Carnival time

A visit from good friends John and Nikki Wallace

The start of Lent is marked by a number of traditions in Cyprus.  This includes Τσικνοπέμπτη or 'Fat Thursday', which is traditional meat feast held on the last Thursday before Lent.  On 'Fat Thursday', the smell of lamb and pork souvla barbecuing wafts around the streets and all the restaurants are full as people partake in a final feast of meat before Lent.  We learnt about this the hard way when we headed out to a restaurant on the Thursday with good friends from Australia John and Nikki Wallace who were visiting for a few days.  Suffice to say, absolutely no room at the inn at any of the Cypriot restaurants we tried, so we ended up at another favourite haunt aptly named 'the Syrian Arab Friendship Club'.  

Bazookis and guitars at the ready for this meat feast

The current season is also marked by Carnival, which takes place in towns across the island this weekend, with the main event taking place in Limmasol.  It's basically an excuse to dress up, so it's common to see people in shops, bus drivers etc all in fancy dress for a few days.  Given Sam's penchant for all things dress-up related, he is particularly enamoured with the carnival season, and has spent the last 5 days in various states of fancy dress.  This coming week Cyprus has a public holiday known as 'Green Monday', which officially marks the start of Lent.  It's tradition on Green Monday that children fly kites all across the island.  Our kids are ready to go with their prototypes.


Sarah, Jessie and Gus have been at Lake Tahoe in the US this week visiting Sarah's brother Roger, Bonnie and their two boys Ben and Bryce. They're back this coming Monday night and by all accounts it sounds like they've had a great trip. More from Sarah on this later I'm sure.  

Good winter rains means a very green island at the
moment; a big contrast to summer.

So I've been holding the fort at home with Sam and Anna this week.  We've had a good time together, and I've been amused by Sam and Anna's regular exchanges.  One of their questions whenever there has been a disagreement or fighting is to ask each other 'can I still come to your party'? If the answer is yes, then all seems to be right in the world again and harmony prevails. Exactly which party they are referring to I'm not quite sure, but I assume it relates to the nebulous concept of a birthday party.


It's been cold in Cyprus over the last few weeks.  In fact last Fri we had a tease of snow in Nicosia which apparently is very rare.  The weather will turn quickly though, and even this weekend the thermometer is nudging 22 degrees so warmer weather is not far away.  Spring can't come fast enough for Sam and Anna, who've been itching to get into sandals and crocs for weeks now.  

These characters have been appearing all over town
as part of the carnival festivities

Mariah Carey in rural Armenia?? A strong measure of cognac please sir!

Downtown Yerevan last week

Last week I travelled to Armenia for a meeting of operations directors from across the region.  The Caucasus is having a heavy winter this year, and the capital of Armenia, Yerevan was already under a blanket of snow when we arrived and it continued to snow all week.  We had a few days of meetings in Yerevan, and then travelled to the field to visit some schools and rural development projects in a region a few hours from the capital.  Yerevan is a stately city, with large squares and promenades.  Evidence of former Soviet architectural influence is everywhere.  Overlooking the city are two large cognac factories, Ararat and Noy, for which Armenia is well known, and in the distance the looming presence of Mt Ararat, located in what is now a part of Turkey.

An Armenian high school

Conditions in Armenian schools vary considerably, but many are very run down and have major problems with even the most basic components of infrastructure, including water and heating.  We visited several schools where development and refurbishment projects are either planned or underway. Students and the broader community are active partners in all aspects of planning and implementation of the projects, and it's always good to meet the students behind these initiatives.  Many are doing remarkable things to transform their communities and schools. There was a somewhat surreal moment at one point during a school visit when we were meeting with students and the bell rang to indicate change of lessons.  Then over the loudspeaker system came the haunting strains of Mariah Carey's 'Hero', played at some decibels.   Apparently the song is played at each break to 'motivate' the students (to do what I'm not quite sure).  It would appear that no corner of the planet is safe from Ms Carey's warbling vocals.

The trip back from Armenia turned out to be quite eventful.  I arrived at the airport around 5am Fri with some colleagues to pick up a scheduled flight to Moscow and then Cyprus.  Despite the blizzard outside, we were dutifully checked in, loaded onto the aircraft and prepared with safety briefings etc.  I guess if anyone is going to fly it will be Aeroflot with it's Russian pilots, who spend their winters flying in heavy snow and ice conditions.  After sitting on the plane for a few hours and looking out the window as a snow storm continued to rage outside (somewhat nervous at the 30cm of snow  now sitting on the aircraft's wings), it soon became clear we were not going to fly.  So off the plane and back into the terminal we went, where we were asked to wait for any further updates.  A long delay ensued, with the snow outside just getting heavier.  Some 11 hours later, we were finally asked to reboard the plane, despite the fact that the conditions had not really improved.  So back on the plane again, this time with many of our Russian passengers smelling heavily of vodka and other drinks consumed during the delay period.  As the plane was pushed back it got bogged several times, and graders and men pushing were needed to clear more snow from the tarmac and allow the plane to move.  Then a somewhat convoluted process to de-ice the wings just before rolling onto the runway and we were off, the only plane that managed to depart that day. 

