Category Archives: Youth

Welcome back–Belfast

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Liz Barron

The streets were teeming with teenagers, celebrating the last day of school exams. Many were drunk, although it was not yet six o’clock–or legal drinking age. One girl was wearing a yellow bikini and, over her hips and thighs, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Armenian food, Belfast, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, Gin, Teens, travel, young women, Youth | 1 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

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

The real thing: not sugar that looks like salt

Posted on July 25, 2018 by Liz Barron

“Your stories matter” said the poet. “They are how you make yourself known to others. They are a way of stretching out your hand to someone else.” Damian says that the mistake most newbie poets make is that they feel … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Armenian writers, creative writing, Cross-cultural understanding, Damian Gorman, family, Hanna Huntley, know thyself, Learning, life lessons, love of words, National pride, Poet In Residence, Poetry, public speaking, story-telling, Summer camp, Teaching, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Writing, Writing Workshop, young women, Youth | 2 Comments

On working with a Poet-in-Residence

Posted on July 22, 2018 by Liz Barron

Sonnet for Damian Gorman “It’s bonkers” wrote the poet, ‘but yes, I’ll come” He packed his bag and caught the first of many planes His eyes were sore, his bum was numb He yawned and asked our students for their … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, creative writing, Cross-cultural understanding, Damian Gorman, Education, Hanna Huntley, Household tips, Language learning, love of words, Marketing, Moonshine, National Poetry Recitation Contest, Poet In Residence, Poetry, red head, story-telling, Summer camp, Teaching, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, visitors, Wilfred Owen, Writing, Writing Workshop, young women, Youth | 1 Comment

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

Poetry Please

Posted on December 19, 2017 by Liz Barron

Gohar Ghazaryan’s  13-year-old students are preparing for 2018’s National Poetry Recitation Contest, reading and analyzing poems by AE Housman, Langston Hughes and Jack Prelutsky. Two of poems are copied below, so you can see just how accomplished these five students are. … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, BBC, BBC World Service, Cross-cultural understanding, Education, Language learning, Learning, National Poetry Recitation Contest, Peace Corps, Poetry, Syunik Marz, Teaching, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, Village life, Youth | Leave a comment

In the Driving Seat

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Liz Barron

The Taxi driver’s intention was to frighten and bully me. He roared away from the train station in Yerevan at speed, grinding his gears as he went. I told him my destination, knowing it was about two kilometers  away. “Granny, … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Bullying, Cross-cultural understanding, Driving, errors of judgement, fear, know thyself, Language, Language learning, Peace Corps, resilience, Social niceties, travel, Women, Youth | 4 Comments

School report

Posted on November 2, 2017 by Liz Barron

The CEO of Dasaran pulls up a slide that shows the number of logins they get from abroad—click throughs by the thousand from Russia, Spain and other parts of Europe and the Middle East. “These are dads working abroad” says … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Dasaran, Data Analysis, Education, family, Internet, Learning, life lessons, Play, Technology, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Youth | 2 Comments

The children of Lor?

Posted on October 30, 2017 by Liz Barron

46 children attend school in the village of Lor in Syunik Marz, Armenia. There are twelve forms, 0-12, with a scant handful of children in each. 46 is fewer children than last year, and more than next year. Worldvision, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Armenian art, Armenian writers, Beauty, Cross-cultural understanding, eating out, Education, Emigration, Environment, Food, friendship, gratitude, Great weekends, Halloween, identity, joy, love, National pride, Nature, Peace Corps, Poetry, resilience, Syunik Marz, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, work, Youth | Leave a comment