Lots of Stairs and Armenian Drivers 6/19/16

Stairs- my true nemesis, and yet we woke up early to run up the stairs of the Cascade in Yerevan. The first few steps I was overly confident -- getting some high knees in there. That lasted for about 10 steps and then I realized that walking was a better friend than jogging. The view at the top was breathtaking (or that was just because I was out of shape, who REALLY knows?). It was the first time I clearly saw Mt. Ararat and it was just as majestic as everyone said it would be. The best part about this experience was that on our way down, we found a door. Once we stepped inside we saw that there were ESCALATORS all the way to the top. ESCALATORS, AS IN NO PHYSICAL EXERTION REQUIRED. Nonetheless, the exercise was worth it in the end because we got to see the city of Yerevan from an amazing height.

After breakfast, we headed to church to listen to captivating sermons in Armenian. How do I know they were captivating if I’m not fluent in Armenian you may ask? We were hooked up to FM radios that had a translator in our group saying the entire service in English. So don’t ALWAYS assume that when I have earbuds in, I’m listening to my fire Spotify playlists.

We ate lahmacun for lunch. It was the best lahmacun I’ve ever had. That’s all that need be said here.

After lunch, we went to the Armenian Genocide Monument where we placed roses around the eternal flame to honor our ancestors who struggled and died in the horrific acts against the Armenian people because they refused to convert to Islam. Their faith in God inspires me every day and it was enlightening to be able to read how everything came about, how it happened, and the outcome of it all. It was a solemn affair that struck most speechless.

Next was a two-hour bus ride to our next destination-Vanadzor. It was my first time sitting in the front of the bus and let me tell you it was NOT a fun experience. Drivers in Armenia are crazy and they use that to their advantage to pass people up on one-lane streets when there’s another car coming barreling at us. The cars get so close to each other you just HAVE to close your eyes and scream a little. The pedestrians are also very daring. They cross the street when there’s two-way traffic and no crosswalks in sight. One woman ran right in front of us with a baby in her arms. I looked to one of the translators in bewilderment after this episode and she just said “That’s how it is in Armenia, welcome to our country.”

Once in Vanadzor, we ate at the church a very authentic Armenian meal. Lavash, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fish (with head and tail included, no extra charge!) It was beautifully prepared and the Sprite, Fanta, and Coke on the table made for a stark contrast to the traditional style of nutrition surrounding the bottles.

When our director told me I was going to be doing EKG’s by MYSELF. I hyperventilated a little bit, not going to lie. I would have to be in a room, alone, with Armenian men and women who were half naked. I wouldn’t be able to tell them what was happening either, so when I would start to stick the electrodes on, I can only imagine their reactions. I was so thankful they brought someone else on the job with me, who was a nurse (who knows how to read EKGs) AND spoke Armenian. We were finally set…until the machine didn’t work. I spent an hour trying to download the software onto the EKG machine to no avail.

When we got to the hotel, there was no elevator and we were on the third floor. NOT that I’m complaining, it was a great way to get my summer workout started! The hotel didn’t have great Wi-Fi reception so clusters of people could be found in the hallways where the connection was making appearances – me included!