (which I don’t do anyway). However, when I move into my own house, I will be able to get phone service inside. But again, I didn’t come here expecting to use a phone a lot.
This past weekend two of the other PCVs came up to visit my village. I took them on my walk to school, that I do each day, which is quite unique. I mostly walk on paths behind houses or up rocky lanes, where I have to not only be careful about the rocks, but also look out for animal droppings. The good thing about it is that it helps me stay in shape. We then went for a walk up one of the hills up here and then walked down into town. They agreed that I have a beautiful village with magnificent vistas and now understand why I don’t leave my village often.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
September 23, 2009
School has been in session for 3 weeks now and we finally have a set schedule. Well it’s set until something happens and it has to be changed. But at least my counterpart and I know what classes we are supposed to be teaching on the different days. She has planned out the year in each grade and then we adjust as we go along and see what we really do cover on any given day. My main input is with visual aids and activities, or I should say tasks. This is an area where the Armenian teachers are particularly weak. They are not taught about these things in their schooling or training. And it’s amazing to see how well the students react to something different. Most of their learning is done by rote memorization and copying from the books. We played a tic-tac-toe game with question words in the 5th form and the kids loved it. They had to say a question in English in order to get the square. It helped improve their English while having some fun. Of course now they want to play it every day.
One of the problems with having so few students in the classes (there are only 2 3rd and 4th graders) is that we really have to plan a lot of activities. Two students don’t take as long to do things as 20 do. But we’ve gotten into a nice rhythm with both these classes. We use a lot of flash cards with the 3rd graders as they try to learn the English alphabet, which is the third alphabet they are learning. They start learning Russian in 2nd grade. It makes me feel really slow in learning Armenian as only my second language. But then again I am a bit older.
I’ve also begun to work with some of the students individually, during the classes. My counterpart will work with the ones who are on grade level and I’ll take the others. Most of the ones I’m working with just need a little incentive and individual attention. I’ll also be starting an English club after school next month. The plan is for it to be a drama club, with us putting on some small skits every now and then, in English. I think it will be a fun way for them to learn and practice their English. Hopefully they think so too.
I’m still hiking on the weekends with some of the other PCVs. Two weeks ago we went to Halidzor Fortress and Vahanvank Monastery, which are historical places near here. It was probably a 15-20 mile hike, but the weather was warm and it was a nice day. This past weekend we just walked around a local park. Monday was Armenian Independence Day, but they don’t celebrate it the way we do our Independence Day. It was basically just a day off, which was much appreciated. I also took an overnight trip to a nearby city to visit some other PCVs. It was fun to be with them and share some of our experiences.
We are now in our rainy season here. It has rained at least part of every day for the last week. Since there aren’t any clothes dryers here, this weather really puts a damper on doing laundry. I also don’t have a washing machine, so I do my wash by hand, which isn’t all that bad. Sometimes having it rain on the laundry helps rinse out some of the clothes. I’ve had some stuff hanging up for 3 days now. It takes some getting used to, but eventually I’ll learn how to time doing my wash so it will dry in a reasonable amount of time.
I occasionally will sit with my host family and watch TV, but since it’s in either Armenian or Russian it’s a bit frustrating. So I’ve been doing a lot of reading, about 12 books since the beginning of August. I’ve also been crocheting again. I’ve started an afghan for myself, which will help in the winter. I also have started a placemat, and will probably do a lot more during the winter. I do have some movies which I can play on my computer, which I’m saving for the winter.
Every morning I wake up to this incredible view of Mt. Hustrip. The other day there was a little bit of snow on the top, but it has since melted. The leaves are beginning to change and the colors are brilliant. Because of all the rain we’ve had, the colors are really vibrant. Last year it was a dryer fall, so there wasn’t a lot of color, so they tell me. But the scenery is magnificent and I’m grateful every day for it.
School has been in session for 3 weeks now and we finally have a set schedule. Well it’s set until something happens and it has to be changed. But at least my counterpart and I know what classes we are supposed to be teaching on the different days. She has planned out the year in each grade and then we adjust as we go along and see what we really do cover on any given day. My main input is with visual aids and activities, or I should say tasks. This is an area where the Armenian teachers are particularly weak. They are not taught about these things in their schooling or training. And it’s amazing to see how well the students react to something different. Most of their learning is done by rote memorization and copying from the books. We played a tic-tac-toe game with question words in the 5th form and the kids loved it. They had to say a question in English in order to get the square. It helped improve their English while having some fun. Of course now they want to play it every day.
One of the problems with having so few students in the classes (there are only 2 3rd and 4th graders) is that we really have to plan a lot of activities. Two students don’t take as long to do things as 20 do. But we’ve gotten into a nice rhythm with both these classes. We use a lot of flash cards with the 3rd graders as they try to learn the English alphabet, which is the third alphabet they are learning. They start learning Russian in 2nd grade. It makes me feel really slow in learning Armenian as only my second language. But then again I am a bit older.
