Saturday 17 August 2013

Day 23 - Yerevan, our last day ;(

We've had a relaxing start to the day, a lay in and a pop to the supermarket to buy some last minute bits to bring home!

Around 1ish we had our evaluation with the National Board, Simona, Ani, Siranush and Anahit. They are really pleased with how well the GOLD project has gone this year and they couldn't thank us enough for all we have done. They are very excited about September and going back to the towns we visited and opening up some new Guide units. Simona surprised us all with a gift, Armenian flag key rings, they are fab and it was extremely kind of you Simona, thank you. 

We have all had an amazing time here in Armenia and we have made so many memories that we will remember forever. There are so many things we have loved...
  • All our training sessions with potential Leaders, current Leaders and Guides.
  • A very memorial taxi ride to Gyumri and squishing into the taxi, when one of the taxi's tyre needed changing.
  • The three amazingly yummy cakes on camp (how they managed to bake them we still don't know)!
  • Camp!


That's our group memories, here are our individual ones.

Rachael
  • Guide training in Sevan playing lots of parachute games
  • Meeting someone we trained last year on GOLD who is now a Guide Leader
  • Narrating an Armenian story
  • Emma and my duet performance on camp
  • Meeting so many incredible people, and working with the fabulous GOLD Armenia 2013 team - you've all been amazing!!
Jess
  • Lake Sevan 
  • Our first training session in Abovyan
  • Emma and Rachael singing on camp (oh Emma, Emma, Emma...)
  • I've enjoyed all the time on camp and getting to know all of you in the GOLD Armenia 2013 team.
Emma G -
  • Rachael singing to me, the disco and campfires on camp
  • Lake Sevan
  • Walking up the Cascade
  • Seeing how keen girls/women are here
  • Spending almost 24/7 with Guides on camp learning lots of Armenian.
Lydia -
  • Visiting the Cascade and Republic square at night
  • Being hunched over in the mini van to the mall!
  • The enthusiasm for Guiding here
  • Emma and Rachael singing on camp!
  • Disco on camp.
Emma T
  • Meeting lots of new people and the friendships I have made that will last a lifetime
  • Camp... Bzzzzzz!
  • Meeting many enthusiastic girls and women
  • Seeing the beautiful country of Armenia
Laura (me)
  • The Guide sessions we ran in Sevan and Metsamor
  • Lake Sevan - swimming in the lake and playing volley ball
  • I absolutely loved everything about camp, thank you NUGGGS for making it so memorable
  • Making lots of new friends, both the GOLD team and NUGGGS members
  • Being apart of an amazing GOLD team and project.
We are now mostly packed and ready for our journey home. This isn't a goodbye Armenia and NUGGGS, just a goodnight.

A big thank you to everyone who has translated, helped and made us welcome here in Armenia. You all went beyond the call of duty for us and we can't thank you all enough. We are extremely sad that our time here is very nearly over, but Armenia will always be in our hearts.


A final song that we would like to end with...

Linger
I want to linger hmm
A little longer hmm
A little longer with you mhmm
It's such a stary night hmm
It doesn't seem quite right hmm
That this shall be my last with you mhmm
And as the years go by hmm
Remember with a sigh hmm
We say goodnight and not good bye

Bari gisher

-x-x-x-x-x-x-


Friday 16 August 2013

Day 22 - Dilijan

Today was our last day of Trainings :( 
We headed north of Yerevan in mini vans to Dilijan with Simona and Kara, our translators for the day. Thanks to both of you.
 For our last training we met 6 potential leaders, which is really encouraging in an area which has no current guide unit. The training was really well received and we finally got to see Rachael's resources training! 

On the way back to the minibus we felt like we were in the middle of Hollywood, when we stumbled upon a film set in old town. 

All our trainings have been met with enthusiastic girls and women, and we hope that we have made a real difference to girlguiding in the regions that we visited!

This evening Simona accompanied us to a new shopping mall in the city, where we felt right at home with all the British shops...even Marks and Spencer! A lovely, relaxing way to spend one of our last evenings. Thanks Simona.

