Susan and Fred's Big Adventure: April 2011

One of the wonderful things about being a Peace Corps volunteer is being able to travel in country to see other volunteers. We had our spring break from school the last week of March and I was able to travel nearly all the way to the most southern part of Armenia. Fred was unable to join me on this trip, so I spent 7 consecutive days on marshutni's (small passenger vans), saw much of this amazing country and enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of the volunteers in each town where I stopped. The trip started on Monday, March 20, with a 200 km ride from our town to Yerevan. The next day, I hopped on a marshutni for the 6+ hour ride down to Kapan. It was a 2-dramamine trip for sure, crossing three or four mountain ranges and more switchbacks than I can count. Leaving Yerevan we crossed a wide plain with views of Mt. Ararat and hundreds of nesting storks along the way. This part of the road passes close to the Turkey and Azerbaijan borders. We began to wind our way up through the first set of hills to another open plain with snow fields as far as you could see and mountains in the distance.

We sped past Yeghegnadzor to Goris and finally, about 6 hours later, into the beautiful town of Kapan in the south (about 300 km from Yerevan). The day I arrived I neglected to take out my small camera to catch the spectacular mountain that serves as a backdrop to the town. Unfortunately, the next day everything was shrouded in clouds and fog. Next time. I met up with some other volunteers and we went to a small village outside of town to stay at one of their houses. It reminded me how much I love village life! Anything over 1,000 people and it seems way too big! This small village was perfect, with houses and narrow footpaths cut into the sides of the mountain. My friend's home is heated with a wood stove, although she does have the luxury of hot water.

Thursday I traveled up and down two mountains to the town of Goris about 80 km to the north. Another trip requiring dramamine. Armenian women (and children) are really quite amazing in their ability to quietly throw up into plastic bags as we slide through the switchbacks. Don't know how they do it. And for the most part, the drivers don't stop for anything! Goris is in the mountains with beautiful, craggy peaks surrounding it. The day I arrived it was snowing and we got around 6 inches overnight. I stayed with two volunteers who have been in Armenia for 3 years and who will leave here in June for another 27-month Peace Corps assignment in Mongolia! I can't even begin to imagine what their lives will be like. A wonderful dinner and breakfast with them, and I was off to Sisian, another 50 or so km away. Sisian is down in a valley by a river. Quite a beautiful town, and again I had the wonderful hospitality of another volunteer. Although I do have to say that this was without a doubt the coldest house I have ever stayed in. What possessed me to leave my zero degree sleeping bag behind I will never know! Brrrrr!! But it was still nice to see some people that I don't get a chance to see, and to get a flavor for what their daily life is like.

Friday I left Sisian to meet my friend Pat in her town of Artashat. I had heard about her house but actually seeing it was something else. Some will say that she isn't getting the full Peace Corps experience because she has a brand new apartment with modern appliances, hot water, and new furniture. I for one am thrilled that she has this! And even more thrilled that she opens her doors to traveling volunteers like me. From her balcony there is an amazing view of Mt. Ararat on a clear day. It seems so very close, although it is miles and miles away. But absolutely spectacular when you can see it.

Saturday we got up to head to Yerevan for the Armenia-Russia football (soccer) match. (See Fred's earlier post). Sunday, day 7, I headed back up to our site for the start of the school week. This past weekend (April 9-10) I traveled to Aragatsavan on the Turkey border. Traveling up here from Yerevan you leave the lush growing areas and the apricot trees in full bloom to a landscape devoid of trees--looks sort of like the moon! Again, another fun weekend spent with some other volunteers sharing experiences, eating really good food, laughing and telling stories.

Life continues here with teaching, after school clubs, community clubs, and tutoring. I have applied for a grant to put in an educational greenhouse at the school that will be used as part of the teaching curriculum, and will also sell vegetables and flowers to buy books for underprivileged children. I hope to learn in the next week or so if the project is finally approved (we got conditional approval at the end of March). We continue to love our life here, though it is not without challenges. We are especially grateful to our families and friends who take such good care of us and send us fabulous care packages. Thank you one and all.

Below are some images from the trips.