There are NOT many occasions where I complain about Armenia, or the personalities who presently control it. I am fully aware that this country is unhealthy and I try to understand the reasons why… be a good example myself and notice small changes towards the better and point them out. I always share the magic because that is always what sticks… at the end of the day. Today however I will tell you a few experiences I have had… both negative and positive.
Dinner with the Prime Minister was an interesting experience. Arthur and I decided to treat ourselves to a romantic Italian dinner. Eating at expensive restaurants is something we hardly do. We went to Ai Leoni and went to the empty upstairs part since downstairs was almost full. We had ordered wine and appetizers …when the Prime Minister of Armenia came with two women and another man. Two minutes later the waiter came to tell us “The Prime Minister does not want you here, and you HAVE to move downstairs”. Shocked, disappointed and frankly disgusted we moved downstairs… and left. It is unbelievable how this representative of such a proud and warm people does not have basic human decency. The manager of the restaurant was even more at fault for agreeing to boot out one customer for another. The Prime Minister could have bought out the entire restaurant for the night so that he may have his privacy or could have had dinner at home. That was dinner with the Prime Minister.
It is an amazing feeling to obtain a life’s dream. Since the ripe age of 8, when I used to attend Armenian camp in California and return home to tell my mom that I wanted to be a fedayee when I grew up… to my first Armenia trip when I was 18, when I fell in love with Armenia… I have always wanted a home… in Armenia, overlooking Mountain Ararat. A few weeks ago my father and mother came to Armenia to celebrate their fortieth anniversary and also… to help me obtain my dream. Although it is just land for now, and I have a lot of bread and water to drink before it becomes something I can live in… I feel I am almost there… and that feels GREAT.
For a while now I have been giving you updates on my contribution to Garni School in the memory of my uncle who left this world a few years ago. For those of you who do not remember my family decided to build a computer center in Garni School Number 2. The computer center was opened when my father and mother came to Armenia last month. Arthur and I went to our summer house recently to relax. We were bombarded with villagers who had complaints. It ends up that the principal of the school had closed off the computer center and had been using it as a private business, her son charging students 3000 drams a month for private lessons (Another complaint was that he was not that great with computers himself). The villagers just thought it was sad that we had done a good deed… but it ended up being good for the principal’s financial situation. I called the principal into my office today. I explained that this would change immediately… and they would have one year to prove that the room is being used the right way… before I decided the fate of the computer center. I was truly disappointed, and very sad that our good intentions were misused and was grateful that I live here and was in a position to follow through… and make sure that my contribution would count… really count.
Arthur has started Karate classes. I went with him for a few classes but found that Yoga is more my thing. I thought I would leave Karate for him… so he can have his own thing. Actually he is really good, as he has five years of practice. Thank God I am on his good side.
As a final note last night was a nice night with work friends. Sometimes you meet the greatest people just by working with them.
Dinner with the Prime Minister was an interesting experience. Arthur and I decided to treat ourselves to a romantic Italian dinner. Eating at expensive restaurants is something we hardly do. We went to Ai Leoni and went to the empty upstairs part since downstairs was almost full. We had ordered wine and appetizers …when the Prime Minister of Armenia came with two women and another man. Two minutes later the waiter came to tell us “The Prime Minister does not want you here, and you HAVE to move downstairs”. Shocked, disappointed and frankly disgusted we moved downstairs… and left. It is unbelievable how this representative of such a proud and warm people does not have basic human decency. The manager of the restaurant was even more at fault for agreeing to boot out one customer for another. The Prime Minister could have bought out the entire restaurant for the night so that he may have his privacy or could have had dinner at home. That was dinner with the Prime Minister.
It is an amazing feeling to obtain a life’s dream. Since the ripe age of 8, when I used to attend Armenian camp in California and return home to tell my mom that I wanted to be a fedayee when I grew up… to my first Armenia trip when I was 18, when I fell in love with Armenia… I have always wanted a home… in Armenia, overlooking Mountain Ararat. A few weeks ago my father and mother came to Armenia to celebrate their fortieth anniversary and also… to help me obtain my dream. Although it is just land for now, and I have a lot of bread and water to drink before it becomes something I can live in… I feel I am almost there… and that feels GREAT.
For a while now I have been giving you updates on my contribution to Garni School in the memory of my uncle who left this world a few years ago. For those of you who do not remember my family decided to build a computer center in Garni School Number 2. The computer center was opened when my father and mother came to Armenia last month. Arthur and I went to our summer house recently to relax. We were bombarded with villagers who had complaints. It ends up that the principal of the school had closed off the computer center and had been using it as a private business, her son charging students 3000 drams a month for private lessons (Another complaint was that he was not that great with computers himself). The villagers just thought it was sad that we had done a good deed… but it ended up being good for the principal’s financial situation. I called the principal into my office today. I explained that this would change immediately… and they would have one year to prove that the room is being used the right way… before I decided the fate of the computer center. I was truly disappointed, and very sad that our good intentions were misused and was grateful that I live here and was in a position to follow through… and make sure that my contribution would count… really count.
Arthur has started Karate classes. I went with him for a few classes but found that Yoga is more my thing. I thought I would leave Karate for him… so he can have his own thing. Actually he is really good, as he has five years of practice. Thank God I am on his good side.
As a final note last night was a nice night with work friends. Sometimes you meet the greatest people just by working with them.
posted by Madlene at 9:28 AM
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