An attitude of gratitude

Today we are in Vanadzor for a few minutes before we go to the home of a very famous Armenian poet. It is like an excursion for the volunteers who would like to go. On the bus I was able to speak with my LCF, Seda, more which made the trip very enjoyable. I admire her very much. Seda and I spoke about the Armenian church and faith, about movies and music. She is young but so full of life and optimism. She inspires me to learn the language and is very encouraging which is the best teacher I could imagine. I've been very blessed to have her here.

Yesterday was a very special day. After class Stephanie and I decided to go to the polyclinic to deliver a thank you card I made. I know, I know, you're laughing at me but I thought it was very appropriate considering the nurses took the time out of their day to give us a tour last Wednesday, they explained each of the rooms, the procedures and answered all of our questions. I just bought some markers and decided I should have Dr. Karen (our tech trainer) translate a small note for their effort. So, after class Stephanie and I made the 10 minute walk from school to drop it off. We thought this would be quick so we didn't tell our host mothers where we were going. We dropped off the card just fine and were making the return trip up the hill when a man about our age sped up in a car and told us to get in. We both declined but then somehow we figured out that he needed for us to return to the polyclinic. We nodded and turned around, trying to imagine what we could have possibly done to require a return visit. We walked back to the clinic thinking that maybe someone had forgotten something there the other week, or thinking that maybe we didn't give it to the right nurse or something...really we didn't know. The nurse was waiting for us at the entrance and she escorted us straight into the back of the hospital into the office of the Medical Director! We didn't realize at first but then when he introduced himself and said that he was the director of the polyclinic we were both very surprised and awestruck. My card was sitting on his desk, this pitiful little note with pink and orange flowers on the front, and he tried to talk to us (probably assuming we spoke the language because the card was written and signed in Armenian). We used all our vocabulary to explain that who we were, that we were healthcare volunteers, that we knew very little Armenian and then, I like to throw in "I'm American but I love Armenia" "Yes sirum em Hayistan". People like this and really I think it helps bridge the hesitation they feel when we try in our broken language to explain who we are and what we're doing. Plus, I figure if it were me I would like to hear that a visitor is enjoying my country. Anyway, we didn't know what to do or say so I handed him the only thing I had...a flyer we designed to advertise our practicum focus group for Monday. It was written in Armenian and it just had details about who we are as a group of volunteers doing the focus group and then who, what, when, and where. I thought maybe it would explain a little bit better what I was doing and why we visited his clinic. He read it and seemed to agree that it was a good idea. Stephanie and I were nervous at this point, however, because we knew we had to get back for lunch. We got up to leave and that's when the assistant came in with coffee. Before we knew it he was reaching into his desk drawer for a box of chocolates "grand candy". We quickly found ourselves sipping coffee and eating chocolates with the medical director of this clinic. He was telling us about how he enjoys swimming each morning at the pool in Vanadzor and I told him that I thought that was very "arroch" (healthy). I said that I love chocolate a lot but I know that there are foods that are much healthier. The only way to do this with my language skills was to say "I love chocolate a lot, but 'not healthy', healthy...and then I listed off the foods that I could remember "banana, tomato, green bean etc..." That's when he really surprised us. He wrote down on a piece of paper his home phone number and said that any time we are in Vanadzor we are more than welcome to come to his home and eat bananas! I was just overjoyed. He explained that he has a daughter who is 17 who could serve as a translate and also if we ever needed to use his car we were more than welcome. ALL THIS BECAUSE OF A SIMPLE THANK YOU! I just write this to say that I don't know anything. I don't understand one thing that happens in this culture and I can't communicate at all. What I know in my heart, however, is that people like to feel appreciated. They like to be recognized for the things they do for others or even just recognized for who they are as people. If I can say nothing else with confidence about my work here I know that if I can carry some of the lessons you (and by 'you' I do mean that each and every one of you has had such a powerful...beyond what I say or you may realize...impact on my life) have taught me about thankfulness and grace I will be able to better serve my committment.

So, I say thank you to you! To my friends, family, employers and peers, I am here today because of your love and support. It carries me each day and encourages me when I feel like I might be too young or too inexperienced, it reminds me of who I am when I question how I feel or what I do. Thank you, I love you all.