I’ve also begun to work with some of the students individually, during the classes. My counterpart will work with the ones who are on grade level and I’ll take the others. Most of the ones I’m working with just need a little incentive and individual attention. I’ll also be starting an English club after school next month. The plan is for it to be a drama club, with us putting on some small skits every now and then, in English. I think it will be a fun way for them to learn and practice their English. Hopefully they think so too.
I’m still hiking on the weekends with some of the other PCVs. Two weeks ago we went to Halidzor Fortress and Vahanvank Monastery, which are historical places near here. It was probably a 15-20 mile hike, but the weather was warm and it was a nice day. This past weekend we just walked around a local park. Monday was Armenian Independence Day, but they don’t celebrate it the way we do our Independence Day. It was basically just a day off, which was much appreciated. I also took an overnight trip to a nearby city to visit some other PCVs. It was fun to be with them and share some of our experiences.
We are now in our rainy season here. It has rained at least part of every day for the last week. Since there aren’t any clothes dryers here, this weather really puts a damper on doing laundry. I also don’t have a washing machine, so I do my wash by hand, which isn’t all that bad. Sometimes having it rain on the laundry helps rinse out some of the clothes. I’ve had some stuff hanging up for 3 days now. It takes some getting used to, but eventually I’ll learn how to time doing my wash so it will dry in a reasonable amount of time.
I occasionally will sit with my host family and watch TV, but since it’s in either Armenian or Russian it’s a bit frustrating. So I’ve been doing a lot of reading, about 12 books since the beginning of August. I’ve also been crocheting again. I’ve started an afghan for myself, which will help in the winter. I also have started a placemat, and will probably do a lot more during the winter. I do have some movies which I can play on my computer, which I’m saving for the winter.
Every morning I wake up to this incredible view of Mt. Hustrip. The other day there was a little bit of snow on the top, but it has since melted. The leaves are beginning to change and the colors are brilliant. Because of all the rain we’ve had, the colors are really vibrant. Last year it was a dryer fall, so there wasn’t a lot of color, so they tell me. But the scenery is magnificent and I’m grateful every day for it.
Friday, September 4, 2009
September 4, 2009
Today is the end of the first week of school. It’s been quite a week. School starts on September 1, with “First Bell.” There is a celebration attached to this, which took our school about an hour. They invite all the parents, one of the administrators from the Ministry of Education, a WWII Russian veteran, an active member of the military, and the former school director, who is about 95. They decorate the school with balloons and streamers, as well as the fence surrounding the playground area. Since I am new, they asked me to say a few words, in Armenian, as a way of introducing myself.
There are 11 forms (grades) in this school, but only about 45 students. So the classes are very small, in fact the 3rd form only has 2 students. A few of the classes have 5 students, but most have 3 or 4. It’s almost harder to teach a very small class because you have to have a lot of activities planned since it doesn’t take too long to go through the lessons.
My counterpart and I teach all the English language classes, usually 3 or 4 a day. Each form has English twice a week. I started right off teaching on Tuesday. They had doubled the first period because of the celebration, so I had one group and my counterpart took the other group. We were in the same room, so it was a bit confusing at times, but we worked it out. Taguhie, my counterpart, is a wonderful teacher and very easy to work with. School starts at 8:30, but most days we don’t have to be in until after 10. But that means that we generally have the last scheduled class as well, which gets out at 3:15. It’s not a bad schedule and will be especially nice in the colder weather, not to have to get out first thing in the morning. Most days we have at least one break between classes, which is when we will do our lesson planning for the next day or week. It’ll take a little time, but we will get into a routine pretty soon.
On the weekends I’ve been doing some hiking with some of the other PC volunteers in the area. Last Saturday morning we set off to see this bear that was made by one of the volunteers’ host grandfather. It’s on the outskirts of Kapan, sort of guarding the city. It has a key in it’s mouth that holds the secrets to the town. Tomorrow we are hiking to an old church up on one of the mountainsides. Besides the exercise, it’s nice getting together with this group and discussing our successes and struggles. I also try to walk most afternoons after school. It’s wonderful exercise, especially since it’s up and down hills. But the scenery is spectacular so it’s worth it.
Today is the end of the first week of school. It’s been quite a week. School starts on September 1, with “First Bell.” There is a celebration attached to this, which took our school about an hour. They invite all the parents, one of the administrators from the Ministry of Education, a WWII Russian veteran, an active member of the military, and the former school director, who is about 95. They decorate the school with balloons and streamers, as well as the fence surrounding the playground area. Since I am new, they asked me to say a few words, in Armenian, as a way of introducing myself.
There are 11 forms (grades) in this school, but only about 45 students. So the classes are very small, in fact the 3rd form only has 2 students. A few of the classes have 5 students, but most have 3 or 4. It’s almost harder to teach a very small class because you have to have a lot of activities planned since it doesn’t take too long to go through the lessons.
