Into the Unknown

There is a famous book about climbing Mount Everest that is titled, “Into the this blue air”.  I respected copyright for a change, and used  novel title, that has likely been used for a novel once or twice before.

This time I am launching into the UNKNOWN of Armenia.  Despite that I have never ventured here, it is a relatively easy trip.  I am traveling with the sports ministry of Cru, Athletes in Action.  Our team is composed of 5 athletic trainers… plus me.  I am the “token” exercise physiology guy.

Our veteran is Dr. Gary W, a Ph.D. in Athletic Training and a faculty member at a Uni in TN.  Our leader is Paul N, an AIA staff member.  Two more staff on the trip are Camille A, and Leif M.  Our lone West Coast member is Nick T, a grad student in Athletic Training and of Armenian heritage.

This is the first time to Armenia for all of us except Paul, and it is his 4^th visit.  I doubt if many readers have been there either, since most of us can’t find it on a map without some coaching.

We will be staying in a village about 50 min from the capital, Yerevan, where we will be working most days.  I would tell you the name of where we are staying, but I couldn’t begin to spell it.  The population of the village is under 1500, or less than half the size of the small town where I grew up.  The population of Armenia is about 3 million, making it smaller than my home state of AL.  It’s most noteworthy site is probably MT. Ararat just across the western border in Turkey.  Besides Turkey, other noteworthy borders are Iran and Azerbajian.  About 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a genocide in 1915-16.

And now you know everything that I know about this destination, still about an hour plane-ride away, as I type this.

But there will be more info to follow.