First of all, I really love living downtown! The apartment is fantastic, the only issue is the phone number. What you have listed doesn’t ring to our phone, so it is difficult for the other house to contact us right now. I plan on getting SIM cards sometime tomorrow, which should alleviate much of the issue. It is amazing to have everything right outside our door. It’s going to make for a really easy time enjoying the city. Speaking of enjoying the city, because Lance left before shopping and I around 1:00, the group didn’t hesitate to spend some time exploring. I had shown Jessica some of the major places two days ago, so she was able to guide them around. They went to cafe central and managed ordering and paying without an Armenian speaker, which I was impressed with. They seem like a great group and I’m excited to get to know them better. Having this free day was nice for everyone to get acclimated and build good group unity.
So I have done some thinking about why I’ve come back to Armenia so many times. There are definitely more selfish reasons, such as helping my language skills, letting me visit my good friends here, and a good resume builder. But I couldn’t really put my real reasons into words until Saturday morning. I had some free time and decided to take a book down near the opera house and read for a few hours. I found a nice bench in the shade and opened my Armenian copy of Les Miserables, Թշվառներ. At one point, the character Jean Valjean makes the statement when talking to some farmers, “”Remember this, my friends: there are no such things as bad plants or bad men. There are only bad cultivators.” (Armenian translation: Մի մոռացեք, որ ոչ վատ խոտեր կան, ոչ էլ վատ մարդիկ։ Կան միայն վատ մշակողներ” : As I looked out around me, at the older women cleaning the flower beds, the teenagers lighting up cigarettes together, even witnessing a bribe right in front of me, I was reminded that even with all their challenges, there are no bad people. Only poor gardeners. What does that have to do with why I am here for the fourth time? I want to help these amazing people reach their full potential. If I can but change one woman’s perspective towards breast cancer, encourage someone to manage their diabetes, or help one mother understand proper nutrition, I will have made a difference. And my ultimate hope is to help build the programs and relationships that will leave a lasting change upon the everyday healthcare in Armenia. The other motivation driving me is a desire to become a better gardener. I want to develop the skills necessary to make a difference in others’ lives every day. Who I am today is directly related to my many experiences in the Republic of Armenia. I keep coming back because I have so much more to give and so much more to learn.
Thank you հազար անգամ for this amazing opportunity. I look forward to another great year!
Kyle
Global Health Armenia 