Armenia at 6 am

We are arrived. I wish I had the time and the words to describe the
reception we received here. After three days of travel logistics, we
arrived at the Yerevan airport at 6 am, gathered out 100 pounds each
of luggage, not counting carryon, loaded that into a truck and
climbed on a bus. We received a little goodie bag with water, juice
and of all things, a snickers bar. After about 20 minutes, the bus
stopped at the driveway ending in a ruin, backed by the glorious Mt.
Ararat. Waiting for us on the steps of the ruin were 80 or so
cheering, clapping PC vets of classes 13 and 14. We are A-15. It
was a splendid reception. For the first time I really go the feeling
that I am part of something special. The veterans feted us w/ coffee
and donuts, introduced us and each other and after good conversation,
numerous pics with Ararat in the background, we got back on the bus
and headed for Vanadzor.

I'll have to give you details later. We're being hustled onto buses
to internet cafes and I am not going to get time to send you any pics
for a week or so. We are scheduled for every second. I'll describe
Vanadzor and the rest of the trip later. Right now, we're in an old
camp building. I'm sharing a two room "suite" – with 3 other women –
4 bunkbeds – so we each get a bottom bunk. Bathrooms down the hall.
My first squat toilet experience. Excellent lunch – if the rest of
Armenian food is this good, I'm going to love it. We move to our host
families next week on Monday. I do have some really good pics to
share and will have to wait til there is enough of a break in my
schedule to set up an email on a Word doc w/ pics that I can quickly
shove into an internet cafe computer.

Its clear internet access will be limited and of short duration each
time. Patience.

Love, Elizabeth Lynne

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Elizabeth Lynne Pou
25 Broad Street
Asheville, NC 28801