So you're thinking three messages in one day

I'm so sorry to do this but I was just able to read Mrs. Wilson's comment and I felt that I have been leaving out some physical environment coments. Let me say that right now the weather is my ideal. It is sunny all day long with warm temperatures and at night it is cooler (50s). This is very very abnormal for this region. In fact, it's bad because of our potato garden, my mom is praying for rain every day. For me, however it's great.
My home is comfortable now and I even think it might be livable in the winter as we have a gas heater in our living room. I find myself, however, noticing the holes in walls and around doors, the spaces where windows don't close all the way or where there might be a crack and I get very fearful for the winter. Oh well, I suppose I'll just deal with that as it comes.
I travel right now by Peace Corps transportation but in the future when I am assigned my site (July 6) and am living on my own (I mean at my own site with a new host family...I'll comment on this more later...) I will travel to Yerevan and other villages by Marchutney. A marchutney is a van, like a 15 passenger van that people travel in like a taxi. There are buses, which is what I use now to visit Vanadzor on 'unofficial days' (like Father's day) and then of course taxis around as well.
The cities look like regular cities but the villages are poorer. The greatest trial with the underdevelopment is not really bad at all just quite an adjustment from someone who has such a strong love for the Worthington bike path and tree-lined Bexley roads...that is the unpaved, dirt roads frequented by our village cows. Every morning Stephanie and I go for walks up and down these drastic hills with the beautiful mountains surrounding us but we can't look at the scenery we must look down for a few reasons. 1) we need to watch out for holes or large rocks 2) we do not want to step in a little mess left by the horses or cows...these are prevalent and 3) women are very modest here--by nature it is difficult for me to not smile at strangers so it's just easier if I don't even acknowledge that they are there. It's hard and makes me feel cold and rude but it is a cultural etiquette I'm adjusting to. Anyway, walks are a great workout and are serving their purpose here just as they always did in the states.
My home is nice. It has a kitchen, living room, family room and two bedrooms. My mother sleeps in a large bed in the family room where the t.v. and gas heater are located (we don't need the heater right now). Our toilet and shower room are located downstairs (you exit the house and go down the stairs) in a type of basement area that is still above ground. I'm sorry I don't know how to explain it. We have three pigs and a few chickens (I don't know how many but I enjoy their eggs each morning) and then a potato/cabbage garden. I hoed the garden with my mom the other day--it's tough work! Please do not generalize the country based on my situation. Each volunteer has a different living situation and the descrepencies are great among even next door neighbors. Stephanie, for example, has an 'agitator' to wash her clothes, Heather, for example, has hot water inside the house. Everyone is different. I like my situaiton and find it very livable and even comfortable. I have my own room with a beautiful view of the mountains. I have four hangers but nonetheless a closet and table and bed. I have a nice vanity as well. My real father, Allan, drew a good comparison that living here is kind of like living in rural Ohio in the 1930's or 1940's. It's nothing like America today but it's also not bad or unbearable. It's just life.

So you're thinking three messages in one day

I'm so sorry to do this but I was just able to read Mrs. Wilson's comment and I felt that I have been leaving out some physical environment coments. Let me say that right now the weather is my ideal. It is sunny all day long with warm temperatures and at night it is cooler (50s). This is very very abnormal for this region. In fact, it's bad because of our potato garden, my mom is praying for rain every day. For me, however it's great.
My home is comfortable now and I even think it might be livable in the winter as we have a gas heater in our living room. I find myself, however, noticing the holes in walls and around doors, the spaces where windows don't close all the way or where there might be a crack and I get very fearful for the winter. Oh well, I suppose I'll just deal with that as it comes.
I travel right now by Peace Corps transportation but in the future when I am assigned my site (July 6) and am living on my own (I mean at my own site with a new host family...I'll comment on this more later...) I will travel to Yerevan and other villages by Marchutney. A marchutney is a van, like a 15 passenger van that people travel in like a taxi. There are buses, which is what I use now to visit Vanadzor on 'unofficial days' (like Father's day) and then of course taxis around as well.
The cities look like regular cities but the villages are poorer. The greatest trial with the underdevelopment is not really bad at all just quite an adjustment from someone who has such a strong love for the Worthington bike path and tree-lined Bexley roads...that is the unpaved, dirt roads frequented by our village cows. Every morning Stephanie and I go for walks up and down these drastic hills with the beautiful mountains surrounding us but we can't look at the scenery we must look down for a few reasons. 1) we need to watch out for holes or large rocks 2) we do not want to step in a little mess left by the horses or cows...these are prevalent and 3) women are very modest here--by nature it is difficult for me to not smile at strangers so it's just easier if I don't even acknowledge that they are there. It's hard and makes me feel cold and rude but it is a cultural etiquette I'm adjusting to. Anyway, walks are a great workout and are serving their purpose here just as they always did in the states.
My home is nice. It has a kitchen, living room, family room and two bedrooms. My mother sleeps in a large bed in the family room where the t.v. and gas heater are located (we don't need the heater right now). Our toilet and shower room are located downstairs (you exit the house and go down the stairs) in a type of basement area that is still above ground. I'm sorry I don't know how to explain it. We have three pigs and a few chickens (I don't know how many but I enjoy their eggs each morning) and then a potato/cabbage garden. I hoed the garden with my mom the other day--it's tough work! Please do not generalize the country based on my situation. Each volunteer has a different living situation and the descrepencies are great among even next door neighbors. Stephanie, for example, has an 'agitator' to wash her clothes, Heather, for example, has hot water inside the house. Everyone is different. I like my situaiton and find it very livable and even comfortable. I have my own room with a beautiful view of the mountains. I have four hangers but nonetheless a closet and table and bed. I have a nice vanity as well. My real father, Allan, drew a good comparison that living here is kind of like living in rural Ohio in the 1930's or 1940's. It's nothing like America today but it's also not bad or unbearable. It's just life.

