Lover's Park, Yervan

Couples sit on benches amongst the trees and waterfalls.
He, oblivious to anything but her.
She looking distracted and bored.

Cafes serve coffee and coke
Families relax and drink in the shade
Lovers ignore them

Young women sit perched on the edges of the bench,
legs crossed,
spiked heels dangling.

Young men sit with arms encircling the waist of the young women.
He nuzzles her neck,
Whispers in her ear.

Her expression says “how long must I endure”?
Perhaps she wants to hang with her girlfriends
or go shopping.

He curries her favor
Looking amorous,
Constantly kissing her cheek or neck

It seems a game,
cat and mouse
Played out by both parties,

The sad part: she seems removed, distant.
He resembles a child,
Angling for mom’s attention

This is not an unknown feeling to me.
This parent child relationship.
It feels cloying

Entrapping
Making me want to scream.
No way out.

The womens faces reflect this old feeling.
They want to be themselves.
Free

The Marzes

Overall I am having a lot of fun here. The work is mixed, frustrating at times. The psychologists who are old timers are not responding well to their role as general counselors and social workers....work that people with no higher education but training by MSF can do. So far they don't get it. The new young ones are adapting. Heads may roll. Oh dear. My plate feels full and I have some disagreement with the "powers that be" on how adherence should run. That causes some days to be stones. However there's glitter in others and good people to work with.

Social life is great. Last weekend was two museums in Yerevan and a 12 hour bus tour outside the city seeing various old churches and monasteries and walking a bit. Dinner out Monday when the new Field Co who arrived for the Marz team. Smart Philippine guy, doctor. Unfortunately I ordered a chicken dish from Georgia I used to like...maybe it was sent overland from Georgia.....sans refrigeration. Anyway I got food poisoning. Yuk.

On a more positive note, there is a light show every night in Yerevan at Republic square. Lots of colored fountains and lights choreographed with a rather odd assortment of music...Edith Piaf and Elvis Presley. Very cool anyway and worth staying up for! And going again as the preogram changes.

This week included a field trip to our Marz programs in Vanadzor and Gyumry. WOW, gorgeous up there . It's a 2 to 21/2 hour trip via Lake Sevan and some winding roads through the mountains. I wish I was based there! Vanadzor is the third largest city but quiet with live music to wake up to, lots of birds, roosters etc. Very bucolic. And in the countryside lots of cows and sheep in the fields...and theroad. Lots of new life as the rolling mountains are totally green with fields and trees. The morning sky and the fressness of the air were a tonic. We had one meal at a restaurant built on the hillside with platforms hanging out over the roiling river.
Amazing.
More later.
J

Mothers Day

The Armenian part of the weekend involved exploring some of the city. Megan had heard of a market in Shengavit, a district of Yerevan, so we took the Metro and ventured off to find it The vegetables and fruits were amazing. I couldn’t resist some asparagus but it was really bitter. In the afternoon we walked to the city center to see the big weekend market., I forget the name, but it’s a combination of flea market, selling everything from old electrical fittings to old sewing machine parts to old dishes and glassware. The rest is arts and crafts like jewelry and pocketbooks, paintings, carvings, etc. Pretty cool place for souvenirs. My gut still hadn’t regained its composure so I was pretty pooped by the end of the day.

On Sunday I started out by myself to locate a couple of museums, and perhaps visit one, Fate had its way and I stumbled on the weekend art festival in the park. That detoured me for at least an hour looking at the various paintings. The day was warm and sunny so it was quite lovely. I returned home at 1pm to meet up with Shahid and Megan. We walked to the “Cascades”, a monument of wide stairs that includes small museums, fountains and sculpture along the way. This Sunday in Armenia celebrates Victory Day rather than Mother’s Day. Various dances and performances went on all afternoon. A few veterans from WW II were present in suits with their medals and decorations on display. I didn’t.count the stairs but we took several breaks along the way up for photos and breathing. There is an elevator and an escalator but that would be too wimpy. At the top, by the monument of Mother Armenia, there were many wreaths and bouquets of flowers….a really beautiful memorial. And also an amusement park.! It took a bit of convincing to get Shahid on the ferris wheel but he eventually agreed. That was my treat. Shahid bought us some popcorn and Megan indulged in pink cotton candy…another new experience for Shahid.

I’ll try again to attach a few photos to this. Pics didn't work. I'll try in a separate one.

some pics

Here's some pics. I'll get some inside ones for next week and a picture of "the team" after Luis returns on Weds.

Home Sweet Home is now the top floor right apartment (the one with the sagging canopy:)) It's a bit tired but entirely functional and has some soul from all the people who pass through.

The ribbons are on a NY church and always a somber reminder of war. The line keeps growing.

The views are taken from either my bedroom window or the "decks".

I haven't figured out adding pictures very well yet so they are mis-ordered....

Later,

Jean