Postscript- Travel home

So, if you read our last day you realize that I have been going full steam all day long and finally got to bed at 12:30 am on travel home day.

Promptly at 2:45 am my alarm went off telling me it was time to get up to get ready to go. Since I was in a rented apartment someone was coming from Hyur Service at 3:30am to check me out. Unfortunately I overestimated how much time I would need and was bleary eyed but ready at 3:10am. 20 minutes to go.....I laid back down on my bed realizing that the doorbell would definately wake me up...zzzzz.....it did! Promptly at 3:30 both the Hyur Service person and Melik showed up.

Check out complete, no complaints about 5 bags of garbage in the kitchen and a few items just left as is. (Ice cream in the freezer, blueberries rehydrated in vodka- chilling in the fridge, dead curling iron left in the cupboard, a few other miscellaneous but it wasn't trashed.) Melik and I carried down my tote bag, suitcase and carry on  to the bus and were done with it.

Round the corner to the hotel where Lauren was the only lonely soul in the lobby aside from the counter clerk and the doorman. I ran up to her room and slipped a note under the door with the tip for the floor lady to cover the team for Kristyna to disperse as she and Jirka were staying a bit longer. When I returned Lauren was safely ensconsed in the bus, which BTW still had the food in it from last nights apartment dinner leftovers! Melik assured me his next stop was to deliver the food to the office.

Off we headed to the airport. Melik dropped us at the door and went to park. Good thing! It seemed that my carry on luggage was too big to carry on! Having paid to bring a second checked bag in I was not going to pay for my carry on to be checked. Melik helped argue my case and they checked the bags. With a little more convincing they were willing to check them all the way through to Grand Rapids. (I had booked 2 separate flights GRR to JFK and separately JFK to EVN to save about $300, but on connected carriers.)

It was about 4:30am and our flight was at 6. We headed through security. Lauren had also had to have her carry on bag checked so she was really down to minimalist carry on- her kindle and her waist pack. I had pulled my computer and prayed that my carry on had been packed well enough to protect everything inside. I was already carrying a tote with my purse and a book in it and a second tote with a framed painting given to me by my good friend Armine. It was a bit awkward to carry but not too big to have been able to bring home.

First flight about 5+ hours to Moscow- breakfast included. salmon salad, bread, and a cake like dessert.  Not my typical breakfast foods. Lauren and I were not seated to gether. I was seated by a little Russian speaking woman. Evidently it was her first flight. She didn't know how to enter the bathroom, how to use the headphones, little things that I could help her with nonverbally. We did manage to use a little Armenian to communicate a bit as the flight went on. I managed perhaps an hour nap, perhaps. Disembarking was definately lighter than I am used to! Through the gate for transfers and off to wait for the next flight. Through security again-yes. My little friend followed along and I helped make sure she got to the right place to head to Amsterdam.

Next flight was 10 hours, 8 time zones and we would be in New York, New York, USA. The flight departs at 12:30pm and arrives at 2:20pm. It seems kind of crazy! Again we were not seated together but were just up the aisle from each other. I caught a brief nap before drinks came along preceding lunch. Always Order water AND something else. Ginger Ale is a favorite and so is Bloody Mary mix but they have neither on Aeroflot so I opt for Apple juice. Lunch is a choice of lamb or fish. Lamb please. It comes in a gravy with some oven roasted veggies, a small salad, bread and a chocolate dessert. It is passable. I watch a movie waiting for the sleepies to kick in again.

I finally nod off for about an hour to an hour and a half, or so it seems, before I wake up again. Potty break and request for more water from the stewards in the back. Getting up to stretch feels good. WHen I return I decide I am too awake to sleep so I find another movie to watch. Since each seat has it's own screen and many choices of options it's easy to watch whatever you want, whenever you want. Movies round 2.

I try for another short nap only to be woken up with the next round of drinks preceding dinner, or whatever meal it is. By the time the meal arrives there is only one choice-fish. Whatever....but it turns out to be a nice chunk of Salmon on veggies, with salad and bread. The dessert is a rather dry cake. I nibble, not finishing anything. After all, I haven't done anything to work up an appetite, just sat there.

