Down the rabbit hole......Niger......Surface in ARMENIA

WINTER WONDERLAND, ARMENIA STYLE

2012-02-05T10:57:00.000-08:00

Our street 4 days after the last snow.

The thermometer outside our door reads 16 degrees F this morning. I am bundled up in my down coat, Smart Wool long johns and multiple layers of clothing which I’ve learned to wear on such winter days in Armenia. The sky is classic azure blue and the snow from this week’s fairy-tale like snowfall still lies abundantly outside out apartment, on the streets and sidewalks, and on any available surface. Before arriving in Armenia and even months before the winter began and the snows came, I dreaded the idea of the cold. I complained about it before even experiencing the first drop in temperature! Now I am amazed at myself and at the pleasant feeling I get while walking to school in the snow.

I now actually enjoy the crisp winter weather. Hearing the crunch of my boots on the snow’s surface is reassuring. With that crunch comes traction and less of a chance to slip although it still may happen. Now as I walk along, the crunchy sound adds another dimension to the already brisk morning air on my face, and the brightness in my eyes from the snow’s reflection. It is unbelievably quiet and peaceful this morning. The young children in my neighborhood have already reached their school a few blocks ahead. Older students who attend my college get the day off again today so are probably still buried in their heavy bedding enjoying extra sleep and warmth. But teachers and staff must report to my college today. If teachers do not go tol, they are not paid, and there is always planning and preparation for classes which can be done whether students are present or not.

Judy leaving for school on a snowy, January morning.

I am a Peace Corps volunteer and not paid, although many Armenians have a difficult time understanding this concept. I am going to my college today to do lesson planning with my team teacher as well as to merely “show up” and continue my pursuit of being a more familiar and legitimate part of the college’s faculty and staff. It is difficult to describe the feeling of being an outsider yet an accepted part of the organization at the same time. This is my challenge as a volunteer teacher of English as a foreign language (TEFL). My college strives to provide a technical education as well as to include courses such as English, Russian, economics, physics and other subjects to enhance a student’s overall education. Many students are poorly motivated to study a difficult foreign language which they must take and did not choose. The students want to learn to cook, to sew, to repair cars, to work in the tourism industry, for instance. Any attempt to explain why learning a second and sometimes, third language might be beneficial in the job market often falls on deaf ears. But it is my aim to do just that and to continue to try and add something to the educational process by interacting with students as a native speaker of English. I want to help the students with communication at all levels and to make the learning of English more appealing through new ideas and teaching techniques. All of this takes planning and coordination with my team teacher who also has goals she must reach both to satisfy the Armenian Education Ministry’s expectations, those of the students and herself.

As I walk to school on this invigorating, snow- filled morning, my pleasant morning is interrupted by the sight of dogs and cats who wander the street before me, searching for food from the street-side garbage cans and a dry place to rest. My heart goes out to them because as an American, I can’t help but view these animals as pets needing protection from the cold yet in Armenia they are not treated that way. In a future blog I’ll discuss other aspects of animal life as we’ve seen it in our short time here. But today, I proceed to the college where other teachers are arriving, relieved to know that students are spared the endurance of cold conditions while also trying to learn something. Who know what the following week will bring, however, today the camaraderie of teachers is felt, informal gatherings develop and a measure of planning for future lessons takes place. My goal of at least being present and taking part is met for today. It is further enjoyed when one small group of teachers invites me to lunch where traditional Armenian salads are served, accompanied by small shots of homemade vodka and Armenian music. These women lead demanding lives and occasionally need the release of laughter and friendship with fellow teachers to relieve the stress of a cold environment.

Teachers/friends at Judy's school

Ah, so is the life of an Armenian teacher in the depths of winter!

Judy

47 in ARMENIA

2012-01-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

Wedding anniversaries leading up to the 50th may seem insignificant, except to those celebrating them. I'll have to admit that I recall looking at the smiling , white-haired couples in our local newspaper who had reached this pinnacle of married life and thinking, "wow, they are OLD to be married that long". But now we are approaching our own 50th and, yes, I guess we are old in the eyes of many dewey eyed young couples.
Strangely enough, more and more couples are celebrating their 60th anniversaries together so that says something about our life expectancy and state of health, doesn't it?

Last year David and I celebrated our 46th wedding anniversary in Niger,Africa. This unlikely place served us well and we had quite a celebration with our fellow Peace Corps volunteers and staff. (See earlier blog entitled, "46 in Niger"). Now just recently we celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary in a totally different part of the world where many weddings are arranged and divorce is frowned upon by the prevailing cultural practices. On our 46th we'd never have thought that our 47th would not also be in Niger, however, life has a way of presenting surprises along the way and our move to Armenia was certainly one of them.

Here in Armenia couples do not usually date as we did in the U.S. and once a young man and young woman are seen in public together, they are generally considered to be engaged. This assumption , if true, is followed by a large party for the couple's family and close friends where their future together is discussed . The wedding is then planned for not too long after this event. Of course, there are exceptions to this chain of events and there is also "bridenapping" , an entirely different side of the marriage picture.

This year for our 47th wedding anniversary we ate alone at Gaucho's, an Argentine steak house which is one of our favorites in Yerevan. We'd spent the day in meetings at the Peace Corps office and turned down an offer to eat with fellow volunteers so that we could "celebrate" on our own. The following night we did join the group for pizza at a local restaurant and were asked questions about our marriage, secrets to success, and what it was like last year as we celebrated in Niger, Africa. For the 47th, this quiet recognition of our many years of married life was perfect---no need for a huge party for EVERY anniversary. The best part was that we were together in a place where we felt committed to staying, despite its challenges and disappointments. For here in Armenia, one must seek the positive in life and our marriage is truly one of them. Our service with the Peace Corps certainly offers new experiences and chances to learn about a different part of the world as we get older. We hope our work improves the lives of a least a few people we encounter during this 2 years.

In anticipation of next year's 48th wedding anniversary, neither David nor I will even guess where we'll be. We'll just enjoy the present and deal with the future as it comes. And, as we near the golden 50th, we'll appreciate the time here in Armenia and wherever in the world we might be, striving for continued good health and the blessings of supportive family and friends around the world. 46 in Niger; 47 in Armenia; 48 somewhere in the world. Please check in now and then and see where we are. Judy

New Year's Eve: 2011 Where Were YOU?

2012-01-04T05:59:00.001-08:00

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We’ll take a cup o’kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

New Year’s Eve: 2011: …..it starts with the boots. Armenian women wear stylish boots of all varieties. They may have 2”-6” heels or flatter soles. Usually black in color, boots may be calf hi, knee hi, ankle hi, boots with fringe, boots with fur, boots with glitzy embellishments. I am not a boot person except for snow or hiking boots. BUT, I have bought a pair of calf-hi boots with a simple silver buckle on each side and wedge soles. These are my token Armenian boots, and they do have soft fur lining which keeps my feet warm both outdoors and in my school. I wear these boots for “dress”, preferring my American bought outdoor boots when it snows and conditions are frigid. Up until this New Year’s Eve or Nor Tari, I’ve worn my boots with pants leg overlapping the top, not a very stylish picture in Armenia. But tonight for the first time, I tuck my pants legs into the boots and look like a true Armenian woman. Dave and I are in the capital city of Yerevan, having just returned from our vacation out of the country. We are in the city to celebrate New Year’s Eve hoping for a quiet dinner and a good bottle of wine, in contrast to other Peace Corps volunteers who are here anticipating a more lively party time.

Much to our surprise and with a measure of dismay, we find the city’s restaurants to be mostly CLOSED. We later realize the New Year’s Eve in Armenia is primarily for family celebrations at home, similar to our own Christmas Eve. Strangely though, major streets leading to the city’s Republic Square are blocked off by police and music is heard in the distance. As we walk around still seeking a restaurant which might be open, we see 5 Coca Cola trucks being driven by brilliant red and white clad Santa Clauses heading towards the Square. We follow them and see an enormous shimmering blue Christmas tree, fully lit with glistening white lights. People are milling around in anticipation of the count-down to midnight, but we proceed into a hotel near the Square and settle in for a New Year’s Eve toast.

Dave and I can’t help but compare this quiet New Year’s Eve in a foreign land with all the many celebratory end- of- the- year events of our past. Here in 2011 we sit in a smoky Americanized hotel bar amongst strangers from Iran. A man passes us wearing a black Jack Wills t-shirt. A muted CNN newscast plays on the television while guests at several tables laugh and talk as old friends do. It is with a sense of poignancy that we realize we know no one and no one knows who we are on New Year’s Eve.

Together we reflect upon New Years’ Eves of the past. Isn’t that what “auld lang syne” inspires? Those words are translated to mean “times gone by”. Last year we were in Niger, Africa, sharing a volunteer prepared dinner complete with champagne and toasts given by our Peace Corps country director. There was a sense of camaraderie, excitement and anticipation of the year ahead in Africa, as fireworks and sparklers were lit. None of us could know what was ahead nor do we ever know on New Year’s Eve what the following year will hold for us.

We remembered New Year’s Eve in Wilmington, NC, where with friends, we wore hats depicting our image of ourselves. The winner was Celia, who wore a hat covered with restaurant menus, since she and her husband rarely cooked at home, preferring to eat out for most meals.

Then there were the New Years’ Eves spent caring for our grandson in California so that his parents might enjoy a night out together. During those years we ate many pizzas and saw movies with Jared such as “Peter Pan”, “Shrek”, and “Polar Express”. They seem light years away now as Jared is eleven and enjoys New Year’s Eve with his father.

When our children were young, one New Year’s Eve found us returning home to our children and their new babysitter. He was sitting in the same chair he occupied when we left for our quick dinner out with Dave’s visiting sister and her husband. It seems that our dog, Barker, had lived up to his name and had barked at the poor sitter the entire evening, frightening him so much that the boy did not even remove his coat. Fortunately, the children were fine, Barker was glad to see us, and the sitter was even happier that his New Year’s Eve job was over!

BARKER always lived up to his name!

Best memories come from those December 31 evenings spent with old friends in Memphis and Germantown. We once ate a beautiful baked Alaska which was mistakenly called “parsley” by a few revelers in the group. The evening also included a brief scary moment when our fireworks set a neighboring roof afire, only to be quickly extinguished. Another dinner in the home of a friend in Germantown featured our hostess posing as if in a Southern Living magazine photo, smiling as she served the now forgotten gourmet creation. In that picture, we New Year’s Eve celebrants were wearing shiny, pointed party hats and smiles of warm anticipation of the delicious meal. Martha Stewart would be jealous! Finally there were the New Years’ Eves with a varying group of friends, when we attended the Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s New Year’s Eve concert, followed by dinner in downtown Memphis. One year we even stayed overnight at the famous Peabody Hotel where we shared that luxurious setting with hoards of teenage party-goers plagued by too much under-age drinking and subsequent rowdy behavior. At least they were not out driving, and we were sure that’s what their parents thought as well.

New Year’s Eve 2011 in Armenia was quiet for us. We’ve had other quiet New Years’ Eves, one which was spent in a Memphis movie theater where Dave and I viewed 3 consecutive movies and stuffed ourselves with popcorn and all the junk food we could consume. Where will we be next New Year’s Eve? Where will any of us be? Only time will answer that question, but we hope and plan to be together, celebrating another year’s end and looking ahead to 2013 with the conclusion of our Peace Corps service in Armenia. What lies ahead depends greatly upon us and how we perceive and continue to develop our role in this country with our new friends and co-workers.

We now pass the Republic Square with its 5 Santas, glistening blue Christmas tree, and sounds of live Armenian popular music. A festive mood prevails as people of all ages await midnight. At the same time but in their homes, many Armenian families are eating, drinking and dancing the year away. This party atmosphere and visiting each other will continue up to the Armenian Christmas on January 6 and sometimes until January 13, the so-called “Old New Year”.

Dave and I continue back to our small B&B and as I pull off my boots, the sights and sounds of fireworks penetrate our frosty windows. It is midnight in Armenia. Happy New Year! Shnorhavor Nor Tari! We bid farewell to 2011 and think of auld lang syne, “times gone by”. Life goes on. Where will you be on New Year’s Eve 2012? Judy and Dave

HIGH AND LOW EXPECTATIONS or......a ROLLER COASTER RIDE in ARMENIA

2011-12-10T03:36:00.000-08:00

I never liked roller coaster rides –the ups and downs made me dizzy and sick. As an adult that childish activity was even less appealing to me when the side effects of having “fun” were more pronounced. So, I was the child and the parent who held the coats and cotton candy and watched as others relished the thrills of heights and ups and downs. David can attest to spending many hours of previous vacations riding roller coasters with our children and later, our grandson. Thanks, David!

Now, I feel as if those roller coaster rides are back. Let me explain……………..

Swear-in Ceremony, August 16, 2011 with host family and friends and fellow Peace Corps volunteers from Kotayk, Armenia
a HIGH day for sure!

As a Peace Corps volunteer we’ve been told there are natural ups and downs within the 27 months of training and service. There is a high when finally reaching our country of service. There is a high and feeling of excitement with travel, meeting other new Peace Corps trainees and beginning pre-service training with them. There is an extreme high as one anticipates meeting their new host family yet an extreme low may follow if this match is not a good one. The “honeymoon period” follows, then intense language training becomes all- encompassing for the new Peace Corps volunteer. What follows may be climate adjustments, personal relationship difficulties, a compromise in living conditions, health issues and continued struggles with a new and sometimes difficult foreign language. Those potential lows are off- set by highs of meeting gracious, welcoming host country nationals, traveling to see sites in the country, making new friends within the volunteer group and Peace Corps staff, and generally settling into Peace Corps life as one has dreamed about for varying lengths of time. Once training is over, the high of swearing in and becoming an official Peace Corps volunteer is followed by periods of lows and highs related to each individual volunteer’s personality and situation. And, predictably this roller coaster ride will continue throughout service no matter what country Peace Corps service is found.

Thanksgiving Dinner, 2011, with Armenian friends: a HIGH on the roller coaster ride in Armenia

I am now immersed in a new town with David. We’ve made Armenian friends who shared Thanksgiving dinner with us. Every day we go to places where meaningful work may potentially be done although this is not certain. We are fortunate to have a nice, warm apartment to return to each evening. We also have each other to lean on when the going gets rough. These are some of the highs for our first 3 months in Armenia.

But, I personally am back on a roller coaster with classic ups and downs. One day I’m ready to quit because it was a low, “bad day”. Then, a random child smiles and says “hello” to me on the sidewalk or a neighbor calls from her balcony hidden by grape vines and says, “barev dzez, vons es?” and I can actually respond to her in Hayeren! Then a kind lady at the avtobus stop initiates a conversation and seems to enjoy a brief chat with me, the Amerikatsi.”How old are you?” she asks, in the typical manner of a curious Armenian. “Vetsun oot”, I reply. She just smiles and looks at me and asks “Are you from California?” Armenians always ask that question when talking with an American. I smile back and say, “no, North Carolinaitis (from NC)”. She looks puzzled. She has no idea where North Carolina is and the avtobus is pulling up to the curb. End of conversation. So goes a small high on the roller coaster ride of this volunteer.

Lows occur when I’m at my school still trying to figure out my niche. Students now speak and say “hello” more spontaneously. They sometimes stop by our English room to say hello. I want to chat with the students and the teachers at my school, yet neither they nor I are fluent in each other’s language. Fortunately, smiles, laughter and body language are universal communication tools. The lows occur in my life when out of frustration I feel totally at a loss for words or those universal tools fail. My mute button is then pushed! If you know me at all, you will understand that I do NOT like being mute!

Students in my school, wearing coats in class, trying to watch video on Netbook during English Club

There is only one small gas heater per classroom and it is colder in the building than outside during the winter months.
I feel LOW when it is so cold.......

Judy showing students about the holiday, Halloween, which is not recognized in Armenia.
Various American holidays are studied during English class and English Club.
These are HIGH's in teaching my Armenian students.

Highs raise my spirits when my counterpart teacher likes an idea and it is successfully used with our students. The low dip of the roller coaster is felt when she and I sit in our winter coats in a cold, stark, unheated classroom with a small group of students who struggle to read a text in English. We are both correcting word pronunciations as they stumble over difficult words. I am not needed on this day, and it hurts. I want off the roller coaster—but—I missed several days of school due to in-service training with Peace Corps. When I returned the students seemed genuinely glad to see me. Their greetings kept me warm, and high, that first day back. Lows occur again when it is cold and gray outside with snow predicted as temperatures drop. Highs return when a brisk walk takes David and me through a wonderland of evergreen trees, each dusted with new, soft snow as lovely as any Christmas card.

Emotions level out periodically just as on the amusement park roller coaster. One’s sense of anticipation builds especially if eyes are covered to prevent seeing what is next on the roller coaster track. A steep drop into the depths of the ride happens when a question is asked and an understandable answer does not follow, or I see a student with potential for learning who is ignored or dismissed as if he weren’t present in the classroom. This unfortunately occurs on a regular basis in Armenian classrooms. The roller coaster rises from that low and gradually carries me onto the plateau when at the end of the day, a teacher asks me to walk home with her. We are not able to verbally communicate very well, although we try, but arm-in-arm in the true Armenian way, we start up the steep hill together headed toward our homes. She is riding the high rail of the roller coaster with me and doesn’t even know it.

Gas heater with pipe venting to outside---main source of heat in our apartment and we are lucky to have it!!!

When I enter our apartment, it is cold inside. (We turn off our heat before leaving for work each morning for safety.) Still riding the high of a friendly walk home, I brace myself for turning on the gas heater which provides the majority of heat for our apt. I have not done this before because I am afraid of the gas and what it might do if too high, or leaks or doesn’t ignite. I’m also afraid of extinguishing the pilot light which would be a low in David’s day when he arrives home and has to struggle to re-light it. But, I swiftly turn the designated knob to the far left as David has shown me previously. A swish of gas is heard, and soon flames appear, yellow and blue, dancing in the window of the heater. I adjust the flames and relax as heat begins to flow into the cold room. I am riding a new high brought on by the success of accomplishing merely this simple task. The smallest of triumphs, sometimes that’s all it takes!

Site seeing tour with Dave and Judy.Statues portray actors in movie about Dilijan, "Mimino".This was a day filled with HIGH's. They balance the LOW's.

Just as the Peace Corps warned us, highs and lows do occur for all volunteers at somewhat predictable times. This service in Armenia can be tough and only with the support and companionship of David could I complete it. I will close my eyes as if on a real amusement park roller coaster ride. I will try to anticipate only highs while knowing in reality that dips and low spots will follow. Please stay tuned to see what is ahead on our roller coaster ride of a life-time. Judy

SHNORHAVORANK' Neres! or CONGRATULATIONS! to Teachers: All Over the World

2011-12-01T08:47:00.000-08:00

Teachers hard at work in faculty seminar on conflict management and communication

“Congratulations on Teacher’s Day”. These are the words which greeted me on October 5 as I entered Dilijan State College where I am a TEFL (teacher of English as a foreign language). Throughout the day, teachers greeted each other in the same way, smiling and sometimes offering a kiss on the cheek. Students brought roses to their teachers and the mood was definitely high on Teacher’s Day in Armenia.

