We've been here long enough that we've made more than a few Armenian friends. The average Armenian is gracious, kind, and abnormally hospitable. An American friend that was here several years ago with the Peace Corps says that it's cultural REQUIREMENT that you invite strangers back to your home for coffee and at least a snack - and to meet the family, check out the livestock (in the country), or talk about cars with the guys. In this business you get to meet so many new people all the time that's it's difficult to keep track, and on top of that there's a significant language hurdle here. Armenian isn't the world's most common language. In fact, even the Armenian spoken in the United States by the sizable Armenian Diaspora population isn't exactly the same as it's spoken here. That said I speak as much of the local variety as possible.
I work with a man here named Arkady (ARE KAH DEE). Arkady is probably in his 60's and I consider him my friend. He met me today at a job site to help me with translating some technical needs with the maintenance guy at one of our properties. While we were waiting he and I helped a cleaning lady move a table. I said a couple of words to her in Armenian -- literally just a, "No, no, let me do it" kind of thing because she was old and I didn't want he lifting the heavy table. So inevitably she starts telling me something... In Armenian of course. It happens frequently because of the way I speak the little bit I know. Arkady started half-laughing and hugged me around the shoulders and asked if I understood what she was telling me. When I answered no, he said that she said if I'm not already married that she knows of a very nice girl that I could meet (probably her daughter, or her sister, or possibly even one of her neighbors). Once I pointed at my ring finger she apologized and went away with a smile chattering about how I spoke Armenian to the other cleaning ladies. I don't really SPEAK Armenian mind you...
My favorite times while living overseas are when I get to interact on a normal-people level with locals. They're trying to make a dram or two, and I'm tying to get stuff done too, and it's those interactions that are the most subtle, and the most life-changing. I consider Arkady my friend. He and I love to talk about food, and to eat. My new favorite is Akroshka (a salty yoghurt drink with cucumber and dill chopped up in it). Arkady loves the stuff too, smacked his lips and did the fingertips-to-lips thing, and squeezed my shoulder again before we parted ways. There aren't a whole lot of people in the world that I can say the same of, but this guy is one of those kind-hearted souls that, if you’re really, really lucky, you get to meet, spend some time with, and even miss when you move on. I think his wife passed a couple of years ago, and he’s still working here for us as one of our maintenance foremen keeping busy and doing his thing. When I leave I'll miss him as much as anyone here. Genuinely missing someone or something is one of life's most subtle joys. One last thing - it's HOT in Armenia in the summertime.
