My First Week in Peace Corps

Note to readers: I'm typing this first blogg very quickly since my flashdrive decided to act up, but future blogs will be more carefully written.

So far Peace Corps has been a blast from staging in Philadelphia to PST, or Pre-Service Training, in Armenia it has been more than expected. Our Peace Corps group has about 50 trainees, although a couple have ended their service already. Flying into Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, I was luckily on the right side of the plane and saw everything from the Black Sea to Mount Ararat, which overlooks Yerevan. After landing we all group together and headed to our main camp in a mountain resort. Although it wasn't the most luxurious resort it was definitely less rustic than what I expected. The views in the mountain resort were beautiful and many of us went hiking during the little free time we had.

After 3 days of temporary training at the resort we split into village groups and drove to our main city to meet our host families. My host family was the only one from my host family to arrive and as is the custom in Armenia, I gave him a handshake followed by two kiss on either cheek. After loading up my luggage into my host father's car, which was a 1977 Soviet made sedan that has broken down at least 5 times since I've been here, we headed up to his house.

On the way up from the town school to his house we had to wait for a herd of cows and sheep to pass and ill-repaired roads.

I have little time left so the rest of my post will be rather scattered. About six days per week we language class and so far I'm having a harder time picking up the language than some of my peers. I've had a great time with my host family who has been celebrating my arrival, as well as taking me to many of the surrounding villages. The family consists of a father, mother, grandmother, 21 year old son and a 13 year old daughter. The grandmother will not allow me to leave the house without a big hug and many kisses. The father is playful, but also traditional in the treatment of the other members of the family.

So far at my host families house I have milked a cow, helped skin a lamb for a horavats (barb-e-cue in Armenian, and helped weld a leaky water pipe. Almost all of our food, excluding bottled drink and candy, comes from within 100 yards of the kitchen. Cheese, bread, fruits, vegetable, meats, and eggs all come from the family farm.

So far in the village I have noticed a contrasting mixture of traditional life and technology. My host family has two TVs, one of which is about a 32 inch flat screen. All of the family members besides the tatik (grandmother) have cell phones, and the son's phone is extremly nice with an mp-3 player, high quality video and picture taking abilities. Yet at the same time the family's food supply is almost completely reliant on their own subsistent farming. Most days the son takes all of the livestock to the surrounding hills to graze, while doing this he listens to his mp-3 files on his cell phone.

A traditional family struture is apparent in almost all families in our village with the women taking the role of servant to the father's demands. The men always start eating before the women sit down, if the women even get a chance to sit down throughout the meal. Whether the man wants an ash trey or food the women's reaction is almost instant.

That is all the time I have today, but I'll post again soon with much more information. I miss my family and friends dearly, and I hope everything is going well in the states. Right now I can keep up with the news since my family has CNN international on satellite. I heard Hillary dropped out and there is flooding in Indiana. I hope all of our family is fine in the Mid-West. Also, I hope Melissa is alright I heard she was in the hospital for a little while.

Love,
Mark

Remember this blog is a reflection of my own personal thoughts and reflections and in no way represents the views of the Peace Corps or the United States' government.