Sunday, July 29, 2007

Everywhere in Armena, the Crowd Cheers On

Last Wednesday, as previously mentioned, I attended a soccer match between Hayastan’s Pyunik (translation: phoenix, how poetic) and Derry. What I failed to mention was the unbelievable number of men at the event. I mean, I get it. Boys like sports; this is a general assumption similar to many others such as: housewives like vacuuming and fathers like leaning back in a chair after dinner and undoing a few links from their belt. If I were to continue, I’d say all Irish have perfected the car bomb (I’m talking in the bar, not on the streets) and all Greeks have whole lambs marinating in their basement fridges (I confess, this last one may be closer than not to the truth.) Suffice it to say, I was still surprised when I got to the stadium and looked around to find myself one of only a handful of women at the event. I cheered louder to compensate.

Last Friday, we snuck out of our Havak on “Economic Development and The Diasporan Factor,” to attend a reading hosted by Setta’s Women’s Center. As we shuffled, shucked and slid our way into the crowded back room at The Club, we noticed nothing particularly unique about the setting. A bunch of people crowded into one room, chattering away. Add a little haygagan surjch (Armenian coffee) and it’d look like any other restaurant and cafĂ© around. Ah, but here’s the rub: the room was filled with women reading their literary creations out loud, en haut-voix, bartsiats-tsyn. In Armenian, in English, in French. The women formed a vortex of words as they passed a talking wand around the room. What a feminine space-dominating with words- how contrary to my every day assumptions. The applause at the end rattled the room, cornered the few men observing on the periphery.

This is what it’s been like here, lately. Lot’s of surprises. Most of them pleasant. We are sneaking away, in mouse steps and pirouettes, from the tourist reality. Cab rides are getting cheaper as our Armenian improves. Haggling makes more sense. Yesterday, a Shark’s Tale was on T.V. in English- that was pleasant, too.

Placing cornerstones from the ATDA office,

Samantha

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I want the talking wand to express my solidarity with all women wishing to share their experience, strenght and hope with each other and solve our common problem of fear and dissatisfaction, boredom and hunger. Long live the talking wand!!!