These are just a bunch of random thoughts over a few days, less contemporary than the posting date suggests

Lately things have been looking up. The winter was pretty rough, it wasn't until the end, when it would never end, with the constant rain, that I think I was really starting to wear thin, but now it seems like with the weather, lots of things have picked up.

I'm starting to meet the people in my apartment complex. Several volunteers have lived around here previously, so I met a woman who, after saying I was from America, she asked where I was from. I told her America. She said yes but where are you originally from? Serbia? Strange assumption. I give her my background (Polish, French, Irish, forgot to mention German). Then she says she lived in the same building as another volunteer, who was originally from Serbia. A volunteer I met once as he was finishing his service as I was beginning mine. She said she missed him, and really liked him.

* * *

A little girl said, hello, what is your name as I was walking on an unfamiliar street. I told her my name, asked hers, in English, she responds, so I tell her Apres which in Armenian is used to sort of say, good job, but which literally means "live."

One street later a stranger behind me asks "What's up?" using really informal Armenian, and he is surprised when I respond. He asks if I know Armenian, and I tell him I am studying, and he says good, very good.

* * *

Earlier while teaching my TOEFL class, the first day that I really need us to use computers (scratch that, there was once before, two lessons ago where we used them briefly) and as we're about to start class the power goes out. So we improvise and talk more about the writing portion of the TOEFL. Then the power comes back on and we restart the computers. Then we get ready to practice a full on simulation of the writing section, timed and everything, we've loaded the program . . . and the power goes out again. So we postponed class and will have two classes next week to make up for it.

* * *

I've been complaining about the rain, but really, it's so incredibly green here, the mountains look gorgeous. Everything looks beautiful. It will be sad to see it all wither by the end of summer, but I guess I should enjoy it while I can, regardless of the weather.