Category Archives: Cooking

Peace Corpse Volunteerie: Hacks for Halloween

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Liz Barron

When presented with a broom I immediately resist any urge to sweep or clean. To me, brooms are strictly for riding. Is it any wonder Halloween is my favorite holiday? Here in Armenia it is the duty of every Peace … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Cooking, craft activities, Cross-cultural understanding, Education, Environment, fear, Food, Games, Halloween, pagan ritual, Peace Corps, travel, Youth | 1 Comment

How to win an Armenian Cookbook

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Liz Barron

This cookbook WILL be mine. All I have to do is come up with an Armenian recipe that rocks. The trouble is, I don’t come across much fancy Armenian food, not least because the simple stuff is so good. Most … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Armenian Institute London, Bardez, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, family, Food, friendship, Household tips, Peace Corps, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, Women | Leave a comment

Packing for Peace Corps

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Liz Barron

These scissors are the single most useful thing I have in Armenia. I didn’t bring them with me in either of my two enormous bags weighing 50lbs each, but found them in my Peace Corps medical kit. These are scissors … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Beauty, clothes, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, errors of judgement, Food, Household tips, joy, know thyself, packing, Peace Corps, personal failings, shopping, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel | 3 Comments

The sacrificial lamb

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Liz Barron

In the West, gratitude is the go-to emotion for our times, and we–begrudging, resentful and churlish– must learn to sprinkle it like salt to add savor to our lives. Since the end of the bitter and twisted, grasping 1990s, experts … Continue reading →

Posted in accident, America, Armenia, Armenian matagh, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, family, Food, friendship, gratitude, love, pagan ritual, positive psychology, Religion, travel, Village life, Vodka | Leave a comment

A little help from my friends. Part One

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Liz Barron

The spiced chickpeas were in one bowl and the eggplant curry in another. The rice was cooked, although not very well. It was clumpy and sticky despite having been soaked and rinsed. Why did I buy basmati? If I can't … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Armenia, Armenian art, Cooking, Duvet covers, Embarrassment, family, fear, Food, friendship, Great weekends, Illness, Peace Corps, personal failings, Sickness, Things that gladden the heart, travel | 1 Comment

So what do you do there anyway?

Posted on July 5, 2017 by Liz Barron

I spent the 4th of July cutting out pictures of hamburger buns, cheese slices and dill pickles. Black and white pictures, because we don’t have a color printer here. I used the pictures to teach an English conversation class about … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Advice, America, Armenia, Caucausus, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, Education, family, Food, Homebrew, Household tips, Language learning, laundry, Marketing, Moonshine, Mulberries, Peace Corps, personal failings, Press, Syunik Marz, Things that gladden the heart, travel, Village life, Vodka, Women, work, Yogurt | 4 Comments

Don’t mess with my Toot Toot.

Posted on July 2, 2017 by Liz Barron

It is time to make toot vodka. Toot is the Armenian name for the mulberry– we have white and dark purple varieties here. The white mulberries, larval-looking but honied in taste, are the most prized. A couple of days ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Capitalism, Caucausus, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, Food, Homebrew, Moonshine, Mulberries, Peace Corps, Syunik Marz, travel, Village life, Vodka | Leave a comment

Congested in the Caucasus 

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Liz Barron

I blame the blossom. And then there’s the dust and the mould. What started as seasonal sneezing due to inhaling pesky pollen, motes of dried mud, and creeping black spores quickly led to sinus havoc. My ears popped crossing the … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Armenia, Bronchitis, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, family, Food, friendship, travel, Village life, Vodka, Women | 2 Comments

A Still Morning

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Liz Barron

The people across the road have a still and this morning are making 70 liters of grape vodka to sell at the market. I know it is good because after breakfast I went over to test the product. I ran … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Cooking, drinking, Homebrew, Moonshine, Village life, Vodka | Leave a comment

Some dance to remember. Some dance to forget.

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Liz Barron

We are not allowed to travel after dark. We may not leave our villages without permission. We will never drive a car in our country of service. The rules governing the lives of incoming Peace Corps Volunteers are strict and … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Borders, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, family, Food, friendship, Great weekends, joy, Mount Ararat, Peace Corps, Politics, shopping, travel, Village life, Women | 1 Comment