Armenian Cultural Day

On Saturday night I stayed overnight at my parents to catch up with them and as I was getting out of the car I saw next doors tabby kitten over near the bushes. I went over it wondering what it was doing foraging in the bushes and gave it a quick pat. I started to walk off and heard this scruffling (that's how I can only describe it) noise, turned around and saw a baby bird just standing there who the cat had caught. I took it inside to my parents who were watching TV at the time and were extremely surprised seeing this little patient in my hands. Yet I elaborate on that at on another blog entry.

The Sunday morning I went to church for the first time in quite a few months which was interesting and good. Over the past few months the church had finished it's renovations and also in the past couple of weeks changed the church service times. With those changes they have been quite hard on me because it is very different from how I once knew it. I'll also write about that on another post.

So anyway I caught up with a few people and a family I know also who invited me to the school fete at Frenchs Forest Primary School. I said I would meet them there after dropping of some food in the fridge at home which I did. I got a bit distracted having a small something to eat, texted them I was on my way then went up there. Going there I saw a sign for The Armenian Cultural Day in Duffys Forest on a bridge across the road.Arriving there I called them yet no answer. At text came and said I just missed them. So I decided to go to the Armenian School Fair because it was going to close in the next hour or so. Looking in the street directory I couldn't find the school or remember the name of the street. So I had to do a great big huge loop around the streets and traffic light to see the small sign again...yet still be careful of my driving. Getting past that bit I then drove for a little bit more to find a street to turn into then look at my map.

S0 beginnith the saga of finding my way to the Alexander Primary School out in the back-woods of Duffys Forest. Little did I know how far away it really was and how many times I had to stop of and look at the map. On the way there I even got more confused and stopped of at the Japanese School fete or fair yet didn't get very far. Just as I was trying to find the entrance I saw a lot of people walking out and it was THEN...I figured it out that it was basically finished there. I got back into my air-conditioned car which was much needed because it was such a hot day then I managed to find the place at long last. I was lucky to find a car spot because it still seemed very busy there. I was so nervous about going into a place with no-one I knew or a language I had no idea on how to speak. I did something that I don't normally do yet that was because of nerves.

Walking into a huge courtyard I found myself surrounded by people, food stores and other types of stores as well. I felt like a real alien in my own country and city walking around having a look. It was the strangest of feelings because I felt like I was almost trespassing on some type of private function or day. It was like everyone could tell that I was an outsider spying on them or something. I have no idea why I was feeling so vulnerable there yet I was and it was scary as well as totally new.What was also driving me was that I wanted to learn more on the school and also the day. Walking over to the other side of the courtyard I saw some more stalls as well as one with some types of bracelets, a religious poster with Armenian writing on it amongst other things as well. I wished I could read what it was saying yet couldn't. There was some modern singing in the background being performed so I managed to find a seat and watch for a bit. The crowd was grooving along a bit and I found myself swaying a bit also. I felt like asking someone sitting around me what the song was about that they were singing..yet didn't have the guts to do it.

Getting up I walked up a bit further to the see what else was up there and then I noticed the school hall which I nearly missed. Going inside it was like an Aladdin's cave of posters and musical items some f which I hadn't seen before. On the walls were different part of Armenian music like classical, religious, popular, folk and a few other kinds as well. There were also pictures and names of people of I have never heard of before or even seen. I was totally fascinated and wanted to remember as much as I could. I didn't have my normal camera with me so I got out my mobile phone and started taking pictures with that instead. I also walked into the foyer of the school and found this amazing tile mosaic with so much detail to it which covered about 10 feet high and 10 feet wide or bigger. I still had a big urge to talk to someone yet was to shy to do so.

