5/3
Had to go to EV Consulting offices again to get my paper
stamped and to say one final good bye. Went back to the BR offices to relax a
little bit. Jordan suggested I go to Yerevan City to buy Ararat Cognac if I
were to buy some. Before people had their Armenian classes, Jordan and I decided
to go to Ainteb for dinner. Yet again, it started to pour down rain in Yerevan.
The rain in Armenia is hard, but the people wouldn’t last a Miami rainstorm.
At night I went to Melody Café near opera with
Alen, Celine, Allegra, Jordan, and Sarina. We just had a nice quiet night. Then
later went back to Sarina’s to just relax and watch a few episodes of some TV
show.
5/4
Today was the last day waking up at the Gargaryan’s
residence. When I actually realized that, I was very very sad. Today I needed
to do some shopping. On my way to vernisage to meet up with Sarina, some old
man asked me the directions to Shirak Hotel. At first I was really confused. 1)
Why is someone asking ME how to get somewhere since it is obvious I am not a
local? 2) At first I heard my name and was wondering how the heck this guys
knows my name?! 3) And when I finally realized he wanted the direction to the
hotel, what are the chances he picks me, Shirak, to tell him the directions to
the Shirak hotel?!
I had somewhat of a successful negotiation at vernisage. Met
up with Jordan, and the three of us walked around. We went to some crêpe place
on Tumanyan. I decided I had to go home and drop off the stuff I had bought.
When I was at the Gargaryans I did a bit of packing. Decided since I had a
couple of hours to spare, I met up with Celine and walked around the city a
little bit. She suggested that I check in online to avoid some of the hassle at
the airport. I was hesitant at first, but decided I should go to the BR offices
and do as she suggests.
LUCKILY, I found out that my departure time was now 4:55am rather
than 5:55am!! When I bought the ticket, the airlines thought that Armenia would
go ahead one hour. But since Moscow didn’t, Armenia didn’t. So I am thankful to
have found that out!
I went back home for a nice final meal with the Gargaryans.
I got all packed up and ready to head out to meet up with the group one last
time before I return. As I was heading out Talin called me and requested that I
take some books to take to her parents. I promised that I would, so I picked up
the books, had to go back to the Gargaryans, then headed out again.
Also since I had checked-in online, the website said I
needed to print that paper out to present at the airport. I took some printed
out paperwork from BR earlier, but I forgot the printout after I had checked
in. So I had to go to BR offices before I headed to Speakeasy…I am getting all
stressed out again remembering the rush I was in that night…I had to get Asq to
call the guards to allow me inside and I finally picked up the paper that was
on Diana’s desk. I found out that these were the same papers I had picked up
from earlier on.
On my way to Speakeasy pub, I heard a group of girls
speaking in English. I turned around and saw a few familiar BR faces. But I
wanted to do something different rather than slowing down and saying hello, so
I made a wide U-turn so they don’t see me. In the group was Sanan, Anita, Maria
(from Uruguay) and a few other people that I don’t know. Maria saw me, but I
signaled to her not to say anything. I went behind the group and saw that Sanan
was not holding her purse safely. So I ran behind them and tried to grab her
purse and she was freaking out. Oh it was so much fun!
So I went to Speakeasy Pub and saw the group. It was so
unfortunate that I was extremely tired. I had the God Father drink there. But
after several hours I had to head back, grab my stuff, and head to the airport.
I didn’t want to go to the airport alone, so I went with Jordan and Celine.
At the airport, I checked in my luggage. They only take
luggage fees in dram or pounds, so I had to go to another place where I could
use my credit card. The fee came out to 50 pounds, aka $83. I said my final
goodbyes to Jordan and Celine and then headed to passport control. While I was
in line I saw the airport workers telling the flyers where to go in English,
but when it was my turn, she told me in Armenian :)
5/5
So my flight to London may have been one of the worst
flights I’ve ever taken anywhere. I was sitting in seat 9F which was a window
seat in the row right behind the divider of first class and coach. There were
no tables, just a long table kind of thing. And as I was walking to my seat, I
find that the person sitting next to me is a woman with a new born…maybe 1 year
old. She keeps asking the flight attendants if she can place her baby on this
table and they keep refusing her, and she seems upset about it.
About halfway into the flight this woman starts
hyperventilating. He is going crazy and it sounds like she is about to throw
up, and then, of course, the baby starts crying and making so much noise as
well. I was scared for my life and started to pray that she not vomit all over
me. All of flight attendants surrounded her and there even was a Persian doctor
attending to her.
After I went through security at Heathrow, the lady on the
other end of the x-ray machine did some weird scrub of my bag and did some tests
to see if there was anything on there I guess.
As color hits my eyes, from skin to clothing, I know I have
finally left the very homogenous community of Armenia. It was the first time I
purchased internet at an airport. Soooo expensive in London. I plugged in my
laptop to charge and needed to use my adapter. A man didn’t have his adapter so
he thought it was fine to use mine without asking me. There was a guy sitting
near me at the terminal wearing a kilt…I really hope he is not free ballin it.
I exchanged $50 for 27 pounds. Had brunch at a place called
Bridge for 13 pounds. Bought toblerone and some Pret a Manger. That was $50
worth…how ridiculous. Thought I changed my seats to 54K (a window seat), but
apparently it changed to 45H (an aisle seat). I also had a debacle with the
people in rows 46 and 45 about my confusion with my seat.
There was a typical frat guy jerk sitting at the window seat
in my row. He was sleeping for a few hours of the flight, but then woke up and
tried hitting on the blonde british girl sitting in between us. He kept tooting
his own horn saying he was in London because young political leaders met in
London, that he was a political advisor, he told her she looked like Cameron
Diaz, and he even told her that if she needed any suggestion of places to go at
South Beach, that she should email him. He was also telling her that she should
get a good nights rest and explaining about jet lag (as if she doesn’t know
what jet lag is).
When I got off the plane, U.S. citizens seemed to get the
fast lane through passport check. Then customs seemed really quick.
I finally got to see my loving parents and we went to Pollo
Tropical for my Cuban food!
