• First up is
host mom Rozanne. Just like the
amazing Eve Hamlin, Rozanne just about does it all! She’s a trained architect but no longer works as such. Instead, she helps design and make
products sold in my host sister’s shop down the street (more on that
later). She’s a master seamstress,
knitter, you name it. Most
recently she’s been working on making a spring jacket out of a bunch of old
sweaters. She also takes the
mantra food is love to a whole new level.
The minute I walk in the door no matter the time of day or if I’ve been
at home for a while and appear unoccupied, she’ll ask if I’m hungry. If I say yes (sometimes this is a
mistake) a feast which would feed at least three will appear on the table for
me in a matter of minutes. This
will no doubt result in the Armenian eighteen (as opposed to the freshman
fifteen). And despite her lack of
English and my lack of Armenian, Rozanne and I are great at communicating
through gestures, facial expressions, etc.
• Next up is
host dad Surik. I’m not entirely
sure on what he does, but I think he works at a hotel in Yerevan as an
electrician. In Armenia there is
quite a difference in the division of labor between husband and wife, and by
American standards one might think Surik doesn’t pull his weight. But he does his part by bringing home
the bacon, and I can tell that he’s a very loving husband and father. He’s calm and quite, a fantastic
pianist, and I’m convinced he knows more English than he lets on. Yesterday was his birthday, and in
typical Armenian fashion we enjoyed a huge feast with family and friends in
celebration. There was plenty of
food, vodka, and toasting to family, friends, and good health.
• Third up to
bat we’ve got sister Sofa. Sofa is
17 and in her first year of university where she studies geography. (You’re probably thinking 17 and in
university??? Wow! It turns out
Armenian schools did not have 11th or 12th grade until a
few years ago, so students went straight to college after 10th
grade.) Sofa’s English is great
and she lives at home, which is good for me, as she acts as the resident
translator when needed. So far,
Sofa and I get along great, and we bond over watching the X Factor, Project
Runway, and movies dubbed in Russian.
• And batting
cleanup is sister Sona! Sona is
almost 22, she’s married, and she lives with her husband down the street. She comes over occasionally, but I also
go visit her at her new business down the street if I have some extra time on
my way home. She’s an aspiring
designer, and she’s currently in graduate school studying graphic design. Her shop sells a little bit of
everything, including pillows, notebooks, jewelry, and more, all made by her or
Rozanne. The store has only been
open for five months, but it seems like things are off to a good start. Having a husband and business at 22 is
certainly not what I’ve had in my early 20s, and in some ways I’m envious of
her firm direction at this point in her life.
So that’s the fam!
I’m looking forward to getting to know them better and be able to tell
them more than just I am tired and I am full in Armenian…
It’s hard to believe tomorrow is Friday! It was a short work week this
week. Armenian Army Day was on
Tuesday (equivalent to Veterans’ Day I think) so we had both Monday and Tuesday
off. Looking forward to
cross-country skiing this weekend on our excursion!
That's Yerevan in the background! And yes, the weather in the city has pretty much been like this since I arrived.
Preparing for a birthday feast.
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