mary-go-round

HELLO!

My name is Mary. I am a writer, a reader, and a Michigander from the Metro-Detroit area. After months of preparation, I am embarking on a two-year journey as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia. I will be serving in the Youth in Development sector.

This blog is for my family, friends, coworkers, professors, future PC volunteers, and all those who want to keep up with me over the next 27 months. I will chronicle my experiences as I learn to speak Armenian, integrate into my new community and work to meet my service goals. The views & opinions shared on this blog are my own and do not reflect those of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.

ABOUT ARMENIA

Armenia is a land-locked country in the Caucasus region with over 3,000 years of history. Bordered by Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey and Georgia, Armenia sits on some of the oldest inhabited land on planet Earth.

In 301 AD, Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion. Ancient monasteries and churches dot its territory, hidden within mountainous geography. The Armenian language is one of the oldest on earth, an isolate branch of the Indo-European language family with a unique 39 letter alphabet.

Armenia’s political history is a story of survival and resistance. It has witnessed Roman, Persian, Byzantine, Arab, Mongol, Ottoman, Russian Imperial and Soviet rule. Parts of its history go unacknowledged, territorial disputes are omnipresent in the political landscape and cultural identity of this nation.

The Peace Corps has been present in Armenia for the past 30 years. Volunteers serve in the Education and Youth in Development sectors, teaching English and leading community development initiatives. Volunteers spend 10 weeks near the capital, Yerevan, for training. They then move to their permanent site for 24 months of service.

WHAT I’ll BE DOING

Peace Corps volunteers serve in one of six sectors, Agriculture, Community Economic Development (CED), Education, Environment, and Youth in Development (YD). I am a YD volunteer. I will be working with children ages 12-17.

Here’s what my work could look like:

• Mentoring and training youth on professional development and employability skills, including soft skills such as leadership and communication, and hard skills including resume-writing and interview preparation.
• Developing and facilitating camps, clubs (including English clubs), workshops, and other activities for youth to support leadership, civic engagement, and service-learning.
• Organizing internships and networking opportunities that offer youth new skills and experiences.
• Collaborating with local staff to initiate and improve development of events, trainings, and workshops that will enhance the skills of young leaders.