Laughing with Lalai in Republic Square

Meet Lalai Manjikian, my dearest friend in Hayastan. You might say Lalai and I are obsessed with taking pictures of ourselves. Let's just say no matter what the circumstances, we can keep ourselves fully entertained-- a requisite skill for being volunteers in Armenia. Lalai was born in Saudi Arabia, where her father worked as an engineer. Her father is from Syria and her mother from Lebanon, and they are both 100 percent Armenian. She has two older brothers. They moved to Montreal when Lalai was 8 years old. She has recently finished a Master's Degree in Communications and is about to start a Ph.D. program at McGill University. I am currently reading her intriguing thesis, entitled: "Collective Memory and Diasporic Articulations of Imagined Homes: Armenian Community Centres in Montreal."

At the time we weren't laughing at the policemen eating seeds in the background (a sight we're well accustomed to)...not sure what we were laughing at!

...probably ourselves, as usual.
We seem to find humor in just about anything.
This is a typical weekday evening, about 8:30pm. People love to hang out near the fountain. It's cool and refreshing. A great place to people watch. Ice cream, beer, coke, candy and pumpkin/sunflower seeds vendors behind us.
Lalai likes to try & make me feel like a model, having me pose on the fountain edge in front of things like the Square clock and Armenian flag.
Fashion is big in Yerevan city. Even the little girls manage to keep up with the latest....

Actually we had an hour to pass while waiting for our friend Sylvie, before going to a birthday celebration.
I had just bought these new jeans at "Jaky Juky," a goofy name which we like to say out loud.

More posing like a high fashion model, especially in my new jeans.

getting creative...

By 9:30pm twighlight arrives. Republic Square is well lit at night, still attracting loiterers like us. Lalai is sporting a Jaky Juky top, showing who the real high fashion model of Hayastan is.

Photographer hopes you notice the moon.

All the while we were waiting for Sylvie, who is pictured below left, in Jaky Juky (this photo was taken earlier). Sylvie is fantastic. She is from London and has been living here for two years. She did amazing work for the Norwegian Refugee Council and is now co-founding a new NGO called Mer Doon. (www.homeinarmenia.org) Mer Doon, "Our Home," is a residence and professional development center for 18-20 year old orphans in transition from their orphanages to living on their own. Often they have nowhere to go and need assistance with developing and marketing their skills. The residence is under construction and will be finished by Spring 2006.