OCTOBER 5, 2011

Although Teacher’s Day is officially designated as October 5^th, I discovered that it is a day which over flows into another—and another—and another—similar to some people’s birthday which is celebrated before the date, on the date and afterward---to keep the feeling of celebration as long as possible.

The day after Teacher’s Day, excitement filled the air because that evening there was to be a special dinner at one of Dilijan ‘s most interesting restaurants, Getap—named after the word for” bank of the river”. I received a special invitation from both my counterpart and the college Director. I had not originally planned to attend, not yet feeling as if I deserved any special recognition as a teacher. I also knew the dinner was paid for by a fund composed of money taken from each teacher’s salary, and I had not contributed to that fund since I receive no salary as a Peace Corps volunteer. However, with 2 invitations extended to me by important people at the college, I decided to attend. I’m so glad that I did!

Getap Restaurant, Dilijan , Armenia

What an evening it turned out to be! A large number of the teachers and staff along with a few spouses, joined in the fun and enjoyed food and drink all served lavishly in the restaurant’s banquet dining room. The college director and several faculty members raised their glasses offering toasts to the faculty, students, previous director and teachers, women, to various individuals in attendance, to the people of Armenia, and especially to the spirit of working as a team for the sake of the students at the college. Laughter and conversation and, yes---music and dancing filled the evening. I hesitated to dance, but one of the senior faculty members, the librarian and Hayeren teacher, signaled that I should join in the fun. I did. It was great! And, it was interesting to see the surprise on the faces of my new colleagues when I stepped onto the dance floor. They know my command of their language is limited, but did not know how I love music and dancing. Music is a powerful common denominator no matter what country one is in or what language is spoken.

Armenian Khorovats (barbecue) -- a most popular entree for parties and any large dinners

Following another course of khorovats, toasts, and strong Armenian coffee, my college director and her husband led the way onto the dance floor for the final period of dancing. As I joined in and looked around the floor at people I barely knew, they were all smiling, swaying with the great Armenian music and executing the graceful hand movements naturally and perfectly. In this momentary surreal experience, I could not help but think of my favorite movie, “Dirty Dancing” with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. No, there was no “dirty dancing” at this Armenian teacher’s event, but there was a similar mood of warmth and happiness which one felt in the final scenes of that movie. At the end of “Dirty Dancing”, the guests at a summer resort are all dancing happily together. Patrick Swayze won his girl’s hand and Jennifer Grey stood behind her man in the face of her irate father. Smiles are on the faces of everyone, even those who were in deep conflict throughout the dramatic movie. As the movie ends, all is well and good. Similarly, as the dinner ended at Getap, all was well and good for the teachers at my college, and I was so pleased to have been a part of that evening.

Amazingly, the next day the celebration of Teacher’s Day continued at Dilijan State College with the reading of a congratulatory message from our town’s mayor and the sharing of candy and champagne sent from his office. Even though in the U.S., Teacher Appreciation Day is celebrated with small events honoring teachers, maybe the U. S. could learn about larger ways for educators to recognize themselves as part of the cultural exchange the Peace Corps fosters through its Goal #3.

Judy

MAKE NEW FRIENDS (ARMENIA) BUT KEEP THE OLD (NIGER).....

2011-11-11T02:33:00.000-08:00

The Smith's continue to serve as relatively new Peace Corps volunteers in Armenia, going about our daily work as an English teacher (Judy) and a business man (David). Armenia will be our home for the next 2 years, but we can't help thinking of our first assignment with Peace Corps Niger.

Our Peace Corps Niger volunteer group recently celebrated its 1^st anniversary of staging in Philadelphia followed by pre-service training and swearing in as official volunteers in that country. Soon after moving to our permanent villages in Niger, we were evacuated and many of us have been re-assigned to Peace Corps volunteer sites all over the world. On the occasion of that anniversary, David wrote the following e-mail to our group of 40 who continue to stay in touch via e-mail, Skype, cell phones and occasional snail-mail. We intend to have a reunion in the future once everyone has completed their service, wherever that might be and whether in or out of the Peace Corps.

David’s First Anniversary e-mail to our fellow Niger group reads:

In Niger, we had a mud hut with a light fixture, long lasting bulb and light switch-----but no electricity. In Armenia we have electricity but, alas, no light fixture, light bulb or switch. Our mud hut had an opening with a tin shutter; here in Armenia I have a window with broken glass. Both countries seem to use the ground as the proper receptacle for all plastic trash. Both countries have more than their share of corruption. Armenians have more than their share of vodka, but they need it. To say cold doesn’t do the word or climate justice! Armenians certainly have more food, better health care and education, but have recently been reported to be the 2^nd least happy people in the world (Huffington Press). Niger wasn’t listed in the top or bottom tier on the happiness index. The second biggest difference that I see in the 2 countries is in the opportunity to accomplish something as a Peace Corps volunteer. In Niger I might have made some difference at least to a few individual people, and I’m not sure that can happen here. However, the biggest difference is in the Peace Corps volunteers themselves. The folks here are good, well-meaning, hard-working, and well educated but they aren’t us. We are still Niger, and I thank each of you.

David

Plastic Covered Broken Windows in Dave's office in Armenia

Executive Bathroom in David's Armenian Office Building

ET but not THE Extra Terrestial

2011-10-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

Some thoughts on a cloudy day in Armenia………………………

Mike , Peace Corps volunteer and musician extraordinaire

A volunteer in our group has decided to ET or early terminate as we Peace Corps people call it. There are many valid reasons for a volunteer to ET such as health issues, family concerns back home, cultural challenges in the volunteer’s country, work related problems, financial issues, weather related dislikes, personal disagreements with Peace Corps policy, etc. Not being a close personal friend nor willing to divulge this volunteer’s reasons for his ET even if known, we are just sad that he made the decision. Sad, yes, but respectful of that decision as one which he told us, was one of the most difficult decisions he’d ever made. After experiencing all of the challenges associated with application, evaluation and acceptance into a training class with the Peace Corps, packing 2 bags for his 2- year anticipated service, then traveling ½ the way around the world, Mike reached Yerevan, Armenia. He then studied a new language and new alphabet and began to immerse into a new culture. Mike passed the required language proficiency test, and raised his right hand to swear in as an official Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia. After that came the settling in process in a new town and work place and finding a permanent home for himself for his 2 –year assignment in Armenia. All the volunteers in our group followed basically this same path, BUT……….Mike will ET and leave Armenia this coming week.

To make this departure even more dramatic is the fact that Mike is a talented musician and recently retired university professor of music, primarily piano and keyboard instruments of all kinds. In addition, he is a skilled arranger and composer of music, captivating performer, unbelievably patient director of choral and instrumental groups of all levels, and a generally great guy. Mike utilized his comprehensive abilities in the field of music to arrange music and train performers for our group’s swear-in ceremony in mid –August. Because of his abilities, a group of 25-30 volunteers, many of whom were non-singers to begin with, performed a medley of American songs followed by a traditional Armenian musical selection sung in Hayeren, the Armenian language. He also coached and accompanied a young volunteer, Joseph Andriano, in a breathtakingly beautiful tenor solo performance of the Armenian folksong recorded by Komitas, Chinar Es. This musical addition to the Swear-in ceremony held in the Komitas Chamber Music Hall, was a special tribute during the year of the Peace Corps 50^th Anniversary. All bets were on that Mike would share his talents with the next group of volunteers as they participated in preparation for their swear-in event in 2012.

Joseph Andriano, Stephanie with cello, and Mike on piano
at Swear-in Ceremony for Peace Corps Armenia Volunteers , August 16, 2011

Now that Mike is leaving us, that will not happen, however, the memory of his work with our group in 2011 is recorded for Peace Corps history. Congratulations or shnorhavorank! to Mike, for all that he has accomplished while in Armenia. He should be immensely proud of how he has touched the Peace Corps volunteers and staff, the Armenian people, and especially the children, with his music. When there was a piano present, Mike played it without reserve. When the piano needed tuning, he arranged to have it done. When music was desired, Mike was there. We know the decision to ET was mind-boggling and difficult, yet a person who chooses that route has our utmost respect for recognizing that the decision had to be made, for whatever reasons.

Yes, we are sad that Mike is leaving but glad that he can move ahead with his amazing life. While his music will truly be missed in Armenia, there’s bound to be music wherever Mike goes in the world. We’ll all be waiting and listening to hear it. Good luck or Hajoghutyun! We’ll miss you, Mike.

Judy and David

SNOW! on October 3-----that's ARMENIA!

2011-10-08T23:44:00.000-07:00

Dzyun , or snow----in Angleren/English----appeared today, on the mountains which we see from our porch. It was cloudy and gray when Dave and I left for our work this morning. I left later than he, since Monday is not a teaching day for me, but one in which I can do planning and lesson preparation without a real schedule. The snow was not visible when I left home and I was concerned that it would rain, andzrev, and never thought of snow!! True enough, the snow was in the highest mountains, not where we actually felt it. However, never in the past 68 years has there been snow present in my town only 5 days after my birthday!!! Is this a hint of what’s to come??? One of the daunting aspects of living in Armenia is the weather, particularly where Dave and I live. Because of the mountains, beautiful as they are on a clear, sunny day, they influence the weather in a way which produces more moisture, days- on- end of dreariness, and low hanging clouds which engulf the mountain tops and hover over the ground below. It is always a blessing to leave school and find the sun shining when the morning so often brings these cloudy conditions.

So, snow has arrived in Armenia which means the snow boots I bought before leaving the U.S. will soon be unpacked. It is cold enough that I’d really like to wear them now but prefer not to show all of my wimpy characteristics at once. Plus, snow is not actually on the ground yet in Dilijan. The staff members at my school already check to see how many layers of clothing I have on when I arrive in the morning, after I have walked about 25 minutes from home. Most of them tend to dress very nicely and would rather be cold than unstylish. They laugh at me! But, I can hardly believe the attire of some of the teachers who are dressed to easily attend a semi-formal event or certainly a dressy art show opening or symphonic concert in the U.S. This is typical of Armenian women in general, but since I work with teachers, that is where my impressions are focused. There are the older faculty members who wear dressy suits, often adorned with sparkle and shine. Without question, black and white in various combinations, describe the color range. Then there are the younger teachers who wear beautiful clothes, again mostly in black and white. Even though they may only have a few basic pieces, these women are masters (or mistresses) of coordination as they combine a few skirts with a handful of tops and jewelry. Always appearing well dressed, they would be over- dressed in the scope of American teacher attire. I, on the other hand, continue to be a conservative dresser both due to age, my own style and what I brought to Armenia, plus I DO NOT WANT TO BE COLD! Knowing that fact, a young teacher brought me a wonderful pair of softly lined tights today and asked if I’d like to have them. She said the color was wrong for her. I don’t care as long as they are warm, which they will be, and I’ll find something to wear them under as another layer to ward off the damp chilliness of this season. I intend to maintain my own identity yet do try to respect the culture in this new country, therefore, as new items are purchased over the next 2 years, I’ll consider some of more modest choices in Armenian women’s attire.

Tourism students and their birthday gifts

So, winter is coming. I’m not sure I’m ready although Dave is. In order not to think about it, I choose to reflect on my first birthday in Armenia. That is a heart-warming memory for sure. The students in my classes surprised me with handmade Armenian gifts of a lovely ceramic pomegranate wine vessel which may double as a vase, along with an accompanying salt dish with its own tiny spoon. Dave and I ate dinner out with our host family who had 2 members also with September birthdays. We shared that evening with our site mate, Kellianne, an amazing young volunteer also serving as an English teacher in Dilijan. Numerous Facebook greetings, e-mails from friends in the U.S. and well- wishes from my school staff, counterpart, and host family made the day quite special. Though unexpected, a late September birthday and an early October snowfall paired quite well. I hope to celebrate the birthday next year, but maybe the snow will be delayed until a more appropriate time on MY calendar!

Dave and I with Armenian host family

IRENE in Armenia......A Strange Pairing!

2011-09-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

“What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.” (author unknown)

I found the above quotation a few weeks ago on a scrap of paper as my Armenian counterpart teacher and I were tidying up our classroom in preparation for the first day of school. I liked the quote then, and I like it now. I believe it fits my work as a TEFL with the Peace Corps.

In our English class today, this Armenian teacher and I introduced a simple form one might encounter when applying for a job. The students, ages 16-22, were asked to write name, address, date of birth, birth place, etc. Doesn’t seem hard, does it? Not if presented in one’s first or native language which is Armenian /Hayeren , but this form was in Angleren/English. The students were immediately challenged and somewhat frustrated. So, isn’t that when some of the best learning occurs, when one is pushed to overcome those barriers? Several of these students do not have good English skills and are more interested in car repairs or sports than in academics. They tend to do minimum work and even though their parents pay tuition to this State College, they are poorly motivated. So, our lessons on filling out a form for an imaginary job were somewhat unrealistic. Several of the students did complete the form but with prompting from those of us who gave them the task. One student said, “I don’t have an address”. He was correct because he lived in a small village where there are no street addresses and no post office. Another asked, “What is a middle name?” My Armenian team teacher said that in Armenia there is not a middle name as used in the U.S. She discussed this with our students. Then I used the example of my own middle name, Irene, and how it has been lost over the years due to marriage. I am now Judy Batson Smith, there is usually no Irene mentioned in my name as I write it today. This interaction and subsequent thought process prompted by Armenian students encouraged me to focus briefly on my middle name.

Im anun@ Judith Irene Batson Smith em. (Hayeren) My name is Judith Irene Batson Smith. (English) I was given the middle name Irene after my maternal grandmother’s name. She was deceased before I was born, therefore, I never met her and have only seen a few photos. I recall being JIB as a child—Judy Irene Batson, thinking nothing of what would happen to Irene when I married my husband, David Smith, in December, 1964. What happened was that I dropped Irene, adopted Smith as my last name, and used Batson for my middle name as many American women do. Other than my Grandmother’s gold locket with IRENE engraved on the front, which my Mother gave me, there is no mention of Irene associated with me. Middle names get lost in the middle of life- changing events.

So, thanks to one student’s question and to our topic selection for English class today, I did a bit of research on my middle name. IRENE is derived from the Greek word meaning PEACE. There are other spellings of the name including Irini, Eirene, Eirini, and Irina. My favorite language trainer in Armenia was named Irina. I always felt an unspoken bond with her. Though Irene means “peace”, she does not always live up to that name. Remember the recent hurricane in the Atlantic whose name was Irene? Although this Irene was downgraded to less than her Category 4 peak of potential violence, she was followed by intense winds and flooding all over the Eastern Coast of the U.S. Tropical storm Irene damaged the Florida panhandle in 1959 followed by Hurricane Irene, a Category I which caused damage to Nicaraugua. Category 3 Hurricane Irene hit France as an extra- tropical storm in 1981, while Hurricane Irene in 1999 struck Florida as a category 2 storm which caused 800 million USD in damages. No land was affected by Hurricane Irene, in 2005, but her very designation as a Category 2 storm indicates a lack of peace in her demeanor.

The name Irene or its various forms has been given to Greek goddesses, saints, and famous people in the fields of art, music, dance, politics, sports and show business. Towns from South Africa to South Dakota carry Irene as their name. Movies, books, plays, comic book characters, Broadway shows, television programs, a British cargo liner, a plant cultivar, and a school district in South Dakota include an IRENE. An American folk song first recorded in 1932, “Good Night, Irene”, has been played, revised, and recognized all of these years. My middle name, Irene, has made a mark in many areas.

So, a student asks a question and look what happens! Curiosity is stimulated and research occurs. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the reverse occurred? Unknowingly, the teacher asks a random question and a student’s interest is sparked into pursuing further knowledge on a subject. That is my hope as a TEFL serving in Peace Corps Armenia---to stimulate the curiosity and interest of at least 1 person, hopefully more, to want to learn more English or to aspire to gain increased knowledge in any subject beyond what he/she had before my arrival here. If that occurs, I will have definitely exchanged a day of my life for something worthwhile. And, if that occurs I will have also spent my 2 years of service in the Peace Corps wisely.

“Good night, Irene, good night, Irene. I’ll see you in my dreams.” (folk song by Leadbelly (Huddie Leadbetter—1889-1976). Judy

NOTE: After writing this blog and reading a bit more about the above song, David suggested that I add the following story which I found on the internet. Though lengthy, it is interesting and filled a few minutes of our time on a cold, damp, dreary day in Armenia when Independence Day was being celebrated and our family was glued to the small television in their living room.There they were watching the parade held in celebration of 20 years of freedom from Russian control while the children of Armenia were celebrating freedom from school which was closed for the holiday.

