My 2011

As the Christmas is rushing and the year is almost over everyone send wishes, blessings and kind words to each other. The atmosphere becomes lighter, brighter and full of love.

Christmas really brings miracles to people's life and makes them more sensitive. Last year was really blissful for me. Lots of longings came to a happy end and made me feel blessed with having all the people in my life who fill up my days with love and care.

The year of 2011 was eventful indeed. My sweetheart visited my country and the result was our engagement. We had a great time in Armenia and then I got an opportunity to visit India. I was happy but apparently I couldn't imagine myself how wonderful that trip would be. During those two months not only had I a chance to discover the most incredible country in the world but also I made friends from all over the world.

Just imagine almost 70 people from around 20 countries gathered at a place studying, traveling, eating, spending time together and becoming closer to each other. That was a really amazing experience. And today receiving so many greetings and well wishes from all of them I realize how much blessed I was to meet each of them. They really made my trip an unforgettable one.

Now I know that Bangkok is not the capital of Thailand but the city where my sweet Puk lives. I can see her in a mess of preparations for the wedding which is so soon to be. I wish I were there to help her anyhow. She is such a lovely and caring person. I just wish her a happy family life with lots of lovely kids and promise to bye a helmet when I am back in India :)

My sweet Melissa whom I called the best traveler of our group. She was always in search of new discoveries in Delhi. Her camera saw all the corners of the city. The Camera, Delhi map and Metro map were in her bag in search of new places to see, to eat and to buy. I remember the day when I saw her with her notebook making a list of sight seeings for her husband to travel in the city while she would be at classes. Every morning she would wake up earlier than everyone to manage to talk to her daughter left at home with her grannies. Amazingly she was also managing to take care of her business. I always admire this wonderful mother and woman and wish her a new addition to her lovely family.

Cuba - is not the farthest communist country of hot dancers any more but the place where Leticia enjoys the life the way she used to do in Delhi, so cheerful, joyful and enthusiastic like none can be. I will never forget the way she was teaching me to dance Cuban way, how she was speaking so quickly, making jokes and poking everyone. She was my roommate for two days at Agra and Jaipur hotels where I managed to see that behind this strong personality a big and soft heart is beating... I wish my Leticita lots of love and romance for the coming year.

Machu Picchu is my next destination whenever I plan to travel. Did you know this is in Peru? I didn't. This is the country of Jaime and Pamela. Yes, now I know Jaime who is not the bold headed and strange & funny man from a South American serial but the modest graphic designer from Peru who can dance a whole night without brake :) Actually I overestimated him a bit regarding dancing. Actually even the challenge to win a game couldn't make him dance:) I wish Jaime a big love, a wonderful girl who will understand his gentle heart and hopefully will make him dance.

Martha lives in Namibia. Firstly I loved her curly hair then discovered the cheerful woman. She was storming Palika Bazar all the time buying up everything for her daughter. That night in her room at the Jaipur hotel was one of the most unforgettable moments in India. She was infecting us with her laughter and will to enjoy her life to the fullest. I wish Martha all the best for her coming soon wedding and all the joy in her family.

My day is not a day if I don't get greetings from Ghana where Alice lives. My lovely Alice, thanks for making my days. "Teacher", your voice sounds in my mind all the time I remember our classes. I hope the coming year will bring a new beginning in your life, the one you deserve.

Zaur is going to become a Father for the first time. Or maybe the kid is already born? I am sure he is going to be a good father. There was so much love and dedication in his eyes when we were talking about his wife. He also helped me with a small gift to my niece living in Tashkent. So the day is not far when I will visit Uzbekistan where Davron, Zamira and Dima also live.

Vote for Halong Bay to become the next wonder of the world. It's in Vietnam - the country of our Bodyguard!!! He was making so much fun all around even with his little knowledge of English. But that was not a big problem because he would say "Yes" to whatever he was requested or asked. The last thing we heard from him was the news about his wedding. Now he must be enjoying his honeymoon. Hope to see new photos of his happy family life.

In Costa Ricca lives a Cosita Ricca Yorles and a gentleman named Ely who is desperately looking for Rimma from Kazakhstan.

My Moldavian neighbors Katya and Leta, Cherry and Tan from Thailand, Jose and Malala from Madagascar, Satish from Bhutan, Xong and Ekalath from Laos, Edmenty and Florence from Hait...

I wish you all a Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. May all the success, happiness, health and prosperity come to your homes and may you always be surrounded with only good people and caring friends.

Lots of love and hugs to you from Armenia.

Golf with Karen Hovhannisyan

When we met for the first time on internet he didn't know anything about Armenia. Later he was telling me such things about our history or current issues that even I was not aware of. When we started the group he didn't know many Armenians. After two and half years he came to Armenia, spent 21 hectic days trying to manage meetings with each and every friend day by day, yet there were so many meetings left for the next time.

Among all Armenian friends there is a special one, Karen Hovhannisyan, who later became our QAVOR. Qavor is a very special and important person to Armenian families. This relationship begins when he is chosen to be the patron and  supporter of a couple preparing to get engaged and later married.

Karen is a golfer, the best golfer in Armenia. He is an amazing person, very humble and modest with very kind heart. Their friendship began in India where Karen went to participate in a Golf tournament . After spending two days with Ranu he came back very much delighted and touched by the gesture and warmth he had got, as if he found a family member in India.

As expected, starting from the very first day of Ranu's trip to Armenia Karen was with us trying to make our time unforgettable and full of events to different destinations. With him we attended open air dance classes organized by "Karin" folk dance troupe. Later we visited some travel destinations like Garni, Geghard and Khor Virap with his family -  his beautiful wife Stella and two wonderful kids Hranto & Sona. It was after all a family trip.

But the best sight we ever visited with Karen was "Ararat" golf club where he works and practices Golf. Honestly said,  before that I hadn't have much knowledge and image about this sport. But I definitely enjoyed it especially after seeing how my sweetheart was easily catching each instruction by Karen. After the first slipped stroke, he started playing as if he had taken at least several classes for some time and everybody were encouraging him not to tell anyone that it was his first ever visit to a Golf club :)

The club itself is a part of  a Yerevan district called "Vahagni community" the club itself is projected so that the players wherever they play could see Mount Ararat in front of them. We had a great time and lots of nice pics with Ararat in the background. The excitement was so much that Karen decided to take us there one more time and we had a session of a mini-golf. To our surprise the game ended with Ranu's victory. Well well, I would think it was Karen's sign of gesture but Ranu managed to hit the ball so that it appeared right in the hole with ONE SHOT only and that happened twice.... What to say ! Either he is very much talented or he had an  excellent teacher, or  both :)))

From the core of my heart I want to thank Karen for such a wonderful and unforgettable time spent at the Golf club. Special Note here to be mentioned: Most of the pics and videos we have is shot by Karen.

As for our other journeys, I'll try to write new posts.