Facebook Postings and Adventures with Hasmik

1. August 12, 2018: Okay today, on another adventure with Hasmik Azibekyan, as we were making one of the last turns in to town, her car made a loud noise and skidded . You can see the front wheel. One of the bolts to the tie road had shaken loose from its nut and the wheel collapsed partially. Too many potholes in the roads. I got out and saw immediately the problem. Hasmik called for help and I walked a little way up the road and found the bolt but not the lock nut. In a few minutes, the ever-powerful Hasmik had eight guys there jacking up the front of the car and replacing the missing nut, one was glad I had found the bolt. Thirty minutes later, we were on our way. We were so lucky that it shook loose so close to town. What if Ani and Hasmik had been somewhere way out on a road? The roads in Armenia need serious repair. My favorite part of this adventure was noticing there were eight guys watching while one guy tightened up the bolts.

2. August 11, 2018: Yesterday, I went on quite an adventure with friend and director Hasmik Azibekyan. Most importantly, we went to a festival where the new Prime Minister was to be in attendance. She said she had some questions for him but also told me she was going to introduce me to him. I saw the crowd and thought that I hoped she was able to talk to him but there was no way she would be able to introduce me. We spent the morning looking at booths that were similar to the ones we will have at our Job Fair in Ijevan on August 18. The Prime Minister arrived and I understood more of the speech than I would have a few months ago (thanks to my teachers Anna Arakelyan Arus Khcheyanand tutor Narine Ghazinyan). It was a great speech primarily about protecting the trees and environment of Armenia. He began working the crowd and walking through the booths. The people rushed him like a rock star. He walked very close to us but the crowd moved in front of us. After he walked by, Hasmik gave her business card to and told one of the security guards that she had wanted to introduce this American. He smiled at me and moved us to another spot. He explained to the security closest to Prime Minister Pashinyan that we were to stay where we were. All of a sudden, I was face to face with the Prime Minister. I said hello in Armenian and he gave me a weak smile and handshake (the man was tired and had been working crowds for an hour). He passed me and Hasmik stopped him and began talking to him. I understood enough to know she told him about me and that I was an American working as a volunteer with her for two years. He turned around and gave me a firm handshake, looked me in the eyes and in English said, "Very nice to meet you." She was disappointed that we did not get a picture but said we would next time. I believe with her, there may be a next time. Wow, thank you so much, Hasmik!!!!

Then on the way home we went to a little place where Hasmik knew the owner ( I have decided Hasmik is known and respected all over Tavush Region). I saw this "weight bench" the young man who owned the place had made for himself. So to my friend back home Nate Robinson, the next time players complain about working out with you in the Grandview weight room, show them these pictures and tell them when you want to be a strong and a winner, you will find a way.

3. So here is my little park where I play to emptiness most weekend mornings. Funny, I did not take my guitar with me this morning because I wanted to do a little work at the office. I was writing away and had just put Poco on to play when traditional Armenian music began blaring from the park across the street. I paused my music and looked out the window. I saw people bustling about. I decided to finish my writing and investigate. It was so fun. There were young girls and boys in costumes with one older gentleman in a costume which a young man was replicating.

Many of the girls were wearing necklaces made of apples so I am assuming it had something to do with autumn. The lady who runs the kiosk next to our office introduced me to her sister. I said hello to one of the old men I see every morning at his usual bench spot. In the pictures you can see the craft area where things were being sold. One man had done beautiful wooden carvings of horses.

The old gatherer in me almost bought one. All the Armenian mothers were dressed up and in proper make-up as they usually are. I felt very unkempt in yesterday's clothes and my cowboy hat. I escaped after taking just a few pictures. Tomorrow I will ask the ladies at work what I saw. The fun of being a stranger in a strange land is enjoying a festival and having no idea what it was about. A great hour in Armenia smiling at people I knew and admiring the children in costume dancing to music I don't know but have come to enjoy.

4.   The girls were chilling in the parking lot today. I guess it was too hot for them to cross the highway today. They were not at all sure why I was taking their picture but then the other Armenians looked perplexed at the American taking pictures of cows in the morning.

5.  Dak, I attended another Armenian birthday party. I gave up and went home after eight hours. I mentioned it was also your birthday. I am not sure how many times we toasted you along with the guest of honor but let's just say your name was announced with Armenian blessings many times. It was Zoya Vardanyan 's birthday celebration but I want you to see that there were also your favorite black olives on several plates around the table. Happy birthday from Armenia kid and Go Cowboys. We are all so proud of you.

     6.    When we were kids, there was a lady who took care of me while my Mom worked. I loved Vinnie so much, her picture was on my desk at school. Every Thursday, and I have no idea why Thursday, Vinnie made fresh gingerbread that you could smell all over the neighborhood. After I was old enough to go to school, she timed that gingerbread, so it came out of the oven just before my brother and I got home. She wrote down several recipes but none of them turn out like hers. I think she put a little extra love in the batter somehow. Vinnie passed away a long time ago but she and that gingerbread are still in my heart. The picture is of a treat here in Armenia called peranik. Now I try not to eat too many sweets, but the first time I tried one of these, I thought of Vinnie. The taste is not as good as her gingerbread (nothing is, sorry Mom) but it was such a wonderful reminder. We have these little treats with coffee some mornings and it makes me think of that incredible lady who was like a second mother. I know you can hear me, I love you Vinnie.

