Where everyone knows my name

The first thing that I saw when I came to Spitak was a grocery store. At the time it resembled any other store in Armenia other than the fact that it had air conditioning!! I think the first text I sent in Spitak to other Peace Corps volunteers went something like this “omg I am in an air conditioned grocery store!!! Spitak is awesome!”
Well since I have been here this little store has turned into an Americanized grocery store, and I have to say it is awesome!! My favorite thing to do in Spitak is to go grocery shopping! Maybe I shouldn’t share this because everyone laughs at me when I do, but when I get really lonely I go to the grocery store! I feel like all the employees are my friends there. They are so friendly and nice to me. They read the Russian labels and translate them for me. They play with Sophie, who I have been bringing into the store with me since she was small enough to fit in my purse!!! Now she is getting huge, but they still let her come in, she just sits in the cart. People don’t even look at me funny anymore. It’s a normal scene for them to see me pushing Sophie around in the shopping cart.
Also part of me just loves to feel like I am in a modern place; it makes me feel not so isolated. And maybe just maybe I have a little crush on a store employee!! =) Anyways here is a picture my best friend Ash took of my everyday life in Spitak, and trust me I do find a reason to go in there just about every day.