Irene: The Truth Revealed. By D. J. Style (a Gentleman) Entire text borrowed from the Internet without permission. Hopefully, Mr. Style will accept that as a gentleman.
Abstract of an Address given to the Irene Goodnight Appreciation Society by the Author on 24th September 1994.
Goodnight Irene, long considered one of the most plangent of American traditional love songs is in fact a gambling song whose true meaning has been deliberately obscured for reasons which will be explained. Leadbelly (Huddie Leadbetter, b. Mooringsport, Louisiana 1889 - d. 1976) wrote Goodnight Irene while incarcerated for murder in North Carolina State Penitentiary, situated in the foothills of the beautiful Appalachian mountains. Today he is remembered as a songwriter, but in his lifetime he was a professional and compulsive gambler, specialising in roulette, stud poker and the dice. Goodnight Irene is a celebration of the best and worst times of Leadbelly’s gambling career. ----------------------------------------------------- Chorus. Irene, goodnight Irene, Irene goodnight. Goodnight Irene, goodnight Irene, I’ll see you in my dreams. The very best night of Leadbelly’s life was spent at the poker table. All but two men had ceased bidding: Leadbelly and "Lollipop" Lee Staine (real name Levi Stein, seaman, jazz musician, gambler and womaniser whose nickname arose from the succour he gave to the ladies in the Jewish community. This man will appear many times in the story of Leadbelly’s life). The bidding was high, each man saying "I’ll see you for a hundred and I’ll raise you a hundred" until there were over 4000 dollars on the table and Leadbelly had no more money to offer. At this moment of high tension Leadbelly declared "OK, I’ll see you" and Staine showed his cards, a full house - four nines and an ace. Leadbelly spread out a royal flush - Ace to ten of Hearts - and became richer than ever in his life before. Years later Leadbelly confided to John Lomax that he still had nightmares about that awful moment of showdown. Leadbelly worked as croupier at the roulette wheel on the Mississippi river boats. At that time, in addition to the regular 36 segments, the wheels included a segment nought, known as "the good old ‘0’ ". Whenever the ball landed in the ‘0’ the croupier swept the table - a handsome source of income in good times. I win, good nought, I win. I win, good nought. Good nought, I win; good nought, I win. I’ll see you in my dreams. ------------------------------------------------------ Verse 1 Last Saturday night I got married. Me and my wife settled down. Now me and my wife are parted, I’m gonna take another stroll down town. The day which started Leadbelly’s decline into crime was also spent at the stud poker table. Tempted by his earlier success, Leadbelly again gambled his life’s savings on the cards. Over a period of three hours he was totally thrashed and was ruined. In gambler’s jargon, being thrashed at stud was known as "being ridden like a mare". The allusion is obvious. In trepidation, he returned home to tell his wife Mary Ann - who liked to be known as Mi-Ann - that they were penniless. She, knowing his violent nature, counselled him to back off and do nothing rash, but he refused to take it lying down. He was determined to get money straight away by whatever means. In fact he went back to the gambling hall and watched and waited. Later that night some fool who had drunk too much stuffed his wad of notes in his pocket and left the hall. Leadbelly followed, stabbed the man and stole his bank roll. Last Saturday night I got mare rid. Mi-Ann my wife said "Lay down". NO! Mi-Ann my wife’s half hearted. I’m gonna take a nutter’s roll down town. (Author’s note: Some commentators believe the murdered man was Lee Staine. This is unlikely. Leadbelly calls him a ‘nutter’, not a ‘sucker’). ----------------------------------------------------- Verse 2. Sometimes I live in the country, Sometimes I live in the town. Sometimes I take a great notion To jump in the river and drown. Leadbelly fled the police into the countryside where for some time he scratched a living rolling the die (dice is the plural of die - one die, two dice) with poor agricultural workers. At this point it is necessary to explain why this song is worded so obscurely. Goodnight Irene was written in the penitentiary, where gambling was forbidden. Even talking or singing about gambling was not allowed. Offenders were reported to the Governor who might withdraw parole. So the song must be encrypted: I win becomes Irene, Good nought becomes goodnight and so on. Here, Leadbelly wants to say "For some time I die (ie I roll the die)", but he dares not. Very well then, if he cannot say die then he will say live. Brilliant, isn’t it? No one would suspect that this verse is all about crap! Becoming bolder he returned to the city but the police were soon on to him. Lee Staine, a seaman himself, found him a job as deck hand on a tramp ship along the Eastern seaboard (the "Great Ocean"). Afterwards he worked on the Mississippi paddle steamers as the guitarist in a jazz band known as the "Round River Band", so called because of the dance craze at that time known as "Jumpin’ round". Some time I "live" in the country. Some time I "live" in the town. Some time I takes to the great ocean To jump with the river band "Round". ----------------------------------------------------- Verse 3 Stop rambling; stop your gambling. Stop stayin’ out late at night. Go home to your wife and family. Stay there by the fireside bright. There were five other members of the river band. There were the two Berlin brothers, Rambo and Gambo. Gambo played trombone from a wheelchair, having been crippled in childhood by a contagious tropical disease - hence his nickname "Yaws" Gambo on the other hand was the cousin of that world famous songwriter of the 1930s, Cole Porter. Lee Staine played trumpet, the vocalist’s name was Adelaide and "Darky" Knight was on drums. The band held a permit to work on the river and feared that if it became known that they were harbouring a criminal they would lose their licence and their livelihood. Gambo suggested they turn Leadbelly over to the police. Knight refused, fearing that if Leadbelly could kill once he might kill the informant. Adelaide argued that they should all go to the cops together as Leadbelly could not kill all of them. When they told him of their intention, Leadbelly appealed to them each individually not to do it. He volunteered that the next time the steamer moored alongside, he would take off (Leveetate). This he did with a heavy heart, having lost his money, his job and his friends and unable to work the ferries or the gambling halls. He made his way home to Mi-Ann, the only person he had left in the whole world, only to find on his arrival that "Lollipop" Lee Staine had moved in with his wife and was sitting in his armchair. Leadbelly had once broken Staine financially, but now Staine had broken Leadbelly’s heart and spirit. He walked away and was soon overtaken by the law.

POSH CORE PEACE CORPS......."CHE", (NO! in the Armenian Language)

2011-09-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

What have we learned about Armenia since moving to our permanent town, the place where we will live and serve in the Peace Corps for 2 years? Many with other Peace Corps assignments in the world jokingly say that Armenia is “posh core Peace Corps”. Having first been with Peace Corps Niger, deemed to be “hard core Peace Corps”, David and I initially agreed, however, even after only a few months in Armenia, we think “posh corps Peace Corps” is not an appropriate designation.

True, most of Armenia does have electricity and running water which were rare in the bush villages of Niger. People do have houses, adequate yet limited clothing, and access to food although items other than seasonal ones are expensive. Employment in our town is limited, therefore, the ordinary people live frugally. For instance, in our host family home, hot water is available only for certain hours of the day. There is a flush toilet, however, it is located in an uninsulated enclosure near the front door which means the water will probably freeze during the frigid winter weather. Gas heat is common, but we are told it is exorbitantly expensive and even though electricity is cheaper, there are few electric heaters. We are also told many people rely on wood stoves for heat and then only provide heat in1 room at a time. School staff reports that during the winter in many schools heat is minimal with both students and staff wearing coats all day inside the classrooms.

Typical classroom in my Armenian school

House which owners have attempted to make livable; note electrical wire to house

Crumbling stairs leading from one street to another, left from
damage of earthquake, 1988

While walking around our town, which during Russian times was a thriving tourist destination, we see more empty buildings in the business area than occupied ones. People we’ve met say that after the earthquake of 1988 repairs were not done to damaged buildings. Then war erupted and again prevented reconstruction. Now sidewalks are broken up, streets are rift with potholes, and old buildings needing demolition still stand with broken windows, decaying wood frames and crumbling brick and block foundations. Moreover, the primary colors for attire in Armenia are black and white while the affect on the faces of those met on the street is flat or stern. We are told this lack of response to our “Barev dzez” (hello), is partially due to the fact that the Armenian culture believes if one does not know you, they do not greet you. This is not the case in all situations but in many we’ve encountered as we walk around our town in an attempt to immerse into our new cultural home.

Example of many houses which are left standing but in need of major repairs

Sidewalk I use to walk to my school; very poor condition and unsafe

Visitors to our town are disappointed in what they find yet there is amazing potential for tourism in such a naturally beautiful place. There is a lovely relatively new art museum at the edge of town and an informational history museum in the older section which features local crafts, art and gift items. A few excellent Armenian restaurants are available although we find that our favorite café closes from late October to April due to winter weather and declining business. Numerous bed and breakfasts are listed on tourism literature, but their quality and offerings are not known. There are no entertainment venues and no church in the town.

One of Dave’s projects is to work with a local NGO (non- governmental organization) in the development of some aspect of tourism which could be marketed to international travelers. With the realization that needed costly repairs of infrastructure will not be accomplished due to the lack of money, the focus may be on outdoor activities such as hiking, campinp, and backpacking in the surrounding mountains. In the past, trails were present and well utilized because maintenance was provided by the Soviets. Once Armenia established itself as an independent country, there was neither the money nor manpower to promote this type of activity. Hopefully, David and his counterpart will be able to assess what is present, gain the interest of volunteers to make improvements, draw up trail maps, and begin to advertise this facet of our town’s resources for tourists.

Beauty exists in our town with flowers flourishing everywhere.
There is hope that other aspects of the town will bloom as well.

New construction in the center of town offers hope for the future.

Young boys on the opening day of school in our town, September 1, 2011

It is disconcerting to us to hear that the population of Armenia is decreasing with each census. Many people now either move to Russia or go there for part of each year because of job availability. This causes disruption of family units but does provide necessary income for them to live. Armenians are hard- working, family- oriented, resilient people. Not only have they as a people endured a difficult past, they also live hard lives as individuals. Their future could be brighter with major economic changes. Currently taxes are high, wages are low, and people are financially desperate on many levels. Government corruption exists and the unemployment rate is 40% and higher among the young (people under age 35). I feel bleak about the future of Armenia, maybe because I’m writing this piece on a chilly, dreary day in August when long johns are worn and clothes have yet to dry on the outdoor line. Maybe when school starts next week and I become involved in the enthusiasm of students eager to learn my native language, will it seem more positive. The young people of Armenia are beautiful, smart, and full of positive energy. It is my hope that our town and all of Armenia will be able to flourish again, due in part to the contributions of these young people.

Dave and I will have 2 years to serve with Peace Corps Armenia. We do challenge those who deem it to be a posh assignment. Even though we’ve experienced amazing cultural events during our training and we are not living in a mud hut without electricity or running water, the challenges of need and how to help these people help themselves are tremendous in Armenia.

The mountains are majestic, beautiful , and inspirational.
They help to balance the negatives of Armenia's decline and a tragic history.

Please follow our story to see if, or how, our perspective changes. Judy and Dave

WE WERE THERE

2011-09-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

Service with the U.S .Peace Corps involves trying to meet the 3 goals established when the organization was founded in the early 60’s. During 2011, the Peace Corps is celebrating its 50^th anniversary. As new volunteers, we are acutely cognizant of the goals set forth by our predecessors. These goals are: 1.To help people of interested countries meet their needs for trained men and women. 2. To help promote better understanding of Americans on the part of people served. 3. To help promote a better understanding of other people on the part of Americans. We think that our service will reflect those goals, and we’ll strive to meet them to the best of our ability.

The breeze blew softly through the large, heavily paned windows which were now pushed open to allow air into the stiflingly warm room. The lace curtains fluttered. A young woman’s hair blew into her face as she moved closer to the window to enjoy a bit of the cool passing air. A well- articulated voice could be heard within the room as a group of twelve people quietly moved about the room, stopping briefly at certain points to listen more carefully to what the young woman was saying. Several more people stepped closer to the windows when possible, not wanting to move too far from the speaker’s voice, yet feeling the need for a measure of comfort offered by the soft breeze.

Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia
location of National Gallery of Armenia

Dave and other Peace Corps volunteers in Republic Square to visit

National Gallery of Armenia and National History Museum

Center of Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia

Amazingly, this scenario took place in Yerevan, Armenia, in the National Gallery of Armenia. As part of our cultural education, our training group was taken there by the Peace Corps. We were surprised by the lack of climate control in the spacious gallery which held art pieces dating back hundreds of years. How could these precious works of art be maintained indefinitely with exposure to varying temperature, damaging light and air pollutants? The gallery showcased the works of numerous Armenian, Russian and Western European artists. The most complete part of the National Art Gallery is the collection of Armenian paintings. The driving force behind the gallery’s image and character was Rouben Drambian, brought to Yerevan from Leningrad in 1925. Through his sensitive judgment and leadership, purchases have been made to augment the collection. Today, The National Gallery is the most attractive center for every Armenian artist, no matter where he/she resides.

Joseph Andriano accompanied by Michael Braz, piano, and Stephanie Conrad, cello,

singing "Chinar Es", a beloved Armenian song recorded by Komitas

Works impressive to Dave and me included one artist’s self- portrait composed completely in a unique stone mosaic. Large sculptures of famous Armenians graced the center of many gallery rooms. The painting of Komitas, the musician credited with writing down all of the vocal music of Armenia, was prominently displayed. This quiet, gentle yet massive work of art was one of my favorites. It spoke strongly of music’s influence and value to the Armenian people who survived the genocide of 1915-17. During our recent Peace Corps swear-in ceremony in Yerevan’s Komitas Chamber Music Hall, one of our fellow Peace Corps volunteers, Joseph Andriano, sang a tenor vocal selection, “Chinar Es” recorded by Komitas. Joseph stated that performing this piece of music in Komitas Chamber Music Hall was the highlight of his musical life.

Throughout the gallery, art met nature through open windows. Although the gentle breezes reached inside to cool us on a hot day in Yerevan, Armenia, a surreal feeling surrounded us. How was it that we Americans were in this place at this time, in a treasured art gallery in a country many of us knew little about? As part of the Peace Corps’ Goal #3, we were learning something about the culture of the small country and its resilient, talented people. Above and beyond wars, genocide, earthquakes and tough economic times, the National Gallery of Armenia spoke to us through its artists and through the work of its staff.

In memory of all the artists and other talented, well- educated Armenians who were put to death during the historic genocide, we give thanks for the preservation and restoration of their works. We have faith that other visitors to this beautiful place will feel the same way. Judy

Trees planted annually in the Genocide Memorial Garden
in memory of those who died during the genocide of 1915-1917
Yerevan, Armenia

A LOOK BACK AT HISTORY-----through the Eyes of an Armenian Woman

2011-08-22T03:06:00.000-07:00

Where were you in 1988? It seems light years away, doesn’t it? Now I find myself sitting in the home of a woman Dave and I just met in Armenia. She is an English teacher in Dilijan where we’ll live for the next 2 years, and she invited us to dinner along with another Peace Corps volunteer who will be teaching English in her school. We are joined by a local history teacher who speaks no English. By the end of the evening, we’ve heard of the horrors of the 1988 earthquake which killed thousands of Armenians and was soon followed by war with Azerbaijan, the Armenian’s neighbor after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Our new friend was studying and working on her teaching credentials in 1988 and also working in a factory. She painted a brief picture of her experience during the years during and after the earthquake which occurred primarily in Spitak and Gyumri, Armenia, basically ruining these cities. Imagine feeling the ground shake without warning, the machine on which you are working vibrating and the lights flickering off. Your world collapses into a chaotic abyss and the next few months and years are filled with devastation, war and death.

Our hostess lived through those times with her parents. For part of the time, her family fled to Russia with many other Armenians. She told of her home being in total shambles and disarray and needing extensive repair. Even so, after 5 years of tragedy, horror, hunger and displacement, the family returned to Armenia to rebuild their lives. Our hostess remembers the aid offered by the US, European countries and others. She remembers the clothes sent by Russia with sleeves missing or only 1 pants leg present. She recalls the terrible times, yet smiles with positive thoughts.

Memorial to Armenians killed in WW II Kotayk, Armenia

This Armenian woman survived, her parents and siblings lived, and now 23 years later she relates portions of her story to us. The history teacher at our gathering provided pertinent historical details covering the war which soon followed and added to the earthquake’s destruction. The Armenians were expected to be easy targets due to the losses of life wrought by the natural disaster, however, the Armenians are resilient and strong. They had already survived war, the genocide of 1915-17 and other horrors. They were not ready to succumb and become over powered again. Now today this woman is a well- educated teacher who works hard to help her students learn English. She has lived through much to achieve what she has.

Genocide Memorial Museum in Yerevan, Armenia

memorializing victims of first Genocide of the 20th century

Hard- working Armenian woman tending her family's garden

As we sit in her apartment together, our new friend expresses what she thinks of her country and of life in general and says it is currently perfect, just perfect. After her life of living in a poverty-ridden, war torn country and suffering so much loss in her life, she now sees beauty and happiness. Shocked to hear the story from our parents about sending money to “starving children in Armenia” during WW I, she could only speculate as to what these offerings of help might have meant to the Armenian people attempting to save their country.

We felt numbed yet inspired by this woman who lived through the imagery we received from television during the 1988 earthquake. We felt empathy for her relatives who suffered yet survived the wars and the genocide. For this and countless other experiences, we are grateful to the US Peace Corps for the opportunity to meet people in other parts of the world who share their world with us--the good, the bad, the horror and the hope. Through this exchange, our world becomes smaller and our understanding of people worldwide grows. So let it be, that we impact people positively by sharing ourselves, our knowledge, and our culture. In turn, we will share what we learn about Armenia with our contacts in the U.S. That is our aim. That is our mission as US Peace Corps volunteers in Armenia. Judy and David

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT------in ARMENIA

2011-08-20T05:08:00.000-07:00

Peace Corps Model School classroom, Nor Hojn, Armenia
Photo by Peace Corps volunteer, Tamara England-Zelenski

Every day, small seemingly insignificant occurrences begin to take on a life of their own. They begin to add up, and compose a descriptive image of what life as a Peace Corps trainee is really like in Armenia. Life is made up of many small events. “Little Things do Mean A Lot” as the old song goes.

Last week marked the end of our Model School in which those of us who are TEFL’s, or teachers of English as a foreign language, taught various ages of students different subjects using English as the focus. We taught 6 different classes and during that time my teaching partner and I found that we can plan lessons and execute them in the classroom but need to work on classroom management. We were “softies”, setting rules for behavior but not enforcing them, especially in one rowdy class of 9-11 year old students numbering 31. It is apparent that my first project upon reaching our new site will be to read more on techniques to deal with student behavior in the classroom setting. The reassuring part of this is that many of my peers will be facing the same challenge as TEFL’s who have not previously taught in a regular classroom.

Just recently our household needed laundry detergent. I was actually recuperating from what is now called the “Peace Corps Bug” by our training group so David went to the village khnoot (store) and purchased a box of powdered laundry soap. Upon return to our toon (house), he showed me his purchase. The large colorful letters on the detergent box read BARF. The name definitely described how I felt. When our host Mother saw it she pointed to the fine print which said in English “for hand laundry”. Since our family does have a real washing machine which they generously share with David and me, we do not do hand laundry. BARF was successfully traded by our host Mother for Persil, another brand of laundry detergent. Our washing machine was happy.

Judith Arvidson-Berg and David Smith, Peace Corps Volunteers

One of our fellow trainees is a delightful 71 year old lady who has worked and lived all over the world. She is a trooper in the truest sense of the word. Judith lives with a young family whose 5 year old son actually had a bicycle with training wheels, a rarity here in our village. The child was still relying on the training wheels when Judith suggested taking them off. The family, though hesitant, followed her suggestion. The child was riding the bike independently within a week. Now that’s a sustainable Peace Corps project!

We were trying to have a photo made of our village volunteers and language trainers on the last day of our language classes. We were all gathered in front of the school, looking for someone to take the photo when the principal arrived. I motioned to him and thought I asked him if he would take our photo. It was obvious that my communication failed when the principal smiled broadly and stepped onto the steps in front of his school with all the volunteers, ready to have his photo made with the group! I believe I still need lots of work on my Hayeren!

Peace Corps volunteers with Principal at Kotayk School

Our host Mother and older son share a computer. She has been very interested in our blog, photos and other computer related subjects. Although she knows a bit of English, she certainly can not read a lengthy blog in English. A younger volunteer told me about GOOGLE Translate so that we could have the blogs translated into Russian which hour host Mother reads well. She was thrilled to read of her family as described in my first 2 blogs and wants to continue with the GOOGLE process on her own. What a great cultural exchange that has turned out to be.

Armenian rug- making loom with rug in progress

Recently several of the women in our group visited a local family who makes beautiful woolen Armenian rugs. Their huge loom is set up in a small room in the home, apart from the living space where several rugs are displayed. We saw the mass of colors of yarn and a rug in progress on the loom. These young women already sell their creations in Paris and other international markets. One of the Peace Corps volunteers viewing the rugs has a friend in the US who sells handmade rugs and who may be interested in Armenian rugs. If that materializes and this small village rug maker is linked with a US outlet for her rugs, another cultural exchange has developed.

