Happy Thanksgiving! After a rough few weeks, personally, I can safely say I'm back to being content with Armenia again. Some quality time with friends, personal reflection, throwing myself into work, and traveling a bit has helped a great deal with the funk I was in. What hasn't helped was my computer going into a coma! It won't turn on so I won't be able to write the blog post I was hoping for, complete with photos and tales of adventure I've had the last week. I'll just have to delay the thanksgiving stories, World AIDS Day stories and takes of crossing the country until next week.
Until then, in my new found inspiration I want to use this blog as less of a "this is what I did, then I did this..." type of thing. Peace Corps goals also include teaching America about our host country. So whenever I have an uneventful week or no access to a computer that can upload my photos, I want to begin posting fun things about Armenia so even though you're far away, you'll know more about it.
So... there's no time like the present to start and a huge part of Armenian culture and pride comes from their alphabet and language.
Until then, in my new found inspiration I want to use this blog as less of a "this is what I did, then I did this..." type of thing. Peace Corps goals also include teaching America about our host country. So whenever I have an uneventful week or no access to a computer that can upload my photos, I want to begin posting fun things about Armenia so even though you're far away, you'll know more about it.
So... there's no time like the present to start and a huge part of Armenian culture and pride comes from their alphabet and language.
The Armenian language is colorful, unique and full of phrases that make people smile. I distinctively remember the fear that settled in the pit of my stomach when, from the comfort of my apartment in Lewisville, I googled "Armenian language" and just stared at the strange shapes and letters taking over my screen. It looked like someone just thought of 29 ways to write "u" and made an alphabet out of it. Now that I can read and write it quite decently, I stand by my statement that it's 29 ways to write "u." But the language is so much more than it's alphabet (although they literally celebrate and have a giant monument to their letters). Over my time here I've done quite well with the language and have picked up more than a few phrases that make the language even more fun than it already is. Because I've vowed to share more about Armenia, and think it will help with my enthusiasm level, I wanted to share some of those favorite phrases of mine.
5. Աստված գիտի- Astvats Giti
Astvats Giti means "God Knows." Everything can be explained with this phrase. If you're asked why you're not married yet, just say "astvats giti." "When will the report be done?" "Astvats giti." "Taxi! You're 45 minutes late! When will you get here?" "Astvats giti." It's infuriating when people use it as an answer, but such a good defense when you need to get out of an uncomfortable question!
4. անուշ լինի- Anush Lini
If you're getting out of the shower and someone yells something at you, you pay attention. That was my first experience with "anush lini" which translates to "be sweet." Think bon appetite but for showers or when buying food. When someone says anush lini when you're buying food they're wishing you luck on your recipe and hoping it's a fulfilling meal for you. When they say it after a shower they're expressing that same hope that it was fulfilling and that you now feel "sweet."
3. ջան- Jan
I remember approaching my boss my first day in Armenia and asking why he kept calling our co-trainer "Deborahjan" instead of just "Deborah," which was her name? He laughed at my naivety and explained that "jan" is a term of endearment, attached to the end of someone you love or care about's name. Since Armenians are very friendly almost immediately, jan is something I hear daily and have grown to savor each time I get called Emilyjan (or just as often, Ameliajan). It directly translates to "dear" but it's so much more than that and somehow expresses a level of intimacy in friendships or other relationships that we just don't have in English. Since then, I've completely fallen in love with "jan."
2. ցավատանմ- Tsavatanm
I still haven't figured this one out completely. It literally translates to "I feel your pain" and is most often used after sharing bad news. It is a way to console someone similar to "I know how you feel." But that's not it's only meaning. It can be used as a nickname as a nickname or simply as a space filler. If a kid does something adorable you can laugh and say "Oh, tsavatani!!" I have zero idea why… (Maybe astvats giti?) Volunteers here have really latched on to this phrase and made their own version. "Tsavatanm-sorry-bout-it!" is commonly heard when there's a little too much complaining in a room and always brings about at least a little laughter. At one point there were jokes about putting "tsavatanm" on a t-shirt for people who got placed in the south of the country.
1. վոչինգ- Vochinge
Remember how hakuna matata means no worries for the rest of your days? So does vochinge! Vochinge means ok, good, fine, alright, normal, whatever, I don't care, don't worry, it's alright, and about a million other things! If someone is panicking you can hug them and say "Vochinge. Everything will be alright." If Emily misses a blog post you can say, "Oh, vochinge!" or "How are you doing today?" "I'm vochinge." It all works. This all encompassing word has the power to be way more sarcastic than "whatever" and sometimes a much better description for a state of mind or feeling. It's all vochinge.
5. Աստված գիտի- Astvats Giti
Astvats Giti means "God Knows." Everything can be explained with this phrase. If you're asked why you're not married yet, just say "astvats giti." "When will the report be done?" "Astvats giti." "Taxi! You're 45 minutes late! When will you get here?" "Astvats giti." It's infuriating when people use it as an answer, but such a good defense when you need to get out of an uncomfortable question!
4. անուշ լինի- Anush Lini
If you're getting out of the shower and someone yells something at you, you pay attention. That was my first experience with "anush lini" which translates to "be sweet." Think bon appetite but for showers or when buying food. When someone says anush lini when you're buying food they're wishing you luck on your recipe and hoping it's a fulfilling meal for you. When they say it after a shower they're expressing that same hope that it was fulfilling and that you now feel "sweet."
3. ջան- Jan
I remember approaching my boss my first day in Armenia and asking why he kept calling our co-trainer "Deborahjan" instead of just "Deborah," which was her name? He laughed at my naivety and explained that "jan" is a term of endearment, attached to the end of someone you love or care about's name. Since Armenians are very friendly almost immediately, jan is something I hear daily and have grown to savor each time I get called Emilyjan (or just as often, Ameliajan). It directly translates to "dear" but it's so much more than that and somehow expresses a level of intimacy in friendships or other relationships that we just don't have in English. Since then, I've completely fallen in love with "jan."
2. ցավատանմ- Tsavatanm
I still haven't figured this one out completely. It literally translates to "I feel your pain" and is most often used after sharing bad news. It is a way to console someone similar to "I know how you feel." But that's not it's only meaning. It can be used as a nickname as a nickname or simply as a space filler. If a kid does something adorable you can laugh and say "Oh, tsavatani!!" I have zero idea why… (Maybe astvats giti?) Volunteers here have really latched on to this phrase and made their own version. "Tsavatanm-sorry-bout-it!" is commonly heard when there's a little too much complaining in a room and always brings about at least a little laughter. At one point there were jokes about putting "tsavatanm" on a t-shirt for people who got placed in the south of the country.
1. վոչինգ- Vochinge
Remember how hakuna matata means no worries for the rest of your days? So does vochinge! Vochinge means ok, good, fine, alright, normal, whatever, I don't care, don't worry, it's alright, and about a million other things! If someone is panicking you can hug them and say "Vochinge. Everything will be alright." If Emily misses a blog post you can say, "Oh, vochinge!" or "How are you doing today?" "I'm vochinge." It all works. This all encompassing word has the power to be way more sarcastic than "whatever" and sometimes a much better description for a state of mind or feeling. It's all vochinge.