Site Visit and Homesickness

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  Vanadzor, Armenia
Sunday, July 17, 2005

It has been six months since I left America. My mind decided to celebrate that fact by having another mental meltdown, recover from that, but have lingering affects in the way of homesickness. Before when I wasn't sure if I could stay or not, it was not because I was homesick. I didn't miss anyone or anything from America. Well, I miss people but, not enough to think to myself that I wish I could take a quick trip home and see people. Now, I wish I could see people. Oh well. My favorite line from Finding Nemo: Keep swimming! And so I do. I will have a new mailing address soon and will be able to get that out to people so you can send things to my six month host family. So, lemme tell you about this site. If you recall, at my last site, I did not have a bed, my host family had a key to my room and would go into my locked room when I was not there to move their things around. I was served bread and tea for quite a few meals. I was not introduced to the neighbors. This host family in Dilijan: I have a bed. I have sheets. I have meet nearly all the neighbors. My Dilijan Host sister's husband (Max) and Max's mother (Rita) lived in Bukhara!! Rita worked at the Bukhara Technology College. That is where my Bukharan host mother worked!! Rita has a sister who lives in the 5th micro-rayon and described the resturant at the bus stop that I always waited at!! So, Rita's sister lives near my former host family! Too weird. One of my Dilijan neighbors came by and asked if I knew Jake. Jake was a volunteer in Dilijan who just completed his two years. He had also had Zack over to his place while we waited for the new trainees to arrive. So, yes, I knew Jake. Did I know Jake was going to France and then another country and then back to America? Nope. Didn't know that. Did I know Zack? Yup, I knew Zack. Did I know Zack went back to America? Yup! So, the town knows people I know. My counterpart is the Deputy Dean at the Dilijan Medical College. It is a nursing college. Manush (my counterpart) is in charge of the curriculum. Hmm.... Sorta like "Dean of Instruction" but not quite. Hmm.... Sound sorta familiar Ann? Guess what they want me to do!!! They want me to update their library and get them more teaching resources!! AND, give suggestions on new teaching techniques!! AND, get the school hooked up with internet and then teach the students and whoever how to use the internet. This is exciting!! This is also scary because I had a tour of the college (it is a small college. 180 students and 4 floors), some of the instruments they use are from the 50's or 60's. I swear they look like things my Nana would have used when she was practicing nursing. So, that will be a challenge to pull them forward without insulting them. They also are very interested in knowing what I was taught for nursing and how the American nursing education matches up with the Armenian one. Hmm.... I have a background in doing that sort of thing!! Thanks Shelly for training me in how to do that!! So, It is a smaller school than the one I worked at in Bukhara but, they actually need a volunteer. I am not going to be a show pony for the school to display. That is great. In Bukhara, when I went in to meet the Rector of the college, I had to wait in the waiting area outside of his office until I was called in. My counterpart was nervous. She spoke in a whisper. Other people who came into the area spoke in a whisper. When I went in to see him, he was gruff with me and scoulded us for not calling first. He barely let me say Asolam Alaykum before we were ushered back out. (maybe he didn't like my accent?) Later, he came to my department. My department was about 10 minutes away from the main campus. He drove out there, walked into the entrance way and greeted me. The head of my department was all nervous. He introduced me to the Rector and the Rector said he seemed to remember seeing me. Didn't I meet him at his office? And then promptly left and drove back to the main campus. The other time I met him was back in his office where he gave the Peace Corps staff person who was checking my site a severe tongue lashing for not calling for an appointment and ushered us out. But, at the Dilijan Medical College, there is no Rector. It is a very small college, like I said. They have a Dean and then 4 Deputy Deans. The Dean is new. He has only worked there for 6 months. The last Dean wanted nothing to do with Peace Corps. This one is very excited to have me there. I was given a tour of the campus and then taken into his office where he greeted me with a handshake in front of his desk. We sat down and he told me how happy he is that I will be working there. (through and interpretor) He asked if I had any questions and then proceeded to light up a cigarrette and smoke it in his office. Yes, he smokes in his office in a medical college. The irony was not lost on me but I did not crack a smile, or even acknowledge it. I couldn't. Besides, I give Karen enough grief about smoking to last me a while. (Karen is pronounce Kar- in it is a man's name. He is my technical trainer and a doctor who teaches at the Vanadzor Medical College which is also a nursing college. So, he will be my collegue. He is also "related" to me. My Vandazor sister-in-law is a cousin of his. He also had an uncle who lived in Tashkent.) Anyway, I asked way too many questions apparently. I wanted to know about the entrance exam (chemistry and armenian language) and was the college recognized by the Ministry of Education. (didn't get a clear answer on that) and what kind of classes are taught there? At which point I was told I would get all my answers in August. The Dean was laughing when he said that too me while puffing away on his cigarette. It was a good visit. I helped with canning of fruits with my host family. I was able to speak a little Uzbek and Rita (who lived in Bukhara) understood me. AND (here is the main part) my Armenian improved over the last few days!!! I spoke almost entirely in Armenian!! Don't get me wrong! It was simple sentences like: I am tired. I am full. Thank you very much. May I shower? Nareck (the three year old) is so cute. I remember that word. My mother is X years old. She is an administrative assistant. My father is X years old. he is an accountant. My brother is X years old. He is an engineer. Yes, the food is tasty. Yes, I like the food. But, I understood most of what people said to me. Woohoo!! And my Dilijan sister in law (Anna) who is 8 months pregnant, was the most patient with me. She would use my dictionary to help her speak to me. It would take 10 minutes for her to get across that "that neighbor appears to be rude" but when I understood and could repeat it back, she would make a fist above her head and pull it down towards her shoulder while saying in English "YES!!" And other times, she would shake my hand when we had gotten points across. So, good family. Nice house and my counterpart lives down the street. OH!! And Manush's daughter (my counterpart's daughter) has had 3 PC volunteers in a row. She has been a counterpart for 6 years. She is an English teacher who speaks excellent english and has ideas about how to help me help the college and would love it if I have time to help her too but knows that what my time will be like. So, all in all, an excellent site!! I am glad I hung in there. Whew!! Now I don't feel so homesick! A HUGE Hello goes out to a fellow A-13 who was medavaced to the States. Hello JESSE!! He has had quite an adventure. Damaged jaw. Enroute back to the States was in London during the bombings. Ran into a fellow Uzbekistan Volunteer in DC named Sarah. Hello Sarah!! Sarah!! UZ-18's are everywhere in the World now!! hehehehehehe Okay, that's enough for now. I really do feel less homesick. Take care everyone!! 4 Days to my Birthday!! This one WILL be better than my last one! Laura

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