I went to Lena's again tonight to watch some TV... we watched a ridiculously stupid movie about two 15 year old girls in the 1970's who were "deep throat" and got Nixon impeached. So stupid I actually enjoyed it. Then we watched some classic music videos from the 1980's, and saw ads for Seinfeld and Taxi. Also knowing that the Simpsons and Beavis & Butthead are on as well has tempted me a great deal. I thought I was better off without TV, but I have been tempted, and I don't know if I can resist... aaaaahhhhh!!!!!

First pic is Jukhtak Monastery, the second is Matosavank...

We got back last night from a 48 hour trip to Dilijan which felt like a week long relaxing vacation. Although the fall display was pretty much over, and it was overall chilly, we had a great time. We "discovered" Jukhtak Monastery and Matosavank Monastery, both were really great in their own way and much cooler than we expected. We went with a local couple and their three month old angelic baby, plus Viken, an LA Armenian who moved here last summer. The fresh air, long hot showers, great hikes, old town and brutal risk games all made for a great weekend.

I just came back from the most fabulous Halloween Party that the AVC and a few of us helped organize. The Halloween party was organized for the children of a few different organizations here in Armenia that work with street children, disabled children, and children from families living well below the poverty level. We organized different activities for 60 children and it was a real success. We bobbed for apples, learned how to carve pumpkins, had a haunted house with live mummies and ghosts, and a trick or treat snack room. The night ended in poetry and song as most events with children do here in Armenia, and it was really nice to spend time with such beautiful kids.

Things have been pretty mellow and I have all the heaters in the house running on high. I have been running around working on different little projects and meeting with friends to brainstorm about new ideas. Shakar is growing by the minute and her personality is really starting to show. Her latest thing is chopping on those fake bones made especially for puppies. She carries them around everywhere as if they are an extension of her mrut.

I love weekends here. Everyone relaxes and enjoys their weekend. Less chaos for the most part makes people happier and more suseptible to laughing and having a great time. The party tonight was one of those examples of a bunch of relaxed people enjoying eachother and the kids that brought them together. Happy Halloween from Yerevan.

The book I had published this year, Rediscovering Armenia, is now available for sale on Amazon.com! Woohoo! Finally people can get copies before they actually arrive in Armenia. So buy it now and start planning your trip to Armenia next spring, or get it as a gift for someone this Christmas. The picture is not on the site yet, but it should be there soon...

That having been said, I would just like to ask readers to please pause before sending us negative feedback. Two people have done this lately and both have made rather large assumptions about us and neither could possibly have thought the feedback would be beneficial in any way. We love feedback, and happily read opinions, advise, questions, and even constructive criticism, but we are people, so take it easy... I think everything has been smoothed over with both writers, but it was not a positive experience for any of us.

Shakar barked for the first time today! I automatically smiled and gave her a big hug! apres, shunik!

This is the first time in my adult life that I have not been running around like a headless chicken. I was always the type of person who took 21 units in school, did community work and still kept up a part-time job. Even when I graduated and moved to New York... a very active volunteer, and social life filled any minutes that were not consumed by the office. Vacation times were always spent coming to Armenia to cure my Hayastani karot (the longing for Armenia) , again running around like crazy.

For the past 6 years it has been my dream to move here. Ever since my first trip I knew I would have to, that this was home! For the past six years I have been working towards this goal (saving up the money, and gaining professional experience so that I may make a difference) and am now finally one of Yerevan's newest residents. With almost a decade of Armenian Community Service and a degree in Sociology I feel that I can start to make a small difference here. My main goal is women's issues and rights. It was the one thing that shook me during my first trip and still fascinates me to this day. Growing up in the United States, I was afforded more freedom and equality than most of the women of this world. Although life for a woman in the US is not perfect, there is a lot to be learned through the women's movement of the last century in the west. There are fundamental things that need to be discussed and brought out in the open when it comes to women's issues internationally, and here in Armenia, and I have begun doing so in small circles, just getting a feel for the situation here in Yerevan. I eventually want to teach Sociology here at the University and work with the younger generations. Before, as a strong and proud woman I would fight every battle to prove that a Woman can and that a Woman should and that a Woman will. Now, I feel that these ideas can be implemented in a macro-level... and who better than the future leaders of our beautiful country, the younger generation.

I have noticed changes in the past few years in Armenia. There are many changes for the better and I smile when I come across these changes in my everyday life here. Like the happiness I felt when I heard Shakar's first bark, I similarly love witnessing the day to day progressions of Armenia. Don't get me wrong, not everything here is a bunch of roses, there is a lot to work on and a lot of things need to change, but I am optimistic and the little changes... the tiny progressions that you notice keep you going until the next stepping stone is in full site.

As far as today, it was beautiful and sunny and was filled with smiling kids and families strolling down the streets of Yerevan enjoying the fall before the winter cold sets in. I myself was doing just that... basking in the sunlight that flows through my kitchen window and eating a juicy apple from the Pak Shuga (the big market here in Yerevan).

Things have been quiet with me lately, thus no posts. I have basically been doing nothin but work and relax at home. After last wednesdays trip to Dilijan, I was too wiped out to travel over the weekend. The switchback road from Sevan down to Dilijan really makes me car sick when I am in a van or bus. In a car I am usually fine. I hope to do a three of four day weekend in Dilijan this weekend since the leaves were so awesome last time. The only other thing going on is that I have finally gotten my butt in gear and am getting all the final pieces of furniture and miscellaneous things that I need to make this home complete... I still don't have a sofa even! So that is all that is fit to print with me.

As the weather gets chillier, life slows down here. It seems I have not left my house for days now and have been catching up with much needed r&r.

Shakar is staring at me right now wondering what I am doing. She has become quite attached over the past few days. I am also learning what each of her looks and whimpers mean. For example she is jealous I am typing on the computer because she would like to be gnawing on my hand so she is looking at me right now asking with her eyes, what could be more important than me gnawing on your hand??? She is also totally ignoring any of the newspapers laid out on the floor and peeing on any important rug in the apartment. I think it's done on purpose.

Tomorrow, I will go to Hrazdan Stadium (an open air mall with everything... everything... everything) and get quotes on blankets and sheets for the Shushi Kindergarden Project. A friend advised me to take a local friend with me, so that their local dialect can spark an even greater deal than my undecipherable mix of Persian-American Armenian which usually just gets me regular or a little above regular prices.

Speaking of which, it is really fun to be a Diasporan in Armenia when it comes to shopping. Some locals assume that they can pull one over on ya cuz you are from abroad. It makes me even more aggressive and even more the fighter. Sometimes I catch myself looking at the overall picture thinking to myself... I just walked away from that clay vase that I really really wanted for the equivalent of like thirteen cents. My debate and argumentantive skills in Armenian are now well cultured from all this bargaining and I can fight like the rest of them. I am still not used to walking into stores and asking if the price is negotiable... but it pretty much is anywhere here in Armenia. Until you hear verjin kin (final price) ... the show is not over.

Lets see what kind of a bargain I can strike for these blankets and sheets.

Had a great relaxing weekend with friends. We basically visited each other�s homes, had home cooked meals and watched plenty of movies. I guess we�ll be doing this more and more as the cold sets in. Today is a glorious day with great blue skies and the sun shining.

I finally received the gifts that Annette Collins sent from California 6 weeks ago! What a great surprise it was, turning up at the main Post Office at the Republic Square, and picking up my parcels for 950 Drams ($2). The parcels contained flash cards, plenty of crayons and an educational kit. The latter is so cool and will be well utilized in Armenia as there�s nothing like it. Each book module contains its own little modem to insert into the reading pad and when the pen is pointed to a picture, a sound or description is heard in English. I have decided to donate this exceptional kit to the new Centre for �Duty to Live�, the organization that cares for struggling families. The kids in the Centre will definitely benefit from this grand donation. I hope you don�t mind Annette and thanks again so much for your kind gesture. Thanks to you, I can�t wait to see the smiles on the faces of those children!

