My oh my what a time it was. New Years Eve was awesome here. Again, this year, I guess I celebrated it a bit earlier than you all did. I remember last year, Jon asked me if the future was any better...
Anyway, this is New Years, Armenian style. Honestly, I didn’t really know what to expect. So, I just went with it. I spent most of yesterday cleaning the house, and helping to make food. Basically I did nothing but watched the women make stuff. I asked to help, but they didn’t know what I could do because I didn’t know how to cook anything. I basically did some potato washing and cut up some stuff and sharpened some knifes, and cut cow hoofs again. Interesting huh...
So last night, we were preparing stuff and setting the table right up until midnight. I’m not joking; right up until 11:55 we were setting the table. Let me explain why.
To Armenians this is a huge deal. A good portion of their salary goes to preparing for this feast. That includes buying a crapload of meat, fresh imported fruits, etc. They prepare a table full of food and elaborately decorate their table with seating for about ten people. Its great. Then everyone in the house gets all dolled up. So now that you know some of the background information, I will let you in on my experience.
Like I said, I didn’t really know what to expect. I just waited. In the states, there is so much anticipation for New Years. It gets closer, you see that sparkling ball drop and then you go “what now... oh, lets just go to bed”. Actually very anti-climactic. But here, different story.
Midnight came. no big deal really. I was in charge of opening the champagne and I opened it about three minutes too early. Woops. So at the house with my host mom, grandma, and little brother, we drank some champagne and then it was on...
I ate some food at the house and before i knew it, my host brother and our neighbor’s son who is the same age as Aram took me by each arm and dragged me to another neighbor’s house. That’s right. Here, after midnight, you go to everyone else’s house to wish everyone else congratulations on the new year. So we went there. It was just us and the grandma of the other house. The boys who I was with said that we needed to go, but the grandma said no and made me sit down. So I pounded another glass of champagne and a bunch of sweets and every time I was about to get up, she would put more food on my plate. So I just shoved it all in my mouth and then went to the next house. Running...
I went to my neighbor’s house, Varton, who I normally play chess with. There were some people there and his son from the army came back so I met him. Same things happened here. I drank and ate a crapload. So as you can imagine, I was beginning to get a little tipsy, but this would be a good time to thank Hector’s family for prep-training my liver because after all those drinks, I was still good. However, this is where the problem comes about. You see, Varton has a really attractive single daughter who is a nurse. And in my buzzed state, I kept catching myself just staring at her. Awkward. And then after that, I would pretend that I was staring at something else. If you have seen “Superbad” where Michael Cera is caught staring at a girl and then he just kind of stares away, yeah,I did that.
After that I went to another house. My Armenian teachers house. That was fun. I got into a conversation with the Grandfather about something. He told me that I was speaking fluently and kept telling me congratulations. I told him when you have alcohol in your system all your inhibitions go out the window. He responded by saying, “well, we are going to have to keep you drunk all the time...” I laughed, not exactly sure if he was kidding or not.
It seemed like everywhere I went they always poured more in my glass. For example, at Varton’s house, he kept pouring me full shot glasses of cognac, he would pour himself half a cup. Same thing at my own house. My brother in law kept pouring me a regular glass full of wine and would pour himself a shot glass full. I asked him about it and he said in English “You big, me small.” uh huh. It was great though, other than the drinking thing. I was like a celebrity here. The American had to go to everyone’s house. It was pretty cool. What a great night...
So, I got back around 3 or 3:30am. There were still neighbors going around. I sat around with my family until about 4am and then went to bed.
As a disclaimer, I would like to say to the ease of my parents that I am not a drunk and I do not let myself drink too much. I know how to say no to drinks, but the fact of the matter is, drinking is a large part of the culture here. Its not binge drinking though because there is so much food and the people force feed you, so its not like what you see on the news of moronic college students just slamming down shots. I am fully fuctional.
Ok, with that said.
Now, you may think “wow that was a great time...” Well let me go ahead and say that its not over. Same deal everyday for the next five days, until their Christmas. But instead of during the middle of the night, its during the day.
The third, Pat and I are going to Hector’s house. Hector is in India right now, but his family said that we needed to come out there. Pretty excited.
Right now, Im getting ready to cook some of the pork bbq. Its so good. Definitely the tastiest meal I have had here. Its so good.
I am still amazed at how fresh the meat is here. I mean the animal is killed and then you eat it. Its great.
Alright, so that is new years here. I hope everyone at home had a good new years. You must have because none of you answered your phones when I called. Yeah, you know who you all are...
Until next time...
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