Jody's Letters from the Road

October 4, 2018      CCD, the NGO for whom I volunteer, was invited to the Autumn Celebration at the Bridge of Hope in Noyemberyan. As I have serendipitously become their official photographer, I asked if I should take the camera.  I was told that the folks at Bridge did not say so but it would probably be appreciated.  I had already done two photo shoots there so it was assumed without asking.  I spent one day earlier with the youngest children there and probably shot close to two hundred pictures.      I wandered over early and found a place in the back of the room where I would have nice access to the "stage area" and also a table where I could keep my lenses for switching back and forth.  To say a stage is quite courteous,  This was their recreation/dining room.  Someone had hung two light blue sheets from the ceiling along a rope that would allow them to be pulled open and shut.  Chairs were out and two rows faced ...

September 21, 2018 was the 27th Independence Day in Armenia.   I celebrated with people in the little town of Noyemberyan.   My dear friend, Narine, texted me in the morning to tell me the times and locations of the various celebrations.   As is true of so many things in Armenia, none of the times she texted me, which were taken from the official city post, were accurate.   I had returned home form my morning walk and was having breakfast and coffee, planning what to do with my day off.   I was going to take pictures somewhere and this gave me a great idea of what to photograph. Now, before I start with this part of the story, I must explain how important something named Independence Day is to me.   A light year ago, I was born at three o’clock in the morning on July 5 th , just missing being born on American Independence Day.   I have heard many terrible stories about my mothers pregnancy and delivery of me but there is one good part.   My mo...

When I first found out that I was coming to Noyemberyan, I did a search on the internet, wouldn’t everyone.   I had never heard of this little town that I am coming to love. The pictures on the Google search showed a little town nestled in a lush green mountain valley.   I have come to find the city is on the hillsides. Everywhere to go is either up or down.   Very memorably was a picture of their new town football field.   The comments told of their stands and they hoped to expand the field.   I was excited to see this field after working so hard to repair the field in Ayntap. When I arrived, I was glad to find out that the field is very close to the building where I work. I walked over to see the field on my second morning.   I was so disappointed when I first saw it.   The field was in a bit of disrepair because of the lack of financial support these towns for upkeep of the infrastructure.   The goal posts were in much better shape than t...

A few days ago, I took pictures of one of my co-workers because another co-worker is designing banners for a job fair they are holding in three weeks.   It was a laughable attempt at my usual quest for photographic professionalism. And it turned my thoughts to a question in my mind about the costumes we wear in our daily lives. I had already purchased a better lens for such portrait and telephoto shots.   I had planned to purchase a nice tripod later but the delivery from America was such a laughable event, I have decided I shall not order anything from usual suppliers again while I am in Armenia.   I asked the team in the conference room if they were was a tripod I could use.   At first there was a bit of a language barrier as no one in the room seemed to understand what I meant by a tripod.   I finally said a stand to hold the camera and they understood but no one knew if they had one. The project leader showed me a photo she wanted me to replicate o...