thank you; your gift is a rabbit-eared family

armeniaculturefriendsholidaylandfamilymilestonesmovingmy townpeace corps volunteers

Jul 6

Written By

I woke up in a panic this morning. Five days left before I leave Stepanavan. Two of those days will be spent doing a camp in a village near here, so in truth, we're talking three short days here before I cram everything I own, and something things Peace Corps owns, into a taxi and ride to the capital.Good news, I did not stay sick, and Easter-In-June was a wild success.Bad news, I don't have time for a good post. I have pictures to get printed, camp materials to gather, unseen waterfalls to find, and flesh and blood people I need to reach out and touch to remind myself that I'm still here. I'm having that behind-glass feeling again that makes me want to touch everything before it becomes yesterday's.I will say that the last few days have included a taco dinner, uncountable and quickly eaten batches of chocolate chip cookies, Easter celebrations, visiting friends, games, long talks, and sunsets that make me cry. What am I saying? Everything is making me cry. Including the crying ladies at the grocery store, the long speeches about how they will miss me and never forget me, and the Clooker sitting down at the desk across from me, then immediately getting up to kiss me, pressing her tears-wet cheek to mine.I've got things to get to. However, I do need to say that you are one of the main reasons I am here right now. I would never have finished Peace Corps with having you to share it with. I came here to put down some words, show my family some photos, and I found friends to write to, people who let share my love of this place. You win. I owe you big time.Thank you for sticking around. Thank you for forgiving my faults. And thank you for letting me know you're around, seeing me through this.I'm not sure if I'll write in the next week, with all the moving across the planet; however, I assure you that I'll be writing about readjusting to Texas, and then the move to someplace new, Stateside or otherwise.In the meantime, here's a few photos which I promise are worth checking out, if only to see my landfamily wearing rabbit ears. They are amazing. Oh, good grief. The tears again.