Kyle’s Journey in Armenia

• There are some older Armenian men who are always waiting at the bus stop when we get out of school. I finally worked up the nerve to talk to them the other day, and after being motioned over, the guy I always waved to affectionately asked, “Sprechst du Deutsch?” (Do you speak German). In my confused stupor, I was only able to say, “Ja”, noted that I speak a little Armenian, and walked away. I’m glad they have a sense of humor about it 🙂
• We went hiking the other day. The mountains here are beautiful, but are interspersed with old buildings and remnense of the former Soviet republic (factories, old homes, etc). It is a very interesting site to see concrete pads mixed with sprawling mountains, and it definetly makes you appreciate how fortunate we are in America. However, how many times would you find a small American child willing to be your Shuka (guide) back to the city?
• I sat down for coffee with one of my LCFs, or language and culture facilitators. My teacher, Sveta, is very nice, well educated, and near fluent in English. We had a long talk about life in the former Soviet era, the transition period, and present life in Armenia. I’m extremely humbled by the resilience that many Armenians showed during the transition period. Sveta herself graduated high school and spent most of college studying by candlelight. We also discussed a lot about life and culture in modern Armenia, including marriage and dating. Very interesting stuff. Of course, I also spent about five minutes trying to ask her Tatik (Grandmother) where the bathroom was, but hey, I’m trying!
• I’ve successfully converted my host mother’s grandaughter, Lilik, into an American game addict. She has not only mastered, but can now beat me in Uno, and is a pretty darn good frisbee player. Next on the agenda is teaching the kids in this village how to play ultimate.

Also, *finally* have some pictures working! Here are some:

My host mom/dog:

My house: