After one Week!!

I made it to Armenia; it was a long flight from JFK to France and then to Yerevan. I did have some frustration with having to go through security again even though we had only got of one plain to get onto another. It didn’t help that I was feeling sick. We got into Yerevan at 8:55pm and took some time for all of us to find our luggage. We all stood out like sore thumbs. That night we went to stay in some cabins. They were really nice, heated showers, toilets, and nice beds to sleep on. This in not a typical experience for trainees, usually you roughen it a little pit more. My nervous got to me and I was horribly sick, so much so I asked for a doctor to see me. I missed the first full day of training because I was not feeling well. Training has been pretty much a lot of introduction on safety/health, our jobs, and language. I am excited about what I will be doing, at least from what they have told us. I think I will be working with NGO’s (non-government organization) to help with structure. We also have goals of working with the women and youth to help shift them into the working community. It is still early and we will get our actually site info in a couple of weeks.
From the camp we moved into our Host Families house. I almost didn’t do this as I had a moment where I thought I needed to go home due to my stomach and nerve issues. The Peace Corps staff talked me into trying to stay and give it time for me to get used to everything and let my stomach get used to the food. We had a ceremony where we are to meet our HF and watch Armenia traditional dance. I first introduced to the wrong family. They gave me roses, and then we found out that I was the wrong person. They would not take back the floors. My real HF is the Mayor of the village I live in. The house is generous and huge. My room is on the small side compared to American standers but oooo so nice. I have a balcony that looks out on the yard (which has an apple tree and cherry trees), the village, and the mountains. I get up in the morning to read and write in my journal on the balcony. I have a host mother and father with a host sister and brother. The siblings speak a little English, which has been very helpful and funny at the same time. Their great people, very kind and generous.
It is harder than I thought it was going to be. I know I want to do this, but sometimes my nerves get the best of me. Its overwhelming being in a place where you don’t know anyone, speak the language, and have never been. My anxiety comes and goes, but really affects me at night. My first night in my host families house I got up and night and backed all of my stuff up and was going to call the staff to send me home. When I woke up that had gone and I prayed about it and felt God told me to stay one the path and trust in him. The PC tells you will feel alone at times, which true. It’s going to take some time for me to adjust to this. My mom says in all her wisdom (after I woke her up at 1 and 6:30am) that I need to put mind over matter. I know that I want to be here and that I want to do this, so I just need to do it and get over the fear. Overall everything is wonderful, better than I could have ever expected, I just need to trust that I can do it on my own.
On a funny note, leave it to me to bring gambling to Armenia. LOL. I taught my H.Sister how to play Egyptian War and go fish. She was not too interested in Black Jack. They found it amazing when I showed them how to shuffle cards. They also new that our casinos don’t have windows and no clocks. Yerevan has a couple of casinos but I don’t think people from the villages there.