Armenian wool in variety of colors for rug in progress

Then, Ed, my TEFL teaching partner, was the recipient of a small piece of paper with the word “arrogant” imprinted on it. This paper was given to him by a 9-11 year old girl as she left our class the first day we taught. The next day the same child quickly slipped another piece of paper to Mr. Ed as she left the room. On it was the word “confident”. We will not be teaching these children again. Who was this child and where did she learn those words?---or did she even know what the words meant in her limited understanding of English? Mr. Ed will never know, but liked “confident” better.

These happen-stance occurrences are only a few to be shared and these are during our Peace Corps pre-service training. Wonder what will occur during our next 2 years to prove that indeed, little things do mean a lot? Judy

Bari Gisher (Good Night) little Armen.............

WE ARE a FAMILY----------in ARMENIA

2011-08-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

As the saying goes, “blood is thicker than water” and there is no better place to see that demonstrated than in Armenia where families are strong. Work that must be done, misfortunes to be faced, and joys to be celebrated are all shared by resilient Armenian families. To be a part of an Armenian family is to be accepted, to be trusted, to be held responsible and to be encircled with love.

David and I feel that we are, indeed, a part of our Armenian host family. We have quickly become aware of how the family functions, the gender roles which prevail and the daily stresses placed upon each member of our Armenian family. Although they initially wanted to treat us as guests, catering to our every need and schedule change, we soon became uncomfortable with that and gradually began sharing in small portions of the household routines. As an older couple, we were probably able to make the transition from guest to family member a bit earlier than some of our younger peer volunteers. From our hosts’ perspective, they probably weren’t sure what to do with their resident volunteers---their 2 year- old child’s new, American Papik and Tatik. We were soon introduced to extended family including our host father’s mother, brother and other family members who also welcomed us into their home as if they’d known us forever. Our host mother’s sisters and children were met early- on in our stay and we soon shared fun-filled experiences with them. Many of the other relatives and employees of the family’s dairy farm became regular acquaintances with frequent presence in our lives.

We certainly did not want to act insensitively to the culture of our family but gradually we began helping to clear dishes from the table and then making our own breakfast so that Anahit could sleep later when we had early classes. I helped prepare a few meals and found that occasionally washing dishes after we ate seemed both to be appreciated and not too intrusive. Our host father was frequently away from home tending his herd of dairy cows that graze in the Armenian mountains during the summer months. 2-year old Armen misses his Papa and quickly began developing a relationship with David and then with me. Recently we took Armen to a local village playground where his Mother says she rarely has time to visit. We felt like grandparents as Armen climbed on the play equipment and slid down the slide with us watching and interacting when he asked. It was basically a non-verbal communicative process with us saying “shat lav” or very good when he accomplished a new feat on the playground. There were no behavior issues and our trip ended with a walk across the street to the local khnoot, store, for ice cream. Sounds like America, doesn’t it? That 1 ½ hour excursion and bonding experience with Armin gave him exercise and fresh air, a chance to play with other children, and a chance for his Mother to enjoy a bit of personal time without a 2 year-old in tow.

Earlier in the day, David helped our host father and older son to unload a huge truck of hay bales. At this time of year, Armenian farmers are working from sun- up to sun- down cutting and baling hay to feed their cattle during the long, harsh winter soon to come to mountainous Armenia. David was accepted and respected as a family member willing to help with this farm task just as the other men in the family were.

I have been obsessed with finding a child’s hardboard dictionary with items labeled in Hayeren (Armenian language). We now have this book so that Armen and I can “read” it together. He also “reads” it with his mother, David and anyone else who will spend time with him and his dictionary, a word he knows and pronounces in English. Unfortunately the 2 year old knows many more words than this Tatik who has to sound out every letter in some words, using the not totally memorized Armenian alphabet. As Armin snuggles closer and points to pictures in his new book, I feel part of his family. His mother and father tell us we are family, and that’s as good as it gets for us in Armenia. Judy

English as a Foreign Language: Teaching in Armenia

2011-08-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

I’m sitting in a Model School classroom with 5-7 year old Armenian children. It is an English class for students recruited by the Peace Corps so that we TEFL’s have students for our practice teaching. We are evaluated by trainers and more experienced Peace Corps volunteers then given feed-back on our work. As trainees, we also alternate teaching classes with evaluating our peers as they do the same. TEFL’s are teachers of English as a foreign language. That will be my job with Peace Corps Armenia along with 21 other trainees in my group. Soon we will each be assigned to a different Armenian town or village, so this practicum is invaluable preparation for what lies ahead.

Today, I am evaluating 2 young women volunteers, peers who are teaching the 5-7 year old class about colors and farm animals. The children in their class demonstrate a wide variance in use of English because they are young and have experienced minimal instruction in English up to this point, plus most families here do not speak Angleren (English) in their homes. With pony tails swishing and voices purposefully clear, the teachers review 5 animals and 8 colors which the children began learning during the previous lesson. As I observe and listen to these 2 young teachers, I can’t help but think of “Ding Dong School”, a television show in the ‘50’s which featured Miss Frances, the epitome of an elementary school teacher. Her methods may be outdated, but she knew how to keep her audience of young viewers interested. And, so did my 2 peers who were presenting the class today for very young students. Speaking slowly and very distinctly, the sounds made by each farm animal are added to the older material. Then, “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” is posted on the board in large letters and introduced to the children. The Armenian children follow the lead of their teachers and sing the song, adding an animal and its sound as they go. Their pronunciation is unique, not quite “Angleren”, but close. The children’s laughter adds to the fun of the lesson.

I wonder, did these young children understand the words they are reading from the board, saying—or singing? That is one challenge each of us who teaches English as a foreign language must overcome. Just as in the US, many Armenian children do a great job of reading words in English yet comprehension of what is read often falls short. Only with time and repeated interaction can a teacher be certain of a child’s abilities. From there, a lesson may be planned and further learning occurs. That is the aim of all TEFL’s---to teach a child to listen to English, to read English, to write in English, to speak English but foremost, to understand English. Then we will be successful.

The young children in the class today are potentially learning 13 new words in 1-2 days. David and I haven’t done nearly this well in our Armenian (Hayeren) language class. If during our 2 years of service in Armenia we learn 3-5 new words each day, our vocabulary will increase by 2190-3650 words. That is a huge number of new words to learn. ( I think we’ll wait to start learning them until after we swear-in on August 16.) Judy and David

Students receiving certificates at conclusion of Peace Corps Model School

SUMMER in ARMENIA

2011-08-14T11:10:00.000-07:00

Dave’s watch, which serves as our alarm clock, beeps at 6:30 am but our day really begins at 7:30 am when we hear the low mooing of many cows as they cross the road near our open window. Nose- to- tail, they amble, headed for greener grass to graze on the nearby mountain. Along side the cattle is a farmer, stick in hand but his voice the tool most useful in keeping the cows in line. If one strays to the side to munch on a patch of tempting grass the farmer quickly pursues the animal, taps the ground with his stick, utters a few loud sounds and occasionally throws a rock at the wandering cow. They usually move quickly back with the herd, the mooing becoming louder as these cows patiently make their way methodically up the mountain. This process is repeated exactly twelve hours later. Around 7:30 pm every day, these cows are herded back to their barns where the Armenian women who milk them wait to do their work. One wonders who is happier for that return to the barn—the cows who’ve been in the hot sun, grazing all day and now coming home with udders seeking relief, or the women who tend to the cow’s basic needs and understand only as a woman can, how important their work is.

We enter the downward stretch in our pre-service training for Peace Corps Armenia. Preparations are being made for our official swearing-in ceremony. Soon after that we move to Dilijan, Armenia which will be our home for the next 2 years. We will leave our sweet host family, the dairy farm life and the neighbor’s cows who serve as our alarm clock. We’ll leave at summer’s end as our family and most others are preparing for the long, cold winter ahead. Now farmers are busy baling hay and storing it for their animals to eat during the winter. Women are canning fruits and vegetables in great numbers and making muraba(jam) from the fruits so available during the summer. Herbs are being dried; apricots, peaches, cherries and other fruits are being preserved for later on when only root crops and a few other vegetables are available. In mid-September our family’s large herd of cows will be driven from their mountainous summer home back to the place where we now live. Fat, sleek, and ready to face winter, they’ll be cared for by our host father and his workers.

It is strange though that living on this dairy farm, we never have milk to drink. The milk produced by our cows is trucked down from the mountains and sold to a local company which produces matsoon (yogurt-like dairy product), sour cream, tan (similar to buttermilk), butter and other products. As the cobbler’s son did not have shoes in the tale of long ago, this dairy farm family does not drink milk although they do have cheese, butter, matsoon and other milk products. We take it in stride and supplement our diet with calcium tablets provided by the Peace Corps.

In the summer, our family’s cows and our neighbor’s cows thrive in the grassy, cooler mountainous areas of Armenia. They survive the cold winter closer to home. Just as it is for their owners, life is tough in Armenia, but the people are strong, resilient and able to handle challenges which face them. And so preparation for winter has started even as our days are hot. In our new town, we’ll miss the procession of cows passing our window, morning and night. We’ll recall the gentle moos and the farmer’s voice, but we’ll trust that it will all be repeated next season, because that’s how Armenia has survived. Despite the tragedies of war, genocide, earthquakes, poverty, religious intolerance, and lack of freedom as a country, Armenia prevails and is proud. May this resilience continue to serve the people of Armenia. Judy

PLAY a Song, PLAY with a child: It's Cultural Exchange

2011-07-26T05:39:00.000-07:00

“Old Susannah, Oh don’t you cry for me. I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee.”

Who would expect to hear those words sung by an Armenian woman who barely speaks English? But our new host Mother sang these lines as we were working together on our respective languages. Annahit is learning English (Angleren) and I, Armenian (Hayeren). We help each other although she is certainly a quicker learner with a better memory than I. The startling recognition of the old Southern Stephen Foster song prompted me to bring out my new alto recorder which so far, had remained packed in my duffle bag. I do not play well but was able to provide the tune for Annahit’s song and in return, received lots of laughs and photo requests from our host family. Anahit’s 2-year old son, Armen watched with curiosity, and I was relieved he did not want to play with me! He is a bright, active, smart child who frequently uses “che” (NO!) just as our American children do. He vocalizes and sings constantly and occupies himself amazingly well with little direction from adults. He has minimal play materials. I long for some of the items I chose to leave in the US due to space constraints when packing. Compared to the US, there is a limited supply of toys in village stores, so this child makes do with his Mother’s drawer of cooking utensils and other random household items. He is fortunate to have an older brother with a computer, and he does have a child’s computer program which is utilized occasionally. As a result, Armen can sing an entire children’s song in Russian and does so at many of our meals.

One day David and I bought colored crayons for Armen and brought them home for use when he was bored. That day came and I gave him 2 of the bright colors and several sheets of blank paper. (We have not been able to find coloring books here.) He was content to draw and scribble free style for a brief period of time, then just when I turned my back to help Anahit with a cooking project, he began making large scrawls of color on the kitchen walls!! I quickly took the crayon from his small hand, saying, “che” and trying to look stern. Anahit smiled and said, “vochinch”, meaning “ it’s okay”. I quietly put the crayons away until another time when someone could sit with Armen while he colored. I’m a Tatik (grandmother) and should have known better than to leave a 2 year old child unsupervised even for a second!!!! Later, Aahit told me they planned to paint those kitchen walls but not until Armen is older. I certainly see why.

The brief encounter with music in the life of our Armenian family provides yet another thread or connection between them and David and me. Our interaction with Armen is another route to cultural exchange as we see the overwhelming similarities in 2 year-old children, no matter where they live.

May these everyday experiences and efforts be multiplied by many more such small links in the chain of understanding. Judy

BARI GALUST HAYASTAN! Welcome to Armenia!

2011-07-17T01:54:00.000-07:00

We made it to Armenia ! Following flights from New York to Vienna, Austria, then on to Yerevan, Armenia, our group of 41 exuberant though exhausted volunteers reached the first step in our 27 month commitment to service with the US Peace Corps. Highlights of the journey included a 14 hour lay-over in Vienna where we visited the famous St. Stephens Cathedral and engaged in the pleasure of eating Austrian Sacher torte. In Yerevan, we were greeted by the Armenian Peace Corps Country Director and staff, then whisked away from the airport at 4:45 am to view a glorious sunrise at the foot of Mt. Ararat. Although we saw no rainbow at the alleged resting place for Noah’s Ark, we felt inspired while being surrounded by so much history and such reverent beauty.

                                                          OUR HOST FAMILY

Angleren, Hayeren----our host “Mother” studies the language of America while we study the language of her country, Armenia. These dual efforts bring David and me closer to our new family as we settle in for our 2^nd intense 3 months of training with the Peace Corps. We come to this country in hopes of serving the entire 27 months without interruptions as we experienced in Niger. Our host couple have a 2 year old son as well as 2 older sons, ages 19 and 21. The older son is now home from serving his 2 years in the Armenian military while the 19 year old is currently away with the military as required by his country. Beginning with our first introduction, we felt a warm, sincere welcome into this family. The 2 year old now calls us “Papik” and “Tatik”, Armenian for grandfather and grandmother. We miss our grandson , Jared, but do have little Armen to fill our ears with laughter and hearts with love. Just as other 2 year-old children, he is a master of the word “no” expressed as “che” in the Armenian language.

Our home for the 3 months in pre-service training is located on a large farm where dairy cows are raised. The family does business with a local company, TAMARA, producers of matsoon (similar to yogurt), cheeses and other dairy products. Our room in this family’s home is spacious and comfortable, an excellent place to live and study while in this country for Peace Corps training. We share a family bathroom which has a FLUSH toilet---a great step up from our facilities in Niger. There is running water and electricity and hot water is available during parts of each day so that bucket baths are a routine we will avoid for now, although some of the volunteers in our village do have limited bathroom amenities.

Our Village and Country

Our small village, as is all of Armenia, is filled with reminders of a somber history dating back for thousands of year . Most visible is the destruction of buildings, remaining remnants, and the signs of gradual emergence of villages which were destroyed or damaged by the Turkish genocide of 1914-1917, World Wars I and II, the 70 year occupation by the Soviet Union, plus more devastation caused by the massive earthquake of 1988. Most recently the war with Gharabagh during the 90’s has added continuous woe to the lives of the Armenian people. The genocide and violent restriction of religious practices for over 70 years has left this mostly Christian country still struggling to increase its population and return to the family-oriented, religious country that it once was. There are numerous churches, monasteries and chapels found throughout the small villages and larger towns as well as in the capital of Yerevan. Many are in disrepair with local people striving to renovate these historical architectural gems. There is a natural bleakness to the crumbling buildings which are in juxtaposition to absolutely stunning snow- capped mountains and lush green meadows covered with brilliant colored summer flowers. The balance in mood is perpetuated by the resilient , hard-working Armenian people who value education and family and desire to see their home land thrive. A Peace Corps assignment in Armenia offers us the opportunity to share ourselves and our country’s values with a totally different culture than we found in Niger thus broadening both our perspective and our appreciation for the US. Although the people of Armenia possess a higher score on the United Nations Human Index scale, the country is pervaded by poverty and lack of jobs which affects families just as in the US. Many men and women must travel to Russia to find work, thus separating families for lengthy periods of time. The same held true in Niger when the men of one tribal village traveled to another for field work as the seasons changed and crops came in. Whereas Niger was horizontal and brown, Armenia is vertical and green. With the heat of summer becoming more intense, we are already seeing that brown returning but to the mountains, not to the desert. Those differences are obvious to the eye while the differences in each country’s people are not quite as self- evident.

Menk urakh enk Hayastanoom. We are happy in Armenia!

Written June 15, 2011

ON to ARMENIA........................

2011-05-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

Bari galust hayastan! Welcome to Armenia!

The three bracelets pictured at the bottom of this article tell a story. Just as my wrist was encircled with the bracelets of Niger, it will now wear the lovely silver bracelet bearing the Armenian cross. Soon, Dave and I will be surrounded by and immersed into the lives of our new Armenian hosts. Only a few months ago we left our caring host family in Niger who encompassed us with love and concern, always looking out for us. Those bracelets are treasures, one from a former Peace Corps volunteer in Niger and one purchased in a Peace Corps shop carrying local women’s handiwork. The third is from Lisa, a dear friend in the US, who gave it to me to assure safety in our travels to Armenia. These bracelets signify our journey which started in Niger, Africa and is making a huge circle towards another part of the world, Armenia, Eastern Europe. Hopefully, the circle will be completed with full service and accomplishments of goals fostered by the Peace Corps.

Dave and I approach transitioning into another country knowing that it will require enormous time, intense intellectual involvement and strong emotional commitment to be successful. We have learned an incredible amount via social networking and personal communications from our former Peace Corps peers who are now in new villages and countries. They say in a nutshell, “ You cannot compare Niger or the Niger Peace Corps staff to any other.” They also say for us not to compare the volunteers in our first group with our group headed to Armenia, and not to expect to find Tondi, the superb Director of Training and father figure to all of us in Niger. We are advised not to jump to immediate conclusions about our country, our assignment or our training staff—or our work. These pieces of advice are passed on to us because these former volunteers with Peace Corps Niger say there is NO comparison between experiences which will be so very different in so many ways. We know we cannot dismiss the impact of hardcore Peace Corps Niger, nor will we forget it, or even want to. But…..it’s time to move on.

Departure for Armenia is less than a week away. We’ve studied the language as best we can and researched the country. We feel better prepared than prior to leaving for Niger yet still harbor some anxieties about what is ahead, mixed with excitement and curiosity. Thanks to Peace Corps volunteers already in Armenia who’ve answered endless questions via the A-19 er’s Facebook page, the preparation and packing process has been eased somewhat. Staging in Philadelphia comes next, then a connecting flight from New York to Vienna (I can taste the famous Sacher Tortes now!!!), concluded by arrival in Yerevan, Armenia, the country’s capital city. We are contemplating everything, wondering with wide open eyes just as a child does before Christmas. What will our training group be like? Where will we live? Will we know enough language to actually talk with our host family? What about the students in my English class, will they be able to relate to an older American teacher with minimal teaching experience but years of life experience? Will Dave’s role in business development really challenge him as well as provide a route for his adding to the advancement of a developing country? And is everything preceded by a toast with local vodka?

All the while, we hear from our friends from Niger, now in countries all over the world. We receive e-mails and phone calls biding us farewell and wishing us good luck. We will even have breakfast on June 1 with Michele, a Returned Peace Corps volunteer from Niger, who lives close enough to Philadelphia to come and see us off. We are excited as though standing on the precipice of a majestic mountain just waiting to step off into the unknown. Our hopes are high that this time we’ll be able to really contribute to what our new country needs. David and I will reach out to the people of Armenia and share our knowledge through teaching and small business development. We may learn more than our Armenian counterparts but that will further complete the circle and the bonds between people of two very different countries. This cultural exchange makes up 2 Peace Corps goals, and we share the belief that they are well worth the effort to achieve.