An attitude of gratitude

Today we are in Vanadzor for a few minutes before we go to the home of a very famous Armenian poet. It is like an excursion for the volunteers who would like to go. On the bus I was able to speak with my LCF, Seda, more which made the trip very enjoyable. I admire her very much. Seda and I spoke about the Armenian church and faith, about movies and music. She is young but so full of life and optimism. She inspires me to learn the language and is very encouraging which is the best teacher I could imagine. I've been very blessed to have her here.

Yesterday was a very special day. After class Stephanie and I decided to go to the polyclinic to deliver a thank you card I made. I know, I know, you're laughing at me but I thought it was very appropriate considering the nurses took the time out of their day to give us a tour last Wednesday, they explained each of the rooms, the procedures and answered all of our questions. I just bought some markers and decided I should have Dr. Karen (our tech trainer) translate a small note for their effort. So, after class Stephanie and I made the 10 minute walk from school to drop it off. We thought this would be quick so we didn't tell our host mothers where we were going. We dropped off the card just fine and were making the return trip up the hill when a man about our age sped up in a car and told us to get in. We both declined but then somehow we figured out that he needed for us to return to the polyclinic. We nodded and turned around, trying to imagine what we could have possibly done to require a return visit. We walked back to the clinic thinking that maybe someone had forgotten something there the other week, or thinking that maybe we didn't give it to the right nurse or something...really we didn't know. The nurse was waiting for us at the entrance and she escorted us straight into the back of the hospital into the office of the Medical Director! We didn't realize at first but then when he introduced himself and said that he was the director of the polyclinic we were both very surprised and awestruck. My card was sitting on his desk, this pitiful little note with pink and orange flowers on the front, and he tried to talk to us (probably assuming we spoke the language because the card was written and signed in Armenian). We used all our vocabulary to explain that who we were, that we were healthcare volunteers, that we knew very little Armenian and then, I like to throw in "I'm American but I love Armenia" "Yes sirum em Hayistan". People like this and really I think it helps bridge the hesitation they feel when we try in our broken language to explain who we are and what we're doing. Plus, I figure if it were me I would like to hear that a visitor is enjoying my country. Anyway, we didn't know what to do or say so I handed him the only thing I had...a flyer we designed to advertise our practicum focus group for Monday. It was written in Armenian and it just had details about who we are as a group of volunteers doing the focus group and then who, what, when, and where. I thought maybe it would explain a little bit better what I was doing and why we visited his clinic. He read it and seemed to agree that it was a good idea. Stephanie and I were nervous at this point, however, because we knew we had to get back for lunch. We got up to leave and that's when the assistant came in with coffee. Before we knew it he was reaching into his desk drawer for a box of chocolates "grand candy". We quickly found ourselves sipping coffee and eating chocolates with the medical director of this clinic. He was telling us about how he enjoys swimming each morning at the pool in Vanadzor and I told him that I thought that was very "arroch" (healthy). I said that I love chocolate a lot but I know that there are foods that are much healthier. The only way to do this with my language skills was to say "I love chocolate a lot, but 'not healthy', healthy...and then I listed off the foods that I could remember "banana, tomato, green bean etc..." That's when he really surprised us. He wrote down on a piece of paper his home phone number and said that any time we are in Vanadzor we are more than welcome to come to his home and eat bananas! I was just overjoyed. He explained that he has a daughter who is 17 who could serve as a translate and also if we ever needed to use his car we were more than welcome. ALL THIS BECAUSE OF A SIMPLE THANK YOU! I just write this to say that I don't know anything. I don't understand one thing that happens in this culture and I can't communicate at all. What I know in my heart, however, is that people like to feel appreciated. They like to be recognized for the things they do for others or even just recognized for who they are as people. If I can say nothing else with confidence about my work here I know that if I can carry some of the lessons you (and by 'you' I do mean that each and every one of you has had such a powerful...beyond what I say or you may realize...impact on my life) have taught me about thankfulness and grace I will be able to better serve my committment.