Arriving at JFK, Lauren and I go through the long line for customs. It reminds us of the favorite ride at an amusement park on a popular day. We pick up our luggage and everything seems to be intact. I grab my toothbrush and contact stuff out of the wetpouch with high expectations. My mouth can hardly wait! We go through customs without a hitch. I recheck my bags and say goodbye to Lauren. Her Mom spots us and comes to greet me and express her appreciation for me taking Lauren on this adventure. I tell her it has been my pleasure! Lauren was a great team mate to have along!

I head off to check in at the Delta counter for my remaining 2 flights home. I have about a 4 1/2 hour layover. It takes about an hour and a half to find my way from one terminal to the next, check in and make my way to the gate. Of course it didn't help that I got stuck for 1/2 hour behind a group of 12 Taiwanese refugees who didn't speak English, didn't know what to do and who's aid was running back and forth between them and another group in a different location. Then I found out I was in the wrong place. Opps!

As my boarding time approached I realized that I would not get food on this flight and I was feeling slightly hungry for a change. I tried Burger King, but unfortunately had waited too long and their service was too slow. I left, empty handed, to become the last one to board. It was about 2 1/2 hours to Detroit on Gingerale and Peanuts. I survived and managed another nap.

It was a quick turn around in Detroit and I was on my last flight home! WOOHOO! And there we sat on the runway....and sat....and sat. We were 15th in line to take off. Yawn! I think I nodded off before we actually took off. Arrived home close to ontime at 10:50pm. My body's clock said it was 7am the day after I left Armenia on 2 hours 15 minutes of sleep(and a few naps). Dan picked me up and 20 minutes later I was home.

After a brief visit with Dan and Nick, phone call to Alicia and a brief amount of unpacking it was lights out around 12:30. That bed had never felt sweeter!

Bosovich team's last day together in Armenia

Monday, August 6th, 2012
      Today our plans are to go to Garni and Geghard, lunch near Geghard and then some free time before dinner at my place.
     9:30am pick up as usual. We have an interpreter and local volunteer, Nune Hakobyan, along to share information about the historic sites we are visiting today. Garni is the only remaining pagan temple left in Armenia. Though most pagan temples were destroyed after Armenia became a Christian nation, Garni was originally preserved because the king had married there. It has a fabulous view of the gorge below including some well preseved basalt columns on a facing cliffside.

      Outside of the gates many vendors are set up to sell homemade preserves, fruit lavash, walnut soujuk, dried fruits and nuts. A unique favorite of mine is the young whole walnuts in the husk that have been boiled whole in a spiced sweet preserves that are very delicious.

Then we climb back onboard the bus and head for Geghard, a monastery that was orginially carved completely out of a huge single rock. On the way we stop to order lunch at the closest cliffside restaurant to Geghard. It is new within the past year. With Melik, our driver's help I order pork khorovatz(grilled), bread, summer salad, yogurt, a bit of cheese and some rice. We request food for 8 people thought the table will be set for 10. (Kristyna is not feeling well so she and Jirka have stayed behind for her to recover. Bill has chosen to stay back to spend more time with his former exchange student, Hasmik, but we have the addition of Nune and Taron, another new friend, and of course, Melik) Though our number remains the same we ask for less food because we ALWAYS have too much food. They say it will be ready in an hour. Perfect.

   Off we head to explore Geghard. There are many different buildings to explore in Geghard plus a little trail to a cave with a nice view back to Geghard.  My personal favorite part of Geghard is a smaller cave above the main rooms. It has a small hole that allows you to peer down to a larger room below for some cool picture opportunities. Even better though are the perfect accoustics. Each time I go I feel the strong urge to sing something and relish the reverberations! Today I sing one verse of "Amazing Grace," which lends itself beautifully. Before leaving I must sing once again, and choose "Sacntuary."

    When everyone has had the chance to see everything we head back out and I buy some Gata, a delicious round flat loaf filled with a sweet layer of goodness. Several others make purchases from other vendors and we head back to the bus to go to lunch.

   We arrive at the restaurant, wash up and have a seat at the table overlooking the ravine. They have taken the libery of adding a vegetable khorovatz to our menu request and the rather bland rice dish fills 2 8x12 pans....for 8 people! The meat comes last, the expectation being that each person will eat 4 large chunks of meat the size of a small fist. Not happening! So at the end of our meal we have them pack up leftovers of everything except the rice. It will fill out tonights dinner or go to the office for tomorrow's lunch! A huge 2 bags of leftovers!

