The journey and first impressions...

The Journey and First Impressions, July 1-3

Our journey to Armenia began out of JFK's Terminal 1 in New York City.  

It was a real eclectic crowd making their way to Moscow on Aeroflot Airlines with us. Once in Moscow, flights to Tel Aviv, Odessa, Kiev, and Yerevan separated the passengers into more homogenous and predictable groups.  The kids were awake the 9 hours to Moscow but once we arrived for our 3 hour layover, hit their Walls of Wakefulness and passed out in the airport.

 Bleary eyed, we boarded another plane to Yerevan for a 3 hour jaunt across borders to the homeland.  We were met by all the pieces of our luggage (a minor miracle) and our faithful driver.  We wound down and around the streets of central Yerevan to find our home (think fortress) on Knko Aper street (think alley) where Shant and Dzovag were waving us down with anticipation.  Our Armenian adventure had officially begun!

Because I want this blog to be mostly from the perspective of the kids, I'll refrain from editiorializing as much as possible.  Nevertheless, you'll hear adult voices and perspectives from time to time as I and we all reacquaint ourselves with Armenia, a country with which I feel a complicated relationship: Motherland that has never been home, streets full of brothers (Aper Jan) and sisters (Kooyrig) I've never met, but smells, tastes, and sounds as familiar as my DNA.

Hasmig's highlights of this morning: 

Armenian men are incredibly affectionate with one another. Taking respite from the hot sun, I observed a young man, maybe late teens/early 20s, leaning against a cool, stone slab. His friend was lying perpendicular, head on his lap, while he (the sitter) was casually stroking his forehead.  I am near certain they were not lovers, mainly because I've made this error before in Armenia. And unless all the young men are actually lovers, the more likely story is that they are all just much more comfortable with affection between men.  I am not saying there is no homophobia (there is plenty) but there is certainly less discomfort with same-gendered affection. 

Armenian Tunnel Graffiti "Make Dolma, Not War". I'd have to agree.

How artistic and well crafted the Hookahs look

 

"The Armenian Breakfast" ordered right off the menu as such...eggs and basturma and peppers on a crispy lavash

  

July 1/2/3 Sevan:
It was hard going from one time zone to the other and I tried not sleeping on the plane but couldn't help it. My mom had to splash my face with water in the terminal to try to wake me up.  Overall, it was a great travel trip.  One highlight was the service on the planes. The meals were pretty good for airplane food and the staff were fairly nice.  The Russian airlines' hosts seemed to get annoyed at times but they also gave the kids a fun travel backpack kit.  My first impressions on our way home from the airport were that this is not at all like California.  California feels more rich than parts of Armenia.  When I got to the house, the first thing I did was jump in the "pool" well, mini-pool more like.   After I got some rest here, I felt completely adapted but before I was feeling a little sickly.

One of the feelings I had walking around today was that it definitely didn't feel like home.  When you were in California, I assumed Armenia would feel familiar and like being at home. Like people would recognize us and I would recognize them.   I am having trouble speaking Armenian which makes it feel less familiar.   The best part about today was the fast escalator ride straight down into the pit where the metro was. Escalators here travel at least 2 times faster than at home!! Today, Armenia is sunny!

Sevan quote of the day:  "This place doesn't feel like home as much as I thought it would"

July 3, 2015--Shant

My first impression of Armenia was that it was hot.  I really liked the remote control cars (note: these were 1500 dram for 5 minutes with your very own gas powered mini vehicle to drive around a plaza center.  We promised the kids they'd come back soon to check it out.)

My favorite thing to eat so far was grape ice cream!

Today, Armenia is HOT

Shant quote of the day: "Mama, where are we trying to go?"