View full size
This was lunch on Thursday - dolma, two salads with lots of vegetables, homemade cheese and bread, cherries, strawberries, pastry, cookies and fudge (my sister Bobbe's contribution). 
View full size
That's my school at the end of the road. I see this Mama and baby cow on the way home. 
View full size
the road to my school. I see this man most every morning. On Wednesday, all 46 volunteers received their final site assignments. Big day. We are divided into 4 service groups. The admins had us all gather outside around a map drawn in chalk on the asphalt open area around the school. The groups rotated, calling out a name at a time and the PCV went to stand at his/her place on the map. Current volunteers in the various areas were there also. It was a very festive and exciting time. Afterwards, we heard information about our areas and each got a folder with details about our assignments. It was followed by a pizza party.
I am assigned to Gyumri, the second or third largest city in the country. It is in the NW corner of the country and while it is supposed to be quite cold in winter (along w/ most of the rest of the country), amenities abound. Restaurants, cultural events, and many other city activies. I have a project w/ a large international NGO working in the area to help smaller communities with business development, from helping generate idea to how to organize themselves and a business, etc. I met another volunteer who works at the same NGO. Her name is Betty, (Elizabeth but she prefers Betty). She is from LA and says if she can take the winter, anyone can. I have to agree with her. We had a great time getting acquainted. The party was great fun - then, back to studying language. Everyone says knowing the language as well as you can is a must. Emphasized over and over. I'm spending most of my spare time studying except for the occasional trip to Vanadzor to use the internet. I'll try to include a few pics of the village with this post.
In addition to the language work, we have been given practicum assignments. I will be working w/ two other volunteers in my small village to find out the business history of our community and work w/ various citizens to develop possible business options. Our output is supposed to be a complete business plan. Quite an imposing task given we are speaking at a 3-week learning level. Our teachers will help us with meetings and such. The overall responsibility for developing, designing and delivering the project is in the hands of the three volunteers. While I am excited about it, I also recognize the amount of extra work this adds, when I am already spending most of my time studying.
Today is Saturday, June 23. Some of my colleages are at our school in Vanadzor, learning Armenian dance and song. I decided to write all of you and visit the shooka before I meet colleagues and a young Armenian woman who is an English teacher and wants to practice her English with Americans at a local restaurant.
Elizabeth Pou
25 Broad Street
Asheville, NC 28801
25 Broad Street
Asheville, NC 28801
No comments:
Post a Comment