My counterpart and I teach all the English language classes, usually 3 or 4 a day. Each form has English twice a week. I started right off teaching on Tuesday. They had doubled the first period because of the celebration, so I had one group and my counterpart took the other group. We were in the same room, so it was a bit confusing at times, but we worked it out. Taguhie, my counterpart, is a wonderful teacher and very easy to work with. School starts at 8:30, but most days we don’t have to be in until after 10. But that means that we generally have the last scheduled class as well, which gets out at 3:15. It’s not a bad schedule and will be especially nice in the colder weather, not to have to get out first thing in the morning. Most days we have at least one break between classes, which is when we will do our lesson planning for the next day or week. It’ll take a little time, but we will get into a routine pretty soon.
On the weekends I’ve been doing some hiking with some of the other PC volunteers in the area. Last Saturday morning we set off to see this bear that was made by one of the volunteers’ host grandfather. It’s on the outskirts of Kapan, sort of guarding the city. It has a key in it’s mouth that holds the secrets to the town. Tomorrow we are hiking to an old church up on one of the mountainsides. Besides the exercise, it’s nice getting together with this group and discussing our successes and struggles. I also try to walk most afternoons after school. It’s wonderful exercise, especially since it’s up and down hills. But the scenery is spectacular so it’s worth it.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
August 27, 2009
I’ve been at my site for almost 2 weeks now and I’m beginning to feel settled in. The first week or so was hard. This new host family is very nice, but also different from the one I lived with before. They are much quieter and have much less activity in the house. But they are very welcoming and have tried to make me feel at home.
Also, for the first time since arriving in Armenia, I really had nothing to do these last 2 weeks. There were no language classes or tech classes to study for. There were no central days or competencies to fill out. So I had a lot of time on my hands with little to do. Luckily there are other volunteers near here so we got together a few times. I also went down to the main town a few times to use the internet and do some shopping. There’s an American Corner here which has free internet usage. This is a place sponsored by the US Embassy and besides 2 computers, there’s a library with English language books, some magazines and movies. It’s also a place where we can hold meetings or clubs if we need to. And I’ve read about 4 books in the last two weeks, something I hadn’t been able to do since coming here.
I finally found a yarn shop in one of their “department stores.” These are really like flea markets, but are inside and there are two in Kapan. The yarn is from Turkey and pretty good, but there weren’t a lot of colors to choose from. Hopefully the woman understood me and is ordering some more skeins of the same two colors I bought. I started an afghan, since I’m sure I will need it in the winter. I’ve found that Anna and I, the host mother here, have talked more since I’ve started crocheting. She knits but is interested in what I’m making. They don’t make afghans here, since they have these horse blankets, which are very warm. I’m doing a wave pattern, since it was the only one I could remember off the top of my head. But anyway, it’s become a good way to initiate conversation, which is what I needed to do to help improve my language skills.
I’ve gone into the school a few times so far and have met most of the teachers. They are very welcoming, as is the school director. My counterpart, Taguhie, is a wonderful young woman and very easy to work with. We started to do some of the lesson plans yesterday and will do some more today. The school system here is very erratic. They are in the process of changing the books they use, but the teachers don’t know which grades will be affected until the books come, which they haven’t. They also had to make temporary registers for their classes, as the new registers also haven’t arrived yet. But I admire the commitment of these teachers and their enthusiasm for their students. Of course the school here is very small, some of the grades only have 2 students!
I have also arranged for a tutor for myself to help me continue to learn the language. She’s one of the teachers and doesn’t speak English. This should be interesting, but I’m hopeful that it will work well. Anna, the tutor, teaches first grade so is used to starting with beginners. We’ll start next week after both our schedules have been set.
I continue to be amazed by the women of Armenia. Anna, my host mother, works almost all day long around the house. On Saturday I helped her make lavash, the national bread here. Then in the afternoon we went blackberry picking. She will make jam, compote and wine from these. On Monday, she and her husband went to a farm and picked eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes all day and came back with kilos of each. She will can some of the tomatoes and will store the rest. There is no washing machine here, so she does the wash by hand, almost every day. In getting ready for winter, the women take the stuffing out of the mattress and blankets and wash it. This stuffing is mostly sheep’s wool. They rinse it in tubs and then lay it out on the ground, where they beat it with sticks and separate it to air it out and help it dry. Depending on how many beds there are in the house, this could take a week or two.
I have learned a lot so far and know there is much still for me to learn. I only hope that at the end of my service it somehow works out to be an even trade, that I have taught them as much as I have learned.
I’ve been at my site for almost 2 weeks now and I’m beginning to feel settled in. The first week or so was hard. This new host family is very nice, but also different from the one I lived with before. They are much quieter and have much less activity in the house. But they are very welcoming and have tried to make me feel at home.
Also, for the first time since arriving in Armenia, I really had nothing to do these last 2 weeks. There were no language classes or tech classes to study for. There were no central days or competencies to fill out. So I had a lot of time on my hands with little to do. Luckily there are other volunteers near here so we got together a few times. I also went down to the main town a few times to use the internet and do some shopping. There’s an American Corner here which has free internet usage. This is a place sponsored by the US Embassy and besides 2 computers, there’s a library with English language books, some magazines and movies. It’s also a place where we can hold meetings or clubs if we need to. And I’ve read about 4 books in the last two weeks, something I hadn’t been able to do since coming here.