    When we returned the team got their first real taste of freedom for several hours. My cooking team was due to join me in the apartment around 5:30-6 for an 8pm dinner, so they had about 3 hours and the rest had about 5 hours!

I didn't waste any time and got down starting the food prep. Fortunately I talked Melik into helping me! (Man of many talents-Concrete guru, Bus driver, mechanic, plastermaster, prankster and now cook!) We started at 3:30 cooking the last of the chicken for the chicken rollups, prepping peach cobbler, apple crisp, salsa, taboule, cooking a vegetable mess from the khorovatz veggies from lunch with some chopped herbs and onions mixed in (Melik's specialty). We were still going strong when the team cooks started to arrive between 6 and 6:30. Cooking continued right up til moving and setting the table and sitting down at 8pm with the Fuller Center Staff to dinner for 14 people.

In true Armenian style there was way too much food. In the end all leftovers were packed up and sent off to the office to be lunch for the next week I think!. We toasted with wine, a little homemade vodka and "Teacher's" Scotch-whiskey, a gift from my team in honor of me being a teacher of sorts. I passed out photos as a thank you to my team and some fun gifts to our great staff. The staff passed out gifts and certificates to the team and we all expressed our appreciation. After the food was packed the staff and some of the team mates departed.

Several of us stayed for some extended celebrating and dancing. As 11pm came and went things wound down as we realized tomorrow we would part on our separate flights and should finish last packing and get a few winks. After starting the dishwasher and making sure I was down to the last essentials I climbed into bed at 12:30 with the alarm set for 2:45 am. Augh!

SUnday August 5th- Echmiadzin & Vernisage

Sunday is for sightseeing staring with Echmaidzin, the Holy City for Armenians. It is where the seat of the Armenian church is, the Holy Katholikos, their version of the Pope in Rome. It is a very large complex with many buildings to house the priests, provide classrooms for education, museums for precious artifacts.... Every year I've gone there seems to have been more construction going as this year also proves true.

We went into the sanctuary but services had not started yet. It was not very crowded for a Sunday morning though there was a large group a distance away, probably waiting for services to begin. Several team mates light candles in rememberance of loved ones passed away. When we finished we made a pit stop in the souvenir shop. I had been requested to replace a cross purchased here for a former team mate whos previous one had been stolen. (Katie, I have it!) :-)

Afterwards we went to the huge Grand Candy store near the Matenadaran. Lots of wonderful choices and a Grand Candy bakery next door, where I picked up a batch of half chocolate, half vanilla creme filled Armenian doughnuts. These would be our dessert after lunch. I had never had one before and wouldn't have known about it except for Vartuhi, our interpreter's guidance. Good choice. Of course lots of purchases were made...by the kilos! Having been to vernisage I volunteered to bring the candy back to my apartment to avoid melting while the rest of them shopped.

Next stop, lunch at Square one, a nice American fare restaurant. A bit pricey-er(?) after half the team ordered milkshakes or smoothies on top of their meals but they sure did enjoy it! Hamburgers, Pizza and breakfast omelets and the like landed in front of everyone and they dug in heartily. At the end donuts went around and even those who were full had to at least try an Armenian donut. It was a good choice!

The team went off to the vernisage with the guidance of Hasmik, Taron and Nune for souvenir shopping. I headed up to the apartment- 4 flights up- with what felt like 50# of candy in my backpack and hands. Then I turned around back down to do some shopping for our farewell dinner at the apt on Monday.

I know they were probably overwhelmed with all that vernisage had to offer: old books and carpets, new t-shirts, scarves, hand-embroidered tablecloths, jewelry, Ornately Carved wooded Nardi/Tavlo/Backgammon  boards and other wooden creations, CLocks, Salt bowls and shakers, glassware and Jazzve pots, Cd's, keychains, Postcards and bookmarks, Khorovatz swords, Paintings, artist supplies,Carved wood and toof and obsidian, and so much more to choose from multiple vendors all vying for ones attentions and money.

Of course the heat would make it less desirable to spend too much time, which was good because we were getting picked up at 4pm to go to a House Blessing that evening. The house was about the same distance away but not near to our family's house. It was a family of 4 with a daughter and son about 8-10 years old.

