Category Archives: Women

Looming Large

Posted on February 10, 2019 by

You’ll see it as soon as you walk down the stairs in Yerevan’s Silk Road Hotel. I fell for it straight away, for this antique carpet features the blue and rust colors I love to see together. The carpet is … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Armenian art, armenian carpet, art, artsakh carpet, buting handmade carpets, craft activities, Cross-cultural understanding, shopping, textiles, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, Women, work | Leave a comment

New Wine in Old Coke Bottles

Posted on October 25, 2018 by

New wine in old bottles Le Chateau Atasunts est arrive! (No idea how to add the missing accent– punctuation, not pronunciation) Yes, Ara has delivered 12 liters of brand new wine, just out of the bathtub, and fresh in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, Food, friendship, Homebrew, Local delicacies, travel, Village life, Vodka, Women | Leave a comment

Twin Peaks

Posted on October 8, 2018 by

Heavy lifting. It’s what bras are for, and all of mine in Armenia had proved unequal to the task. Of the six I brought with me from home , one had pinched from the get-go, two had lost a wire … Continue reading →

Posted in Ararat, Armenia, Beauty, Blessings, bras, clothes, Cross-cultural understanding, Design, Embarrassment, fashion, friendship, gratitude, Khor Virap, Mount Ararat, Peace Corps Armenia, personal failings, shopping, Social niceties, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Underwear, visitors, Women | Leave a comment

Northern Ireland and Armenia: bordering on —well, what?

Posted on October 1, 2018 by

Above all else, politicians and peace-builders in Northern Ireland — not two completely overlapping groups— know that people find it hard to change. It is 20 years since the Good Friday agreement and many stumbling blocks to lasting peace and … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Armenia, Belfast, Borders, Caucausus, Cross-cultural understanding, fear, Learning, life lessons, Millisle, Nagorno-Karabakh, National pride, Northern Ireland, Peace Corps, Peace Corps Armenia, Terrorism, Things that make a difference, travel, velvet revolution, war, Women | 3 Comments

When World’s Collide

Posted on September 19, 2018 by

I am back home in Goris and enjoying a perfect dinner of Irish Wheaten bread with Armenian butter, salad, and cheese. The bread comes from Knott’s Bakery in Newtownards a no-nonsense town just outside Belfast, Northern Ireland. The tomatoes probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, Food, friendship, gratitude, identity, Ireland, Local delicacies, Millisle, Northern Ireland, Nostalgia, online friends, packing, shopping, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, Women | Leave a comment

By Gosh! Great Breakfast!

Posted on September 15, 2018 by

Hasmik crossed the square and returned with a packet of sugar, bought from the first of three small stores, each of which sell a little bit of everything. We began to hope that our breakfast, first mentioned 30 minutes ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Architecture, Armenia, breakfast, Christianity, Church, Cooking, craft activities, Cross-cultural understanding, eating out, Food, Great weekends, joy, Local delicacies, Things that gladden the heart, travel, Village life, Women | Leave a comment

The Cambridge grads, pet people and STEM lovers–where are they?

Posted on July 26, 2018 by

It is easy to see why Cambridge want her. Emilia combines a ferocious intellect with a passion for animal welfare, and a desire to contribute to the future of her country. She is an all-round amazing young woman-fit, modest, kind … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Cross-cultural understanding, Emilia Simonian, Fundraising, Peace Corps, Peace Corps Armenia, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, Women, work, young women, Youth | 3 Comments

What kind of woman are you?

Posted on June 20, 2018 by

 Armine who works at SOSE sat beside me and translated in a whisper. My toddler Armenian meant I couldn’t say much and anyway a loud-mouthed American braying in her own language wasn’t really what was wanted. But the discussion about … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Armenia, family, fashion, feminism, life lessons, sexism, Weddings, Women, work, young women | 2 Comments

So now I know the Government!

Posted on May 13, 2018 by

 https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/blog_post/armenias-velvet-revolution-new-colors-vibes-countrys-politics-society/ Lilit Makunts was one of the battalion of teachers who helped me learn to speak Armenian when I became a volunteer with Peace Corps Armenia a year ago. Today she is Armenia’s new Minister of Culture. We remain Facebook … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, armenia’s revolution, Cross-cultural understanding, friendship, History, Language learning, leadership development, Lilit Makunts, Minds of the Movement, Nikol Pashinyan, Peace Corps Armenia, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, velvet revolution, Women, work, Yerevan, young women | 1 Comment

Women’s Day In Armenia.

Posted on March 8, 2018 by

Garik our office accountant brought me this beautiful plant. Ashot and Davit spent their own money to bring me another one just as lovely. The lady in the flower-shop, busy with the annual rush that comes on Women’s Day every … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, American holidays, Armenia, Cross-cultural understanding, family, Mother/daughter dynamic, Peace Corps, sexism, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Weddings, Women, young women | Leave a comment