To Lisa who gave me the bracelet with the Armenian Cross, I say “Shnorhakalutyun” or thank you, and we will definitely travel safely.

Good-bye Niger. Judy and Dave

MAYBE A BROKEN HEART...............

2011-05-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

The e-mail was brief and sad. It was succinct though softened with an apology by the sender who expressed dismay at being the bearer of bad news. It was the unsettling announcement of a beloved Niger staff member’s death which came that day. After a couple of months back in the US and after beginning to put the Niger experience in perspective, it was certainly a shock to learn that Seini, the tall Nigerien Program Assistant in the Dosso region of Niger, had died. In compliance with his religion, Islam, his funeral was the next day. How sad it was to know that very few of those who knew him would be there to pay their respects.

Seini, also a dedicated driver in the region, had worked for Peace Corps Niger for twenty years and now we were being informed of his death. No reason for this sudden passing was known. All we knew was that Seini did anything he could to help us volunteers. He did a magnificent job and showed compassion and heart without fail.

I recall during our 2 week language immersion experience when David and I were living in a village in the Dosso region, Seini stopped by to see us if he was traveling to another village nearby. He particularly liked David, and I think he admired him as an older volunteer. Outside our millet stalk shade hangar, we could see Seini’s white Peace Corps vehicle stop and the tall, slender, muscular Nigerien man step out. His smile was infectious and his handshake firm. He brought us French bread some days which was a treat, since there were no markets close to our village. Many of those mornings in the village of Bangou Banda, all we ate was that French bread and tea or coffee. One day he brought us a dozen eggs, one of the few items of protein we had during that 2 weeks. We learned from Seini and Djibo, our language trainer, that we could keep eggs unrefrigerated for several days before they’d spoil. We had eggs for supper and eggs for breakfast, David, Djibo and I, until all twelve were gone. Seini was the person who brought those eggs to us, and we did not even have to ask him to do so.

I’m certain the full time volunteers in the Dosso region have many more stories of praise for Seini than could ever be recounted in a blog. We are just fortunate to have known him briefly. We also know that Seini had arranged to find some type of toilet seat for another older couple who were working on their traditional pit toilet, trying to make it more user friendly. Seini always went the extra mile to help a Peace Corps volunteer.

We did not know his personal story or if there were underlying health issues, but maybe Seini died of the proverbial “broken heart” as suggested by one staff member who worked closely with him. Documented over and again in medical and other scientific literature, persons have been known to die after sudden emotional shock or loss of a dearly loved one. Maybe Seini’s death was due if not totally, partially, to a “broken heart” resulting from the loss of his life in the Peace Corps, or maybe due to the suddenness and abruptness of the evacuation from Niger of the entire Peace Corps family, and the loss of his identity which soon followed. Whatever the cause of Seini’s passing, it was tragic, and it said volumes about the impact of Peace Corps on one life which then overflowed to affect all the volunteers with whom he had worked.

Seini’s life ended as abruptly as did the Peace Corps in Niger. Seini symbolizes the briefness of life and the absolute importance of using every minute wisely. Seini was certainly a perfect example of that as he worked to make Peace Corps Niger an effective organization to benefit the Nigerien people who had asked for help. He worked even harder trying to help Peace Corps volunteers adjust to life in his country. To that end he was more than a success. May Seini rest in peace.

Irkoy ma suuji a ma a yaafa (Zarma). May God bless he who has died.

Judy and David

FOR SOME REASON..........

2011-04-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

    There has been a lapse in my posts to this blog, for some reason.

    So many times in the past couple of months I've compsed blogs in my head, but somehow never posted them. The day David and I spoke via SKYPE with Susan , a Peace Corps volunteer currently serving in Armenia, filled my head to overflowing with impressions of what Dave and I would soon experience and jogged our memories of what we left behind in Niger. ( A blog in the making, I thought.) Susan described life in Armenia, her living arrangements, her work teaching English as a foreign language, the weather, what to pack and not to pack, and all about her new friends in the Peace Corps and about her host family. We had also been e-mailing a former Peace Corps volunteer who shared letters she wrote for her friends and family during the 2 years she served in Armenia. All of this was so inspiring, but I did not write the blog...............for some reason.

       Then I researched to which country each of our Niger 2010 group had been invited and found that most of us were already in a new country or departing soon for destinations all over the world. As I looked at photos on Facebook or received e-mails from other people, I thought of what we had all shared together in Niger. We were considered to be "the hardcore Peace Corps" due to the nature of our country of service, Niger. True, most of the group were young enough to be our grandchildren, yet we felt connected due to our mutual experiences, both harsh and joyful. In sickness and in health, those familiar words taken from another type of bonding, could also describe our relationship as a group. As I recalled each person, it dawned on me that we'd probably not see these people again although comments regarding a reunion had already begun. An entire blog filled my head again, but I did not write it down..... for some reason.

       And then as we traveled awating departure for Armenia June 1, we visited many relatives and friends. Most were curious about our experiences and most were amazed that we'd willingly return to Niger if that opportunity was available. My sister even expressed admiration for our courage, which made us a bit embarrassed.   People were even more surprised that we'd start over, learn a new language and begin another 27 month commitment in a totally different country. We met many people who are fascinated with the idea of joining the Peace Corps but would not or could not do it themselves. Many know others who have children or acquaintances in the Peace Corps, and a few wish they had joined when they themselves were younger. We also encountered people who think the Peace Corps is a waste of US dollars and that volunteers should do their work at home. Our world grows smaller every day and a Peace Corps experience speeds the diminishing distance between cultures quite nicely. This subject also holds blog potential. It has not been developed even when time might allow....... for some reason.

        As David and I visit with our daughter, we have also been attending numerous and varied concerts because we missed music so much while in Niger. One evening after a local concert perfomed in one of Wilmington, NC's beautiful historic mansions, the singer , Susan Savia, greeted us. She had heard us mention being in the Peace Corps and wanted to give us a children's CD she was recording so that her voice could be heard by the Armenian children. Another blog , about how music influences lives and the cultural aspect of sharing it with children ,was not written......for some reason.

         That same evening , I recognized a local radio personality and approached her during intermission to say how much I enjoyed her show and what a delightful voice she had. She has a beautiful speaking voice and uses it perfectly in introducing music and conducting on-air interviews. She warmly thanked me for speaking to her and before I could respond, she had turned her back to me, calling to another concert goer asking, "don't I know you from somewhere?" Though I'm certain there was no intention to do so, I was crushed at instantly being brushed off. I'm not even sure what I thought we'd talk about further, but that short 2 minute encounter spoke not so eloquently of how unimportant I was. An emerging blog swirled in my head and awaited creation.The title might have been "Don't take yourself so seriously or think you are so important". It has not been composed ........for some reason.

            Then just last night , I was reading in materials provided by the Peace Corps about some of the challenges of returning home after service in a foreign country. I began to understand a bit more about this phenomenon of "return home" and the issues that may arise even after a brief period of time such as David and I had due to our evacuation from Niger. The article said that the sudden return to anonymity sometimes causes the returned Peace Corps volunteer to acutely miss being the center of attention. The volunteer misses the excitement, intense scrutiny by villagers, and the "fishbowl" life once surrouding them in a village .  That's probably why I felt miffed during the experience previously described at the concert. I was still feeling special, still being Sherifa as I had been in Niger, still expecting people to recognize me. In Niger, I stood out as an American woman who was a Peace Corps volunteer and everyone in the village knew that.   Back home, I am not Sherifa, am not special , and most people do not even know me.  Much more could be said about this subject of how one transitions and returns to their native country after living in another culture, but it's not written yet .....for some reason.

       Finally, an unexpected e-mail appeared in my in-box this week. It prompted a quick response -----and a blog. That blog will be written and will be posted soon.     Stay tuned, and thanks for keeping up with this journey to Niger then Armenia with the Peace Corps.    Judy

FINDING HOME

2011-03-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

       “Home is any place I hang my hat”. These thought-provoking lyrics were heard by Dave and me at a recent cabaret performance in Wilmington, NC, while we are staying with our daughter, before departure to Armenia with the Peace Corps. The song sounded like a true Peace Corps description of home, especially for volunteers who move from one country to another and establish homes in new towns and villages all over the world.

         Dave and I had recently talked about where home was for us and where home might be after the Peace Corp, both the physical place and the emotional feel of home. We agreed that the meaning of home differs dramatically based upon a person’s particular life experiences and emotional make-up. Dave says that the more places you feel at home, the more connected you are with the world, or the more comfortable you are with yourself. As I write this blog, we are driving from one of our former homes to 2 others (from Wilmington, NC/Kure Beach to Memphis and Clarksville, TN). On varying levels, we each identify these places as homes where one or both of us lived previously. But could we go back? It’s been said that “home is where the heart is.” Would our hearts immediately be back in these homes, or would our heads come into play and become stronger influences than our emotions? Is it possible to have 2 or more homes at once or must home be a singular entity? What do you think?

          “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is a familiar seasonal song conjuring up both sentimental thoughts and early travel plans. In a column written in the Church Health Reader by Dr.G. Scott Morris, MD, founder and medical director of the Church Health Center in Memphis, TN, he mentions going home for holidays, sometimes to a dysfunctional family, and due to family tradition or a sense of responsibility. Although there is merit to maintaining ties to family, the feel of those home comings is not always warm and fuzzy even when greeted by hugs and kisses. The trip home is not always comfortable for a variety of reasons.
When we visit my elderly father, he always says, “this is your home so do whatever you want to.” (I’ve actually said the same thing when our adult children visit us!) I understand my father’s feelings because he has lived in the same house for over fifty five years and in the same town even longer. He has traveled very little aside from going to the Pacific theater during WW II. The house Dave and I visit is truly my father’s home; it is no longer mine, yet I do have memories of it being home as I grew up.

        Dr. Morris suggests that one’s church home can be a place where a person feels they’ve made a place for themselves that is right. I think it is a home where unconditional love and a sense of peace is felt, no matter who you are. Can a person move to a new physical home in the world and feel at home in a church there? Maybe it is possible, if the concept of church home is based on the idea of a religious community and not tied to a particular building or place. Dave and I had a church home in Memphis since the late 60’s and we just recently visited it. We felt an overwhelming connection to the people we had known and not seen for several years. We knew we had made a place for ourselves in previous years of membership and we truly felt welcomed and loved when we returned. We have not found a church home like this one since. Dr. Morris’s wife, Mary, says that by connecting to those we love and who we want to spend time with, we can create our own sense of home. Maybe Dave and I need to work harder on making those connections in a new church in the future.

        As Peace Corps volunteers, we already felt at home in Niger after being there only 3 months prior to our evacuation. Acceptance and respect were there. Our Nigerien villagers were protective and caring towards us, and yes, we felt a sense of peace at the end of a hot day as we lay down under the brilliant star-covered sky. In Africa we slept outside without fear; we were half the way around the world, and we felt at home. During dinner with long term friends recently, one of them asked us about our current nomadic life and how it felt to not have what he considered to be a “home”. Dave said it did not bother him; I said I missed that feeling.

         Over the years, we have felt at home wherever we have lived and now eagerly await June 1 when we begin the search for a home anew, in Armenia. Since we sold our physical properties before moving to North Carolina, then rented there, we joke of being homeless or living the life of nomads. Our Peace Corps home of record (HOR) is in Las Vegas with our son. Our mailing address is a PO Box in Kure Beach, NC, and we are staying with various family members and friends in THEIR homes in the meantime. Our friends and family wonder about us and say they have difficulty keeping up with our whereabouts. Thank goodness for internet and cell phones, Skype, text messaging and Facebook! We hope to soon “hang our hat” in our new home in Armenia for at least twenty seven months. The US will always be our global home, but “where our hearts lie” will vary from our childhood homes to the many we’ve shared over the years as adults. Home is truly where you make it, where you feel comfortable and where peace and contentment prevail. It can change, but will always be inside of you. You’ll know when you are home. It will be a home and not just a place to stay. For us it will be where we both “hang our hats”.

              As you read this blog, are you at home?
Judy and Dave

Reference: http://www.churchhealthreader.org to read more of Dr. G. Scott Morris’ columns

Happy Anniversary! Peace Corps ..... 50 years and still counting!

2011-03-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

I had not meant to add another post to this blog today, however, lunch with special friends prompted me to do so. While basically “hanging out” awaiting our next Peace Corps assignment, I have been re-connecting with old friends wherever we go. Today, as my musician friends and I settled into a booth at a favorite seafood restaurant, Ted said,” it’s significant that we met today because I read in the newspaper that on this day, March 1, fifty years ago, President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order establishing the Peace Corps”. I was pleasantly surprised. I certainly knew the Peace Corps was celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year but did not know today was the date. What a perfect day to talk with friends about my Peace Corps experiences! There was also an added comment about the recent death of the first Peace Corps Director, Sargeant Shriver, so it would be an informal tribute to 2 related events within the same year.

Sargeant Shriver ‘s death occurred in January while our Peace Corps stage was meeting in Morocco, after our evacuation from Niger. That time seems so long ago now, yet it was only 6 weeks ago. Where has the time gone? How surreal it seems to be back in the US yet still feel connected to the experiences in Niger. Our evacuation was a significant event during our brief time in the Peace Corps but so vivid are the details of how it was handled. I recall that as we left the Rabat, Morocco, hotel in the dark of night and headed to the airport in Casablanca , brilliant blue flashing lights of the Moroccan police escort were visible from the bus’s window. Now, it is a bit more frightening to think of that night in the dark when none of us really knew all that was happening or exactly where we were headed in our Peace Corps future. A book written by Mark Jenkins entitled TIMBUKTU about 4 adventurous young men kayaking down the Niger River in an attempt to reach Timbuktu, contains the following statement about darkness. ‘’ The darkness can shake you. Darkness makes everything monstrous and foreboding. What you can not see you imagine and what you imagine is more terrible than what exists. There is reason to teach your children not to be afraid of the dark. To overcome the fear of the dark is to overcome the fear of the unknown which is to overcome fear itself.” As our bus rolled on through the darkness that was night in Morocco, we eventually reached the lights at the airport and began the process so familiar at airports-- check-in, ID check, security screening, and all the rest. The immediate unknown became apparent; we were not afraid anymore and did what had to be done as we boarded planes back to our US destinations.

As my friends and I ate lunch today, they plied me with questions about life in Niger. I told them of the good and the unpleasant, always adding that I’d never trade the experience and would return there if the opportunity presented itself. They, as most people who’ve heard about Niger, cannot believe most of what they hear. We laughed at my description of bucket baths, donkey cart rides, and fractured efforts at speaking the local language with villagers. There were more serious responses when I described the health risks, nutritional deficits, and harsh climate we encountered and which the locals dealt with for a lifetime. There were mixed reactions when I tried to explain why the Peace Corps would even send volunteers to a country which, even with Peace Corps service since 1962, still has made so little progress on the United Nations Human Index Scale. My friends today voiced many of the same questions and concerns of our family and other friends with whom we’ve spoken and visited. They have legitimate issues and I do not feel fully prepared to respond to all of them in an effective way. However, Goal #2 of the Peace Corps involves sharing information about the culture of Niger with others in the US. All Peace Corps volunteers are expected to share their experiences in any way possible. I am willing to talk about Niger and its people with anyone willing to listen. Writing about the subject is also a prime option. Today, the luncheon with my friends brings this goal #2 to life. What better day to recognize that fact than on March 1 , the anniversary of the founding of the Peace Corps. Judy and Dave

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR.........................................

2011-02-28T08:21:00.000-08:00

Good-bye from Nassirou and Sherifa. These Nigerien names were given to Dave and me by our host family in Niger and are now sadly dropped since we are no longer Peace Corps volunteers in that country. Evacuation from a place included evacuation from a persona. I miss being Sherifa. The name sounded crisp and friendly when children called to me across a dusty village pathway or as Dave and I walked through the desert to Tondobon, the Peace Corps Niger training site. Dave had a neutral feeling about being called Nassirou, but he readily responded to the calls of “Fo fo” (hello) which were frequently heard when we were out in the village.

These names , Nassirou and Sherifa, were additional efforts made towards total immersion into a different culture. Just as wearing locally made clothing, learning the local language, eating Nigerien food, and practicing culturally acceptable manners and behaviors helped to bridge the inevitable cultural gap, identifying oneself as Nassirou and Sherifa signified that we wanted to be a part of our village. Peace Corps (and we) believe this is the best way to gain acceptance and respect , as well as participation in meaningful work and projects, in a new community so different from our own.

Now that Dave and I are evacuees from Niger, we no longer say “Ay ma Nassirou” or “Ay ma Sherifa” when someone asks us our name. We are now David and Judy, immersed back into life in America. We must now fit back into the culture here. We must pay attention to our attire (no Zaras ), speak English(not Zarma), eat American foods (not millet and rice at every meal) and we must refrain from culturally acceptable practices which are unthinkable here. (Example: burping loudly after a meal to express satiation and appreciation.)

We will not forget Nassirou and Sherifa . We will always be Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) from Niger. The memories of our experience in Niger, though brief , will always be with us. Instead, we’ll bid Nassirou and Sherifa a fond and poignant farewell. As our Peace Corps training manager, Tondi, once told us, “Everyone who leaves Niger wants to return because they left a part of their heart in our country.” We agree, and we would return to Niger in a New York second if given the opportunity.

Good-bye Nassirou and Sherifa………for now. HELLO ARMENIA!

2011-02-03T17:53:00.001-08:00

“Get out!” Dave and I are at the movies watching the highly acclaimed movie “The King’s Speech” when King George VI’s speech therapist was told to exit Westminster Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

My mind jumps to Niger where we had been living prior to January 21 and our abrupt evacuation by the Peace Corps due to safety and security issues. Fatta! Sobay! These are the words for “leave” or “get out” in the Zarma language we were learning while serving with the Peace Corps. However, now Dave and I are back in the US awaiting another Peace Corps assignment and memories of Niger keep surfacing.

As I sit in this US movie theater, I keep thinking of Niger and its people we left behind, and the new friends we made with Peace Corps volunteers all of whom are now scattered over the world, probably never to be seen again by Dave and me. My mind snaps back to the movie as King George VI, brilliantly portrayed by Colin Firth, prepares to deliver the speech of his life. He is desperately trying to overcome a lifelong problem with stammering, as he addresses his countrymen during WWII. When the king’s speech therapist assures him that the speech he will deliver is only 9 minutes long----I immediately think of Dan, the young Peace Corps volunteer who delivered a speech at our Peace Corps swearing-in ceremony only slightly over a month ago. His speech was in Zarma language and was also 9 minutes in length. Dan had no problem with delivery and had no speech therapist to prompt him as he spoke eloquently to several hundred people in the language he had learned in only 9 weeks of training. There was Niger again, returning to haunt me with a reminder that our experience in the Peace Corps though short in time and abruptly terminated, will be influential the remainder of our lives.