This was a combined effort with a local TV station who videoed the ceremony and then interview the family, staff and I as team leader. WHen they found out that none of us had actually worked on this particular home, they kept it short, I spoke to the fact that volunteers come to work on homes wherever the option is available to us and that we were happy to help bring this family's journey towards homeownership to it's official conclusion.

Dinner was piled high on the table, Khorovatz meat and vegetables, boiled lamb, salads, and fruits, candy and cakes for dessert.  As usual we all ate too much. Toasts were made by several of us with wine and vodka and around 8pm we got ready to  head back to Yerevan. At the last minute I remembered my glow sticks. I had 4 glow necklaces which I distributed to the 2 kids, , mom and Grandmother. Then I gave a package of 15 bracelets to the daughter, Geghetsik, meaning Beautiful, whose lovely eyes lit up with delight. SO glad I remembered I'd brought them!

After we returned and had a reminder that tomorrow we would again meet at 9:30 for pick up, everyone headed to bed and I climbed back up my 4 flights to the apartment. I should have really great legs when we get back after all the walking and stair climbing I've done this past month!!!


by Susan Bosovich

August 4th Saturday by Susan Bosovich

Today we are working with our 3rd family in Udin village. There is a mother, father, daughter Ani and son, Hovakim who is the same age as our youngest 2 girls. Nice that he is very cute as well. We also have three local volunteers, Nune(who had joined my team last year), Taron, and Hasmik. Our job is to haul toof to the roof- Bucket brigade!

Lauren and I join the father and the son in the roof to pour the toof. It is nice and open so we are protected by the tin roof but open at both ends to receive a breeze. Evidently it is very hot down below and "Hing rope" or five minutes is called frequently as they gulp water and change up positions for shoveling and passing and pouring into the buckets which are hauled up by rope.

We stop for a lunch of eggplant slices crisscrossed over a dolma style meat mixture- which Taron, one of our locals has never eaten before but decides he likes it. Plus salads and bread and other  delicious dishes which fill us up. Then we switch up places so that others can have reprieve from the heat. The shade is creeping over the passing zone offering more relief as well.

Frequently we switch up places during a 5 minute break. Around 3 pm Gohar V says we should stop and have coffee break and be done. Slave Driver that I am a climb back up the ladder to see the progress. We are so close to being done! I suggest that after break we continue for another 30-45 minutes to finish the job. The team agrees and we are able to finish insulating the roof. It's a good feeling to know we finished the job!

Since it seems that we ALWAYS have too much food wherever we eat, we are changing it up and going for Lahmajoon- Armenian style fast food pizza! It is a big hit with everyone! Though no one is hungry enough to order a second 2 from the group order a chicken sandwich as well. It is nothing like what you are imagining right now. It was a wrap with all sorts of other things inside as well as chicken.

Hasmik, Bill's former exchange student daughter, meet's up with Tamar, they are going to a Karaoke club with Taron and Nune after dinner. It seems they are going for dancing not to sing karaoke. The rest of us walk back with a pit stop at a local souvenir shop. After several purchases we head back and call it a night.

Unfortunately it is time to think about packing up. I have delivered an entire suitcase of goods to Armine for her family so I am down one piece of luggage. I was hoping to leave the other as well, but as I look at all the souvenirs I realize I have to pack the large one AND the carry on in order to fit everything! 3 bottles of "wine" for instance, a wooden bowl. duduk instrument, backpack from a carpet, Grand Candy, a pile of obsidian rocks, a wine stand, 2 doorstop mice, 2 jewelry pouches, 2 Armenian coffee cups and saucers, a Fuller Center Armenia clock, etc... on top of the things I was already bringing home- a few pieces of clothing (required to wrap around and protect items) my mini printer with which we had printed out pics for a scrapbook for our main family, the Haroutunyans,et al.

So much for compactness! I also have to carry with me a framed "painting," 3-d made out of Armenian clay/dirt. given to me by my good friend Armine, as it would not fit the luggage safely. Too much risk that it would be damaged in baggage handling.

So after organizing much of it, I still didn't get to bed much before midnight. Only 2 days of sightseeing then a very early departure for home.