I finally found a yarn shop in one of their “department stores.” These are really like flea markets, but are inside and there are two in Kapan. The yarn is from Turkey and pretty good, but there weren’t a lot of colors to choose from. Hopefully the woman understood me and is ordering some more skeins of the same two colors I bought. I started an afghan, since I’m sure I will need it in the winter. I’ve found that Anna and I, the host mother here, have talked more since I’ve started crocheting. She knits but is interested in what I’m making. They don’t make afghans here, since they have these horse blankets, which are very warm. I’m doing a wave pattern, since it was the only one I could remember off the top of my head. But anyway, it’s become a good way to initiate conversation, which is what I needed to do to help improve my language skills.
I’ve gone into the school a few times so far and have met most of the teachers. They are very welcoming, as is the school director. My counterpart, Taguhie, is a wonderful young woman and very easy to work with. We started to do some of the lesson plans yesterday and will do some more today. The school system here is very erratic. They are in the process of changing the books they use, but the teachers don’t know which grades will be affected until the books come, which they haven’t. They also had to make temporary registers for their classes, as the new registers also haven’t arrived yet. But I admire the commitment of these teachers and their enthusiasm for their students. Of course the school here is very small, some of the grades only have 2 students!
I have also arranged for a tutor for myself to help me continue to learn the language. She’s one of the teachers and doesn’t speak English. This should be interesting, but I’m hopeful that it will work well. Anna, the tutor, teaches first grade so is used to starting with beginners. We’ll start next week after both our schedules have been set.
I continue to be amazed by the women of Armenia. Anna, my host mother, works almost all day long around the house. On Saturday I helped her make lavash, the national bread here. Then in the afternoon we went blackberry picking. She will make jam, compote and wine from these. On Monday, she and her husband went to a farm and picked eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes all day and came back with kilos of each. She will can some of the tomatoes and will store the rest. There is no washing machine here, so she does the wash by hand, almost every day. In getting ready for winter, the women take the stuffing out of the mattress and blankets and wash it. This stuffing is mostly sheep’s wool. They rinse it in tubs and then lay it out on the ground, where they beat it with sticks and separate it to air it out and help it dry. Depending on how many beds there are in the house, this could take a week or two.
I have learned a lot so far and know there is much still for me to learn. I only hope that at the end of my service it somehow works out to be an even trade, that I have taught them as much as I have learned.
Monday, August 17, 2009
School doesn’t start until Sept. 1, so I have 2 weeks to get settled and acquainted with this village and the nearby town. I walked into town on Saturday, it’s 5 ½ kilometers downhill, to meet some of the other PCVs who live nearby. It’ll be nice to get together with them during the year. Of course I took a taxi back up the mountain to get home.
August 17, 2009
Training is over and as of last Thursday, Aug. 13, I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer. Last week seems like a blur of activity: our portfolio presentations on Monday, the language proficiency interview on Tuesday, the auction of stuff the A15s left for us on Wednesday, the swearing in on Thursday, and moving on Friday to our new sites. And now, it’s on to the work we came here to do.
The swearing in was very moving. The ceremony took about 2 hours, with plenty of media coverage. They played both countries’ anthems, and believe me it was good to hear ours. The US Ambassador to Armenia spoke to us and then administered the oath. It’s actually the same oath that State Department workers take. Kyle, who lived next me in our training village, was one of two new Volunteers to talk. He’s really an awesome speaker, even in Armenian. One of the training villages put on a short skit, which was hilarious. Some of us had formed a chorus and they sang an Armenian song and did an incredible job on it. After the ceremony there was a small reception for us and our host families. When the host families, we met with the A16s, those who have already been here for a year and then went out with them for a while to celebrate.
It was difficult the next morning leaving the family I’ve lived with for the past 12 weeks. They have always been very supportive and patient with me as I struggled with the language. There were 10 of us living in that house, so there was always something going on, or someone else visiting. In a way it reminded me of my house when all the kids were home. I will miss them, but I know I will see them again over the next two years.
The trip to my new village took about 8 hours, but that included stops to let off 4 other volunteers along the way. Of course we got lost quite a bit, as neither the driver nor us knew exactly where we were going. We had only been to our new sites once. But we all finally made it. My new host family is small, only 5 people, but again very nice and hospitable. I again gave the boys here Uno, which is a great ice breaker. We’ve have played at least 3 times every day since.
School doesn’t start until Sept. 1, so I have 2 weeks to get settled and acquainted with this village and the nearby town. I walked into town on Saturday, it’s 5 ½ kilometers downhill, to meet some of the other PCVs who live nearby. It’ll be nice to get together with them during the year. Of course I took a taxi back up the mountain to get home. Yesterday I went to dinner at my counterpart’s home and her sister is going to show me a shorter way to get into town. I may even be able to walk both ways.
I am school today meeting all the teachers. It will take a while to learn their names, especially most of them don't speak English. But they are all very nice and I look forward to working with them
Training is over and as of last Thursday, Aug. 13, I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer. Last week seems like a blur of activity: our portfolio presentations on Monday, the language proficiency interview on Tuesday, the auction of stuff the A15s left for us on Wednesday, the swearing in on Thursday, and moving on Friday to our new sites. And now, it’s on to the work we came here to do.
