Wish you were here, so that I could stay
*sigh* Only two days left in Yerevan. I don't wanna go! (cue whining.) But, alas, I must. *double sigh*
I had my last interview with Armineh today. This girl does not cease to amaze me. The things she's endured to get to where she is today...incredible. To have half her strength and optimism would make any man a good man. Her optimism and outlook on life are remarkable. She takes life for what it is and doesn't look back. We could all learn from her, though she thinks she's as ordinary as they come.
On Friday we'll shoot the last hour's worth of Yerevan's streets for the film, just in time for me to leave. I head to Dubai that night.
The time has really flown by for me. I feel like I've gotten a real taste of Yerevan life this time around. I would stay if I could. On this trip more than before I've felt like I could really live here. I feel comfortable, at home, in a familiar place.
At dinner with some family friends tonight, one remarked how funny it is that when diaspora Armenians come here, they're at once astonished and ecstatic to be surrounded by the Armenian language. That feeling never goes away. This being my third trip, I still get a kick out of reading every single sign in Armenian, whether it's in the grocery store, the auto mechanic, theater, whatever. I find myself reading them aloud when I'm on the street, to make it seem more real.
While the Armenian instills in me a sense of pride, the English is good for a giggle, particularly the spellings. It's the same story for any non-English speaking community. The spellings are always mutilated, but sometimes the mutilation is worth it. Among my favorites this time around:
* For Holy Echmiadzin (the main church), a festive spelling: Holly Echmiadzin.
* In a Georgian restaurant, a bean salad that never was: Been salad
* At Lagonid, our favorite Lebanese restaurant, they're not sure what belongs in "spas," which the menu describes as "traditional Armenian yogurt soup with what."
Gotta love it.
I had my last interview with Armineh today. This girl does not cease to amaze me. The things she's endured to get to where she is today...incredible. To have half her strength and optimism would make any man a good man. Her optimism and outlook on life are remarkable. She takes life for what it is and doesn't look back. We could all learn from her, though she thinks she's as ordinary as they come.
On Friday we'll shoot the last hour's worth of Yerevan's streets for the film, just in time for me to leave. I head to Dubai that night.
The time has really flown by for me. I feel like I've gotten a real taste of Yerevan life this time around. I would stay if I could. On this trip more than before I've felt like I could really live here. I feel comfortable, at home, in a familiar place.
At dinner with some family friends tonight, one remarked how funny it is that when diaspora Armenians come here, they're at once astonished and ecstatic to be surrounded by the Armenian language. That feeling never goes away. This being my third trip, I still get a kick out of reading every single sign in Armenian, whether it's in the grocery store, the auto mechanic, theater, whatever. I find myself reading them aloud when I'm on the street, to make it seem more real.
While the Armenian instills in me a sense of pride, the English is good for a giggle, particularly the spellings. It's the same story for any non-English speaking community. The spellings are always mutilated, but sometimes the mutilation is worth it. Among my favorites this time around:
* For Holy Echmiadzin (the main church), a festive spelling: Holly Echmiadzin.
* In a Georgian restaurant, a bean salad that never was: Been salad
* At Lagonid, our favorite Lebanese restaurant, they're not sure what belongs in "spas," which the menu describes as "traditional Armenian yogurt soup with what."
Gotta love it.
posted by eva at 10:35 AM
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