oh Hayastan....

Well...I am going to start by saying that I was going to load a whole bunch of pictures to facebook today, but, as my luck (or yours) would have it, facebook has decided to not work right now. Slightly obnoxious, I guess it will be a few more days...

I am happy to say that for two entire days I was greep free. That was amazing. I could breathe through my nose (something I think we all take for granted), had my energy back, and didn't have to drink insane amounts of raspberry tea every day! I felt great, and then I woke up today. I could no longer breathe through my nose, I was forced to use a napkin as a tissue, and am coughing up a storm. Lovely. Even my host mother commented, "greep again?", I told her I didn't want to talk about it. And yes, Sarah Z, I can say that in Armenian! When I am finished with this post, I will be walking my sick behind to the store to buy another package of sandpaper-esq napkins, and pray to the Post gods that my Mum's package with the Puffs Plus with Lotion arrives in a timely manner.

Fortunatly for me my host mother's birthday fell on one of my 'healthy' days. It was a very good time. When I got home from work I helped her and one of our neighbor's to make these ravioli/periogie like pasta things. First, I watched my host mum grind the meat. It was beef and pork fat ground together. Don't ask about proportions, I really don't want to think about it. Then she rolled out some dough and put it over this honeycomb shapped cookie cutter thing. Our neighbor and I then filled each little hole with some meat, and another sheet of dough was placed on top. My host mum then rolled out all the freshly made pastas, which we later boiled. These little things (the name starts with a B, but I don't remember it) are actually one of the few things I eat matsoon (the popular yogurt) with. It is tasty enough to almost forget how horrible it is for you.

Her family arrived around 8:30, and we all sat down to eat around 9. The food was good, but what I really looked forward to was dessert. I had helped my mum to decorate her cake earlier in the day, and wanted to try it, but what I really wanted to get my hands on was the grapes. They looked amazing!! and they were...I will miss them in the winter time.

Speaking of..the weather here is still amazing. I will take a day of snow for a week of sun anytime. Despite the fact that my winter clothes have still not arrived..

In more exciting news, on Sunday I head to Yerevan for a week of bird training! While it is going to be very, very expensive...I am excited for a chance to spend time with all my EE friends again, and for a chance to explore. Also, the weekend after I will be going back to my old village for a few days and then for a hike that me and 3 other girls 'bought' during the PST auction. It is with the country director, and includes a picnic that may or may not have peanut butter or chicken salad. Lets cross our fingers for the former.

Work is still going ok. I have decided that teenagers are teenagers no matter what country they grow up in. Yesterday I stood on a chair to get their attention. They may think their new American is a little of her rocker, but you bet they listened to me (pretty much) after that. The language is by far the most frustrating part. I usually am the last one to find things out, and have a hard time getting across what I need to say. I have gotten to the point where I called my teacher before, but am trying to avoid that. What is amusing though is that there are certain children that get my crazy, gramatically incorrect, out of order Armenian and actually translate it into actual Armenian for the other children. My host mum does it with visitors sometimes as well. Thinking about it, it is pretty great.

I also have a running joke going with one of the young boys. He is one of those little boys that just looks like he would hurt himself. One day he picked up the box cutter and I told him to be careful about 8 billion times. Then, in some contorted Armenian I told him that I did not want him going home with just 9 fingers. Now whenever he gets the chance to use the boxcutter (or anything sharp for that matter), he comes and tells me he will go home with one less finger. Kids.

Oh, and pretty sure I might have horrified my host mum the other day when after a particularly harrowing day I said that I didn't want to have children. She didn't respond. I should also mention that at her birthday party one of the guests asked me if I was going home after 2 years or if I would stay in Armenia. I said I will be returning to America, of course. Then he said, "what if you get married?". I told him that if that happened, my mother would come to Armenia and not only kill me, but also my new husband. That caused a few laughs, and successfully changed the subject of the conversation...



well...the power died as I finished typing that last sentence yesterday..and a few things have changed since then. Most importantly...I GOT MY WINTER CLOTHES!! I was very excited, and my host mum went with me to lug it all home. It is now all put away neatly, and I feel like it came just in time because today is pretty chilly.

Also, work yesterday was a million and one times better. whew.

As always, a few shout outs:

Mem- the volunteer in Charentsavan just emailed me, I just got a letter that you sent on July 8th. I think the term 'snail mail' really does apply here!

Dad- thanks for the red hat, I am going to look very unstylish and American, but I will be warm!