The smallest girl in my English club stands on her tiptoes to try and reach the board, giving English her very best shot despite being only six and sitting in on her older sister’s class. “Miss Maddy,” An older student whispers, and points at my stickers. Her eyes glitter. “Kareliey?” May I? I nod and … More Peace Corps Armenia: Special Everywhere
“I know this!” My student said in English. She grinned. “I like this song,” I told her, glancing at my laptop screen. Let it go, from Frozen, had just started to play. I smiled to myself—I had been hoping they would recognize this part of the movie. “Me too,” She and her friend craned closer … More Peace Corps Armenia: Narrative Arc
We’re surrounded by mountains on all sides. To the North, the hills are stained red and orange. To the East, the mountains turn green. If you look hard you can still snow at the peaks. To the South, the mountains are neither red nor green, rather a gray and orange that tells of more desert … More Peace Corps Armenia: Restart
“Come for a walk with me,” my host sister said. I looked up from my homework. “Noritz?” I asked. Again? I didn’t catch the quick Armenian the first time. “Take a break,” she urged. “Ah, Hastgatsa,” I understood this time and shut my book. It had just poured outside, but the sky lit up a … More Peace Corps Armenia: Lingua Humanis
The sole of my hiking boot split clean off halfway home. I stopped walking and stared at the mangled boot in some sort of humbled disbelief, a thin song playing in old ear buds. I had bought the boots for four dollars at a thrift store in Northern Wisconsin. I had put at least 200 … More Peace Corps Armenia: With Dust in My Hair
hello stranger 