One of the best aspects of the trip to the south was staying with PCVs at every stop. Peace Corps Armenia did a great job of telling the PCVs that we were coming and to be welcoming towards us - they have been extremely friendly (even if one of them said it's because they're all tired of each other's stories and eager for new blood). The PCVs who hosted us were great; it was nice to get a slice of volunteer life. I can't say that I'm tired of my home stay, but I went out to Artbridge for breakfast with a PCV earlier this week, and I felt as if I had gotten out of prison. Sometimes, "how was your day?" and "what time do you want breakfast?" is just more conversation than I want to have. And then I feel like bad company when I spend most of my time alone in my room or I stay out because I can't just go home, drop off my stuff and go back out. Fortunately, as I mentioned this to yet another PCV the other day, she said that everyone feels like that in home stay!
The PCVs here all live in furnished apartments - there are enough emigrants whose families hold onto their apartments that there are plenty of furnished apartments available. So most PCVs already have a bed, dresser, couch, table and chairs, and complete kitchen setup. The settling-in allowance that they get, then, is enough to get a little extra - maybe some bookshelves or (what I spent a chunk of mine on) an internet stick. Very different from the situation in Morocco, where most of us had empty apartments and then furnished them. The PCVs we visited all had water for only part of the day. I didn't bring soap because I didn't anticipate showering, but two of them had electric hot water heaters so shower I did! Peace Corps supplies the canister of cooking gas here - a remnant from the first post-Soviet groups, when gas was in extremely short supply. The first two places we visited were cold - in fact, Kapan was so cold that it reminded me of my winters in Morocco; the Goris PCV kept the heat high in her one heated room, and it was a welcome relief. Still, two of three nights I barely slept; I was glad to get back to my home stay bed, which is comfy and cozy (I also missed my white noise machine, with its sound of ocean surf).
Our first night, I brought out my three decks of cards in order to spread piffle across Armenia; we also played Bananagrams. So much of my Morocco experience included decks of cards - not that I can't have anyone over for cards while in home stay, but I haven't yet. It was a fun evening. The second and third nights we did a lot of talking - another thing about Peace Corps life that I haven't had that much of here. It was good to get some background about the NGOs and about Peace Corps Armenia - some issues are country-specific and some seem to be the same everywhere! Particularly memorable was the breakfast we cooked in Kapan - French toast and hash browns. Again, some of my great Peace Corps memories involve cooking with other PCVs! In all of these towns, there are several PCVs (a very different placement strategy here); the night we were in Goris, there was a birthday celebration for one of them so several PCVs from the area met at a restaurant for dinner.
In the Philippines, most of the time when I traveled I stayed in hotels; here, because it is less touristed than the other countries in which I've served, staying with a PCV may be the most attractive or perhaps even the only option. Many places of interest can be visited on day trips, so I don't know how often I will stay with people, but I've met a few people of interest now, and I may end up traveling to spend time with them. Again, we shall see! Already this week there are signs of spring; in fact, Armenians consider March 1 the first day of spring. I know it is still snowing outside of Yerevan, but here we have seen more sun this week than we have since I arrived. In midday it is too warm for my winter coat and boots. Already there seem to be more people out. Ararat is still mostly hidden, but it's clear enough here to look in the mountain's direction to see if you can see it. The scores of outdoor cafes are still closed; when they open, the city will be transformed. But it's definitely in the air.
One of the best aspects of the trip to the south was staying with PCVs at every stop. Peace Corps Armenia did a great job of telling the PCVs that we were coming and to be welcoming towards us - they have been extremely friendly (even if one of them said it's because they're all tired of each other's stories and eager for new blood). The PCVs who hosted us were great; it was nice to get a slice of volunteer life. I can't say that I'm tired of my home stay, but I went out to Artbridge for breakfast with a PCV earlier this week, and I felt as if I had gotten out of prison. Sometimes, "how was your day?" and "what time do you want breakfast?" is just more conversation than I want to have. And then I feel like bad company when I spend most of my time alone in my room or I stay out because I can't just go home, drop off my stuff and go back out. Fortunately, as I mentioned this to yet another PCV the other day, she said that everyone feels like that in home stay!
The PCVs here all live in furnished apartments - there are enough emigrants whose families hold onto their apartments that there are plenty of furnished apartments available. So most PCVs already have a bed, dresser, couch, table and chairs, and complete kitchen setup. The settling-in allowance that they get, then, is enough to get a little extra - maybe some bookshelves or (what I spent a chunk of mine on) an internet stick. Very different from the situation in Morocco, where most of us had empty apartments and then furnished them. The PCVs we visited all had water for only part of the day. I didn't bring soap because I didn't anticipate showering, but two of them had electric hot water heaters so shower I did! Peace Corps supplies the canister of cooking gas here - a remnant from the first post-Soviet groups, when gas was in extremely short supply. The first two places we visited were cold - in fact, Kapan was so cold that it reminded me of my winters in Morocco; the Goris PCV kept the heat high in her one heated room, and it was a welcome relief. Still, two of three nights I barely slept; I was glad to get back to my home stay bed, which is comfy and cozy (I also missed my white noise machine, with its sound of ocean surf).
Our first night, I brought out my three decks of cards in order to spread piffle across Armenia; we also played Bananagrams. So much of my Morocco experience included decks of cards - not that I can't have anyone over for cards while in home stay, but I haven't yet. It was a fun evening. The second and third nights we did a lot of talking - another thing about Peace Corps life that I haven't had that much of here. It was good to get some background about the NGOs and about Peace Corps Armenia - some issues are country-specific and some seem to be the same everywhere! Particularly memorable was the breakfast we cooked in Kapan - French toast and hash browns. Again, some of my great Peace Corps memories involve cooking with other PCVs! In all of these towns, there are several PCVs (a very different placement strategy here); the night we were in Goris, there was a birthday celebration for one of them so several PCVs from the area met at a restaurant for dinner. 
In the Philippines, most of the time when I traveled I stayed in hotels; here, because it is less touristed than the other countries in which I've served, staying with a PCV may be the most attractive or perhaps even the only option. Many places of interest can be visited on day trips, so I don't know how often I will stay with people, but I've met a few people of interest now, and I may end up traveling to spend time with them. Again, we shall see! Already this week there are signs of spring; in fact, Armenians consider March 1 the first day of spring. I know it is still snowing outside of Yerevan, but here we have seen more sun this week than we have since I arrived. In midday it is too warm for my winter coat and boots. Already there seem to be more people out. Ararat is still mostly hidden, but it's clear enough here to look in the mountain's direction to see if you can see it. The scores of outdoor cafes are still closed; when they open, the city will be transformed. But it's definitely in the air.
Here comes the sun!!!
ReplyDeleteI may have worn the boots for the last time this winter, too! Not yet for the coat and gloves, but it's getting there!
ReplyDelete