Although the work at the WSC is always emotionally heavy, as we deal with topics such as abuse and violence every day, this past week was especially difficult due to some news I received from my hometown. While I won’t share specifics, a particularly graphic case of DV became public—a friend from high school’s family. I took the news pretty hard. It’s one thing to read case studies about DV every day, and to listen to the hot line calls while we are eating lunch, but hearing about it in the context of a family that I know fairly well was devastating. Though Ani, my supervisor, told me I could take space from work if I needed it, I felt that the best comfort I could receive was here, surrounded by a group of women who, out of everyone in Armenia, probably best understand how I’m feeling. After a few days of sitting with the news and my grief, I am only more committed to the importance of this work, and I am so grateful for all of these strong and beautiful souls who keep the center running.

While this is the end of my sixth week, and therefore the end of my LIA period, I will be staying in Yerevan for another two weeks through the Armenian Assembly program, with my final day at this internship on August 8. I plan on writing a final recap of my experience here after these two weeks have passed, and hopefully, once more of my half-baked reflections have had time to coalesce into something solid. 

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to this weekend’s adventures—tonight, everyone in the city will gather at the Cascade stairs for what is essentially a folk dance flash mob, which happens every final Friday of the month. Additionally, this Sunday is the Vartavar holiday, originally a pagan holiday which involves what is essentially a giant water fight in the street. I’ve been told to leave all electronics at home, in case I’m targeted by an eight-year-old with a bucket…