This week has gone by pretty quickly. The last post I wrote I didn’t really have that much to write about. Well, this past week, I was sick. A little. On Monday I went to school for the most part ok. Then on Tuesday I got a call at 7am. We had our emergency consolidation meeting. I think one of my first blogs wrote about PC safety and security. Anyway, without going into too much detail, there is an emergency action plan (EAP) that we practice. Basically, each area has a place where the volunteers gather. Anyway, we had that practice on Tuesday. I was sick, tired, but it was a pretty day.
I mean, sometimes I gets scary thinking about this because the Georgian volunteers (which is the country right above Armenia) had that war a couple years ago. Well, Armenia has two closed borders, one with Turkey and one with Azerbaijan. You may know this, but what most people don’t know about is Kharabah, an area that Azerbaijan is trying to take from Armenia. Armenians inhabit this area. Anyway, where I am, is decently close to the closed border. I don’t think I have anything to worry about, but I have some friends that are a stone’s throw away from the border and sometimes its a little scary talking about what we would do, or what our plan of action would be, if Azerbaijan decided to get trigger happy. Let’s not talk about this anymore.
So, I was feeling like poop on Wednesday, so I stayed at home. I left my room twice the whole day and stayed in bed...Sleeping... I woke up Thursday pretty much feeling 100% better. I went to school on Thursday and then Friday. On Friday, Paul walked over to my village and saw my school life here. I had a health class again and out of the 15 or so kids that normally come, two showed up. Apparently there was a gathering because someone from the village was going to Russia and they wanted to say their good-byes. Anyway, it was a little awkward because it was myself, Paul, and my counterpart, and two seventh grade girls. Uh huh. So, we talked about the skeletal system and bones and how to have strong bones. Not too bad of a lesson.
Afterwards, Paul and I came back to my house. He met my spunky grandmother and then we went to the bus stop. We got to the town and met up with Terri and Pat. We talked for a while. As we were leaving, we noticed some foreigners on bikes. One of them approached us because they were looking for a hotel to stay at because a front was coming through. We figured out they were from London. They had some vacation so they decided to take a bike trip from Armenia to Azerbaijan through Georgia because if you remember I said that the border was closed between Armenia and Azerbaijan. So, we said, you will stay with us. So, we walked with them to Vincent’s house and they stayed the night. It was a lot of fun talking to them. Of course we ask every foreigner we see, “why did you come to Armenia”. One guy, said, “we were thinking about going to Italy and riding the coast and tasting the wine and food...” and then another guy jumped in and said “but then we decided that we would never come back to the Caucus Region again when we were older. I got a really good laugh at that because it was the way they said it with their accents. Classy.
We got the football out and went outside to throw the ball around. Well this attracted quite a crowd. So then we started playing with the kids. They got a kick out of that. We then got some food and ate together. We hung out for a long while.
The next day, Hector, Pat and I went to Yerevan because of the North vs. South football game. It didn’t happen because the weather was so bad. So, we just hung out at the office and did some work there. I saw some friends and then came back. Kyle, Hector, and I left on a different bus because we were too late for our bus. It is a little more expensive but the bus leaves later and will take Kyle straight to his village, so it wasn’t that bad.
Now usually, the motto here is “always room for one more.” I have ridden into town on more than one occation hanging half out of the bus doors. If you have ever seen a picture of those Indian trains with people all over the place, that is what I have had to do. I actually prefer it. Also, I must add (because Im sure Dad is reading this with a skeptical eye) that the bus only goes about ten miles an hour (if that) so if I did fall off, I would just start walking and probably still be right next to the bus to get back on. And these are the village to town buses. So its not exactly the same kind of bus that we take from Martuni to Yerevan. Anyway, I was just trying to get a point across. Usually the buses to Yerevan are pretty full too but not to the extent as the village to town buses. Ok, so to my point. When Hector, Kyle, and I were coming back from Yerevan, it was just us. Just the three of us in the whole bus that is usually slammed with people. It was amazing. We just spread out and talked the whole way back.
I got back last night. Grandma went to her village and to get some more potatoes. So I just hung out with my neighbors who are staying at our house. I was really tired so bascially as soon as I got home, I drank a lot of water, brushed my teeth and then passed out.
Plan for today... to do absolutely nothing. It is raining here so it is perfect weather to do nothing. Although I have to get some translations done for my grant so the day won’t be totally wasted... but ill do that this evening.
Mom and Dad, I forgot to tell you yesterday that everyone backed out and probably won’t be able to go to the Balkans with me, so it looks like I am going alone. So, let me go ahead and ask: if anyone would like to go and visit the Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece) please email me because its always more fun to go with someone else. I am going at the end of July.
Next Wednesday, I go down south. A nice 6-7 hour journey in one of those crapped buses. Sweet. Ill give you an update when I get back.
Until next time...
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