On the way out of the hall I stopped and looked at big coin celebrating Armenian independence to a republic or country. There was two oldish men standing near me and told me it was a coin for their country which set us of into a conversation for about 15 minutes to half an hour almost. We talked about anything from the founding of their country 20 years ago, Armenians around the world, the sad genocide of years gone by, classical Armenian singers, the countries very long ancient history, all the different types of instruments, Armenian's being the first Christians, the Armenian Church in Sydney, the Armenian alphabet, letters and the source of it from nature, a very famous Armenian poet and musician from the middle ages, also how the country was once known as "The one with a thousand churches" amongst quite a few other things as well. Outside I could hear some folk music and dancing yet couldn't go out because I was too busy talking yet it sounded fascinating. One of the men I was talking to actually owned this instrument in the picture here which I found fascinating. He also said how he had repaired the instrument and his daughter learnt how to play it. He also worked with some type of artworks like pottery or tiles. After talking to those gentlemen I felt so relieved and a bit better so I finally introduced myself to them. They told me their names yet I could get my mouth around the words properly yet I thanked them very much for their kind hospitality.

As I was finally leaving decided to have another look at the cross bracelets again. On one of them I notice a name called "St Serge". I asked to owner who didn't know then she asked someone else about it. I was told that St Serge was a saint of winter or the cold or something like that. I decided to buy another one I found because I had no real idea who he was. I also saw these pastry or sweet things on the way out and asked how much they were. The lady ended up saying that it was the end of the day and I can get 6 for $10. I got 3 of each type which was one was plain and the other had ground walnut, spices and cinnamon in it. Also luckily they just had enough change for a $50 note. Again I thanked them very much and left feeling very humbled indeed. That night after getting home and having a bit of a rest I started looking up Armenian information while watching TV. I found myself too fascinated for many hours looking at all these different facts than watching the TV. I was also trying to find out more information about St Serge and his story. I also rang my Mum and told her what I had done that day and how I went to the fair day. She was happy that I had a good and interesting day. That night I went to bed in absolute awe of the Armenian people and culture gaining a whole new respect for them all over again. I've always liked and had respect for the culture yet that day reaffirmed it once again for me.
The schools website where the cultural day is here down below. The school is called is Alexander Primary School. They seem to be a very good and interesting school indeed.
http://www.alexander.nsw.edu.au/index.html

Again thank-you for reading more about my life's journey yet take care until next time soon....

Recovering From Being Sick

Over the last four weeks or so I've been really sick with a flu or cold. PLEASE NOTE: The photo's in this blog are trying to describe how shaky I was feeling. I couldn't find any photo's of me being sick.... There were days where I was blowing my nose every few minutes it seemed like and that my nose was getting sore. I also had a sore throat that with every swallow it was really hard so I bought some strepsils which did help for a few minutes. With the coughing it felt like I was doing it a lot and I was getting no peace from myself. Headache's, weakness and feeling bit feverish were another part of the fun......NOT!

So after trying to rest, be quiet, not see people for fear of infecting them for about two weeks my Asperger's was starting to annoy me and get on top of me. Sure I quite like my own company and do feel comfortable with it yet this was getting a bit to much. I wanted to do some more cleaning of my house and also go out places doing things and I was getting very lonely. I do like people and being around people even though I do get quite anxious with it yet that's normal for me.

I can't remember exactly what week it was yet I started getting really bad dizzy spells on a Sunday or Monday or Tuesday. It felt like that the room was spinning whenever I lay down or moved and it was the most horrible also scary feeling out. It was worse than the most drunk you've ever been times 30. Worse was to come with the nausea and being sick along with sore feeling ears. The writing group was going back after a few weeks back so I had to inform them that i couldn't make it because I was so sick. One of the ladies whom I emailed didn't seem to impressed with that yet I said that I was sorry.

The next day I went to the Doctor feeling like death warmed up and aching all over as well. My nausea was bad when I was waiting in the waiting room. So I had to use the surgeries toilets and empty my stomach contents which wasn't nice. I was worried that I couldn't last out my time in the waiting room.... yet I did. After 20 to 30 mins it was my turn to see the Doctor who examined me. He said I had a build up of fluid in my ears and I had quite a bit of mucous in my throat. I got prescribed some antibiotics and some Stemetil for the nausea instructing me to go home and rest. On the way back home I got the medicines from the chemist and as I walked in my door I felt like a zombie. So over the next week or so I slowly improved yet still wasn't back to full health. I also found that I had been quite depressed with being sick for this long also yet that maybe is normal. So at last I'm coming out of the woods which is good. I'm sorry for being quiet for this month of October yet now you know what was going on with me... I was under orders to get myself better!
Now you will hear more from me on my blog... Take care until next time.....