Counting down

Four days left in Armenia. It's been an adrenaline-packed few months and it's hard to believe it's ending. The city is getting hot and steamy but also beautiful - roses are blooming everywhere. This week I finished my work projects, went to my last Armenian class, and conducted my final interviews. The interviews were interesting as usual. One of the themes that emerged was the ways in which public women, particularly those that challenge the system, are discredited by being portrayed as promiscuous. Nothing new.

Wednesday we did a community service project at the zoo. It was Pan-Armenian Painting Day, when thousands of children gather to do paintings for a national competition. I had the fun assignment of face painting with the kids. It was a really nice day but the zoo itself was pretty depressing. The animals were in some of the worst conditions I've ever seen. Wednesday I also went to an outdoor movie - another American who is here writing her dissertation organizes a weekly outdoor art exhibition and film screening in her apartment complex, which is really lovely. We watched Persepolis, which I'd recommend if you haven't seen it.

This weekend I'm visiting another old Soviet amusement park and also going to a joint farewell bbq at a friend's family home outside of Yerevan.

This is a short entry, as I'm racing around the city trying to finish everything and see everyone before I leave. I'm feeling conflicted about leaving, as to be expected. I'm happy to be going home but I'm also definitely feeling more attached to this country than I would have thought. In just a few months I feel like I've built a wonderful community here and Laura and Lusine really do feel like family. And in many ways the work that I've started here still feels unfinished.

My mother-in-law recently told me about learning the word "saudades" in Portuguese when she was living in Brazil as a young woman. I've actually heard it mentioned here - there's no direct English translation, but it is something like homesick, but a particular feeling you have for a time and place and a people in your life. I was talking to some friends to see if there was anything like that here. Hilariously, the only thing people could come up with is "I want to eat your liver." It's apparently a saying used to express extreme affection and zeal for your loved ones. I love it and totally get it.