Trying to look comfortable in -23 degrees

Obviously by this stage we'd long missed our connection in Moscow so had to stay overnight in a 'hotel' for passengers stuck in transit but without Russian visas.  It would be generous to describe the facility as a hotel, actually it was more like a detention centre, with heavy Russian security and a menu that consisted of pickled cabbage and spam.  Appetising stuff, especially after you're already 15hours into a flight that should have only taken 2hrs.  I had hoped to take a brief walk or a run to see what it felt like to spend much time outdoors in -23 degrees, but alas our Russian 'hosts' had other ideas, and we were pretty much confined to our rooms or a small common area which atleast had a piano (although badly out of tune.....).  Interesting to see how many of our fellow passengers knew the lyrics and tune to David Bowie's Space Oddity!  Finally we got off the next day back to Cyprus.  I don't think the green fields and turquoise mediterranean have ever looked so good as when we flew into Cyprus, especially after 3000km of a white and frozen Eastern Europe.  It's always to good to come home, but seemed especially so after this trip.

When the kids first saw this photo they wanted to know
why you're not allowed to play trumpets in Yerevan?

Yerevan

Entertainment at dinner one night

A frozen update from Eastern Europe

I'm in the Caucasus this week, and we've been experiencing the full impacts of an Arctic weather system affecting Eastern and Western Europe.  The temperature this morning topped out at -22 degrees.  A little on the brisk side for a run outside.  The WV news article below provides further details of some of the challenges vulnerable communities have been facing across countries in the region as a result of the current conditions.


Snow and freezing weather trap thousands across the Middle East and Eastern Europe
by Dwayne Mamo, WV MEER Regional Communications Manager   Georgia

Harsh winter conditions continue to choke many parts of Eastern Europe. In Romania and across the Balkans, many villages remain closed off due to continued sub-zero weather, heavy snow fall and, in some cases, avalanches, forcing local governments to declare emergencies in some parts of their countries.


World Vision will not be declaring an emergency in any countries where it has offices for the time being. However, individual offices are responding to needs as they see fit.


In Romania, 34 people have died already and average recorded temperatures have been hovering around -25 Celsius since the second half of January. Some 250 communities have been affected so far, 37 of which are completely isolated and 138 of which no longer have electricity, and 1,200 schools have been closed with another 1,400 likely to follow.


World Vision Romania operates in seven counties across the country, five of which are heavily affected by the snow and freezing temperatures. Rural areas and the vulnerable populations within them are often the worst affected in such circumstances.


“World Vision Romania is making efforts to support over 500 vulnerable families – totalling more than 1,100 children from five snow-affected counties. Food, blankets, warm clothing and shoes will be distributed as soon as possible. According to the information we have at this point, children are not in immediate danger, but if the situation escalates, we need to make sure they stay warm and have enough food”, said Eugene Borlea, Emergencies Relief Manager for World Vision Romania.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the situation though not as dire, requires constant monitoring. Over the weekend between one and two metres of new snow fell across the country and will continue to fall through Wednesday with temperatures throughout the week remaining at -15 Celsius, forcing schools to remain closed through Friday. The World Vision office was closed Monday and will close as weather dictates.


“We have assessed the situation, found that in all communities we work in, families are safe and have enough food, water and other supplies to get through this period. The only hindrance is transportation and accessibility that have also affected our national office. All families and children are safe. There is no need of staging an immediate response. We will continue to monitor the situation until accessibility to communities is provided again”, said Hans Bederski, WV Bosnia and Herzegovina National Director.


For other countries in the Balkans the situation is much the same.


In Albania, the northern part of the country is more severely affected than the south, with the north receiving more than a metre of snow over the weekend. Schools are closed in many parts of northern Albania, while schools in the south are open, but only for short days.


World Vision is helping in three areas in Albania where it has programming and is assisting families that are in extremely vulnerable situations. In the north World Vision is working with the government to clear roads to access isolated villages and has given food to two families who had no access to food for days. In the south World Vision has helped over 20 vulnerable families with food, two families with wood for heating, two health centres with heaters, and in one extreme case has found a home for a family of four who had been only living in a tent with no heat, food, and very little clothing.


In Kosovo all schools have been closed until the weather turns warmer.


Cold weather is also affecting Azerbaijan and the World Vision office there is closing as needed.


World Vision will continue to monitor the situation in the communities it works in across the region to ensure that children and the most vulnerable remain safe in this continued cold snap.


– ENDS –

A birthday for Sam

A few weeks ago Sam celebrated his 5th birthday with all of the gusto we've come to expect from him.  This included the 14 day count down, the wish "list" and the countless going over of the food that was to be prepared.  "Mum, have you bought the strawberries yet? Can I do the chocolate dipping?" is what I'll remember!  As is our normal custom, he was allowed to have 'five' friends around for a birthday party.  It was quite the international contingent with a child from Brazil, one from Sri Lanka, one who was American/Cypriot, and another who was French.  The theme was GREEN  and the cake was coloured accordingly thanks to Ross' legendary icing techniques.  Jessie was an amazing organiser of the games and everyone chipped in on the Pin the Eye on the Green Dinosaur drawing.  We only had one set of 'unfair' tears from a child in Pass the Parcel but lets face it; that game has "rigged" written all over it. Needless to say, a great time was had by all, despite the cold weather outside.  The Aussie backyard party brought indoors!


Sam has also decided that now he's 5, he should be able to take one of the communion wafers offered in church each week (but not the wine), he may start sleeping in a bed (rather than on the floor), and it goes without saying that he should now be able to put his seatbelt on himself.  Oh to be 5 again........