So since last time, which was quite a while ago, lots of things have happened. I guess the most notable is the “All Volunteer Conference” or “All-Vol” which was held in the city. However, before I get to that point, I will talk about events leading up to my departure.
The day before I left to go to Yerevan, I had a pile of clothes that were dirty and decided that I needed to do my laundry. Now, back at home, this is a no-brainer-decision. When you want to do it, you just do it. However here, there is a lot of calculations which must be weighed before undertaking the strenuous art of clothes bathing. First the temperature when you want to start doing your laundry because when you wash by hand, and its 40 degrees outside, its a bit painful. Secondly, you need to take into account what the temperature and weather will be like in the next 12 hours. This is where my story goes off-course. I asked my host mom if it was going to rain, which she responded to with a firm “no”. Then I looked at the sky and asked her if it was going to snow which she again reaffirmed with a firm “no”. Good enough for me, I started soaking my clothes. (as an aside, I have realized how disgusting the water is. The water is a true black when I rinse, and not only the first time, but also the second and third. Thats right I rinse four times before the water becomes somewhat clear.) Anyway, I finish my wash and I take my bucket outside. No rain. The second I put up the last clothespin, it starts to sprinkle. Half an hour later, rain. The next morning, the morning I was leaving to go to my conference, there was about 5 inches of snow on the ground. I went outside before I left and pushed one of my shirts. yes, it was a thin sheet of ice. Great. My host mom said she would take the clothes down when they dried and fold them, which she did.
Anyway, I get to Yerevan and feel fine. I did some errands because Wednesday was just a travel day. I got a cold. So the first three days of the conference, I was sneezing. I never felt really bad, but I definitely had a cold, but it passed pretty quickly. Actually it just morphed into a stomach dysentary type thing. Yeah, and thats what I had to deal with for the rest of my time there. The whole time I was in Yerevan, the one week when all the volunteers are in one place, I was sick. thats great.
So the title of this blog comes from this glorious item. A shower. For the first time in six months I got to experience something that was a pastime of my back in America. The shower. How wonderful it was. That was the first thing I did. I took off all my village clothes and ran to the sanctuary of warm water flowing from the showerhead. I don’t even know how to put it into words but for the first time, I didn’t have to use a bucket, and for the first time, I didn’t have to deal with the fear that the water might turn icy cold on me which I was caked with soap. It was magical. I don’t know how to describe it any other way. The only problem with that is, I took two or three showers a day and now my skin is really dry. No problem, its going to be another month before I get another shower... so.
It was really nice to see everyone, but being in Yerevan for that long made me really homesick. Let me clarify. Homesick for my village, not for America. Sorry. I just wanted to go back to my bed and just relax. There was no relaxing even when the conference was over because it felt like I was back in my Freshmen year when the floor downstairs wanted to have a party. Anyway, my week in Yerevan was not restful.
I did see Terri though. Terri mentioned that some of her family members or friends read this thing so I figure I should say something about her. She is doing well. Actually it was the first time in about two weeks I had seen her. She looks great. I gave her a big “SM” hug. (That means “site-mate-hug”).
Ok, so the last night of All-Vol, we had thanksgiving. It was pretty cool. The food was all prepared by volunteers who volunteered to help. I was not one of them because most of the people helping out had some experience and knew what they were doing. I just ate. Again, didn’t get to eat that much because I had been sick for a week so I got to see my friends walk up and get seconds and thirds while I barely finished my first plate which was barely full. How horrible is that. Anyway, Thanksgiving was really nice and we had a good time. There was so much food.
After the Thanksgiving meal, there was a talent show where a friend and I played a song together. We played our rendition of Brittney Spears’ song “hit me baby one more time”. It was great. People came up and said that they really enjoyed it. I could hear Terri yelling from the back saying “that’s my SM, that’s my SM”. Wonderful.
It is really cold here and I walked home today in a pseudo blizzard. I got home and the front of my jacket was all white with snow. Awesome.
Also another great thing. Remember last post I talked about cutting up cow legs. Well I got home yesterday and went to the bathroom to wash my hands and wash off and there on the floor next to the bathroom door was Wilbur’s head. Yeah that’s right, there was a pigs head next to the door. But you know what, doesn’t even phase me anymore... Isn’t that great.
Anyway, I hope everyone has a really good Thanksgiving. I remember a year ago today I spent Thanksgiving with Damien in a bar in Korea. We ordered quesadillas that tasted horrible and nothing like I have had in America. Damien loved them. One of these days Ill make it home for Thanksgiving and Christmas... Anyway, enjoy the day.
Until next time...
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