Category Archives: work

Looming Large

Posted on February 10, 2019 by Liz Barron

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

In the bleak mid-winter

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Liz Barron

We weren’t off to a good start, which was a shame as I had been looking forward to this day for weeks. I had imagined driving over mountains and through gorges with Ara, stopping here and there to take pictures … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Beauty, Blessings, breakfast, chess, Christmas, Church, cocktails, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, Driving, eating out, Education, Food, Goris, gratitude, Happiness, Jingalov hats, joy, kindness, Lonely this Christmas, love, Moonshine, National Poetry Recitation Contest, Peace Corps, Peace Corps Armenia, picnic, singing, Social niceties, Syunik Marz, Teaching, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, visitors, Vodka, welcome, work, Youth | 5 Comments

One of those days

Posted on December 5, 2018 by Liz Barron

There are days when it is tempting to hop online and book a flight home. A flight leaving tomorrow. Today was one of those days: A day when the person supposed to be my new counterpart messaged me to say … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Blessings, Chillin', clothes, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, Embarrassment, Fire, Food, gratitude, havjng a bad day, Homesickness, online friends, Peace Corps, Peace Corps Armenia, resilience, Stress management, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Underwear, Village life, wine, work | Leave a comment

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

Posted on July 26, 2018 by Liz Barron

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 Liz Barron

 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

Armenia: it never gets old.

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Liz Barron

I saw a jackal last week. He or she also saw me and didn’t stick around. I glimpsed a woodpecker-the first I have seen here or anywhere else in the world. I picked some wildflowers that are new to me.– … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Blessings, Cross-cultural understanding, Education, Food, friendship, Games, gratitude, Great weekends, Happiness, joy, Language learning, life lessons, Nature, Peace Corps, Peace Corps Armenia, singing, Syunik Marz, Teaching, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, work, Youth | 4 Comments

So now I know the Government!

Posted on May 13, 2018 by Liz Barron

 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

Stories out of school

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Liz Barron

I was to teach a class about networking– how to make the kind of friends that help you get by. Ironic really that this session was scheduled for the evening Serzh Sargysan lost his job: the very day that thousands … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Capitalism, Cross-cultural understanding, Education, entrepreneurship, gratitude, Language learning, leadership development, Leadership School Yerevan, Learning, life lessons, National pride, networking, serzh sargsyan, story-telling, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, velvet revolution, work, Yerevan | Leave a comment

Peace Corps: One Year In

Posted on March 16, 2018 by Liz Barron

I am serving my country abroad, and my country is America. I can’t quite believe it myself. The words conjure pictures of soldiers, brave and resolute in uniform, or Ambassadors, smooth and sophisticated. I am neither of these, and I … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Anniversary, Armenia, BBC, Blessings, Caucausus, creative writing, Education, friendship, Fundraising, gratitude, Happiness, life lessons, love, National Poetry Recitation Contest, Peace Corps, straight-talking sister, Teaching, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, work | 5 Comments

Traveling hopefully

Posted on January 2, 2018 by Liz Barron

Looking at the New Year posts of some of my Peace Corps colleagues here in Armenia I realize that they have it pretty tough. Tougher for some of them than I had realized. Reflecting on 2017, they talk about what … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, America, Armenia, Being a Grandmother, Blessings, family, fashion, friendship, gratitude, joy, know thyself, Learning, life lessons, Lonely this Christmas, Mother/daughter dynamic, New Year, Peace Corps, personal failings, resilience, social media, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, work, Writing | 1 Comment