It has been a week since I was robbed. Yes, last Sunday when I was at Vernissage, I got my bag stolen. I had put it on the chair next to me at one of the Vernissage cafes. As I was leaving, I realized it was gone! Oddly, this was the first time I had carried a large sum of money because I was going to pay for the August group's air tickets. There was my 10 year residency passport and a digi-cam. My 6 year agenda with address book and all LCO accounting receipts from June and July. I feel like a real idiot not noticing the robbery. I reported it to the cops and they said that the number of thefts from that cafe in particular has increased.
So - a message to ALL who roam the streets of Yerevan, BE CAREFUL with your belongings. Don't leave any expensive or important object out of your hand fro even a minute... crime rate is on the rise.
On another note, the July LCO group left on July 28. There were 44 of them. A few minutes after they checked in the August group arrived. There are 19 volunteers in August with another 15 in Kessab Syria. All in all there are about 78 volunteers who'd have joined the LCO efforts to help develop Armenia! Bravo...