Sweeping the Streets
April 27 - Today I was walking to work and noticed a bunch of school kids were bent over sweeping the streets - yes, the streets that cars drive on -, not in their classes as they should have been. It was pretty odd. Especially since the town hires about four workers to sweep the streets every day, all ready. So why were the kids sweeping?
When I arrived at work, my co-workers informed me that the president of Armenia, Serj Sarjisyan, is coming to my town tomorrow on a visit to our regional governmental institution. So, the kids were sweeping the streets in an effort to clean our town up a little bit before he comes.
(Personally, in my opinion, they should give Serj a taste of this town's reality and not even bother with the sweeping...)
I wondered why they didn't plant flowers, or try to manicure the lawns near our government building or around the big town square fountain that never has running water (although I wonder if they will turn it on tomorrow?).
I still have this virus on my computer. I have been trying to get the computer logged online so that I can download an anti-virus software that should resolve all problems. My organization has yet to install the internet (which, supposedly, was to be installed back in February), so that doesn't really help matters too much.
We had fair weather today, but the past five days was a mixture of snow and rain. The days since February have been see-sawing back and forth between beautiful and cold and gloomy, but hopefully we will have steadily better weather coming up.
Other news. The MAAC (Mobilizing Action Against Corruption) NGO has been set to open since April 1. But that also has been pushed back many times. Now we are waiting to purchase new computers for our calling center, and MAAC was next set to open May 1 - but May 1 is Armenian Labor Day, so it should now open May 4. Such is the way of business in the world of Armenia. Is there a word that means patience times 100? That is the level of patience I am learning to live with here. I wonder if this is good or bad for one day that I may or may not become a parent.
I found a great Iranian store in Yerevan. Everything is imported from Iran, and I purchased feta cheese from there this past weekend. Wow, best feta I've ever tried, it is super creamy and just delicious. 1300 dram, $1.60, for a decent sized block. Pretty great little store, very unassuming, they carry soy products like soy bean oil, soy beans, TVP, tahini, Iranian-produced honey, and many other products that were previously thought to be impossible to find in Armenia.
We have been seeing lots of spinach and lettuce, cucumbers are lowering in price, and summer squash has arrived. Strawberries are to come in May! I splurged a little on balsamic vinegar in Yerevan last weekend, too. Salad times have arrived finally, off the pasta and potato diet (that is a very bad diet and I will learn how to can veggies at the end of the summer so that doesn't happen again), my mood is definitely lifting now that things are becoming lighter, brighter, and warmer (for example, hopefully the long johns will now stay on the shelf until November) - plus the fields have made a great and breathtaking place, with views of our enormous mountain range and deep-ocean-blue lake, for daily walks and jogs when it's beautiful outside.
Summer will also bring melons, tomatoes, apricots and cherries. All at incredibly low prices. Good time to look forward to.
Current entertainments include figuring out how to knit a hat with ear muffs, super cute, and reading the Autumn of the Patriarch. 100 Years of Solitude was the first book I read in Armenia and now it is popular in our volunteer network - glad I have all ready read it, and too bad I have so many other books on the list that I don't have the time to read it twice - it was the perfect village and summer-time read while I was living with the PST family. It wasn't enough Gabriel Garcia Marquez for me, and I am thoroughly enjoying Autumn of the Patriarch. You know, I haven't read one disappointing book here.
I am also excited to be venturing to London this summer to visit my best friend. I think about this upcoming trip every day. Being that it will be my first time leaving this country since I moved here, I am so looking forward to once again be in an English-speaking, clean and happy nation.
April 28 - Haha, just like so many things here, the president's visit is now pushed to tomorrow. Big surprise.
Patience sure comes in handy for me as a new parent!
Such a long and interesting report, Nic. I love learning about your environment and country and how you spend your time.
I know it must be hard to be patient, but remember Grandaddy's morning prayer and maybe if you start your day with that each day, it will help. In cas you don't have it:
"Dear Jesus, thank you for watching over me during the night. Thank you for providing this meal. As a token of my love I now wish to offer to you all of today's work and play. Guide me so that my every action will be my best effort and I will be patient and unselfish towards others. Help me to think of you often throughout the day. Amen"
Love, Gramalie