The swearing in was very moving. The ceremony took about 2 hours, with plenty of media coverage. They played both countries’ anthems, and believe me it was good to hear ours. The US Ambassador to Armenia spoke to us and then administered the oath. It’s actually the same oath that State Department workers take. Kyle, who lived next me in our training village, was one of two new Volunteers to talk. He’s really an awesome speaker, even in Armenian. One of the training villages put on a short skit, which was hilarious. Some of us had formed a chorus and they sang an Armenian song and did an incredible job on it. After the ceremony there was a small reception for us and our host families. When the host families, we met with the A16s, those who have already been here for a year and then went out with them for a while to celebrate.
It was difficult the next morning leaving the family I’ve lived with for the past 12 weeks. They have always been very supportive and patient with me as I struggled with the language. There were 10 of us living in that house, so there was always something going on, or someone else visiting. In a way it reminded me of my house when all the kids were home. I will miss them, but I know I will see them again over the next two years.
The trip to my new village took about 8 hours, but that included stops to let off 4 other volunteers along the way. Of course we got lost quite a bit, as neither the driver nor us knew exactly where we were going. We had only been to our new sites once. But we all finally made it. My new host family is small, only 5 people, but again very nice and hospitable. I again gave the boys here Uno, which is a great ice breaker. We’ve have played at least 3 times every day since.
School doesn’t start until Sept. 1, so I have 2 weeks to get settled and acquainted with this village and the nearby town. I walked into town on Saturday, it’s 5 ½ kilometers downhill, to meet some of the other PCVs who live nearby. It’ll be nice to get together with them during the year. Of course I took a taxi back up the mountain to get home. Yesterday I went to dinner at my counterpart’s home and her sister is going to show me a shorter way to get into town. I may even be able to walk both ways.
I am school today meeting all the teachers. It will take a while to learn their names, especially most of them don't speak English. But they are all very nice and I look forward to working with them
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
August 10, 2009
Today was the end of our tech sessions, which is a relief. We presented our portfolios and had to hand in an electronic form of our presentation. Now I can concentrate on the language proficiency interview, which is tomorrow.
On Saturday we had a field trip to Garni, where there is an old pagan temple and a church nearby. The scenery was magnificent, almost overshadowing the buildings. It’s amazing to see these buildings that were built without today’s machinery. At the temple there was also a bath house, which had intricately designed mosaics in the floors.
Sunday afternoon I went into Yerevan, the capital city, with the two daughters-in-law who live in my house. One of them actually lives in Yerevan during the school year. We got off the bus right as it entered the city where there is a viewing area from which you can see the whole city. There are stairs that go down into the city. At regular intervals there are rest areas, that have gorgeous gardens and waterfalls in them. We had dinner at her mother’s house and then walked around the city. There is a lake in Yerevan, I think it’s manmade, and around that there’s some outdoor cafes and benches for sitting. Our final stop was Republic Square, which is a large gathering place in front of the Art Museum. There is a reflection pool in front of the museum which has fountains in it. At night, they play music over loudspeakers and the fountains have different lights in them and they synchronize the fountains spraying with the music. It was just beautiful. It reminded me of the fireworks they do in NY which are also synchronized with music. We sat at an outdoor café drinking beer while we watched the show. Since it was Sunday night, I was reminded of Music in the Park in Greensboro.
Sitting in that café last night, I couldn’t help but be amazed that I was actually in Armenia doing something as common as that. It is hard to forget that this is a very different place than America at times like that. I’m halfway around the world and yet I felt a very strong connection to my home city.
August 11, 2009
I passed my language proficiency interview today. What a relief. Not that I’m all that proficient in this language, but I can at least make myself understood for the most part. I can in to a store and buy what I need, I can call for a cab, and I can other things like that. I will definitely get a tutor when I get to my village because I really do want to be more proficient in Armenian. But for now I can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy my accomplishment. Everyone felt the same way today.
August 12, 2009
This morning some of us volunteers from my village got up to watch the sunrise come over the mountain. It was absolutely beautiful. It was also a bit sad to realize that in 2 days we will be moving to our new sites and not be together. While we are all glad to have training behind us, it’s bitter sweet because we will be scattered over the country.
Today was the end of our tech sessions, which is a relief. We presented our portfolios and had to hand in an electronic form of our presentation. Now I can concentrate on the language proficiency interview, which is tomorrow.
On Saturday we had a field trip to Garni, where there is an old pagan temple and a church nearby. The scenery was magnificent, almost overshadowing the buildings. It’s amazing to see these buildings that were built without today’s machinery. At the temple there was also a bath house, which had intricately designed mosaics in the floors.
