birthday girl

I traveled 4 hours on a mini bus, that is supposed to seat 12 but had no less than 25 people on it, just to see this little babeh-girl and to celebrate her first birthday. The public transportation system has no rules or safety regulations as to how many people one mini bus can fit. It blows me away. I was quite relieved to be with my family from Arzakan for a few days. I followed my host mother all around... picking apples and plums, trying the almonds on the almond tree and deciding they still had a few more weeks until ready, milking the cows, playing rough with their dog Chipo, and watching the rain storm blow in with majestic lightning. It was a big party, with lots of dancing, drinking, and drinking. Homeade vodka...straight from the village.

love/hate

This is the way its done here. 70% of Armenians smoke, and since women don't or rather can't then everyone else does. The ebb and flow of loving this and hating it, is constant. The world, as one of my friends here said "is actually small." The differences between us are a fascintating and frustrating.