Shakar Avazian (my new puppy) is doing great! She has not cried for a full day and ate all by herself today. We are still working on the potty training part of our adventures though :o)

This morning she woke me up early and we hung out and napped and had breakast (she ate cottage cheese, i had eggs with tomatoes). Then we went to my godson's house with new legos for Senik and his older brother Makich. The kids loved Shakar and they played with her all day (except the occasional nap by Senik and Shakar).

Shakar has me staying home more than I usually do so I have been reading, listening to CDs and enjoying being alone. Tonight I will finally attend to some e-mailing and CNN.

They laid my kitchen tiles today. On Wednesday I will be meeting Lena and Raffi's carpenter from Vanadzor to discuss furniture.

I HAVE A PUPPY!!! She is the cutest thing in the world, honestly she is!!! Her name is Shakar and she is a month old. I got her at Vernisage for 2,000 dram (4 dollars). I am going to take her to Raffi's in the next few days for a photo shoot so you can all see how cute she is.

I went to Vernisage to buy neckaleces (i collect) and decided to pass the puppy section. When I got there, I saw a bunch of cute pure-breeds (yerevantsis love purebreeds) then there was SHAKAR... an undistinguishable white mutt. So I had to have her... impulsive I know but she was too cute to pass up.

I brought her home and she was crying non-stop. My workers stopped cold on the remond and played with her a bit. Then my friend came over and we took her to the vet. She got her nails clipped got flea powdered and we figured out a food plan for her.

I have since brought her home and she has not cried for two hours. I have to feed her by hand because she is too small to eat by herself. She takes naps and then wakes up playful, her personality is pure sugar.

I will try to take Shakar to Raffi's for a picture for the log soon.

Mt. Ararat, right now. View from my house.

Dilijan, the "Little Switzerland of Armenia" on Thursday

Now that I cut my volunteer hours down I am enjoying
spending some time at home relaxing. I am working
with my workers on remond and am reading Roots by Alex
Haley. I invaded David�s library before he left. Good
literature in English is a gem for me here. I am also
working on Arthur Ispirian�s new album, which is fun,
it is going to be great and the new songs are
excellent.

So the highlight of the week had to be pastry
shopping. My friend and I were craving something sweet
so we went to the market near my house to buy
pastires. We chose a few chocolate pieces, a few
caramels, some yummy cookies and the girl serving us
put them in a box. Box in hand we were walking down
Nalbandian when all of a sudden my friend started
laughing. Then I looked down at the box. IT WAS A GUN
BOX! Meaning that it used to package a gun and now
packaged my khmoreghen. We were almost in tears. I
have saved this box, because I think it still has
other purposes to serve.

The sun has come out today for the first time in a few
days. I am still wearing my long coat and freezing
while everyone is basking in the sun. Some things
don�t change. I guess I am just a west coast baby at
heart. Yerevan however, is amazing this time of year.
I have never been here this late in the fall. I love
the seasons here, beautiful.

So I went to the opening Centre for �Duty to Live� and most of the families were there, more than 100 people in one room. After the blessing of the Centre by the priest, we all had blessed bread, and salt, an Armenian tradition.

Once the certificates were issued to the children and adults for the completed catechism program, the children present started performing, everything from speeches, to songs, to poems.

One kid in particular touched my heart and unfortunately for me he sang two songs. I say unfortunately because the first song he sang with all his heart and had such an angelic voice that I really restrained myself and held back my tears. However by the time he sang the second, I could no longer contain my emotions and the tears rolled down my face freely. I did not wish for anyone to see how moved I was by this child�s singing, although his father noticed my tears. I found out later that the kid had had a tough life where the family was almost evicted from their home.

Voski Ashun... Golden Fall...

Yesterday I got to take a work trip out to Dilijan and Goshavank. Those are both surrounded by forest and it was just a gorgeous day. I really enjoyed the scenery although on the way back I got mildly carsick from all the switchbacks on the Dilijan-Sevan road. There were clouds the entire way, not a hint of blue sky, but in the forests and on Lake Sevan that was actually really cool because it was misty, low clouds in the golden leaves of the forests and it was really just perfect with the old architecture and ancient monastery and all. It even snowed for a couple of minutes near lake sevan which is 1000 meters higher than Yerevan. When these clouds clear out all of the mountain tops will be covered with snow... A lot of the people on the trip were really great to talk to and spend time with. These were people in Armenia who are developing the tourism industry. The idea of small scale improvements and local initiatives involving little money are being discussed, because there is not unlimited funding for improvement... So much can be done just be teaching people what westerners really expect and appreciate. Things do not have to be five star, they need to be comfortable and clean. Things do not have to look like they do in LA, that is where the tourists are from, things should look Armenian. Anyways, it was fantastic and I hope I get to see more of the fall color which was really in its prime.

I am feeling so much better, thank God!!! My health is coming back and just in time because you cannot imagine just how very very very cold it is here!!! I am wearing a few layers of clothes as we speak and have even busted out my assortment of winter gloves.

So much to tell. Let me start off by saying that friends and family are slowly leaving. My brother is going back to LA, my best friend David is going on a three week tour with his band (The Armenian Navy Band) and my friend Ruben leaves on Saturday. This means I will have more free time but will miss these guys dearly. Lena Majarian called me today and invited me out on an all girls night out tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to make it and will write about what a girls night out to a club (2X2) is like!

On the remond front, the gaj (plaster) is on the walls but is not drying because the weather is too cold. My workers are working from 9 am to 10 pm getting the place ready before mid-November. Cross your fingers for me, so that I may move into my home before Winter sets in!!!

On the philanthropy front, my friend Jeanne Pierre and I are working on a mini-project for the kindergarden in Shushi so as things progress I will let you know... but so far we have a donation of Christmas toys from Disney and sheets and blankets for the beds.

I will write more about the Health Walk this week but it was great! A lot of fun!

Tonight I will go see David before he leaves for his tour. Then it is an early night for me as tomorrow morning I have to go back to my ear, nose, throat specialist for a check up.

Had a very busy day yesterday. Started off with a meeting with an artist who�s designing some Christmas Bulletins. We ended up going to his office for the meeting to make it easier for him. Even though the artist had good taste and was accommodating, we ended up designing and proofreading everything ourselves.The building where the artist�s office was, is the reason I�m logging this. It was dark, there was no signage anywhere and everyone was running around like crazy. By the time we found the office, we found the whole thing crazy.

Next was a meeting to help out someone from Yeghegnadzor, market some candles in Armenia. Initially our guy needs to provide samples and if successful will be marketed within Armenia.

Then I taught English in the afternoon to the kids at Sourp Katoghige Church where we read some extracts from the Bible in English. Those kids are really cute and smart. In the evening I went to my law lecture where the poor families get together and learn some of the laws and their rights in Armenia from a professional lawyer.

Tonight is the opening of the Centre for �Duty to Live� on Tumanian where I�ll be continuing my English lessons to the struggling families. This Centre will be utilized for the �boys and Girls Club� in future.

Since my schedule is so hectic and I�m only teaching the intermediate group (10 students) twice a week in the evenings, I�m also getting assistance from the other Volunteers to teach the beginners classes. So each Volunteer will teach a group of 10 each on different nights. That�s the beauty of working as a group under the Volunteer Program where assistance is always at hand. Please visit the site www.armenianvolunteer.org for more information.

I thought we were actually having a rather nice fall so far... here is this weeks weather which I am quite please with as a Southern Californian...

CURRENT CONDITIONS at 7 PM local time,
Temperature: 57... Relative humidity: 51%...
Wind direction/speed: NNE, 9 mph... Visibility: 13...

5-DAY FORECAST for October 16, 2001

Tuesday
Hi 73� F, 22� C
Lo 47� F, 8� C
Partly sunny; nice

Wednesday
Hi 65� F, 18� C
Lo 53� F, 11� C
P.M. rain

Thursday
Hi 59� F, 15� C
Lo 50� F, 10� C
Cloudy, rain; cool

Friday
Hi 65� F, 18� C
Lo 41� F, 5� C
Mostly cloudy

Saturday
Hi 71� F, 21� C
Lo 42� F, 5� C
Partly sunny

Had a great relaxing weekend and I was determined not to log about the cold but decided to let readers know how cold it is right now. Ara�s log being from Southern California, well try coming from the East coast of Australia. Today feels as cold as the middle of our winter back in Sydney, believe it or not. That�s a scary thought and well I�ll have to think of ways to warm up pretty fast I guess. I�ve had so many cups of tea and coffee just to keep me warm. I hope Ara�s right about the mini-summer in the month of November.

Visit www.anca.org or www.aaainc.org to defend Section 907 which prevents the US govt from sending aid to Azerbaijan's govt until it lifts the blockade of Armenia.

I have insomnia, probably because of the fantastic nap I took today. It has been nice laying in bed letting a million thoughts race through my head, and finally I decided I will get online and log. Today they celebrated the 2785th anniversary of the founding of Yerevan. They know the exact year it was founded because of the inscription at Erebuni Fortress. There was a concert in Republic Square and fireworks... all over the city I see that lights are on and people are still up. Tomorrow morning will be an especially sleepy one in Yerevan, where Sundays usually don't begin until almost noon. Streets remain deserted and people at home until that hour. On weekdays things just start to move around 9:30am, so there is usually not much use leaving the house any earlier than that in hopes of getting anything done.

My dad leaves tomorrow morning, so I will have to be up quite early... then on Monday work. The three weeks off though have been just awesome. The trips I went on which I have shared with you were just what I needed. Now I will try again to get some sleep.

I have been getting home so late I have been unable to log... on Wednesday, we finally made it to the caverns... they were really cool. Gem like encrusted stalagmites, wavy stalagtites, clear formations, sparkly formations. It was only about a 400meter deep cave though unfortunately, but it does pack a punch. We did not have time to enter Archeri Cave, because the guys who took us were so amazingly unprepared and late. In the evening an hour before sunset we visited Noravank Monastery which some of the people in the group had not seen. It was the perfect time of day to be there and I got some awesome photos. Then in the dark we walked back 7km to the main highway and waited under the brilliantly star-lit sky again for our always late guides to pick us up.

On Sunday morning my dad leaves, and on Monday morning it is back to the ARMENIAInformation office with me...

antigenics.com

I was diagnosed with chronic pneumonia today by the leading lung specialist in Armenia :o(

I have had this chronic cough for about three months and have been trying to cure it everyway possible. After seeing a few doctors I finally got to meet with this man today who broke the news to me. So tomorrow I have to have my lungs x-rayed at another hospital and Monday I start to take shots twice a day. I went and bought the needles (really really big needles) and the medicine and called my doctor friends to set up appointments so they can inject me. I also have to take some pills. He wants to see me again next week after I administer all these shots. It is so weird having all these syringes and glass tubes of liquid and powder and pills around under my own care. Everything is over the counter here, and I realized today you can buy anything in a pharmacy without a prescription.

So of course the diagnosis has me all scared and antsy about how I do not take care of myself and how I run around too much. So tonight I am at home all alone just listening to music and writing emails... and finally taking care of myself with rose hip tea and miles davis.

I love opening e-mail accounts for people. It makes me happy to link people up and show them that the internet is at the tip of their fingers. Last night I opened up an email account for my friend Arthur. We also were recording in his studio and working on a new song, where I was helping with translation. I love pretending to be a rockstar every chance I get.

Yesterday, I also took my new Sanik (Godson) to the Ponchikanots. Ponchiks, are delicious delicious donut type pastries and the Ponchikanots is one of the hippest places in Yerevan to be if you are a kid. There is a train that goes around the store and a bunch of kids on a sugar rush running around. I started to speak English with him yesterday. David, *remember my best friend here, and I both have Godsons about the same age. We have decided to team up and teach them English and be the best Kavors in Yerevan. The cutest was at the end when I was saying goodbye to Senik, he waved and said bye bye kavor. A SUPERSTAR!

I have made some delicious discoveries this week. An entreprenurial company has come up with the idea of selling premade dolma and tabule along with some other items which you could find in stores freezers in a while. The dolma and tabule are fresh, and not frozen, and I can attest to how good they taste. There is a vegetarian grape-leaf dolma/sarma which is ready to eat out of the package cold or heated, and there is the traditional cabbage leaf, and stuffed tomatos and peppers with meat and rice filling which needs to be boiled... which makes me feel like I have accomplished something. A really decent serving for 4 people costs 1,300 dram (about $2.50) which is doubly good because there are not even many restaurants in Armenia which serve dolma if you can believe that.

So life�s still hectic for me and it seems like for everyone else (except for Raffi?). Last Saturday we went for our clean up again and we chose the same street to clean up. I was surprised at how much cleaner the same street was this time around, albeit a lot of cigarette butts and other rubbish, I still found it cleaner than the previous time. Could our message, creating awareness and developing a sense of ownership be working already after such a brief time? Whatever the reason we had a lot more locals asking us questions and this time we were prepared with pamphlets explaining our cause and contact numbers for their future involvement. By far this has been a very rewarding project and I�ll keep you updated on future plans of �Our City, Our Home�.

I had my first English teaching class yesterday with the families from �Duty to Live�. There were 22 students altogether ranging from age 17 up to 50�s, although there were 2 juniors as well. After giving them an initial �test� I decided to split them into two groups. As it turns out I�ll have 6 in an intermediate group, the other 16 in beginners class. So I�ll be teaching English classes on Monday and Wednesday nights. Once the class finished last night, the young girls (early 20�s) came up to me one by one and told me how much they enjoyed the class and how much they liked me and appreciated what I was doing. I can tell you my heart just crushed, I felt amazing!

Things have been so hectic that I have not been able to get on the internet. My life has not slowed down since my move and I am still living every moment as if it�s a New York moment. Between work, English classes, remodeling, hosting my brother, friend, father and my social life... I am pooped.

With that out of the way I can give you an update on Health Walk 2001 and how busy our clinic is because of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The staff is tired by the end of the workday and English class is our chance to interact and catch up with one another (only in English of course). During the day everyone is rushing past eachother trying to get all our work done. The month is going well, the walk is being planned with success however we are all waiting for Novemeber to roll around :o)

The remodeling is moving along faster than I could imagine. The walls are now all up, and now we are plastering them. We also started the roof and the tiling today. I am hoping that it will be ready by November first, but definitely before I leave for my 2 week Los Angeles trip in mid-November. My room however is pretty big and I am excited to have all the space to play with. After living in that tiny New York closet for so long, I love the fact that I can lay down without bumping up against some wall.

My father just came into town for 4 days. My dad and I are very close and have a fun and hip relationship. We had a great time laughing and talking and taking care of remond and spending time with eachother (something we don�t get to do). Next week my brother leaves back to America and I will be alone for the first time since my move. I am looking forward to the solitude as I have had a guest ever since I got here. I will throw on my CDs and give concerts to the walls and teddy bears and test drive my cooking skills.

The only other big news that I have to report is that I am going to be a kavor (a godfather). My sanik to be, Senik, has to be the most adorable two and a half year old I have seen. After spending the morning with him we realized that he is just a little version of me. He was on my lap and his dad put music on and all of a sudden he jumped off... because he felt like he needed to dance. Typical Madlene. His father looked over and asked my dad, �Can a girl be a Godfather?�. My father replied �Yes� and then they asked me to be Senik�s Kavor. I accepted right away.

Seven loggers and not one entry over the weekend? Could all of their weekends have been as boring as mine? I ended up staying in Yerevan because Zabel worked all weekend. On Saturday, I watched cable TV all day, something I had not done since I was last in LA. Well, it was really nice to have English on TV, get a taste of some of the music people listen to, see some Discovery channel and some bad movies, but in the end, it just reminded me that so much of TV programming just sucks, and that not having had a TV these past 2 years was not such a great loss.

The good news is that this week it looks like a trip to the uncharted Mozrov Caverns may finally happen. I have been trying to get into these locked up massive caverns that from everything I see rival the best in the world, and now, the guys with the keys actually approached me and said a trip would be possible this week. This may be the most amazing place in Armenia, so I am rather looking forward to it and am keeping my fingers crossed that no problems prevent the trip...

I am having a great time this week, redefining the meaning of the word lazy! I don't have too much to share, since most of the week I have been lounging around at home, and then just hanging out with my dad in the evenings. After working so many hours at a job that you don't stop thinking about even when you leave the office, this is a great way to recover. The icing on the cake was to be a trip this weekend to Jermuk, the hot mineral springs resort town. Now I am not so sure if I will go, since Zabel has so much work that she can't go. It is the perfect time to visit though with the crisp fall air and the leave changing color up there... So I will let you know what ends up developing over the weekend.

Well Madlene, I�m still here, just very busy!! I have a deadline to have all my findings on cultural heritage preservation summarized and presented to Tom by Friday! This project is for the World Bank and hopefully someone there will pay attention to the work we�ve put in at Arlex. Basically we�re putting a proposal together, noting International standards, European standards, European Recommendations and relating those to particular interests in Armenia. Apart from this work, I�m busy attending meetings re the Volunteers� collective project of cleaning up the streets of Yerevan called �Our City, Our Home�. Our next clean up day is this Saturday the 7th. The group will be much larger this time and will create more public awareness, more on that later! Also as of next week I start teaching English to the staff of �Duty to Live� and to the families that the organization look after. Let me know about the walk, sounds great!

I am organizing Health Walk 2001, to raise awareness for Breast Cancer. I guess I have never quite explained what I do here in Yerevan, have I? I help run a Mammography Center, the only diagnostic center in Armenia which deals with Breast Cancer. Since 1997 we have checked more than 25,000 women. Mrs. Rita Balian opened the center and is very dedicated to its success. Breast Cancer rates in Armenia are alarming. We are still trying to raise awareness and this walk is done every October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month here in Armenia.

My friends all seem surprised that we have health walks here! Why not? It's funny the questions I get. "Wow, you guys go to movies?" Well of course we do! We also have cotton candy, amusement parks and Jour Ashkhar, (Waterworld aka Raging Waters). We have night clubs which play house music, and we have bars that serve tequilla shots. We have a Chinese Restaurant, a Mexican Restaurant and if we leave it up to Ara Manoogian we may even open a Sushi Restaurant here in Yerevan. The only thing that I have not come across is those Oxygen Bars that I hear have opened on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, and I thank God for that.

Back to Health Walk 2001, I am working hard on getting the International Community here involved in our walk and it is amazing how many people I have met and how many wonderful people are out here doing wonderful things for our country. Today I went to go pitch our health walk to an International Women's Society at their monthly luncheon and met with a few non-Armenian women living and working here. I found a few gung-ho women willing to participate. We will be walking from our center (Plani Gloukh) to Opera Square where there will be a cultural perfomance by children in honor of their mothers. I will ask Raffi to help me post pictures of the walk (October 13).

So where are all my fellow loggers? What are you all up to?

