Category Archives: Peace Corps

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

WD-40: Now in Armenia

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Liz Barron

WD-40 is now in Armenia and could be in a store near every Peace Corps Volunteer in these (squeaky) parts. I predict both a stampede and a sell-out, for Americans who have spent months wrestling with recalcitrant locks, stubborn bolts, … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Caucausus, Cross-cultural understanding, gratitude, Household tips, joy, Language, Peace Corps, resilience, shopping, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, WD-40 | 3 Comments

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

Forever Blowing Bubbles

Posted on August 24, 2017 by Liz Barron

Peace Corps staff have seen it all before of course. They know the frustrations Volunteers will feel, and can anticipate dips in energy and enthusiasm across our two year cycle of service. I am a Community Youth Development (CYD) volunteer. … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, art, Cross-cultural understanding, family, joy, Learning, love, Peace Corps, Picsart, Play, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, Women, work, Youth | 2 Comments

Sealed with a Kiss

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Liz Barron

The woman at the post office had to lend me one of their super-strong plastic sacks and then hail me a taxi. I live only a few hundred yards from Hay Post but my birthday haul of presents was just … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Armenia, family, friendship, joy, love, packing, Peace Corps, social media, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel | 7 Comments

For Anahit

Posted on August 12, 2017 by Liz Barron

Anahit is 15 and things are going her way. She brims with possibility and could sell self-esteem. She has plenty to say and everything to do. In her case, this includes geometry, at which she excels, and languages, of which … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Armenian art, Cross-cultural understanding, Education, Fundraising, joy, Language learning, Learning, Literacy, love, Peace Corps, Poetry, Shakespeare, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, Village life, Women, work, Youth | 3 Comments

I made them myself

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Liz Barron

I have taken my attempts at host country integration a little further than most Peace Corps Volunteers in their first three months of service, in that I have seen the inside of an Armenian operating theater, and a large number … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Food, Gallbladder, Gallstones, Healthcare, Illness, Peace Corps, Sickness, Social niceties, Things that gladden the heart, Wellness | 7 Comments

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