and not to what you are thinking either. Well, that to, but more importantly..my brother's 18th birthday/Army Party and 21st departure to a still unknown Army base for training. Planning and preparations are in full swing here, and I was informed today that we are expecting upwards of 60 guests. It is going to be crazy. My host Mum spent a long day making pastries yesterday, and a few days before cleaning and rearranging to make room for such a large number of people in a relatively small house. I still don't know where they are all going to fit!
Over the last week or so, daily trips are made to the khanut to stockpile food (example: 20 sticks of butter) for all the food that is going to be made. Yesterday, neighborhood ladies joined in the effort cleaning chicken bits while sitting around the vararan (wood stove) and gossiping. Today was shower day..with my host Mum doing her hair and everyone getting all 'pretty' for the big day coming up on Tuesday. Our first guests also arrived today. My tat's sister, and her grand-daughter. They are helping with all the preparations.
While we are all excited for the party, there is a crazy sad undertone that the whole ordeal has. After the party, my brother only has 6 more days in the comforts of home before he leaves for 2 years. My mother has been 'not good' for days and days..and now you can feel the sadness throughout the whole house. My normally upbeat and happy family is going to fall apart for the holidays this year..and I feel completely helpless to change it.
I'll give you the rundown on how the Army system works. All men are required to serve 2 years in the Army. After completing high school, all students (girls and boys) take a test. The test determines whether or not the government will pay for you to go to University, or if your family will have to foot the bill. Guys that score high enough on the test to go to school for free serve their 2 years after they complete their 4 year University education. Guys that don't score high enough go through normally two years of school, leave for the Army for 2 years, and then come back and return to University like they never left. It is a little insane to imagine. My brother left school last week, and 2 years later he will go back around the same time (in the middle of a semester) and jump into the same classes like he never left. It will be an interesting transition.
Oh, so the countdown, only 8 days until he leaves. We still have no idea where he is going either. My host mother says that it is unlikely he will stay in our marz (too close to home) and he could be placed anywhere in Armenia, including Karabach (the land that Armenia and Azerbaijan are currently at war over).
This may sound horrible, but I am very happy to be going home for the Holidays this year. I think it is going to be better for everyone. I am not sure I am in an emotional place that I could handle a depressing Holiday season, and I think my host mum, dad, sister, and tateak are going to need some time to deal with my host brother leaving. Time where they don't have to worry about how they act in front of their American. They say I am their daughter, 'their' Katie, but I really think they will need time to cope alone as a family. Like my mum says, everything happens for a reason' and I am glad that I made the decision (or more accurately convinced my Mum to make the decision) to come home for the holidays this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment