Qsan Yot in Hayastan

Leaving your mid twenties for the barren no man's land of your late twenties is not so bad when it's done with cake, Georgian dumplings, vodka and friends- old ones, new ones and the newest ones.

I had a great birthday weekend. ABA staff brought some cake to work, which we ate at 10:30 am. The Counterpart NIS Country Director just happened to be in Yerevan so we went out to lunch and gossiped about all things CPI. After work I went out for drinks with some ladies from work and had the most delicious watermelon punch thing. And thennnn, my friend Zara and I went to Kami, Yerevan best and only club for cool kids. We must have been doing some seriously awesome dancing because some dude sitting off to the side kept giving us two thumbs way up and perfect tens. And my mummy sent me a fabulous care package, just like at camp!, so I have hershey kisses all day long.

On Saturday I poked around some museums and met a new buddy, to whom I told all the half facts I know about Yerevan and dragged to the flea market and then all the way up the Cascade on Sunday night for some Russian beers and nightime city views.

On Sunday, Arpine took me out to the country with her 'yard friends.' We took a mashrutka (small minivan) out to the country and then her uncles picked us up and took us to a church called Khor Virap where Grigor Lushivich was imprisoned for a long time. They kept him in a hole, and low and behold, they let you go down into the hole! It was about 90 degrees and I was feeling a little 'under the weather' from the night before but they all really wanted me to go down into the hole, so I took a deep breath and went down. Like everyone in Arpine's life, her family was incredibly nice and sweet.

Then we picked up some more family and headed way, way out into the countryside to Armenia's only national park for another BBQ. It was gorgeous! We had pretty much the same meal as I did at the countryside house. We took a little hike and played some no-net volleyball.

Before heading out we stopped by Arpine's grandmother's house to say hello. Her aunt, uncle, and cousins all live with grandma in a very nice house. They keep animals and Ashok was very excited to show me all the little Wilburs!