Greetings from a sunny and warm (is it crazy that I consider
48 degrees warm?) Gavar. I think I can
finally officially say that spring is making her way to Gavar. It has been a week since the last blizzard,
which followed three summer-like days, as is the way things happen during March
here in Armenia. (Armenians call it gizh – crazy because it will literally be a
gorgeous summer day and within a few hours the clouds roll in and coat the
grounds with snow and ice, two days later? Summer again) I realize that the last few months have
started with something weather related, my apologies, it’s just that, during
winter, weather is a big topic of conversation.
While winter was much milder this year than last, I am so happy it was
over, the length of it and the cold, always snow and ice covered roads and sidewalks
was starting to get to me, so I am pumped for spring!!
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| View of Gavar on one of my morning walks |
The last month and a half has been pretty great here. Work has picked up, I am feeling really
adjusted, I seem to have found somewhat of a groove, and my relationships with
those in my community and my NGO’s keep getting stronger. I’ve started an English film club with a lot
of the 20 somethings who I’ve become
friends with and it’s been super successful, with at least ten people
attending each film. So far we have
watched Groundhog Day, Mona Lisa Smile, and Finding Nemo and plan to watch Mr.
Nobody next week, and I am really enjoying the conversations following the
movies and how much they laugh during the comedies. It’s pretty interesting and fun to hear the
perspectives of the Armenians on topics covered in the movies, courage,
marriage, women, and change and they are eager to ask questions (and disagree
with me on certain subjects) any chance they can. I also, along with two other volunteers, did a presentation about Black History Month, to the same group which we presented on World AIDS Day, up in Gyumri and really enjoyed being able to spend some time up there with the other volunteers.
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| Black History Month Presentation, American Corners, Gyumri |
The move to the office for Caritas has been delayed for a
week because the house is not quite ready, so we will be spending next week
cleaning and moving everything. Luckily,
the kids have still been coming for the afternoon seminars, trainings, and
parties. In addition, I recently learned
that a lot of the kids are not being provided much food at home as their
families can’t afford it, so I’ve been able to enjoy dinner alongside them a
few nights, as Caritas cooks for them as well.
While there is a little bit of a language barrier, I am getting to know
them better and am really enjoying the afterschool program. Last week we finished filming a video that we
are putting together for Women’s Month thanking the women who have meant
something to the kids. I will spend the
next week editing it and we will have a party in two weeks in celebration of
Women’s month and will be showing the film at the time. Tatev and I are also in the planning stages
for the Talent Show which we will be holding at the end of May. We have secured Gavar’s Cultural House, have
sent letters requesting applications for talent and artwork for the art
exhibition, and have identified the judges.
I am really excited about this as nothing like this has been done in
Gavar and if successful, Caritas is hoping to make this an annual event.
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| Easter with Caritas |
Diana and I have also been busy with meetings
with the NGO’s with which we work and most recently completed a seminar on
Fundraising, Stewardship, and NGO Presentation at the Cross of Armenian Unity
NGO in Edgimatsen. I was really impressed
with this NGO, they have been in existence for 25 years and are one of the most
advanced and successful NGO’s I’ve met here in Armenia, I can’t wait to
continue working with them. Their
mission is to work with children who have special needs or are from vulnerable
families and to give them skills to successfully integrate into society. Caritas also celebrated Easter last Wednesday
and I was really excited to learn that Armenia has a tradition that my family and
I also have, the egg picking game. So,
while I won’t be with family to celebrate this year, it was pretty cool to
still have a taste of home here.
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| Egdmiatsen with Diana |
Last week, Gevorg and I started to go through the answers
from the questionnaires which we distributed to the parents and staff of the
Children Development and Rehabilitation Center.
While Gevorg is bi-lingual, we still have to create excel spreadsheets
for both English and Armenian and it amazes me how much time that takes. More and more I realize how lucky I am to
work with counterparts whose knowledge of English is pretty incredible. We are going to use the responses to identify
trainings and resources which the parents and staff need. The biggest issue we have come across so far
is transportation. CDRC is visited by
children from all over Gegharkunik region, many of whom have very little means,
so actually getting to CDRC for their appointments is an incredible challenge
for their parents. I am not sure how
Good Hope is going to address this yet, but doing so may be one of the projects
Gevorg and I work on while I am here. In
addition, we have continued to work on Good Hope’s PR and have created a
brochure which I hope we will send to print shortly.
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| Training for CDRC Parents on the relationship with their children |
On March 8, one of the biggest holidays here in Armenia was
celebrated, International Women’s Day, which actually is a celebration that
Armenia continues throughout the entire month.
Because it is such a big holiday, everyone has the day off and I spent
it with my host mom Alita, host sister Liana, and site mate Donna. Below is a link to a website with more
information about what Women’s Day is all about it, so feel free to check it
out!
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| Women's Day with Alita, Donna, and Liana |
Last week, I spent quite a bit of time in Yerevan for the
Gender Equality TOT. I went in the
weekend before as my friend Elisabeth had her brother and sister-in-law
visiting and also got to go spend some time with my host family in Argel. I am going to try to get to Argel as much as
I can up until October, they have decided to move to Russia as the employment
opportunities are much better and so that they can be with my host father,
Liova, who has been working there for years and sending them money. I am pretty sad that they are going, but of
course understand it is what they need to do. But it was of course amazing being with them, they really are my family and Liova the baby is getting so big!!
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| Soosana and Sylvie |
Elisabeth’s family invited us over for the most incredible
meal I have had since I’ve been in Armenia, tostados. It was really awesome to meet some of
Elisabeth’s family, it’s easy to forget how much of each other we don’t know
about, pretty cool to get the chance to see each other with our families and spending some time with them got me even more excited for my own
family to visit (working on planning mom’s end of August/September visit!)
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| TOSTADOS!! |
The Gender Equality TOT went very well and I am looking forward
to the seminars my counterparts Diana and Rima and I are going to hold. Over the course of three days, we discussed
gender, domestic violence, leadership, rights, and more. I have included a link to the documentary on
domestic violence here in Armenia which we watched if you are interested, there
are some difficult stories to listen to, but I think it is worth passing on.
At the end of the conference, we worked with our
counterparts on the seminars which we are planning to give in our
communities. Rima, Diana and I plan to
give three separate seminars. The first
is to the women with whom Rima works, who are all victims of domestic
violence. We are planning to do a
discussion on leadership and to also bring in a strong woman leader in our
community, Anahit, to speak with the women.
The other two seminars will be with the children and parents from the
Little Prince Program of Caritas. With
the kids, we are going to talk about gender and healthy relationships and with
the parents, we are going to give an overview of the presentation we are going
to give their kids and then are going to talk with them about domestic
violence. I am happy I was able to be a
part of this TOT and am looking forward to working with Diana and Rima on our
seminars.
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| Gender TOT with Rima and Diana |
So I think that is a pretty good overview of some of the
good things going on here in ArmeniaJ Next week, I have been invited to play
softball in Yerevan with some people from the Embassy and I am really excited about it. While I am still enjoying yoga and my walks around
Gavar and the neighboring villages, I can’t wait to play a sport that reminds
me of spring/summer in the states!
Speaking of the states….I will be back in a little over two months for a
couple of weeks for my dear friend Anne’s wedding and to celebrate mom, dad,
and Dorrie’s birthday! Can’t believe it
will have been a year since I’ve been home!!
Happy Easter to those who celebrate and lots of love from
Armenia!
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| Thank you Sherry for this fantastic comic:) |
