Full disclosure: I didn’t think I would struggle this winter. My summer was so mind-bendingly hot that I couldn’t conceptualize the cold. All of the things that Peace Corps said would be hard about the winter I didn’t think applied to me, because it’s not as cold as it could be at my site, because … More Peace Corps Armenia: Things I thought I knew
They warn you about the Winter. How it’s not the cold itself, it’s that you can’t get away from it. It gets dark so early, and the winter food is different, and you have been here just long enough that it’s starting to feel long. All Januaries are long, of course. It’s a long cold … More Peace Corps Armenia: stories to keep you warm
My English clubs started a few weeks ago after a brief post-summer hiatus. The first two sessions were small, with less than eight kids and easy to manage, but now I have 25 regulars. I had meant for club to be invite-only in order to avoid having different English speaking levels, or any kids who … More Peace Corps Armenia: For Example
The heat breaks like a fever and fat fig leaves glitter in the rain. Had I really forgotten what a cool breeze felt like? This first storm comes like a celebration, with dancing trees and thunder song. Swallows dot the hazy purple sky and sing, and it comes from nowhere and everywhere, like something has … More Peace Corps Armenia: Andzrev Galis E
It doesn’t seem like I could possibly have anything to teach Nune*. She’s in her late sixties, a garden expert, makes a better cup of coffee than I, and is decidedly unimpressed with both my Armenian and my cooking. So I was surprised when she came in to my room with a skein of yarn … More Peace Corps Armenia: Blink and You’ll Miss it
