As I write this I’m waiting for my bath water to heat up. As you’ll remember from last weeks post, I only get one bath a week and I have been waiting for the day when the next would come. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this disgusting, but I’m pretty sure the feeling is well founded. Anyways, this past weekend was really intense. First off, in Armenia every young man after graduating from high school must serve a mandatory two years in the army. This of course means that in two years after that service begins a big welcome home party is mandatory. Well, my host brother got home late Thursday evening from his two year stint in the service and every day since then there have been people over toasting, eating and otherwise disturbing everyday activities. Yesterday (Monday) in fact I was coming home and was prepared to take my much anticipated bath. Also yesterday was really hot so I had rolled up my pants (btw its really funny to watch peoples reactions to a young man walking in pants slightly rolled up, its mostly a reaction of sheer terror) and I had on my sunglasses with croaky (Armenians don’t wear sunglasses and certainly not croakies) and I rounded the corner to the kitchen expecting only my host mother so I had my mouth open ready to speak, but because it wasn’t just my host mother, instead it was a table full of people, I guess I was sort of startled so I threw up my hands and let out a kind of yell. Oops! It was an unintentional reaction but I think the sentiments were felt by my host mother (Armenian guests often just show up, invitations aren’t necessary). So Saturday was fun too, we went to the Vatican City of Armenia called Echmiadzeen (pronounce that right and your ready to join the Peace Corps). We were led on a tour by an Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Priest who is serving one year in Armenia before returning to his parish in Rhode Island. The church was beautiful and the museum fascinating but the weather was very hot. After that I returned to my village and at home my family was throwing the official welcome home Joran party. So my six Peace Corps friends and about fifty of the host families friends gathered for a feast, multiple toasts, and dancing that reached into the wee hours of the morning. I guess all the days activities led us to a want to go to church the next day, so we went to what I thought would be a one hour church service, it was interesting to be a part of but it lasted for much more than an hour, and not knowing the language real well only made it seem longer. I think the priest was glad we were there until he asked if we were Christians and Danny thinking he asked if we wanted to kiss the cross in his hand said no. That didn’t go over so well but we just remind ourselves that it’s a simple misunderstanding. And my final piece of news: I got my permanent sight assignment and for the next two years I will be living in the town of Artik in the marz (state) next to Turkey about 30 minutes from Gumri (Armenia’s second largest city). At first I was disappointed because I’ll be in a village with no other PCV’s and it’s far from my new friends, but I believe that it is the absolute best fit for me. I’ll be working in a school that teaches mentally, physically, and learning disabled kids. It also serves as a boarding school for kids with no place to call home. I don’t have much experience working with the disabled, but I think it will be the opportunity to make a real impact in the lives of a number of children, so I’m excited. I’ll get to visit my sight next week and observe what I’ll be doing for the next two years. Well that’s all for now.
Love, Michael