Paro Lighthouse and work

Blog – 2 Aug 12

This morning we start off headed to the Lighthouse Palos – like where is a lighthouse in this landlocked country. Turns out it is a home for abused women. This foundation is he only one of its kind in Armenia and serves women throughout the country. It is a model organization which depends on contributions mostly from the US. What they have been able to accomplish is amazing. The women and children are given dental and health care. They provided with education, counseling, sewing and computer skill and religious educations. Currently they are building a chapel on the grounds.

Off to work – hard to believe that tomorrow will be our last day on this site as our last building day we will be a a different site. Today we will be working on another house. We are joined today by a group of Armenia (mostly college age) from the west coast. Two were from Fresno – and Gary knew friends of friends of theirs (what’s new) and two of the girls had been to a wedding that Gary and Judy attended last September – small world. They will be with us for two days.

We accomplished a lot of cement work today (say bucket brigade) and also added touf to the attic (this is a light weight rock used as insulation. Wheelbarrows and buckets full of these rocks are transported to below the attic, then buckets are hoisted up then team members in the attic spread it out (again bucket brigade style). The temperature in the high 90’s.

We return for a quick shower and a 25 minute stroll thru central Yerevan to our dinner. Delicious local food highlighted by a veal dish, the family’s recipe, topped with a sour cherry compote. The owner tells us that dish was from his grandmother and only available at his restaurant and his brother’s place in Canada.

We returned to the hotel after a slow walk thru central Yerevan, bustling with people even at 10 PM. Many stores are open, the restaurants are full. In the central square there is a light/water/music show every night from about 8-11 during the summer. There are always thousands of families, young and old folks there every evening and we never get tired of being a part of this evening show.

Getting behind- apologies.

So we're getting behind again. We've had 2 days working with our main family and one day of working with a third family. Today we are sightseeing. Official word to come later.

August 1st Return to Yerevan

August 1st, 2012 Return from Yeghegnadzor. By Susan Bosovich
It is funny how our world gets smaller by the little things. Armine's mother's B&B was booked for the extra night we stayed in Yeghegnadzor in order to work with another family in Areni village, back door neighbors to my very first builkd in Armenia in 2006. Because their B&B was booked we shifted to Armine's grandmother's B&B in nearby Chivas village....Which happened to be the place my husband and I had gone to for a wedding reception for Armine's cousin in 2010. Familiar memories came flooding back.
6 of us stayed here and the remaining 5 went to Armine's cousin's B&B nearby. We were greeted with homemade wine and vodka toasts with a few refreshments as we took turns using the single shower to clean up for dinner back at the big house. Again, when we returned from the big houseafter having enjoyed a lovely gardenside dinner, we were greeted
with a smorgasbord and more toasting before finally getting to bed. It was absolutely lovely and they remembered me from the wedding.
In the morning of the 1st, we had a lovely breakfast back under the outdoor awning where we had x been toasting the previous night- delicious. At 9:55am we were packed and headed for the big house to pick up the rest of the team. And we were off for lake Sevan via Selim pass. We stopped at Selim caravanserai, one of the best remaining camel stand from the days of the silk road transportation of goods.
It was a wonderful view despite a hazy distant view. There was a farmer with his herd of cows and another with his flock of sheep on the hillsides around us. It was an interesting structure as well which remains in good repair after centuries.
We continued on our way to lunch on lake Sevan. A new restaurant which had a place to wade and swim. Jirka, Kristyna, Tamar, Molly and Jill all decided to take a swim and felt very envigorated by it even though it was a bit cold. We enjoyed a lunch of fish and pork and fries with some salad and bread.
Then we proceeded to where we could climb to Sevanavank. Jirka, Kristyna, Tamar, Lauren and I climbed way out to the farthest point where we saw the Presidents summer house closed off from the public. There was a group of men who were there also. They invited us to join them in some shots of vodka with lavash and tomatoes and cheese. We made some new Armenian friends in that brief time.
As it was cold there were many less artists on the hillside today but the toof carver was among them.

We continued on to Yerevan, and though we were still full from lunch, managed to put a good dent into dinner at the Color of Pomegranate restaurant! It is amazing that when food is put in front of us we can find room, even if we just graze our way through it. Personally I am looking forward to UNscheduled dinners!