Thursday 15 August 2013

Day 21 - Yerevan

Day off today and a well spent by all. We had a lie in first thing and then headed off to the Hrazdan Hotel to spend the day by the pool!

This evening we had a final farewell with most of the lovely people we have spent time with here in Armenia. Everything seems too real now that things are coming to an end.
But we still have 2 whole days to go :D

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Day 20 - Metsamor

The sun is still shining in Armenia, although today we think it might have been the hottest day, or it felt like it!
Nane met us this morning near the hostel and we headed off to the bus stop to catch a bus and then a mini van into Metsamor. Here we were welcomed by around 18, very giggly and enthusiastic 7-12 year old's and three of the adults that we had met on camp. They loved all the activities we had planned, they did a fab job at making different objects in Giant's House and even managed the WAGGGS badge! The
parachute was a definite hit, particularly the 'washing machine' and 'cat and mouse' games. It was a really positive and fun session for all and the best bit is that the Leaders there are really keen to open a unit for these girls. Thanks goes to Nane and Lilit for translating for us today.


Once the session had finished and we all felt like we were melting in the sun, Laura, Lilit and Emma T thought a water fight was a great way to cool down!! The Leaders here in Metsamor very kindly took us on a short walk to visit their local Church which was very pretty.

This evening we met up with some of the members of the NUGGGS National Board, Narine, Lilit, Simona, Lilit and Anahit. Jess, Rachael and Emma G cooked a traditional British meal (Cottage Pie) which was very yummy and the National Board treated us to a delicious cake with a number '5' candle on it. We discussed our time here in Armenia and we all couldn't put into words how much fun and enjoyment we have had. They also asked for some tips for camp next year too, which we happily shared. 
We had a final get together photo before some farewell hugs as we wont be seeing some of the members before we head home. 



We are all feeling a little sad now, as its finally hitting us that our time in Armenia is coming to an end. We have so many happy memories that we will keep with us forever. On the plus side, we still have 3 more days here so we will be making the most of it!



Tuesday 13 August 2013

Day 19 - Yerevan

None of us can believe its Tuesday in our last week and we are trying hard not to think about coming home.

Today was a day off and we woke at a normal time to take a walking tour of Yerevan run by Envoy (the hostel). Although we have been walking around the city for a while we saw and heard about lots of new places. We found a new cafĂ© for lunch and some of us enjoyed a sandwich!! In the afternoon we stopped off at a few shops before heading back to the hostel for a rest. 

On the way back to the hostel we saw some amazing art work on the pavement outside the Opera House.

Emma, Rachael, Emma and Jess had a longish nap while Lydia and Laura (me) caught up on our diary's.

We've enjoyed dinner out and watched some of the athletics happening in Moscow and we are now about to tuck into banana/cake and custard, very British!!! Back at the hostel. Thanks to Rachael for bringing it over with her. 


Monday 12 August 2013

Day 18 - Spitak

Today we went to Spitak, about a 2 hour mini van ride north of Yerevan. Here we met 10 potential leaders and carried out our training's  giving them an insight into girl guiding, the benefits of girl guiding, what makes a good leader and how to adapt activities for different ages. These went down really well and we got very positive feedback in our evaluation session. They are now considering opening a Guide unit in Spitak! A big thank you to Tika and Nane for translating for us today. 

We are back at the hostel now and in need of food. 



Until tomorrow, night all!

Day 17 - Yerevan

It's Sunday!!! Lay in day and day off!

We all woke up late this morning after a long overdue lie in. We all smell normal again and have mostly got rid of the camp smell about us!!!!

Today we hit the market in Yerevan to buy souvenirs to bring home. Nane, one of our translators on camp kindly came along with us to translate prices etc. We all had a great time looking at all the lovely items for sale and have come away with quite a few bags of different bits. After the market we stopped off at a pizza restaurant to re-fuel before hitting the shops in the city centre.