Sunday afternoon I went into Yerevan, the capital city, with the two daughters-in-law who live in my house. One of them actually lives in Yerevan during the school year. We got off the bus right as it entered the city where there is a viewing area from which you can see the whole city. There are stairs that go down into the city. At regular intervals there are rest areas, that have gorgeous gardens and waterfalls in them. We had dinner at her mother’s house and then walked around the city. There is a lake in Yerevan, I think it’s manmade, and around that there’s some outdoor cafes and benches for sitting. Our final stop was Republic Square, which is a large gathering place in front of the Art Museum. There is a reflection pool in front of the museum which has fountains in it. At night, they play music over loudspeakers and the fountains have different lights in them and they synchronize the fountains spraying with the music. It was just beautiful. It reminded me of the fireworks they do in NY which are also synchronized with music. We sat at an outdoor café drinking beer while we watched the show. Since it was Sunday night, I was reminded of Music in the Park in Greensboro.
Sitting in that café last night, I couldn’t help but be amazed that I was actually in Armenia doing something as common as that. It is hard to forget that this is a very different place than America at times like that. I’m halfway around the world and yet I felt a very strong connection to my home city.
August 11, 2009
I passed my language proficiency interview today. What a relief. Not that I’m all that proficient in this language, but I can at least make myself understood for the most part. I can in to a store and buy what I need, I can call for a cab, and I can other things like that. I will definitely get a tutor when I get to my village because I really do want to be more proficient in Armenian. But for now I can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy my accomplishment. Everyone felt the same way today.
August 12, 2009
This morning some of us volunteers from my village got up to watch the sunrise come over the mountain. It was absolutely beautiful. It was also a bit sad to realize that in 2 days we will be moving to our new sites and not be together. While we are all glad to have training behind us, it’s bitter sweet because we will be scattered over the country.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
August 2, 2009
Yesterday the A16s (the group that has been here for a year) challenged us, the A17s,to a kickball game. The A16s are having their mid-service conference at a hotel not too far from our villages, so of course we accepted. About 25 out of the 45 of us went. We got to the field first and almost as soon as we did it started to drizzle. When the A16s arrived, after some general greetings and chit-chat, both groups gathered to plan our strategy. All of a sudden, the A16s stormed us with water balloons. The challenge was on! By the time we started to play it was raining, so the field was a bit slippery. I was chosen as coach and we won the coin toss ( which was actually a cell phone). The A16s scored first, in the second inning, but we soon overcame their one run. In the fourth inning the game was called because of rain (by that time a heavy rain, with thunder) and we won 5-1. It was a lot of fun, and of course we now have bragging rights.
That evening, the volunteers in my village gathered at our LCFs house to watch “Into the Wild.” It was a good movie, especially given what we’re doing and what we’ve each given up.
Today I went with Karena to visit her family in another town nearby. It was interesting to meet her family and spend the day there. Her brother is a stone cutter who does some beautiful work, especially on crosses. These crosses are a part of the national pride of Armenia and a real craft here. There’s a small chapel in the town that has one of his crosses in it. We walked there to see it and I’m glad we did. It was beautiful.
With just about a week left, I’ve started to organize my things for the upcoming move. It’s amazing how much stuff one can accumulate in such a short time. A lot of it is paperwork from the PC. But I’ve picked up some trinkets from different field trips we’ve gone on, as well. I image that two years from now it will be a real challenge to pack up.
August 4, 2009
This afternoon we went to an archaeological dig in our village. The mayor was instrumental in getting this dig started and he wanted us to see it before we leave for our permanent sites. It’s a burial ground from the Bronze Age, they think. They started the dig last year and have a 5 year plan. The tombs are circular and not very deep. They think that the bodies were cut up, before they were buried, which is why they are not deep. There is a big one, probably the chief’s and then a whole bunch of smaller ones around it. They are not sure if there was a village here, or if it was a gathering place of some sort. We may go back this weekend to actually do some work with them.
Yesterday the A16s (the group that has been here for a year) challenged us, the A17s,to a kickball game. The A16s are having their mid-service conference at a hotel not too far from our villages, so of course we accepted. About 25 out of the 45 of us went. We got to the field first and almost as soon as we did it started to drizzle. When the A16s arrived, after some general greetings and chit-chat, both groups gathered to plan our strategy. All of a sudden, the A16s stormed us with water balloons. The challenge was on! By the time we started to play it was raining, so the field was a bit slippery. I was chosen as coach and we won the coin toss ( which was actually a cell phone). The A16s scored first, in the second inning, but we soon overcame their one run. In the fourth inning the game was called because of rain (by that time a heavy rain, with thunder) and we won 5-1. It was a lot of fun, and of course we now have bragging rights.
That evening, the volunteers in my village gathered at our LCFs house to watch “Into the Wild.” It was a good movie, especially given what we’re doing and what we’ve each given up.
Today I went with Karena to visit her family in another town nearby. It was interesting to meet her family and spend the day there. Her brother is a stone cutter who does some beautiful work, especially on crosses. These crosses are a part of the national pride of Armenia and a real craft here. There’s a small chapel in the town that has one of his crosses in it. We walked there to see it and I’m glad we did. It was beautiful.
With just about a week left, I’ve started to organize my things for the upcoming move. It’s amazing how much stuff one can accumulate in such a short time. A lot of it is paperwork from the PC. But I’ve picked up some trinkets from different field trips we’ve gone on, as well. I image that two years from now it will be a real challenge to pack up.
