My Yerevan Host Family, The Genocide Memorial, Tea with Nicole Vartanian, and Tbilisi City

Pictured below are my host mother, Sylva and host father, Araik Galstyan. In June they were asked if they could host a volunteer for one week. Five months later, I'm still with them and have loved it. Sylva is especially warm, affectionate, laid back, and just a pleasure to be around. I admire how easily and how much she laughs. Wherever she is, guaranteed you'll hear laughter. She reminds me of my Aunt Bernadette in this respect.

Sylva couldn't keep a straight face when she posed for what she said would be a "very sexy photo!".

The Galstyan family has news. Anna is pregnant! Anna's wedding was featured in one of my earliest blogs (end of June). She and her husband are now in Germany where they both went to earn Ph.D.s in Chemistry.

And only a week later after we found out about the pregnancy we were celebrating younger sister Anna's engagement to Carlos! Anna and Carlos are in the middle. Carlos' Mom next to Anna and Carlos' Dad on the right. Grandma next to Sylva.

On another day we celebrated my host-cousin Martin's 16th birthday with his Mom and Grandmother (left) and Godparents from Burbank, CA (right-ish).

Anahit/"Anniko" (middle) is one of my favorite people in Armenia. She is my host father's niece. She sings for the Armenian National Chamber Choir.

The day I went to the Armenian Genocide Memorial there happened to be a small 90 year commemorative ceremony for some Armenians who had come from Syria.

In addition to prayer, there was vocal music in the background, sung by a small choir (not shown). The music was hauntingly melancholic. People listened silently.



Bill and his wife Judith were Heifer study tour participants. In October, 11 Americans came for a study tour of Heifer Caucasus. It was a nice coincidence that the day we brought them to the Memorial, there was an event happening.

I slowly placed my flower offering along the circumference of the Flame...based on my experience, my guess is that it's impossible for most people to do so without being moved to tears.

Next to where I'm standing while taking this photo is a the Genocide Museum, which we toured.

Redmar is a professional photographer from Denmark. He is preparing a book about the Genocide and how the Armenian diaspora relates to the Homeland. He photographed me teaching my students in Getap and I will be one of many subjects in his book, representing the constituency that is compelled to come back to the Homeland to participate in its process of social and economic development.
Night shot in Republic Square by a professional photographer. :-)

While Redmar and I were standing there waiting for some folks from Denmark (2 on right) and their friends (middle) we ran into Nicole Vartanian (left), who I met in Washington D.C. last year during the 90th Commemoration candlelight vigil in front of the Turkish Embassy. Nicole works for the U.S. Department of Education, is on the Executive Board of the Armenian International Policy and Research Group, and was a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor in Armenia. She had just taken a trip through formerly Western Armenia, in Turkey, and we enjoyed hearing about her experiences.
Nicole and me.
Below are pictures of Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia. We took our Heifer study tour there. It's a vibrant beautiful city.

Our hotel, Kapala, in the Armenian section of Tbilisi.


The city is situated along the river.

Somehow it reminded me of Portland. All the green and the low hills, perhaps.

Apparently it's a pretty diverse city ethnically and religiously but I don't know the statistics.

From my hotel room balcony I could see this traditional Georgian church.

Night and day it was a beautiful sight.

Tigran, my pal in the Heifer office.

Americans don't need a visa to get into Georgia. I plan to go back and explore the city.

All for now.