Armenia 05/30/2010

Armenia is amazing, at least so far. The country is beautiful! It is mountainous and woodsy, not like the dessert I thought it would be. The capital city Yerevan where we flew into is kind of crazy. As you drive away from the airport there are casinos everywhere! But I am told that no one gambles. It is modern and yet post soviet at the same time.
Training has been amazing so far. I cannot say enough about how amazing the 58 people who comprise group A-18 are. I have honestly never met nicer and more eager people in my life, and I know I will and already have made lifelong friends. When my jaw was dislocated I really got to see just how much people care and are willing to help. I had guys willing to carry an extra 50 pound bag so that I didn’t have to worry about it and everyone asked if I was ok, and if they could do anything for me. I even had people asking the kitchen to make me mushy food and bringing it to my room so that I could have something to eat, which is no small feat since we don’t really speak a single word of Armenian yet.
About the food, I wasn’t really worried about it at all, and I was right not to. So far I have only been able to eat one day, but the food has been amazing. So fresh and healthy and yummy! And yes the potatoes are so fantastic!!
The driving is as bad as I heard it would be. Drivers in Armenia are crazy, the roads are bumpy and there are random cows in the road at any given time. Makes for a scary cab ride when your jaw isn’t set.
One thing I was worried about is the language and so far that has been pretty good too. I can even read some words! Sight words, but its cool none the less. We just had our first language class and I didn’t even feel too far behind.
All in all I am so looking forward to my next 2.3 years here. If I was going to leave early it would have been the two days that my jaw was dislocated, if I can survive that, I know I can survive the rest of my time here.
Family I love you, and I miss you. But I am so glad that I am and am not as homesick as I imagined I would be, then again it’s only been a week.