Verchapes, gnacel em Gyumri!

Translation: Finally, I went to Gyumri! Why? Good question. Before coming to this country I was put in contact with a very talented pianist, and has now become a good friend, who is from Gyumri, [thanks Jeff and Natasha ] and at that time was studying at a university in New Hampshire. I ate, and of course, drank with her family, who turned out to be just as cool as she was. But there was more to this visit then just visiting an old friend. This town is a place that has seen it’s fair share of hardships, but maybe none so memorable as the 1988 earthquake. I was circumnavigated around the town by her father and was told about the history, and all that had happened to the town. See photos below.

However, despite it’s history, several incredible institutions are in place such as the GITC – Gyumri Information Technologies Center that, in my best highly sopisticated estimation, seem to be doing incredible things. That’s cool has hell to see.

St. Patty’s Day and a Bday

All in the same week. So, as you can imagine it has been absolutely productive here. Between everything being decorated green and somone turning the ripe ‘ol age of 27 (site mate), it has been more of a “cultural sharing” week if you will; which is actually part of the reason for being here – to learn, as well as share stuff about where we’re from. And we probably did disappoint. First, I had some neigbors over to celebrate in the goodness of being stubbornly proud of being 2% Irish. Second, my site mate had her host family and few other friends over for her bday. Pic below. PS, yes I did hear about the Gonzaga NCAA incident despite being several kilometers form Spokane. That might have been the happiest day of my life.

View from my window

Holy S%#^, I just wrote twice in less than a 24-hour period. And it occured to me, that my new abode had not been on display here since its inaugurational housewarming back in January, or was it December. Screw it, here is a view from the balcony and my director and I breaking it in properly. Cheers! However, the picture directly below is how I attempted to keep mildly warm during the winter. Seriously, it worked quite well, and I am now not wearing long underwear … some other volunteers can’t say the same. We have it good in my part of the country.

View from the North

There are several things I like about this place. [See pretty much every post written prior to this one] But one of those is that in such a small place, you can see crazily varying landscapes. Despite residing in the southern hemisphere of the country – that previously mentioned (or atleast I think I did, damnit it has been a long time!) IT networking and server training – was located in the north; which looked 100% different from the view out my balcony window. Yes, finally … again new photos are up.

So really, why am I writing this post? To make up for lost time? No. Probably because I finally got my camera back from having left it up north and it finally made its way down here after approximately one month. Also I have been indispose since coming back from a Project Design and Management Conference that allows us know to write a grant for our community. So that has pretty much taken up all my time for a while, plus writing a proposal for an IT Summer Camp for youth in the villages. “Togh Astavats lini mez het” (“God be with us”) as we basically beg for money from the U.S. Government … also know as grant-writing. Cheers!

Remembers those photos I promised?

Apparently I suck at getting photos up on this site. But that is not without good reason. After Prague and Vienna, it was the New Year here, and then recovery time, and then I spent a week in another site for an IT Training (which went really well by the way, thanks for asking) and then while the great CEO douchebags of the world were meeting in Davos for the World Economic Forum, we were in another ski resort at a Project Design & Management Workshop for those of us who work at the grassroots level. So there. Below are some photos from the Armenian New Year, and the Prague and Vienna ones are on the photostream. Hopefully this explains a little as to why my head and stomach were in so much pain. You may recognize the faces in some of those photos from previous posts, because who has two thumbs and the best family in Armenia … this guy. So it was without debate that the start to this New Year debacle only would take place in their home and village.

‘Shnorhavor Hin Tarin’

Happy Old Year! It’s the day after the last day of Nor Tari in Armenia, and … well, I’m alive. Barely.

Shnorhavor Nor Tari!

My stomach and head hurt. Celebrating the New Year in this country is a little different. I haven’t done this much damage to my body in years. New Years lasts for 13 days, and I’m on day 3. I’m screwed. The hospitality IS militant. The food is good. The drinks are good. The company of friends in family is fantastic. I’ll post photos later when I regain the capacity to perform regular daily functions, until then Happy New Year to all my friends and family!