August 4, 2009
This afternoon we went to an archaeological dig in our village. The mayor was instrumental in getting this dig started and he wanted us to see it before we leave for our permanent sites. It’s a burial ground from the Bronze Age, they think. They started the dig last year and have a 5 year plan. The tombs are circular and not very deep. They think that the bodies were cut up, before they were buried, which is why they are not deep. There is a big one, probably the chief’s and then a whole bunch of smaller ones around it. They are not sure if there was a village here, or if it was a gathering place of some sort. We may go back this weekend to actually do some work with them.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Yesterday we found out that 2 of us are leaving the Peace Corps. While we’ve only been together for 2 months, it’s amazing how close you can become in that short space of time. There has been a bond formed by all of us, even those we don’t know that well. We’ve been going through a tough, but amazing experience in our training, an experience that few others go through. So when 2 leave the group, it makes a difference.
Neither one of the two live in the same village as I do, nor are they in the same sector as I am. Yet I would see them on central days and occasionally talk to them. I do remember spending one evening with them having coffee at a house across the street from the hotel we first stayed at. None of us spoke Armenian at that point, but it was a good experience and one we laughed about later on.
In a way it was good that yesterday was a central day, so we were all together and found out together. We had the chance to say goodbye to them, and to process the whole thing. Some of course were closer to them than others, but it still has an impact on us all. For me, it made me re-think my decision to join the Peace Corps, and reaffirm my decision to stay in Armenia. I admire the two of them for having the courage, first of all to join the Peace Corps, and then to leave when they knew it wasn’t for them. While they are each going their separate ways, I think they will always be a part of us.
We’ve finished our second week of model school, which was another good, but challenging experience. Going from the oldest to the youngest students was a hard switch. While they understand some English, their speaking ability is much less. We were able to play some games with them to reinforce the lessons, which was fun. Next week we switch to the middle age group.
At this point there is also a lot of paperwork to finish up with. Most of it is to check that we’ve been trying to integrate into our communities and sectors. Some is to see if we’ve understood what we’ve been taught in our tech sessions. With lesson planning and language lessons, it’s just very time consuming to add one more thing to the mix. But it will get done.
We have our last language proficiency interview two days before swearing-in, which is on August 13. We are supposed to reach a certain level of proficiency, which I think I’m at. It definitely is harder to learn a language the older you are. My mouth just doesn’t want to move in certain ways to form certain sounds. Our language teachers are being very good about scheduling individual lessons to help us review what we each need. In a way I’ll be glad to get the LPI over with.
For those of you who I gave my address to, check with your post office for the proper way to write the address. Most times you use the correct form for the country from which you are sending it.
Yesterday we found out that 2 of us are leaving the Peace Corps. While we’ve only been together for 2 months, it’s amazing how close you can become in that short space of time. There has been a bond formed by all of us, even those we don’t know that well. We’ve been going through a tough, but amazing experience in our training, an experience that few others go through. So when 2 leave the group, it makes a difference.
Neither one of the two live in the same village as I do, nor are they in the same sector as I am. Yet I would see them on central days and occasionally talk to them. I do remember spending one evening with them having coffee at a house across the street from the hotel we first stayed at. None of us spoke Armenian at that point, but it was a good experience and one we laughed about later on.
In a way it was good that yesterday was a central day, so we were all together and found out together. We had the chance to say goodbye to them, and to process the whole thing. Some of course were closer to them than others, but it still has an impact on us all. For me, it made me re-think my decision to join the Peace Corps, and reaffirm my decision to stay in Armenia. I admire the two of them for having the courage, first of all to join the Peace Corps, and then to leave when they knew it wasn’t for them. While they are each going their separate ways, I think they will always be a part of us.
We’ve finished our second week of model school, which was another good, but challenging experience. Going from the oldest to the youngest students was a hard switch. While they understand some English, their speaking ability is much less. We were able to play some games with them to reinforce the lessons, which was fun. Next week we switch to the middle age group.
At this point there is also a lot of paperwork to finish up with. Most of it is to check that we’ve been trying to integrate into our communities and sectors. Some is to see if we’ve understood what we’ve been taught in our tech sessions. With lesson planning and language lessons, it’s just very time consuming to add one more thing to the mix. But it will get done.
We have our last language proficiency interview two days before swearing-in, which is on August 13. We are supposed to reach a certain level of proficiency, which I think I’m at. It definitely is harder to learn a language the older you are. My mouth just doesn’t want to move in certain ways to form certain sounds. Our language teachers are being very good about scheduling individual lessons to help us review what we each need. In a way I’ll be glad to get the LPI over with.
For those of you who I gave my address to, check with your post office for the proper way to write the address. Most times you use the correct form for the country from which you are sending it.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Welcome to my new blog site.
Water Day
I just survived my first Water Day today, July 19, 2009. This is a national holiday of sorts in Armenia, and I personally think other countries should adopt it. It is like a day long water fight and almost no one is exempt from this. They also throw the water at cars and buses.