Another fantastic weekend. Saturday was spent at home, where I got some things done and recovered a bit too. Sunday was awesome. Another trip where I got to visit some more great places which were long on my to see list. First we went down by Nakhichevan and from there headed NW to see Surp Garabed. Very nice monastery in probably the most arid part of Armenia I have ever visited. Then we headed south just about to Yeghegnadzor before cutting straight north to Lake Sevan. We went up a dirt road with countless switchbacks until we finally had an amazing view at the crest, where Selim Caravanserai is located. The best preserved Silk Road Caravanserai in Armenia. Just before reaching it we were quite convinced we had run out of gas, but thank goodness that was not the case... At the crest you head further north on a massive plain, the scale of which I had never imagined. The scenery is very nice, a bit reminiscent of Ireland maybe, and the road was absolutely horrible. After endless kilometers of this, we got to Marduni, the big town on the south end of Lake Sevan and headed North along the Western shore towards the main highway. This plain is where I took my ten thousandth picture with my digital camera which I got in spring 2000. Once along the lakeside highway we stopped at Noraduz, which has the biggest Khachkar cemetary in Armenia, and I saw if for the first time in good light. Of course this is when my camera batteries died. Then we stopped at Hayravank Monastery again for the first time in good light for me to photograph... my batteries allowed me one shot. The lake was beautiful too at the time. So we headed back into Yerevan on good road and I started getting ready to go to the airport to pick up my dad from the airport after nearly 12 hours on the road...

This week has been going quite well, and it looks like for the third weekend in a row I may be taking a cool trip. Three options are in the pot, and one is just too cool to hope for... I will let you know what happens.

My friend (who is originally from here) is visiting Yerevan after not being here for nine years. We went for a walk the other day and he took me through the backstreets of the city and talked about his childhood and his memories. It was beautiful to see the love for a city as strong as the love that Yerevantsis have for this Vardagouyn Hrashk.

It reminded me of a dear friend from UCLA. Originally from Armenia he had been away for years in Los Angeles. We were sitting in our Modern Armenian Film class and we were talking about my upcoming trip to Armenia. I asked him what he wanted me to bring back. He wrote me a beautiful not. He asked me to go to his village (Toumanian�s Village) and bring back a little water, a little dirt, a stone. The yearning for Armenia was so strong in him that it left an impression I cannot get out of my mind. Being Diasporan is difficult. It has both blessings and curses and as I watched my friends eyes light up as we passed his old �Boxi Hayat� I knew that both were joining together to form someone who knew where they came from and how fortunate they were for that.

I have fallen in love with this place. For the past five years of coming and going I have managed to make this city my own and am extremely attached to it. I feel for those who have known Yerevan but cannot be a part of its glorious and ancient setting. This entry is for all of you Yerevantsis abroad who dream of Monument and Karapee leej still. Yerevan awaits you.

I had a very relaxing weekend! It was much needed. Friday night I went to David's pad and we hung out (David is my pretend brother and closest friend here in Armenia ( an Armenian-American who moved out here four years ago). I came home Saturday and basically stayed home all weekend. It was great to relax and chill on the couch, cat-nap, read and write in my diary. I even watched some CNN and got caught up on all the 411 in America.

Tonight a few of us went to the Chinese Restaurant on Mesrop Mashtots. The food was pretty decent, I had Cashew Chicken!!! Afterwards, we went to Pablavok. It was my first night back there since the incident last week. The Cats (Gadous) were playing incredible jazz and we hung out and talked and told jokes.

Tomorrow I have work all day and my friend Michael Boghossian's movie is premiering at Kino Moscva at 7:00. Vicken Chaldrian (Der Voghormia) directed and Michael is playing the lead. I was here in Yerevan when they were shooting it, so I cannot wait to see how it turned out. I will let you guys know.

Hey Raffi, good thing your dad is bringing deodorant... last time I saw you, you were pretty smelly! just kidding :o) Happy Sunday to all!