Bohemia

After securing my new abode for the winter months (and by “securing” I really mean installing a gas heater) and a night at the hostel in Yerevan, I climbed aboard my Aeroflot flight from Yerevan to Moscow to Prague. (With a laundry list of wants and wishes from my Armenian friends here.)

Many volunteers attempted to pass on their astute advice – having previously roamed the streets – parting suggestions on where to eat, and what to see. Unfortunately, none of that was retained in my frontal lobe, and furthermore, for the record, f#$%^ Frommers. Many inquired as to what it is I might be doing during a 9-day stint. Replying that nothing was planned, and that is how I liked it, they still greedily asked for souvenirs.

Yes, we saw the castle in Prague where someone famous lives, and the big spiky church too. In Old Town, where that really old clock (actually the oldest in the world) is, we tried goulash and smoked bratwursts, all washed down with a variety of liquid refreshments; some where even banana, coffee, and vanilla flavored. We walked across the Charles Bridge and went to a jazz club. So my impression of Prague so far; it’s kind of like New York City in Eastern Europe. Lot’s of tourists, restaurants, bars, shopping and old churches.

Yesterday was more of a Bohemia model. Venturing by train to Pilsn, the town which boasts the origins of Pilsner beer, and by default Pilsner Urquell beer, we received an education into Bohemian brewing. Personel recommendation: Do not start drinking before a tour begins. Ever. After impatiently waiting for it to begin, we visited the restaurant/bar nearby. Of course, the last part of the tour is the tasting, which grew exponentially painful after every sip from the barrel. After a bladder disaster, we managed, based on a recommendation, to dine at a nice Czech restaurant before heading back to Prague. Side note: probably had best beer to that point in country at aforementioned restaurant. Beer’s name: Master.

So I tried and failed to keep up on this pathetic blog daily during the trip, but I’m actually on the plane from Prague to Moscow (which is probably where I’ll finish this entry) and am still writing about what the hell we did.

Back to Bohemia. Taking another train, this time to visit Vienna, I really didn’t expect much, seeing as we’d only be there for 48 hours. Vienna is for people who like orchestras, museums and buildings only painted in white. The town was dead at night. Now, that could be due to one of two possible reasons: the “holidays” and it being butt-ass cold outside. So, here we go again with the routine tourist stuff – the Opera House where Mozart played, the Spanish riding school, some big famous palace – and a handful of different restaurants. However, one was Mexican, and therefore by the grace of some God, was able to relish in a long overdue cerveza. Furthermore, one restaurant, built out of a gigantic greenhouse, was outstanding. As for everything else, stick with the local street food, it’s cheaper and 77% of the time, it’s better. The beer was also better in Vienna, but everything else was more expensive. Thanks Euro; but not coming back to visit Vandeuchbagenhagensteiner anytime soon.

Damnit, now I’m back where I started these whole shenanigans … the hostel in Yerevan; the day before New Year’s Eve, and attempting to recap what happened at the airport in Moscow. So, here I go. In route back to Armenia, the layover was supposed to be around 3 hours or so. Not so. Instead of leaving at 11:00 pm, we left at 8:00 am the next morning. So, what happens when large groups of Armenian’s get stuck in an airport waiting hours for a flight: sleep, or raid the duty shop of it’s’ vodka and start drinking. The later took over and made for some hilarious moments getting on the plane. I missed this country more than I thought I would, I’m happy as hell to be back, and not a moment too soon before “Nor Tari” (Armenia’s New Year) – supposedly one of, if not, the biggest party of the year. Good stories forthcoming …

And this is why (well one reason) …

I wanted to come here … winter is officially here! Proof is in the photos (others are on the photostream) … Shnorhavor Arachyn Zyun!

Moving day …

“Who has two thumbs and his own new apartment in Armenia … this guy!”

Yes, after over 6 months of living with host families, and loving just about every minute of it, it will be my opportunity to show a little hospitality when they visit. Photos will be up soon, but if you visited my last abode in the capital city, it has a scarily similar layout, but a way better view of a valley. I managed to briefly meet one neighbor, a grandmother, who was very excited to have ‘the tall American’ right next door.