While travelling in Georgia I met guys like this. Nice, a?..

In Gyumri Red Cross I had a great pleasure to participate in the creation process of “Ray of Hope”, an after-school activity club for children from poor families. Main activities there will be dancing, reading, embroidering, drawing, playing, teaching of psychology, etc.

I am sure that time spent in “Ray of Hope” will give much pleasure both for Red Cross volunteers and children. Karine, one of RCY volunteers: “I am so happy to be a part of teaching team of “Ray of Hope”. First of all because in Gyumri there are not so many opportunities for young people to spend a leasure time. Most of the time they stay at home. Work in “Ray of Hope” will also give me much practice with children. I am a psychology student and by playing with them I will get a huge practical basis for my future work”.

Nothing can be more pleasant than running away from the city chaos and hiding yourself somewhere in the  nature. Here are some moments from the trip to the mountains in the North of Armenia.

8^th of May – an International day of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies that is celebrated by Red Cross people all over the world. Celebrating of birthday of Red Cross founder, Henry Dunant has got much more important meaning than just birthday. Today it is the day when main Red Cross work values are underlined with the focus on humanity, help and peace. Nevertheless with children we decided to combine both – birthday party and talk about peaceful and beautiful world.

Drawing with chalk is an activity adored by every single child. We decided to repeat this activity done by Red Cross Youth some years ago. Our small project “Let’s make a present – draw a perfect world for Henry” took place in playgrounds of Shirak and Aeracia dormitories.

Henry Dunant cared about people in need. We hope that we managed to send the message for children about importance of humanitarism, good world and, most important, good people.

For us, organizers, this day was very special and inspiring. Children were very engaged in drawing and they were very passionate when they talked about good world which they imagined and which they would like to live in.

I had a pleasant afternoon tour to Ashtarak, a small industrial town lying in the neighbourhood of Yerevan. The most impressive points of the trip were walking along the Kasagh river gorge and visiting miniature churches. Enjoy the pictures!

Gyumri, an Armenian town which has been known for ages as a place for trades and arts, by Armenians is called the heart of lands culture. Unfortunately a powerful earthquake in 1988 has destroyed its look and shaked up its soul. Time has passed and the world has almost forgotten the 1988 year catastrophe. After twenty years Gyumri still remains an earthquake recovery zone. According to the statistics Gyumri registers the lowest rates of economic growth and highest rates of unemployment throughout Armenia.

Today Red Cross group in Gyumri has still been stretching arms towards vulnerable groups of people in the town: refugees and survivors of the earthquake who remained living in poor conditions. Through the “Psycho – social program” with the help of energetic young volunteers these people have been given attention and help when needed.

During several years volunteers have also developed an idea to establish a club for the children from the poorest families in one of the town regions called ”Avtokajan”. We fell in love with the idea of establishing the club “Ray of Hope” and we worked with volunteers to start up the activity. In the middle of April we have an openning of the club. All best for volunteers and “Ray of Hope” children!

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How do children at school in Armenia understand volunteerism and humanitarian work? What are their emotions when they see people who suffer? Do they understand that in order to help others, money is not necessarily needed?  Together with Trygve we had a couple of school visits where we presented International Red Cross organization, also had a discussion about humanitarian work and volunteerism.

I was surprised that none of the children could explain what does it mean to be a volunteer. We talked about human suffering, tried to find out reasons why there are so many people who suffer, children also made plans how could they help others now. In the end of our little seminar one of children said: “It seems that during this hour we bacame much better because his topic touched our feelings and now we are more aware of human suferring”.
Children were very excited to participate in the exercise with the cloth where they left their handprints with promise not to violate human rights.

 Armenian Red Cross Youth has been working with the project ‘Smiley Club’. It is a room in the dormitory where refugee children with the help of volunteers have different activities: drawing, reading, playing, doing homework and other things.

By now there was only one such room. On the 26th of December a new Smiley Club room opened the door for 55 children in one more dormitory in Yerevan!! Hurrah!! We were so happy that after a long time with reconstructions and delays we could finally enter the freshly smelling room and use it for our needs. Our opening ceremony took place just before the New Year. It was especially pleasant both to decorate the room and to create the Christmas atmosphere.

 After inspiring speeches about bright future of Smiley Club room  Santa Claus with his helpers entered the room. Dancing, singing and joyful laugh followed.

We hope that children will have many beautiful moments in this room. Good luck for volunteers with their beautiful work and all best for the children!

I withstood all suggestions to celebrate the New Year in Yerevan and decided to join the group of my Armenian and international friends going to meet New Year in the caves, lying far in the mountains.We started our tour on the 29th of December from Garni. This is a small town known for its beautiful temple of sun and the Garni canyon, called “Symphony canyon” because its cliff walls are formed as perfectly shaped vertical columns. Garni is one of Armenia’s most visited places.

A break with mountain ice – cream

As I expected our walk tour through Geghama mountain range was not the easiest one. In order to reach the cave we planned to stay in, we had to walk on foot 25 kilometres… It was quite tiring and we had many breaks with some food but no food was as good as mountain – ice-cream. Each of us collected half of the cup snow and then we were given some spoons of sweet condensed milk. These two mixed well together became a delicious ice-cream.

The cave: our home without door

Finally after ten hours walk we reached the cave which was supposed to be our home for four days. It was used by people since pagan times. It used to be a three floor temple which was later destroyed. By now only some crosses, alcoves and archs are left. Nevertheless the gorgeous, magnificent highness of mountains and divine silence make you feel like in a forgotten heavenly place. I enjoyed sitting on remained terrace leaning to one of pillars with my look resting on the slopes, falling down into the gorges, climbing into the tops of the mountains and jumping from one peak to another…People told me that in old times yogis used to stay here and had their meditations. You would hardly find a better place for doing this…

“Happy New Year” with fire toasts

It’s very familiar to greet New Year with champagne. I was pleasantly surprised by doing it in alternative way. Fire toast! The only thing you need is a metal cup and still hot, burning coal. You scoop into your cup hot coal and let each of your friends to breathe in dry and nicely smelling heat. Happy New Year! After that we had natural fireworks. The author and performer of this was our Lithuanian friend Dziugas. Later our evening was crowned by armenian, norwegian, lithuanian and english songs.

This was one of my most extreme and most beautiful New Year’s Eve celebrations. Thanks to all the people who were together with me. You were great, guys! Looking forward to next tours together with you!

It is always nice to run away from the city and to explore the majesty of places you have never been before… This gives you new briething, refreshes feelings and thoughts…

Some weeks ago my friends and me jumpet into the car and turned to the southern part of Armenia. Goris! The first impression was fascinating. I saw the town nestled in the valey of mountains and hils, sunken in the fog and strangely mysterious with its almost precisely situated streets.

Goris is known for the dwellings graved in the strangely shaped rocks. These rocks reminded me sand castles that I used to build when I was little. You just take a handful of very wet sand and pour it to form a stack. With help of some imagination you can form fortresses and palaces with high and thin towers, balconies and terracies.

The town is surrounded by beautiful mountains. The marvelous glory of mountains always inspires me, lets me feel like flying and reminds me about heavenly beauty of life. I promissed myself to come back here in spring when all the mountains are covered by flowers and take a swim in the see of colours.