I'm Still Here!!

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  Vanadzor, Armenia
Saturday, July 2, 2005

So, this past Tuesday, I skipped out of language class. Yes, my teachers knew I skipped out. In fact, I had every intention of ET-ing that day and so did a good friend of mine named Kelsey. We came into town and made some phone calls. Then I did a little shopping then we came to the internet and after that, we went and had lunch at the pizza place nearby. Yes, you read right, pizza. Almost like American pizza but not quite. by the time we sat down to lunch, we felt better and more ready to stay. So, a PC staff memmber happened to be at the pizza place and had lunch with us. So, we were able to talk even more about what was happening. I went home. My host parents knew there was something wrong with me in the morning. I got home about lunch time so I had another lunch. My host dad offered me vodka with lunch, so I shrugged my shoulders and thought "why the hell not?" and had a shot of vodka with lunch. Then my host mom took me to my neighbors house who also happens to be my sister-in-law's mother's house. Did you follow that? And we had coffee there and talked about all the trainees in the village and what they eat or don't eat. Yes, in Armenian. I understand more than I can speak. That evening, PC decided to run a practice run of our consolodation procedures. So, my fellow village people trainees went to our teachers house. That was how my village found out that I stayed. They were very happy that I stayed!! Jennifer invited me over to here house that night. She lives with the mayor of our village. So, we went and had some more vodka. The women of the house sat with us while we ate dinner and drank. We are good armenian girls and so do not drink a shot without saying a toast. Well, we talked with the women in her family for a while and Jennifer misprounced something. It turned out she had said the armenian word for ass. As in "move your big ass" And yes, her host-grandmother taught us how to say that exact phrase. So, there Jennifer and I were.... rather tipsy... swearing in Armenian... and encouraging the other women to drink and laugh with/at us. Which they did. I would have missed that if I had gone home. The next morning... there were my families chickens on the railing of the stairs as I left the house. I love seeing them there like that and it always cracks me up when I walk down the stairs and the chickens all panic and try to decide where to run. Wednesday and Thursday, all the trainees gather together to hear the PC administrative things. All day long I was told how happy people where to see that I was still there and how hard of a time it must be for me right now. I also received notes from other trainees. It was amazing!! THEN!! Leina (the director of Pre-service training in Armenia) came over to me and told me that my mother in the states had called PC Washington DC to find out my host parents phone number!! And that my mother would be calling me Thursday night at 7pm and I have to be there for the call. My mother's crazy!! Isn't it great?! She did call Thursday at 7pm. My host parents where in the room and asked me to say hello to my mom and my mom asked me to thank my host parents for looking out for me. So, my mom was able to hear me fumble through my Armenian. I have goals now! Some short term. Some long term. The short term is to get through PST again. The next goal is to go to Georgia and visit Caroline and Travis. After that... I wanna go to either Egypt or India. And then..... I am thinking about getting into shape and hiking to the base camp of Mount Everest. Hmm... I seem to remember seeing a film about that last summer at the Milwaukee Public Museum and I said that I would never do anything like that. Hmm... I believe I am eating my words!! Yup, you read right! I am thinking about hiking to the base camp of mount everest. One of the trainees in my village has gone all over the world hiking and climbing mountains. He seems to think that hiking to the base camp of mount everest is an achievable goal. Besides, I live in a mountainous country... I want to continue losing weight (which I am) and the volunteers here seem to be pretty athletic, why not learn from them? I certainly don't want to run the marathon in Greece. But, walking partway up a mountain I think I can do. So, in less than I an hour, I can pick up the last pictures that I took in uzbekistan. That will be fun. Then I am going to a current volunteers house and having Mexican food for dinner. Thank you to everyone for their support. It is overwhelming how many people around the world are supporting me. One of friends told me that I am ahead of her son in two ways: 1) I know the alphabet already. He has been around for nearly two years now and still doesn't know it 2) I am potty trained. So, yes, I am ahead of a two year old. 19 days to my birthday. I believe it will be better than the last one. OH! on Thursday, I went to the central day and got up in front of everyone and thanked them for their support. I told them there were two reasons why I was staying. One was because of all the support I have gotten and the other reason is because I had been told by a uzbekistan volunteer who had finished his service that I should make sure that one of my projects is about me. I am not finished with my goals for me yet. Besides, I have been informed by the set-designer of the theatre I had worked at for 6 years that if I come home early, I would not be invited to any parties. Smart ass!! Yes YOU Desper!! Take care everyone and thank you again for the support. IT is greatly appreciated! Laura

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