7.   July 24: Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting on the front porch plying guitar and watching the rain wishing I could send some back to Colorado to quell the heat and fires when I saw this double rainbow. This picture does not do justice. The inner rainbow was so massive and bright. Being in the land of Mt Ararat where some believe Noah’s ark landed after seeing a rainbow as a promise the rains and floods were over, seems to make seeing a rainbow a little special. Rainbows are also symbols of peace. I loved that the rainbow loops over the village in the distance. It is an Aziri village. I wish these two countries could be at the peace this moment captured.

8.   July 19: At least the cows were using the crosswalk downtown. One of them even looked both ways.

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July 18: Okay boys and girls back home in America. When we are having technology problems, we just ask a 10-year-old and they fix it. Today I tried to be nice to my best buddy Mariam and let her use my table to watch Barbie in Russian on YouTube while her grandmother cleaned our office because I needed my computer. I went to show her how to use it and she was already switching between Barbie and some pig cartoon. She was very happy, and I felt very unintelligent. Some rules apply here for adults just as they do in America. I can't resist that little smile. I will probably bring her my tablet every morning this summer until she goes back to school.

10.   July 12: Well dear friends, another adventure in Armenia. After listening to about twenty business proposals my boss Hasmik loaded me and Narine in to her car and said we were late for a birthday party. It was Hasmik's son. Roman's fiancé’s younger sister’s birthday. There was lots of toasting and food as usual. Two things kind of stood out however. The pork we were enjoying as Khorovats had been recently slaughtered on our host's farm. I did not want to know more details like the pig's name or if he had a family that would miss him or anything like that. I just enjoyed fresh pork, organic because they knew him personally. Secondly, we sang happy birthday to the young lady who I found out had made her own birthday cake. Now, I jokingly said there were laws against that in America and that she might go to jail for making her own cake. My dear friend Narine thought I was serious about it being illegal and had the funniest look of terror on her face. I told her I was only kidding but there should be such a law. I stopped trying to be clever before I insulted someone. Another weekend in Armenia and another wonderful adventure. I think I am officially part of that family now through all the toasting. I am so very blessed to have Narine and Hasmik and all these incredible Armenian people in my life.

11.   August 20, 2018: Revenge is a dish best served cold is an old expression in America which I have always taken to meet that revenge is best when unexpected. I was served a cold dish yesterday and I have not stopped smiling since.
I was with my incredible tutor, Narine Ghazinyan, walking and seeing a beautiful part of the countryside while trying to only speak in Armenian. Our conversation turned to the fact that I will be moving to an apartment soon. Currently, to meet with Narine is just a walk of 200 meters to her parents' house. When I move it will be almost two kilometers away and up a steep hill. She has said if I want to walk up the hill, my classes can still happen twice a week. 
It is such a joy to go to her parents' home for classes. I feel like I have four friends besides Narine there; her parents, her brother, and her grandmother. When I visit for tutoring, they feed me treats and coffee. I tried to say not to worry but I have learned that would be like telling Narine and her family not to breathe.

They are the most wonderful people.
So to the revenge part of this story. A few weeks ago I posted about joking that there are laws in America that birthday people should not make their own cakes and that Narine had a concerned look on her face because my American humor was failing. When I explained the joke, she understood. Yesterday, as we were walking, I asked if I could still visit when I moved down the hill. With a very serious look, Narine told me there was a law in Armenia that if you moved away from your friends, you could never visit again. For that half a second, I believed her and she laughed. She said she was learning about American humor from me. I laughed because she got her revenge on me. It was served so cold, so unexpected. Thank you Narine for the wonderful laugh at my own expense.Oh yeah, while on the walk, I slipped in the mud and fell on my behind. I laughed more than she did and used words I should not learn in Armenian.

12.   July 4: Well, by the time most of my American friends read this, it will be the Fourth of July, U.S. Independence Day. In Armenia, it is Wednesday and we are at work. My team told me to take the day off if I wanted but it seems better to be here representing the country I love in a positive light, which is a primary reason for being here. I think this mission is especially important right now as there is so much confusion in the world about what America stands for in these political times. I want to show that most Americans want a better world and care about the well being of people throughout the world. I took an oath to defend the Constitution and I do not need barbecue (although it would taste very good) and fireworks to celebrate my country. I am celebrating it by representing you, my American friends and family. So tonight, when you are watching fireworks after a baseball game, sipping on some cold beer and having a nice Memphis style pulled pork sandwich, think of me and all the others in the military, Peace Corps, or some other service who cannot be with you tonight because we are proving to the World that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal". Happy Fourth, love you all.

13. Especially to all my Louisiana family and friends. Another adventure with Hasmik last night. We visited a winery that specializes in Champagne and Cognac at the end of the day but the owner insisted we stay for dinner. He had this giant pot which he filled with tomatoes, onion, peppers, hot peppers and, forgive me, a recently slaughtered lamb. The giant pot was put over an open fire in the yard of the winery and he poured beer and cognac in before he put the lid on. I immediately thought of how many Louisiana chefs I saw pour beer in their gumbo. This set up would make any Cajun jealous. The picture with the lid off is the final product which was pretty tasty. Not served over rice we just ate the lamb and peppers and roasted vegetables with Lavosh. There was, surprise, much toasting and drinking of Cognac until late in the evening. We talked business of course but the toasts kept getting longer. Roman, Hasmik's son, had it best, or worst. As the driver he did not indulge in the toasting. The dogs frightened Lala a bit but I kept feeding them from the table that was outside in the yard. Mom would have been so mad at me. Another moment where Armenia was very much like Louisiana in a different language.