Someone said “good morning, how are you?” at the grocery store yesterday. I almost said , “bani samay walla” or “in health” in Zarma language. I see children in my son’s neighborhood as they ride their bikes and play with toys received at Christmas. I think of the children in our Nigerien village happily playing all day with nothing but each other or making simple toys from jar lids and sticks. At my son’s home we fuss because the water in the shower is not hot long enough, which makes me stop and think of Niger, our bucket baths and the water only as warm as the sun could heat it during the day.

Now it is cold all across the US with blizzards, snow storms and stranded travelers making the news. Niger will soon be entering its hot season, then the rainy season. Every place in the world experiences weather and climate challenges, but I think of Niger as I add an extra layer of clothing to keep warm in the US.

As Dave and I re-adjust to the life we once lived in the US, we eat out, attend a stage show, and shop in well-stocked stores buying whatever we need or want. Do we feel guilty because our time in Niger exposed us to 3rd world poverty and lack of all but the basics in life, then we return here to comforts and luxury? Of course we feel a sense of ambivalence when we think of how other people live in the world. But----our thoughts are also of extreme appreciation and gratefulness for the life we do have, and for the opportunities available to us. One of our strongest appreciations is for the strength and ability to serve those less fortunate, those who were dealt a different deck of cards in life, so to speak. It is through this thought process and willingness to serve that we await another assignment with the Peace Corps. Kala Suru! or have patience as the Nigerien people say in Zarma language. Judy and Dave

"FOR THE GOOD TIME"

2011-01-25T10:58:00.000-08:00

   During our flight from Frankfurt to Chicago , I happened to listen to Johnny Cash sing "For the Good Time", a Kris Kristopherson song and one Cash had chosen for his final American Recording album. The opening words seem to express some of the feelings I was experiencing about Dave and my abrupt departure from Niger.

                           Don't look so sad, I know it's over,
                            But life goes on, this old world will keep on turning.
                           Let's just be glad we had some time to spend together,
                           There's no need to watch the bridges that we're burning!

      We left Morocco at 2 AM. Tears were shed by many, others were quiet and contemplative. We all felt the loss and separation anxiety caused by unexpected changes in our plans. To bid us farewell, our wonderful friend and training director, Tondi, came saying that he had told many volunteers good-bye but never like this. He knew it was over. Several people had been in their Niger village for eighteen month, others including Dave and me, for as few as 8 days. No matter which time frame, we were all processing the separation from a dream and from Niger as we boarded the bus from our hotel and took off on return flights to the United States

        What a journey the past 3 months had been for us--first to Philadelphia to meet our fellow Peace Corps trainees, then to Niamey, Niger for training, followed by official Peace Corps swearing in at the residence of the US Ambassador to the Republic of Niger. Soon after that, we were quickly installed into our villages only
to be swiftly removed in a perfectly executed though abrupt evacuation to safety in Morocco. As strange and naive as it sounds, most of us felt safe in our small rural villages. We knew our villagers would protect us and never anticipated any terrorist to attempt anything harmful out in the bush. We knew, though, that Niamey was unsafe, that an important election was coming up soon and there were times when Peace Corps volunteers had to enter the city for meetings and other reasons.

             Now we were flying from Casablanca, Morocco to Frankfurt, Germany and splitting up as each volunteer took different flights to their home of record. Many of the younger volunteers were enroute o their parent's home to await new assignments. While they voiced reservations about having to return home, dependent on parents again, we felt ambivalent about being "boomerang" parents, now relying on our adult children to host us for an indefinite period of time. We are grateful to our son and daughter-in-law for putting us up and look forward to a stay with our daughter soon. We have left new found friends--Carolyn, Taj, Qamar, Daniel, Jeff, Jori, Allison (3), Shelly, Shelby, Joseph, Jacob, Ashley, Elizabeth,Katelyn, Cassie, Isis--to name only a few. We will miss the staff with whom we worked and trained--Valerie, Janelle, Tondi, Walter, Soulemayne, Ouessini, Djibo and more. Each of these people have different dreams and perspectives on what they hope to do with the life they are living. We all move again into the unknown and unexpected. We personally believe if we can survive and pass the test of Peace Corps service in Niger, even for a short time, that we can do anything!

                As Johnny Cash sang in the Kristopherson song,
                   "Let's just be glad we had some time to spend together,
                    There's no need to watch the bridges that we're burning.
    We all now await our next opportunity. Each of us learned so much from these experiences and will hopefully use that knowledge as we seek and accept or refuse invitations to our next Peace Corps post.
Kala ton ton --Zarma for see you later....................Judy and Dave

THE CALL----A Continuing Story

2011-01-21T04:38:00.000-08:00

Evacuation was definitely a curve in the road Dave and I had not expected, but it could have been worse. We had only been in our village one week so relationships had not been firmed up as they had with other volunteers who’d served for 6 months or 1 ½ years. These mostly young people were even more affected emotionally than we were. We were bummed by the idea of the AQIM and other unsavory types of people who perpetrate crimes toward others being able to disrupt our dream of service in the Peace Corps. We were saddened by the separation which was ahead for our Stage of fellow Peace Corps volunteers. We were concerned for the people of Niger who were losing the support of Peace Corps volunteers and other NGO workers who had a presence in their country for years. Personally, we were concerned because we were basically now “homeless”. Our plans were to finish 27 months of service with the Peace Corps and then to re-evaluate our life’s direction at that time. If our service is now interrupted for a lengthy period of time we will need to re-examine our commitment and responsibilities and figure out what to do, while we hang out somewhere. (Look out¸ Chris and Dottie and Flora!! We may be headed your way.)

During the tightly run transition conference our group had ample time to see parts of Rebat, Morocco, including a historic fort dating back to pre-Roman times. Many people got their first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean with its crashing wave, blue water and full moon overhead. The Madina Market was a shopper’s paradise and many volunteers took advantage of great buys in shoes, wood products, pashmina, and other items to take as gifts to those at home. The bottom line though is that we had all suffered a loss and were going through the steps of resolving that loss in our own way. Dave and I will be returning to the US to await a new assignment so that we can complete our commitment to Peace Corps service. Others will be leaving immediately for posts needing their technical and language skills right away. Another group of people will be taking advantage of a new Peace Corps program, expedited return to service, just created during this large evacuation of volunteers. These lucky PCV’s will be leaving for their posts in a relatively short time and were selected due to very specific country requests matched with their qualifications and interests.

So, how do we feel about this evacuation? We agree with the decision made by the Peace Corps Bureau and are grateful for their concern about volunteer safety and security. We understand the complexity of placing couples with differing skills and resumes. We can’t help but be disappointed that our volunteer service has been suspended for the time being, but we are still determined to pursue the next challenge and future assignment with the Peace Corps.

A majority of our group will leave for the Casablanca Airport tonight and will then fly to varying destinations, enroute to new challenges and opportunities in new countries. Many of us will have the time back in the US to re-group before receiving new assignments. Other brave members of our Stage will leave directly from Morocco for posts readily available. Wherever each of us chooses to go, we will be going to continue our service in the name of peace. Please stay tuned……………………………..our journey is definitely not over.

Judy and Dave

The CALL

2011-01-19T15:21:00.000-08:00

THE CALL came in the middle of the morning while I was at my village’s Case de Sante Integree (CSI) /clinic. It was the first day I felt I could really communicate enough to fulfill my role as a Peace Corps volunteer, but the events of that day and the next ones to follow found me speechless in more ways than one. In spite of extensive language training and the addition of a residential language trainer to our first 2 weeks in our village, my Zarma language skills were less than average. I was to find out on this day that I did not have the words in ZARMA or in English to express to my villagers exactly what THE CALL meant.

It came from my APCD or program director,Soulemayne, who asked that I listen carefully to a message he felt was too long to send via texting. As I listened to the message while standing outside the clinic, all I could think or say was “WOW”! When the message was over, I was silent. My supervisor asked if I had questions. “Does Dave know about this?” He was back at our hut working on plans for his FARM project. “Yes, I’ve given him the same information,” Soulemayne responded. He then told me to go back to our hut and begin to pack, that a driver would pick us up within the next day or 2 and we’d be called with those details once arrangements were made. We’d be flying out of Niger on Friday. This was Wednesday. I could not get back to our hut fast enough to see how Dave was and what he had found out while I was at the clinic. I made an effort to explain why I was leaving to the clinic staff and mentally made a note to have our language trainer assist me with a phone call to my supervisor later in the day when we might have more clarification and information to tell her.

The CALL had caught me off guard, but what the message said was that the Peace Corps Bureau in Washington had decided to suspend service in Niger indefinitely and all 98 Peace Corps Niger volunteers would be evacuated immediately. I could not believe it. The message did not mention the kidnapping and murder of 2 French men earlier in the week, a random event which occurred in a restaurant in Niger’s capital city, Niamey. The restaurant was a popular hang-out for not only Peace Corps volunteers but also for many other ex-patriots who lived and worked in the country and enjoyed mingling with their peers from time to time. Later on it was mentioned that on the day of the kidnapping, there were no Peace Corps volunteers in the restaurant and that was a rare day. In fact, several volunteers later said they had planned to meet there that very evening. This tragic and frightening event was not the only reason Peace Corps made such a drastic decision to suspend service to Niger. Over the past few months, there had apparently been a continuous stream of erratic happenings which posed varying types of threats to non¬-Nigeriens and this most recent occurrence was too much. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back and in Niger that is serious.

From that point on, Dave and my dream of serving in the Peace Corps took on new meaning and would require much decision making. Initially, we were caught up in the actuality of packing our belongings, giving away items and supplies we could not take with us and wondering what and how we could tell our villagers that we’d been in their village one week and now we were leaving forever. My command of the Zarma language did not get me through those explanations nor did Dave’s. Thank goodness we had the help of our language expert, a young Nigerien man, Djibo. He was able to help in communicating what was about to happen and to explain that it was a safety measure to protect volunteers and not something the villagers or the country had done or caused.
We were asked not to phone other volunteers, not to say anything but the minimum, until all arrangements for evacuation to the capital city Peace Corps hostel and then to an undisclosed country away from Niger were in place. What a logistical nightmare that must have been for Peace Corps Niger. Our country director was in the US, on vacation, so she was recalled to the Washington Bureau. The rest of the staff for Peace Corps Niger were put into action to make necessary evacuation arrangements. Though a template was probably in place for this type of evacuation, there were so many details for someone to handle. All we as volunteers could do was to wait for further information about when we’d be picked up and when we’d by flying out of Niamey to some safer place.

Emotions were strained, from sad to frightened, from disappointment to relief that we worked with an organization which put volunteer’s safety and security uppermost in their minds. We felt sad because we were leaving the villagers who had so little. One man remarked that first the violence caused by outsiders had ruined the tourist industry in Niger, and now Peace Corps was departing , which left another hole in the heart and lives of the people. Later on we heard that several non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) were also leaving. It was a sad time for Niger’s people and for its volunteers of all types.
The impact of our evacuation would grow and lives would change because of it. ( Please follow in the next blog entry as THE CALL is further described)…………………………………………………………………………..Judy

LEMONS to LEMONADE--Niger Style

2011-01-17T14:32:00.000-08:00

Currently, many of our days begin with the rising sun barely visible through a dusty haze on the horizon. It is Niger’s cold, dry, dusty, windy season. BUT…………….based upon the negative tone of our last blog, this follow-up posting should be a ray of sunshine. It is a true lemons to lemonade story. Although Dave and my first few days in our new village were rough, the Nigerien proverb “kala suru” certainly paid off.

As soon as our village chief (maygari)/landlord realized that we were serious and expected an improved living environment, he jumped into action. Even though before our arrival the hut to which we were assigned was where he had been living , there must have been questions in his mind as we began to request various repairs. Crazy, demanding Anasaras! Maybe this is what he thought, but the Peace Corps had contracted with him to provide living space for us and the chief definitely was going to work with us on our issues.
What the maygari did was to enlist villagers to do the work necessary on our hut. Within a couple of days the rat holes were filled with smooth concrete, shiny black plastic was added to the inside of our thatched roof to catch falling dirt and to deter entry of bats and rodents, new screens were installed on our door and window and the latrine/shower area was cleaned. We also paid to have black plastic installed in our shade hangar since chickens roosted atop the hangar prompting regular showers of dirt and grain to fall on us. Because of the incessant dust during this time of year, we bought 10 palm mats and hung them inside the millet stalk walls of the shade hangar. We hoped to reduce dust from nature as well as from that which arose when the village women carried out their daily chore of sweeping the outside area around the hut. Just picture having to dust the pages of a book as you read it or the need to keep your clothes in large zip lock bags to keep them clean enough to wear.
While right now dust is an issue as it coats everything in sight, the rainy season will come and our roof was already reported to have a leak. Even before we asked, the maygari wanted to know when we’d be on vacation because he wanted to have the roof re-mudded before the rainy season begins in May or June. So, by the end of our first week “in vil” , as PCVs say, our little fu (home) was beginning to take shape and to become livable. After a villager wipes down the walls of the hut, we plan to paint them and that will be the final major task before we actually move in. We continue to sleep outside under the shade hangar and our gas cook stove is situated there as well. Until the rainy season we’ll live outdoors and store belongings inside the one room structure. The Peace Corps covered the cost of work which would provide safety and health while we paid for improvements in ambience and were glad to do it. The living situation of a Peace Corps volunteer is supposed to be comparable to that of the villagers and our space included only a few upgrades.
We now feel comfortable in our new African village home and are ready to begin the village assessment and project idea development. We are gradually meeting neighbors and have already been enthralled with the eleven month old little girl who lives next door. She is the daughter of the village maygari and is typically frightened by Caucasian people. She cries when she sees us and when I try to hold her, however, bringing a cookie to a recent visit made the tears disappear quite rapidly as her Mother placed the child into my arms. She is learning to wave good-bye as I tell her “kala ton-ton” in Zarma language.

As Mary Poppins once said, “a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down”. In this case, a few improvements and a bit of cooperation from our village maygar allows us to accept the “medicine” (unprepared living quarters) and encourages us in our pursuit of immersion into the African culture of our new village home. Lemons can certainly be squeezed, combined with sugar and made into lemonade. This experience definitely proves the saying to be true, and we are grateful. "Kala suru". Judy and Dave

LEMONS TO LEMONADE-----Niger Style

2011-01-17T14:27:00.001-08:00

"JAM"

2011-01-14T09:46:00.000-08:00

“Jam”—Zarma language for “I’m sorry”. Today was disappointing when it should have been just the opposite. Or, did we expect too much of a day when we would actually see the hut which would be our Peace Corps home for 2 years? We were initially excited, then nervous, then plain anxious as the morning wore on and we could not get a key to the place. It seems , according to our Peace Corps representative, that the village chief (maygari) and landlord of the hut had recently returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca and was hard to reach. He would bring the key today, in true Nigerien time, en shallah. We had been assured by Peace Corps that our new site was ready for occupancy, however, while waiting for the landlord, we saw the latrine and shower area and were appalled. The small square spaces separated by a mud wall which would be used for our outdoor bathroom were filthy and appeared to have not been cleaned of debris and excrement for years.
Even with minimal standards for a pit toilet in Niger, what we viewed was unacceptable. We had made efforts prior to this day to have repairs made which the previous Peace Corps volunteer identified by talking with our program director and the volunteer involved with site development. We had been assured everything was ready. However, when the maygari finally appeared and ceremoniously opened the hut door, we were flabbergasted!! The 1 room hut was filled with personal belongings, no screens were installed (Peace Corps requirement), large holes were visible in the concrete floor around the entire room, walls were dirty and marred with insect nests, and a layer of dust covered every surface—floor to ceiling. The loosely thatched roof was laden with dust and spider webs and light from the sky could be seen. At least it was not a rainy day!
These very defects had been initially identified including the potential for bats and vermin to enter the living space. And we were brought to live here as volunteers for 2 years and told everything was fine?? The Peace Corps representatives accompanying us reacted calmly to our distress and gave varying reasons for the abominable conditions we found. And---we were supposed to spend the night in this place while they returned to hot showers and clean surroundings in Niamey! The Peace Corps representative whose language skills far surpassed ours, arranged for work to be done in a set time frame, promises were made and prices set. We thought ”what are we doing here in this horrible place?”
As the Toyota 4-wheel drive vehicle pulled away, headed towards Niamey, Dave and I were engulfed in its dust. I was in tears; he was stoic. Neither of us wanted to quit, but in concert, we were so disappointed with our situation and with Peace Corps for their audacity in placing us or ANY volunteer in a site such as this after confirming that it was acceptable for living. Even the most casual observer would see this to be untrue. It’s no wonder that there are 150 cases of diarrhea for 100 Peace Corps volunteers in Niger! When volunteers turn their lives around to serve in an organization, there should be preparation to respect that effort and to make the commitment as positive as possible. We were highly disappointed and downcast about the plight in which we found ourselves.
By late afternoon, none of the work had even been started. At near dark, our phone call to the Peace Corps representative was soon followed by the maygari sending a person to partially clean the latrine and shower areas. Promises were again made about work to be done the next day. Dave and I were willing to take this chance but if it was not done, we agreed between ourselves that we’d e.t. (early termination). In spite of our continued hope to carry out meaningful work in a needy country, we’d leave, quit, abandon our commitment as a statement about treatment of volunteers who are expected to be “at work” in their village 24/7 while paid staff are available Monday-Friday 8 am- 4:30 pm.
It had been a long day. We were both physically and mentally exhausted. That first night, the maygari’s wife quietly brought our dinner consisting of millet with onion sauce and a chicken drumstick. The maygari left his outdoor light on for us. We slept on our cots outside the hut, glad to be away from the dust, dirt and disappointment of today.
Judy and Dave
Written January 4, 2011

A New Year

2010-12-30T07:45:00.000-08:00

The New Year is upon us and it doesn't seem possible that we've been here over 2 months--it seems like a life time. The New Year is often a time of reflection, resolutions, and sometimes remorse. Given that Nigeriens are nothing if not resilient, is there a plausable reason to be hopeful--certainly not optimistic. (It's hard to be optimistic when the population is expected to increase by over 200% in a few years, but again hopeful is doable.) And it's more likely to be doable by Peace Corps than by NGO's. NGO's spend millions on big important projects but they don't follow through with consistent management. An example, we recently spent 2 weeks in a rural village where Luxembourg spent a small fortune on a solar powered pump, well and latrine for a primary school with one hundred students. The water didn't work for the lack of a seat for the faucet, a $5 or $6 item. No one from the NGO bothers to check on their project. No one has looked for a part in the capital city of Niger and most internet companies won't ship to Niger--smart move. (I'll pick one up in Europe this summer.) The Peace Corps at least has people who speak the local language and stay in the area for follow-up. One of Peace Corps' major draw backs is no money for development. We can manage but we can't initiate. The US budget deficit means fewer dollars for government which, in my opinion, is not bad. Peace Corps volunteers use their own money--using our own money means a more careful evaluation of small scale projects. And because Niger is so down and out, small scale works. Sixty percent of the population makes less than a dollar a day. Here $2 a day is meaningful.In Niger there are projects that can be managed, implemented, and audited that hit that number. The country continues circling the drain but some people can reach escape velocity. Perhaps. Maybe I'll know in a couple of years. Stay tuned.

