I am trying something new to me and publishing a blog of my latest adventures.  I want to see how this works.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 3

Image
The End of Week Three I am wrapping up second full week of training as a Peace Corps trainee (PST we are called in the vernacular.) I must complete ten weeks of language, culture, and what ever other challenges are placed before me in order to become a Peace Crops Volunteer (PCV). My first day was spent in Washington D.C. where I met the rest of the team and we had our first day of training.  I am working with an amazing cohort of young people varying from recent college graduates to people early in their careers of some type of service.  I am the only person retired and not planning what job I will seek after my years in the Peace Corps.  The group was very welcoming to me and several of us went out for dinner.  The next day and a half was all travel.  We left the D.C. hotel flew all night  landing in the morning in Pairs.  I did not get to pick my seat so I was in a center row in the middle.  The little boy in front of me dropped his seat o...
Read more

I met a real teacher today

We were at a meeting in Yerevan to meet our partners in our Peace Corps projects.  I think, because of my age, I stood out in the crowded coffee break area.  Several of the Armenian partners introduced themselves to me as I talked with my partner, Narene.  A lady closer to my age came over who knew Narene and had worked in the same town and introduced herself as Emma. Emma told me that she had worked with everyone at the NGO where I will be engaged for the next year.  I was very flattered when she told me she had heard about me and my background.  She told me she now teaches English at a college relatively close to where I will be living.  Emma asked me if I would be willing to come visit her college class and deliver a lecture in English about my teaching, union, and political work.  I could not say no. At the next coffee break, I found Emma and offered her my phone number.  As we talked, she told me two things about her past that made me fee...
Read more

My Armenian Family Part One

My Armenian Family Part One Well, I last wrote about how wonderful the greeting was for us when we arrived at the school in Ayntap.  My host family was the last to arrive.  I was getting so very nervous.  I met Robert and Olga and we loaded my belongings in to the taxi and went to their house.  As we rode, I was thinking of all the simple greetings we had been taught.  I sounded like a two year old as I said, "Good Day.  How are you?  I am good.  My name is Jody.  What is your name?"  Robert and Olga smiled and introduced themselves. We got to their house which they had just remodeled because their son is getting married there this summer.  I met Lady, their big dog. Lady is almost the size of a Shetland Pony but gentle as a lamb. Robert helped me carry my luggage up to my room and then said I needed to come have lunch. We ate in their den and the television was on with Armenian music videos.  We struggled through lunch ...
Read more