Cherries, Cows, Bees, and Fourth of July

July 5, 2008

So yes I know this is only the second entry and I have been here a month now. Certainly, I must have tons of things to say which is true but I just can’t seem to find the time to write. One might ask how it is possible that time remains elusive when we are only in language class 4.5 hours a day. But the funny thing about being in Armenia is that while there is always time to drink a coffee or to eat a meal, there is just no alone time. People are never alone here unless they are up in a tree harvesting cherries and even then they aren’t really alone because there will inevitably be the family cow nearby making itself heard or perhaps Tateek (grandma) nearby urging the others to join in the harvest. After all, right now the cherries do take priority. I think most of the Americans find the constant attention and family life a bit trying but I guess I can attribute my lack of irritation and only tiredness to having lived with my family for so long, We all know family time at the Brandt’s is quite extensive and in hindsight has been great preparation for living with an Armenian family. J Besides class and cherry harvesting, spending time with my family which I want to do, and other weekly Peace Corps meetings, adjusting to Armenia and the constant stimulation leaves me exhausted. I try to sleep a lot and certainly get my naps in but I am still constantly tired. It has gotten better since the beginning but there always seems to be something to do and the little things which I want to do there just isn’t the time or energy to do them.
On that note let’s talk about the cows. What a difference it is coming from the cushy suburbs of CT, to a straight up village. I do realize that towns surrounding Bethel and I guess Bethel as well have farms with animals, however I just don’t think that can compare to the free range that the animals have around here. So free are they that besides walking down the street, a busy main road I might add, and impeding traffic, a cow wandered straight into our kitchen! I need to explain a bit further by mentioning that our kitchen, bathroom, washroom and cellar type room, are off the house in separate structure. They are attached to the house but are inaccessible from inside the house, so you have to go outside and through another door to get to them. The kitchen is just for cooking and the eating takes place in the main room/living room. But nonetheless wasn’t I slightly flabbergasted when I was in the bathroom one morning trying to take a shower although there wasn’t any running water that morning (there normally is in the morning and evening but very sporadically throughout the day it gets shut off) when not only was I trying to dodge a bee and avoid getting stung, but through the window I saw a cow walk straight into the kitchen that adjoins the bathroom! SO there I was half naked, cold, scared of that damn bee, and now held hostage by a cow that was blocking the door because it was way to big to get all the way into the kitchen! Needless to say that day started off with some slight irritation that turned into a hysterical fit of laughter. J
In the end, the cow found its way out, the bee left me alone, and I did warm back up but without that hot shower I had hoped for.
Fourth of July has come and gone and the much awaited anticipation of our Fourth of July party dissipated. Rather than having class, we threw a party for our host families. I don’t know who was more excited us for being able to eat American food or our families for getting to see us in action. Hamburgers, potato salad (although sadly not that good German kind) but tasty nonetheless, coleslaw, tortilla chips and salsa, pies, fruit salad, chocolate chip cookies, iced tea, and of course roasted marshmallows topped our menu. I have to say in addition to eating some familiar food, the day was an absolute blast! It was like being a kid all over again and getting to run around and play outside. We had the party at a campsite on a beautiful sunny, warm day. We taught the kids and adults how to play all sorts of games, including Red Rover and the Limbo which of course none of us had played since elementary school! We face painted, played soccer, and had a piñata. There was nothing funnier than watching my host dad try out his skills on a piñata while blindfolded and dizzy!
So found feelings of yesterdays festivities close this entry, I hope you all enjoyed the holiday as much as I did. And if you are looking for things to do, give Red Rover a try because it’s hilarious watching a bunch of sober grown adults try to barrel through one another. Lots of Love, Brigitta