"We were the fools who could not rest,
In the dull earth we left behind,
But burned with a passion for the South,
Drank strange frenzy from its wind.

The world where wise men sit at ease,
Fades in our unregretful eyes,
And thus, across uncharted seas we stagger
On our own enterprise."
Sir Ernest Shackelton Dave

46 in Niger

2010-12-28T04:20:00.000-08:00

The very idea of spending our 46th wedding anniversary in Niger, Africa was probably the furthest thought from our minds when Dave and I got married in December, 1964. In fact, just getting through the ice and snow which fell on our wedding day, then driving to Gatlinburg for our honeymoon was a major challenge. I doubt that we even knew there WAS a Niger, West Africa. But……46 years later, here we are, spending our wedding anniversary with 40 other Peace Corps trainees, most of whom are in their 20’s, and we are loving it. True, we think of previous anniversary celebrations with family and friends or those we privately shared in special places. But this year, we are in Niger and our new “family” helped us to celebrate an event they only heard about and for the most part, have no way of understanding the significance of those 46 years we have shared.
How did we celebrate an anniversary in a foreign land where the life expectancy is 47 and a man may have 4 wives? How would he keep up with all of his anniversaries and make them special? How would multiple wives feel as their co-wife was the special one for the day? Dave and I did not have to worry about that! We just wanted to share the time with our newly made friends and Peace Corps colleagues. With the help of the Training Director at our site, we ordered a cake big enough to serve all trainees, Peace Corps staff and site employees. It was a HUGE cake, beautifully iced, banana flavored and COLD. Our cake was made by a restaurant in the Niger capital city where Peace Corps folks gravitate due to its excellent food, sodas, ice cream, pizza and beautiful desserts. It is also air conditioned and offers free Wi-fi. Such luxuries are all of these items, and our cake was too. Delivered especially at a time when refrigeration was available at our site, the party began when the amazing cake appeared. Chocolate icing, personal inscriptions, multiple layers of cake—what better way to celebrate. And we did party!! And so did our Niger Country Director and other staff who attended.
We gave ourselves a beautiful hand-made leather photo frame made by a local African ethnic group, the Taureg’s and the other older married couple presented us with a lovely round leather jewelry box made by the same African people. Memories are made of this…………………….and we danced to the voices of 20 year olds who were curious about whether we could actually dance! We’re old, you know!! But yes, we can dance! That impromptu performance has led to another trainee with teaching experience being asked to teach swing dance at a future training session.
Thinking this was THE celebration, we ended that day feeling great. Then the next day, our fellow trainees presented a program in our honor, spoofing our training objectives and inserting information about us into a group game( thanks to several inquisitive young people who found out lots of details about our life, family, backgrounds, etc)...all in fun and celebration of our 46th. Topping off this day was a card signed by all of our new friends, wishing us well and even wishing us “46 more “---I doubt that will happen!
Never give up on the youth of today nor should we think they are not approachable on an adult level. They are awesome and made us feel very special, even though we are old enough to be many of their grandparents. Cheers! to the Peace Corps Niger October 2010 trainees. They are the best.
Judy and Dave

SURVIVAL

2010-12-11T23:53:00.000-08:00

We experienced the Stone Age again today. During a refreshingly cool morning walk through the African bush, we came upon a lake we'd visited earlier in the week. Today though, the scene was different. It was an exercise in survival for local bush dwellers and also for the fish who lived in the lake. 3 local boys were busy lighting a small fire in the sandy soil beside the lake, manure clods around them. Wet clothes barely clung to their thin, muscular bodies which were glistening with moisture from the lake. Once the fire started, the boys laid a still wiggling cat fish directly onto sticks in the flames. Smoke arose, the boys smiled, the fish died--finally. It's struggle had begun before our arrival when the boys entered the lake and caught the fish with their bare hands as it thrashed around on a primitive hook and line in the water. Still in the lake was an older boy casting a spear into the water from place to place, stalking fish along the lake's bottom where fish were trying to escape the cool morning water above as well as the spear about to take their lives.
The older boy gradually moved through the water and shouted to the others on the bank as he triumphantly raised a fish over his head, spear in the opposite hand. As he made his way back to shore in the thigh high water, the younger boys were already eating their fish, straight from the fire and with their hands. Their search for food this morning sustained them for another day in the bush while the fish gave its life for that purpose.
The older boy returned and proudly showed his catch, after which he returned to the lake and with his strong muscular arms began ripping out water lilies which were growing in the lake. Handful after handful, he tore the large white blooms and glossy leaves from their environment.To us, these African water lilies are treasures greatly appreciated by gardeners. But here these botanical beauties are detrimental to man's survival because they prevent fish from frequenting an area where they grow. People trying to survive by eating fish have no way of being cognizant of a water lily's value and beauty. They only want to eat and survive.
And the only thing which negates this Stone Age experience is the sight of the older boy lighting up a cigarette as he awaits his fish's turn on the fire. Judy and Dave

Women's Work is Never Done----in Rural Niger

2010-12-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

Often it starts before sunrise. The stars still shine in the sky above. We lie awake and listen. The roosters crow, the donkeys bray, the children have not begun to stir. There is activity at the well behind our hut. Local village women are chatting, laughing, banging their buckets about, as they await the container with precious water which is being pulled from the well by one of them
The sun is just now rising. A woman’s work is never done in rural Niger.
Her day ‘s calendar starts with sweeping the floor of her concession or family’s area. She then cooks breakfast which she might have started when the open fire was burning the night before. Next is pulling water from the well, which means dropping a 10 gallon bideaun into the well and pulling it up sixty to sixty-five feet with 80 pounds of water. The women pour the water into open buckets, lift it to their head and walk to their huts with perfect, erect posture. A baby is frequently on the woman’s back as she takes the water to her family for use in drinking, bathing, cooking and washing clothes by hand. (Based on Nigerien culture, only women pull water from the well so when Dave tried to pull a bucket for us to use, the women became agitated and upset. I tried to pull the water up, but it was so heavy I was almost pulled into the well! Peace Corps now pays a village woman to pull water for all the trainees. It makes me feel guilty, however, we are told that the women need the money and Peace Corps pays well. I hope that is true.)
The women must then pound millet for part of the family’s meal. Rice is too expensive so millet is used in most daily meals. (The only reason Dave and I get rice is because the Peace Corps pays for it.) Fire wood must be gathered for cooking and during this season, many women also work in the millet fields harvesting the end-of-season crop and chopping left-over stalks which are used for fencing. They may also plant winter gardens as well as make crafts or foods for sale at local markets. If lucky, a pause will occur during the hottest part of the day for women and children to rest or fulanzam.
Women’s work is all of the above without mentioning the care of their children. The average number of children per Nigerien woman is 7.5, so again, the woman’s work is never done. Child care is often shared among wives of a husband, but the children’s needs are countless—just as in the U.S. When a Nigerien woman is asked “mante farga”? or “how is your tiredness?” in the Zarma language, she generally answers “farga si no:, or “no tiredness”. What woman in the U.S. would ever reply in this way after such a day?
And the day starts over…………………a woman’s work is never done in rural Niger.
Our hope is to bring some idea or small improvement to the life of even one woman in Niger, to make her life a bit easier. These women are strong physically but are humans just as are. Our first effort was to give work gloves to one woman to use and share as she pulled water from the well or pounded millet. During both of these tasks the women’s hands become heavily callused and sore from the friction of the ropes and pounding sticks. We never saw the gloves used and believe the recipient sold them, needing the money more than protection for her hands. Dave also built 2 mud cook stoves for a large family in hopes of reducing the amount of fire wood needed for cooking. The family used the stoves to prepare food for a wedding so we know they appreciated the effort.
Count your blessings and be thankful for the life you now live. As the Nigeriens say frequently,
Alhamdulilahi or “thanks be to God”. Judy

There's no Christmas in Niger---just a Christmas Wish List

2010-12-11T13:48:00.001-08:00

There's No Christmas in Niger----just a Wish List

2010-12-11T09:55:00.001-08:00

As December progresses and the holiday season approaches, we think of where we were last year at this time. Planning trips to visit family, shopping for gifts, attending parties and musical performances, decorating the house—all of the normal activities associated with Christmas and December.
This year in mid-December, we are in rural Niger nearing the end of our training period for the Peace Corps. If all goes well, our swearing in as official volunteers will be on December 30 with placement in our own village soon to follow. That is all very exciting and even though the training has been rough in many ways, we do not regret having the experience. We value the cultural exchange we have been able to participate in and look forward to actually starting meaningful projects in 2011.
There is, however, the longing for the holiday which is definitely not celebrated here. Our location and time have not allowed us to send Christmas cards or gifts, but we do think of what others might enjoy and then ----what might be on our wish list for Santa.
You might be surprised! The items we wish for are not what you’d expect, but they are small luxuries which would make our life in Niger a bit more comfortable.
Our Wish List
Peanut M & M’s---the only chocolate which does not melt in transit or in the heat of Niger
AAA batteries—we live with no electricity so have headlamps and flashlights which require batteries not readily available here
Hand wipes or hand sanitizer— dust, grease and disease-causing germs are rampant here
Zip Lock bags of all sizes—again, dust is prevalent, so everything we own gets dirty if not enclosed
Protein bars, granola or Luna bars—there is rare protein aside from beans in our diet. We have had meat only on very selected occasions or when eating at the Peace Corps site
Dried fruit or nuts (not candied fruit)—fresh fruit is almost non-existent in the rural bush villages
Toilet tissue or Kleenex—cheaper the better. Don’t even think of what happens when we can’t get it!
Scouring pads, brillo pads, etc— peanut oil in most rice and bean dishes leaves everything greasy .

Most of all we wish for our family and friends to have the best Christmas, holiday season, and New Year ever. We miss you, think of you and wish you health and happiness during this season of love and light. Love, Judy and Dave
If Santa reads this list, he/she should only send small packages due to the cost of mailing both in the US and in Africa. Also, packages are frequently opened and pilfered before they are delivered. Some packages do not ever arrive even though postal charges are high at the local post office in Niger.
There’s No Christmas in Niger----just a Wish List
As December progresses and the holiday season approaches, we think of where we were last year at this time. Planning trips to visit family, shopping for gifts, attending parties and musical performances, decorating the house—all of the normal activities associated with Christmas and December.
This year in mid-December, we are in rural Niger nearing the end of our training period for the Peace Corps. If all goes well, our swearing in as official volunteers will be on December 30 with placement in our own village soon to follow. That is all very exciting and even though the training has been rough in many ways, we do not regret having the experience. We value the cultural exchange we have been able to participate in and look forward to actually starting meaningful projects in 2011.
There is, however, the longing for the holiday which is definitely not celebrated here. Our location and time have not allowed us to send Christmas cards or gifts, but we do think of what others might enjoy and then ----what might be on our wish list for Santa.
You might be surprised! The items we wish for are not what you’d expect, but they are small luxuries which would make our life in Niger a bit more comfortable.
Our Wish List
Peanut M & M’s---the only chocolate which does not melt in transit or in the heat of Niger
AAA batteries—we live with no electricity so have headlamps and flashlights which require batteries not readily available here
Hand wipes or hand sanitizer— dust, grease and disease-causing germs are rampant here
Zip Lock bags of all sizes—again, dust is prevalent, so everything we own gets dirty if not enclosed
Protein bars, granola or Luna bars—there is rare protein aside from beans in our diet. We have had meat only on very selected occasions or when eating at the Peace Corps site
Dried fruit or nuts (not candied fruit)—fresh fruit is almost non-existent in the rural bush villages
Toilet tissue or Kleenex—cheaper the better. Don’t even think of what happens when we can’t get it!
Scouring pads, brillo pads, etc— peanut oil in most rice and bean dishes leaves everything greasy .

Most of all we wish for our family and friends to have the best Christmas, holiday season, and New Year ever. We miss you, think of you and wish you health and happiness during this season of love and light. Love, Judy and Dave
If Santa reads this list, he/she should only send small packages due to the cost of mailing both in the US and in Africa. Also, packages are frequently opened and pilfered before they are delivered. Some packages do not ever arrive even though postal charges are high at the local post office in Niger.
There’s No Christmas in Niger----just a Wish List
As December progresses and the holiday season approaches, we think of where we were last year at this time. Planning trips to visit family, shopping for gifts, attending parties and musical performances, decorating the house—all of the normal activities associated with Christmas and December.
This year in mid-December, we are in rural Niger nearing the end of our training period for the Peace Corps. If all goes well, our swearing in as official volunteers will be on December 30 with placement in our own village soon to follow. That is all very exciting and even though the training has been rough in many ways, we do not regret having the experience. We value the cultural exchange we have been able to participate in and look forward to actually starting meaningful projects in 2011.
There is, however, the longing for the holiday which is definitely not celebrated here. Our location and time have not allowed us to send Christmas cards or gifts, but we do think of what others might enjoy and then ----what might be on our wish list for Santa.
You might be surprised! The items we wish for are not what you’d expect, but they are small luxuries which would make our life in Niger a bit more comfortable.
Our Wish List
Peanut M & M’s---the only chocolate which does not melt in transit or in the heat of Niger
AAA batteries—we live with no electricity so have headlamps and flashlights which require batteries not readily available here
Hand wipes or hand sanitizer— dust, grease and disease-causing germs are rampant here
Zip Lock bags of all sizes—again, dust is prevalent, so everything we own gets dirty if not enclosed
Protein bars, granola or Luna bars—there is rare protein aside from beans in our diet. We have had meat only on very selected occasions or when eating at the Peace Corps site
Dried fruit or nuts (not candied fruit)—fresh fruit is almost non-existent in the rural bush villages
Toilet tissue or Kleenex—cheaper the better. Don’t even think of what happens when we can’t get it!
Scouring pads, brillo pads, etc— peanut oil in most rice and bean dishes leaves everything greasy .

Most of all we wish for our family and friends to have the best Christmas, holiday season, and New Year ever. We miss you, think of you and wish you health and happiness during this season of love and light. Love, Judy and Dave
If Santa reads this list, he/she should only send small packages due to the cost of mailing both in the US and in Africa. Also, packages are frequently opened and pilfered before they are delivered. Some packages do not ever arrive even though postal charges are high at the local post office in Niger.

West Africa on a Friday Night

2010-11-27T06:13:00.000-08:00

Nassirou and Sherifa are our names in Niger. We were given these names by our host family when we arrived in the village for our pre-service training. All Peace Corps volunteers have a Nigerien name which enhances the idea of immersing into a different culture. I actually like my name, Sherifa. Its meaning is unknown to me, however, it seems to be popular in my village. Nassirou means “lucky”. I hope that proves to be true.

Last Friday night after a day of language classes, visiting a new baby in a neighboring village, touring 2 local health huts, and planting a small vegetable garden, Nassirou and I just wanted to sit for a bit, relax or fulanzam(rest) and cool off before dinner. Nassirou’s lucky failed because 3 village children appeared immediately at our door saying “salum alakaim”, “salum alakaim”. We had to respond—“Amin Alakum salum”, I said, and in they came to our small space. One boy, Moumuni, reminds us of Jared, our grandson. The other 2 children tag along with him most nights. They long for attention from someone.
The children sit on the dirt floor, quiet, just watching us. Our language skills are still so lacking that we did the same—it did not seem to matter. The children just like to look at us. We don’t have anymore Peanut M&M’s to share, but they don’t seem to care.
Finally, not being able to stand the silence, I got our playing cards from inside our hut and began shuffling them for a game of Battle. Moumuni dealt them to Nassirou, Sherifa, and himself and did so quite aptly, I’d say. Even though this African bush child speaks his local language, Zarma, he is learning French and Arabic in school and knows his numbers in English. With limited ability to explain the game, we just started playing, laying our cards out face up with Moumuni doing the same. We’d then indicate the high card as the round’s winner. Moumuni and his friends who were, quickly caught on and began pointing to the winner of each hand. No verbal exchange was needed but plenty of laughter ensued as we sat with these children playing cards by flashlight and by starlight.
When Hamsu, one of our host family wives, brought our dinner, the children scattered and returned to their own fu (home). They were well trained. Hamsu had brought her sleeping baby with her. She said, “ay sinda bani” (meaning sick), pointing to the child and indicating I should touch him. I placed my hand on his small body—it was hot with fever and the child coughed as he began to stir on the Mother’s back where he rested. As Hamsu uncovered the bowl of rice and beans which was our dinner, I lost my appetite. I just couldn’t eat. Was it because I felt badly about not being able to help this sick baby or was I afraid of Nassirou and Sherifa getting sick? I asked Hamsu if she was planning to take the baby to the local health hut and she said, “suba” (tomorrow). I looked up words in our Zarma dictionary for sponge bath and tried to explain the comfort measure for the baby. It is difficult to speak with Hamsu since she knows no English, but I felt that she understood what I was trying to tell her. We walked Hamsu and her baby across the concession to her home.
After taking bucket baths by moonlight, Nassirou and Sherifa were in bed by 8:30 pm, protected by mosquito nets and overcome with exhaustion. It was too warm to immediately fall asleep so we lay quietly thinking about the busy day we’d had in West Africa and about all that was planned for the next day..
Nassirou’s name means lucky. We’ll find out if it’s good luck or bad luck as time goes by.
Judy
Post script: Nassirou experienced some bad luck soon after that Friday night. He caught an upper respiratory infection from one of the village children. Don’t worry though, he recovered quickly.

