Very good.  “Yes oorach em!” translates to “I am Happy”  isk Du?  Are you?  As you can tall I am slowly learning Armenian. But before we get into that let me pick up where I left off in the last installment of the “Life of Brian” (no royalties to Monty Python paid).

After a really long day capped with helping move over 100 pieces of heavy luggage we went to bed.  Didn’t sleep that well and all 7 of us upstairs were awake by about 7:00 AM.  Unfortunately the upstairs did not have hot water so the best we could do was a cold face wash until they got it fixed.  Breakfast was good, fresh hard boiled eggs, some kind of thin porridge and fresh bread (hots) and Lavash (think tortilla).  On the table was fresh apricot preserve that was great on the bread.  We also had tea and coffee.  The food was fresh and very tasty.  After breakfast we had a 2 hour session with the Country director and meeting the different PC People then we headed into Charensavan.  I kind of had an idea what to expect from my time in TnT and from rumors I had heard but we pulled up to the Cultural Center and walked in to be greeted by the 80 or so current volunteers.  They were all yelling and screaming and giving us high 5’s as we went up the stairs.  It was pretty cool, kind of like walking into the pasta dinner before a race. 

Once in we sat down and were treated to a top 10 list of things in Armenia.  It was pretty funny but I also think it is going to prove more true that humorous.  After the skits and some speeches welcoming us we got to mingle with the volunteers.  I finally got to meet Elizabeth, Dustin and Lindee who I had been emailing with for months.  I also got to meet Kyle and some of the others whose blogs I have been reading since finding out about Armenia.  Everyone seems really cool. 

After meeting everyone and a few more speeches we were let out to Charensavan.  We got to go to an internet cafй but unfortunately I could not log into any of my email accounts because the computers were not set up right.  I moved to another computer and got to get into my Yahoo mail but after answering one email from Debra it crashed and I did not have time to get back in before we had to leave.  These computers and internet connections are slow, and I do mean slow.  A dial up modem is faster.  I hope I can upload this when we get into town.  One bad thing happened in town, Barbara tripped on the sidewalk and took a pretty bad fall.  She hit the side of her face pretty hard.  We bought a Popsicle to put on it to ice it down and that seemed to help but by the next day her eye was swollen shut so the Peace Corps took her to Yerevan for the night and did an MRI and the works.  She looked a lot better when she got back. 

After the internet cafй and getting a SIM card for the Armenian cell phone system we headed back to our “Resort” (more of a camp) where we hung out by the pool (ice cold water) and chatted or played cards. 

The next day we had a full day of classes, lectures, etc.  We also found out what villages we were going to be housed in.  I can’t say the name of my village now because of Peace Corps safety policies, but it is small, about 700 families, and very scenic.  I am in a mixed group of TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and CBD (Community and Business Development) which I am.  There are 2 other CBD guys and the other 5 are TEFL.  After the village assignments we had out first Language class.  The first couple classes by our instructors were to prepare us for living with a host family so instead of the alphabet we learned key words.  It was interesting but it is going to be a long and stressful process.  After a long day of classes we were given Medical Kits and half of us met with the doctors.  I was lucky, I had all my med records and immunizations records and did not need any shots.  They wanted to give ma a polio shot but I pulled out the form that said I had one a couple years ago so I got away pain free. 

The next day, Tuesday, was pretty much more of the same, a full day of lectures and language classes.  There was a two hour lecture that included skits by the current volunteers about life in the host families.  One skit was about being pressured to drink, we all laughed. 

Wednesday was the big day for us.  We had breakfast then got into out nicest clothes and loaded out bags into vans.  We got in another van and headed in to Charensavan.  Once there we had about an hour language class then we got to meet our host families.  All the A-16’s were all put in a room and village by village we went into the big room, took a piece of bread form a loaf held by a local girl in traditional dress, dipped it in a bowl of salt held my another local girl and ate it.  It was a welcome home kind of gesture.  Then I met my family, at least my host brother and his son.  My host mother, Rita was at home.  We shook hands and traded a couple phrases in Armenian and then we watched four dance numbers by the local girls dance group.  It was interesting but we were all pretty nervous and on edge.  After the dancing we picked up our water filters and got back in the van for the drive to the village. 

I was the first to get dropped off as we were the first house entering the village.  I got to meet Rita the host mom, Liana my host brothers wife and Ani their 8 year old girl.  I had already met Vashan and Hovo my host brother and his 6 year old son.  We sat outside and had coffee and lunch with Marilyn.  Marilyn’s host mom is the sister of Vashan so we ate together.  I gave them a box of See’s which they all seemed to like.  And we tried to talk, try being the operable word.  I was shown my room at the end of the hall on the second floor, and I unpacked my bags and got comfortable.  After that I got a tour of the property.  They have a number of chickens and have just hatched a bunch of chicks which are everywhere.  That seems to be the only animals on the property.  They have a garden where they grow their own vegetables and many trees which produce a variety of fruit.  Cherries are in season now and they go straight from the tree to our mouths.  In addition to the small toilet off the kitchen there is an outhouse out front with a cement floor and a hole with water constantly running into it from a pipe.  I am really lucky that we have running water 24 hours a day (some of my friends here don’t have that luxury) and we have hot water and a shower.  I did find out that we can’t flush toilet paper down the toilet, there is a basket next to it for that. 

Ronnie another A-16 is living in a house not to far away so I pick him up on the way to classes each morning.  When we get back to his place his host mom tries to feed us until we burst.  I guess now is a good time to explain the food situation and social norms.  The food here is amazing in that it is completely natural.  The egg I have in the morning comes right from the chicken (laid hours earlier).  All the vegetables and fruit we eat come off the trees in the yard.  I think they make their own cheese and they definitely make their own bread and lavash.  It all tastes great!  If you visit anyone they feel the need to feed you a full meal.  If I stop by Ronnie’s I get coffee followed by bowls of fresh fruit, Pirogue that his host mom makes from scratch, candies, etc.  You can’t get away with out having something or they feel bad.  This is not just an isolated case, every time I stop by to see one of my fellow volunteers the host mom lays out a full spread of food.  It is amazing.  Oh and the fruit drinks that the make (compote) are amazing, really flavorful and sweet.  I have had fig and cherry so far and love them. 

Now about the alcohol.  We all laughed at the skits but they were pretty right on.  As soon as I got to my new home my host brother offered me vodka and when I said no he offered me beer.  I politely said no and tried to explain I didn’t really drink (Ok, you can stop laughing).  I got the meaning across and he was fine with that.  I have been offered alcohol by the host father at every place I have been.  One of them even insisted to the point were he had the beer poured already and the glass in front of me, this after I refused vodka about 6 times.  The culture here really is a drinking culture for men and the pressure to drink is pretty strong but I have been able to resist it so far and intend to continue.  I think it is a slippery slope and once I start it will just be harder to say no.

The rest of the week has gone pretty well, we go to class from 9:00 to 1:30 each day except for Tuesdays where we all head into the main town for group classes and meeting with our specialties and Sundays which we have off.  Today being Sunday we had it off so I did my laundry by hand and hung it up to dry then met the other 7 volunteers in my village and the two teachers and we went for a hike.  There is an old castle on the hill that we hiked up to and explored.  It was pretty cool and not much left of it.  There were a couple guys up there trying to restore one of the buildings.  There were also some sheep grazing and some donkeys walking around grazing on weeds.  There was a tunnel on one corner that you could walk down and come out below.  It was steep and dirty so I didn’t go down it but some others did. 

That brings us to now.  I am typing this as Ani is looking through all my stuff and asking me about everything.  She just found my GPS receiver and is turning it on and off.  It doesn’t do anything but flash a blue light but she is fascinated by it.  She also likes the small Swiss army knives I brought and wants one but I am pretending I don’t understand her.  I don’t want to give her one unless her parents are OK with it, she is a bit young for a knife. 

That is it for now.  I would love to hear from you but understand that I may not be able to get it or respond for a while.  Hearing what is going on around the world and what is new with everyone would be great.  Living in a village I hear a little gossip but that is about it and I am not really interested that the guy down the road had too much to drink and fell asleep on the way home ?