So, I say thank you to you! To my friends, family, employers and peers, I am here today because of your love and support. It carries me each day and encourages me when I feel like I might be too young or too inexperienced, it reminds me of who I am when I question how I feel or what I do. Thank you, I love you all.

Mass E-mail

About a week ago ...or maybe two...I sent out a mass e-mail to as many people as I could. Friends at Fahlgren, WI, church, Capital etc... Did you receive this? Would you like to receive the mass e-mails? I am concerned that no one received this message because I have not received any replies. If you did get it please let me know, if you didn't and would like to please send me an email to let me know. Even if you think I don't, please know that I often remember home and all of you, sometimes even the most obscure situations and people from the past, so please email me to stay in touch. This means a lot to me.

Happy Father's Day

I've tried for the past 1 hour and 37 minutes to get a picture on this darn blog. Please be patient Alex, I'll get it done when I go into Yerevan at some point. It's just difficult to understand and so slow that I don't know where they are! I know that you'll need pictures to remember what I look like and to illustrate the beautiful country so I'll keep trying. I promise.

I struggle with missing people and things from America--I often long for peanut butter and whole wheat bread (and it's only been a few weeks!) but overall I'm working through the culture shock.We were assigned our first practicum for training last week in which we are expected to enact one of the PACA tools to research our community's needs. I think my group is going to work with girls maybe the same age as the KMS lax team. I go back and forth about this work all the time for a few reasons. First, I want to work with older adults and NGOs when I am assigned my site, I don't want to lead my trainers to believe that I am willing to teach a health course in a school as my primary site placement. Then, however, I think about how much the girls respect us and look up to us, how understanding they are with our poor language skills and how much they are willing to learn. I've gone back and forth thinking about how we can reach people but after working in our group I think this is the best target audience. The other night I had a dream that I was going to hold a focus group and informally call it "mother knows best." In the dream it worked really well! The women came in and we held a daycare for their children while we asked them to assess their hopes/aspirations for their community. Another thought I had was of working with the Tatiks (grandmas as they're called) in our community. They've lived here their whole lives, they love Armenia and they have plenty of time...the problem I found with this is that really they speak a different dilect and have a difficult time both hearing us and understanding us even when we speak our clearest. I'm thinking that this would also be difficult because many are very set in their mindset whereas the younger generations are willing and anxious to hear about change.Last night two of the American boys in our village (David and Tony) brought out a frisbee and were playing "Kapik in the middle" with a group of about 12 Armenian boys. Heather, Stephanie and I joined in and we found out that these kids had never played with a frisbee before. They were entranced by us as Americans and excited to be near us. This kind of admiration/curiosity is what will ease us into our permanent sites I think.

In general, I believe Armenians are very warm and welcoming. This is a country that has been through so much in such a short period of time and I think that anyone in the states can admire their resilience. Today we were riding the bus here with our LCF Seda (Language and Cultural facilitator). Seda was obviously speaking with us in English and three people throughout the ride made comments to her. The first said that she was happy the "Americatsis" were here and she was thankful to see us trying her language. The second leaned over and said to tell us that whether or not we were Armenian or American we are all people. We all have one heart. It was very endearing. Sometimes Heather and I will go for walks and little 80 year old Tatiks will stop us on the road grab our hands and cheeks and ask us to come in for coffee. They know we can't carry on a conversation, they know we don't know anything but they love us for being here and for smiling at them. Speaking of introductions, I must comment on the standard greeting in Armenia. It is as follows (in very exact order):

1. Hello/Hello
2. What is your name/My name is Sarah
3. What is your last name
4. Are you Armenian/American
5. Are you married (it is very very strange for people to be single here. I'm ok because I say that I am 21 but give it one year...maybe even 6 months and they will definately start to question).
6. Are you Christian.

I would just like to leave you with a little something that we learned the very first day here. The A 13s informed us that Armenia is the best country for pirate jokes. I will give you one small example:"Where is a pirate's favorite place to volunteer?""Arrrrrmenia!"Love,Sarah

Arrival

Dear Friends and family,

I'm safely here in Armenia and the weather is beautiful. The mountains are lovely but the poverty is saddening. I really liked Vienna.

I welcome cards, letters and small packages! I have 10 weeks of training in Vanadzor but after that I will move to my permanent site. I will give you that address sometime in August.

I love you!

Thank you Hannah and John for planning such a nice going away dinner last night. Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate my 22nd, 23rd, and 24th birthdays--it meant a lot to me. I am so very blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. Thank you!