Meet Roza (mother) and Astghik (daughter)
The following are photos of my host mother Roza and host sister Astghik. For stories and photos from my FIRST 10 days with them in Getap village, in August 2005, see the link below right entitled "Volunteering for Heifer in Getap Village".
Baking bread last summer, when Roza had the fortune of some part-time work.
Roza fetching water one evening.
The abandoned preschool in which they live. They live on the second floor, pitured above. Roza is canning peaches, which we ate in the winter.
Canning peaches.
Sealing the cans.
Astghik near the preschool. She's holding a bag of fresh blackberries to can for the winter. .
Astghik and I with two of our students.
Roza preparing dough for dinner bread.
Roza drying dishes.
Roza washing dishes on Christmas night.
Astghik cutting her mother's hair.
Installing a wood stove. Astghik is sealing the pipe seams with a paste.
Someone bathing on the living room floor.
Astghik preparing pastry dough for the new year.
She baked from 8:30am to 11:30pm. They had sold kilos and kilos of walnuts to middlemen in Yerevan, which they'd spent weeks cracking, in order to afford all the necessary foods for the Christmas and New Year festivities. They didn't waste a single walnut shell, burning every bit for fuel.
Roza making dough for dumplings.
The final touches, just before the clock struck 12 Dec 31st.
Celebrating the new year in bed first thing in the morning.
Getting out of a warm bed to light the fire early in the morning was the hardest job!
It was cooooooooooold!!!
Every 4 weeks the pipes from the wood stove had to be cleaned out in order for the smoke to flow out of the house.
Tough women in their 50s going high up into the mountains to pick wild greens ALL DAY 8am-9pm!
Dining upon arrival, necessary for the energy required that day.
Bread, cheese and herbs are a staple.
The next three days are spent drying and braiding the wild greens for consumption in the winter.
Getap is a beautiful village, though not at all favorable for agriculture, contrary to how it may look in this springtime photo.
Astghik teaching History of Religions.
Astghik cutting and coloring the neighbor lady's hair. Most women color their hair.
Astghik and I, having lit candles in a 12century monastery.
Astghik in her favorite shirt, which she'd hand made 5 years ago and then gave to me upon departure from Armenia. It is the most special shirt I own. The necklace she is wearing was one of my favorites which I bought in Indonesia. She wears it now and believes it brings her good luck.
Good luck or not, I pray that she and her mother are showered with blessings from Above.
Baking bread last summer, when Roza had the fortune of some part-time work.
Roza fetching water one evening.
The abandoned preschool in which they live. They live on the second floor, pitured above. Roza is canning peaches, which we ate in the winter.
Canning peaches.
Sealing the cans.
Astghik near the preschool. She's holding a bag of fresh blackberries to can for the winter. .
Astghik and I with two of our students.
Roza preparing dough for dinner bread.
Roza drying dishes.
Roza washing dishes on Christmas night.
Astghik cutting her mother's hair.
Installing a wood stove. Astghik is sealing the pipe seams with a paste.
Someone bathing on the living room floor.
Astghik preparing pastry dough for the new year.
She baked from 8:30am to 11:30pm. They had sold kilos and kilos of walnuts to middlemen in Yerevan, which they'd spent weeks cracking, in order to afford all the necessary foods for the Christmas and New Year festivities. They didn't waste a single walnut shell, burning every bit for fuel.
Roza making dough for dumplings.
The final touches, just before the clock struck 12 Dec 31st.
Celebrating the new year in bed first thing in the morning.
Getting out of a warm bed to light the fire early in the morning was the hardest job!
It was cooooooooooold!!!
Every 4 weeks the pipes from the wood stove had to be cleaned out in order for the smoke to flow out of the house.
Tough women in their 50s going high up into the mountains to pick wild greens ALL DAY 8am-9pm!
Dining upon arrival, necessary for the energy required that day.
Bread, cheese and herbs are a staple.
The next three days are spent drying and braiding the wild greens for consumption in the winter.
Getap is a beautiful village, though not at all favorable for agriculture, contrary to how it may look in this springtime photo.
Astghik teaching History of Religions.
Astghik cutting and coloring the neighbor lady's hair. Most women color their hair.
Astghik and I, having lit candles in a 12century monastery.
Astghik in her favorite shirt, which she'd hand made 5 years ago and then gave to me upon departure from Armenia. It is the most special shirt I own. The necklace she is wearing was one of my favorites which I bought in Indonesia. She wears it now and believes it brings her good luck.
Good luck or not, I pray that she and her mother are showered with blessings from Above.
posted by Sophia Malkasian at 6:29 PM
3 Comments:
You ever think about heading out to Paris? You seem to be all around the place and never a word from you about Paris, shame on you! :) email me pbrown@parenthese-paris.com
Patti
Hi Sophia
I'm a CC alumni interested in International Development. Do you have an email address I can reach you on? Emily Ann. (emilyann2000@hotmail.com)
Dear Sopho,
nice fotos ;-)
Regards from Germany
Post a Comment
<< Home