In my village, at about 10 AM, a group of boys gathered at the corner by my house, with buckets and started throwing water at one another and every car that passed. They also threw at almost all the other people who braved going outside that day. I could safely watch from my balcony, and I thought I could play the tateek (grandmother) card. I think because I was brandishing two waterpistols, I was fair game. At one point there were probably 20 kids throwing water. They tried getting us on the balcony, but weren’t able to reach, although we had buckets and were able to get them. At one point I did venture out, but only to run across the street to the store, where I was safe. I only got a little wet on my run back.
At one point there was actually a water fight in my house! Later in the afternoon, the grandmother in my house started throwing water on those of us on the balcony. After that it was all out war on the balcony. Needless to say by the end of it, we were all soaked. It was a lot of fun.
My village also has the greatest taxi driver. Since we don’t have any other form of transportation to or from our village, we use the taxi about once a week. He has gotten to know all our names and he buys us things. Two weeks ago he was driving some of us into the city and he stopped and bought us all ice cream. Another time, he came to pick us up from another village and brought a bag full of apricots. And last week, he again stopped on the way into the city and bought us all ice cream. He’s just so nice. It’s another part of small village life that I like.
This past week, those of us who will be teaching English, have been involved in what they call “model school. “ They bring in children from the surrounding villages, between the ages of 9 and 16, and split them into 3 groups. There are 12 of us, and they have paired us up so we team teach. We teach each group 3 or 4 times. Kyle and I finished teaching the oldest group, 14-16 year olds, Wednesday and now have the youngest group, 9-11 year olds. We have to come up with our own lessons and hand in lesson plans. For the older group, we started out on personal adjectives, and had them fill in part of a character web on themselves. We then talked about 3 simple tenses (past, present and future) and had them fill in another part of the character web with their plans for the future. They then did a timeline of their life. The last day, they wrote a short autobiography. It really went pretty well, given their limited English and our very limited Armenian. Going from that group to the youngest group today proved a bit of a challenge. These children have limited English, if any, but are very eager to learn. They are full of energy and loved it when we played a game with them. We don’t meet with them for a few days, so we have some time to come up two more days of lessons.
These last 3 weeks of training are going to be super busy. Besides model school, we still have 3 hours of language lessons every morning and the homework that goes with it. And I still want to spend time with my host family. I’ll be glad when this part is over, but sad to leave this host family. They have truly made me feel a part of their family and I will miss them when I move.
Water Day
I just survived my first Water Day today, July 19, 2009. This is a national holiday of sorts in Armenia, and I personally think other countries should adopt it. It is like a day long water fight and almost no one is exempt from this. They also throw the water at cars and buses.
In my village, at about 10 AM, a group of boys gathered at the corner by my house, with buckets and started throwing water at one another and every car that passed. They also threw at almost all the other people who braved going outside that day. I could safely watch from my balcony, and I thought I could play the tateek (grandmother) card. I think because I was brandishing two waterpistols, I was fair game. At one point there were probably 20 kids throwing water. They tried getting us on the balcony, but weren’t able to reach, although we had buckets and were able to get them. At one point I did venture out, but only to run across the street to the store, where I was safe. I only got a little wet on my run back.
At one point there was actually a water fight in my house! Later in the afternoon, the grandmother in my house started throwing water on those of us on the balcony. After that it was all out war on the balcony. Needless to say by the end of it, we were all soaked. It was a lot of fun.
My village also has the greatest taxi driver. Since we don’t have any other form of transportation to or from our village, we use the taxi about once a week. He has gotten to know all our names and he buys us things. Two weeks ago he was driving some of us into the city and he stopped and bought us all ice cream. Another time, he came to pick us up from another village and brought a bag full of apricots. And last week, he again stopped on the way into the city and bought us all ice cream. He’s just so nice. It’s another part of small village life that I like.
This past week, those of us who will be teaching English, have been involved in what they call “model school. “ They bring in children from the surrounding villages, between the ages of 9 and 16, and split them into 3 groups. There are 12 of us, and they have paired us up so we team teach. We teach each group 3 or 4 times. Kyle and I finished teaching the oldest group, 14-16 year olds, Wednesday and now have the youngest group, 9-11 year olds. We have to come up with our own lessons and hand in lesson plans. For the older group, we started out on personal adjectives, and had them fill in part of a character web on themselves. We then talked about 3 simple tenses (past, present and future) and had them fill in another part of the character web with their plans for the future. They then did a timeline of their life. The last day, they wrote a short autobiography. It really went pretty well, given their limited English and our very limited Armenian. Going from that group to the youngest group today proved a bit of a challenge. These children have limited English, if any, but are very eager to learn. They are full of energy and loved it when we played a game with them. We don’t meet with them for a few days, so we have some time to come up two more days of lessons.
These last 3 weeks of training are going to be super busy. Besides model school, we still have 3 hours of language lessons every morning and the homework that goes with it. And I still want to spend time with my host family. I’ll be glad when this part is over, but sad to leave this host family. They have truly made me feel a part of their family and I will miss them when I move.
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