Thanksgiving Day 2010

2010-11-27T05:51:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving 2010
The walls are cracked. Paint chips are missing everywhere. The bathroom light fixture hangs by 1 screw but the light works because there is electricity, something not available in the bush of Africa. The bed has hand cranks to raise and lower the occupant and is covered with clean but stained sheets. A basic cabinet stands against a wall with a rectangular wooden table beside it. The cabinet is empty. There is nothing on the table. There are no towels or soap. Drinking water in a sealed bottle awaits the thirsty taker.
Large windows are open, facing the Niger River and a breeze is felt wafting in. There are cracks in one window panel and a small hole is visible in the screen. Wonder if any mosquitoes which frequent this country have found the hole. Through the window one can see a beautiful garden filled with lush plants, trees and grass. It is an oasis from the dry, hot, air of the bush. Birds can be heard singing and butterflies flit from flower to flower as the African sun begins to set. Beyond the garden lies an expanse of agricultural fields where vegetables are being grown—cabbage plants can be seen with others in the background. It is a large expanse and one man will spend his day irrigating the plants with 2 hand-watering cans. His source of water is the Niger River which is in its cleanest state during this season but still not drinkable.
This hospital in Niger’s capital city was built by the French in the late 50’s. It is where Dave was brought by the Peace Corps medical officer due to his raging fever, dehydration and gastrointestinal infection. I was allowed to accompany Dave to the hospital although my problem was less severe and easily treated without need for hospitalization.
It was in this stark place that Dave and Judy spent the 2 days prior to and part of Thanksgiving Day, 2010 as Peace Corps volunteers. How did this happen?
Two evenings before, what had been a pleasant evening at a seemingly good restaurant in Niamey, Niger, turned into Dave’s illness and hospitalization because we ordered and ate a salad with our meal. There is no conclusive proof, but since one other person who shared the salad with us also was violently sick and had to go to this hospital, the restaurant’s likelihood of being part of the causative factor is fairl y certain. We miss salads and fruits so much here. When our training group was taken out to dinner and salad appeared on the menu, all knowledge of the risks of eating fresh vegetables escaped our minds and we ordered the forbidden. Firm, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers and shredded carrots and cabbage filled a generous salad plate for Dave and me. We shared with our fellow volunteer, not knowing we would also share illness and Thanksgiving in a foreign country’s hospital with her too.
Unfortunately, the 3 of us became ill because we mistakenly assumed that local restaurants who offered salads on their menus also took care to clean the vegetables of the disease-causing organisms so commonly found here. Broad assumptions can prove to be erroneous but this one was definitely wrong. It is a lesson we’ll take to heart. We’ll also share a lifelong bond with Carolyn, the young Peace Corps volunteer with whom we shared our salad and the Thanksgiving hospital stay.
Now on Thanksgiving morning, along with most other Americans, we give thanks --- for family and friends, for each other, for the opportunity to experience life in so many diverse ways. Most especially on this Thanksgiving Day, 2010, we give thanks for excellent medical care first by the Peace Corps medical staff, then by the medical staff at the hospital in Niger’s capital. Though the structure is old and run down, the staff is young, educated, well trained, and highly competent. With their excellent diagnosis and treatment Dave was ready for discharge l within forty- eight hours. It was indeed a Thanksgiving Day to remember.
Irikoy ma saabu tonton (Zarma language). May God increase your thankfulness. Judy and Dave

SOUNDS FROM NIGER

2010-11-21T04:23:00.000-08:00

I awaken early in our outdoor mosquito-netted bed. Dave is still asleep. Stars still shine above. A rooster crows—another answers, and the early morning conversation begins. Overhead , one bird is singing in the Neem tree near our hut. It seems to be the same bird every morning but I’ve never been able to see it. A cow moos, a sheep baas, and a donkey brays. The donkey does not say “hee-haw” as the books say, but he gives a series of high- pitched choking sounds followed by a loud outcry. There are a total of 5 donkeys in our small rural village and they, too, seem to talk to each other—especially at night and early in the morning.
A baby cries in the distance. The cry continues and mimics other cries heard during the previous night. What are these children crying about? Are they hungry, hurting, frightened, lonely? Sometimes the children in the village, scantily dressed and wandering around, also just cry. Why? Who will answer their cries? Their Mothers must be exhausted from the repeated , never ending days of hard physical labor which is expected of them. The fathers are often away from home, working in the fields or in the city. Who answers these cries?
I lie awake quietly listening to the sounds of our village in Niger as it awakens to another day. I hear the thump ,thump, thump rhythmic sounds of the women pounding millet for the morning’s breakfast. Soon the Islam Call to Prayer by the local Imam is heard. This means there will soon be more activity near us as the village women come to the well located behind our hut. They come with babies resting on their backs and leave with buckets of water added atop their heads. They are laughing, talking, smiling. Why is their countenance and behavior so positive when their lives are so harsh? Where do they get the strength to carry on? Do they answer the children’s cries, or do they even hear them?
When one Peace Corps activity involved listing the work of women in Niger, child care was not even on the list. Why??? The average number of children per Nigerien women is 8. And child care is not on the list of responsibilities they assume?? As we see toddlers wandering near our hut, now more comfortable with us ANASARAS , we are beginning to understand that the children take care of each other and that the work the mothers do actually does go towards their care, though indirectly. The children grow up to work and support their family. When they are young, they cry and are heard in the night. But no one answers. Maybe the baby is Niger. Judy

Niger, Here We Come!

2010-11-10T04:34:00.001-08:00

Hi, to all blog readers:
Sorry for the lapse in posts but this is the first time we’ve had internet access since departing the US on October 22.
The energy of the group was palpable—44 new Peace Corps trainees arriving in a foreign land’s airport. Niamey, Niger. After a 12 hour total flight from Philadelphia to Paris to Niamey on October 22 , our flight e We amade its approach from the sky with views of desert, patches of green and the muddy Niger River. And the sun was beaming down producing heat of around 100 degrees. The rainy season in Niger just finished andnow the temperatures are more moderate—mini hot—to be followed by the cold season and then the hot season. We arrived at the best time to acclimate to a new climate and place to live.
Meeting us at the airport was Tondi, a tall, smiling, friendly and bold voiced Nigerien who is the Training Manager for the Peace Corps training site in Niger. He ushered all 44 of us through baggage claim ( NO lost bags—unbelievable!), security, and customs and then into 2 waiting vans. Each van would have 4 layers of luggage roped to the top as we all piled inside, hot, exhausted but elated at finally being in our new country. Off we went, 44 official Peace Corps trainees all with the hope of meeting the tough standards required for being sworn in as official volunteers on December 30. Most of the trainees are in their 20’s, Dave and I are the oldest .One other couple from India is our age. So far everyone is congenial as the honeymoon season is still in effect. One girl left 3 days after arriving in Niger for unannounced reasons. Language instruction 6 hours per day mixed with technical, cultural, safety and health training was ahead. Niger is a country with many health and safety challenges so these topics are carefully addressed with us. Understanding and adapting to a totally new culture is on-going as we are all immersed in small villages near the training center. Dave and my family includes a husband , 2 wives (1 pregnant) ,and 6 children. There is a large extended family also. We don’t know yet exactly what all the relationships are. Our village is without electricity or running water. Well water is available and we’ve learned to treat our water with chlorine to assure safety for drinking. We also installed a hand washing device invented by Jock Brandis at the Full Belly Project in Wilmington, NC so that we can wash our hands frequently and easily. We will soon run out of hand sanitizer and hand wipes. Hopefully, others in our village will try this idea, wash their hands more often and have fewer diseases caused by hand to mouth contamination.
We eat dinner and some lunches with our family. Rice is served at both meals. Fruits and vegetables are almost non-existent as are calcium containing foods. Peace Corps provides multi-vitamins and calcium tablets. We all try to find fruit at village stands but oranges and bananas are about all we can find and not every day. Due to the heat , drinking plenty of water is crucial. Never having been a water drinker, this has been a challenge but with temperatures in the upper 90’s and lower 100’s, it is not hard to change bad habits and drink a lot of water.
Dave and I and many of the Peace Corps trainees have discovered a small street store near the training site where we can buy orange soft drinks that are actually COLD. That is our daily treat after our classes and other activities. It has replaced a daily glass of wine which, strangely, we have not really missed.
How are Dave and Judy doing? We are fine or “bani samay walla” in the Zarma language we are studying and struggling to learn. We aim to pass the language test at the end of the training period. We have a forty minute walk to the Peace Corps training site, warm in the morning and hot in the evening. Bucket baths are amazingly refreshing but do not come close to the luxury of a good shower.
What brightens a hot day as we return to our mud hut , our heads filled with new materials and languages, are the beautiful smiles on the faces of the Nigerien people as we walk through the trash strewn streets. There is no such thing as recycling or garbage pick-up so people just throw their trash in the street In the small villages.
We feel as if we’ve ducked into a rabbit hole and emerged in the Middle Ages. We’ll keep you, our dear family and friends posted on what happens next, whenever we have computer access. We wish you well. "Alhamdulilahi” or Thanks be to God, in any language and in any culture. Judy

Niger Here We Come!

2010-11-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

We deplane in the capital, Niamey, the heat is intense –over 100 degrees F and this is the beginning of the cold season. The sunlight is searing, but nothing compared to the overwhelming sight of sewage and garbage in the streets. People have lived continuously in this area for over ten thousand years and no one seems to care for the land. Erosion, overgrazing , exploding population , water shortage, food scarcity, and a milieu of universal complacency. Niger is a story where I can see only one possible ending. The unknown is the rate of decline. Am I surprised? I expected to be without running water, electricity, plumbing, or refrigeration and to have a hut with dirt floors and walls. I didn’t expect the bright smiles, children who sing while playing , the enormous amount of physical labor energy that are required for a subsistence living. The long hours of hard work that every woman puts in every single day of her life just to accomplish even the most mundane of tasks is daunting. Just gathering fire wood, grinding millet, and cooking is an hours-long process. When we landed in Niamey we landed in the Middle Ages. Peace Corps volunteers who come here for a forty year reunion said the country has regressed since their service. ( Interesting health statistic: for every one hundred Peace Corps volunteers in Niger, each year there are one hundred and fifty cases of acute diarrhea.)
Do I see an upside to this? Absolutely, it would take a miniscule change: a well, a pump, a fence, a garden, and a life would change. It is unlikely there is any place in the world where such a small input would yield such dramatic results. It’s also unlikely there’s any place in the world that takes so such effort to make the smallest difference. Can I do this—we’ll see. Right now my challenge is the language test. If either Judy or I don’t pass, we’re sent home. Stay tuned. Dave

First Impressions

2010-10-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

   Long: infectious laughter, enthusiasm, education
   Short: practical farming and health care experience; these are, of course, the two areas our group is responsible for.

    We met our fellow travelers for the first time yesterday. Everyone seems eager but not arrogant; we're diverse but have common anxieties. Those of us who are fed up with the despicable behavior of our political parties and concerned about the country's balance sheet can certainly count as an asset these 42 young people--actually 40--there's another couple about our age.
    We may not accoplish our primary work assignments , but rest assured, we will chuckle at our failures and we will make new friends!   Dave

I touched an EMMY!

2010-10-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

I had not intended to post another blog entry until after we reached Niger, however, tonight's last fine meal in the US (not to say the dinner we'll have tomorrow night will not be good.....) , was at a historic restaurant in Philadelphia, City Tavern Restaurant on South 2nd Street. It was phenomenal. The food was excellent, the wait staff were dressed in authentic looking Colonial dress, but the diners were even more memorable. As a send off to ourselves, Dave and I chose to eat dinner in this historic place just because we could. (That is the same reason we are putting our lives on the line and going to Niger with the Peace Corps.) Anyway, tonight I touched the actual gold Emmy won by this restaurant as part of a television show featuring the restaurant and their noted Chef Walter Staib. The shiny gold statuette was being shown to a guest in the restaurant who was writing a book on 100 year old restaurants and the City Tavern Restaurant was one of them. The restaurant manager came to our table and let me TOUCH the gold Emmy! What a treat! We had already talked with the author about restaurants he had visited and found there was no 100 year old restaurant in Memphis and that he loved the Rondevous which was not quite old enough for his book. He also told us that his son was writing a screen play for Tom Hanks and that he was already dusting off his tux for the Academy Awards since he was sure his son's movie would be a winner! Then the City Tavern Restaurant manager appeared and proudly displayed his award. Also in the restaurant at the time were a young engaged couple in which the groom had just returned from Afghanistan, a grandfatherly appearing man with his two beautiful granddaughters, and 2 ladies of the academia type who were also intrigued with the impromptu show by the restaurant manager.
So what does this have to do with the life-changing event we face as we leave on Thursday for Niger? I think it demonstrates what we have here in the US that most people of the world would not even recognize----enough wealth and prosperity to get excited over an award for a t.v. show, enough financial resources to dine at an expensive historical restaurant and think about our forefathers who also ate here , and a last chance to enjoy a meal in a relaxed environment with friendly people we did not even know before departing for the unknown......or go down the rabbit hole...............Niger.
The people of Niger are experiencing a food crisis again. Many are starving to death, especially the young children. My hope is that I can detach from the frivolous, disconnect from the internet, recall but not dwell upon what life is like in the US, and do something to help the people of Niger. In some small way I hope that Dave and our fellow Peace Corps invitees will be sworn in as volunteers on December 30 and be able to improve the lives of those we encounter through our mutual projects and ideas. Stay tuned. There will be no Emmy Awards in Niger, but maybe there will be greater rewards to those whose paths we cross. I also hope for the same life changes in Rawanda, since seventy more Peace Corps invitees departed from our hotel today, reaching that country tomorrow. Salamu alaikum. (Peace be with you.) Judy

"Turn, turn, turn, turn"...........

2010-10-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

   A few days ago, as Dave and I were studying our Hausa language "to be" verbs, he looked at me and said, "Do you realize that in about a week we'll be in Niger?"   I thought about the upcoming days and it hit me! The long awaited departure to Niger with the Peace Corps was just around the corner and it was a bit unsettling. Soon we'd be leaving our comfortable home near the coast of NC where the ocean has been a calming influence as well as a powerful threat. We'll miss our cups of coffee, reading the newspaper and watching the hummingbirds flit from feeder to feeder as they prepare for their own long journey. There'll be no more symphony concerts, opera, volunteer work, movies, or dinners with our friends. We'll be further away from our daughter in Wilmington, our son, other family and friends. Each activity of the past few days has become "the last time we will......." before leaving for Niger.
     But, yes, soon we will be starting a different , stimulating life with new peple of all ages and soon we'll be meeting our welcoming Nigerien Host family .Wonder what they will be like? Will they like the small hostess gifts we are taking them, as encouraged by the Peace Corps? Doors will open to fresh experiences many people will never be have a chance to try, with opportunities to serve in a totally different manner. We are not turning our backs on our present life but are seeking to build upon our experience and enrich both our lives and those of other people in the world. As I think of embarking on this journey it makes me want to study harder to learn one of the local languages because if we can't communicate with local villagers, how can I educate people on healthier living practices or how can Dave teach others to grow more sustainable crops for their families in an arid village near the Sahara Desert?
      After thinking about all these changes and turns in our lives, we proceeded with our fairly well planned steps to prepare to leave the country ,such as vacating our home, giving vehicles to adult children, registering to vote on-line for 2 years, dealing with mail issues and Visa payments. Then on October 11 my 91 year old Mother peacefully died in a nursing home in TN. Though not unexpected, this event too, was unsettling. Was this a sign for me NOT to continue with the Peace Corps commitment with Dave? What would Mother say? As we traveled to attend her memorial service we learned that a niece in New York had given birth to healthy twin daughters on Oct. 13. The seasons were turning----from death to life, just as fall turns to winter which turns to spring then to summer and starts all over again. The answer was there as if my Mother had said it---life goes on, things change, decisions are made based on pressing forward , taking things as they come and yes, enjoying the turns that occur. Yes, my Mother would want us to continue with our Peace Corps dream and relish in the fact that we'd be serving during the Peace Corps' 50th anniversary year. Many volunteers from the 60's have voiced amazement at the fact that the Peace Corps persists and is even stronger, larger and offering service to more countries than ever imagined when President John F. Kennedy initiated the idea and call to service.
     Dave and I are in Philadelphia right now and will meet our fellow invitees to Niger in a couple of days. Keep an eye on our blog as Dave will describe our group and some of the happenings as we move to departure on Thursday. His perspective will be thought provoking and probably a bit humorous.     To, sai anjime.   Okay, see you later. Judy

Musings on Departure.........................

2010-10-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

A few of the many things I'll miss: jogs around Greenfield Lake, the morning paper with coffee, crossword puzzles...even Monday is a challenge when you spell phonetically.... bourbon whiskey and a good steak, but mostly friends and family (I'd pay full retail for each and everyone of you, well, maybe NOT full retail---just kidding).

Some things I'm looking forward to: to see if I'm passed my "Good -if-Used -by Date", to see if people will change established practices to try something new when quite literally faced with starvation, being associated with bright young people, seeing and living in a totally different country but, mostly sharing the adventure of a lifetime with Judy!

At the very least, life will be challenging, interesting, and rewarding.
An optimistic cynic
Dave

Sannu! Hello! The Niger Adventure Will Soon Begin

2010-09-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

   To our family, friends and curious readers: this is Dave and my initial blog. With the invitation we received from the Peace Corps came our need to stay in touch and let all of you know not only where we are but also some of what we will be doing for the next 27 months. We will each post updates periodically when we have internet access, so we invite you to check our site occasionally to see what's going on in another part of the world.
    Ducking " down the rabbit hole" , as Alice in Wonderland did, is what Dave and I will be doing soon, as we depart for service in the Peace Corps in Niger, Africa. No, not Nigeria, but Niger, or nee jer, as the locals pronounce it. On October 21, 2010, we fly out of Philadelphia to Niamey, Niger with a brief stop in Paris. After almost 1 1/2 years of anticipation and planning, we will finally embark on our adventure with the Peace Corps. We will go "down the rabbit hole" and expect our lives to change.
So how did this all come about??? In the spring, 2009, we heard a Peace Corps recruiter speak at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He inspired us with his description of service in Jordan. He also mentioned that the Peace Corps was trying to recruit more volunteers over age fifty. Since we had wanted to do something like this for over 10 years, we decided to apply and see what would happen. In August, 2009, we completed on-line applications for the Peace Corps. (An accomplishment in itself!). We wrote essays, provided references, were finger printed and interviewed, and endured extensive medical, dental and vision exams. Even though we are older than the usual applicants,do not speak French or Spanish, and are a married couple with different skills, we were nominated, then invited to serve in Niger.
      After locating Niger on the map of Africa, we began researching the country and found it to be one of, if not THE , poorest countries in the world. It ranks #182 out of 182 on the United Nations Human Development Scale. After a 3 month in-country training period where we will have extensive language, cultural, safety and technical training for our work, we will be posted to a village somewhere in rural Niger. There we will have no electricity, rely on well water, and have limited cell phone and internet access except when we travel to the capital city of Niamey or to the regional Peace Corps office. We expect to have a true Peace Corps experience as Dave works in an agriculture/forestry program and Judy, in health.
        Why then, would we, as relatively reasonable people, decide to put our lives on hold to join the Peace Corps when the average volunteer's age is in the mid-20's? Our answer to WHY? we'd willingly go"down the rabbit hole" and turn our comfortable life upside down is----because we can! We've wanted to do this for years and although there is never a perfect time to voluntarily change one's life, we want to do something meaningful with our lives before we are too old. We can now afford to do it, we are healthy, and we have immense family support. In a word, life is short, make it count!
        So, this is the beginning. Dave and I will both post our thoughts and experiences so that you'll read about our experiences from 2 quite different perspectives. We do agree on one point, however, and that is, we value our family, friends, and readers and do not want to lose contact with any of you. We also want to thank each of you for your interest (curiosity?), concern, and well wishes. We are most grateful for that support.
         Until our next post, Salamu alaikum or peace be with you , in the local language of Hausa which we are now studying. Lahiya lau (in health),    Judy