Last Week's "Green Camp'

Growing Pains

Just came back over the weekend from another youth camp.  I saw some new parts of Armenia as the camp took place in the very northern part where you could actually see Georgia.  Although the geography was new, the heat was very  Sacramento-like and you could usually find the counselors under the nearest shady place.

This camp was a slightly different from the last one as the kids were a little younger (11-14) and as the name Green Camp suggests, it focused on increasing their understanding and respect for the environment.  The topics for the days ranged from the cyclical nature of "Water" to the "Pyramid of Life" to "Eco-Friendly Communities."  Some of the time was spent in the classrooms but the emphasis was on experiential learning through outdoor games and activities.   During the break time, the kids would drift into small circles to practice their volleyball skills or pair off with badminton rackets, a favorite of the girls in my town.  I even helped a handful of kids to get proficient at throwing a Frisbee…. straight.

As with the previous camp, the enthusiasm of the kids was delightful and kept our staff of 6 Peace Corps Volunteers and 6 Armenian Volunteers energized in spite of the heat.  When the activities of the camp concluded in the late afternoon, we only had a five minute walk from the school to the house of Volunteer who lives full-time in that village.  It wasn't long before the Americans were sitting in the shade, curled up with the current novels for the week, or taking a cat-nap on one of the many mattresses spread throughout the floor of the house…. and often completing the whole sequence!

Upon returning this past weekend to my regular site, I was excited to take my first hot shower in a week, re-discover the other modern conveniences of my bathroom and have my first good night's sleep in a week.  Not sure if it's just my age or the fact that I never did much camping as a kid, but sleeping on the floor/ ground leaves me tired the next morning.

Having experienced a "let-down" after the last Summer Camp, I thought this time I would keep an eye on my emotional state as I returned to a "semi-urban" setting.  It is hard to replicate the proximity to nature and the hospitality in a rural Armenian village.  On my morning walks to our Green Camp, I was often joined by the local turkeys out for their morning stroll.   And on the way back, it was easy to wind up in a neighbor's home.  The second evening there I was invited to the home of one of the neighbors I had met on one of my walks. First it was the traditional cup of Armenian coffee, then came plates of sliced peaches and sweets.  The visit was capped off by a spontaneous duduk concert by one of his nephews. (During our training a year ago, we had learned that the “duduk,” a reed instrument in the oboe family, was the pride and joy of Armenia.  The story goes that when James Cameron heard it for the first time, he knew he wanted it for the soundtrack for his new movie "Titanic.")  

Another time I walked two houses down to Mayor's residence to fill up a couple buckets of water and didn't come back for almost two hours.  The other Volunteers must have thought I got lost!   But my favorite moment in the evenings was when the neighborhood kids couldn't hold back their curiosity any longer and carefully stuck their heads in our gate.  It was a like re-run of Spanky and Our Gang with all the wide-eyed looks and bashful joy. 

All that being said, I was curious to observe my response to returning to my "semi-urban" setting, where I stay until August 2010.  What was it that led me to feel a let-down last time?  After all, I have made some good friendships and have often been the recipient of gracious hospitality here as well.  And besides, I had all the creature comforts of a comfortable bed and a hot shower.  What's not to like? 

It slowly occurred to me it had little to do with the people but really with the current  “growing pains” with the country's culture.  The values of consumerism are in full-swing and the guileless nature of village life will soon be a distant memory.  The comparison that comes to mind is with “teenagers” who confuse appearance with reality.  Having the latest songs on your cell phone or driving at high speeds seem to be goals that many residents in my town aspire to.  And when I travel to the capital the behavior is even more startling as the majority of the young women in Yerevan seem to be auditioning for Project Runway……… Hollywood Boulevard.   This seems especially strange in a society with very conservative and almost repressive sexual norms.   Any way you look at it, the cultural values and the behavior are not a good fit.

It would be much easier to accept if all the fancy cars and trendy fashions in the capital were the fruits of a healthy economy.   But there is no economy in Armenia to sustain this lifestyle, unless one of your relatives has a connection with the Russian Mafia.  At least in the rural areas, the villagers approach a self-sustaining life, growing much of their own food and bartering for additional services. They have no illusions about themselves and their lives are consistent with the values of the culture.

 The same cannot be said for the residents in the larger urban areas like my town.  Many of the new generation have absorbed from TV and the movies their version of  The Good Life.  And their cell phones make them part of that.  Few seem to consider how such a lifestyle is “sustainable.”  With 30% unemployment, many look to their families to support them, some to the government, while others have become very skilled at writing grants to get their slice of foreign aid.  But this pattern of seeking the solution outside of one's own initiative has the tendency to point Armenia into  becoming a Welfare State.  

    I wonder if Karl Marx would see the irony of the situation.  It is no longer “religion” but cell phones and fast cars that have become the “opiate of the people.”  While I find this very difficult to watch, there are surely sectors of the government and select families that control Armenia’s wealth who do not.  For the result is that most citizens are distracted from trying to change the stark realities of their country: that  democracy is but a facade and that the most qualified candidate being hired is but an illusion.    One can only hope that this will change in time.  It just won’t be any time soon.  Resignation is deeply imbedded in the culture and leadership and collaboration skills are sorely missing after 70 years of Soviet rule.  

In the meantime, we will continue to train the young people in their problem-solving, collaboration, and leadership skills.  They will surely need them for the steep climb up the mountain which is their future.