My host mother and my birthday!!
Trip Start
Jan 15, 2005
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Trip End
Apr 27, 2006
Hello Everyone! So, my host mom (Amma) and I have the same birthday (July 21) My village had planned to have a party for me on this past sunday but, my host family was going to Lake Sevan to celebrate Amma's birthday. What could I do? I had to go to Lake Sevan. My village trainees did have Mexican Night without me and I hear they had a good time. That's good. So, Friday my host father (Hamlet) brewed some homemade vodka. Yup, he has a big ole distiller and was out in the yard with his brother brewing some raspberry flavored vodka. I was encouraged to try some. It was good. It went down smooth. So, I figured on Sunday, I would be okay drinking this. He made GALLONS of the stuff. We still have about 10 liters of it left. Sunday morning the family gathers and loads up the van with food, lemonade, mineral water, real plates and glasses, and an axe and some really sharp knives. I thought that was a little strange but figured maybe the axe was for cutting fire wood. My host sister (Sona) got into the back of the van and immediately jumped out and refused to sit in back. I looked in and saw something jump up from the way back behind the seat. Oh my god!! We are killing a goat!! Actually, it was a lamb. Guess where I got to sit? Yup, in the back of the van right in front of the lamb. I felt sick. I was upset! I have never seen an animal slaughtered before. So, at the very beginning of the drive, tears were running down my face because I was so upset about this lamb's life about to be ended. I surprised myself though. After about 10 minutes, I was okay with the idea of the animal becoming our dinner. I am not in America afterall and this is how things are done here. We drive through Dilijan (my future hometown) on the way to the lake. My whole family turned to me and said "Dilijan!!" because they know I will be living there. We have to go through a tunnel through a mountain before we get to the lake. It is the oddest tunnel I have been through so far. A voice speaks all the way through which is a good mile. It is so eerie!! It is telling the weather report for the near the lake. So, we got to Lake Sevan on the Azerbaijani side of the lake and set up the picnic. The air smells like spices near the lake. The men in my family stripped down into their underwear and jumped into the lake. Then, they got out of the water and built a fire and prepared to kill the lamb. They did this behind the cars so that the women would not have to see it happen. At this time, I became very interested in what was happening in the water so I wouldn't have to watch what happened. I hoped and prayed that I wouldn't hear anything either. My neighbor in the village has pigs and I have heard them squeel when they were killed and hate that sound. I have also heard dogs killing dogs at night and just was not looking forward to hearing another animal in agony. Thankfully, the men are skilled and did it quickly and without a sound. WHEW!! I am okay with watching them take the animal apart. And so did watch them do that. I also sat on the beach and watched my family swim and sit on the beach. I pulled out my camera (thanks Chad) and took a picture of them lounging on the beach. Just as I was setting up, four cows wandered down to the water to take a drink. The beach was fairly full of people. I got the cows into the picture with my family. So, the men cooked all the meat and vegatables in their underwear. Yes, I took a picture. HEY, they were in public like that. Then, I asked where the toilet was. I was teased!! Sona's husband told me that I could just go in the lake and all the women laughed and I laughed. So, we ate. And ate. And I drank and drank the homemade vodka with the men. Ugh!! Then, Hamlet went back into the water and encouraged me to join them. So, I went behind the van and changed into the swimsuit while Nellie (Hamlet's neice) held a towel to protect me from prying eyes. Luckily, after having shopped for clothes so many times in bazaars and shutkas, I am no longer shy about changing in front of people. That's a good thing because people around me could see me. Not my family though. I swam in the water. Everyone was impressed! The women in Armenia generally don't know how to swim. I love to swim and was on a swim team for several years. So, I was a better swimmer than even the men. But, I let Sona's husband think that he had taught me how to tread water. After I swam, I sat on the beach with the women with our feet in the water. Later on, while a thunderstorm was across the lake from us, we all danced on the beach to the music from the van's radio. Hamlet, did a handstand. Yes, the men were still in their underwear. Hey, it was just weird. Then, we packed up and drove home. Earlier in the week, I had explained to my Amma that I like crazy people and that was my favorite practicum in nursing school. She said that there is a psychiatric hospital near Sevan and that she would write them and tell them she knows a girl who likes crazy people. She loves to tell that story and laughs everytime. On the ride home from Lake Sevan, she and I danced in our seats in the back of the van and told each other the other one was crazy and laughed and laughed. That night, I was so sick!! I was sick from the meat. I was sick from the vodka. I was sick from the sun and VERY sunburned. My parents called me the next day. I am afraid I was not as talkative as I usually am with them because I was sick. Sorry!! (warning, graphic explaination) On Wednesday, I got home from language class to find Armon, Hamlet, and a friend of Hamlet's around a recently killed pig!! Armon had a small blowtorch in his hand and was scourching the pigs skin. Well, Hamlet is a farmer! But, he doesn't have any pigs. Hmm.... So, I went and got my camera and took pictures of what they were doing. But, I left when I knew they would remove the head and feet. After the head and feet were gone, Armon removed the skin. Amma brought out salt and the men ate the pork rind. I knew I would hate it but, I took some of the skin and dipped it into salt and gave it a small try. YUCK!! But, now I know for sure. Then, they removed all the internal organs. That was impressive because Armon did it in one pull and with everything connected. Well, now I have seen that done. They weighed what was left and then loaded it up into a car and drove it away. I believe someone asked Armon (Hamlet's neice's husband) to butcher the pig. Earlier that day, Kelvin announced that he was going back to America. Kelvin is another village person of mine. We were not surprised. He had been thinking about it for a long time. He has a girlfriend back in the States whom he dearly misses. So... I wish him all the best. It was a difficult decision. Tuesday night, Kelvin's host family threw him a going away party and most of the village went. We had horovats (barbeque) and watermelon and cake and we danced and we looked at all of Kelvin's pictures. Of course, on the way over to Kelvin's house it poured!! I mean poured!! The bottom of my dress was soaked!! When we arrived at Kelvin's house, his mother gave people shows to wear and loaned me a dress. I actually fit into it!! woohoo!! That is most of what has happened this past week. Whew!! OH!! We went and visited a hospital yesterday. Yes, it is a little scary. Most people qualify for the free health care. We saw one of their rooms. Tattered mattress, crumbling floor and now way to call the nurse. Across the hall was a paying patients room. Very nice!! Hospital beds, sheets, nice bathroom, tv. It was culture shock for me. It looked like something from the turn of the century. I also saw a surgery room. One bare light bulb lite the room. It was attached to an old dentist chair. On the other side of the room was the surgery table. Shadows were thrown everywhere and a woman speaking armenian asked us to come into the room. It just felt like a scene from a horror movie. But, yes, they do have the big surgery lamp. Okay. That's it for now! Take care everyone! and congratulations to Heather and Joe!! I am so happy to hear you are expecting again!! Woohoo!! Take care, Laura
