Tuesday, April 14, 2015

HRAZDAN LADIES' BOOKCLUB

     Hrazdan Ladies' Bookclub had it's first meeting last Wednesday, April 8th.  When I moved into my new little studio apartment in Rykom/Hrazdan there was a request from Ruzan, my host sister that I start a ladies bookclub.  She asked that it be held each week at my apartment with candles and tea and coffee and sweets.  So, I have made it happen.

     We have six in our group.  Two of us, Ruzan and me are fluent in English and four are beginner intermediate to intermediate English speakers. So our members thus far are Ruzan, me, Gayane, Anya, Ani and Anahite.  We will probably add more members as time goes on. 

Reading Heidi. . . .
Check out my cute dishes :-)  I bought colorful
things for my apartment. Outside is so very bleak...I wanted
a cheerful place inside..

So, here we are:  Anya (Russian for Anna), Ani (Armenian for Anna),
Ruzan and Gayane. 
 
Anahite, Ruzan's mother on the right...She came late from
her work as a pharmacist. She works 7 days a week, 8-10 hours
a day for $120 a month....

     Our first book is a child's version of Heidi. I had bought four copies of this book while in Zurich Switzerland last month and make copies for everyone to have a copy. The full novel was one of my favorite books as a young girl.  Each group member reads a page and another member translates. But first, before we begin we reading, we have tea and sweets and talk about our lives . . . . just like my  basketball mothers' book club in Vermont :-)  I try to keep everyone speaking English, otherwise, I am left out of the conversation except for a familiar Armenian word here and there. 

     We had a lovely time last week. This week I will also ask simple questions about the book, hoping to elicit answers in English and in complete sentences.  We'll see :-)

     It is now December of 2015. Our club stopped in late spring when school let out for the summer and started up again when Ruzan returned from the new group of volunteers training in late November.  Here are pictures of our Christmas party when we started up again and then playing UNO and Bannanagrams for New Year's Club meeting in January 2016.

 
Reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas...

And more of The Grinch...
 
Having fun playing UNO December  2015
 
 







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