Before I start, I apologize for the
eclectic organization of this post. I waited too long in between posts, and now
it’s difficult to discern what issue merits attention.
Is it better to be feared than to
be loved as an authority figure?
I am blessed with the gift of time
here. I am emancipated from my usual vices and distractions here. I have to time:
to sit and think for hours, to be silly for a ridiculous amount of time by myself,
to make creative lesson plans, to write letters home via snail mail, to pretend
I’m Thoreau at Walden for an extended amount of time gaining perspective, and
to appreciate the moment.
Going back
to Machiavelli’s inquiry, I am incessantly in search of that delicate balance
of respect and adoration from my students and teachers. I have tendencies to be
a big fat pushover…but now is the time to learn to stand up for myself. Alas, that’s why I’m here, for the challenge to grow.
I’m
getting more into the groove of things. My schedule is getting more and more
inundated. I have a club everyday of the school week. I’m looking forward to
putting on our first movie screening in a few weeks. Ubber ecstatic about this.
I’m going to start cooking again because I was able to negotiate with my host
family about money allotted for food. I can now buy my own ingredients. I can’t
wait to share American culinary delights with my host family. I’m booking my
flight to Dubai soon to get away for a few days this winter. I appreciate my
family, friends, and amenities back home so much more now. I’m motivated to
continue to work arduously for a successful service as a volunteer despite the
setbacks.
I’ve
been giving my undergraduate research project on happiness a lot of thought
lately for some odd reason. My happiness here has changed drastically. I get
excited to know that there’s enough water to have a bucket bath (every 5-7 days).
I get excited knowing there’s enough juice in my mp3 player on long rides on
the marshutni (most common mode of transportation). My heart melts when I see
my host sisters play with my host dad. I’m elated when it is clean bed sheets
day. I’m gleeful when I open my inbox and I see love from friends and more so when
I have mail from the post office. I’m pretty sure when I go home…I’m going to
be the easiest going girl you know. But for now I’m happy to be here and to
have this experience.
Mr. Samuel Johnson dropped some
knowledge on me today, which I felt was conducive/relevant to my previous ramblings about
happiness: “To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition, the end
to which all ambition, the end to which every enterprise and labour tends…” How’s
that for some PHI-losophy?
Phi OUT!
P.S. my new favorite word is WANDERLUST!
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| Harry's (his real name) attempt to show us proper stances for fencing |
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| Catching some vitamin D at the wine festival |
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| lake sevan for site-unlock!! |
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| Areni for the wine festival |
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| Talin for the 5K |
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| We're buddies :D |
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| Frolicking in its glory in the meadow at the wine festival |
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| Arpi my little host sister! |
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| Asyco my other baby host sister |
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| As crazy as they drive me nuts, I love them. |
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| My host mom and I try to squeeze a few new words everyday. |
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| our glorious warden meeting spread at Brian's! |
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| this is why she's always sick...everything goes into her mouth. |
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| Out of control with fun. |
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| I also get excited for clean clothes day :) |
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| the metal tube on top was how I showered in the summer...if you look closely, there's a nozzle at the end...where the water exits |
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| Talin's older church with most of the other volunteers who came for the 5K |
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| Armenian teens learning the Armenian traditional dance |
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| Sunflower seeds galore! |
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| On your mark, get set, go! |
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| Gold, silver, bronze winners |
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| the homemade brews at the wine festival |
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| Joy and Me |
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| Carolyn and David |
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| Limbs upon limbs |
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| Sunday morning brunch is one of my most favorite things int he world |
